Where to begin… Well, I guess let’s just start from the beginning. Since I initially wrote this post I have since sold my GX550 Overtrail+ and have added more reasons why this car just wasn’t for me.

As soon as I heard the 2024 GX was set to be released I immediately wanted to get on the waitlist. Even with knowing absolutely nothing about it, I knew it would be epic. I was notified that the waitlist had opened up if I wanted to build the new GX so I sent my specs in and was told I would be on the VIP waitlist at Lexus of Lakeway. Unsure of what that actually meant, I was expecting the car to arrive in the Fall of 2024. Surely, I wasn’t actually on a VIP waitlist. I’m a nobody!!

And then I got the call on Sunday, April 29 that my 2024 Lexus GX550 had arrived. That entire day I was trying to figure out if I was mentally ready to get into a new car that I had been expecting months later. I truly loved my 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO and didn’t feel 100% ready to let it go yet. But at the same time, I was offered one of the first GX550s in Texas and if I declined, I would be placed back on the waitlist which is nearly 2 years long as this point. They said I had until Monday afternoon to make my decision and you better believe I took every hour, minute, second to figure out if this was a good move for me.

At the same time, I was also considering going with the new 2025 Toyota 4Runner that is being launched in September of this year. I consulted with quite a few of my Toyota/Lexus friends who all pretty much said that yes, the 4Runner I currently have is amazing but this is a rare opportunity to have one of the first GX550s out and if I don’t like it I can always sell it when the new 4Runner comes out. Toyota and Lexus are known for the quality and longevity in their vehicles so I knew this Lexus would last a lifetime; or will it? One of my biggest concerns is that these are so new, we don’t know if these new engines are going to stand the test of time like the older models…but keep reading.

Let me preface this post with a couple of things before I get into the details of why I’m considering selling the GX. 

First off, before I made the decision to purchase the Overtrail+, I was able to test out one of the GX550 Overtrail (not +) prototypes for a full week. HERE is the Reel if you missed it. This was my opportunity to get a feel for this new model GX, see how it drove, check out all of the new technology, which was severely lacking in my 2019 4Runner, and more importantly, test out the off-roading capabilities.

My first impression was that the new GX was so nice. Much nicer than my current 4Runner. There were so many new features that I was really impressed with that my 4Runner didn’t have. A huge screen, which I recently found out is $14k if it goes out. Yikes! I also loved the fact that you don’t need a physical key, just a key fob. It had Apple CarPlay which my car didn’t offer. The attention to detail in the actual design was really chic and impressive. There was ample room for the driver and all passengers and the trunk space was really nice. And it had massaging seats! It is definitely a major upgrade from the 4Runner.

I was also impressed with how it performed off-roading. We took it to Hidden Falls Adventure Park to do some light off-roading and it did really well. I didn’t want to push the GX too hard since it was still a prototype, but it was nice to see what it could do compared to the 4Runner. We take the 4Runner off-roading pretty frequently so we wanted something that would be comparable.

After my week was up, I decided that I loved the new GX and I would probably end up getting one when mine was delivered to the dealership. But I was also trying to decide if I would prefer the Lexus GX550 or the 2025 4Runner TRD PRO that was set to be released in September. I was really hoping my allocated GX would come in closer to the time that the new 4Runner came out so I could make my decision after driving the new 4R. I am still planning on testing out the 2025 4Runner when it comes out so stay tuned.

 Second preface. I have owned more 4Runners than I care to admit. Actually, I have owned more cars than I care to admit. Since I was 16 I have had a severe car buying addiction. This addiction was inherited from my dad’s side of the family who have/had the same car buying problem. My dad claims he is cured. We’ll see about that. I think we added up that I have had about 18 cars since I was 16 years old. At 38 that means I average keeping my cars, give or take, 2 years at a time. But there were some cars in that time span that I kept for 6 months or so and then moved on; for a slew of reasons. I drove SUVs, sports cars, luxury cars, manuals, automatics, lifted trucks, lifted SUVs; I’ve driven them all.

With that being said; I have owned and driven practically every single car manufacturer and during that time, really figured out which brands/styles are my absolute favorites and the most reliable. It made me very aware of what I wanted in a car and what I wanted to stay away from in a car. Toyota and Lexus were always on the top of the list of car manufacturers I absolutely loved and still love. Most of y’all know Lexus and Toyota are the same company and they are known for their reliability which is a main reason we’ve been brand loyal to them for years. We currently have a 2006 Lexus GX470 with almost 300k miles and it is still running better than ever!

