4th Gen 4Runner vs Lexus LX....

[docboy]

Not sure if this has been brought up before....

But this weekend a 2003 Lexus LX caught me eye. 1 owner, no accident. Adjustable suspension, night vision, removeable 3rd row seats, nav, etc...

115k miles, and asking price is about same as of a 4th gen 4Runner with similar mileage, so I'm considering it. Esp since this LX has been on the lot for more than a month, and I'm not sure why it hasn't sold yet. A good sub 100k 4th gen 4R usually sells within a few days here in my area and is competitive to buy and find, so I may have a little more room to negotiate here.

I know a few have considered the GX... but what about the LX? It's a little bigger and taller than the 4R, and feels ultra plush and luxurious, and makes the 4R seem like a go-kart in comparison.

Any thoughts?

 

[techno]

Like most Lexus products of those times, it's just a kitted out Toyota, in this case a 100 series Landcruiser. 100's are awesome vehicles, so you can't really go wrong, but obviously you have to compare some aspects to the 4runners. Fuel economy is worse, parts are more expensive, insurance is more expensive,

 

[Net4n6]

Not sure if this has been brought up before....

But this weekend a 2003 Lexus LX caught me eye. 1 owner, no accident. Adjustable suspension, night vision, removeable 3rd row seats, nav, etc...

?

What is night vision?

 

[techno]

What is night vision?

Headlights of course.

 

[wadle5]

Have entertained this as well...an LX or GX as opposed to a 4runner. And almost actually pulled the trigger on one prior to stumbling across my 4runner. I would say if you found a deal why not? Bigger vehicle, v8, comfortable. Sure it can get a little more costly with some repairs, but again its pretty much a Landcruiser.

 

[docboy]

Like most Lexus products of those times, it's just a kitted out Toyota, in this case a 100 series Landcruiser. 100's are awesome vehicles, so you can't really go wrong, but obviously you have to compare some aspects to the 4runners. Fuel economy is worse, parts are more expensive, insurance is more expensive,

Repairs being more expensive, and that it being a bigger vehicle are factors I'm pondering over. Funny how I start out looking at 4R and suddenly I'm look at the LX/LC. Surprisingly the 100 series is that much longer than the 4R, just top heavy, but gives it great all around visibility (except the rear).

What is night vision?

Projector on top of the dashboard that projects an "infared" image of the what's in front of you at night. Supposedly allows one to better see deer/dark objects at night.

 

[grave]

i went the opposite way. i was dead set on a UZJ100 for months. spent 6 months on ih8mud gleaning all the info i could about them, met a couple CL sellers, almost pulled the trigger on one. then my wife said, what about a 4runner? didn't want to hear it. i wanted my 100. but after joining this site and learning all i could about 4th gens, my mind quickly changed. we don't have kids and don't need that thirsty behemoth (yet). once we have a couple kids and we outgrow the 4th gen, i'll set it aside as a project vehicle and get a nice 100 for the fam. just weigh your needs and wants and priorities and get whatever you want!

 

[07V8]

100>>>4Runner it's in a different league.

 

[docboy]

Have entertained this as well...an LX or GX as opposed to a 4runner. And almost actually pulled the trigger on one prior to stumbling across my 4runner. I would say if you found a deal why not? Bigger vehicle, v8, comfortable. Sure it can get a little more costly with some repairs, but again its pretty much a Landcruiser.

We'll see what happens. In process of negotiation for some AV repairs...

 

[Morphyne]

I have a gx and a t4r. Repair are not more, unless you take it to a lexus dealer. Then yes, they will be. But my toyota dealer is willing to work on my gx for significantly less. However, I do almost all of my own work and the parts are exactly the same.


Having currently owning both. I like the look of a 2003 lx. I would go with that.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Have the Lexus looked at THOROUGHLY before you even entertain an offer.

There's a reason the GX & LX's are typically cheaper than the Toyota equivilants. My stepdad's accumulators (they mount to basically valve assemblies for the shocks located on the frame, there's 4 of them) for the adjustable suspension system went bad, stiffened the ride like it was on rocks. At my employee discount 4 accumulators and 2pts of special hydraulic fluid for the AHS system was about $2400; that's not including labor to install the pods and bleed the system. The rear shocks on those are also a pain if they leak (think XREAS, but tied into the AHS system), there's other electrical issues that can pop up.

Basically you're looking at a LC100 with a ton of extra "luxury" crap that is and will go bad, most people will dump them when they realize how much it costs to fix that stuff and trade-up to a new one. It may also not be cost-effective to buy a used one and then spend more money/time to de-content all the luxury junk out of it.

 

[Morphyne]

Or he could have pulled the accumulators and gone with traditional shocks. That's what I did when the electronic shocks on the gx went. Easy peasy, $350 in bilsteins. Rides great. Their are some fancy things that can go wrong on the lexi. But I still think it's worth it. Love the body. Hate the lights tho.

 

[docboy]

Have the Lexus looked at THOROUGHLY before you even entertain an offer.

There's a reason the GX & LX's are typically cheaper than the Toyota equivilants. My stepdad's accumulators (they mount to basically valve assemblies for the shocks located on the frame, there's 4 of them) for the adjustable suspension system went bad, stiffened the ride like it was on rocks. At my employee discount 4 accumulators and 2pts of special hydraulic fluid for the AHS system was about $2400; that's not including labor to install the pods and bleed the system. The rear shocks on those are also a pain if they leak (think XREAS, but tied into the AHS system), there's other electrical issues that can pop up.

Basically you're looking at a LC100 with a ton of extra "luxury" crap that is and will go bad, most people will dump them when they realize how much it costs to fix that stuff and trade-up to a new one. It may also not be cost-effective to buy a used one and then spend more money/time to de-content all the luxury junk out of it.

You hit it. Kind of frustrating during my hunt for a used Toyota based SUV... good 4R go just like that; what's remaining are heavily rusted ones from the east coast. I'm kind of having remorse for not picking up the overpriced but Toyota certified 4R Sport I saw a few weeks ago.

This LX is definitely very nice and posh, just currently unsure on the conditions of a CEL re: VGRS that came on a few months ago (prior owner did not get the CEL fixed per Lexus dealership, but oddly sold it a few months later). Funny thing is during my two test drives on Sat/Sun, I didn't see a CEL, so I'm wondering if this VGRS issue was taken care of, and if something else fishy was going on. I posted this topic on IH8MUD to get more exposure.

My wife all this time has been telling me to get a new one. She might be on to something here...