Introduce yourself here!

[urbanterror]

Hey Fellow VXrs!

I am a new jeep to VX convert! Have had 7 jeeps and this is my first VX.

I've seen them over the years and was curious, but being a die-hard Jeepster and American car fan, I always thought they looked kool, but never saw one lifted, until vihicross.info...and to be honest - thanks VXorado for your post of the lifted white VX that caught my attention somewhere and made we want to go out and buy a VX :0)

Over the last week since purchasing my 99, it's been in the shop twice, first the 3" lift and an idle issue (sensor) and now for a new transfer case and right-side cv axle...but not dismayed at all. 33" tires and new rims go on as soon as the transfer case is done (tomorrow)...

SUPER EXCITED about this car! Always love new projects and this is going to be fun :0)

As I mentioned, I am a car and 4x4 (and motorcycle) nut...

First here are pics of the new VX:

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/vx1.jpg

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/vx2.jpg

And here are a few projects from this last couple years:

VW - The BuzzRod

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/buzzrod1.jpg

http://www.raceland.rocks/images.buzzrod2.jog

Camaro - Project America Street Machine

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/camaro1.jpg

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/camaro2.jpg

Bronco - Just sold today - buyer picks up after work :(

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/bronco1.jpg

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/bronco2.jpg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have a feeling the VX is going to stay in the family a while - I am really liking this machine!!!

Thanks everyone for helping inspire this new project!

~Robert aka the NEW UrbanTerror :0)

PS. How do I get rank status to embed images and open a gallery?

[JoFotoz]

Check this out...



PS. How do I get rank status to embed images and open a gallery?


www.vehicross.info/modules.php?name=Donations

:thumbup:

Jo

[urbanterror]

Nevermind on the PS - found the donation button :0)

[JoFotoz]

Cool..


Nevermind on the PS - found the donation button :0)

....good on ya for donating :thumbup:

Best $20 you'll ever spend on your VX :_steering

jo

[Makocross]

Welcome urban terror, I keep my Vehicross at my shop in Merritt Island. There are four or five in Brevard county.
Mike

[urbanterror]

I agree - it's already pointed me in the directions needed for the lift kit, tire size, trimming, BJ flip, and solving my locking up problem (got a new transfercase). All of that in one week - well worth the $20 bucks! :0)

[urbanterror]

So I was playing around with the VX in photoshop and added some tires to it to see if I would like it or not before I purchased - and I noticed that the way I did this by putting the VX body from one photo onto a jeep truck that had my tires (then superimposing the rims) the resulting image reminded me of the vehicross.info header image - with the city on one side and the outdoors on the other :)

Anyway...

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/tires.jpg

~Robert

[VXorado]

I've seen them over the years and was curious, but being a die-hard Jeepster and American car fan, I always thought they looked kool, but never saw one lifted, until vihicross.info...and to be honest - thanks VXorado for your post of the lifted white VX that caught my attention somewhere and made we want to go out and buy a VX :0)



Congrats!!! I also was in the Jeep crowd before stumbling upon the VX. I sold my YJ and picked up a VX three weeks later... that was 5 yrs and plenty of mods ago.


Also, that rim/tire combo looks good in the photoshop pic. Pull the trigger. :thumbup:


... and welcome to the community. :_beer:

[urbanterror]

Congrats!!! I also was in the Jeep crowd before stumbling upon the VX. I sold my YJ and picked up a VX three weeks later... that was 5 yrs and plenty of mods ago.


Also, that rim/tire combo looks good in the photoshop pic. Pull the trigger. :thumbup:


... and welcome to the community. :_beer:

Thanks! :_steering (been waiting to use that one)

Now if I was married, I'd be getting a divorce right about now...thanks to this forum.

I called up my dad (who is 75 btw) and said I accidentally bought another VX today. His response...How do you accidentally buy a car???

Well....I didn't plan to by a car today. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity though...

So now I am proud papa of 2 VXs - well almost - I have to have the one up north shipped down yet - thanks jnolan for such a great opportunity.

I now have the father-son project for my son's 16th birthday coming up in Jan. OK GUYS - HOW HARD IS IT TO REBUILD THIS MOTOR??? I found a kit online for about $500 but the real question is since it's oil seized (lack there of) from what I know, that means the block could be screwed - any positive reports on salvaging a seized VX block?

Thanks for the welcome!

~UrbanTerror thanks you :thanx:

[urbanterror]

Btw - I did pull the trigger :0)

The shop texted me pics this afternoon, transfercase in, tires on:

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/intheair.jpg

Looks like I need more lift...

PS. Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread - will post in proper topics here on out :mady:


~NUT aka the NEW UrbanTerror :supercool

[urbanterror]

TIRES ON!

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/topoftheworld.jpg

[Mile High VX]

TIRES ON!

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/topoftheworld.jpg

Be sure to add it here:

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=14685&highlight=rims+tires

Looks great!

[urbanterror]

THX and added!

Also - here it is with a $29 stick-on hood scoop from autozone - I don't think I would have put this scoop on any other car - but matched it perfect and damn near looks factory :0)

http://www.raceland.rocks/images/dascoop.jpg

~UrbanTerror

[urbanterror]

And by the way, I assume every new VXr (like me) gets overly excited at their new infatuation and comes in and just pukes all over the forums with the enthusiasm of a teenager on prom night? :P

[amplyprepared]

I first saw one of these beauties in 2004. We were killing time before a movie and walking around a dealership. I saw it and squealed very loud and people looked like they thought I was crazy. I wanted it so bad but was so broke back then. I've wanted one ever since. In the meantime, I've owned mini trucks to keep me appeased. I've had an Izuzu Pup, and I currently still have a Mitsubishi Mighty Max. My Vehicross was hauled here this morning from the dealership in Ohio. It's always been my dream car, but I have many problems already and a zillion questions on how others have fixed minor problems with this vehicle.

Almost forgot. It's a 2001 Dragon Green Vehicross. I've noticed some say Izuzu on the front grill, but mine just says VX. Mine is also a bit strange, because it doesn't have any lettering at all on the whole vehicle. Just the VX on the grill. It's in near perfect condition except for some minor things. The most pressing issue I have is the anti glare thing on the hood is coming up on one corner. So I'm stressing that I can't take any pictures to show my friends!!!

I'm also a woman in my early thirties, so a lot of car terms escape me. The important thing is that I finlly have my dream car. I hope to meet other people to help and possibly be helped as well.

[bartmanS4]

WooHoo! Welcome to the obsession!
Sounds like a previous owner debadged your VX and the VX emblem on the grill is custom done. The stock ones do say Isuzu on the grill.
Is your hood insert covered with some sort of stick on material or is the fiberglass itself pulling up? You may want to see about buying a used hood insert from someone here. They come up for sale occasionally.

Cheers,
Scott

P.S. lots and lots of information on this forum, just use a few keywords in the search function and you're off

[tom4bren]

amplyprepared,

Welcome to the addiction. Your story sounds much like many members that had to wait for the right circumstances for ownership (myself included).

Your VX has been debadged. That's what we call it when all of the vehicle identifiers have been removed. The previous owner must have also removed the Isuzu name from the grill & replaced it with a VX. Many owners have done the same.

Your hood insert can be easily repaired to get that corner to stay down. The approach I've used in the past with success is to remove the insert and epoxy the stud back in place using PC-7. I actually went one better & removed all the studs and drilled through the insert so that I could attach it with Stainless Steel screws. Sounds ugly but it actually came out very nice. At one point in time, I glued one corner of my insert down with RTV. It worked but eventually I fixed it right.


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/IMG_2051.JPG

So that we don't bog down the intro thread, either start a thread on the subject or send me a PM & I'll give you detailed instructions.

[JoFotoz]

They do have that effect....


. I saw it and squealed very loud and people looked like they thought I was crazy.

:p

Welcome, you obviously have has an incurable fixation..

....glad you found a "dealer" to hook you up :eek:

The de-badging just confuses mere mortals even more.. its fun!

Tom will set you straight on the insert fix... there are a couple of options :thumbup:


The search feature here will give you LOTS of info, tips and fix its...
...and if you cant find what youre looking for dont hesitate to ask .

BE SURE...to check your oil at EVERY gas fill...at least for a while.
Some VX's do use a bit of oil...you'll get used to yours.. but watch it closely for now.

WELCOME!!

:_beer:


Jo

.

[tudor VX]

Just bought a 1999 Silver VX for my wife.We also have a 2000 Prowler and a 2005 SSR Chevy truck.
The VX has 208,000 miles on it(I know thats a lot of miles). It has new tires and brakes.I put in a new timing belt, fixed the up and down window problem and I had it put up on a rack and all the worn suspension parts,leaky hoses and undercarriage parts were replaced.It is running great.
I love this car and I'm not going to sell it, so I don't mind the expense.I think this car is a classic and will never go out of style.
I'm planning to paint the hood(matte black on the insert?) and go on a desperate search for a black and red drivers seat. Any advice would be appreciated...thanks.

[HeckaTrebeka]

Welcome buddy! Looks like you got the basics down, just watch that transmission! Seats are gonna be spendy for OEM.

[PapiGringo]

Not sure if I'm posting this right, Its my first try at joining a forum, but I just bought my first VX four days ago. Its siliver, has 33's, and I'm pumped to be a lucky owner of one.

[Mile High VX]

Welcome to the obsession...have a great time with you new VX!

Make sure you keep track of the oil usage until you get a feel for it. Some are thirsty and some not so much...start with checking every time you put gas in it and then go from there.

Too many new owners have ended up with a bad motor because they didn't know about the thirsty nature of their new found joy.

[PapiGringo]

Hey thank you, I will definetly keep an eye on the oil level. My VX has 130,000 miles on it, the owner before me took good care of it, and I want to do like wise.

[CatFish]

Welcome, and do keep an eye on the oil consumption, my VX has not had a consumption problem but my old Trooper did so it can start doing it at any time.

[tom4bren]

Welcome to the family Papi.

Also take a quick look at your CV boots. Since you're lifted, it puts the CVs at a sharper angle and it can cause your boots to tear (ask me how I know:)). If you have torn boots, it's not that bad of a fix that you can do yourself ... but if you wait, then the CVs can be damaged & that's a lot more involved.

[PapiGringo]

I will take a look at the CV boots next chance I get, thank you. :yesy: You guys have been great. A couple of days ago I have never even heard of a VX before, now I cant get enough. Love the help guys, I'll take all I can get. :laughb:

[Cire36]

My name is Duncan.

I've been lurking for a couple of days and just purchased a 1999 Ironman edition VX. I've always liked the looks of the VX's and have wanted one for a long time. It will come in handy this winter since I live in MI.

[tom4bren]

Welcome to the family Duncan.

The VX is a blast but does require some TLC. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[jimmyray]

I am a mechanic by trade but i usually only fix cars for my friends now and thats how i first saw a VX. I used to post ads on craigslist for mechanic services offered and i met a guy with many cool cars. Over the years i have done a lot of work for him and just recently i worked on a VX he had. I installed a custom towing hitch on it and i started to like the rig! Well long story short he bought another one and dropped it off to me to work on it. Two days in i sold my truck and bought the 1999 Ironman White edition that i now own!

[tom4bren]

Jimmy,

Nice story. Hope your Ironman has a good life with you.

Tom

[rattlesnake]

I'm new to forum and a new VX owner. We inherited the 2001 car and while we think it's great we can't keep it. I'd appreciate any advice on how to get it into the hands of someone who will really enjoy it and give it the love it deserves.
I live in Massachusetts.

Thanks for any help. It's clear you all are passionate about the VX so I know I've come to the right place.

[JoFotoz]

Hi Rattlesnake.