Anyway, once I found my latest 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO, I knew my addiction had been cured. I owned that car for over 5 years and I loved it even more after 5 years than the day I purchased it. I actually traded in my 2017 4Runner TRD Off-Road for the 2019 TRD PRO. I knew this would be a car I would keep forever. I loved everything about it. I loved how it looked, I love how it performed off-roading. Ya, it was slow as f*ck but it was the best! It had everything I needed and it was so reliable! I loved Darth!

This brings me to present time, actually the Sunday that I received the call. Like I mentioned above, I was weighing pros and cons, finances, etc. and ultimately decided I was going to pull the trigger and go with the GX. I considered keeping the 4Runner because I loved it so much but really wanted the tax credit if I traded it in. The next day, I went into Lexus of Lakeway to get my TRD PRO valued for trade in and they gave me exactly what I was hoping to get for it. And that afternoon I drove my new 2024 Lexus GX550 Overtrail+ home.

I immediately started making plans to get the windows tinted, to get a new dash-cam installed and to start looking into lifts and bigger tires. But that first night, I literally couldn’t sleep. I missed my 4Runner so much and deep down, I knew I made the wrong decision. I wanted my 4Runner back. But everyone I talked to thought I was crazy. How could I miss that old thing when I have a brand new Lexus GX550!! Not to mention, I was the only one with this car! Which would usually make me excited to have something so exclusive, but this time I just didn’t care.

I sucked it up and knew I would grow to love the Lexus. I mean, it’s an epic car!! And I DO really love it.

So, I’m sure y’all are like then why the hell are you wanting to sell it? Let me also preface this by saying that I am not a car expert by any means but there are a lot of red flags with the new GX that a lot of other people are talking about and experiencing, including myself.

My first and main concern was the fact that all of the new vehicle models are moving towards twin turbos and hybrid engines. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a twin turbo. I have had multiple sports cars that had twin turbos in them and they were fast as f*ck. Some of my favorite cars were twin turbo manual transmissions! But I can say for a fact, twin turbos are not reliable, especially in a first edition car. I had one of the first BMW 335i models ever produced and the turbos went out after 20k miles. Thankfully, those were covered under warranty but I had a second car’s turbos fail when it was out of warranty. They are not a cheap fix/replacement.

I do understand that most car manufacturers are being forced to put turbos and hybrids in new model cars for emissions purposes but with that drastic of a change, the quality is going to go down. The chances of a newer, twin turbo car/suv lasting 150k-250k miles is going to be rare. It’s too early to tell but a turbo motor will never be as reliable as a naturally aspirated motor. My guess is until they iron out the kinks with these turbos, the newer editions won’t last as long. Unlike the older model Toyota and Lexus vehicles that could and would last up to 500k miles with minor repairs. Grayson’s GX is literally going to last forever.

I purchased a substantial extended warranty on the GX that would cover things like the turbos if, god-forbid, they went out at some point. Which, I highly recommend if you are considering getting any of the newer Toyota/Lexus models with twin turbos. If you are unaware, the new 2024 GX comes with a V6 twin turbo whereas the 2025 Toyota 4Runner will have a 4 cylinder twin turbo. EDIT – I ended up cancelling that warranty and getting a full refund because I knew I wasn’t going to keep this car long term. SO, if you are only going to keep it 2-3 years, don’t bother with the warranty.

And I’m not saying this is how it is always going to be with newer twin turbo models but I should have learned my lesson back with the BMW. Let them iron out the kinks before you buy the very first model of a car. To quote Jay Leno – “The last generation of old technology is usually better than the first generation of new technology.” If you know anything about cars, or even if you don’t, you might remember that the first cars to ever be fuel injected were definitely not better than carbureted cars. But eventually, fuel injected cars became superior over anything else. There is always a trial run with something new, especially all of the new technology in these cars.

This brings me to my second point. Everyone wants the best of the best; have all of the bells and whistles, the best technology in cars. But that’s also a blessing and a curse. Sure, you have the biggest screen, everything is digital and pretty and easy to use. But what happens when that technology fails? If you are out of warranty that big ole screen will cost you $14,000 in the GX… There are hardly any buttons or knobs in this suv, it’s all screens. Screens are amazing, until they aren’t. Just like technology is amazing until it fails.

And what sent me over the edge today is that in less than 30 days of owning my Overtrail+, the massage seats have already gone out… For as much as this car cost (over $85k), that should NOT be happening… I understand this isn’t a huge deal but it kind of is… It’s the principle of it all. Not only is a brand new car already having issues, this means I have to take time out of my day to take it into the shop to get fixed and hope they don’t go out again. This doesn’t make me feel confident in my purchase. It makes me wonder what else I’m going to have problems with if I’m already seeing issues with 1,000 miles on the car.

