looknow12

Just picked up the 04 with KDSS on Saturday and wanted to give everyone a review of it. After driving the 03s extensively (over 20k miles) I notice some substantial differences

• You don't feel that hoola hoop sensation the GX used to give. Kind of like a boat, the car would rotate on its axis appying the load to each wheel in a clock wise, or counter clock wise fashion. The KDSS eliminates that bracing everything together
• Braking is much more solid. The GX without KDSS would typically favor one front wheel to shift its weight to during braking causing an unstable stopping situation. The KDSS seems to keep the truck's weight very evenly distributed between the two front wheels during braking. This makes for a much tighter solid braking experience.
• The bottoming out seems to have been eliminated. Perhaps it's harder now for the vehicle to bottom out. My theory was always that the front suspension would hit a dip in the road and shift the weight to the back suspension causing the rear to bottom out. However the front to rear is linked, this effect seems to be nearly eliminated.
• Handling is amazing. Take a turn at nearly the speeds you would with an IS and you'll motor right through. The harder you push the GX through the turn, the better you seem to notice the improvement with the KDSS.
• Wind Sway does not appear improved
• The suspension can now be left in the Soft setting at all times. The only time I would select a stiffer setting is if I was going off road.
• The soft suspension seems a bit stiffer than my 03 without KDSS. I must remember that this GX has only 800 miles on it, things may still break in. I have reduced the air pressure in the tires to 32 front/33 rear. That's the way I like it. No the air pressure monitor did not get set off :-)

Tony

Man I just saw my first KDSS truck at the lot I cant believe how beefy the stabilizer bars are on that truck they are huge and the skid plate is totally different than on my 04 GX. I wished I could of bought one three weeks ago. The sales people could not tell me when they were going to get one and they are slower here in Nevada when getting newer versions of cars. Bummer I wished I got the KDSS missed it by 3 weeks.

Looknow does the KDSS make the truck turn flatter similar to a X5? Does it reduce sway in the cabin when the road is uneven at highway speeds?

looknow12

I have never driven the X5, but yes it does run flatter and yes it nearly eliminates sway on uneven roads. You can also nail turns with speed.

Capirato

Looknow.....

This is what I want on my next car

http://www.bose.com/learning/project..._challenge.jsp

~ Cap

looknow12

Very cool. My mother has an SL55 and I remember my dad say it had some sort of active suspension to counter sway. I wonder if it uses the same concept.

I just went to the MB page and they measure body movement and ride level from 13 sensors every 10msec and adjust 4 hydraulic servos.

It seems this Bose system is a bit more advanced offering quicker adjustments than a hydraulic system can offer.

Capirato

More info on Bose Suspension equipt Lexus.

http://newsletter.edmunds.com/cgi-bi...PrK0G6R03Gs0Af

~ Cap

Tony

With that kind of modification you could keep your car for over 10 years then add that on and make it run another ten years better than new. I would definitely buy that for the GX if it came avaliable.

beezy21

Where did you get your factory chrome wheels? Are you referring to Lexus chromes, because my dealership tried telling me that Lexus has not "offered" them yet for the GX. Hmm.....sounds a little strange to me, you would think they would be happy to make more money off me.

looknow12

Since this was an old post of mine, I want to say once again.

For anyone purchasing a new GX, I highly recommend getting the KDSS. The vehicle drives and feels so much better.

gs400jon

beezy21, my chrome wheels were installed at the dealership. They are the chromed version of the factory alloy wheels.

beezy21

I have called two dealerships in my area and both tell me that Lexus does not currently offer any chrome rims for the GX470. Can you send me a picture or something to take in to the dealer? Does your chrome actually have the Lexus L in the center just like the alloys? How much did you pay per rim? In what state is the dealership you purchased them at?

gs400jon

Sorry, can't send you a picture. I am probably one of the few people on this planet that doesn't own a digital camera. Anyway, the cover does have the "L". If I remember correctly, the dealer price was something like $1,900 and they sold it to me for $950. Here's the name and telephone number of the dealer.

Magnussen's Lexus

510-657-6600

This dealership is located in Northern California, about fifty miles southeast of San Francisco.

I could probably get a picture taken this weekend if it will help.

beezy21

Sure do appreciate it. I will keep you posted on any developments.

bunka

Thanks for the review. I notice that the KDSS option is not listed online in the "build your own" section of Lexus. What is the MSRP for that option and what did you pay for it?

gs400jon

MSRP for the KDSS option is $1,750 for 2004.