Posting a 'for sale' thread here with pics/price and full details would be you best bet .


:_beer:

Jo

[TonyVX]

Hello Everyone,

I hear this is the place to introduce myself so here I go.

The bio stuff:

I'm a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, a sailor by trade, but now I work as Public Affairs Officer so I can be used by the Army, Air Force, or Navy. At the moment the Army has me and I live in Edmonton, Alberta. I'm not sure, but that could make me one of the most northen VX owners. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

My VX Story:

I moved to Edmonton from Vancouver in 2012. Unlike in Vancouver, in Edmonton it's impossible to have a family and only one car. My first inclilnation with the weather and roads the way they are up here was to get a used Pathfinder or Xterra. You can swing a dead cat in Edmonton and find one of those. I took a look and couldn't find one that I liked. Couple that with the fact that my wife was getting antsy about the added expense of another vehicle.

I adjust my search for around the $5000 price range and a 1999 VX popped up on Kijiji (I don't know if you have it in the US. Its like a Canadian Craigslist).

"WTF is that?!?!" I said to myself. "Are those teeth?"

So I moved on to look at other vehicles but I couldn't get that thing out of my head. I kept thinking about that "shoulders-forward, bulldog" kind of stance that it has. I loved the interior. I loved the story of the concept car becoming reality for a limited run.

So I went to look at it. I had pretty much decided to buy it before I got there!

The woman who owned it said her former boyfriend had bought if for her on Ebay in 2007. It came from South Carolina. That's when things started to get crazy.

When I earlier asked her over the phone if the the 137,000 was miles or kilometres, she assured me it was kilometres. She was wrong. This was a theme in our negotiations.

Upon discovering the SC origins of the VX, it was determined (to the owners surprise) that yes, in fact, we were talking miles. I remained undeterred.

Next she told me told me she's never had a problem with the truck and besides regular oil changes, she has NEVER HAD TO DO ANYTHING TO IT. To her, this was a selling point. To me it was a red flag. I assumed the timing belt was changed at 75,000 miles before she got her hands on it, but I'm reasonably sure that beyond oil, any other fluids are "original"

Still, I keep going.

She has no license plate so the test drive is around the block. I'm no mechanic so all I know is that the engine started and didn't sound bad. I even looked under the hood, but there could have been a thousand hamsters on a thousand treadmills and I would have thought that was ok.

The VX is built like a tank so I was expecting an "assault vehicle" kind of ride. Was not dissapointed.

I told the owner I would get it inspected before I made her an offer. Strangely enough, my wife talked me out of that. She wanted to jump on this so the next day we said we'd buy it.

Fast forward to the day after that and I show up to give her the money and take ownership and she can't get it started. She keeps telling me there is a problem with the "starter" and she has ordered a new one.

She tells me we just have to boost it. "Problem with the starter?" I think to myself. "Not if we are going to boost it!"

At this point she says, "Let me just get an extension cord so we don't have to push it out of the garage." Extension cord? This should be good.

As she is searching for an extension cord, I casually say "I've never seen a car boosted from a house before. I'm curious to see how this works."

I get a blank stare from her. "Oh my gosh!" she says. "I don't know what I was thinking! I'm a little scatterbrained today because I'm on a new medication."

At that moment, a large neon signs is blinking in my head "RUN!"

I think it's at that moment that I decide "I need to rescue this car!"

I push it out of the garage (not easy - VX is heavier than it looks) and boost it and get out of there.

I've had it for about 5 days now. Had to replace the battery. Had to replace the watch batteries for the fob for the remote starter (that was the starter she said she was having problems with) and I'm on the road!

I LOVE the VX! My wife loves it and so does my 5 year old daughter - at least until she gets older and feels stuffed back there! Not my problem though.

I plan to do a lot to bring it back from its years of neglect - not all at once though.

- new tires
- new brakes and rotors
- alignment
- ABS (light is on and it doesn't work. Assume it's the module)
- new timing belt (that happens at 150,000 I believe)
- rejuvenate the cladding (GatorBlack or PlastiDip)
- remove some rust spots on hood and door
- new hood insert
- debadge (the "VehiCross" on the sides is cracking and scratched)
- new paint
- new stero and speakers (speakers are blown and there is a big hole where the original CD changer used to be)
- reupholster seats (maybe)
- roof basket

I've been scouring the forums and this place is a trove of information. I'm really glad that it's here and there is this community around the VX. It's one of the reasons I bought this car/truck/assault vehicle -whatever you want to call it.

If you've read this far, thanks for sticking around. I know it was a long one.

Glad to be here!

Cheers,
Tony

PS: I'll post some photos as soon as I figure out how to do that. I'm usually good at computer stuff, but I can't figure it out at the moment.

[JoFotoz]

Hiya Tony

Welcome to the addiction :clap:

You'll find the 'search' function very useful ...
...and there is a wealth of knowledge / tips / fix its here that will
help you sort all problems, and save ya $$'s too :thumbup:

If you cant find what youre looking for with 'search'...
..fire away with questions... someone will know the answer !!


:_beer:

Jo

[VX KAT]

Great story Tony! Welcome!

CHECK THE OIL - CHECK THE OIL - CHECK THE OIL!
With that sketchy history, no way to know if it's eating oil or not. It's a very common issue with the VX and it has caused way too many engines to die before their time. It basically "consumes" the oil, so there's no leaking puddle, and often you never will notice any smoke from exhaust. It often gets sucked up thru the PCV valve and vaporized. And the crank case ends up mysteriously low or empty! So carry 1 gallon with you at all times, and check it every day or every other day until you can identify it's pattern. Some find it only loses oil on long highway trips.

Here's a questionnaire a few of us developed, it's very VX specific and might give you a few areas to check on your new assault vehicle!
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showpost.php?p=252124&postcount=24

You've got yourself a vehicle like no other, with a devoted group of followers that carry on the obsession! YAH!!!

Like Jo said, use Search, but if you can't find it, ask away. With it being 15+ yrs old, there's not many issues or questions that haven't already been raised and discussed on this forum!

Welcome again! :thumbup::thumbup:

[tom4bren]

Welcome Tony.

Small world. I'm currently working with some of your Army folks up there in Alberta.

Pix are actually easy to upload. On the home page there is a tab on the upper menu bar called Gallery. Once you click on that & the next page loads, that same button becomes a drop down with one of the selections being to upload photos.

[fotoxelovani]

hiii.....
im davit i have 99 vx ... to georgia tbilisi.....

[Maddawg]

Enjoyed reading Tony, well written! Looking forward to your next post.

[JayDallas]

I just bought mine a week ago. Unfortunately I got to ride the car for a day. Looks like the person before me changed the timing belt but one of the tension pulleys was not well secured and now I got stuck with a car that doesn't run. I will try to get it fix and keep it as long as I can. The UPS guy stopped by this morning and wanted to buy it for $5K, I think I will try to give this baby a good care and wait to see if I can get it ready soon. If you are in Dallas I would like to meet you and learn from your experience. Thanks you guys!

[MSHardeman]

JayDallas, our engines are supposed to be non-interference engines so you shouldn't have damaged anything when the timing belt went. As long as the tension pulley didn't strip out of the block it should be a fairly easy fix. I would have to hunt them down, but there are instructions on getting your timing back if it has been completely lost.

Good luck and let us know if we can help.

[Mile High VX]

This should get you started:

http://vehicross.info/modules.php?name=Content&file=viewarticle&id=37

Welcome to the addiction!

[JayDallas]

Thank you MSHardeman, thank to the manual I was able to get it fix and change a few things while I had it open. I love my VX.

[JayDallas]

You are right Mile High VX I'm definitely getting addicted, not to mention turning heads and people asking "what's that?"

[litlbear]

Hello My name is David and I'm a VX addict. Live in Las Vegas and looking to buy. Any one selling, need help. Appreciate the kindness.

David

[Koldyn]

Hello all new to the site as a user but have been reading it for a few years. I have a 2001 VX that I love. Have had it for almost 15 years now and about time to give it a little work over. Carries three Kayaks for me to and from the water often.... Yep love the outdoors and it gets me where I want to go.

[LiveForGlory]

Saved a very neglected 01 today that ive had my eyes on for about 7 months.

[Vendetta]

Saved a very neglected 01 today that ive had my eyes on for about 7 months.

Good way to join the team. Treat it right and post some pics when you get a chance.

:yesgray:
-V

[captainviv]

hi , just joined the VX club . bought mine from japan . i think it used to belong to member "dutchie. will post some before and after pics soon .....

[JoFotoz]

Awesome....:thumbup:


Saved a very neglected 01 today that ive had my eyes on for about 7 months.

Love to hear about VX's being saved :dance:


Swing down to Moab in May.... lost of us will be there... join the fun !

Jo

[emigo]

Hi everyone!! My name is Serge and I'm a VX addict. I've been visiting vx.info for few years. Owning one in NY and made my mom to buy one JDM in my homecountry Kazakhstan. Unfortunately, 2 days ago I ran into divider so now I'm looking for some help in Brooklyn

[bartmanS4]

Welcome Emigo!
Sorry to hear about your troubles.

[Turtlemn]

Hello everyone. I believe I joined the wrong group. I own an Amigo and was just looking for an Isuzu owners group as I have been having great difficulty locating a hard to find part for my 4 wheeled friend. I do apologize for wasting your time, but if anyone can point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. (I am seeking a tailgate bar for my 1999 Amigo)

[Triathlete]

Turtle...
You may find some answers for your Amigo since several VX owners here also own other Isuzu vehicles including Amigos. However if you have no luck try taking a look over on the planet....http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/

[little-ry]

Hi, folks was waiting two years for the right VX to turn up in the uk. will now be my pet project for the next few years , as well as my daily ride. Think I've got a decent one, but obviously a few things need doing...most obvious thing the speedo is not working which I am told is the cause of the engine check light being on. Have read a few posts about the sensor in the transmission, which I will be changing....for the future is there any mechanics/ garages.. suppliers in the South East of England that any one can recommend....Look forward to hearing from you all Little-ry

[bartmanS4]

Welcome home Little-ry!

[tom4bren]

Hello everyone. I believe I joined the wrong group. I own an Amigo and was just looking for an Isuzu owners group as I have been having great difficulty locating a hard to find part for my 4 wheeled friend. I do apologize for wasting your time, but if anyone can point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. (I am seeking a tailgate bar for my 1999 Amigo)

Hey Turtlemn. I have a 99 Amigo that keeps the VX company in the driveway. This forum is great for non VX'rs too. The Amigo shares a lot with the VX anyway so you'll still find a lot of good stuff here as well as the planet.

I assume you are talking about the arm that holds the door open. I haven't had to try to source one but send me a PM if you'd like for me to look in my area.

[MD FE]

MD FE here,
I am an iron worker (hence the nick name). I just bought my 99 Silver Vehicross a month ago and DAMN!!! After some minor engine repair work (seals), sunroof modification, rear view camera, roof rack with roof top tent, I am planning on taking this awesome vehicle into the Canadian wilderness to find me some bears. Thanks to this website, I have already put about 50 hours of fun/modifications onto my VX and planning on more. Thanks for all your help.

[CatFish]

If you are looking to get out and have some fun with your VX, join us on Moab 5/10/15-5/16/15. Here is the thread http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=26236

[Jclarkwins]

I saw the VX on craigslist and it tugged at me. I traded my 86 vette for it. I can't wait to play with it. Noone here has any idea what it is. People stare as I drive by. Its awesome LOL.

[tom4bren]

I saw the VX on craigslist and it tugged at me. I traded my 86 vette for it. I can't wait to play with it. Noone here has any idea what it is. People stare as I drive by. Its awesome LOL.

