Reliable cars get surprise bills too. Simple oil change on '08 Lexus GX470 turns into $1200 repair
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- Опубликовано: 13 окт 2024
- Even the most reliable cars on the road have maintenance items that surprise the owner when they least expect it. On a routine oil change on this 2008 Lexus GX470 the CAR WIZARD 🧙♂️ finds some issues that need repaired that drastically changes the final repair bill.
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But wait - the Chevrolet Traverse/Acadia owner did get a 'smoking deal," just not necessarily in that order. First the 'deal' - the 'smoking" comes later.
LOL
Yeah, when it turns into a smoking pile of junk, LOL
The smoking begins a few weeks after the warranty expires.
@@CaptainFeathersword LMAO
@@CaptainFeathersword Fact!
My favorite is "It's just a broken fan belt. Why do I need new radiator hoses and a wiring harness repair?"
Well, because that belt wrapped around the fan clutch when it broke and did it's best weed whacker impersonation. Maybe you should have replaced it the last 3 times you came in and we suggested it.
Heh, just today had a customer. "Going on road trip, please check car over." Well, the biggest issue was that all brake pads were at 1/32", and the front rotors had hot spots. And I mean serious hot spots, they looked like a chrome cheetah. There were a few other issues, too, but the brakes were the most serious one.
Got the call over the intercom, "Back it out."'
Well, OK, Mr Customer. But I hope your road trip does not involve any mountain roads. Not for your sake, but for the other people on the road around you.
that's a quote for the record right there.
As a young man, I would normally do most of my own repairs. I happened to be working on a job that did not give me time to take care of my car, so I took it to a small Gulf Oil Station to get a oil change and lube. I showed up to pick up my car, he was still working on it. I started watching him work, he had a small wooden box of different types of oils and small tubes of grease. He was going around and lubing everything that moved, Hood hinges, truck hinges, Doors hinges and latches. I was amazed, I told him I never seen anyone do that as part of a lube. He told me well, apparently they weren't doing a very good job. From then on out when I do a lube job on my car, I do it all. Next time you pay for a lube job, see if they do what they are suppose to do. They dont.
Older days they did, because that is what they required. You would be lucky to find 2 grease nipples under a modern car.
People want to pay less, so these smaller items fall off the list, the the point you now have "oil only" places who can't even be bothered to replace the original sump plug, and put in a plastic stopper.
Everybody claims to want good service, but they don't want to pay for it.
Being from the northeast, I used to dream of flying out west, buying a cool, older rust free car and driving it back. Now the dream is to stop at the wizards in the way and have it fully serviced first
🤣🤣🤣 Better yet. Buy it, ship it to the #carwizard , fly to Kansas and pick it up. Maybe cut out the potential of having #hooviesgarage moment.
Jake I couldn't agree more Im from NYC, Wizard just lays it out, and does the right thing,and he stands by his work
@@Lumpygrits76 gonna try to do this with all my next used lexuw purchases. I wonder if he's cool with giving them the good ol' "once over"
That's cool and all but aren't there plenty of clean cars around the Carolinas you could go get?
My older brother just did this! He went with a late 80’s Volvo 240 5 speed coupe, and he has a same year wagon with a stick. As much as we both love the wagon, it’s very rusted from being in MN. He bought his in Cali, and it’s so clean. I think that’s a good idea. I hear CO is a good place to go too
Wizard you are the man! You’re the most honest mechanic I’ve ever seen. 1200 is nothing for such a gem of a vehicle.
That Lexus is in great shape and worthy of a $1200 repair.
Car Wizard, it's called "preventive maintenance" which is something that many people neglect with their vehicles. Your walk-around/through/under inspection is what finds these issues and you are doing your job by alerting the customer that they will have more serious problems if these items are not addressed.
Great video, thank you!
Not al car mechanics advise you on preventative maintenance and if you don't know you can't act on it until it breaks.
most shops don't do it, can't blame the regular owner because they lack the equipment and knowledge to do that.
@@jwenting Yessir. Every single shop I took my car to and asked them if they can do preventative maintenance they refused to cite anything wrong with the car and they will only fix it when somethings needs to be fixed.
I said absolutely nothing about shops doing a preventive inspection, merely bringing attention to the Car Wizard's protocol of doing so.
You clowns need to learn to read into a post instead of trying to play genius and ending up the dumbass.
It's also because a lot of manufacturers list the bare minimum amount of maintenance such as "life time" transmission fluids. I had the transmission fluid changed in my Jag at 80k because ZF recommends it between 60-100k. The guy at the shop says that most people that come to him don't get the fluid changed until 150k and they start having problems. This is especially true for CVT transmissions. They should be changed every 30k, but no one changes it and all those Nissans and Hyundais need new transmissions at 100k miles.
If hoovie owned a lexus the car wizard would still be in that tiny shop
Hoovie DID own a lexus, a es 300. Then he sold it cuz it didn't produce content.
@@rmitchell8439 It was a joke mate
LMAO 🤣 🤣🤣
He had a late 90s LX also
Too reliable for Hoovies channel
One time I took my 1994 Acura Integra in for an oil change and there was a small tear on the CV boot on my passenger side. The mechanic said it's fine for now as the grease inside the boot was barely leaking out. I asked him how much to change out the CV axle. He said $180 total with parts and labor. I told him to change it immediately. Was taking no chances.
385,000+ and still running.
I own 2 of these and a rx350. My 04 gx has 227,000 miles and runs great. The maintenance is easy enough for me to do it (except timing belt and water pump). Toyota dealer did it last time for $900. I recommend Toyota and lexus to everyone! Great video.
Rx 350 is better, handles better and not to mention that GX is a gas ⛽️ hog 🐖
Good mechanics are always long winded. I ABSOLUTELY trust The car wizard!
