I just did a PDS (pre-delivery service) today on a Lexus LX570.
It has a "crawl" switch and another switch that you can select 3 different speeds to "crawl" in. Who in their right mind is going to go rock crawling in a brand new truck that cost $81,000?
Will they ever see off-road? Probably only if they have to park on the grass at a country club.
Are there any other manufacturers that have these options that are never going to get used?

 

if i could afford it i would take an 81k dollar truck and wheel it as far as it could go on the rubicon cause that what warrenties are for

 

LMAO....some soccer mom might need it for crawling over a speed bump.

 

or small children in the road

 

I like the 'crawl cams' in the LX570 more than any other feature (other than POWER!)

As for crawl mode, it's fun to play with in the snow.

When you have that much money to spend on a new car/truck, why not get the best available?

 

There is a difference between getting the best possible and getting features that are pointless for 99.9999999999% of the population that will drive that vehicle. The should put that in the FJ cruiser and as an option for the 4Runners and Tacomas. Only an option so that the people who will use it can order it.

 

i don't know... i like how most of the features on my 4runner are standard, and were easy as hell to find used. Ford trucks/suv's of the same years are generally way more expensive with all the features that my 4runner has than the bare bone version of the same ford trucks/suv's

Now i guess some features are a little ridiculous, but I will probably always buy used, so those ridiculous features being standard just make it easier for me to find.

 

wana talk about ridiculous options?

apparently the heater on my 86 mazda B2000 is an OPTION, you actually had to choose to have the heater there, or it didn't come with one...

but who in their right mind wants a heater anyway?

 

the new vehicle might be beautiful on road and have amazing off road features...but unless your a millionaire, you couldnt afford the price of new body panels or most ther parts if they break. I like the new Land Cruiser's Automatic disconnecting sway bar!

 

In this country the point is well taken. However in other countries Landcruisers do get used. Just like Land Rovers do. Here they are a status symbol of wealth, in others countries they may be more of a necessity.....as well as a status symbol.

 

Hey...... in 20 years when the value of the lexus has drop the crawl feature is going to be sweet!!!!!

 

There was a good article in a past issue of 4WD Toyota Owner magazine on that feature, and I guess it works very well.
It would be cool to see it in the FJs, Tacomas, and the 4Runners coming off the line.

But I would imagine such a device would raise the $$$ quite well.

 

So,what If I am filthy rich and want to 4wheel in a Lexus or even a Porsche Cayenne and if certain options weren't available then why should I have to step down to a "cheap" vehicle to do so?

 

half the people that own those vehicles probably don't even know what rock crawling is.

 

i take my 05 h2 off road. lol that thing is a pro

 

I work at superior Lexus and i have seen a couple people go off road in thier lx470 and lx570 it crazy.

 

Half is being way overoptimistic but I bet the same goes for pretty much most of the SUV driving public. It's not like because you can only afford a 4Runner that many people would still know what crawling is.

 

Its a feature for us enthusiasts 20 years down the road.

 

I am surprised no one has mentioned that fact that all those electronic gismos are quite likely to fail, leaving you stuck with an expensive option to fix. I find the more electronics a vehicle has, the less useful it is to me (off-road), especially if you are setting up an expedition rig. Good luck finding fried computer replacements, fly by wire junk when you are left stranded in the boonies.

I wish they'd make an extremely basic, cheap $$, old style Land Cruiser with a very simple diesel motor. You know, kind of like you can buy nearly EVERYWHERE ELSE OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA. Those are the vehicles that would last forever, and in this day of high fuel prices appeal to a few more people.

As you can tell, I am a little sick of the soccer mom syndrome that has taken over North America. Don't get me wrong, the Lexus 570 is a beautiful piece of engineering, but the average person wouldn't use any of the off-road stuff added to it. It's essentially there to satisfy the egos that go with the vehicle IMO.

 

Look back 20 years ago, who would have bought a 30K plus vehicle and thought about taken it out wheeling? People on this board have done just that with the FJ and 4Runner.