Welcome to the family. Believe it or not, you will become more obsessed with our quirky little VX than you were with your Vette.:)

[swanny]

It's good to be part of the team! I am obsessed with this car. I live in Chicago and I passed one parked on the street. That was about five months ago. Every time I passed by that area I was scanning to get another glimpse. This last weekend I happened upon one for sale in Denver. I booked a flight, bought it, and drove it back here (did a little trail driving in the mountains first of course). 2001 silver with 128 on it. Seems to run great so far!

I look forward to learning more about this car and enjoying it as long as I can.

[bartmanS4]

Awesome Swanny! Welcome to the obsession. You should've given us folks here in Denver a heads up and we could've had a impromptu meet up.
Cheers,
Scott

[Mile High VX]

Welcome indeed.

Don't worry about that new lack of money in your wallet...it's going to a good cause...:bwgy::bgwo:

[JoFotoz]

Hi Swanny... I'm STILL obsessed with mine!

Welcome to the addiction...

...be prepared to talk to lots of strangers saying "WTF is that" !!


:_beer:

Jo

[Art-and-Science]

Hello all!

So... the VX has been haunting me for over a decade now.

I had picked up a copy of I.D. magazine about the time I graduated high school and I remember seeing this baddassed vehicle as well as a bunch of other cool product designs inside. This spawned my love of design and ultimately my decision to go to school for industrial design (I.D.)
Through my classes at the Pratt Institute, anytime I was tasked with drawing a car they always ended up looking derivative of the VehiCross.

Fast forward to last year... I'm driving down the street in metro Detroit here and I see a proton yellow VX. I must have tailgated this guy for a mile staring the VX down, until he just up and smoked me off of the light. I actually had to say it out loud (with only myself in the car) that is the coolest F**king car I have ever seen. Being from detroit I assumed that this was someone driving some domestic automakers unreleased next model year or a working concept car, having no idea that this thing was over a decade old.
Also, I am pretty sure that I said the same exact thing at the NAIAS in the late nineties and I am pretty sure I have a bunch of photos of the VX concept lying around in a bin somewhere.

so... I have never loved any car that I have ever owned, barring the great affinity I had for my 96 wrangler. Since then, I have always asserted that "curbs are merely a human construct put in place to control the masses". I had my ORV permit for a few years and beat the living hell out of it. it was great, but it was ugly as sin so I didnt really care.

now, as I have gotten every ounce of worth out of my 05 equinox
(horrible pile of trash)
I went searching for a car that I can actually love.
my requirements: Has to be a workhorse, 4x4 or AWD at least, easily serviced by myself, with ample parts available for replacement, oh..and I have to be able to cart around my infant son(ruling out another wrangler, as laid down by my wife). Looking cool was going to end up a luxury, as all signs pointed to a late (early 2000's) Jeep Cherokee. this was NOT going to be the car that I fall in love with... but it will do.

untill.. my internet searches formally introduced me to the VX.
Thats when I realized that this thing has been my white whale for quite some time now.

I have been nothing but fixated on owning one since. I finally found one for sale close enough, and now, I am about to drive 200 miles to pick up a '99 astral silver with 128 on it and in very good condition. If for some reason this one falls through, I can assure everyone reading this that I will stop at nothing to make one mine (well... i will most likely stop short of theft ^_^).

I may have registered here today, but hopefully I can officially join the community very soon.

I seriously cannot sleep I am so excited!

sorry for the looooong intro.

TLDR: I am a total design nerd inlove with the VX, I am picking up an silver 99 on friday and I am nerding out.

[tom4bren]

Welcome AaS. It sounds like you're going to fit right in with our quirky little group. Just about everyone of us becomes quite obsessed with our VX.

Warning though - most VX owners who use it to haul a car seat around don't like the restricted access to the rear seat. Use the search function on the home page to read up about 'seat sliders'.

[waaaaht]

" ample parts available for replacement" not ample, but still available to find (depending on what part) within this GREAT community.

[CatFish]

AaS Did you get the VX?

[RSWill]

Hey folks, my name is Willie and I'm pretty new to the VX. I've always loved the vehicle however never really got my hands on one. I was out of the country leading up to and during its big debut and time on the roads in the US.

I'm looking at getting one as sort of a project. I joined the FB forum a few days ago as well. Folks on there have been MOST helpful with info regarding VX owners that are looking to part ways with theirs. Hopefully we will pick one up here soon and begin the journey. I'll chat with you guys later.

[Maddawg]

Hahah, lol. Welcome aboard (at last). I hope this one will be a good one for you. You deserve the best.

[JoFotoz]

LMAO... tell us how ya really feel!!

Congrats... welcome to the world of Vehicross obsession :clap:

:_beer:

jo

[cst2099]

Hi everyone. My name is Chris and I bought my VX less than a year ago. It was sitting in a little used car lot that I drove by everyday and I had no idea what it was, but I loved it and new I had to have it.

It's my first 4x4 and it has some work ahead of it. It seems to have been moderately abused in the past so for now I'm focused on making it a sound drivable vehicle. I'm by no means a mechanic so it's cost me quite a bit; the biggest so far being a new tranny.

I'm sure you all will be hearing from me soon and I look forward to the knowledge and experience of everyone here!

Cheers.

[JoFotoz]

Hiya Chris ,,, San Diego here too :thumbup:


Hi everyone. My name is Chris and I bought my VX less than a year ago. It was sitting in a little used car lot that I drove by everyday and I had no idea what it was, but I loved it and new I had to have it.

It's my first 4x4 and it has some work ahead of it. It seems to have been moderately abused in the past so for now I'm focused on making it a sound drivable vehicle. I'm by no means a mechanic so it's cost me quite a bit; the biggest so far being a new tranny.

I'm sure you all will be hearing from me soon and I look forward to the knowledge and experience of everyone here!

Cheers.

Welcome to the VX obsession!!

I live in Pacific Beach.... and know the VX pretty well.
Gimme a shout, swing by... and we can check yours out..and what it needs.

I know a REALLY good tranny shop here in San Diego too.....
.... full rebuild for about $1350.

Shoot me an e-mail.. or PM me here.

Cheers

Jo

[Art-and-Science]

So after quite a marathon on Friday, renting a very crappy crystler 200,
leaving detroit for columbus, picking up my cousin as a second driver,
meeting up with a guy you would all know as Bulldog in columbus ohio,
(absolutely a great guy btw)
and driving back with this rather well mechanically maintained VX through the night,
It is finally in its new home.
it needs a bit of cosmetic work, but thats the easy stuff for me.
things are a tad loose, and it needs an alignment, (scary over 60mph!)
but sounds great, has no leaks, and minimal rust. and came with a great cross section of extras. (a product of buying a vehicle that was someones baby)
I dread whats going to happen to it here in Michigan (so much salt in the winter)

I still cant drive it as I have no plates, and the offices are closed this monday as well,
its killing me...

it hasnt stopped me from ripping apart a few parking lots with 3" of fresh snow however
^_^

Also, Yes...I will MOST DEFINITELY need seat sliders to haul around my little guy

[sorvino123]

Forgive me in advance if I am posting in the wrong area. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I have a beautiful 2001 V cross with low mileage. I live in a waterfront community, and unfortunately might be cross was in the middle of super storm Sandy. I believe all the electronics are fried, the engine cranks over strong, but will not start. I would like to sell the car and I am interested in getting opinions of what it is worth. I would like to let it go for a fair price. I'm sure pictures would be helpful but I am not even sure I am posting in the right place. If someone can please direct me as to what I should do I would greatly appreciate it.

[RedProwler99]

I don't own a VehiCROSS, unfortunately, but I have loved them since they were introduced as a concept car back in the 1990's. They were SO much cooler than anything else out there. Even 20 years or so later, few vehicles in this class have risen to the coolness level of the VehiCROSS. I am thinking about buying one.

[Maddawg]

Go for it! I don't regret having done so.

[cr0sh]

Hello, all. My name is Andrew, aka cr0sh. I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

:tweed:

I fell in love with the VX about 6 months ago; I'm pretty sure my coworkers and friends are sick of me telling them how much I want one - well, they don't have to listen to that any more!

;Db;

Now they'll have to listen about my fixes, complaints, issues, sweat, blood, tears, and money going down the drain!

:thumbup:

Ok - no more smilies. Anyhow, I paid more than KBB for this beast, a 1999 Ebony Black (I think?) VX. 138K on the odometer, but the engine and drive train are solid. I'm the 6 or 7th owner now. It originally started out in Texas, made its way to northern AZ, then down here.

Looking it over, it's got some problems - most small, a couple medium, but nothing too huge (I don't think - I may eat those words).

Wheels aren't stock; it also looks like previous owners did a few minor mods, but nothing too stupid - probably the dumbest was a lead to the back to power a subwoofer - but a fuse was included at the battery post, so that's better than some audio mods of that type, right?

Exhaust seems like it has a lot of rust - that or mud, not sure - but not rusted through. That's gotta be checked out.

I'm taking it in to a shop on Monday for a full check-over, to get an idea and list of what is wrong, what is ok, and what I'm going to have to spend real money on.

Bad things right now: Lack of power to fog (?) lights and the running lights (I have no rear running lights at night - but I do have headlights and brakes). No dashboard lighting at night, either. I don't know when the timing belt was last done, or it's current condition. Same with brakes. I need almost all fluids flushed and re-filled. I've got a minor drip from the overflow plug on the tranny. A new serpentine belt is needed (the current one is ok, but I've like a brand new one, and keep this one as a spare). Front end needs bushings and ball-joint work. I've got a check-engine light (not sure what that is - strangely, the guy I bought it from got it to pass emissions a couple days before - the light only came on after I had paid him and left - of course - lol). I've got the abs light on (and given the cost of sensors - it may stay on!).

That's most of the issues. The body work is beautiful, though, for it's age. A few touch-ups here and there are needed, but nothing terrible. CarFax reports no accidents (and it looks like that is accurate). The underside (frame, body, pans, skid plates, etc) is pretty nice - no major bends, scratches, gouges, etc - it looks like it was rarely taken off-road. The TOD works perfectly, and no noise from the tranny or transfer case.

Anyhow - that's it for now; expect to see me around on occasion, asking questions, etc. I really love this vehicle - it's going to be a project car (something to replace the 79 Bronco I also own - that thing needs to go, it's a money pit). Ultimately, it's going to be my daily driver, once I get the basics taken care of.

See you guy's later!

[VX KAT]

Hello, all. My name is Andrew, aka cr0sh. I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

:tweed:


Hey Cr0sh- welcome to the addiction! I live up near Prescott, but get down to PHX often.
I had my Foxfire for 5 years, but had to sell it a little over a year ago, sold to a guy in
Chandler that had two additonal VXs (both Ebonys)!
I had numerous mods done and reguarly went to the annual Moab Utah get-together for offroading.
Have only seen one Ebony up here my way (which some do call Northern Arizona)....is yours lifted with chrome rims?

I'm still fairly active on the forum and have and know a ton of info about the VX. So if you need info or guided to the info just give me a shout. PM or email is fine.

There's also a VX FaceBook site but it's not really where you go for detailed info....that's all found here!

This site has been around for 15 yrs and has an amazing amount of specific info. Just about any question you can think of, has been asked and answered here....many answered many times over. The VX has many unique quirks and those have all been discussed on this forum, and most have a solution too.

You'll find the search function will be your best friend!
But if you get stumped, you'll find this forum has amazing members and someone is always willing to help. It's like no other forum you've probably ever been on.

Welcome again!

[siemprelisto]

Welcome cr0sh,

As Kat said "Welcome to the Addiction"

She is, as always, right on point in everything she said. You can find any and all answers right here on the forum. If it's not been documented here then the members will most definitely help you till your answer is found.

