Soon to be VX owner, looking for troubles?

[Grif]

First time post here, so forgive if its in the wrong forum.

I took a 1999 VX for a test drive yesterday. The typical things were wrong, passenger side window wont open,, interrior trim loose etc. What concerns me most was a severe pull to the right while driving. Carfax has told me that this vehicle has been in two front end collisions, though you cant really tell from the exterior. What is the chance that the frame/body is irreversibly bent?

Also, at very low speed turns, there is a very pronounced vibration, seems to come from the tires or suspension somehow. I wonder about the state of the tires as they appear to have a significant amount of "cupping". Its almost as if the left front tire is spinning too fast for the low speed turn. At least the ones up front.

Thirdly, when bringing up the RPMs to get up to speed, there is a pronounced rattle from the engine. I cant quite place it, but it gets louder as I increase the load. I barely wanted to get it up to 70mph quick enough for my satisfation as the rattle was disconcerting, and got louder as I increased RPmS.


Any ideas? I really love the vehicle, and doubt I'll ever get an opportunity to buy one again. The price is very reasonable, but I dont want to have to sink 100% more money into it to get it up to my expectations.

Also, whom do you trust to propery inspect/ fix a VX? Local garages? Import specialty shops? Isuzu truck authorized centers? IFAIK there are no authorized consumer vehicle centers left in the USA, just the commercial truck centers.

Please help, and be gentle, the search functions of the forums are far from ideal.

[Gussie2000]

Hi GRIF !

The pulling can be caused by lack of alignment/balancing.
Also the steering can be bent due the accidents,CV joints,axles all plays a a role in the tilt/pull the VX is suffering.

The engine vibration you are relating off can be the engine's foot mounts where the engine sits on the frame.

You must take that VX to a well reputated shop let them havea full inspection,i'll suggest you to have inspected at more then one shop.

My final suggestion : Steer clear from this VX.

Finding the right VX can take a while,but if you patiently keep looking you'll find it.

[99VC]

How would you need to pay for a VX with so many problems??

[Moncha]

... IFAIK there are no authorized consumer vehicle centers left in the USA, just the commercial truck centers.

There are a few dealers/service around few and far between


... Please help, and be gentle, the search functions of the forums are far from ideal.

Ouch! Hence, the importance of proper thread/post titles and staying within topic but, I digress.

[etlsport]

yea along with what gussie said.. have the alignment checked out.. should prob run you about 70 bucks.. if you are told its been done before.. chances are you have bent suspension components.. low speed vibrating could be a few things.. possibly out of balance or bent wheels.. but that would probably get worse at higher speeds.. a bad wheel bearing would cause a tapping at speed, possibly vibration too.. or a bad cv.. but that is usually more pronounced during turns.. id get it looked over very closely by a good suspension place before going any further.. even so id probably pass on that vx and find another.. they arent THAT hard to find.. especially if you use this forum, we can help you find a good one at a fair price

[Grif]

How would you need to pay for a VX with so many problems??


5 grand or so for the VX, and if I have to throw a few more grand at it to make it "right" then I dont have a prob with that.

[Riff Raff]

GRIF--- Regarding the 1999 VX that has been confirmed by CARFAX to be in 2 major collisions; my advice is to "RUN LIKE HELL!!!" Forget that previously wrecked VX and just be patient. Keep a keen eye on www.AutoTrader.com and a much better VX will appear sometime in the near future. Don't buy the very first one you see. It took me 7 years to find mine, but I'm kinda picky. Be patient and be happy.

[Grif]

There are a few dealers/service around few and far between



Where? All i see on the iszu page are truck centers.

[Anita]

i think you would be better off searching for a vx elsewhere. This truck sounds like it has too many problems that were not addressed by the last owner. Who knows what else would await you. The VX is not a cheap truck to fix by any means.

[navistar]

For seven grand, OR SO, you could find a VX with none of those problems, just the usual problems like the windows. Keep looking.

[Grif]

Hi GRIF !

The pulling can be caused by lack of alignment/balancing.
Also the steering can be bent due the accidents,CV joints,axles all plays a a role in the tilt/pull the VX is suffering.

The engine vibration you are relating off can be the engine's foot mounts where the engine sits on the frame.

You must take that VX to a well reputated shop let them havea full inspection,i'll suggest you to have inspected at more then one shop.

My final suggestion : Steer clear from this VX.

Finding the right VX can take a while,but if you patiently keep looking you'll find it.

I agree about the bent steering, but that had all been cleared OK by a GM dealer down here in Alabama.

A well reputed shop?? I have no idea where to go for one that deals with a VX or Isuzus at all.

As far as steering clear of this one, its the only one I can find in my area that I can afford cash in hand. I'd rather pay 5g on a mildly ****ty one and fix it to my specs htan pay 10-15 grand on "somebody elses" that may look perfect and be modded to hell, but it would never seem like "mine". I'm sure you get the drift of that.

[Travelin2]

Grif; You have been given the benefit of some good advice from some wise people....Take Heed !

[Moncha]

Where? All i see on the iszu page are truck centers.


http://www.isuzu.com/locateDealers-state-AL.html

[VX KAT]

Don't let distance be an obstacle, you can get it shipped from coast to coast for around $1,000. I shipped from VA to AZ. Or fly and drive it home, after getting a private mechanic to check it out locally. There seem to always be more VXs for sale/available on the East Coast, with a high numbers it seems in PA, VA, OH, DC, also TX, and recently I saw several in Utah on Autotrader.com.

