Purchase perspective
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 362
Likes: 163
From: South Florida
Camel Trophy
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,244
Likes: 482
From: North of Seattle
That's kinda rough, dude ...
When I get in a vehicle and turn it on, I want it to return the favor. 
Lexus, for me, does nothing. My parents had an old RX300 (bought new) and it was incredibly problematic so maybe that is why.
As for Rover maintenance, I am not sure if the LR3 is really any higher than any vehicle I have had before. I bought mine used and it needed stuff to get it back into shape, but nothing too crazy. I think the only BIG wearable item is with the suspension control arm bushings. They last about 70k miles. Mine had been dealer replaced at about 80k before I bought it. I am at 160k now and they need replacing again. Engine - just the starter. Which is ironically made by Denso and a known weak point. The solenoid contacts fail. I replaced the spark plugs and PCV valve as maintenance items but neither of those needed replacement. Transmission, just a fluid/filter change along with the transfer case and front/rear diffs. My rear driveshaft has a loose center bering bushing. So I replaced the shaft but again it was not a necessity. I thought it was worse than it really was. For air ride I did rebuild my valve blocks and at $20 and some time that's not difficult, they regulate air to the various parts. My compressor did die, picked up a new Hitachi OEM unit.
Project I have lined up then would be a full suspension rebuild. Then I want to overhaul the cooling system, all new hoses, water pump, etc. Again not because anything is failing but because of milage/age. I take the truck to very remote places and need to be certain its at 100%. Thats probably the main reason I do preventive work.
Lexus, for me, does nothing. My parents had an old RX300 (bought new) and it was incredibly problematic so maybe that is why.As for Rover maintenance, I am not sure if the LR3 is really any higher than any vehicle I have had before. I bought mine used and it needed stuff to get it back into shape, but nothing too crazy. I think the only BIG wearable item is with the suspension control arm bushings. They last about 70k miles. Mine had been dealer replaced at about 80k before I bought it. I am at 160k now and they need replacing again. Engine - just the starter. Which is ironically made by Denso and a known weak point. The solenoid contacts fail. I replaced the spark plugs and PCV valve as maintenance items but neither of those needed replacement. Transmission, just a fluid/filter change along with the transfer case and front/rear diffs. My rear driveshaft has a loose center bering bushing. So I replaced the shaft but again it was not a necessity. I thought it was worse than it really was. For air ride I did rebuild my valve blocks and at $20 and some time that's not difficult, they regulate air to the various parts. My compressor did die, picked up a new Hitachi OEM unit.
Project I have lined up then would be a full suspension rebuild. Then I want to overhaul the cooling system, all new hoses, water pump, etc. Again not because anything is failing but because of milage/age. I take the truck to very remote places and need to be certain its at 100%. Thats probably the main reason I do preventive work.
Last edited by houm_wa; Oct 5, 2020 at 02:21 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
^^ Uninspiring? Yes I generally agree, mushy and too quiet with too much body roll is their general MO but the GX is a different kind of thing. The 4.7 under the hood is pretty energetic and the suspension has a low setting that firms things up nicely and almost makes it fun to drive. It also is a straight up Toyota truck so while it's dressed in sheeps clothing here in the US it's a tough bugger everywhere else in the world and it will take a pretty good beating and come back for more and, like the LR3, it will never be driven to it's potential so other than wear parts wearing out due to high mileage they're generally in good shape and for the money you get an awfully nice rig when buying used. While a 4Runner might be a few bucks less at the same age with the same mileage it's more likely to have been beat up a little and not maintained as well. The people that buy LR's and Lexus' usually have their service done on schedule and often at the dealer rather than at Joe's Garage down the street and they also tend to use the garage or at least wash their vehicles often especially during the winter so the salt doesn't sit on them for as long and they tend to be less rusty. I'm seeing LR's and GX470's for well under $10k that look pretty good, I'm going to look at two LR3's today that are both in the $6k range and a GX that's mid 7's, as long as they're not rustbuckets I could see one of them coming home with me but I usually like to look at more than just one or two of anything before I jump in.
Camel Trophy
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,244
Likes: 482
From: North of Seattle
Yes indeed...UNinspiring. Fixed.
I think the best thing to do is go drive both vehicles. Your assessment of the GX is accurate. The LR3 is still going to be a much better place to be, but the GX doesn't suck.
Off-road the LR3 beats it due to superior wheel travel, crawl ratio, suspension, locking torque-converter.
If you are not going to take it off-road, then these things are less of a factor. Hell...in that case I'd look at an X5 or a GLS 63 AMG!
I think the best thing to do is go drive both vehicles. Your assessment of the GX is accurate. The LR3 is still going to be a much better place to be, but the GX doesn't suck.
Off-road the LR3 beats it due to superior wheel travel, crawl ratio, suspension, locking torque-converter.
If you are not going to take it off-road, then these things are less of a factor. Hell...in that case I'd look at an X5 or a GLS 63 AMG!
Rock Crawling
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 329
Likes: 102
From: TEXAS
What price range are you looking in... and why LR3?
This looks like a nice 4 for the price
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224179638833
Hse lux
This looks like a nice 4 for the price
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224179638833
Hse lux
Thread Starter
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 362
Likes: 163
From: South Florida
What price range are you looking in... and why LR3?
This looks like a nice 4 for the price
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224179638833
Hse lux
This looks like a nice 4 for the price
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224179638833
Hse lux
Thread Starter
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 362
Likes: 163
From: South Florida
Ok, so have a couple candidates between private sellers and a couple dealers. Question, have people been successful at getting a dealer to accept conducting a PPI. My assumption is that they will probably push back as it is too much hassle, but I might be wrong. Wanted to get a sense form the group before asking (and open to input on how to approach them). Last time I bought a used car was 20 years ago, so can use as much help as I can get.
4wd High
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing
Here's one with <100k that just pop’d up on my Autotrader alerts. One owner, but the air suspension has been removed.
If the truck's you are looking at are trade-ins at large dealers, move quickly and try to put a deposit down. Otherwise they will likely be sent to auction due to age, missed a few that way...
Here's one with <100k that just pop’d up on my Autotrader alerts. One owner, but the air suspension has been removed.
If the truck's you are looking at are trade-ins at large dealers, move quickly and try to put a deposit down. Otherwise they will likely be sent to auction due to age, missed a few that way...
Last edited by SP543; Oct 19, 2020 at 06:49 PM.
4wd High
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing
Here's another listing that I got an alert for with low miles....not sure whats going on w/ the pass. side A pillar, but might be worth looking into.
Here's another listing that I got an alert for with low miles....not sure whats going on w/ the pass. side A pillar, but might be worth looking into.