VX Kat is one of the most giving members on the forum. She posses an overwhelming knowledge of All Things VX and loves to share.

Congratulations and Welcome!!!

[VX KAT]

:mbrasd:
Thanks Woofer! You're so kind!

[Morningwood]

Hello all, my name is Brian and I am a new VX owner. I have many plans and deep pockets for my project VX. I look forward to being part of this community.

[circmand]

Hello all, my name is Brian and I am a new VX owner. I have many plans and deep pockets for my project VX. I look forward to being part of this community.

Do not worry the VX will be a fun project and depending on your dream be quite willing to empty those pockets (LOL) Remember to use this board to search for ideas, solutions and any needed items. The people on here are always happy to help and can be knowledgable and helpful if not a bit weird.

[prolost]

Hi everyone! My name is Stu, I'm a filmmaker, photographer, and writer. I saw my first VehiCross in Tokyo, and then was lucky enough to buy a "used" one from the Mercedes dealership San Rafael, CA in 1999�it had just 1,000 miles on it! I don't think the guys at the dealership had any idea that there was a waiting list at the Isuzu dealership up the road to pay $10K over sticker for a new one.

My silver VehiCross is in LA now and has been more ravaged by sun and neglect than off-highway roughhousing unfortunately, so soon it will be time for me to sell it to someone who can treat it right. I'll be sorry to say goodbye, but delighted at the idea that someone could breath new life into a car I've enjoyed now for 15 years.


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/040718-DSC_0842-.jpg

[circmand]

I don't think the guys at the dealership had any idea that there was a waiting list at the Isuzu dealership up the road to pay $10K over sticker for a new one.



http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/040718-DSC_0842-.jpg

When I bought mine NEW in 2002 I found 60 new ones for sale across the country for $10,000 under sticker.

[prolost]

I remember that happening too. I guess when it comes to marketing, nothing beats the anticipation of something you can't have!

[Chilli]

Hi there everyone....
My names chilli, I'm 31 and i live in London... A friend of mine told me about the Isuzu VX he bought only a few months ago, in fact he had bought two... One was a downer car for the other... "Never heard of it" I said... He showed me a few pics and a brief memory of this car came to me and at that moment something happened lol... I became hooked.... Since then I've been hunting high and low for one in England... Wasn't easy but the good news is i have jus come across a 1998 green VX completely standard (stock) with only 66,000 miles... Of course I'm excited...
Hopefully sometime next week ill be a proud owner of a VX...

I have plans to have fun and do it up a bit to... Starting with wheels/tyres. But of course the cars suspension has to be set up right to accommodate...
I'm not a mechanic or engineer of some kind. I'm jus a guy who loves boys toys so will be needing all the advice and help there is out there on offer..

Thanks for reading

Chilli

[siemprelisto]

Welcome Chilli!!!

You've come to the right place, matter of fact, you will never need to go anywhere else to obtain info on your new VX.

Good Luck and Best Regards...

[bartmanS4]

Welcome to the obsession Chilli! I hope you get your Dragon.
Scott

[Chilli]

Thanks guys really appreciate it... I can't wait to get started... I hope all goes well and I get her... I feel like she's mine already though lol.. My little dragon... Has a ring to it, don't you think?:bwgy:

[djmdma02]

Well, I have offically sold ZEUS... Thanks again to everyone here and all the help that they have given me. In the last four years, this has been the most uncritical and helpful communities ever. I really appreciate everything and hope that justatwinturbo will take good care of her.

[6VE1]

I am new! My name is Brian and I just bought a VehiCROSS from one of your fellow forumgoers. I am very excited about the next chapter in my lifetime loft/hate relationship with the automobile. Off to a good start with the VX, very happy with it.

http://imgur.com/C3YzcfU

http://imgur.com/1AubgS1

[JoFotoz]

Welcome to the Addiction.....


I am new! My name is Brian and I just bought a VehiCROSS from one of your fellow forumgoers. I am very excited about the next chapter in my lifetime loft/hate relationship with the automobile. Off to a good start with the VX, very happy with it.

:thumbup: :_steering

Jo

[TexasVX2015]

Hello all, I'm Bob from Tomball Tx (Houston area ). I purchased my 00 Foxfire a couple of months ago from a gent in St Paul Mn. It was all original and had 89k miles.
My modifications since purchase are:
Cranked up torsion bars and installed 3" coil spacers.
Clarion flip screen radio
Planet Audio amp with Polk 10" subwoofer.
Roof rack
24" roof LED light bar
9" front bumper LED light bar
Home made rear bumper, nerf bars and N-Fab style front guard
MB TKO 18" wheels w/pathfinder 275/65/18
Hydro dipped hood insert.
I hope to begin some engine mods to increase HP in the near future.

It's an obsession(fever) and this forum is my cowbell. :bgwohttp://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/image161.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25517)http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/IMG_20150303_111603.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25521)http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/image164.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25520)http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/image163.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25519)http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/image168.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25540)

[VXorado]

Welcome TexasVX! :_beer:

I like the rear bumper guard you fabbed up. I was ogling the pics a while back on FB.

[ryanbscott150]

Hi! Bought my vx in may of 2014 right after getting home from graduating from basic training at Fort Benning. Found my gem at a tiny car dealership in my small town and jumped at the opportunity. It is a silver 1999. One of the more common colors for the year but it runs great with about only 11300 miles.

[Cobrajet]

Hi! Bought my vx in may of 2014 right after getting home from graduating from basic training at Fort Benning. Found my gem at a tiny car dealership in my small town and jumped at the opportunity. It is a silver 1999. One of the more common colors for the year but it runs great with about only 11300 miles.

Is that a misprint, or does it actually have only 11 thousand miles?

[TEXAGGIE-VX-01]

ryanbscott150 ONLY 11,300 MILES?!!! HOLY #?*!

[T.Hubz]

Howdy folks,

New owner of a 99 Astral VX! I got into Isuzu's about 6 years ago when I wanted an economical truck and found the '81 P'up. Then somehow I found an '82 Chevette with an Isuzu Diesel in it. I love those gutless engines, still running 34 years strong. But lately I wanted something with 4x4.... so I'm cruising craigslist, thinking of getting a first gen 4runner when I spot a VX listed....

No way. I thought these were just myth. Legend. Maybe I'm still dreaming and will wake in the morning to find it gone (knock on wood) or that the space time continuum fabric has ripped and a wormhole exists in it's place to who knows where. But for now there it is in my drive in all it's plastic and leather glory.

Not sure if I can upload a pic so I'll just link to it:
http://i.imgur.com/UqPLn2r.jpg

Cheers,
Tony

[tom4bren]

Grats on the purchase Tony & welcome to the obsession.

The VX was my first Isuzu ... now we gots 3. So, I can relate to your ZU proclivities.:)

[Exarach]

:yeso:

Hi there,
Currently in a bit of a dilemma. A Proton VX has turned my head from full front driving forward, to completely neck craning reverse...... and now it is at the local dealership!

I love this car, it is amazing, and 1 of the first things on a used lot I would actually drive.

However! I currently own the worlds best Geo Tracker 4x4, and would have to get rid of it for the VX.

I have been reading up on tips for buying, however, can anyone offer a word on rust? Car is from Minnesota.

Anyone have a ballpark or past figures for buying a 2000 Vx Proton Yellow, with only 62000 miles?

Anyone in Az want to let me test drive haha?

**One of the best selling points is the huge following!

[Mile High VX]

Is it the one with all the gauges inside?

[VX KAT]

Hi ex!
I'm up the way near Prescott. I've been planning on coming down to PHX to check out this Proton myself. Not to buy, just to take pics and post here for anybody interested. I may come down Sunday. I'd be happy to meet up with you to check it out.
(Yeah, I know it's weird that I'm a girl, AND I no longer have a VX, but I do know a ton of stuff about these trucks...as you've probably read...it's an obsession.....even after you sell it!!)

One thing I'd check out is how badly the dash and A-pillar are mutilated for the install of all those gauges. I'd use that to negotiate WAY down to get rid of all that stuff and replace dash and A-pillar. There's several folks here parting out a VX, and may well have both those parts, if not, it would be easy to get in a salvage yard witha VX. We know of a few around the country. First would check with JoFotoz (Jo), he may have them.


There's a few easy to check tell tale rust places:
1) Front bumper reinforcement bar - can see it thru front fenders,it's tubular and sits immediately behind the front cladding. Many have had it rust off completely and disintegrate.
This thread has good pics and details:
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=23281&highlight=front+bumper+reinforcement

2) Inside the engine bay, check the various components for rust. We always look to see how rusty the front screws are that attach the front grill to the front radiator area. It's not a super definitive indicator, but we have seen some with zero rusted bolt heads.

3) Oddly, the rear license plate light assembly has often completely rusted out on rust-belt VXs.

[Exarach]

Is it the one with all the gauges inside?

Yes 100%, like four clocks and a compass.....

That all would be coming out...

Any advice on that one?



Hi ex!
I'm up the way near Prescott. I've been planning on coming down to PHX to check out this Proton myself. Not to buy, just to take pics and post here for anybody interested. I may come down Sunday. I'd be happy to meet up with you to check it out.
(Yeah, I know it's weird that I'm a girl, AND I no longer have a VX, but I do know a ton of stuff about these trucks...as you've probably read...it's an obsession.....even after you sell it!!)

One thing I'd check out is how badly the dash and A-pillar are mutilated for the install of all those gauges. I'd use that to negotiate WAY down to get rid of all that stuff and replace dash and A-pillar. There's several folks here parting out a VX, and may well have both those parts, if not, it would be easy to get in a salvage yard witha VX. We know of a few around the country. First would check with JoFotoz (Jo), he may have them.


There's a few easy to check tell tale rust places:
1) Front bumper reinforcement bar - can see it thru front fenders,it's tubular and sits immediately behind the front cladding. Many have had it rust off completely and disintegrate.
This thread has good pics and details:
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=23281&highlight=front+bumper+reinforcement

2) Inside the engine bay, check the various components for rust. We always look to see how rusty the front screws are that attach the front grill to the front radiator area. It's not a super definitive indicator, but we have seen some with zero rusted bolt heads.

3) Oddly, the rear license plate light assembly has often completely rusted out on rust-belt VXs.




Hi! Good to meet you! I would be more then down as I will be in the area tomorrow morning! Might even buy haha. The good news (or bad) is that they look like autozone stick-on gauges....which is good because the pillar is solid, and bad, because quite a few things in it are....odd, and look to be autozone "custom" accessories. The lift kit scares me, because if the Previous owner was willing to put $5 stick on junk in the car...... is the lift kit.....ok? :)

Also very odd - There is some severe Corrosion on the bolts in the trunk, and the drivers side seat bolts... underside looked OK, but...how do you get water in the trunk and seat?

The front also sports some cheap light add-on's that have wires visible going in the front, also terrifying.

Im generally good with cars, and would be more than happy to meet up tomorrow and check it out. I used to do similar things with Trackers/metros and C3 vettes for forum guys.

I am leaning heavily towards buying this vehicle, however, for the asking price, I would love for it to be vetted by a pro, as my first look through was a even split between buy and run.

[VX KAT]

let's switch over to email or PM so we don't pollute this thread any more. My email is in my profile. Prefer email...easier to do pics.

