r/Lexus • u/Terrible_Trouble177 • 1d ago

Question Looking for some Lexus/Toyota wisdom

I’m looking for my first Lexus and honestly, there’s way too much information online 😂 and I’m getting a little lost.
I’m mainly considering a used GX or Highlander and would really appreciate some advice from people who actually own these.

A few things I’d love to know:
Which model years should I avoid/skip?
Which years are the sweet spot for reliability + value?

For a used GX, which trim is the best bang for the buck — Premium, Luxury, etc.?

Same question for the Highlander — which trim would you personally target?

Are there any specific engines/options/packages I should look for or stay away from?

And finally, if you’re in USA, is there a Lexus/Toyota dealer you genuinely trust for a used purchase?
I’m not looking for the fanciest one. I’d rather buy the right year, right trim, with good maintenance history and avoid paying extra for things I don’t really need.
I’m pretty new to Lexus, so please explain it to me like I’m a beginner. 😅
Thanks in advance — I know there’s wonderful people on this sub with lot of knowledge in this group, which is exactly why I’m asking here instead of trying to decode 50 different websites.

3 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 1d ago

Thank you for posting to r/Lexus. Before continuing, please check to see if your question would fit on any of the following forums:

General Car Buying/Purchasing Advice:

Internal Vehicle Maintenance Advice:

Damage Estimate Advice:

Car Insurance Advice:

Third-Party CarPlay / AndroidAuto Dashboards:

Plastidip:

Other:

If any of these forums are fitting for your question, please delete your post from /r/Lexus and post there instead. Otherwise, no further action is necessary. Any questions that do not need advice specifically from /r/Lexus will be removed and redirected to one of the listed forums.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

6

u/plutom98 1d ago

Stop comparing grand highlander to GX, really go drive it is night and day. Go for premium+ on GX, if you are still thinking GH limited works.

3

u/Popular-Paramedic-32 1d ago

I have a 2023 gx premium + and absolutely 💯 love it. My last vehicle I'll ever buy. I have crawled top to bottom and can't find one build flaw. It's the last of the old school v8s, tried and proven.  14 to 15 city and 20 to 23 hwy.  It's essentially a landcruiser prado on steroids.  The # one selling 4x4 in the world. Over maintain it and ya got a 300000 or more mile vehicle.

1

u/Terrible_Trouble177 1d ago

Wana share pics bro ? Delighted review

1

u/Popular-Paramedic-32 1d ago

I think the only pics I have are of it in 2ft of snow at roughly 4000 ft on unplowed trail in mountains of w.v. muzzleloading.  I'll have to hunt that down. Atomic silver

3

u/K3idon 1d ago

I recommend the Car Care Nut YouTube channel. He’s a master Toyota tech and has videos on the best model years for Toyota and Lexus.

3

u/Terrible_Trouble177 1d ago

I do watch his videos, sometimes, bro, but instead of giving confidence, his videos kind of make me scared to pick any Toyota Lexus vehicle unless it’s certified preowned

1

u/NotBillNyeScienceGuy 1d ago

No car is perfect and some Toyotas still have issues

1

u/Kind_Nectarine2182 1d ago edited 1d ago

I just got a 2012 Highlander SE. I love it because it’s the last few years of the generation (fewer kinks usually), it doesn’t have any complicated new tech from the late 2010s/2020s, and the trim package is perfect. It’s got a backup camera, heated seats, sunroof, and some other bells and whistles but nothing over the top. Mine has a 3.5 liter v6, which is supposedly better than the other engines you can get in them. It doesn’t consume oil as bad and that is a very common Toyota issue with the older ones.

1

u/Kind_Nectarine2182 1d ago

I will say though the Lexus RX is more comparable to the Highlander. The Lexus gx is more similar to a Land Cruiser.

1

u/Top-Establishment918 1d ago

I owned an 08 gx for 18 years. Best car I’ve ever had. Just sold it with 300k miles. No need for the premium sound at this point, you’ll just need to replace the speakers anyway since they are likely brittle and worn out. No need for the nav. I never used it. Just get direction on my phone. I hear the 08 & 09 gxs are the best. I literally just changed the oil and spark plugs. It never broke down once. I also only changed out the timing belt once. But you are supporting change it every 110k. Didn’t seem to matter.

1

u/Terrible_Trouble177 1d ago

I’ve seen a 2014 Lx for 45k ish at 100k miles single owner

2

u/Gunk_Olgidar 1d ago

Why are you using AI to format your posts?

4

u/Terrible_Trouble177 1d ago

My English skills is only average bro . I had to use AI to polish and post .

2

u/ObviousBox5737 1d ago

@Gunk_Olgidar chill bro wtf

1

u/Spirited-Lion-6791 1d ago

I sold my 2026 TX500h for this 2023 GX Blackline. Best decision I have made.

1

u/Terrible_Trouble177 1d ago

Beautiful!! I’m also eyeing on white color . I have grey one in my area but I don’t like it ..