Considering a Lexus GX460

An explanation first.
 

I bought a 2021 Expedition Max last year as part of a plan to begin towing my E Street Miata. I wasn't sure how much towing capacity I would need, so that covered that question well. 

In early 2024, I bought a Trailex trailer, so towing capacity became much less of an issue.

Then, our financial situation changed, a lot.
 

I sold the Miata a few weeks ago, but I'm going to keep the trailer for at least a while. 
 

As for now, my daily driver civic is promoted from backup to primary autocross duty, towing not needed.
 

The Morris will hopefully be running this year, and I'll need to tow it. If things stabilize financially, I'm considering a CSM mustang or CSX NC Miata for autocross, etc. 

I don't need the Expedition, and it's doubled as my wife's daily. She doesn't like it’s size, and I don't want to make the payments for such an expensive vehicle any longer. I'm looking at replacing it a with a GX460. I can cut my payment by about half, I'll be less concerned about durability, and it will be more comfortable for my wife to drive. 
 

I don’t have specific questions, just hoping for some feedback from the hive. Bring on the comments, suggestions, derision, etc. 

Somehow, this got double posted. Please reply to this one only until the mods can delete the other.

I had a GX470 for years.  It was great up to about 112k miles, then everything wore out over the next year.  When the steering rack started to leak, I tapped out on it.  I was tired of fixing it, you could argue that if I'd fixed the steering rack it would've been fine for a long time but I was just done with it.  I HATED the rear barn door, OMG, the worst possible option Toyota could've chosen.  I towed my E36 M3 with it once, on my featherlite trailer.  It was scary, especially compared to my old Cayenne turbo, which towed the same load with significantly more stability. 

I didn't find it all that nice inside, the leather wasn't particularly great quality, etc.  I guess overall my feeling was "Meh", before it demanded all the maintenance, right now!, it got the job done.  For the money I think there are much nicer choices out there though.

I test-drove a couple different GX460s a couple months ago.  Like docwyte, I hate hate hate that stupid barn door.  It might work better if you're parking on the wrong side of the road, but it swings to the right which means if you're at the curb, you have to walk way the heck around it to get to the opening.  That hatch also means that you can't remotely open and close it.  That's a minor niggle, of course, but if we're talking about a luxury vehicle, let's go big or go home, right?  Also, the thrid row is a manual-folding system except in the "Luxury" trim package.

I thought they drove really well, although you can tell it's a truck.  I found one with the adaptive suspension and it was a little better - I was more interested in its ability to level itself out to compensate for trailer tongue weight.  It was comfortable, but compared to my GL350 or an Escalade, the Armada, and the QX80 of similar vintages, it feels really small inside.  The third row of seats is not for full-grown humans.  Controls are well-placed, the front seats are comfortable, and ride is quiet.  Not quite Mercedes-quiet, but quieter than an Escalade and probably on-par with the QX80.

What I really disliked about it was the difficulty in finding one that had the options I wanted.  I was looking in the 2017-ish range and it was impossible for me to find one with adaptive cruise. Apparently that feature was only available as part of the "Driver Support Package" on the Luxury trim.  The heated steering wheel is also only available on the Luxury trim.  Rain-sensing wipers and heated/ventilated seats require the "Premium" trim. CarPlay/Android Auto are not available and I don't think it's very easy to swap out the head unit.  Apparently there are some aftermarket solutions that appear to connect to the factory unit, but those are $500+.

There is also apparently an endemic issue with the Toyota V8s that's referred to as the "coolant valley leak".  I don't know if it's super-common or just that the internet bitches about it disproportionally, but apparently the coolant that they use degrades the seals - I don't know if it's an o-ring or the intake manifold gasket or whatever - and you get a coolant leak that fills the valley and dribbles down the side.  It doesn't look like a ton of work, but it's a hassle because you have to pull the intake manifold off along with all the other stuff that sits atop it.  I guess the good news is that it's an external leak so that you can just keep topping the coolant off until you get a round tuit.

All of that said, when I get my job situation squared away and resume shopping for something to replace der Scheißwagen, I will probably keep the GX on my list, but I would probably only consider a Luxury trim with the Driver Support Package which seems rather hard to find.

I've had a 2013 gx460 for ~8 years? It's been a great car and currently has 205k on it. I've replaced the rear rotors. 
 

it does currently have a weird fault every once in a while that I'm told is the carbon canister and the parking sensors don't work. Other than those things and poor fuel mileage it's been an unbreakable beast. It's my wife's daily. In south Florida. With kids that are now 15 and 14. Enough said. 

Doc - I'd be interested in hearing more about your expedition for sale if you're selling it. 
 

shoot me an email - either through the board or directly at my username at yarhoo