When I searched for my VX in Dec 2008, there were at least 20 for sale around the country, and 43 were listed last week when I checked Autotrader. This particular one seems to have too many obvious problems like the others have said above, just seems wise to steer clear of it. Bad juju. :thumbdn:

[circmand]

Call these flaws to the dealers attention. A dealer should have no problem getting an alignment done or a few other fixes to sell the vehicle. If they refuse they know the issue i something more severe so avoid. If nothing else you have points to argue for a lower price.

[MSHardeman]

Grif,

I TOTALLY understand where you're coming from. Once you fall in love with a car it's really hard to let it go, but like others are stating this one doesn't seem like the right fit. If you are willing to spend $5k on this one and then dump another $1k-$2k into it, I would wait and find one that's REALLY right for you.

When I was originally looking for my VX I found a low milage Foxfire (my favorite color) and was all fire up about it. I had a couple of members here on the site go check it out for me (I live in Colorado and the VX was in Ohio) and their reports, while favorable, just didn't sit right with me. The VX looked great in the pictures, and it's Carfax was clean, but it just didn't feel right. In the end I passed on that one and a couple of month later found a beautiful Ebony in Chicago. I had a couple of member take a look at that one for me and it turned out to be THE one for me. I flew out to Chicago and drove the VX back to Colorado. I've had Vicki for four and half years not and I still smile everytime I see her.

My point is the perfect VX is out there for you, but it may take some time and patience to find it. If you do start looking around and find a few that grab your interest don't hesitate to ask for someone to go take a look at it for you. Everyone here is super friendly and we're always looking to get another person hooked on the VX addicition so we're more than willing to go look at another VX. It's also a lot of fun when one or two VX's pull up to a dealership or a previous owner to check another one out. They know we're not fooling around at that point.

Good luck in your search, and welcome to the family.

[JAMAS]

There has to be a better one out there.....

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34

[handeeman]

I agree with all of the above. I'm in the car business, so be very careful. Those "RED" flags are up, carfax etc. Be patient, save your money for the right one like Anita. We all will help ya if we can.

[KeithVXlvr]

Grif,

One more word of warning. There are a lot of 99's out there with no problems in the $6,000 ~ $7,000 range.

Walk away... that VX sounds like a parts car.

I looked for about 2 months before I found one close to me, flew 2 hrs to get it and drove it home for 8 hrs..... it had some flaws but, nothing mechanical and low miles. That is what you want.

It is now one of the nicer VX's - IMO.

VX's have been coming up for sale like crazy in the last few months and with the economy staying flat you are sure to find a better one.

If you pay $5,000 then put on tires you will be at $6,000. Then the alignment, the inspection then the repairs you are looking at $7,000.

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid.

[Gussie2000]

I agree about the bent steering, but that had all been cleared OK by a GM dealer down here in Alabama.

A well reputed shop?? I have no idea where to go for one that deals with a VX or Isuzus at all.

As far as steering clear of this one, its the only one I can find in my area that I can afford cash in hand. I'd rather pay 5g on a mildly ****ty one and fix it to my specs htan pay 10-15 grand on "somebody elses" that may look perfect and be modded to hell, but it would never seem like "mine". I'm sure you get the drift of that.

Hi grif !
I can't change your point of view,but i can assure you can find good running VX's in florida or closed states for bit more than $5000,but here's is where your determination plays a huge role in your judgment & final decision.
If you contact few dealers offering VX's for sale for more then $ 5000 & you offers a deal in cash many of them will go down with you.
Right now dealers are struggling to stay in business & they'll rather lose $1000 then lose &5000.
This community is so great that if you request any VX'er to inspect & test drive a potential VX's for you near alabama,such as florida'georgia,tennessee etc they will without any hesitation.
If you need to fly & pick up a VX i'm sure an local member will pick you up at the airport.
Many members fleu to distance locations to purchase their VX
The last one was a canadian member who flue to nevada & drove back to canada few weeks ago if i'm not mistaken.
There's many non-moded VX's you can get your hands on.
Many of us already shared their opinions you asked for & all of us came to the same conclusion.
Trust me,it's easier to deal with a little moded VX than fixing all those issues that VX is having.

[VX KAT]

I've found that VXs for sale via Autotrader.com etc are almost always bone stock, none, or very little mods, mostly audio stuff. I think the modded ones are mostly kept by their owners...most of whom seem to be on this site!;Do;

[JHarris1385]

Hey I know a guy here local to me that has a great Proton for sell.
Its lifted, upgraded exhaust, new axles, new water pump and belts with a full service history. This owner at the current moment has three. The proton for sale a donor that is used for parts (he found at an auction for $900 with a little side damage) and his new Kaiser which he only purchased becuase of the color.

I can get you in contact with him. Just pm me.

[Grif]

Proton would not be my first choice of color, but PM sent anyways.

Thanks to any and all who has assisted me in making a decision one way or other. Great community ya'll got here!

[circmand]

Proton would not be my first choice of color, but PM sent anyways.

Thanks to any and all who has assisted me in making a decision one way or other. Great community ya'll got here!


Proton is by far the best and most exciting color. If you do not realize this you obviously not ready for a VX.

Just kidding but I get questions about my proton all the time

[JHarris1385]

I just told him close to the same thing. Proton grew on me. At first I thought bumble bee and once I saw one in person....if the VX did not already stand out...a Proton screams. I love my Ironman....but I would not mind a kaiser and proton to compliment it.

