cheap_deal

As the title says, im considering a 2010 gx460 but from spending sometime online reading about problems faced by other people with this truck is worrying me.
1. wheel/front end vibrations
2. seat vibrations/rattles
3. rack and pinion problems, fixed for some, replaced for others
4. transmission shifting at slow speeds causing car to jerk
5. needs extra firm pressure on brake pedals at stop lights

there might be more which i left out.

reason im worried about these problems is cause here (UAE) there is only 1 lexus dealer and their usual reply to address any problems with the vehicles is to say 'sir its normal for the car'. hence getting these fixed or making dealer visits is something i dont look forward to. i would also be keeping the car for a long time. maybe close to 8yrs.

your thoughts/opinions welcome

akfd

The front end vibration is related to the steering, which seems to be a rack and pinion problem. My car doesn't have that problem, but the front passenger and rear backrest do vibrate a little at some speeds. To me it's a minor problem but it depends on how much that "gets on your nerves" so to speak. The crawling issue at stop lights is not as bad as you imagine, all you need to do is to step on the pedal a bit harder; it's not even a problem because different types of cars have different pedal feel, and this is just the characteristic of this SUV.

The reason I chose this car over the Range Rover is because Toyota has an excellent reliability record; this SUV, which is a Land Cruiser Prado, has proven over many years that it can handle almost any type of weather conditions/terrain with very little problems or maintenance. Most rescue teams in Japan use the Land Cruiser simply because the engine will start and bring them to the scene when it's being called on!

Koz

I've only had my GX for short time (two weeks) but I can tell you; this is a HIGH quality vehicle and there nothing you should be worrying about. So far everything is PERFECT, no issues at all.

Koz

SaniDel

Congratulations on doing your research. You have summarized the significant complaints we have discussed since the GX 460 was available a year ago, which is the point of my reply. In a year of discussion, that's all we have to complain about! ;-)

Would you expect that any vehicle is 'perfect' i.e., in a public forum such as ours not a single owner has anything to complain about? The benefit of our forum is precisely the opposite, which is to allow enthusiastic owners to compare their experiences where they perceive their vehicles are not perfect. Some of these are expected ... such as the GX behaving more like a truck than a car, some are systemic ... such as the transmission shifting optimized for mileage, but most are vehicle-specific. I trust you have gleaned from our forum that items 1,2 and 3 affect only those owners who have reported the problems.

Perhaps of greater concern is the limited options for purchase and support of Lexus dealers in the UAE. Knowing nothing other than what you have written, you are disadvantaged when considering Lexus products compared to other brands that have multiple dealers and are in a competitive situation. More to the point, if there is only one Lexus dealer, they have little incentive to service and support their products. It is not surprising that you don't look forward to dealer visits ... neither would I.

Although Lexus' slogan is "The Pursuit of Perfection" they aren't there yet ... but neither is any manufacturer. At some point in your ownership experience ... eight (8) years by your expectation ... your vehicle will fall short of perfection. When it does ... and especially if it is a systemic rather than a vehicle-specific shortfall ... your Lexus dealer is your first and possibly your only recourse. May I suggest that you consider Lexus support as carefully as you consider Lexus products?
Regards,

SaniDel


P.S. It goes without saying that not only is your sole Lexus dealer unmotivated to provide product support, but also disinclined to offer competitive pricing. I trust that your screen name does not imply your unstated priority.

GXOwner

As other members replied here, every car manufacturer is not perfect and there will be issues. As long as they are minor issues and can be addressed by the manufacturer, you should be in good hands. Lexus is usually pretty good in handling any complaints so even if there is only 1 Lexus dealer in your area you will still get the attention if you demand for it. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Also, the issues posted here are informative for all GX enthusiasts forum members to share with one another or get confirmation from others. There are thousands of other GX owners not forum members so these issues are not representative of all GX owners out there. Some owners are more attentive to certain things in the car so reported issues vary from owner to owner. Some owners do not even notice the issue until they specifically look for it after reading about it.

Forums are a good place to do your research but take it as informative. Otherwise, you will worry yourself out to find that perfect vehicle. Just my $0.02.

nhsballer

my family friend got the first lexus gx when they shipped to shreveport and they had hardly any problems and many others got theirs. our communuity is mainly in cars of escaldes and lexus vehicles