[KevinM]

Hi Folks......I'm in the early stages of looking for a VX.....found this site during my research phase....I come from a vintage 4x4 collector backround and have been involved with early Dodge Power Wagons and currently with 1st gen Toyota 4x4 Trucks (79-83)....my latest fascination is the VX....saw one a couple of years ago at a stop light and it blew me away at the time....never forgot about it and has been in the back of my mind ever since....lately I started seriously thinking about looking for a clean low mile example (isn't everyone!..haha)....I believe, as many of you do I'm sure, nice examples are bound to be future collectibles...so here I am,on the hunt. Would like to find a 2000 or 01 Proton, preferably low mile, one or two owner, always garaged, rust free....in a nutshell the best example I can find so if anybody knows of one please let me know thru a PM.....Thanks!...Kevin

[bartmanS4]

Welcome Kevin and good luck in your search.
Scott

[JagsVX]

Hello all...Been snooping around here for a couple of months now, just got my first VX in December. Always thought the look was timeless; people ask if its new still lol. Still looking for parts no longer made by Isuzu but I think it is my favorite toy so far! Will be talking to you all soon thanks for the great forums.

[bartmanS4]

Welcome to the obsession Jags!

[Ironman1]

Hello fellow VXers

The first time I ever laid eyes on a VX was in 2000 I was coming home from a trip an it was sitting on a car lot. It was love at first sight. I immediately turned around to go look at it. At the time financially it wasn't going to happen so I waited. I finally bought my first one in 2006, it was Ebony black. I loved that VX but lost her the following year in a bitter divorce. -.-
Again I had to wait patient. I started my search for my new VX about a year ago. I was not going to settle she had to be everything I wanted. Well, two days ago I bought her. I am a very proud owner of a 2001 Ironman with 111,000 miles on her. The feeling I get being behind the wheel indescribable. And now two days later I've become a member of this site to hang out with the rest of the people that understand my obession. :)

[levispencer93]

Bought my first VX two days ago... a 99 Ironman White Exterior. Never worked on any cars before yesterday but got on the forum here and already have removed the prop shaft in the front and accessed the CVs to reseat some loose boots.

Have my VX running in RWD due to some rumbling and jumping during super tight turns in 4WD - I have a spare transfer case but found a video of an Explorer doing the same thing and they said it was an electric shift motor?

Anyways, my name is Levi, I'm in North Texas and will probably be looking for lots of advice and how-to's as I plan on doing as much as I can to keep my VX going for a long time!

[ironmikevx]

Hello everyone!!! Thanks so much for making this site, I couldn't be more happy to join this awesome group of people. Yesterday (May 9th), I got my 2001 VX Ironman with 156k miles on it and I couldn't be happier. I knew I couldn't pass up on something so unique. This is gonna be so awesome, I love my VX already.

[adk46]

Hello! The story: My wife and I went to a Porsche meeting, and a woman sits down across from us. Randomly, I ask about her daily driver, and she says "Vehicross." I say "A what?" Then her husband arrives, and it turns out he has one, too. You know him as blacksambo.

They were both very persuasive about the VX, and we've been casually looking for one ever since. We live in Adirondack Mountains in upstate NY, among some old logging roads and a bit of snow now and then. We're lacking any sort of SUV at the moment. We like special cars.

One of them is a 1987 Porsche 928 which has forced me to improve my mechanical skills, so I'm not afraid of an old vehicle. We could go for a real nice VX or - knowing what our environment might do to a nice one - get one that's not so pretty, with deferred maintenance.

Gosh, I thought a Porsche 928 was unusual, but they sold over 60,000 of them. I think we're going to need some help.

We happen to be traveling to Virginia this week, and I just found one near Norfolk. I'll do a separate post to inquire about it.

[carolyn cook]

Hey! I own a dodge ram 1500 that is my "Baby". I do a ton of highway driving resulting in some normal wear and tear of the usual rock chips and large amounts of km's being added...so we decided to use it as a "sunday" vehicle and find a second one.My Husband and I were out one day cruising through Edmonton and pulled up next to a VX. I was in instant love. He found a broker through kijiji and we ended up importing our VX from China. It was a long wait!! We have had it for about two weeks. It is a ton of fun to drive! Had to laugh..my husband was "I'll have to teach you to drive a right hand vehicle"..he was consistently hitting the windshield wipers when signaling, I on the other had got use to it very quickly. :) Looking forward to chatting with other VX owners!!

[PatrickOsmond]

I'm 21 and in the Navy. Got my VX in October as my first car from a guy in Williamsburg, VA. Wanted a Wrangler, but couldn't find any good deals online. Saw an Ironman VX and decided it looked cool and got it for 7k. Has about 88k miles so far. Eats money like cotton candy, and the TOD isn't working, but I still love it

[Micahs97vx]

Hello!

This past Saturday I made a long term dream into a reality. I picked up a JDM vehicross and drove it home. It is a 1998 with about 125k km or 80k miles. Two-tone silver with light blue cladding. Not sure if this falls under the normal silver, or one of the dozen other colors listed on Wikipedia. Either way, I love the ride.

I will be driving it around England while I'm stationed here.

[HuzpazA]

Hey everyone, dunno what all to say..
I live in Ohio and I've put 1/2 down on a VX thats in Chicago, going out there today to pay the rest and pick it up. ever since i first saw one in 2000 ive wanted to own one, now that day has come.

http://www.5starsautochicago.com/1999_Isuzu_VehiCROSS_Chicago_IL_254046976.veh

ive had alot of second thoughts.. priced at $3500 its a good deal, but why so low? i certainly hope im not going to be disappointed. the carfax shows it had a reported accident in 2001 while it was still under 40k miles and since then its had about 85k miles put on it so im guessing its alright. :confused: would there be a way to get in touch with the previous 2 owners?

[Frankenstein]

Looks good! I'm glad to see another one coming to my area. Welcome to the addiction.

[tom4bren]

...would there be a way to get in touch with the previous 2 owners?

Welcome to the addiction.

Use the advanced search function on the home page. You can enter the last 4 digits of the VIN to see if any of the previous owners were a member.

From there, you may be able to send them an email from their profile.

[simonsayz1]

Huzpaza,
Just make sure you check the usual VX things before you drive off. I bought mine for a "good" price from a Chevy dealer in TN that went over it with a "fine tooth" comb. I've been dumping $$ into it ever since, loving every minute of it (except the $$ part of it). Gives me and my 9yr old son time together. Good luck. I live in Illinois if you need something.

[Jeepsfun]

Is $1700 to much to pay for the ironman I bought ?

[JoFotoz]

Well..that depends...



Is $1700 to much to pay for the ironman I bought ?

Without any details its tough to say.
Certainly, even a really junky VX can / may be worth that in spares alone.

Post up some details and pics ... :thumbup:

Welcome to the VX obsession :_steering

:_beer:

Jo

[JesseB]

Hey guys, I have been researching a little bit for a nice little winter vehicle (I live in OH) and I stumbled across the VX! I had never even heard of it before. Im still doing some research and came across this forum. I have a few questions for anyone that would be willing to answer some of them, mainly about if the vehicle is expensive to work on, is it reliable in high mileage...etc. Just want to make sure it will last me a good while if I take care of it. Also wondering the best places to look for one (autotrader, on here...etc) and if there is a certain year that had the most "fixes" for common problems, etc...just basic info and wanting to learn more about this interesting vehicle! Nice to see this forum still alive!

[Mile High VX]

Good luck with your search.

Use the search function at the top and you'll have hours of reading enjoyment...:smilewink:bgwb::bgwo:

[duhgbert]

Hey all,

My name is Doug, and as you can see from my signature I acquired VX #1032 from Ryan earlier this year. I'm glad the site & forums are back up, because I am excited to get more involved in the VX community. I've wanted a VX since they were new, but could only afford an Amigo back then (which is also a fun ride).

I am loving my VX and the setup Ryan put together. It's been a suburban trekker so far, but I intend to change that as soon as I get the timing belt updated and it cools off in Texas a bit. I am loving it as a polar opposite to my other car, a 2013 Corvette Grand Sport. Different tools for different, fun jobs!

I would love to join any Dallas/North Texas or even farther away gatherings and events. I lurk around the Dallas Cars & Coffee and intend to mount the GoPro next time to capture the stares I get as I drive by the burnout gallery. Surely I am looking forward to the 2016 Moab Zu Zoo.

I am the proud new owner of a travel agency as a new career, and I'm working on some ideas to offer to the VX community. I look forward to meeting everyone and being a part of the VX world!

[bartmanS4]

Welcome to the obsession Doug!

[CatFish]

Welcome, enjoy :)

[sporg]

Let's see, I bought my first VX a month or so ago. At the time there wasn't a ton available online and I found one in VA. Made an offer over the phone and had it shipped to KS. So now I'm the proud owner of a 2000 Ebony with around 114k. So far I've put new rubber on it, just put in a new stereo system (blowing fuses, so will take care of that in the morning), and replaced the driver's side window clip with that custom setup from street boutiques. My hood insert is cracked and grumpy, so I tried dipping it. It was my first time dipping and didn't turn out that good, but at least it's protected for now. I've also started scrubbing down the cladding and reconditioning it. I may end up taking it off and getting some Linex put on (we'll see), but next up is to tint the windows. Oh, and if anyone knows the freaking thread size for the license plate screws I would appreciate that bit of info. :)

I tried registering before but it was right when the site went down. I had been researching and researching and pouring over the forums here. Then I ordered the vehicle and everything went kaput. :) Good times, and glad it's back up. Been following the community on FB and really enjoy what I see.

[duhgbert]

Hey Levi! We should meet up at Cars & Coffee or something and keep in touch re: any North Texas VX events. I live by the Ballpark in Frisco...my VX is tough to miss! (aren't they all, though? :) )

-Doug

[Serhiy]

Hi All,
just wanted to say to everyone. I'm 15 years late to join the VX owners 'club', but better late then never :)
This weekend my VX dream finally came true. I bough gorgeous 1999 black Vehicross with 51k miles in Fremont California.
Previous owner did a great job maintaining the car. it is in great condition, but it does have some rust underneath. It looks like my first project is going to be replacing the front bumper.

P.S Glad to see this forum is back online. i've been checking it out in the past years, but it went silent for sometime right before I bought the car.

[Serhiy]

Hi All,
just wanted to say to everyone. I'm 15 years late to join the VX owners 'club', but better late then never :)
This weekend my VX dream finally came true. I bough gorgeous 1999 black Vehicross with 51k miles in Fremont California.
Previous owner did a great job maintaining the car. it is in great condition, but it does have some rust underneath. It looks like my first project is going to be replacing the front bumper.

P.S Glad to see this forum is back online. i've been checking it out in the past years, but it went silent for sometime right before I bought the car.

[Willievee]

Hey All,
I'm a new Vehicross owner as well. Just picked up an Ironman edition in Charlotte, NC. It needs a bit of work, but I'm excited to clean it up and take it on some trails in my new home (Nashville). BTW, if anyone sees a nice hood for sale (any color is fine), please let me know!
Thanks!
Will

[Fade]

I know the feeling just as i needed manuals and advice it all went quite, The Facebook page was an awesome help over the time the website was down.

[ipd]

Let's see, I bought my first VX a month or so ago. At the time there wasn't a ton available online and I found one in VA. Made an offer over the phone and had it shipped to KS. So now I'm the proud owner of a 2000 Ebony with around 114k. So far I've put new rubber on it, just put in a new stereo system (blowing fuses, so will take care of that in the morning), and replaced the driver's side window clip with that custom setup from street boutiques. My hood insert is cracked and grumpy, so I tried dipping it. It was my first time dipping and didn't turn out that good, but at least it's protected for now. I've also started scrubbing down the cladding and reconditioning it. I may end up taking it off and getting some Linex put on (we'll see), but next up is to tint the windows. Oh, and if anyone knows the freaking thread size for the license plate screws I would appreciate that bit of info. :)

I tried registering before but it was right when the site went down. I had been researching and researching and pouring over the forums here. Then I ordered the vehicle and everything went kaput. :) Good times, and glad it's back up. Been following the community on FB and really enjoy what I see.