Same
Best comment ever!😷
I bet he's setting us up for the long con ... lol
You know you're speaking to a good mechanic when they say "at any rate".
I own a 2005 GX470 (178K miles). Solid solid trucks. Absolutely love it. Super reliable. Easy to work on too. Lots of aftermarket parts. Fortunately, I bought mine in June 2020 before prices went crazy. If you're wanting a SUV similar to this size you will NOT be disappointed. Just get a truck with little to no rust. Not even Lexus/Toyota's are immune to the road salts.
I bought one of these for 8k, drove it for a bit and then resold it for 14k. The guy I sold it to resold it again for 17k. The market on these vehicles is insane.
Just like Tacoma’s
80 series and 100 series cruisers are even worse
You can thank the pandemic overlanding boom for that lol
I remember these were way cheaper than an equivalent 4 runner
Omg, I was going to buy one last year, but wasn't sure if 10K was reasonable. Now the price is ridiculous!
$1,200 is nothing for this GX. These repairs will last many years, so long the drivers aren't aggressive.
I have owned my 5000$ 2004 GX470 with 370k since 2015, ive put the last 90k since. I literally beat on it, drive it extremely aggressively, floor it on the ramp all the time, floor it to pass someone, did mild offroading action on mud and sand with AT tires, retarded drifts with pedal to the floor on snow every year in quebec, towed a car from florida to quebec twice, tow my bikes all the time. IT. NEVER. BROKE. DOWN. ON. ME. ONCE.
Ofcourse I did extensive maintenance, changed engine oil every 5k, diff transfer case and transmission fluid every 40k, coolant and brake flush flush every 90k, timing belt once, brake job 3x because of my aggressive driving, replaced all 4 shocks at 330k, all swaybar and control arm bushings once. but these are all maintenance items. THATS IT. I fell in love with Toyota and Lexus eversince
5k was a SMOKIN deal on a GX with only 300k miles.
With inflation and the tight used car market I'll bet you would pay even more for that car today, even 6 years later!
The real beauty of a Toyota/Lexus is that they retain their value so well!
I paid 6000 for mine it had 118k same issues as video not bad but never broke down ever
“Aggressive” driver? Lol
That's exactly what I said when he presented the price I was expecting for a break job and 2CV axles to be a minimum $1800
I got a 2002 Highlander from my Mom when she passed on last month. I really like it. It’s a base model with the 2.4 L 4 banger but it only has 38000 miles on it and was serviced at Toyota since it was new. Great little SUV.
Yeah, it's a bit older, and probably beige, but who cares! I know a guy who passed on one of those and got a Nissan Rogue because it was newer and in a nicer color, but the CVT transmission died on his way home. I'm sure he looked really cool at the side of the road waiting for the tow truck though!
@@reallyrandomrides1296 yea, I don’t like CVT’s, great in golf carts but not in cars. I won’t buy a car with a CVT! Give me a stick shift or a regular auto. My Highlander is silver, thankfully she didn’t buy beige. She did get the aftermarket leather interior though. I like it quite a bit, Toyota makes some good cars, I have had 2 Celica’s then when they changed them to FWD I switched to the Supra for my next 2 car purchases. The guy who lives across the street from me has had 2 Camery’s, both have gone over 300,000 miles for him.
@@troy9er Nice! Highlanders look pretty good and high tech in silver. The only vehicle I had with a CVT was a Prius, thankfully no issues with that. I think Toyotas are the best built and most reliable vehicles, regardless of price point. Those Supras sound nice! I'd love to have one, or at least drive one some day (not the new BMW based model, one of the older Toyota based models, preferably with a 2JZ engine).
You have a GEM 💎 save it keep it
Sorry for your loss
I have had a similar experience. As a professional, I am asked to inspect and advise. However the customer is more impressed with the price and color. Even to the point of discouraging the customer on the purchase due to necessary repairs and know deficient issues. Keep up the good work Mr. and Mrs. Wizard. I am proud of you both. The old school guy.
it's the same in every market.
I'm an IT professional. THE most reliable laptops, with the least service issues, cheapest to maintain and longest lasting, are Apple Macbook Pros.
Yet people (including managers at all levels) keep insisting on buying Acer, Dell, and Lenovo because they boast impressive (on paper) specs and are a lot cheaper as an initial purpose.
Of course when after a year half the laptops in that batch have needed repairs and parts replacement (or replacing the entire machine even) in that batch of 50 Dells those same managers will start complaining about how the IT department bought bad equipment (when those managers were the ones selecting those Dells because of the great deal they got from Dell on them).
And that's not specific to Dell, they're just the most common brand here. HP, Lenovo, and others have the same problem.
Meanwhile, the people using a Macbook they bought themselves keep using the same machine for 5-6 years or more and it still runs and looks as new, never needed any service except wiping it down with a moist cloth once in a while.
*The old-school guy. 🙂
@@jwenting would more expensive Dell's compare better to MacBook Pros? I wonder if they wanted Dell's because they run Windows
@@jwenting well as long as one doesn't type a lot...
@@jwenting - Exactly! That’s why I buy Apple… Also lots of IT guys recommend the laptops.
Key note to having an inspection on your car, DON’T bring it to it quick lube or Jiffy Lube!
not the tire shop!
$150 oil/filter change moment
I have this same vehicle (same color, too) except mine is a 2007. Bought it in 2018 with only 130k miles. The owner was asking $12,000 at the time and I was able to buy it for $11,500. I now have 150k miles and it drives beautifully, and is probably worth $15-17,000 now. Truly, this is one of the best everyday vehicles I've ever owned.
I have always wanted one like this in black but i dont need a big suv 😭
Except that it gets 16 MPG if you're lucky. Have a daily 2006 just did rear air bags, pump, levelers, water pump, idler, timing belt, CVs, cats. Ready for another 100k.
Raced a new one off the line recently and beat it!
@@sheiladawg1664 Mileage?
