People can be very irrational.

[PHO2GR4]

I posted a thread a few months ago detailing how and why I had sold my first VX...a 1999 Ironman. I won't rehash that thread, other than to say that I regretted selling it as soon as I'd driven away from the dealership.

Then I went and bought a 2005 Infiniti FX35! Sah-WEEEET! Powerful engine, smooth ride, no rattles, windows all worked, heated leather seats, EVERY amenity. It drove like a very quiet rocket ship. You could live in it.

I told myself it was a great vehicle. (For $34000, it had BETTER be a great vehicle!) Shiny and new, it had the new-car leather smell...wonderful, right?

The thing is, I never drove it. It was, for lack of a better term, 'boring'. No personality. No sense of excitement about the brand or the model. How stupid is that? It is, by all measures, a lovely, well-built, high-tech, awesome ride.

But I couldn't help myself. It was boring. I owned it for a total of 14 months. For the last three of those months, I've also owned my REPLACEMENT VX!!! My killer 1999 Ebony. I have already had SO much fun banging around town in this 'new' VX! I've spent a fortune in upgrades, of course, and even with all of the expense and work it will never approach the finesse of the FX35.

But it's FUN, and I LOVE it. I enjoy driving again.

I am posting this Update Thread because today, thanks to Craigslist, I SOLD my FX35 for $32000. That's not bad, really...I lost only $2000 on the transaction, if you ignore Washington State sales tax...which screwed me...but let's not think about that.

So, YES, I am a very irrational person. I just swapped a perfectly good, almost NEW Infiniti FX35 for a 1999 VX with 64000 miles and some rust.

And I'm completely thrilled with it!

[Bimati]

Awesome, PHO.

I drive a bunch. Put 40,000 miles on the VX since I bought it just a year ago....Gas mileage is poor, it's not practical for my needs and with 8 years and 100,000 miles on her, she's starting to show some age and occasionally tells me about it.

Overall, it costs me a lot of money to drive my VX, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I like it, it makes me smile, and I have no idea what will ever replace her in my heart if she ever leaves.

Bim

[IndianaVX]

bim,
you made my day, i was kinda bummed when i just rolled over 20,000 miles, in 11 months. but i agree with you both. i have always had a passion about my vehicles being "different" from what everyone else has. and yes, the fx35 is a beauty, but i still see about 10 to 15 a week. back in the day, i bought my amigo for the same reason. you just didnt see that many. and now, i NEVER see another vx, unless i catch up with climbcovey, and thats on purpose. in a years time, i saw one silver about 9 months ago.
but i have never has so much fun driving as i have had in the vx. and the feeling of KNOWING i can get thru that mud pit, KNOWING i can get thru the snow, KNOWING i can gas it and go fast.....the vx is a total package vehicle in my opinion.
I LOVE IT!!!!

[cyronman]

Congrats on the sale, you got a great return on it.

And I'll bet your Ebony is happier now too.

[biju]

wowsers. you're rich!!! now put some of that away to fund the trip to Moab! :p :p

seriously - good to hear you got a good price on the Infin. Congrats. Now, if you ever have to sell your VX (and I hope you never do) please don't sell it for cheap either!!! I'm all for getting our resale value up, Up, UP!!!! (sorry buyers).

-biju.

[Chopper]

Your instincts were still pure, in going for the FX. It is a sort of step brother to the Isuzu. I'm pretty sure both vehicles were the designed by the same person. The name escapes me at the moment, but, throw in the Murano as well. It's been a while... if I remember, the VX grew out of a design school project, the FX (concept anyway) a refinement of that work...and the Murano, well... it's a Murano. The VX; a sort of Dakar buggy with Recaro's and chrome wheels. The FX; a sports car with a backpack (and a cartoon face)......Hey! That's what you wanted...isn't it? I had a FX45 for three days a couple of years back, it rocked, too big for me...but my wife loved it.

[blacksambo]

Simon Cox from Lotus Cars designed the VX, while working for Isuzu Europe in Belgium. I'm not sure he had anything to do with the FX project, though. Does anybody know??

[alanbradley]

Dunno, but I don't think so. Its more likely that it was one of the folk working under Patrick Le Quement at Renault that would have had something to do with the design of a Nissan though...

I'd like to make it know that I'm as irrational as some of you. I'm selling my slightly modified 2004 Yaris (That's an echo without a boot and much better built btw...) diesel that will happily cruise at 85mph on motorways whilst consuming fuel at a miserly 47mpg(US) for a truck that won't fit in my garage, is 5 years older and looks unlikely to get much better than 25mpg(US) on the cruise...

Looks great and makes a fantastic noise though :D

A

[johnnyapollo]

The VX prototype's design was led by Satomi Murayama, chief designer/manager at Isuzu's European office in Brussels, the design team was comprised of an international group: Simon Cox (Assistant Chief Designer best known for designing the Lotus Elan's interior), Joji Yanaka, Andrew Hill and Nick Robinson.

The connection is Satomi Murayama, who was head of Nissan design (not sure if he still is) and was principle in the current changes to the 350z and the design of the Murano/FX.

-- John

[PHO2GR4]

I DID NOT KNOW THAT!

He was involved with the FX35, 350Z and VX?!?

Pretty funny...because now that my FX35 is sold, my two remaining cars are my VX and my 2004 350Z Roadster!

I'm either very predictable or very consistent...

[Chopper]

Thanx Jon, I was working at an Isuzu/Nissan dealership and drooling over the prelim. FX sketches when I learned they were related. I think it was from "Liquid Metal" or some other Nissan enthusiast site.