Was that you that sniped the one at WindRider auto out from under me. :)

[ipd]

Let's see, I bought my first VX a month or so ago. At the time there wasn't a ton available online and I found one in VA. Made an offer over the phone and had it shipped to KS. So now I'm the proud owner of a 2000 Ebony with around 114k. So far I've put new rubber on it, just put in a new stereo system (blowing fuses, so will take care of that in the morning), and replaced the driver's side window clip with that custom setup from street boutiques. My hood insert is cracked and grumpy, so I tried dipping it. It was my first time dipping and didn't turn out that good, but at least it's protected for now. I've also started scrubbing down the cladding and reconditioning it. I may end up taking it off and getting some Linex put on (we'll see), but next up is to tint the windows. Oh, and if anyone knows the freaking thread size for the license plate screws I would appreciate that bit of info. :)

I tried registering before but it was right when the site went down. I had been researching and researching and pouring over the forums here. Then I ordered the vehicle and everything went kaput. :) Good times, and glad it's back up. Been following the community on FB and really enjoy what I see.

Was that you that sniped the one at WindRider auto out from under me. :)

[sporg]

Sniped!?! When I called they said someone else had been interested, so I assumed they were trying to get me to up the amount. I was watching three nationally on a short list and that one fell in place. I think the other two were in Indiana or Illinois and those dealers didn't seem interested in talking. Anyway, so yeah, I guess that was me :)

[ipd]

Only if it was WindRider. I had the guy on the phone, and had called my insurance company to add it to my coverage--before I sent funds for payment. Called back & they said they'd just taken a deposit on it from someone else. FML.

STILL can't find one worth a damn...where the seller isn't trying to make a mint off me.

[sporg]

Yeah, that's the place. I had been digging up stuff on that one for a couple of weeks and just happened to pull the trigger that day. What price did you guys agree upon? I ended up giving 5k for it.

[ipd]

Yeah, I had them at 5k too. But I guess that's what I get for not immediately slamming a deposit down...and instead trying to CYA by making sure I had insurance on it first. :|

Hardest part about shopping is trying to find one that isn't beat to piss, rusted to ****, or where the owner is charging a MINT. There's one I REALLY like in Florida, but I can't bring myself to shell out THAT much above KBB MSRP for it. Seems like time is what it really takes to find something. Curse Isuzu for not selling these for more years.

[TenPercenter]

I have wanted a VX for many many years. I am probably within two years of splurging for one as a second vehicle. (Actually in talks with a local guy to take a trade of our 2002 Montero for his 1999 Ironman, but he's revealing too many things that need to be fixed...)

[ipd]

Pajero's Montero's are good for one thing: 6G74 engine swaps into a GTO. :)

[CatFish]

I have wanted a VX for many many years. I am probably within two years of splurging for one as a second vehicle. (Actually in talks with a local guy to take a trade of our 2002 Montero for his 1999 Ironman, but he's revealing too many things that need to be fixed...)

This might help, and VXs are pretty old now so most are going to need stuff fixed now and in the near future. I bought one with 47K and it still needed stuff fixed.
http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/18106-COMPREHENSIVE-VX-QUESTIONNAIRE-CHECKLIST-FOR-BUYERS-OR-SELLERS

[My 99]

Hello there: My name is Belle and my son gave me a 1999 Ironman for my birthday last year. I love it. I find that driving it is not only really fun, but also so very comfortable as well. I cannot get over how comfortable it is. It amazes me each time I get in. I am the only one who owns a VX in my community and am always getting looks and questions about it. On top of everything else, the engine purrs perfectly. I cannot thank my son Don enough for giving his momma such an awesome gift!

[Y33TREKker]

Hello there: My name is Belle and my son gave me a 1999 Ironman for my birthday last year. I love it. I find that driving it is not only really fun, but also so very comfortable as well. I cannot get over how comfortable it is. It amazes me each time I get in. I am the only one who owns a VX in my community and am always getting looks and questions about it. On top of everything else, the engine purrs perfectly. I cannot thank my son Don enough for giving his momma such an awesome gift!
Welcome Belle.

Have you had a chance to see how the VX handles snow yet? With a decent set of tires these things almost can't be stopped. Kudos to your son for having such great taste in vehicles and his generosity, and to you for acknowledging both.

Hope your VX provides you with many more enjoyable and trouble free miles.

[My 99]

Thank you, and have not had it in snow. We sit a few hundred feet below sea level. I think I would like the snow as I prefer the sliding of off road more than the rocks. We are just across the highway from some awesome desert off road and Don had put more than enough rubber on it for all off road conditions. I've had it out a few times, but I prefer just to drive down the street and let everyone stare. lol

[MadE247]

Hello my name is Nahom and I recently purchased a 1999 vehicross. Im 21 now but was 6 when I watched the vehicross commercials in aw and played with my little hot wheel vehicross toy. So while looking for car to replace my civic someone wrecked I stumbled upon one for sale on craigslist that I couldn't resist. (Had to drive it 200 miles to get it home and it even came with an unopened Hot Wheel Vehicross toy!) I am a student at JMU studying engineering now so I figured having a car I love that needs work will motivate me to learn more about cars. I also couldn't ignore life giving me an opportunity to make one of my childhood dreams happen. This is probably the most impractical vehicle for me to buy with being a full time student and how much tuition is but my vehicross can give out on me in one year and I still wouldn't regret purchasing it. I hope to give it the attention it needs to get it to run perfect as I love driving it. Thank you for the abundant information, this community is awesome.

In my college town that is crawling with Wranglers, the Vehicross reigns supreme!

[CatFish]

Welcome, Lots of good people and info here on the forum, I hope your new VX gives you many years of fun and enjoyment.

[VX KAT]

Welcome to our vx community. Glad to hear you love your VX so much already! They sure are a conversation starter!
And like Catfish said, lots of good people here always willing to help.
One tip, very important, check the oil level dipstick at EVERY GAS FILL UP, until you determine if, and how much it consumes. There's a pretty high probability your engine will consume some oil, some see go rather rapidly, others much slower. But you need to become familiar with your engine's pattern. Carry several quarts of oil with you. You may use a quart per 1000 miles or more.

[Y33TREKker]

One tip, very important, check the oil level dipstick at EVERY GAS FILL UP, until you determine if, and how much it consumes. There's a pretty high probability your engine will consume some oil, some see go rather rapidly, others much slower. But you need to become familiar with your engine's pattern. Carry several quarts of oil with you. You may use a quart per 1000 miles or more.
I would only modify that routine by saying that when checking the oil, wait for 30 minutes or so before checking the oil after turning off the engine.

If you check the oil when you're at the gas pump, it will be questionable whether enough time has elapsed to allow oil in the engine to drain back to the pan for an accurate reading on the dipstick.

If not enough time has elapsed, a possible false low reading could occur making you add oil when none is necessary, and running an engine with too much oil can sometimes be just as bad for an engine as running with not enough.

Congrats on fulfilling your VX dream Nahom! Hope it brings you many years of enjoyment. [cheers]

[Y33TREKker]

One tip, very important, check the oil level dipstick at EVERY GAS FILL UP, until you determine if, and how much it consumes. There's a pretty high probability your engine will consume some oil, some see go rather rapidly, others much slower. But you need to become familiar with your engine's pattern. Carry several quarts of oil with you. You may use a quart per 1000 miles or more.
I would only modify that routine by saying that when checking the oil, wait as long as you can (10-15 minutes if possible) before checking the oil after turning off the engine.

If you check the oil when you're at the gas pump, it will be questionable whether enough time has elapsed to allow oil in the engine to drain back to the pan for an accurate reading on the dipstick.

If not enough time has elapsed, a possible false low reading could occur making you add oil when none is necessary, and running an engine with too much oil can sometimes be just as bad for an engine as running with not enough.

Congrats on fulfilling your VX dream Nahom! Hope it brings you many years of enjoyment.

[XRAYJCL]

Hey there everybody. John here. I'm the new owner of a 00 Proton. I have never in my life seen one in person but only lusted at them on line. Always wanted one but I never figured that I would ever have the chance. I had settled for a 94 Amigo that I loved. A couple of months ago, a fellow member on the FB page posted it for sale,... I called the bank, ... The rest is history. Love it so far. This is going to be a fun relationship.

[Malibu_Robert]

Hello everyone. I have been lurking in the shadows for a while now. I figure it is about time that I stand up and be counted! My name is Robert. I live in Southern California in the Los Angeles area. I have a 99 silver Vehicross that I've mostly kept in the garage until I take it on an outing every once in awhile. One of the places I have gone off-road quite a bit is the Anza Borrego Desert. I love driving in the sand washes there. My truck had 32000 miles on it when I bought it and it has about 50000 miles now. It is pretty much stock but it is in good shape. I really like some of the modifications many of you have done. I've been thinking, if I can get the time off, it would be great to go to Moab. Then I can meet some of you and see your trucks. The Vehicross.info forum is a great group. Folks here are really helpful. It has been a long time since I've seen another Vehicross around here in Southern California. I am beginning to think there aren't many left. Surprisingly, on occasion I will run into someone who actually knows what it is. I really love my truck! :yesy:

[JoFotoz]

Hiya Malibu_Robert

Another So Cal VX here...down in San Diego...gimme a holler if youre down this way :)

There are several VX owners in and around LA :- Rickshaw / Baldwin / Anita..etc.

Moab is a GREAT trip...I do it every year ..about 800 miles to get there.
You'll meet a great group..see loads of VX's ..from stock..to highly modified.

Check out the Moab 2016 thread for details of hotel etc.

I recommend it !

Cheers

Jo

[ipd]

Moab is the only miles Jo puts on his VX. :p

[JoFotoz]

LOL...almost!


Moab is the only miles Jo puts on his VX. :p

Put 3326 total on her last year ... of which about 1800 is Moab and back plus trails etc :)

Jo

[Malibu_Robert]

Hi Joe!

Thanks for writing and making me feel welcome here in the forum.

Hey it its great news to hear that there are several other VXers nearby! :)

Next time I am down your way, I will definitely give you a holler (and bring my VX)!

Thanks for the tip regarding Moab. I'll check out the 2016 thread.

I like your VX. It looks awesome! :thumbup:

Thanks,

Robert

[bluefire31]

ok, so i did this already but evidently hit the blog this post button instead reply to thread. lol. so hopefully this goes in the right place as i am new to forums and slowly learning.

Finally finally got a VX cruiser, only 88000 miles, lifted, new tires, new magnaflow dual in dual out, new secret weapon cold air intake, and all for only $8300. The best thing about is i was about to travel to new york to pick one up, but my last search attempt found this one in the town i live. Amazing find. More good new, my neighbor bought a 2001 isuzu trooper with only 140,000 miles from a police auction in Oklahoma. Its been sitting in his driveway for 6 months and now he is selling it to me for only $1000 and it drives like a dream. This all has made for a great start to the new year as i couldn't be happier. On another note, i need spare tire panel knobs, and found a forum saying to ping JASON621 to place an order for the knobs. HOW DO I PING??? Also i have already been told by another member that JASON621 is MIA.

[Malibu_Robert]

LOL...almost!


Moab is the only miles Jo puts on his VX. :p

Put 3326 total on her last year ... of which about 1800 is Moab and back plus trails etc :)

Jo

At that rate, Joe, your VX should last a long time - at least 20 more years or so!!!!

Hey have you gone off-road in the Anza Borrego desert? It is almost in your back yard. I made 4 or 5 trips out there with some friends who have Jeeps.

