2004 Lexus GX470 Life Expectancy. How Many Miles Will Your GX Last?

We all remember that good time when Lexus made extremely reliable cars that were both luxury and dependable vehicles. Today, things have changed, and Japanese companies make cars that last a much shorter period of time. They are still good if you compare them with Korean vehicles or numerous cars assembled in Mexico, but the price you pay for a Lexus or an Infiniti should deliver much more to you.

Though, today we won’t discuss much how far the Lexus cars have deteriorated with their quality. Instead, we’ll talk about a legendary Lexus GX, mainly about the first generation of GX that was one of the most popular in America and also got thousands of positive customer reviews. We’ll investigate the data about the model and try to find out how many miles a GX470 can go until it drops.

Here are the main things we’ll discuss:

• the main problems of the GX than can reduce its mileage;
• available engines and the best ones of them;
• average mileage and maximum mileage of the car;
• things that will affect the longevity of the GX units and parts;
• price of a used vehicle on the US market today.

Lexus GX470 – main info, specs, pros and cons

So, we are talking about the J120 generation of the Lexus GX model which was selling in the US between 2004 and 2007. The 470 model was available with 3 types of V8 engines ranging from 238 to 270 horsepower. It’s not the best power you could get from a V8 engine, but it’s more than enough for decent rides. All models were equipped with automatic transmissions that could last for decades with no major problems. These cars were also equipped with all-wheel-drive systems.

Basically, this was an improved Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for the American market. It had better luxury options inside. The vehicle belonged to the full-size luxury SUV class which was one of the most popular segments in the US at that time.

It’s not hard to say that the GX 470 had a 4.7-liter engine – this comes easily from the name of the model. The engine had 8 cylinders and was not very economical. In city traffic, this car would consume around 16.8 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (14 miles per gallon). Not that good considering the modern 250-hp engine would show around 25 miles per gallon in city traffic.

But buyers knew for sure why they paid so much to drive this car. The main reason is the luxury interior. But you will have to consider the reliability and longevity of this vehicle. This is the main thing why these Lexus models are still popular on the market even though some of them are 20 years old.

Engine longevity – how many miles will the 4.7-liter V8 deliver?

These engines were extremely reliable when new. You may find hundreds of reports where the GX470 owners claim to get the 250 000-mile mark. Some of them even say that their Lexus SUVs are still OK with over 350 000 miles behind. Hard to believe, but still.

The main advantage of this engine is its huge capacity. Engines with over 3 liters of capacity tend to live much longer than smaller units. You won’t find any turbochargers, unreliable cooling elements, bad fuel injection technologies, etc. The engines are very reliable and dependable.

Also, these units are not overcharged with horsepower. They show around 55 horsepower per 1 liter which is a very low rate if you compare it with any modern engine. Toyota engineered this engine to last long, and some units have passed the 500 000-mile mark without major repairs.

Here we should say that the longevity and the maximum mileage of your GX engine depend much on numerous factors that we’ll discuss further in our article.

Main problems of the 2004 Lexus GX470

This generation was one of the most reliable ones in comparison with other Lexus cars. But still, owners have found a lot of drawbacks that should be taken into account when you buy a used car or have a high-mileage vehicle in your possession.

Here are some of the most popular and dangerous problems of the 2004 GX470:

1. Rust. Yes, the car isn’t that good in terms of metal protection. Well, it was good when it was new, but after 10 years all GX470 models started disappointing their owners with numerous rust issues. Those small rusty spots should be removed as soon as possible to avoid welding repair and other expensive procedures.
2. O2 sensors. The sensors measuring oxygen amount in the exhaust gases aren’t that reliable in any car. They usually die at around 150 000 miles together with the catalysts and this brings to an expensive repair. Your car starts hesitating when accelerating, it shows less power.
3. Fuel pump. Well, it can leave you stranded at around 200 000 miles which isn’t that bad for a fuel pump. But we had to find some common problems for the GX470 model and we have bumped into this problem a couple of times on special forums.
4. Electronics. The older cars will always bother you with their electronics, and this is not the issue for Lexus SUVs only. But you are unlikely to find any DIY methods to deal with those problems easily, so you will need to pay to the dealerships because those cheap garages won’t be able to help you much.

We can’t say that something in this list scares us to hell and could prevent our purchase. But you have to think about one bad drawback of the 2004 GX470 and it’s the age of a car. You never know what could happen with this vehicle before, unless those accidents were registered. For example, if the owner got into a lake and had the electronics under the hood affected with water, he or she will be glad to sell that car to you because the vehicle will start showing numerous problems that will be too expensive to repair.

So, what’s the average and maximum mileage of the Lexus GX470?

The average mileage we would consider to be well over 250 000 miles. The maximum mileage of a GX470 would be anywhere between 350 000 and 500 000 miles. If you are OK to pay thousands of dollars for a thorough engine repair, the car can last even longer. But economically it won’t be wise to keep that vehicle anymore.

What can kill your GX470 much faster?

You know, not all cars die when it’s a proper time for them to do so. Many vehicles will end up in a scrapyard having just 100 000 miles or so on their odometers. The reason is, in most cases, very poor maintenance. It’s quite hard to kill your Lexus GX sooner than the manufacturer claims it should die. But if you try hard, you may succeed in it. Here are our bad tips of how to kill your GX470 much faster:

1. Irregular oil change. The engine oil is extremely important for big engines. It lubricates all the parts like pistons, valves, etc. Bad lubrication leads to intensive wear and you will end up choosing whether you should sell your car for scrap or invest thousands in engine repair.
2. Clogged filters. You should pay attention to air, oil, and fuel filters when you service your GX. Once the car reaches the 100 000-mile mark, start servicing it more often. Changing the oil and those three filters once every 5000 to 7000 miles will be a good way to prolong the GX lifespan.
3. Timing belt issues. The owners of Lexus GX SUVs will often forget about the timing belt service. The manufacturer says it should be replaced once every 60 000 to 100 000 miles. But the belt should be inspected regularly. The best interval for changing the timing belt together with the coolant pump and other equipment is once every 40 000 – 50 000 miles. If the belt breaks, you will need to invest in engine repair which isn’t that cheap.
4. Bad transmission fluid. The transmission oil should be changed once every 60 000 miles. Otherwise, the transmission will ask for an expensive repair soon. Even though, the manual for the GX says that the transmission fluid and the filter can be OK up to 90 000 miles, better shorten that interval to avoid numerous issues.

Basically, this is all you should know about the GX technical issues and the ways to kill your car sooner than it should die. The GX may become one of the most reliable cars in your life if you treat it like it should be treated. Regular maintenance and attention to any rusty spots are probably the only worries that the car will ask for. But if you buy the used Lexus GX which will apparently have high mileage, you should be ready for some expensive repair and maintenance to keep your car going. This is not an economy-class vehicle, so you will have to pay for luxury.

Verdict – should I buy the old GX?

Owning the Lexus GX is a great way to get some luxury for a decent price. The only place you will be a little frustrated with this car is a gas station. But if you want to buy a used GX470, you should consider other options. These cars are quite old now and they all have some history, high mileage, and some problems that will cost a lot to solve.

A 2004 Lexus GX470 will cost you around $11,000, according to the KBB investigation. And in our opinion, it’s too much for a car that is a couple of decades old and may have 200 000 miles or even more on its dashboard. But yes, you will get the top luxury and wonderful comfort when driving.

If you have around $11,000 to buy a car, we would recommend choosing a fresher vehicle starting with the 2015 year of production. It will be a much less luxurious option, but it will still be more reliable and more fun to drive.