I’ve got one too. Mine is likely going to break 230,000 miles this week. Yours is barely broken in.
@@sheiladawg1664 As an 06 owner with 180k miles and a list of upcoming repairs oddly similar to yours....do you mind sharing a ballpark cost for all that?
Good advise Wizard. I discovered Lexus over 20 years ago. I have owned four of them since my first. Used ones are reasonably priced and luxurious. minimal repairs needed. I listen to the repair stories by my friends, neighbors and relatives and just smile.
I bought a 2008 Lexus RX350 6 months ago with 151,000 miles, and it runs like a champ. One of the best purchases I made in a long time.
Toyota makes good stuff...but the vehicle shown here has the legendary 4.7 V8 2UZ that is almost bulletproof and labeled the most reliable engine Toyota ever produced.
@@___Karma__ very nice!
if you dont mind saying, how much did you end up paying for it? im looking at a 2004 with 150k for $9k
@@idontpaytaxes6250 I paid $9400 for mine. It was bought and serviced at the Lexus dealership I got it from. Just two owners.
@@MrMopeake awesome man
I’ve thought about driving my 09 GX470 down to Kansas to star in a Wizard vid. It’s a great example of just how tough and dependable these things are. It’s got 235,000 miles on it now and the last owner abused the hell out of it for years on gravel roads with minimal maintenance before putting it through a fence in a blizzard, which removed half its front bumper, half a headlight, the grille, rear spoiler and rear glass, yet somehow the only mechanical damage was a single bent tie-rod. The gal then continued driving it that way for a few months until the tire on the bad tie rod side was bald (which is super bad for the transfer case). Finally, she dumped it as trade-in at the local GMC dealer. I like to believe that she got what she deserved and ended up in one of those POS Acadias that Wizard loathes. Anyway, I ended up buying what was left of the GX for VERY cheap and then set about getting it caught up on all its neglected maintenance. Timing belt, tie rod, tires, TPMS sensor, alignment, windshield, as well as a gas cap to clear the Christmas tree of warning lights. Then I changed out the front sway bar bushings, flushed the transfer case and did an oil change and replaced a leaking air spring. The total for all that was roughly $1,500 (that’s the beauty of being able to turn a wrench myself).
That was 2 years and 30,000 miles ago. Nothing has broken or gone wrong since. I still haven’t fixed the cosmetic stuff, mostly because of Covid and because Lexus parts are spendy AF but I have a growing pile of them in the garage and plan to have it back to looking like a Lexus should before winter.
I always thought it’d be a great Wizard vid as it sits now though. The fact that something that looks so bad and has been so beaten and abused yet is mechanically functioning like new with no warning lights or clinks or clanks, perfectly sums up why Toyota/Lexus trucks are worth every penny. Only problem is, nothing’s broken so I have no reason to drive down to Omega Auto! What a glorious problem to have.
Yet another reason why I’m never getting rid of my 2006 Lexus LS430 💎😎
SHUT UP. Way to much. Who cares
@@glennnichols4220 there is an episode of top gear where they try to kill a Toyota /lexus pick up truck by crashing it /drowining it in the sea /throwing it of a 20 story building and finally set it on fire !! and the damn thing still starts and get in to gear .great reliable cars
@@hermanklunder789 Yup bro 🤝
@@glennnichols4220
All the rest of us with an attention span longer than their d***.
But you'll learn young fella....you'll learn.....
I bought my 07 Avalon in 09, still in warranty. I've never had to do anything to it other than the scheduled maintenance items. I make one exception, I change the oil every 3k miles rather than wait for the oil change light to come on. It still looks stylish, it rides beautifully, very quiet, the performance is plenty for me. Most importantly to me is everything still works like new. It only has 86k miles on her. I don't plan on ever buying another car.
Avalon is the best large car ever made, there is nothing better. If they made a wagon version I'd buy it immediately.
I bought a 04’ GX470 with 160k on it and it’s the greatest value 4x4 out there.
Being a very critical car/truck enthusiast as well a good mechanic, i could listen to the car wizard all day long! Hes the BEST!!!
First off, this car looks amazing. Second $1200 is likely all they spent on repairs since they bought it.
On point lol
Facts
I drive an 08 GX -470 and I can’t believe how well it rides and drives with 110,000 miles.These vehicles are amazing.
Not quite true as the timing belt/water pump done at 95k at a cost @ 1000. I've spent less on my 97 Saturn Vue since new.
Wizard: "Thats the life of a GMC Arcadia..."
Me: Wizard can be savage quite casually, sometimes.
Salvage like a 3 year old gmc Acadia
Savage?
Made me lol. Wasn't expecting that dig.
That’s why I fix everything myself outside of rebuilding engines and transmissions.
How did you start learning about fixing cars? I'm only 14 and want to learn about cars and how to fix them.
@@GamerLife-hv5kx Basically start with smaller things like oil changes, brakes and spark plugs and learn more. You have the advantage of RUclips, I’m not that old but RUclips was just starting to take off when I was finishing high school, before then, you mainly used Haynes manuals and learned from other people which are still good options. Take the time to understand the purpose of parts, differences in types of transmissions, engines, variations, pros and cons and such.
BTW if you don’t have an idea of what you’re going to do for a living after high school, we will seriously need good mechanics in 10-20 years. I’m not saying cheap garages but you can make a good living as a specialized mechanic or really good certified mechanic for a top brand. Trades like mechanics and electricians aren’t respected when you are young but honestly we are going to have a massive shortage if things don’t change and we still need them now but you’ll make bank later on if you’re specialized like Mercedes or bmw.
@@GamerLife-hv5kx I started at 14 too. My parent let me buy a nissan micra with a timing belt that snapped and bent valves. I made it run again, learn with no risk to other as it was my car. We didnt have youtube and google back then. Watch video, familiarise yourself with everything. I had books from the 70s and 80s from my dad and would always refer to them anytime I was curious about something.
