Member
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Redwood Curtain
Posts: 67
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Redwood Curtain
Posts: 67
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I actually went the opposite direction last week going from a 2021 GX Premium to a 2021 ORP with KDSS.
To be sure, while kissing cousins, the vibe is way different as are the looks.
Initially, we went down to San Fran to buy a 2012 GX from a Lexus dealer and went so far as to sign the paperwork. Amazingly, for 3 days they could not get it to pass smog and by Friday they made me a killer offer on a 2021 Nebula Grey/Sepia Premium.
And while specifically avoiding the 2013+ GX’s as I find the spindle grill to be heinous, being trapped 3 days in Daly City was enough to make me go along.
That and the Denali we traded in barely made it from Humboldt owing to a comical combination of a superfund site level oil leak (had to add 6qts once) and a transmission that had a nasty habit of refusing to shift into 2nd sealed the deal.
Regardless, once we got back to Arcata, came the realization that where we went to pay cash on a 2012, now we had a brand new vehicle and a quite low payment owing to handing over $20k or so for the aforementioned 2012.
With that, realizing that the differences between the 2012 I briefly drove and the 2021 seemed to me to be a far superior steering wheel and more in your face grill were scant, things like a vinyl interior and an almost identical infotainment setup to my old circa 2009 LS460 really began to get my goat. So to speak.
Ultimately, the silly used car prices coupled with a previous relationship with the owner of the dealer I purchased the 4Runner from allowed us to get a TRD Premium with KDSS and moonroof with very little penalty.
Having a 5 hour drive in back to back days in both mostly made me miss the aforementioned steering wheel which is shared with the LX570.
Otherwise, with both having KDSS, handling was fairly comparable and the roads from the Bay Area to Humboldt County get twisty from time to time.
The insulated glass on the GX and no doubt added insulation certainly add for a more serene cabin. Ditto the V8.
That said, for our uses, things like Apple CarPlay are huge. Also, all of our vehicles get dirty and the costs to get the GX to where I would feel comfortable wheeling seemed high.
Ditto being able to easily upgrade the audio after having a Focal/JL system in the LX. Also, the 3rd row eats up much space.
Last edited by Mark Linkous; 06-14-2021 at 09:06 AM.
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