[Gussie2000]

I just told him close to the same thing. Proton grew on me. At first I thought bumble bee and once I saw one in person....if the VX did not already stand out...a Proton screams. I love my Ironman....but I would not mind a kaiser and proton to compliment it.
Nah !
Astral rules.
That's why was the 1rst color of choice out there.

[circmand]

Nah !
Astral rules.
That's why was the 1rst color of choice out there.

Most popular = mundane middle of the road nothing special

Proton even the name screams for attention (as opposed to medical procedure done on men in their 40s)

[JHarris1385]

Astral is just the color that is liked or accepted by the mass majority. Marketing wise it makes the most sense to produce more of a more likeable color...

[handeeman]

My 2 cents: I would truly like to own at least 7 colors, you know one for each day of the week. Or for whatever mood I'm in. Such as Proton when I'm feeling outstanding, Ironman speaks for it's self, Ebony when I'm feeling bad (as in bad_ss),Dragon when I feel like a Martial Artist, Foxfire when I feel like a little wine (and dancin), Kaiser for when I'm feeling in charge (as in "Der Kaiser has spoken") and Astral when I'm being an Astral.

[circmand]

Astral is just the color that is liked or accepted by the mass majority. Marketing wise it makes the most sense to produce more of a more likeable color...

1. White

2. Silver

3. Black

4. Red

5. Gray

6. Blue

7. Beige/Brown

8. Yellow/Gold

9. Green

10. Other

[JHarris1385]

As of 2008....you made me look into it. It looks like the title was previosuly held by Silver for years before 2008....

Anyways white is the best - thats why its the IronMan. Ha

[circmand]

It's those of us who are trendsetters who have the style the masses just follow us but alas you may only follow not surpass. However given that it used to be silver (Asstral) you are out of date.

But we still luv ya

[Grif]

Update:

Took the VX to my main mechanic, he had no time today except to take it for a drive. He stated an alignment would be needed to diagnose any further problems for the pulling to the right. He also stated there is a rear axle leak, as indicated by fluid leaking on the pass side near the brakes. He stated he could smell it as well. I can now smell it too. But to me I wouldnt know the smell of brake fluid from axle (tranny?) fluid. He stated the rough vibrations during low speed turns may just be due to the oversize tires. He stated the tapping sounds at high rpm under load may be ping due to bad gasoline, or could be other valve probs. He stated I really need an alignment in order to further diagnose the steering prob. I have an appt to get that done tomorrow.

I then took it to another shop who specializes in imports. They stated that tire wear indicates problems in the front and rear. They also indicated that the very loud vibration may be due to the oversize tires rubbing up against the polycarb which is indeed loose on that side of the vehicle as indicated by minor gaps where broken or improper fasteners had been applied, however its not immediately noticeable until inspected closely. They also implicated a leaking rear axle on the passenger side. They say the pinion shaft, seal and spacer need replacement as well. On the front end they stated the ball joints need replaced, upper on one side, lower on the other. The pinion shaft seal, spacer and crush sleave as well. Also the differential cover gasket should be replaced.

Those are the mechanical/suspension problems indicated to me so far. The alignment will cost me 70 bucks, with no guarentee that it will FIX anything, just might HELP find more problems. That is according to the first shop.

The second shop seemed much more definitive, and were able to detail much more of what needs to be done. All told, just labor from that second shop estimate would be about $1000, parts not included. I'm OK with that as long as it FIXES the problems. and gives me a relaible vehicle with no engine or drivertrain worries.

The minor stuff such as the loose polycarb, the passenger side window not opening (we did check the fuse) and minor body/tire wear I'm not too worried about.

So... not to kick a dead horse here, because most of you seem to think I should walk away from this VX, but I love the car. I can prolly get away with paying less than 5000k for it, and there are simply no others available to me without taking a whole weekend road trip to shop for another VX from another state somewhere.

BTW, I loved the attention it got everywhere I drove it. Tons of looks, and even was chased down and stopped by an attractive blonde just to ask me where I was able to find the car.

So... I ask again, run, walk, or buy, knowing fully well I'll sink a couple grand into it just to get it up to par.








The K&N filter is absolutely filthy. Also the plugs he pulled just out of curiosity were marred with rust as if some water had infiltrated the seals.

The ABS brake light stays on most of the time, but I wonder if that is because the rear axle is leaking fluid over the discs brakes... does that make sense? He also indicated than many people simply disable ABS in areas that do not get snow/ice and that also may cause the light to be on.

[Scott Harness]

Leave it! There are plenty out there.

[Scott Harness]

As of 2008....you made me look into it. It looks like the title was previosuly held by Silver for years before 2008....

Anyways white is the best - thats why its the IronMan. Ha

I "think" white has always been #1 because of fleet vehicles.
Millions of police cars,service trucks,ect...
If you only count the private sector,then silver was#1 for the past 5 years or so.

[Gussie2000]

Update:

Took the VX to my main mechanic, he had no time today except to take it for a drive. He stated an alignment would be needed to diagnose any further problems for the pulling to the right. He also stated there is a rear axle leak, as indicated by fluid leaking on the pass side near the brakes. He stated he could smell it as well. I can now smell it too. But to me I wouldnt know the smell of brake fluid from axle (tranny?) fluid. He stated the rough vibrations during low speed turns may just be due to the oversize tires. He stated the tapping sounds at high rpm under load may be ping due to bad gasoline, or could be other valve probs. He stated I really need an alignment in order to further diagnose the steering prob. I have an appt to get that done tomorrow.

