VX Now Totaled! :(

[Mark Miller]

Got my call yesterday, they totaled her. :(
I really didn't think there was that much damage.
Anyway, I'm in search of another VX, Black or Proton.

http://markalexandermiller.com/VehicrossFront.jpg
http://markalexandermiller.com/VXDeer.jpg

[biju]

Terrible news - although, you might be able to find a newer VX with lower miles? Just trying to find a positive spin...

Best of luck in your search. Keep us posted. Take care...

-biju.

[Kenny]

Sorry to hear about that. That sux. :(

BUT TAKE THAT ROOF RACK AND RUN!!! ;)

[rowhard]

Truly a pity. Hope it works out for you.

Now we will never know the long term results of the cladding work you did, I for one was really interested since mine needs something done and was really interested in your long term results.

Are you going to be able to pull any parts and make them available here? If so, I need of all things, the inside fuse box cover, not sure what happened to mine. Anyway, good luck in finding a replacement.

[crager34]

Try very hard to buy the VX back and part it out. Or, when my first VX was totaled, Tone contacted me with a person wanting to buy it... maybe he still knows someone.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

[uncle_asa]

Got my call yesterday, they totaled her. :(
I really didn't think there was that much damage.
Anyway, I'm in search of another VX, Black or Proton.
Really sorry to hear that :( I also didn't see anything terrible. I'm sure it is within $3K of repair max if there's no frame or engine damage.

[Ruflyf]

That does indeed suck. :(

[Y33TREKker]

Are you going to be able to pull any parts and make them available here?

I'm curious what could be worked out with the insurance company too. Possibly a buyback with a salvage title?

[k4tmc]

Mark,

Sorry to hear that they totaled your VX. How many miles were on it?

Buying from the insurance company is a good idea if you want to got through the trouble of finding someone to fix it right.

Here in Raleigh, there is a company that specializes in buying totaled cars from the insurance companies and then fixing them back to new condition. My wife and I have looked at several of their vehicles (Lexus RX300, Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander) over the last year in preparing to replace our other car. They have pictures of the original damage, and yours looks no worse. I have two friends that have purchased from them over the years and have had no problems with the repaired cars. I expect that you could find a similar company in the Atlanta area.

Henry

[colmhd]

Sorry to see the VX gone.
Time to get another black beauty.
There's a lot of low milage VX's coming out of the woodwork of late.

[Knigh7s]

Sorry to hear your loss. :( Good luck with the new search.


BUT TAKE THAT ROOF RACK AND RUN!!! ;)

^^That might not be a bad idea!^^

[Mark Miller]

I'll ask about the buy back price.

Here in GA you can buy back the car with salvage title and fix it, have it inspected without having a rebuilder license as long as you are the original owner.

I had talked my self out of buying it back, but I'm reconsidering.

My wife really wants me to get a proton, since my last two vehicles were black.

[VX crazy]

Sorry to hear about your losss! Do you know where I could get the passenger headlight assembly from? Was it in good condition before/after the accident?

[nfpgasmask]

Damn, that sucks. If you find a way to keep the truck for parts, I would be really interested in your tailgate.

Bart

[kpaske]

Mark,

Sorry to hear about your accident. It's never a good day when we lose another endangered species.

Your VX appears to be well maintained - it would be a shame to let it get chopped up by a scrap yard.

Buying it and repairing it yourself is an option, but if someone had the money to purchase it for salvage, they could probably easily make their money back and then some by parting it out here. The idea has been considered a few times in the past, but I don't know if anyone has actually done it. The more years that go by, the harder it will be to find original parts. If you buy back your totalled VX and then find a Proton, you'll get first dibs at all the parts you'd ever want!

I personally am looking for a complete grey interior (front and rear seats, steering wheel, door panels, and knobs from the spare tire cover). Let me know if you consider parting her out yourself! ;Db;

[ZEUS]

Man, we are vultures! Sorry to hear they totaled it on you. Everyone is right though, try your hardest to keep that VX from being crushed! Good luck finding your ideal replacement... with a big sturdy brush guard! ;)

[CrnCnn]

No offense meant but, there is nothing like death to bring the vulture out of all of us.



Sarcasm.

I just can’t think of anything I need. Ordered my antenna yesterday.

[kpaske]

Yeah, yeah, I know. She hasn't breathed her last breath and we're already circling the carcass... We really are sorry to see another wrecked VX.

Can you blame us though? We all know if someone here doesn't buy her quick, chances are she'll go to a scrap yard and get butchered. Eventually some of the parts will make it back into the community, but at a significantly higher price. Someone here buying it and parting it out would not only have the advantage of first dibs on almost any parts they want, they would be helping out the community with a fresh source of OEM parts (that we hope would sell for much less than retail). If I had the money I'd do it.