[CatFish]

Hey there everybody. John here. I'm the new owner of a 00 Proton. I have never in my life seen one in person but only lusted at them on line. Always wanted one but I never figured that I would ever have the chance. I had settled for a 94 Amigo that I loved. A couple of months ago, a fellow member on the FB page posted it for sale,... I called the bank, ... The rest is history. Love it so far. This is going to be a fun relationship.

Welcome to the mad mad world of VX.

[CatFish]

Welcome, and it is true JASON621 is MIA so I don't think you can get any knobs from him.

[Malibu_Robert]

Hey, JoFotoz and ipd, I did a reply with quote and instead of posting it went to the "review by moderator" queue. Why is that? :confused:

[JoFotoz]

Yea...I reckon she's a keeper for ever !


[QUOTE=JoFotoz;309092]
At that rate, Joe, your VX should last a long time - at least 20 more years or so!!!!

Hey have you gone off-road in the Anza Borrego desert? It is almost in your back yard. I made 4 or 5 trips out there with some friends who have Jeeps.

I havent done much desert stuff, mostly rock... but , I've been meaning to get out to Truck Haven .
If you all have room for one more, give me a shout next time youre going..I'd love to join in :)

Cheers

Jo

[CaliVX]

x

[CaliVX]

x

[Maleko175]

aloha
New to the forum and to VX ownership. Back in 1999 I was working on the pier in Honolulu inspecting cars for transportation damage due to shipping from Japan to Honolulu. When in one shipment there this unreal truck/suv/??. It was a white Vehicross. I sat in it and thought about how cool to have a Vehicross would be. Then 16 years later on Craigslist was the very same Vehicross. ( I want to believe since so few were in Hawaii) I bought it and have become a devout VXer. Love it. Hope to contribute and learn from the fourm. Maleko

[CatFish]

Welcome to the forum

[Goonch]

Hi all! 3 years an owner of a 2000 Ebony, currently looking for a second VX.

[Malibu_Robert]

Hey guys/gals - I've been lurking these pages for a few tips on setting up my VX. Great stuff -- thank you all!

I just purchased my 2nd VX -- this time a 99 Ebony/red (all stock) with 143k miles -- from a dealer here in Orange County. Apparently the owner was from Palm Springs, and the lack of rust, condition of the leather, etc. seemed to agree. Luckily it looks as if it's been garaged, as the black paint is still in great condition, and the cladding seems to have some sort of treatment that looks nice and new :) My previous VX (Silver/grey) was back in 2006 in Colorado Springs - loved it then, love it now.

I look forward to meeting y'all and reading about what you've done to your VX's. In the meantime, let me know if you have any tips or can fill any of the below parts to help restore my "new" baby to its former glory:

Goal: small (1-2") lift. I hear OME 913's and t-bar cranks will work. Thoughts?

Parts needed (IM me if you can help):
-front seats (red) in good condition
-door handle covers for both doors (mine are cracked, of course)
-steering wheel (red)
-headlights are in good condition but could be better
-original floor mats

Thanks,
Travis

Welcome Travis. Nice to find another VX owner here in SoCal! I keep thinking, if I can find a few folks in my area, maybe they will give me a hand with my VX! :yesy::yesy::yeso::yeso::yesb::yesb:

[eternal21]

Hello everyone. I have been lurking in the shadows for a while now. I figure it is about time that I stand up and be counted! My name is Robert. I live in Southern California in the Los Angeles area. I have a 99 silver Vehicross that I've mostly kept in the garage until I take it on an outing every once in awhile. One of the places I have gone off-road quite a bit is the Anza Borrego Desert. I love driving in the sand washes there. My truck had 32000 miles on it when I bought it and it has about 50000 miles now. It is pretty much stock but it is in good shape. I really like some of the modifications many of you have done. I've been thinking, if I can get the time off, it would be great to go to Moab. Then I can meet some of you and see your trucks. The Vehicross.info forum is a great group. Folks here are really helpful. It has been a long time since I've seen another Vehicross around here in Southern California. I am beginning to think there aren't many left. Surprisingly, on occasion I will run into someone who actually knows what it is. I really love my truck! :yesy:


Welcome, Robert. I have a buddy who lives in LA and has an ebony. Smooth top, blacked out OEM 18" wheels. Calls it the "THING".

[beesefase]

Hi,
J. Here just checking in. Bought an '01 Ebony VX recently. Been working on her since, trying to get her right. Previous owners didn't treat her too well. Had to replace the CV Axles (right one was just completely missing) and am currently scouring the globe for an elusive front drive shaft. No one seems to have one. Any advice would rock. Great forum, guys. Learned a lot already, looking forward to a great long adventure with what I think is the coolest vehicle ever made.
Cheers.

[Mile High VX]

Welcome to the addiction...check out the Misc. Items for Sale and find a few post from Lizardmen3477. He's parting out some VXs and may have what you need...keep in mind the driveshaft may have been removed for a reason so don't be surprised if something is broken there.

[99Kevin]

Hello to all the Vehicross fanatics out there. I met some of you at the Zoo at Moab last year, I am Catfish (Christine's) husband. We recently bought an Ironman I am hoping to get fixed up in time for Moab this year.

[CatFish]

He is one of us now!

[ipd]

...one of us...
...one of us...
...one of us...

[VXorado]

Congrats Kevin!!!

Those lockers in your Ironman will be a huge benefit in Moab. :thumbup:

[JoFotoz]

Welcome Kevin... Congrats on the Ironman :)
Roll on May..It'll be good to see ya'll again !

Jo

[CatFish]

...one of us...
...one of us...
...one of us...

Made me think of this, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9C4uTEEOJlM

[Fabrice]

Hi All,
New to the forum but not new to VX's...
"Discovered" them by chance back in 2010, bought silver JDM and did a lot of tidy up and upgrade to make it usable as an everyday ride, until I came across David Wiltshire's low mileage blue VX which I could not resist and subsequently bought...and am using it everyday with a big smile on my face...
I still have the Silver VX and it is looking decidedly lonely on the front yard...
If anyone in the UK is interested in a VX please get in touch, it has been looked after since I have owned it, has some cosmetic blemishes, but a number of nice to have extra such as 2 new cyl heads fitted by recognised Isuzu expert, engine runs very sweetly and will fire at the first turn of the key even if left unused for months, a stainless steel exhaust and brakes were redone all round, with EBC discs and green stuff pads... It just needs TLC and it is a shame that it is not been driven...
If interested, please get in touch and can give you all the details and photos.
Cheers,
Fabrice

[Sculptor57]

Hi VX group! I don't own one yet, but I am thinking about a damaged one or 2 that I have read about. I don't plan to restore mine, I want it reliable and fun and mostly rust free. These trucks already look great but shiny will be a bonus. I read here about a VX that jumped in front of a falling tree here in NC so I'm off to find out more.

[JoFotoz]

Hi Sculptor57

Welcome !
Just be aware when buying a damaged VX...that body panels/cladding etc are rare/hard to source... and can be expensive.
Buying 2 VX's..a rear damaged AND a front damaged...and combining...may actually be more cost effective.

Cheers
Jo

[Mile High VX]

Hi Sculptor57

Welcome !
Just be aware when buying a damaged VX...that body panels/cladding etc are rare/hard to source... and can be expensive.
Buying 2 VX's..a rear damaged AND a front damaged...and combining...may actually be more cost effective.

Cheers
Jo

And the two shall become one...:)

[jadeasker]

I've been a lurker for a while but I now have my own Proton. I think we have an awesome group here. Thanks for all your knowledge and support.

[livinlrge]

Names Karl... live in the Detroit area, but moving back to Fl in a few weeksup my 99 ironman edition about a month ago. After some routine maintenance. It's one of my favorites. And I'm a Jeep nut, and hard to convert. But it's won me over for sure. Can't wait to probe for info and hopefully find some vx'ers local!

[ipd]

Welcome. If I have any personal disdain for jeep owners, it's usually because I keep running into elitism amongst their ranks. Welcome to the dark side. We have cookies.

[livinlrge]

Welcome. If I have any personal disdain for jeep owners, it's usually because I keep running into elitism amongst their ranks. Welcome to the dark side. We have cookies.

Thanks.. and I've never talked smack about other 4x4s. ALWAYS a chance I needed to be helped out. Just loved the wrangler since I was little. And have owned 7 different jeep models. (My favorite was the 1990 Wagoneer with the fake wood paneling ). But, I'm not a mud guy (bogging is huge in Fl) o want trails (very few local) and inclines (not many of those in Fl).

[ipd]

I think what a lot of people looked at was the original MSRP on the VX and a Wrangler, and immediately decided that the VX was an overpriced POS. And to the untrained eye, that makes sense. To those who actually checked what features that TJ's had--compared to what the VX had--could easily justify the price difference. Plus the VX has more power (215/230 on the 6VE1 vs. 190/235 on the last-gen 4.0 Powertech I6). But enough about what you probably already know. The real kicker is that the VX basically inspired the entire SUV modern-exterior-design market. Nakamura immediately designed the Murano with the same spirit of lines that was pioneered by the VX. And currently, everything from Mazda to Audi has taken the "sports car SUV" idea that the VX started.

Except that the VX is body on frame. And was the first with TOD. And has coilovers to back it up. So basically, even if mine rusts out, I'm going to weld more and more steel onto it and keep it. I want to be buried in it.

[CatFish]

Welcome. If I have any personal disdain for jeep owners, it's usually because I keep running into elitism amongst their ranks. Welcome to the dark side. We have cookies.

Thanks.. and I've never talked smack about other 4x4s. ALWAYS a chance I needed to be helped out. Just loved the wrangler since I was little. And have owned 7 different jeep models. (My favorite was the 1990 Wagoneer with the fake wood paneling ). But, I'm not a mud guy (bogging is huge in Fl) o want trails (very few local) and inclines (not many of those in Fl).

Come to Moab and do some trails with us http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/27198-Moab-2016-official-thread-for-details-etc if not this year next year, or come to Colorado we have lots a trails to do.

[Niallhs]

Hi All

Just a quick hello from across the water... London.

Delighted to have just bought a Metallic Red Vehicross, 50,000 miles... funnily enough it's the car owned by a former member here...

Loved the car from afar many years but expected it to drive like a boat! I was wrong... In fact it seems like a really great, sporty drive and am loving it.

Previous owner put a sports exhaust on so that V6 sounds sweet too.

Looking forward to browsing through the many excellent forums here... information not super-easy to find here and I suspect interior trim parts especially will be tough where they're specific to UK right hand drive.

In case anyone has a quick answer (and of course in due course I'll post question on the correct threads), does anyone know of a good parts source in Japan? I have a right hand drive dash piece to replace!

And... I already saw loads of discussion (threads running several years) on restoring the plastic bumper parts to a solid colour! Has a conclusion been reached?

Anyway, thanks to you all for creating this amazing VX meeting place.

Best from London
Niall.

[Igor]

Hello All,

I am a proud owner of a 2001 VX in Kaiser Silver with 135k down in Houston. I used to own a 1989 Isuzu Amigo as a work truck and then someone made me "a deal I can't refuse" on it. That was a fun truck (lifted, 2wd and oversized tires) and thanks to it I had to have another Isuzu for a replacement and came across this VX. I've always loved the body style and have heard/seen the videos of their off road prowess. I used to own a Camaro and I get more stares and "gas station admirers" in this vehicle than I did in the Camaro.

I look forward to using this website and talking to the community. I do have a lot of the "common problems" associated with the VX: windows coming off regulators, ABS light and some minor cosmetic blemishes so I will be doing a lot of thread searches for these fixes. Thank you for having me!

