Hey everyone!

[logman]

This is my first post here, and I just wanted to say HI, and share a little, and ask a few questions regarding the VX.

I guess I should tell how I found this place and a little about myself. I live in Michigan (snow - salt - rust), and I currently own a 2001 VW golf TDI. I'm planning on having it paid off in about 2 months. So, with a paid off car that gets 48mpg average, I figured now is the time to get a truck that I can have fun with. I've always wanted a truck, so I started looking for something to have a little fun with. (my dad used to drive a 85 trooper 2dr)

Having a golf tdi, which is a rather unique or uncommon car, I was looking for something unique.. I didn't like the toyota sr5's and jeeps, and mazda's, not to mention how hard it is to get a decent one for a decent price.

Then I somehow came across the Vehicross... and wow, I was blown away. Not only by the looks, but by what it could do, and its similarities to the troopers.

I've been reading everything I can find, and besides the gas milage, it seems like a good truck. I wanted to get your opinions first though before I go out and buy one. I like a vehicle I can look forward to driving, and sometimes get up early on a work day just to drive it more :)

I'm already in love with the vehicross design, and I've seen what these trucks can do (youtube, pictures here) but I was wondering what you all thought of the car after you first got in the drivers seat. Does it drive as good as it looks?, do you ever regret your purchase? What are some of the MAJOR mechanical issues you can inform me of (I've seen engine blown quite a bit)?

Any input is appreciated!

--Joel

[nfpgasmask]

From the moment I test drove my first VX, I was sold. There was no other option for me. My wife says it has a "dune buggy" feel. I've never been in a dune buggy, but I would say she is probably right. If you don't mind the ride, and restricted visibility, you will probably love a VX just the same...

Bart

[tom4bren]

Joel,

Not a lot of blown engines but a few (just keep an eye on oil level). A few trannies went Tango Uniform but not many. Also a few CV joints went south and some with speed sensor issues. All in the range of Typical in regards to frequency.

What we have more than our share of issues with is binding windows (fixable after doing some reading here & getting creative) and CD players (just go aftermarket).

Got mine a year ago (actually bought it for my wife) & haven't had a single regret.

Tom

[snowtrooper1966]

Hey, Joel!
You sound like the rest of us! Once bitten by the VX,you just gotta have one. It handles like a sports car with very capable 4X performance. The major issues are oil consuption (hence the blown engines), automatic window sticking/binding (fixes found here in forum) and stock CD changer eating disks. Just check your oil every other fill up, buy one with no window problems if you can. I have not had any issues with my CD changer. For the really unique VX, try to find a Dragon Green Mica. There were only 248+- of those produced for the US market in the three year run....
James

[mdwyer]

Does it drive as good as it looks?, do you ever regret your purchase? What are some of the MAJOR mechanical issues you can inform me of (I've seen engine blown quite a bit)?

You're probably the perfect owner. I was shopping for a Jeep Wrangler or something like that, but didn't want to get into the Cult of Jeep. I wanted a toy that would look good and be fun to bounce down dirt roads in. The VX was what I wanted, plus leather.

When I first got into the driver's seat, I had a smile on my face for days after. When I got it up into the mountains and played around in the dirt, I got an even bigger smile.

Driving it around town is a little rough -- it isn't always well-behaved. The short-wheelbase means it pogos over speedbumps, and will put you through the roof, if you're not careful. But otherwise, it really is a great blend of sports car and truck. Cornering is WAY better than other SUV's I've driven. You actually still feel some control with it. It doesn't drive like a boat.

There are all kinds of little issues, but the only big mechanical issues I can think of is the forementioned blown engines (caused by running them out of oil. They tend to slowly consume it.) and the ABS system. I only mention the ABS because it can be $3000 to fix it with new parts. Some lifted trucks tend to tear their CV boots, but even that, I wouldn't consider serious.

Do I regret my purchase? No, can't say I do.

[Joe_Black]

Welcome to the fold! :) You'll find a few TDI owners as well here, so we're a pretty diverse bunch but all appreciate the uniqueness of the VX. As far as reliability goes, look no further than the venerable Isuzu Trooper and Rodeo line, which shares the drivetrain and many common components with the VX. Isuzu has always been one to not "re-invent the wheel" on most assemblies meaning you can find many of the same parts across their light and medium truck lines, things such as door handles, cockpit controls and dash components. So many things cross with the exception of sheet metal and a few interior components. There are differing points of views regarding the engine, but basically take care of it and it'll take care of you.

As Snowtrooper alludes you can find uniqueness even within the VX lineup, and for the truly rare find yourself a Kaiser Silver with the Red interior as there were only 15 made. Have fun! :bgwp:

[logman]

Thanks for the input guys, I was actually looking at dragon green, or ebony black. My vw is dark green, almost the same as the VX dragon green. I see there is still a Dragon green for sale in the forums by mtvehi, and it looks SWEET. Makes me want to take out a loan right now and have it shipped here!