I then took it to another shop who specializes in imports. They stated that tire wear indicates problems in the front and rear. They also indicated that the very loud vibration may be due to the oversize tires rubbing up against the polycarb which is indeed loose on that side of the vehicle as indicated by minor gaps where broken or improper fasteners had been applied, however its not immediately noticeable until inspected closely. They also implicated a leaking rear axle on the passenger side. They say the pinion shaft, seal and spacer need replacement as well. On the front end they stated the ball joints need replaced, upper on one side, lower on the other. The pinion shaft seal, spacer and crush sleave as well. Also the differential cover gasket should be replaced.

Those are the mechanical/suspension problems indicated to me so far. The alignment will cost me 70 bucks, with no guarentee that it will FIX anything, just might HELP find more problems. That is according to the first shop.

The second shop seemed much more definitive, and were able to detail much more of what needs to be done. All told, just labor from that second shop estimate would be about $1000, parts not included. I'm OK with that as long as it FIXES the problems. and gives me a relaible vehicle with no engine or drivertrain worries.

The minor stuff such as the loose polycarb, the passenger side window not opening (we did check the fuse) and minor body/tire wear I'm not too worried about.

So... not to kick a dead horse here, because most of you seem to think I should walk away from this VX, but I love the car. I can prolly get away with paying less than 5000k for it, and there are simply no others available to me without taking a whole weekend road trip to shop for another VX from another state somewhere.

BTW, I loved the attention it got everywhere I drove it. Tons of looks, and even was chased down and stopped by an attractive blonde just to ask me where I was able to find the car.

So... I ask again, run, walk, or buy, knowing fully well I'll sink a couple grand into it just to get it up to par.








The K&N filter is absolutely filthy. Also the plugs he pulled just out of curiosity were marred with rust as if some water had infiltrated the seals.

The ABS brake light stays on most of the time, but I wonder if that is because the rear axle is leaking fluid over the discs brakes... does that make sense? He also indicated than many people simply disable ABS in areas that do not get snow/ice and that also may cause the light to be on.


Again GRIF

In here we want all members to be a happy VX'ers,help them solve their issues & other stuff.

Just follow our advise.

If you gonna spend $ 5000 & then spent another $ 2000/2500 why don't get that $$$ altogether & buy a good running VX ?

Why don't you just hold on for few weeks & look around for VX's in better running conditions.

In my personal experience i was out there for a black VX with the grey/black interior,never had the opportunity to get one,but looked at others VX's & decided to grab this astral silver which onlyu had 38K on it full stock conditions.

For the 7k you are willing to spend you can get a Vx with around 100K or less without all those issues.

Howevere we all wish you the best !

[VX KAT]

After reading all the details you were able to ascertain, I'm struck by the apparent severe lack of maintenance...if the K&N filter was that dirty, the tire wear was really apparent, there was evidence of the tires rubbing, the rear axle fluid leaking, the pinion shaft seal, ball joints, diff cover gasket, etc.......sounds like the PO may have really rode it hard & put it away wet! :freek:

I certainly can't speak for all the forum members, but I'd never let SO MANY serious issues go unaddressed, it just makes me feel the PO has been really REALLY hard on the truck and it's been neglected. Again, I'd run away, but maybe the info you can get after the alignment will help.

just my .02 cents!

[Riff Raff]

GRIF--- Regarding the 1999 VX that has been confirmed by CARFAX to be in 2 major collisions; my advice is to "RUN LIKE HELL!!!" Forget that previously wrecked VX and just be patient. Keep a keen eye on www.AutoTrader.com and a much better VX will appear sometime in the near future. Don't buy the very first one you see. It took me 7 years to find mine, but I'm kinda picky. Be patient and be happy.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

[rowhard]

Proton would not be my first choice of color, but PM sent anyways.

Thanks to any and all who has assisted me in making a decision one way or other. Great community ya'll got here!

there is a nice ironman for sale here in yelm washington. Pretty sure I know who it is and she has had it since new. AKFlaco posted it here the other day. Of course anyone you fine that isn't local, am sure someone here would be happy to check it out for you

[PK]

Grif, with the mileage you listed, the previous accidents, and the current problems, the true value of that VX would be around the $2500.

If you can get it for that, and can baby it back to health, then go for it.
But to make it economical, you would have to be able to do most of the work yourself.
If you cannot get the price down below $3000 and do the work yourself, the vehicle is just plain overpriced and not for you.

There are others out there that are good value for money, and worth travelling to pick up.

Good luck

PK

[Anita]

Grif,

Believe us, we ALL understand the desiring that one VX which is at your fingertips. We know that magical pull toward that first VX you see. But many of us have been here for years seeing VX's bought and sold, with those who take gentle, precise care of their rigs and others who absolutely trash them.

A truck that has so many problems that were not addressed by the past owner(s) will hide a multitude of hidden problems - some potentially dire to the longevity of the rig. I have personal knowledge of a Ebony that when it was sold, had a number of known problems never addressed, and when the next guy bought it, he had to put in over 8K in it, and it still wasnt right. It literally was too far gone.

We can help you find another VX - better ones ARE out there. Just be patient and look around. Many of us across the country check out rigs for others and we certainly can do it for you.

[Travelin2]

Grif; Searching for the right VX is in itself an exciting adventure. Savor it and make it last until all the stars are aligned. That rig you are looking at will put you in the poor house and sour you on the VX within a year. Keep looking buddy.