@@StevenPenny I think that more than good mechs we will need (actually we already need them!) good mechatronic. Techs that aren't just good with mechanical pieces like conn rods / valves and so on, but that are good also with electronic diagnosis, with the use of oscilloscopes and these kind of tools. They are absolutely necessary with cars from the 2005 onward in case you have faults that involve CAN/LIN buses or any module that control something on a modern vehicle.
@Mike That’s a good idea, forgot about that. It’s hard to screw up small engines and it gives you a good basis.
For the other guy, you really need to be a certain type of person or try to work on your analytical abilities. I work in IT but I use the same reasoning type logic for IT as I do for working on my vehicle. I think most of us would also be good doctors if we got through the Sciences, takes the same type of thinking, just more pressure.
In this case it's $1200 well spent.
Yeah well because it's Toyota.
Any money spent on repairing a Toyota is an investment.
After 12 years in services it is about time to inspect and replace.you will be free your mind for next 5 years. My is 2007 with 175000 miles flawless power v8.
@@dantran5821 agreed I have 250k on my 05. I just bought a 2014 c250 to help my mpg. I still find my self driving the gx tho.
@@shawnballard794 I would try to put as many miles on the Lexus as possible. Like keep the Mercedes as a weekend car, they don't tend to handle miles well. If you are going to do a weekend roadtrip and travel long distances, use the Lexus as well.
Couldn’t agree more Wizard. Although it took me owning a VW to finally knock some sense into me I now drive a 97’ Camry and the wife drives an 08’ Lexus RX350. These have been great vehicles. Cheap and simple to maintain as well as work on. At this point, outside of maybe a Honda, I don’t see why I would ever leave the Toyota lineup.
Like I always tell people, if you’re going to buy a new car, and only keep it for a couple of years buy whatever you want, if you’re going to keep it longer buy a Toyota
My family got a JDM 2010’ Toyota Harrier, should be similar to RX350, at least the shape 🤣. But because it’s JDM, I have this little anxiety that it might be hard to find some original parts later.
@@Erispedia it’s exactly an RX, just a different name (and maybe steering wheel location)
@@vinces8974 I've still got my '97 4 Runner and it's running good at 407k miles. Although the catalytic muffler needed to be replaced recently so I could pass smog. That cost over $1200 for an OEM cat. The shop would have used a factory cat but Toyota dealer didn't have any and they don't know when they'll get one. So he got an OEM one which was only cheaper than the factory cat by a couple hundred dollars.
@@Rhaspun If your Toyota’s in good shape probably worth putting $1200 why not , here in Pa we are always fighting corrosion , on older vehicles
Wizard ! I'm a life long Toyota/Lexus owner and so was my father. Got my little sister a nice 01 Avalon with 110k miles for $3.8k. Everything was perfect minus a simple torn cv axle. Rides and shifts incredibly well.
Thanks, Wizard and Mrs. Love the Lexus GX470, looks in great shape for age. Oil change, brakes, cv boot, so $1,000 for maint still cheaper than $500 monthly car payment and higher insurance for a new car. Good, we are almost done with the Ferrari - my birthday is coming up 😁
My insurance only went up $8 going from a 2005 Camry to a 2017 so not sure where you get the higher insurance cost. I had full coverage on both btw.
Mr. and Mrs. Wizard - always happy to hear from you, such a sweet couple.
Keep it in your pants bro
@@gerardodominguez5755 Rosen, who is forty-nine years old but has the spritely affect and bubbly drawl of an N.Y.U. undergrad, put the butt mirror into my hand on a recent October afternoon because she wanted to prove a point. Her point is that super-high-waisted jeans-a cut that Rosen first began pushing in the early two-thousands, when she owned a cult-popular downtown shop called the Good the Bad & the Ugly-make everyone’s rump look rounded and Rubenesque. I had just wriggled, with great effort, into a pair of her wide-legged stovepipe jeans, which have a thirteen-inch rise and come up past my sternum. Rosen’s jeans are meant to fit snugly, or, as she put it,“like a sausage.” Each pair comes with a tiny fabric flap printed with detailed instructions for getting them on: first, yank the pants over the derriere, then fasten the button, then hike them up another two inches, then zip. While I was in the dressing room grunting my way through these four steps, Rosen called out to ask if I was sweating yet. I told her I was considering lying down on the ground to get the zipper up; Rosen told me I would be far from the first customer to do so.
I am a fan of the 2008 Lexus GX 470, because it is a lot more reliable than any GMC Acadia.
And looks about 8000 times better.
Acadia’s are hot garbage 🤣🤣🤣
If you want a reliable GMC SUV, then you have to look to the Yukon and or find a good used Envoy with the 5.3L or 4.2L straight six!
@@philipthomas6808 My 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban was done at 85K.
@@machtschnell7452
My Silverado (same chassis as suburban) is still happily trucking at 200k.
i own this exact vehicle in a 2007. paid 15k cash in 2017 w/115k miles in it. It was in need of deferred maint when i purchased and had it completely sorted - cv boots, all belts, water pump, tires. Virtually every knob, light, switch works on this beast. Yes, even the amazing rear air bags. I keep it pristine. interior and exterior is like new. I could pay cash for any dream car i would want. But, i get more out of value. And i absolutely love these vehicles. Nothing but Lexus, Toyota and even some Hondas for me. Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Wizard. This was a real treat to watch!
Thanks for reminding me why I do my own maintenance. I had forgotten how much labor cost is. Same work for me doing if it was my car. $40 oil change. $100 pads n rotors. $10 CV boots. Yeah my labor is free for me and if the joints aren’t making any noise. A clean and regrease with new boots and they’ll go at least another 100,000 miles. $150 total.
