Thanks, Matt. I can certainly say that the feedback, experiences and helpful advice from this forum has done far more to sell me on the LR4 than any review out there.
My vision for this LR4 goes much further than any vehicle I have previously owned. Here are some examples of what I hope to be able to do. It is not about expeditions or crazy off road for me (I'll leave that to the Jeeps). But it is more than I have done with my Lexus's and Acura's.
- Road trips. We are in Colorado and our sons are in Seattle for the next 3 years. Therefore I'll be doing a couple more CO to WA road trips with some exploring along the way (Tetons, Yellowston, the Cascades in OR/WA, etc. We also like to go to Arizona for a week or two in the winter. These trips also require a great "freeway" vehicle.
- Exploring the backroads of Colorado. We've been here 27 years and there is much that we have not seen. From the San Juans to Moab to the Crested Butte and Aspen areas. And areas closer to Denver like Rampart Range Road area and the Idaho Springs area.
- Using the LR4 as a base when we get to interesting locations for hiking, mountain biking and photography. Even possibly camping/sleeping it in at night so I can catch the morning "golden hour" for photography.
- As a "virtual office". My company has placed much of its workforce in "home" or "virtual" offices. Sometimes I get cabin fever and will need to find someplace out of the office to work. There is a ridge 10 minutes from my home where I can park and have a near-180 degree view of the Rocky Mountains with great cell coverage. I intend to setup the back of the LR4 so I can work from the rear seat. I can also do this with a short drive into the foothills west of Colorado. Or in more extreme cases drive to the top of one of the high passes in the Rocky's or find a lake or stream to hang out by. This, along with using the truck as a base camp and sometimes a living quarters, is why the spacious interior is so important to me and why I am avoiding the LX570 or the Land Cruiser.
- Maybe, possibly, someday we will get a small to medium travel trailer for our adventures. (We'll retire in about 4 years.)
- I don't have a commute so the truck will not have as much wear and tear from stop and go driving.
The tough part for me is to set and dream of all these possibility without having the truck in hand. It is 3 months away. So during that time I am trying to learn as much as I can about the LR4, how to drive it and where we can go with it. And I will be creating things like simple storage drawers for the back, a dining fly/canopy for when we're hanging out somewhere, etc.
Of course I watch my share of videos of the LR4. Its crazy!
Hanging out on this forum has been great. It keeps me excited about the possibilities and it has allayed most of my fears and concerns about reliability.
All good.