[Riff Raff]

Grif--- By now you know I've absolutely flooded your E-Mail in-box with messages from me. I found a super clean 2001 Silver VX in Berea, KY (40403) on www.AutoTrader.com with only 76,000 miles for only $9,500 and it has a super rare electric Sunroof/Moonroof (which is a $1,200 modification by itself). Yes, Berea, KY is 652 miles away (each direction) from Foley, AL but it would be well worth a 2-day weekend trip with a friend to convoy back home with.

Contact fellow member "DMulk55" who lives only an hour away in nearby Frankfort, KY to check the VX out for you in advance and to see if it's worth pursueing. "DMulk55" can be contacted via E-Mail from the member's list (left side of Home Page).

Forget about that wrecked P.O.S. VX you've currently been looking at and stop wasting your time, money, and effort thinking about it. Move on, and look at better VX's in much better condition!!! In the long run, you'll be glad you did.

[Gussie2000]

Grif
Forget about that wrecked P.O.S. VX you've currently been looking at and stop wasting your time, money, and effort thinking about it. Move on, and look at better VX's in much better condition!!! In the long run, you'll be glad you did.


X2

[Grif]

I took the plunge. I bought it for 4K. Mechanics say it will take about 2K to get the suspension and other mechanical items up to snuff, and thats somthing I can live with.

I know I could have spent 10k on a near perfect one by taking a road trip across country, but to me it simply wouldnt be worth the time and effort.

This is the vehicle I fell in love with, and with some cash and TLC and regualar maint, I hope to love it for a long time.

Thanks to all of you, even the negativists, but this was the only option I could afford, and am so far very happy with it.

[pbkid]

congratulations and welcome to the family! ;)

[Cobrajet]

I'm actually glad to hear that you bought that particular VX. Now it will get the care and attention it deserves and preserves another worthy VX for future generations to enjoy.

(It's exactly how I felt when I acquired my Cobra. It was a mess and nobody wanted to bother with it.)

[Riff Raff]

Grif--- Well, I tried. I do concur with COBRAJET; if anybody has the true love and passion to bring that VX back to life, it is you. Perhaps it is best that it is under your personal care. Welcome to the VX family and to the addiction.

As a friendy reminder to anyone looking for a sweet 2001 Silver VX with 76,000 miles and a super-rare electric Sunroof/Moonroof for only $9,500 should check-out www.AutoTrader.com at the VX in Berea, Kentucky (40403).

[Scott Harness]

Congrats! Welcome to the Family.:group::dance:

[SomeBeach]

Hey Grif, when you get a chance send some pictures

[pbkid]

Hey Grif, when you get a chance send some pictures

easy....easy....

you gotta wait till he's done joyriding around ;)

[Gussie2000]

easy....easy....

you gotta wait till he's done joyriding around ;)


Yeap !

He needs to go do some vedette riding showing off some of the chicks in the hood. :p

Even thoug we didn't wanna you have this VX we wish you the best of all.

So welcome to the fam grif :winkgray:

[Fe]

Be patient. I searched for 90-120 days seriously (stalked for 180-240 days). There are several in Florida...that's driving distance from Alabama. You can get one in $6-$6.5k range with a clean carfax and limited or no mods. Transport is < $1 per mile. I just did 1,300 miles $900 with insurance. Your "cash in hand" will work in your favor in this economy..so will patience. AOL.com (auto), Vast.com, eBay.... Start a dialogue with potential buyer and spend the $150 for Carchex to do a full inspection with pictures in advance. It'll let the seller know you are serious & give you leverage to negotiate if you find serious flaws - LIKE TWO MAJOR ACCIDENTS. I'd steer clear of this one.

[Fe]

I obviously can't read order of posts. Welcome Grif. Now you get the joy of putting money & time into re-conditioning one of our children. Thanks for adopting. Welcome to the family!

[Grif]

I obviously can't read order of posts. Welcome Grif. Now you get the joy of putting money & time into re-conditioning one of our children. Thanks for adopting. Welcome to the family!


Thanks folx. I can already tell this will be one hell of a project. I mean on the outside she is a beauty, but the various shops Ive taken it to provide me with the same litany of needs. Some fairly basic, some serious. But I knew what I was getting into with this (or I think I did) lol. Got the oil changed today because I had no idea when it was changed last. They told me they had no way to tell if the prvious owner was using synthetic or what, so they sold me on Valvoline Maxlife which has both conventional and synth components. I hope that was the correct choice!!

They also said the fuel filter was original from the factory!! Never changed in 105K!! They replaced it and showed me the "gas" they poured out of the old one... it looked like three week old black coffee!! Yuck! I cant imagine what damage burning that crap in the engine has done. I cleaned my K&N filter yesterday, it was nasty too, but looks fine now. Just trying to take care of the simple stuff first while getting a feel for what is in dire need.

Two places told me to get smaller tires, an idea I dont particularly like, because I love the stance of the vehicle as it is. I think it has 33's on it now, but they tell me the mass of the tires is stressing the power steering (i have PS leaks) and may be contributing to my ball joint wear and rear axle leak.

I dunno, what do you think?

[Gussie2000]

Thanks folx. I can already tell this will be one hell of a project. I mean on the outside she is a beauty, but the various shops Ive taken it to provide me with the same litany of needs. Some fairly basic, some serious. But I knew what I was getting into with this (or I think I did) lol. Got the oil changed today because I had no idea when it was changed last. They told me they had no way to tell if the prvious owner was using synthetic or what, so they sold me on Valvoline Maxlife which has both conventional and synth components. I hope that was the correct choice!!

