zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?
For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?-June 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:39

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

Today’s Lexus is, in reality, just a fancy Land Cruiser. Strangely enough, these seem less loved than their venerated cousins. Let’s see if that factor means this Luxo off-roader is, in reality, on-point.

An automatic transmission and a somewhat modest pony count in its corral were two complaints leveled at yesterday’s . Those, it seems, were minor infractions when taken into account with the car’s very nice color combo, overall condition, and its set of pricey new tires. All of that contrasted against its $6,950 price tag, earning the ‘Vette a laudable 77 percent Nice Price win for its troubles.

When talk turns to Japanese off-roaders you can be excused if your thoughts turn immediately to the most common—and once a commoner’s choice—the Toyota Land Cruiser. That heavy has been the de-facto go-to for Japanese Jeep alternatives for decades and today can command significant bank in both rough and ready two-door and more family-friendly four-portal form.

The thing of it is, in the Land Cruiser’s later years, it was joined in its quest by a more luxurious brother, the Lexus LX, and while those offered modestly more amenities, on the used car market they tend to have somewhat less rabid a fan base.

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

Take this as example. This is about as inclement weather-capable a roller as you might find, what with its winch-equipped aftermarket nose piece, skid plates and raised suspension. Is this what you think of when bombarded by those perennially off-putting Lexus-with-a-bow-on-them ads hitting the airwaves each holiday season? I thought not.

No, this is more for the Land Cruiser crowd, but seeing as it’s a Lexus with that brand’s weird nose-profile badge (what, you don’t see that?) on its grille, it may also play nice in proper company, say when attending a funeral or visiting that wealthy but politically appalling uncle’s home.

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

The ad notes 192,000 miles on this LX, and in case you are unfamiliar with the marque, that’s just getting started. The wagon comes in Riverock Green Mica over grey rockers and that all swaddles a grey leather interior. The bodywork appears without any major flaws, and I think that the ultra-douchey gold badging front and rear is in fact a factory setting.

That leather interior looks to be in fine shape too, and that’s actually impressive for the age since one area of kryptonite for this generation of Land Cruiser/LX is the poor durability of the front seating surfaces. Much like Volvos and Land Rovers of the era, the leather on these seems to be thinner than Elon Musk’s skin.

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

Other pluses in here are a factory navigation system and a dog fence in back. A/C vents above the cargo area will help keep the puppers cool as well. Two sets of third-row seats are included in the sale in case your dogs know how to sit and stay.

The seller claims this LX benefits from a number of mechanical upgrades, including new CVs and axles, and replacement of the adaptive ride height AHC shocks. The 4.7-litre DOHC V8 is said to run smoothly and without issue.

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

That’s an iron block VVT-i mill that the factory rated at 271 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed automatic feeds the full-time 4WD which also comes with a locking center diff for when the shit gets real. Tires are 33-inch Kumho All-Terrains.

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

The title is clean and the only major maintenance item on the horizon for the truck is a timing belt in 20K. It was last done at 116K.

The asking price for this big beauty is $13,800, which puts it slightly north of where you might expect to find a Land Cruiser of this era to be priced. This one is a Lexus, however, and it does come with that tidy interior and all the off-roading goodies as laudable qualities.

Image for article titled For $13,800, Could This Modded 2002 Lexus LX470 Get You Off-Roading?

You, however, will need to take the truck and its price as a whole, and what you’ll now need to do is determine if you think it’s worth digging a $13,800 hole in your wallet.

What’s your take, is that a fair price for this Lexus off-roader? Or, for that much, would you expect the Land Cruiser name and not just a pretender to the throne?

You decide!

San Francisco Bay Area, CA , or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to Ed D for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOCP. Hit me up at and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your Kinja handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
We Need A Durable 4x4 That We Can Leave In The Mountains! What Car Should We Buy?
We Need A Durable 4x4 That We Can Leave In The Mountains! What Car Should We Buy?
Kari and her wife spend their summers in the Colorado mountains to get away from the Texas heat. They both have European sport sedans that are fun on curvy roads, but aren’t ideal for light off-roading and hauling equipment. They want something durable with four-wheel drive that they can...
Jun 14, 2026
At $12,500, Is This 1992 Chevy Caprice A Longroof For The Long Haul?
At $12,500, Is This 1992 Chevy Caprice A Longroof For The Long Haul?
The seller of today’s Caprice boasts that it will garner “Thumbs up on the Highway, crowds in the parking lot.” Let’s see if its price tag proves to be just as popular. The we considered yesterday proved to be quite the conundrum, with the vote straddling the 50/50 line...
Jun 14, 2026
Got A Porsche 718 GT4 RS? You Probably Need The Manthey Racing Aero Kit For It
Got A Porsche 718 GT4 RS? You Probably Need The Manthey Racing Aero Kit For It
Listen, friend, if you have the cashish and cachet needed to buy a Porsche 718 GT4 RS, then you will probably be interested in the brand new that Porsche announced for that hardest-core mittelmotor rennwagen on Thursday. What’s a Manthey Racing kit? Well, it’s a very expensive factory-approved set...
Jun 14, 2026
There Are Some Serious Deals On Electric Vehicles
There Are Some Serious Deals On Electric Vehicles
Due to various factors, . What this means for the rest of us, is that the car market that was so unfavorable to buyers as of late, is starting to look like the good old days of big discounts and competitive deals. This when the went into effect and...
Jun 14, 2026
At $16,000, Is This 1978 Chrysler LeBaron A Muscle Car Worth The Money?
At $16,000, Is This 1978 Chrysler LeBaron A Muscle Car Worth The Money?
If you want to move quickly but still look weird, then today’s LeBaron might be the car for you. Its incongruous mix of a potent mill and landau roof makes it a funky choice. Let’s see how much funk its price adds. The great unknown can be a scary...
Jun 14, 2026
At $79,000, Could This 2004 Ferrari 360 Get You To Do A One-Eighty?
At $79,000, Could This 2004 Ferrari 360 Get You To Do A One-Eighty?
Today’s Ferrari has an auto-manual transmission named F1 after the preeminent racing series. That finicky gearbox may be the car’s only downside, but we’ll have to decide if its presence is reflected in the price. Historically, wagons like yesterday’s were designated as transport for people and baggage from train...
Jun 14, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved