Hi, my name is Matthew and I drive a 2004 Lexus GX 470.

 

     My interest in cars definitely originated from my dad and just being around him whenever he was outside working on his cars. He had always been into the off-roading and overlanding scene which really led to my love for it as well. The reason I enjoy off-roading vehicles is because it really tests and pushes the car to its limits when encountering rough terrain and obstacles. On trails, there are no tow trucks around you to pick you up if you break down which produces intense emotional excitement. Preparing your vehicle for the worst is essential before hitting trails no matter the difficulty.

 

     I chose the GX 470 due to its luxury yet Toyota reliability. This car is assembled off the Toyota 4 Runner chassis, but has that sturdy 4.7-liter V-8 engine. I bought my Lexus stock with 172k miles already on it. For my build, I am running some TRD Pro Bronze rims with BFGoodrich KO2 A/T 33 in. For suspension, I’ve also installed Bilstein 5100s which have a 3 inch lift in the front and a 2.5 inch in the rear. I’ve upgraded the brakes to Heavy Duty R1 Concepts. I also put in some rock sliders from NW2 Off-Roading and a catalytic converter protection plate from Talon Garage. Recently, I mounted a Wilco Hitchgate Solo in the rear for my spare tire. Finally, I did a custom fog light install where I cut out the old housing of the light and put in a Diode Dynamics SS2 Pro fog light inside of the housing. Some things I am looking forward to installing in the future are a roof rack, high-clearance front and rear bumper, squadron ditch lights, and a TRD style grille.