Yeah way too much
Issues I had with my 2007 Sequoia, which went 265K before I recently got rid of it - rear mail seal went, upper oil pan gasket leaked, steering rack started leaking, lower front control arms were very squeaky and needed to be replaced, OEM cats were stolen and I had to replace with cheap aftermarket ones. Other than that, just had general maintenance items. Was an incredibly reliable vehicle and would highly recommend. Listen to the Wizard, people!
It's a heavy car, so they tend to wear and tear quicker, smaller cars age better
@@goodone5590 that is factually incorrect.
@@goodone5590 not true at all
Love the "cover your ass" video reasoning. I do the same when I rent a car. They've tried the "that ding wasn't there when you left" on me to no avail.
I would take it one step further and have customer do a walk around with you while you video tape the inspection. CYA is a necessity if you own a business these days.
You do a fantastic job at giving your customers trust. 💯%
I have a 2003 GX470 with a 3" lift, 33's, sliders, etc. It only has 130k miles and almost mint. The interior is gorgeous and has piano black paint. Even with my lift it rides like a luxury SUV and is nice and quiet inside. I've done some custom interior lighting changes and I am installing a very high end SQ sound system. It is so damn good and I love everything about it. It's the best SUV I've ever owned and I will NEVER sell it.
I’m very thankful to have a good Toyota mechanic. He treats my hooptie better than I do. Called me to ask if it was ok to put a $13 tie rod end on. Makes you really appreciate a good mechanic.
Still daily drive mine. An 04 with only 115k miles on it. Got full trade in on my A4 S-line back when i bought it and never looked back. Luckily I was able to scoop mine up before people realized the value therein and got it for what I'd consider a steal. Absolutely love it.
If you want reliable high performance sedans the Lexus products (ISF, GSF, RCF, LC500, IS500) with the 470hp 5.0 v8 are great options. My daily driven 2016 GSF has been a great experience so far. As for expenses - $1200 repair would be $2500 for a equivalent service of a German brand. Worth it.
I've seen endless car reviews and none show any remarkable differencies in maintenance costs in general. Not in the same category of cars.
The repairs are the same cost. But the FREQUENCY is likely less with Lexus and now Genesis.
While these type of emergent repairs aren’t welcomed, all items mentioned are consumables or normal wear and tear. Still to go from $100 to $1200 would not be a welcomed event; however, if I trusted the mechanic I say ok.
The brakes and cv boots are really just normal wear items, so not at all unusual. My wife and I have had 2 GX470’s including our current 2008 with 150K, and they are awesome cars to own. The engineering and quality are over the top, and our 13 year old one rides and drives like a two year old car. Unlike a new crossover, these have plenty of room to carry all your stuff. Not sporty, but to honest we have other cars that fit that need. If you find a nice one and need a vehicle like this, just buy it.- you won’t regret it, and there’s always a resale market for them
“Hey wizard, I need a car that’s fast, reliable, and handles like a dream. What would you recommend?”
“I think the Lexus IS 350 is a good pick and fits all your needs”
“Thanks wizard”
*buys a bmw*
You forgot "Buys Lexus IS 350 worth in BMW repairs"
The IS 350 is hard to find, most are IS 300’s in the 3is and IS 250’s in the 2is.
I bought myself one. As a daily, I cannot fault it (2011 IS350 F-Sport)
@@jrbuch I got a 2015 is350. The thing is a dream. Gonna be sad when I have to sell it to make room for some kids. I wanted to keep it to give it to my kid as a first car... I have no doubt it will last that long.
BMW.. endless money pit.
I'd always thought these GX470's would be great for off road once they fully depreciated, much like the early 2k Landcruiser's were a value a few years back. Just did a search and many have a mild lift with 31's or 32's. Still, they are all over $15k, the good ones over $20k.
They already hit the bottom of depreciation. They have climbed up in price and leveled out. I love mine, it’s been amazing. I off road it all the time. One of the best vehicles ever made!
I used to have an 04 without nav and I loved that thing so much. Sounded great and never let me down.
My friend has one with over 300k believe it’s an 05
Always Great content and Great Advice, Thanks Wizard!
Excellent video, love your channel wizard! Having owned a gx470 I can promise you that is not the original dash. Lexus had a full replacement warranty coverage on the entire dashes, due to cracking.
I was curious if they changed the dash materials on the 2008-2009. When I was shopping around for my GX, I never saw an 08-09 with cracked dash
@@atl964 same. It seems to be only the earlier ones. I have an 09 with 202k on it and the dash is in perfect shape (except for the wood trim that I broke when pulling the screen out once....)
Can confirm these replies, I own a 2009 GX and one of the reasons I held out until I found an 08 or 09 was because Lexus had changed the dashboard for the last two years of production, which is why they weren’t included in the dash recall. I’ve got 236,000 miles on mine and the dash still looks like new. The driver side door card however, is doing the weird sticky melting thing in a couple spots which sucks. At least that’s a relatively cheap/easy fix compared to the dash.
It’s a good idea to spray all of those rubber boots with silicone spray once in a while like maybe every other oil change. It keeps them from drying out and cracking. Been doing it for years.
Which boots? On the CV?
Never spray rubber with petroleum distillates, it will eat the rubber and degrade it over time, use regular ole armor all once and a while.
Don't forget the Wizard's shop rates are in a lower cost of living area. Go to the coasts, and shop rates are 2x or 3x higher. Gets scary. Keep up the good work, Wizard.
Also a good thing to make sure your spare tire actually comes down.
Yes . And you know where the jack / locking wheel nut is .. You might need a breaker bar too as the garage will zip the bolts up so tight ,Best find out now rather when it's tipping down in the dark .
Unfortunately GX470s are increasing in value, even before the upward trend of all cars. They are excellent off road and luxury on road.
