Here’s Why I Put Maxxis Razr AT Tires on My Daughter’s GX 460 — And What I Learned
Handing down a vehicle to your kid is one of those proud (but nervous) parenting moments. You’re proud they’ve reached the milestone, but you’re nervous because now your carefully maintained vehicle is in someone else’s hands, and they’re still figuring out what it means to take care of a car.
When my daughter turned 16 a few years ago, I passed along my 2011 Lexus GX 460. It’s been a reliable part of our fleet for years, and frankly, it still has a lot of life left in it. It had a solid set of Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires (my #1 go-to for daily drivers), but they’re now 8 years old. Still had decent tread left, maybe 25,000 miles total, but they were showing signs of dry rot. And when it comes to teenage drivers, I don’t gamble with tires. So, off they came.
Why I Went with Maxxis Razr A/Ts
Now, usually I’d replace those Michelins with another set without thinking twice. They’ve served me well. But the situation here was a little different.
For one, my daughter isn’t putting 20,000 miles a year on her GX. Her driving is mostly local: around town and the occasional road trip to and from college. I didn’t need a 70,000-mile tire that costs north of $1,400 a set.
Second (and this mattered to her) she wanted a more aggressive looking tire. Something that gave the Lexus a little more presence, especially with the stock wheels still in play. I understood that. The GX is already a tank off-road, and with the right tires, it looks the part.
Here’s my full write-up on the Maxxis Razr All-Terrain tires and the research I conducted before purchasing them.
I’ve seen a lot of people run Toyo Open Country AT3s, BFG KOs, or Nitto Terra Grappler G3s on this platform. All solid tires, and I’ve used a few myself. But even used wisely, those start to add up fast and I had other vehicles in the family needing tires this season (more on that in a second).
What really got me looking at Maxxis was my cousin’s Suburban. He runs the Maxxis Razr MTs on his lifted 1999 Suburban 2500 with the big 454, and he’s been nothing but happy with them. His glowing review got me curious. After doing my own research, the Razr A/Ts started making a lot of sense. Positive feedback, good reviews for road comfort, off-road performance that fits the GX’s capabilities, and most importantly — the price was right.
I found a set at Walmart, of all places, for under $1,000 installed. That’s hard to beat.
The Unexpected Wrench in the Plan
Here’s where things got interesting. I scheduled the install at Walmart, thinking it’d be a quick in-and-out. But since we bumped up the tire size slightly (nothing extreme, just a bit more sidewall), Walmart flagged it as a non-OEM size and said they couldn’t do the full install. Liability policy.
They would mount the tires, just not install them on the vehicle.
No problem. I’ve got a driveway, a jack, and more torque wrenches than I care to admit. With four drivers in the house and a few aging Jeeps under my roof, I’ve essentially become our family’s in-house tire shop anyway. An hour or two later, the Razrs were on and torqued to spec.
Early Impressions: Ride and Road Noise
I was genuinely impressed with how quiet these tires were. I expected more road noise (they’re more aggressive than the Michelins), but the difference is subtle. If anything, the ride is just a hair firmer, but nothing harsh. It still rides like a Lexus.
I’ll be watching closely over the next year to see how they wear. New tires always ride nice, but long-term quality is where the real value comes through. If these hold up, they may become a regular recommendation for folks who want that off-road look without breaking the bank.
An Expensive Christmas Lesson
In total, I bought 10 tires this holiday season across three vehicles (2 Michelin Defenders, 4 Maxxis Razr ATs and 4 Toyo Open Country AT3). So instead of new socks or jewelry under the tree this year, my family found wrapped photos of tires. Not quite as exciting to unwrap, but definitely more useful in the long run.
That said, I came away from this with a reminder that not every good tire has to come with a big name badge and a premium price tag. The Maxxis Razr A/Ts delivered on price, performance, and style. If they hold up, they might just become a regular fixture in my garage.
I’ll report back after a few thousand miles. In the meantime, if you’re in the market for a capable, affordable all-terrain tire, the Maxxis Razr A/T is worth a look.