[Chopper]

The Allstate adjuster that comes to our shop, says this car has a big target on it. They are killing them for less and less all the time. Most cars are totaled at about 75% of the "real"value. They'll kill this one at 65%...some even less. Limited parts availability is the culprit. Most states will not allow you to repair a totaled vehicle and reregister it. Others are ok, after an inspection, they will allow you to register it again...with a flag on the registration noting the rebuilt status. I would love to have the carcass though. I'm only seeing maybe 7 or 8 grand in damage, but you can't tell anything from the pictures. Point is, the important parts are all there...for a Rally car, sand blaster,rockcrawler thing. Inquire about buying it back and post the results please. Maybe I can work something out with them. Florida won't allow it back on the road, but that's not the intent anyway. Let me know. Wayne

[Spike]

It's not that we are vultures.. We just know that when a VX reaches an untimely demise ... its parts can live on in other VXs.

I wouldnt mind a rear driver cladding panel with running light :)

[WormGod]

Damn man, that is the suck. :(

In total agreement with others here though.... try to buy back for the sake of maintaining some parts and avoiding Th3 CrU5h! As the years wond down, so are the parts and as these gems get crushed by those who have no clue, we are watching an extinction take place, heh.

So.... allow the vultures to swoop, hahaha.

You get that puppy back, you let me know what you want for the L/R A-pillar covers. ;)

[Knigh7s]

Found this on Ebay: 2000 Proton (http://cgi.ebay.com/Isuzu-VehiCROSS-ISUZU-VEHICROSS-YELLOW-4X4-SUV-LOW-MILES-RARE-1-OF-111_W0QQitemZ270077779717QQihZ017QQcategoryZ6270QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) w/grey and black interior, 32307 miles.

Looks pretty well kept. I just dont know about that spair hanging on the rear door?!

[nfpgasmask]

Yeah, wow. Those tires are huge. It does look a little wierd with the spare on the back. The owner must have drilled holes through the tailgate!

Bart


Found this on Ebay: 2000 Proton (http://cgi.ebay.com/Isuzu-VehiCROSS-ISUZU-VEHICROSS-YELLOW-4X4-SUV-LOW-MILES-RARE-1-OF-111_W0QQitemZ270077779717QQihZ017QQcategoryZ6270QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) w/grey and black interior, 32307 miles.

Looks pretty well kept. I just dont know about that spair hanging on the rear door?!

[etlsport]

jeesh.. those tires are monsterous.. i wonder how many states would even let it pass inspection like that... also wonder how that rear tire is held on.. looks like theres probably a big-ol hole in the back door now

[JHarris1385]

I emailed him to become a member here.

[Knigh7s]

I emailed him to become a member here.

You beat me to it! lol

[kpaske]

Those tires are about the same height that many of us have (33"), but they're a little wider than usual (12.5") so they look really nice. I went with 11.5" tires to reduce the trimming that I would have to do, but in retrospect I kind of wish I went that wide too!

I considered moving my spare from my roof rack to the rear door, somehow, to improve aerodynamics and vastly increase my parking garage choices. It's nice to be able to see what it would actually look like before I start drilling. A little "back heavy", but not too bad IMO.

[JHarris1385]

Im sure the more that emial him to become a memeber the better. Knigh drop him a line. Im interested in his knowledge and why he is selling it.

[kpaske]

OK, he's here now guys and he's even got his own thread. ;Db;

[kpaske]

jeesh.. those tires are monsterous.. i wonder how many states would even let it pass inspection like that... I don't know much about PA, but when I lived in MD, the vehicle safety regs were stricter and much more enforced than any other place I've ever lived. Here in WA I've never had an automobile inspected.

[rowhard]

Well, first off, lets hope that he went thru the license plate area for that spare mount. kpaske your right about the vehicle inspection, but then we use to not even have smog test, but you do now in King and Pierce county and maybe others.

[Mark Miller]

Vultures, I now see how a hot drunk chick in a bar feels.

I'm waiting on my adjuster to get back with me, I'm on my 3rd adjuster.

[kpaske]

Well, first off, lets hope that he went thru the license plate area for that spare mount. kpaske your right about the vehicle inspection, but then we use to not even have smog test, but you do now in King and Pierce county and maybe others.Yeah, emissions testing... what a PITA. It's still better than MD. I've never had to wait in any lines or anything here, but then again, I never failed one in MD (the one here wasn't really a failure - i had a CEL on).

[etlsport]

i DESPISE marylands system.. when i took my old subaru in for emissions i waited in line for about an hour (with the car idling because its a drive thru line) and about 15 min from the front i threw a CEL!!! so i didnt pass inspection.. i was a little less than amused.. so i stayed in line anyway figuring id get an extension.. then it stalled and didnt wanna turn back over.. got her jumped, left it running while i went into the office to get an extension, drove it to the shop and they told me my alternator had a flat spot causing all the problems.. pita!