Even a salvaged one in a junk yard commands big money
460s look a tad better before the grill overcame the bumper.
if they couldn't get a lexus they could get a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado its shares the same parts as the GX but less in power because of its V6 or a 4-cylinder or diesel options but still a reliable car...
@@klausledda5903 sadly we don't get the Prado in the States. We get the GX470, GX460, LX470, Land Cruiser, 4Runner, and FJ Cruiser. ALL of them have very high resale value and all are excellent vehicles. I wish we had the Prado with a diesel here.
Life of a GX470 in the states
First 20 years: soccer mom vehicle
Last 20 years: ultimate off-road build
It's like when I go in for my 6 month dental cleaning, and next thing I know, I'm getting my teeth drilled.
Why would you go to an oil change place to have your teeth cleaned?
@@tommak6516 I’m going to have to check with my gardener on that.
He's right on that 3 to 5 year time frame.The new cars look really modern and space age but that beauty is only skin deep.The major car manufactures have turned their backs on their customers and well need i say more.
If there was a Car Wizard in my area, without no doubt I would have no problems writing a blank check. Thank you for another great video, much respect to you.
My best friend has the same car with 500 k miles. Runs and looks beautiful. He is going to keep to one million miles. 2 sets of brakes and tires. THAT'S IT. Oil change every 4000 miles. Bought new.
he better change the water pump and timing belt
2 sets brakes and tires 500thou? Man stop lying.
I can't go 60thou without new tires
@@coreymurphy2711 lol. Grandma doesn’t go faster than 30 mph and coasts to red lights. That’s how !
@@bbustin1290 driving just the slightest agressive costs on wear items 😂
Haha. As hilarious as always with those fantasy stories :)
I was never a Toyota guy until I bought my LX470. That thing is amazingly reliable. I just did the rear brakes and that has been the only major repair that I've done. 190k on the clock and it's amazingly comfortable and certainly immensely capable off-road. I do my own servicing in my shop and you're right, Toyotas are very easy to work on.
How many miles now?
rear brakes aren't a repair, that's a maintenance item🤣
Good point Dave, "Most American cars are made to last 3 to 5 years" (and the owner financed them for 6-7 years) "and then they bankrupt ya"
Sadly, it’s all about cutting costs and short term profits rather than building long-term trust with consumers.
@@PseudoSpaceMarine exactly, my point was Americans buy crap and finance it before they can pay it off
@@NOWitsOKto Personally, I think it’s better to lease a car when it’s new rather than financing it because you know how much you are going to spend on it over time and you don’t have to worry about depreciation.
@@PseudoSpaceMarine Leasing is the worst decision ever.
Yep my son in laws 2017 Ford Fiesta is rusting at the seams literally. Both rear doors and rear truck lid. What crap. Ford corrosion warrant don’t cover seams. Had 2004 Sienna no body rust in 2016 when traded for a 2011 and that one is up to 230k miles now and no rust on body either.
A proud gx owner here, bought mine at 158k, still no cv leaks/problems. I was willing to have the 4wd in return for all the advantages. However i did look at its cousin 4runner which Ive owned several, and it is 2wd OR 4wd, but it was harder to find one in great condition. Thanks for pointing out its value!
I must have the Unicorn Traverse. I bought a 2014 new and it now has 144K miles on it and I have had zero issues. Besides tires, battery, fluids, wipers and a headlight issue (covered by warranty) it has been issue free.
Toyota hype have fords and dodges that all have 200k plus .just maintain them
@@ChrisB-cx6td
In my experience of owning Nissan's, Infiniti's, Mazda's, I have spent very little on. maintenance. Nothing ever catastrophic ever happened. All vehicles went to 230000 miles before I sold them. And I bought them used. Therefore Toyota's are not on my radar. Those days of just buying Toyota's or Hondas to get reliability are long gone.
@@moshameem99 are you joking 😂
@@sham3420 Nope. No issues for the last 35 years of owning cars.
@@moshameem99 i am a tech and if you think nissan has the same quality that toyota does you are smoking
Lol like my sister started complaining her hyundai elantra needed alternator first thing to ever break on it after 12 years and 200k miles. Most reliable vehicle I've ever seen haha
My 06 impala ss will eat an alternator an battery every 2 years lol
If I was in your area, I'd definitely bring my stuff to you.
I have the exact same car exact same model in silver its an amazing beast ...absolutely loved my decision on this.
Owning that exact model, I have 2 comments: 1 - Mobil1 is no longer full synthetic (shocked me too!) and 2 - The reason the spare was full is that it has a TPMS sensor so you are reminded to keep your spare inflated. As a testament to the vehicle, we blew our main alternator fuse over 1000 miles from home, almost nothing worked inside the cabin but by swapping batteries a few times, we still made it home. The GX reputation is well earned!
Oh so you know the base oils they use 🤔… unless you work for Exxon/Mobil you have zero clue. Actually less than ZERO. All of their formulations vary with respect to base oils used and percentages. Regardless any synthetic oil in North America using Group III base oils or better is considered “100%/Fully synthetic. You are wrong and need to maybe stay in your lane.
You on the other hand could learn a little diplomacy. Using your own statement, me knowing the percentages of base III/IV&V oils used would make no difference to whether the oil is considered synthetic or not. A court case has decided that if the oil contains any mixture of only those then it can be considered fully synthetic, even if the base III contains something originally mined out of the ground. In the end, this comes down to legal definitions, not scientific ones.
@@Dehning Did you not state incorrectly albeit that Mobil one wasn’t full synthetic anymore? Next time maybe fact check yourself.
Hydrocracked modern group III/+ base oils have zero resemblance to their conventional group II counterparts after treatment. Furthermore base III/+ formulations offer equal and in some cases superior attributes to a largely PAO/POE bade. Most modern oils rely heavily on additive technology. This isn’t 1990. The argument of REAL synthetic vs fake or not is simply absurd if you understand anything about how modern oils are formulated. Unless one lives in Antarctica or they want to run 25k oil change intervals, PAO has zero advantage.