They also said the fuel filter was original from the factory!! Never changed in 105K!! They replaced it and showed me the "gas" they poured out of the old one... it looked like three week old black coffee!! Yuck! I cant imagine what damage burning that crap in the engine has done. I cleaned my K&N filter yesterday, it was nasty too, but looks fine now. Just trying to take care of the simple stuff first while getting a feel for what is in dire need.

Two places told me to get smaller tires, an idea I dont particularly like, because I love the stance of the vehicle as it is. I think it has 33's on it now, but they tell me the mass of the tires is stressing the power steering (i have PS leaks) and may be contributing to my ball joint wear and rear axle leak.

I dunno, what do you think?


That's absolutely right,the shop have give you the right advise,you shall get regular tires,at least 'till you gete all those leaks fixed.

Also consider having the engine flushed with sea foam,the most synthetic oil use by 99.9 % of us the mobil 1 also royal purple & amsoil.

Also change all differential fluids as well as the T-case & transmmission;As you said you have no clue when last the previous owner did it.

Repacking or replacing all four bearing is a good thing to do along with new brake pads & rotors.flushing the brake fluid,radiator & probably a full tune up is needed to improve performance & MPG.

You got a lot of work to do GRIF,hope you can really enjoy it as much as you want.

Keep us posted on the progress & don't forget there's a lot of info in here usefull to you.

[etlsport]

33s are a little big, but a few members have them and do ok, it sure wouldnt hurt anything (other than your ground clearance) to go a little smaller, when its time for new tires i will probably end up with a 31.5" tire

i work in a shop, so if you have any Qs about parts pricing/ labor costs to make sure you are getting a fair deal, feel free to ask and ill get you quotes for what it would be in my shop for comparison

[Shawn Seeback]

You should also try looking on EBAY, I was just looking at three that are on their now for under 10 K. I would agree stay clear keep looking and they are out their just keep keen eye

[Riff Raff]

SHAWN--- Please read post #47 above. Very important.

[Shawn Seeback]

sorry didnt finish reading all the posts i just thought it would help him out. thanks for the notice

[circmand]

Thanks folx. I can already tell this will be one hell of a project. I mean on the outside she is a beauty, but the various shops Ive taken it to provide me with the same litany of needs. Some fairly basic, some serious. But I knew what I was getting into with this (or I think I did) lol. Got the oil changed today because I had no idea when it was changed last. They told me they had no way to tell if the prvious owner was using synthetic or what, so they sold me on Valvoline Maxlife which has both conventional and synth components. I hope that was the correct choice!!

They also said the fuel filter was original from the factory!! Never changed in 105K!! They replaced it and showed me the "gas" they poured out of the old one... it looked like three week old black coffee!! Yuck! I cant imagine what damage burning that crap in the engine has done. I cleaned my K&N filter yesterday, it was nasty too, but looks fine now. Just trying to take care of the simple stuff first while getting a feel for what is in dire need.

Two places told me to get smaller tires, an idea I dont particularly like, because I love the stance of the vehicle as it is. I think it has 33's on it now, but they tell me the mass of the tires is stressing the power steering (i have PS leaks) and may be contributing to my ball joint wear and rear axle leak.

I dunno, what do you think?

I think the shops are correct on the over sized tires causing stress that is a general event on all VX. Unfortunately I have done a project like you are facing though not on a VX. You can pretty much count on the VX needing all the work the shops are telling you and probably several more. The shops probably stopped looking after finding a couple of grand so as too not price themselves out of a nice sized repair job. Given that the PO seems to have not taken proper care of the vehicle I am seeing $$$$$$ in your future. I hope this turns out not to be the case.

[etlsport]

I think the shops are correct on the over sized tires causing stress that is a general event on all VX. Unfortunately I have done a project like you are facing though not on a VX. You can pretty much count on the VX needing all the work the shops are telling you and probably several more. The shops probably stopped looking after finding a couple of grand so as too not price themselves out of a nice sized repair job. Given that the PO seems to have not taken proper care of the vehicle I am seeing $$$$$$ in your future. I hope this turns out not to be the case.

probably true that they will find more stuff, as you do a tear down of the front suspension its easier to see wear on items you couldnt see before, or finding out the new stuff doesnt fit right due to bending thats not obvious

[Grif]

I double post this if the mods don't mind.

I just found out my rear seats wont lock into riding place due to a broken assembly on the rear passenger seat, and the wont lock into the "folded" position due to a broken nylon locking strap. Advice please? Replace both rear seats? Replace just that passenger side rear seat which contains both the seat lock and strap? Or is it possilble to replace just the locking mechanism on the passenger rear seat and its nylon strap?

My guess is I need at least a replacement passenger rear side seat. with working lock and strap. Suggestions and sources of parts please?

The locking flange on the floor appears to be OK.

[Riff Raff]

GRIF--- You forgot the last and very best option regarding your rear seat delima.

REMOVE your back seat and deposit it in the nearest commercial-sized dumpster!!!

Most of us VX owner's here have already removed our back seat and have merely saved it in storage in case we ever sell the VX someday. You will have tons of more cargo room with it removed. Unless you have kids to haul around, YANK IT OUT.

[Grif]

GRIF--- You forgot the last and very best option regarding your rear seat delima.