[WormGod]

I don't know much about PA, but when I lived in MD, the vehicle safety regs were stricter and much more enforced than any other place I've ever lived. Here in WA I've never had an automobile inspected.

Ya, that thing would NEVER get passed inspection here in MerryLand. Damn shame cause I would have done that to my VX the day after I got it. :( I love a tall but wide stance. Years ago, I had a '83 Toyota with a 3" lift and 33"x12.5" meats.... after I did that and was pulled over with a fat inspection ticket, it sat for many long months until I could put the money together just to get it back to regulation, heh.

Fun looking ride though and will probably be a great treat for anyone in the desert, midwest, or Alaska, hahaha.

[kpaske]

...after I did that and was pulled over with a fat inspection ticket, it sat for many long months until I could put the money together just to get it back to regulation, heh.Did you actually get fined? I got a repair order for having wide tires on a Nissan 4x4 in Maryland, but the solution was to purchase some "fender flares" and get reinspected. I knew some guys who had an extra set of tires just for reinspection purposes, but for me it was way too much trouble and not worth it getting pulled over all the time by coppers with nothing better to do. (Sorry, I know Moncha and several others are in law enforcement - I don't mean any disrespect to you guys - that's just how it is in Maryland).

[VehiGAZ]

Vultures, I now see how a hot drunk chick in a bar feels.


Try not to think of us that way, Mark. :-)

It's just a rotten situation to be in where fixing 5% of the car that's damaged will cost 50% of its value. But buying the wreck will not cost too much more, and parting it out will pay you back many-fold (mani-fold?!) if you have the room to do it and you feel like putting up with the hassle of listing parts for sale and shipping them.

Now no more calling dibs until Mark works everything out with his insurance company!

[WormGod]

Did you actually get fined? I got a repair order for having wide tires on a Nissan 4x4 in Maryland, but the solution was to purchase some "fender flares" and get reinspected. I knew some guys who had an extra set of tires just for reinspection purposes, but for me it was way too much trouble and not worth it getting pulled over all the time by coppers with nothing better to do. (Sorry, I know Moncha and several others are in law enforcement - I don't mean any disrespect to you guys - that's just how it is in Maryland).

Well, I got this truck as a junker and worked it from frame up, so I really didnt have any spare or stock parts to go back to for inspection. I ended up getting it back to "inspectional pass condition" and selling it. The ticket I got was not a fine. It was an inspection notice basically. It had MD tags already and didnt have to be re-inspected since it was bought in the same state and tags were transfered, so there was no initial need for inspection. But, the PoPos didnt like it after it was restored, and in all honesty, I knew it was FAR from street legal, heh.

Oh, and it had extended fender flares and STILL protruded almost 2" from the flares. It was a nasty little monster for like a 4 banging 2hp flake, haha.

[JAFO]

Found this on Ebay: 2000 Proton (http://cgi.ebay.com/Isuzu-VehiCROSS-ISUZU-VEHICROSS-YELLOW-4X4-SUV-LOW-MILES-RARE-1-OF-111_W0QQitemZ270077779717QQihZ017QQcategoryZ6270QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) w/grey and black interior, 32307 miles.

Looks pretty well kept. I just dont know about that spair hanging on the rear door?!

That is too much weight for the rear door.

Even a 30" tire is too much weight for Jeep Wrangler tailgate. When you go to a larger size you have to get a tire rack that mounts to the bumper.

The hinges sag from the weight and the tailgate won't close correctly.

I'm thinking that besides fuel economy, the weight load on the hinges is the reason that Isuzu didn't incorporate a full size spare in the rear door.

[kpaske]

That is too much weight for the rear door.

Even a 30" tire is too much weight for Jeep Wrangler tailgate. When you go to a larger size you have to get a tire rack that mounts to the bumper.

The hinges sag from the weight and the tailgate won't close correctly.

I'm thinking that besides fuel economy, the weight load on the hinges is the reason that Isuzu didn't incorporate a full size spare in the rear door.Hey Jafo, FWIW, I've got a sub box and amp in my rear door that weighs as least as much as a full size spare. It's loaded down pretty well, but it still seems to operate OK. It'll probably wear those hinges out eventually, but i'm sure that will take many years - it's been about 3-1/2 years so far and other than the door being heavier and needing more of a push to shut it, I haven't had any issues.

[Mark Miller]

I cashed out! :(

I fixed my last wrecked ride and it took the life out of me fixing her,
I just don’t have the energy right now to take on another project.

Here is my last baby; I sold her for my VX.
http://markalexandermiller.com/Boxster06b.jpg


I can buy wrecked vehicles from auction. So maybe the next VX that comes along in a couple of months I can buy and part out.