I appreciate your channel. Yourself, car nut and Scotty are very honest mechanics. You all preach the exact same message and thanks to your videos I know own an 04 GX 470 great condition. Thank you.
Good thing we got our 130k 06 GX back in Feb 21 for 10k.. probably get 15 plus for it now
Then fucking sell it if you bought it that cheap
She sucked you right into that, Car Wizard! AND she has a record of it being "her car" now. 😂
Love the videos!
I just bought my first new car, I bought a new Toyota. I had someone offer me a friend's and family discount because he used to work for GM. I said pass, he said you could get so much more from them. 22 years of driving and being aware of what friends, family and acquaintances drive tell me no I won't.
spot on. I drive a GX460 2014 Premium edition and when this one wears out and if I can afford it, a Lexus LX series in about 15-20 years. Then another one for retirement.
I looked at a 2017 Tundra last week, already rusting through the bed from the bottom up where it mounts to the frame. Toyota makes some good stuff, but their body on frame vehicles, FJ's, 4Runners, Sequoia's & Tundra just don't last in the salt belt.
You should see the frame on my 1996 LX450. Looks brand new still and its 25 years old. Pro-tip, stop living in shitty states.
During the winter months, run it through the car wash about once a week and during the summer months, twice a week with an annual buff
Nothing lasts in the rust belt. Toyota will replace it under warranty. Ford or gm would tell you to pound sand.
It’s called preventative maintenance.
I live in a part of the Rockies where we salt the roads, which is why I have the frame/underbody on my 09 GX470 sprayed with Fluid Film every fall. It still looks like new, while I have seen plenty of 3-5yr old Ford/GM/FIAT-Ram bullshit already rotting because of neglect. Spend the annual $100 to take care of your shit and it won’t rust out.
@@KiyaWarrior fires/drought in the west, tornadoes in the Midwest, hurricanes/tropical storms in the south and along the gulf coasts; soooooo, where is there NOT a "shitty state" nowadays 🤨
I’m not planning to wait until I’m retired to enjoy my life!
Please don't, life is now, use your own judgement 👍
Failure to plan is planning for failure. IOW it is best to put off instant gratification and focus on tomorrow.
@@johna.4334 Exactly. I figured out how to live my life and not put it on hold so I don’t have to wait enjoy it when I’m in a wheelchair.
@@Fedgery007
Spending your money like a drunken sailor on shore leave is not a wise move. Best to save as much as possible in a ROTH IRA...or you'll be sorry.
Learned that "air in the spare" lesson the hard way... at least it wasn't raining!
Lexuses are one of the few vehicles where it's cheaper to rebuild those axles into replace them after working at different dealers for many years it is way cheaper to rebuild those.
That’s what my mechanic suggested & done.
How do you rebuild axles? I have changed boot cover but those bearings did not seem replaceable..
@@juchou2983 if there is no excessive wear (usually due to contamination) just clean and lubricate, plus the new boot. Technically should last very very long time.
Great video! I have a 2008 GS350 AWD with 192,000 miles on it and it’s an absolute tank. Preventative maintenance goes a long way.
I have a 2004 GX470 with 277,000 miles on it and I am still happy with it. The black Onyx paint is really good shape like a big black mirror, the engine is still quiet running and shifts smoothly. It doesn't have any leaks anywhere on it and has never been smoked in, every button or lever works, to me I still feel like I am driving a brand new GX....my sister went with the Chevy model and hers has spent more time in the shop for sunroof constantly leaks, electronics went haywire, front tires always flat, tv doesn't work most of the time, bumper sensors going off for no reason while driving it, navigation can't be relied on always places her in a neighboring city....yet she feels she still thinks she got a good deal on it.....I know she puts it in the shop every 2 weeks for the past 5 years and they keep it for a week.
"Reliable". Brands are not reliable. Certain models usually are. However there will always be exceptions to the rule. You, as a mechanic see the worst of the worst. That alone shouldn't be your standard to judge cars on. Anyway, I appreciate your honesty and the nuance that you see in judging cars.
Toyota products are not galvanised so they rust
Exactly always had fords never had major issues !. 200k plus on all the vehicles
I have an 04 with similar miles and its currently in the shop having the EXACT same work being done, with tie rods on top of it. I'll never get rid of my GX470. As long as gas pumps exist, that truck is in my garage.
You can always delete those air bags also and put a traditional style spring in.
I daily drive a 2004 Lexus GX470, currently 190k , best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
I pulled the trigger on an “06 gx470 in pearl white . Last two winters I never had to lock down 4 wheel drive cause the full-time all wheel drive works so good. I am due for the timing belt change soon. Really enjoyed your video 👍
Ive told friends the exact same thing when asked what they should buy. They never listen and end up buying something based on styling.
My 2003 4.7 V8 4runner has 226k and I love it. No issues and has been worked so hard it would have killed past 3/4 ton trucks Ive had.
Im seeing so many trust fund kids convert those in insane luxury off-road beasts now lol
I'm far from a trust fund kid, but I did build mine into a light off roader. It's such a great vehicle. Gas mileage sucks though.
Yup, now you can't find one under 20k with less than 150-200K miles. Not sure about the trust fund kid part though.
Covid did drive them up. I remember 200k beat up ones being 8k or so. 150k or less was 12-15k. Insane how quickly they shot up
@@xtrekadventure8225 What kinda mpg are you averaging?
$8k truck, $8k in upgrades for mine so far. I feel bad for you if you think you need a trust fund to build a Lexus. I think you're just poor!
Doing a recording of the car before working on it is a great way to have evidence to hold in case a customer claims you did it. Back in the days when I worked valet, When we would write a ticket for the customer on the driveway, we had two drawings of the vehicle on it; front right angle, rear left angle. We put any markings with our pen where we saw any dings and dents or anything that could be a scratching to a missing or boken off piece. Yes, we've had (every once in a while) a customer who would claim we caused the damage.
