symes

Thought it might be interesting to see who actually uses the LX for what it can do and who would never dream of it... Then compare these answers with the decision that Lexus takes when the new one comes out... Enjoy... Simon

That would make some sense...the 'VX' designation was the one used in the UK for the top end Land Cruiser for years...However, I think we'll move from 470 to 500 or so to avoid the cross comparisons from the Navigator, Range Rover, X5 4.6 and Escalade (why are Cadillac now obsessed with making the ugliest vehicles on the planet - not just the Escalade but the new coupes etc...their stuff used to be fairly pretty!!) I am expecting separation of the two models this time around and, when I purchased my LX470 in 1999, the salesman indicated 2004/5 as the likely change timeframe based on their normal cycle. What he also told me was that Lexus division wanted complete ownership of the Land Cruiser to avoid dilution of the brand with an 'ordinary' Toyota (not that there is anything ordinary about Toyota in my book...). However, when the GX470 came our recently, I wondered whether the LX replacement would become larger to fit with the way the market is going here in the US (at least until we run out of oil to steal from other countries). Otherwise, why on earth produce the GX so close to the LX - makes no sense to me - and with a side opening rear door at that!!! Now, what I think would be best is if Lexus produced the large Sequoia size vehicle with full LX style adornment etc...focused primarily on those for whom off-road means flooding on the school football field parking lot or mounting the kerb on the way to Harris Teeter, and leave Toyota to run a Land Cruiser size SUV which regains the old Cruiser's prowess off-road...(all around locking diffs etc...) All in my occasionally humble opinion....

Don't want to dampen your enthusiasm for the LX470, I love mine, but it does have a pretty awful drag coefficient and though almost silent around town, due in much part to the double seals, it does attract a fair bit of wind noise on the highway - with something that shape, you can't odds it...compare it with an RX next time you go in for service and you'll see what I mean, that screen is much less steep and it makes a heck of a difference - not that I'd ever swap my LX for an RX!! Of course, that doesn't mean that you don't have a seal problem... Simon

My 1999 does the same thing also - bottoms out at the top of the driveway unless I remember to bring it back up myself manually... Just for the record - why do you want to keep it low all the time? (tell me it is for easier access and nothing to do with trying to make an LX470 into a low-rider with chrome spinning hubcaps and neon lights etc...(that's why they made the IS300 - it's like that out of the box!!))

in the eye of the beholder I guess.....I love having the controls up there because I can easily get to it when loading up with shopping, or putting a child in the rear seat - the only two times that mine is ever on!!! Now, if you couldn't override from the front, it would be more of an issue. Many a time here in the North Carolina summer I have managed to keep milk and ice cream alive from the food store to home, but leaving the bag opening facing the low down air vent right by the tailgate - like having your own chiller system - awesome!! Only possible improvement I guess would be to have a full set of override controls on the front panel, but that area is getting pretty full already and that's without the DVD/Nav that some of y/all have!!

Hi, 99 LX470, bought new. Upon arrival, drove away from dealer and opened up the sunroof (slide) - the wind began to resonate around the car very loudly and frankly, was unbearable - gave me a headache after only a couple of miles. Turned back around and went back to the dealership. Sales manager initially suggested opening the rear flaps, but I wasn't content with this - I had just let go and old 1996 Grand Cherokee Ltd from its corporate lease and if it didn't have this problem, then I had larger expectations from the "relentless pursuit of perfection"... Eventually, the sales manager kindly offered to fit the lexus standard wind deflector and this does cure the problem. This was at his cost. Twice in fact, because about 2 years after it went on, it came loose and ripped off on the interstate - again, he replaced it and now I check the screws more often. However, I don't like having to have it there because it limits sun exposure (spot the ex-pat Brit!!) and is a total pain to chamois around. Anyone else have this problem? Did it get fixed on later models? regards, Simon

When I bought mine in 1999, the dealer indicated that it was normally a 5 year cycle, so that would point to 2004 right? He also suggested that Lexus were trying to pressure Toyota (ho ho) to separate the Cruiser and the LX and that they would leave Toyota to make the more "utility" 4R and Seq (though he didn't know the name at the time) and that the Cruiser would be discontinued leaving it solely with Lexus. Recently, I have heard talk of an LX500... It does seem to make sense that Toyota would build the cheaper larger "vanny" trucks for folks that want a quality Surburban/Excursion etc... and leave Lexus to the high quality vehicle. Looking at the current market entries, there doesn't appear to be an XL SUV out there in high quality mode, all the Mercs, BMW X5, Range Rover etc. are still pitching at what we used to think of as large whereas the mainstay domestic makes are handling the huge stuff for folks that want carry capacity, or plain ground clearance without the need for high end off road manners. Though I started in this game by wanting a Land Cruiser many years ago, I wouldn't really shed a tear if the Cruiser/LX relationship was separated, because then at least we might get some peace from those Cruiserheads that are intent on bashing the LX470 because it has no locking front diff. Price here in North Carolina, USA right now is around $65-68k