REMOVE your back seat and deposit it in the nearest commercial-sized dumpster!!!

Most of us VX owner's here have already removed our back seat and have merely saved it in storage in case we ever sell the VX someday. You will have tons of more cargo room with it removed. Unless you have kids to haul around, YANK IT OUT.


LOL... thanks Riff, but I require the versatility that the VX was designed for.

Yes at times I need lots of cargo space, but at times I also need seats to haul people safely.

[tom4bren]

Grif,

You'll be able to save yourself some dinero by doing some of the repairs yourself. The How2 section has some nice writeups on performing some of your required maintenance: bearing repack, tranny fluid change, timing belt, ...

I've been creating pdf's of most of them for my own personal archiving so if you need something you can't find, ask.

One other thing ya might wanna do is search out any members that live near you. Most of us are willing to turn a wrench to help out our family members.

I'm NOT going to recommend that you go to a smaller tire size (I'd never hear the end of it - search on 'offset from hell' sometime to see what I'm talkin 'bout - or look in my gallery).:)

Now go down to your local supermarket with big plate glass windows and drive past it a few times & check out how good you look in your new ride (there's a thread on that too - pretty funny).

Welcome to the addiction.

BTW, don't forget to keep a close eye on your oil - check it at EVERY fueling. Also get on your hands and knees in front of your new P&J (Pride & Joy) and check your CV boots to make sure they're not cracked or torn. If they are, lemme know & I'll help you to find the threads you'll need to start reading. That's one repair you can't procrastinate on.

[Grif]

Ok, took the VX to my most trusted shop. They found a literally a bent rear end, the right, they had a heck of a time pulling the right rear axle and found some grinding on the gears also indicative of a bent rear end. The entire housing and was bent upwards.

Long story short, replaced the entire rear end assembly, R front lower ball joint, R Front CV, and did an alignment so it no longer pulls to the right nearly as much.

The shop had assumed the nasty "skipping or jumping or hopping" noise was due to the mismatch to the rear axles not aligned up perfectly, and indeed they showed me the gears on the right rear axle, (which had also been leaking if you have followed this thread) and they had been ground down quite a bit which is consistent with at least SOME noise.

However after all that was done, and I am confident in their rear end work, I still get a "jumping, hopping or severe rattle" sound from the front end esp under acceleration at low speed. At higher speed, its not noticeable at all, but from a stop, and I stomp on the accel, the "rumble" is very disturbing. It literally sounds like gears are grinding a few teeth before I get it up to speed, or that my front wheels are "hopping" but I doubt very much that the its the wheels.

I've read all the threads I have found about weird front end noises, but frankly, if I went underneath, I would have no idea what to look at even with your all's pics, descriptions, and remedies.

I trust my mechanics, and they got me a good deal on replacing the rear end, but I'm afraid they are still missing somthing serious up front. I paid 1300 for a used rear end assembly, and it was supposed to be the entire rear, axels, and diff. But if they shoved the old right rear axel back into a new housing I will be majorly pissed off.

I think I need a guru.

Anyone in Southern Alabama/Northwest Florida need a case of beer and an instant friend on the Gulf Coast Beaches in exchange for a valued educated opinion?

[Shawn Seeback]

well wat type of accident was this vehicle in & is this the one vehicle that was in 2 accidents? I would also check your trans & engine mounting aswell. Take a look at the Service manual if you have them? They should tell you the dimentions on everything and all you would need then is some beer forself to go with all of that reading and measuring, this will also teach you everything on your vehicle it is time consuming but very possible. I am not a amazing tech but i did teach myself alot about cars and trucks, also just about anything. Well if you could explain the types of accidents it was in it could help with a visual idea, i might be able to help? Oh yea also check out some of the offroad forums aswell thier are alot of people that can help out their aswell.

[KeithVXlvr]

We all told you not to buy that piece of junk.

[circmand]

I guess you found the troubles you were looking for.

I bought my VX new but I bought a 1974 Jensen Healey for $800 that was in really bad shape to restore for a hobby. The advice given to me was buy the vehicle that is in the best mechanical shape you can afford. Restoration will be far cheaper. I ignored that advice to my chagrin. I spent about $20000 grand restoring a car that is now worth $10000. But it is a blast to drive

[Shawn Seeback]

He sounds like a true VX'r am i wrong? Well i think he deserves at this point his terror problem solved so if you think you got a resolution give him the sh*t you kno.. he has a challenge which is worthy;0Sh*t

[Gussie2000]

He sounds like a true VX'r am i wrong? Well i think he deserves at this point his terror problem solved so if you think you got a resolution give him the sh*t you kno.. he has a challenge which is worthy;0Sh*t

Me and grif chatted for an while wednesday evening.
Give him few ideas of what need to be done,He also has a apparent fuel/air leak which he'll need to address as soon he's doen with the mechanical part.

Sure we all adviced him not to take the bite,but good damn,the VX has a spell that none of us can't fight against when we got in love with it.

So all we can do is whish him the good to pull this one & have a happy loving ending drama-novela :p

[Grif]

well wat type of accident was this vehicle in & is this the one vehicle that was in 2 accidents? I would also check your trans & engine mounting aswell. Take a look at the Service manual if you have them? They should tell you the dimentions on everything and all you would need then is some beer forself to go with all of that reading and measuring, this will also teach you everything on your vehicle it is time consuming but very possible. I am not a amazing tech but i did teach myself alot about cars and trucks, also just about anything. Well if you could explain the types of accidents it was in it could help with a visual idea, i might be able to help? Oh yea also check out some of the offroad forums aswell thier are alot of people that can help out their aswell.