Same as you should do when you hire a rental anything...
walk around with the salesperson..
"ding here, that's broken etc.....
give me a copy of the report signed by you,
I'm taking photos, you stand here in them"
Checking out the spare tire reminds me of an adage from our local tire shop: "You can tell how much a man loves his wife by the pressure in her spare tire". Corny, yes, but true...
I don't get it.
@@terry_willis if you care you'd check that for them. Get it?
Pleased to see you check the spare tyre. I owned a touring caravan business in UK for 40 years and the underslung spare was always checked. This involved freeing and greasing the telescopic carrier as they tended to rust and seize. Trying to fix a flat tyre on a touring caravan can be a nightmare if you cannot get at the spare. Most caravan service agents in the UK take note !!! I always applied the same philosophy as you Mr and Mrs Wizard. Thank you for your professional videos.
@2:01, I love the straight forward denial about being accused of damage, "no, we didn't"😂😂😂
I recently bought a 3rd Gen 2015 Durango R/T with the 5.7. It's AWD and we love it so far. Drove it on vacation to Hilton Head Island SC from Indianapolis then down to Savannah GA. Comfortable as heck and got 22mpg
Thats where the Hemi shines, hwy driving. Awful city mileage but V6-like hwy mileage.
@@FlameOnTheBeat I don't see Dodge ever getting into the economy car business again. The market just isn't there for economy cars in the US anymore. I think Dodge will almost exclusively be a performance brand going forward.
Good luck, how many miles on it? Hopefully you only paid $10k or so…. These are absolutely awful vehicles as they age. Complete money pits. Couldn’t pay me to drive one of these. Driving a Dodge screams “I’m not that bright nor good with money”. Smartest people I know drive Toyota/Lexus.
@@FlameOnTheBeat couldn’t get any worse
@@ozarkliving7263 except that's not true no matter how much you say it. Of course they aren't as reliable as what Toyota did in 2008...but neither are new Toyotas and Lexus products.
I just picked up a 2011 GX460 and I love it. After dealing with old European cars for the last few years, I said enough. I paid $18k for mine and I felt the price was more than fair.
Yet another reason why I’m never getting rid of my 2006 Lexus LS430 bro 💎😎
@@theodoreyoung8777 I actually considered buying a 2008 LS 430 but I wanted an SUV since I already have two other cars. Amazing vehicle though.
I love my 2005 GX 470. Very reliable! And actually not difficult to do most repairs myself.
I own an 05 and agree.
Other than the exhaust manifolds, which are prone to cracking.
I have the same car but in toyota logo. It's called prado 120 series. My boot was leaking, so I put new boot and paid a lot for labor but eventually the shafts gone bad anyway. Wizard knows what he is doing.
It’s titanium metallic. Dash was likely replaced under warranty. We have the same vehicle. Took me over a year to find one. Almost every one had three main issues: frame rot, cracked dash and cracked leather seats. The dash had a recall and I believe the frame did too. Always surprised how lousy Toyota/Lexus leather is. I’ve also owned numerous Honda’s and Acura’s with miles as high as 350k and I’ve never had ripped leather. I found a one owner, every service down at the Lexus dealer. I replaced the leather on drivers seat, the dash had been replaced and the frame was excellent. The GX is Toyota’s/Lexus’s best kept secret. Bought it with 156k and now at 179k. Extremely nice vehicle. Rides better/smoother than the 4Runner. I guess it’s the air suspension. My daughter has the 4Runner, so I know there’s a difference. It’s a Land Cruiser Prado in other parts of the world. Highly recommend it. You do now see a lot of overlanders using the GX now. Wife drives ours and she loves it. If you decide to buy one, better make sure the frame is not rotted.
Toyotas are just incredible, we have a 2005 Avalon with 253k miles original drivetrain and it's still going strong
6 years - 60,000 miles. I would change the timing belt just for peace of mind. Just had mine jump over a teath 4 years and 30000 miles after it has been changed. Luckily no damage.
Those rigs do great off road. Saws all and bigger tire will do most famous trails and drive home.
Yeah man, I've got 33's on mine with factory suspension. Just had to some chopping.
Checking air in the spare tire for air is not enough.
You need to lower it and lube the mechanism.
There is nothing worse than being stuck along the side of the road (or the middle of nowhere) and the spare tire is frozen in place . It's fast and easy to do and well worth the effort.
Ask me how I know . . .
I truly appreciate your honesty. Great break down, very simple to understand.......
@6:37....in other words they don't want to be like Tyler.
lol love ya Hoovie!
Was on the market to buy one of these to add as another car for my 100 series Land Cruiser. They went from $6k-7k to $15k over the last year. Ended up buying a 2007 Cayenne S for $7k and better shape than the GX470s I looked at. Put a lift kit on the Cayenne and 33s and it goes where my old lifted 80 series LC goes.
The amount of times he mentions the chevy traverse and the like is hilarious
I have one and it's not funny. I've sunk way too much money into it just to keep it running. It's never left me walking but just broke, as in no money. And now I think I had a slipping tranny and a bad timing chain. *&&^$$#$&^(_))(&(%#$
Spare tires should be kept at the maximum recommended pressure - if you need to use it, much easier to let air out until it's at the right pressure than pump it up. Also if you get rear-ended, they help absorb the impact damage. Read this about 40 years ago, and I always keep my spares fully inflated (and I've had to use them on more than my fair share of occasions too)
I love my 2005 gx470. 220k miles. Just had the oil pan replaced. Same engine and transmission. I do transmission flushes. And shifts great. I just recently had to replace all o2 sensors and catalytic converters. That was $5k but did it my self. The rotors all ways get that way. I have changed it 3 times.