Always wanted a GX470 but it was never sold in our market officially - only some imports from the US.

Test drove the GX460 couple of times over last couple of years - didn't feel as luxurious for as other Lexus models for some reason - couldn't convince myself to buy it.

Anyways, I came across a Pearl White 2007 GX470 what was imported from the US few months back by a dealer here for resale. Turns out they didn't end up selling it because their car was super clean & priced much higher than other GX470. Most cars imported here have some sort of collision repair and therefore bought cheaper by resellers. Most buyers of import cars are also not too picky and not willing to pay premium for a super clean car. So I thought: you only come across a super clean imported Lexus once in a blue moon. I got it fully inspected here & also ran the Carfax. Everything checked out. Just got home

 

Congrats!!

 

Congratulation!!!

 

got pics? of uae too?

 

Pics coming soon (it's night time here when i reached home)

 

Congrats on a rare find

 

Here we go...

 

 

Congrats, looks good, by the way what did you pay for this truck. Curious !

 

Pearl White looks really nice on GX. Always wanted one.

 

When someone buys a car in the US we can all imagine usage and what they may be using the car for. Can you tell about use and ownership of a SUV in the UAE? Even some details like petrol costs, any special fees, off-road use, status symbol, upgrades, parts availability or anything you can think of? Thanks

 

Sure

SUVs are very common - not sure what the % is

Well, usage is similar. People are buying SUV for transport family/kids. Some are also using their SUV's off-road in the desert climbing big dunes or simply going for BBQ / Camping in the winters.

Petrol is more or less priced like the US - its about $2.25 per gallon (thats Imperial gallon which is little less or more than US gallon).

Status symbol: yes. Most people buy the large SUV's like Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol. On the luxury side, Range Rover, Cayenne, X5, LX are common sights. The Porsche dealership of Dubai has been the highest volume dealership globally for a few years now.

Upgrades: Yes and no

Parts Availability: There is a wide dealer network of all brands so parts are available. It's only recently that dealers are importing the entire product range. So while we can buy a new GX460, there was no GX470 ever sold here through the dealer network

Brand Positioning: Most consumers are chasing a particular vehicle body style. For instance a Land Cruiser can be bought here in 3 engines:

1. For as little as $55k it can be a 4.0 V6 with basic odometer and audio/communication system

2. Next up is 4.6 V8 (same engine as GX460)

3. The most expensive is 5.7 V8 (same as the US spec Land Cruiser) which goes for about $80k

#1 above appeals to families, desert safari tour companies, and buyers looking for best value for money. The V6 accounts for about 80% of total LC sales

#2 and #3 appeal to enthusiast and people who read the forums

Winters are nice here and more & more people are discovering the desert and going camping, dune bashing, BBQ, etc with families kids & friends. Summers are very hot so outdoor activity is limited around May till October.

In general people are enthusiastic about their SUVs and take care of them.

 

Congrats! We just picked up our first one as well. 2005 but same color. Wife wanted blue or black but has finally come around that the Pearl White looks awesome!

 

Why are all of the cars in the middle east white?

 

Not all...but majority are white...i guess it's because the climate is very hot