From the info I have one accident was a front end to a tree, and the other was with a vehicle of some sort. That is all carfax knows and the original owner is not around to take any questions so to speak. Cosmetically, you cant tell it was in an accident at all. Its a real beauty.

I do have the service manual, the downloadable one on CD, but man, what a kludge work to read. I think some owners here have done somthing usefull in printing it out, I shold prolly look into that. I think since Ive got the rear end taken care of the front end is now where most of my mechanical probs are, still pulls to the right even after alignment, and jerking from the txmission esp coming from the front. Other than that I really its only a matter of cleaning up years of neglect of the engine. Some interior work, and of course I still would like to use my rear seats.

With no garage to work in, very few tools and very little time, I know I will need to rely on paid mechanics and sage advice from this forum. Thats why I'm here!

I crawled under the vx last night to look for anything obvious, but I think your correct, measurements need to be taken. I was pleasently suprised while underneath that it has a Borla exhuast system! I KNEW that sucker could not be sounding stock! I like it..

Thanks for your encouragement.

[pbkid]

stick with it man! you will get that baby working...at least your willing to try, most people would just give up right at the start...

this forum is FULL of information and very helpful people...you put the two together and you can fix just about anything my friend! do some research and ask questions when you cant figure something out

[Grif]

The advice given to me was buy the vehicle that is in the best mechanical shape you can afford. Restoration will be far cheaper. I ignored that advice to my chagrin. I spent about $20000 grand restoring a car that is now worth $10000. But it is a blast to drive

I certainly don't need another hobby, and I DID buy the ONLY VX I could afford, in cash, and I knew it would be a work in progress, and that it was going to take time and more money. I took a gamble, and I dont regret it YET... hehe..

Like many of you have pointed out, its bourne out of the love for the vehicle.

[Grif]

Me and grif chatted for an while wednesday evening.
Give him few ideas of what need to be done,He also has a apparent fuel/air leak which he'll need to address as soon he's doen with the mechanical part.

Sure we all adviced him not to take the bite,but good damn,the VX has a spell that none of us can't fight against when we got in love with it.

So all we can do is whish him the good to pull this one & have a happy loving ending drama-novela :p

Yeah thanks for the chat Gussie, I think the chat feature here is underutilized. Your advice re: the air/fuel leak is prolly true, tho I'm not throwing any more codes for some reason. Still, needs to be checked out.

[handeeman]

Me and grif chatted for an while wednesday evening.
Give him few ideas of what need to be done,He also has a apparent fuel/air leak which he'll need to address as soon he's doen with the mechanical part.

Sure we all adviced him not to take the bite,but good damn,the VX has a spell that none of us can't fight against when we got in love with it.

So all we can do is whish him the good to pull this one & have a happy loving ending drama-novela :p


Yeah thanks for the chat Gussie, I think the chat feature here is underutilized. Your advice re: the air/fuel leak is prolly true, tho I'm not throwing any more codes for some reason. Still, needs to be checked out.
I really enjoyed reading these post. I was just wondering what they were serving in the chat room cause ya'll suffered from slurred typing. LMAO Anyway next time ya'll have happy hour in the chat room let me know and I'll bet we can raise a crowd.

[Gussie2000]

Yeah thanks for the chat Gussie, I think the chat feature here is underutilized. Your advice re: the air/fuel leak is prolly true, tho I'm not throwing any more codes for some reason. Still, needs to be checked out.

Very welcome GRIF.

The chat room is a excelent tool to really share info about any thing in "Real Time" instead of posting threads;I guess we are bit lazy to tickle the key board once in a while :p

[handeeman]

Very welcome GRIF.

The chat room is a excelent tool to really share info about any thing in "Real Time" instead of posting threads;I guess we are bit lazy to tickle the key board once in a while :p
Jus teasing ya'll. I'm kinda like Ldub, if i chat, everyone is on to another subject by the time I can post a reply to two questions before. Plus i always tell em slow down cause I can't read fast.

[Shawn Seeback]

From the info I have one accident was a front end to a tree, and the other was with a vehicle of some sort. That is all carfax knows and the original owner is not around to take any questions so to speak. Cosmetically, you cant tell it was in an accident at all. Its a real beauty.

I do have the service manual, the downloadable one on CD, but man, what a kludge work to read. I think some owners here have done somthing usefull in printing it out, I shold prolly look into that. I think since Ive got the rear end taken care of the front end is now where most of my mechanical probs are, still pulls to the right even after alignment, and jerking from the txmission esp coming from the front. Other than that I really its only a matter of cleaning up years of neglect of the engine. Some interior work, and of course I still would like to use my rear seats.

With no garage to work in, very few tools and very little time, I know I will need to rely on paid mechanics and sage advice from this forum. Thats why I'm here!

I crawled under the vx last night to look for anything obvious, but I think your correct, measurements need to be taken. I was pleasently suprised while underneath that it has a Borla exhuast system! I KNEW that sucker could not be sounding stock! I like it..

Thanks for your encouragement.



Well good luck with it i do understand the no garage issue plus if yuo havent done much mechanics it will take a long time but u do get more out of it that way, But besides that just look for the obvious and your gonna do fine with an attitude like that:) Good luck let me kno wat you find it could be helpfull in the future if anyone gets into an accident with hteir VX.