There is no way I would have the time to drive back from Montana... how much would it cost to have a truck like this shipped? How about shipping time?

Also, what kind of complications are there with getting payment/title? is it all trust based?

Sorry if any of these questions are obvious... I've never purchased a vehicle out of state.

[snowtrooper1966]

Hey, logman..
I bought my Dragon about 5 weeks ago, sight unseen from a forum member in New Jersey. There was a bit of trust built up over our negotiations, so I was not worried about the title.
I had it shipped to me in California. There are alot of autoshippers, so be careful. You might find a chepaer price than the reputable ones, but you get what you pay for. It cost me $1,500 to ship across country, so you could do it for a bit cheaper than I did from the same company. I did alot of research before I chose DAS (dependable auto shippers). They are AAA certified, used by eBay motors, and have sat tracking, so you can see where your VX is the entire move.
I got the seller to pay for shipping. The Dragon in Montana has been for sale for a few weeks, so I think he may be motivated to do the same...
James

[Joe_Black]

I've used DAS quite a bit sending and receiving and they're a good outfit, unfortunately fuel prices now have raised their rates almost 400% over the last few years. I've also done a good many "fly-n-drives" where you go one-way airline out and drive the rig back. Relatively quick and a good way to grok your new ride, plus you might get to see a part of the country you never did before. :bgwo:

[logman]

So here is one of my main concerns with the VX. Lets say I'm driving it and I hit a deer... which is quite common where I live in the woods... or if I get in a minor fender bender. What happens next? Will I be out of luck if I need to replace a hood, or body panel? My brother is a mechanic, and he keeps stressing the point that I'm about to purchase a 8+ grand truck with slim chances of finding parts. Has anyone here had this problem, or stressed over the same thing when considering purchasing a VX?

[johnnyapollo]

Body parts became scarce in the 3rd quarter of last year, then Isuzu shipped over a container or two and now they are fairly plentiful. My understanding is that they have to be made available for 10 years from the last year offered, here in the US (some trade or manufacturing standard to sell here).

-- John

[logman]

I've been looking at higher miles VX's, because I'm not looking to spend over 8 grand... But I found a black one with 116k miles in Missouri, which is within driving distance of here...

I've herd from people that trucks with higher miles have engine trouble... would it be a bad idea for me to pick up one of these with high miles? How long can these 3.5l DOHC engines go before they become problematic no matter how well you keep them oiled?

Here is the link to the one I'm looking at.

Black VX 4 sale. (http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=21&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=ascending&sortfield=MILES+ascending%2cPRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&criteria=K-%7cE-%7cM-_21_%7cD-_2976_%7cN-N%7cR-10000%7cI-1%7cP-MILES+ascending%2cPRICE+descending%7cQ-ascending%7cZ-49307&aff=national&paId=265551068&recnum=26&leadExists=true)

[etlsport]

its often actually the opposite, once you get past like 70-80k miles a lot of times your engine runs great, if something is going to go wrong it often comes between 35-60k

[nfpgasmask]

I would say it also depends on how it was cared for for the first 100k.

Bart

[tom4bren]

My Proton has less than 40K on it so I can't really speak to the longevity of the engine.

"Also, what kind of complications are there with getting payment/title? is it all trust based?"

It doesn't have to be trust based. You should create your own sales agreement to be signed by both parties. It doesn't have to be in a high level of legal jargon. Just make sure all of the issues are mentioned.

Once mine was shipped from MO to VA & the title came by registered mail, it still took several weeks to get the title transferred to my name (there was still a lien against the title - it had been paid off but the lien was never removed). The sales agreement had a statement in it that the seller was responsible to ensure the title was transferrable so he had to get a letter of lien satisfaction from the lien holder. The sales agreement also had a statement that the seller was responsible for ensuring that the vehicle could be picked up by the transport company (that helped too).

[logman]

Thanks for the information. When I first purchased my VW the owner had a standing lien on the car, and wow... I can't tell you how annoyed I was by the amount of time it took to have it satisfied, and removed from the title.

I'm hoping to avoid that at all costs this time.

My brother is a mechanic, and I guess he's done quite a bit of work on similar engines. Worst case scenario I have to rebuild the engine.. I'm always up for a good learning experience after tearing my TDI apart 3 times for upgrades/cleaning.

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it.

[tom4bren]

"after tearing my TDI apart 3 times for upgrades/cleaning"

you & etlsport will get along just fine :) he always seems to have pix ready for almost any upgrade you're after.

[don moore]

I just picked up a perfect VX in Cali. its like new..115k on it ...sounds and runs perfect./..:smilegray...you should be able to tell if it was well taken care of .

[ojmagg]

PM'd you....