EDIT – I did get the massaging seats fixed with a zip-tie… A HUGE issue I have found is that parts are impossible to get if something goes wrong on these cars. The massage seat issue is a known problem and the part to fix that small issue is a 2 month wait… There is also a major known issue with the brakes squealing extremely loud when you go in reverse. That fix is on an over 2 month wait… My car also had started making loud noises while braking in reverse. A few people in my GX FB group got in wrecks and parts were going to take 6-9 months or even longer to get… I honestly felt like I was walking and driving on eggshells everyday with this car so I didn’t mess anything up.

I absolutely miss the simplicity and reliability of my 4Runner. I had it 5 years, which isn’t a long time in the grand scheme of things. But I never had one single issue with it. Ever.

Now, let’s get into the more cosmetic and petty side of things. Again, with a car costing over $85k or close to it, I would expect something much more luxurious than my TRD PRO. To me, the price doesn’t match the product. Don’t get me wrong, the Lexus is a gazillion times more luxurious than the 4Runner but at the same time, I don’t love it more than the 4Runner. The 4Runner is more off-road capable too; at least to me… If I am paying $35k+ more than the Toyota I want to love it double as much! And sadly, I don’t.

The Toyota felt like a tank. It just felt sturdy and thick but the Lexus just feels dainty to me. I don’t know how to explain it but I’ve read other people talk about this in the GX550 groups on Facebook. It just feels cheaper to me… Again, the price doesn’t match the product. There is a lot of plastic. I felt like the interior was getting scratched too easily. The exterior plastic gets scratched extremely easily too. Don’t even think about pulling up near a tree because it will get ya! All of the plastic trim inside and outside of this car gets scratched so easily.

ALSO, y’all should google Lexus GX550 melting in the sun… I have heard countless stories from people saying their GXs were melting. Literally melting in the sun… Article HERE.

There is also no storage in this car. The 4Runner had huge cup holders, a spot to put items between the cup holder and the 4 wheel drive shifter and it had a HUGE center console and glove box. The GX has a cool box. This is one thing I didn’t realize would come with mine but I really wish I had a regular console. I will never use a cool box. They are tiny. If you have kids and need places to store things, this might not be the best car for you. The Overtrail models also do not offer a third row option either.

Another thing I noticed is the gas tank on the GX is tiny. I feel like I can literally watch the gas gauge go down as I am driving it. It is way too small for an SUV of this size. The gas mileage is also terrible, not to mention you have to put premium gas in it for the twin turbos! To fill up a smaller tank than the 4Runner was over $80… I drove to Dallas and back and my gas mileage was 15 highway…

The hood is also very thin aluminum so it vibrates and rattles in the wind or even when you’re going 75mph or more.

Lastly, let’s chat about off-roading. I haven’t taken my Overtrail+ out yet but I will talk about my experience with the prototype I drove in March. Reel HERE. Again, I thought it did an amazing job, very comparable to my 4Runner. BUT, the ground clearance is awful. The GX sits so low to the ground you are bound to scratch things up under there. Not to mention all of the plastic trim on the outside gets scratched to shit no matter what. Lexus also thought it would be a good idea to use plastic running boards on the most expensive off-roading vehicle… Very disappointed in that because I will now have to add metal running boards. I had better stock metal running boards on the 4Runner.

Overall, for the price of the Lexus GX550 Overtrail+ I expected a lot more. And this isn’t a money thing… It’s a reliability thing… and a performance thing. If I’m buying the top of the line off-roading Lexus, it better blow my 4Runner TRD PRO out of the water… Lexus even told me that reliability and quality will go down significantly because of all of the new technology and the addition of twin turbos/hybrids. I’m not writing this post to deter anyone from purchasing one of these new models; just make sure you do your research first and make a calculated decision knowing that there could be issues, big or small, when you purchase a brand new model of a car that has never been produced and/or tested for years.

I am 100% confident Toyota and Lexus will iron out all of the kinks with their new models and make these the best of the best, just like they are known for. Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely do love the new GX. I love the look, the luxury of it, the smooth drive but it doesn’t feel like an $85k off-roading vehicle. I asked my husband if I sounded petty, and he said, well, kind of…and I reiterated that the price does not match the product, to which he definitely agreed.

As of today, I no longer own my 2024 GX550 Overtrail+. I had absolutely 0 second thoughts with selling it and haven’t missed it since. I will most likely get another 4Runner TRD PRO or an older model GX460 and lift again. If, for some reason, I miss the GX so much I can’t live without it, I will wait a couple of years and get another one.