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/Igor_VX.jpg ('http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25970')

[ipd]

Looks like you lucked out. The markers & turns have already been swapped for clears. Headlights don't look too hazy, but that could also be because someone treated them recently. If so, they won't have any UV protection, so it will happen again unless you have a method to protect them. Can't speak to the quality of the step bar...most on here have forgone them in favor of rock sliders.

Welcome to the addiction!

[Igor]

Thank you! Swapping those markers and turn signal lenses was mod #1. I don't know the story on the headlights, but I have installed the UV protection film just in case. The side steps came with the VX and are pretty useless as is; they don't stick out enough to be useful. I'm debating either removing them or adding shims to make them stick out and have some function.

[livinlrge]

Welcome. If I have any personal disdain for jeep owners, it's usually because I keep running into elitism amongst their ranks. Welcome to the dark side. We have cookies.

Thanks.. and I've never talked smack about other 4x4s. ALWAYS a chance I needed to be helped out. Just loved the wrangler since I was little. And have owned 7 different jeep models. (My favorite was the 1990 Wagoneer with the fake wood paneling ). But, I'm not a mud guy (bogging is huge in Fl) o want trails (very few local) and inclines (not many of those in Fl).

Come to Moab and do some trails with us http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/27198-Moab-2016-official-thread-for-details-etc if not this year next year, or come to Colorado we have lots a trails to do.
Yeah. If I come to Colorado .. I'm not leaving. I love it out west. (Lived a few years in AZ) BUT, Moab is a def next year

[livinlrge]

Welcome. If I have any personal disdain for jeep owners, it's usually because I keep running into elitism amongst their ranks. Welcome to the dark side. We have cookies.

Thanks.. and I've never talked smack about other 4x4s. ALWAYS a chance I needed to be helped out. Just loved the wrangler since I was little. And have owned 7 different jeep models. (My favorite was the 1990 Wagoneer with the fake wood paneling ). But, I'm not a mud guy (bogging is huge in Fl) o want trails (very few local) and inclines (not many of those in Fl).

Come to Moab and do some trails with us http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/27198-Moab-2016-official-thread-for-details-etc if not this year next year, or come to Colorado we have lots a trails to do.

If I come to Colorado... Im never leaving. I love it out west. Lived in AZ for a few years as a kid, but havemissed it ever since

[gingerbreadman]

Hello Fellow VX owner's I am Tyler n i owned y VX for 4 years now n love it to death my wife thinks I love it more then I do her witch it almost true but don't tell her that lol but any ways I've done all the mods my self to my VX n I got to say I love the way it looks n love how everyone looks when I'm driving down the road but I would put pictures up but idk how to do it with my phone

[Nikad92397]

New to the forum..
My names Butch and my wife is Kelly.
We bought our 1st VX about a month back looking for a back road, rock bouncing, exploring, vehicle that had creature comforts.
I found a stock VX after remembering these. now I'm fixing, modifying and making it ours.
We live in the Angeles forest and are close to the desert.
So far we have put close to a 1000 miles on it and at least 800 miles have been in the dirt like, Afton canyon, Kelbaker, Calico, Angeles forest, San Berardino forest. I'm a ex desert racer and just love showing my wife where I go on dirt bikes.

Mods so far have been, big tires, adjustable shocks, roof rack, light bars, axles, tried electric fan but.. Had to go back to the airplane propeller with sound. Lol.

This forum seems great to see how people are modifying their VX's !!

Thanks for letting me join..
Now back to my freaking Windows..
Where do I buy new plastic slider do dads ?
Butch

[Eric]

Hello my name is Eric. It took me 10 years to find my VX. I flew into Arizona on a one way ticket and drove it back to Corpus Christi Tx. Initial repairs to the VX were Windows and stereo. I installed the OME 912's and new ARB shocks for the 3ish" lift. I took the 15" snowflakes off my 90 Isuzu pickup and had 31" Duratracs mounted. After the lift was finished we discovered the very tired axles. That was a chore to replace. So now it's should be ready for the easier bolt ons. Thanks for having me.

[CatFish]

Welcome to the VX forum, if you have not fixed you windows yet here is some info that might help.
http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/27343-NEW-VX-window-fix?highlight=new+window+fix


New to the forum..
My names Butch and my wife is Kelly.
We bought our 1st VX about a month back looking for a back road, rock bouncing, exploring, vehicle that had creature comforts.
I found a stock VX after remembering these. now I'm fixing, modifying and making it ours.
We live in the Angeles forest and are close to the desert.
So far we have put close to a 1000 miles on it and at least 800 miles have been in the dirt like, Afton canyon, Kelbaker, Calico, Angeles forest, San Berardino forest. I'm a ex desert racer and just love showing my wife where I go on dirt bikes.

Mods so far have been, big tires, adjustable shocks, roof rack, light bars, axles, tried electric fan but.. Had to go back to the airplane propeller with sound. Lol.

This forum seems great to see how people are modifying their VX's !!

Thanks for letting me join..
Now back to my freaking Windows..
Where do I buy new plastic slider do dads ?
Butch

[Nikad92397]

Thank you.
I went my own way on my Windows and so far they are working great.
I used a Teflon cutting board for parts to cut up and make big sliders/ holders/ adjusters and they are working like new, oooops, Better than new.. Lol

[jnicholson1130]

Butch,
Here's the link to the site offering modified window brackets for the VX. Installation instructions are also available on the site. I'm not sure if this answers your "plastic slider do dads" question, but these brackets sure fixed my window issues.
Good luck!
http://www.streetboutiquecustoms.com/vx.html

[Lancelot]

Hi all!

True to my word, I was able to finally rescue a high mile VX that was destined for destruction. Being in rough shape, I've set out to clean up and restore the vehicle to its original glory. I'm now the proud owner of a 2000 Ebony VX with 189,000 miles. The vehicle needs new seats, driver's handle (of course), door panels, window tracks, door seals, various interior trim pieces, and all of the usual maintenance, but I'm on track towards making this vehicle great again. I'm going to be doing some really neat mods to it that I'm sure everyone will want to know about, some of these include: reverse camera with hidden monitor in the rear view mirror, push button ignition and proximity keyless entry, sound dampening throughout, sun visors with lights, improved interior lighting, custom brush guard and skid plates, and more! I'll take pictures all along the way, but I'm glad to be a part of the group.

Lance

[ipd]

As with the 3/s...get it 100% running right...then mod it. ;)

p.s.
I installed bright-*** LED's last week. they are TITs. perfect for the smoked light covers.

[falcon]

New to the group, I got a silver 01 with 230k, premuch stock, a/c under repairs, PS window is falling down(what to do?)DS mirror not moving!, but since 99 when I heard about VX wanted one, now after three Isuzu's got one. Looking forward to enjoy this truck, anyone around LOS ANGELES aria?

[Y33TREKker]

New to the group, I got a silver 01 with 230k, premuch stock, a/c under repairs, PS window is falling down(what to do?)DS mirror not moving!, but since 99 when I heard about VX wanted one, now after three Isuzu's got one. Looking forward to enjoy this truck, anyone around LOS ANGELES aria?
Hiya Falcon. Welcome to the site and congrats on finding your new ride.

The window falling could be caused by a few different things, so simply running a site search for "Window fix" should bring up quite a few threads regarding the different possible causes and their related fixes (window glass bracket, regulator, etc).

I don't have current access to my electrical manuals at the moment for suggesting possible causes for your mirror issue, so I"ll have to check later.

[Sculptor57]

Hello VX community,
I just bought a 99 VX and drove it home yesterday. It runs well, but cosmetically it's on the rough side.
I will be browsing for info on things like shocks, and the door pulls. The inner door pulls appear to be made from peanut brittle, but they are black.

Thanks in advance for any links and advice!!

[ipd]

I ended up using lizard-skins chainstay protectors to hold the inner handle on the door card. 2x of those, cut in half, fit on the handle nicely. Not a perfect solution, but it does prevent inadvertently breaking them off the door, and the black ones I got fit well with the color scheme.

OEM shocks are pretty baller. If yours are toast & you're not trying to go crazy with the VX, I'd just look for a nice used set.

P.S.
Make sure you check the oil level every time you gas up. That's a good fail-safe for these, since most like to burn oil it seems.

[CatFish]

I got my OME shocks rebuilt and I love them, here is a thread that has a link the place that rebuilds them. http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/25510-Rebuilt-OEM-shocks?highlight=shocks
Lots of good info here on the forum you should be able to find info an anything you need. Good luck with all you upgrades and enjoy your new toy.

[VX KAT]

Congrats on the new VX!
Everybody has had the door pull ( that has the window buttons) crack horizontally where you grab and pull it. I repaired 3 or 4 with JBWELD, the red and black tube with the steel in it. Applied it on under side and especially a little in the thin channel. Sand it down, paint it, strong as cement. i have a ton of pics if you're interested.
Another quick fix is with electric tape wrapped around it so it overlaps a bit.
You want to prevent that long skinny piece from cracking off.

And another thing....chances are very high the rearward tab is broken off the handle. The handle can still be nicely seated without it. Or you can use JBWeld to form a little nub to kind of take the place of the plastic tab.

If you get an error 404 when you do a search on here, check the actual URL. If after the www.vehicross.info it starts with "/forums", delete those 7 characters and it should work for you.
Good Luck

[ipd]

Wish we could get this site working 100% again.

[Sculptor57]

Congrats on the new VX!
Everybody has had the door pull ( that has the window buttons) crack horizontally where you grab and pull it. I repaired 3 or 4 with JBWELD, the red and black tube with the steel in it. Applied it on under side and especially a little in the thin channel. Sand it down, paint it, strong as cement. i have a ton of pics if you're interested.
Another quick fix is with electric tape wrapped around it so it overlaps a bit.
You want to prevent that long skinny piece from cracking off.

And another thing....chances are very high the rearward tab is broken off the handle. The handle can still be nicely seated without it. Or you can use JBWeld to form a little nub to kind of take the place of the plastic tab.

If you get an error 404 when you do a search on here, check the actual URL. If after the www.vehicross.info it starts with "/forums", delete those 7 characters and it should work for you.
Good Luck

I can't figure out how to thank you guys as shown above so I will just say THANKS FOR THE ANSWERS!!

[Kuehjo]

Hey there folks! Glad to be a part of the forum!

I'm a new Vehicross owner here on Oahu. I don't even know what to tell you about the truck yet, except that I like it very much.

In fact, I like it in spite of the fact that I probably overpaid, and it has a MISSING right front axle bearing and thrust washer. So I bought it it, drove it very little, and noticed that I would get this BAD vibration... Took the passenger front side apart and discovered the missing bearing (that's the needle bearing inside the spindle - not the wheel bearings - although the inner wheel bearing came apart in my hands, too), broken ABS brake sensor (ouch - we all know what THOSE cost - and it explains the ABS light being on), and a big chunk missing from the inside brake pad. I'm not quite sure what happened in this wheel yet - I THINK someone took it apart, and then had some issues...

Surprisingly, the spindle looks fine, as does the axle. There's a little wear where the splines from the axle rubbed the inside of the spindle, but all of the bearing surfaces look great. I was able to source wheel and axle bearings and brake pads locally - but had to order the oil seal and thrust washer. So parts are on the way from the mainland (sigh - $25 for parts - but $27 for shipping. That's Hawaii.) and I hope to have her back together this weekend.

This truck is a 2001 in black with grey seats. About 155K miles. I understand that the prior owner is retired military here on Oahu - and I would hazard a guess that the truck is not original to the island.

I did run into another Vehicross owner the day after I bought mine - up on the North Shore (surfing) in the dark green. Looking forward to catching up with him in person soon!

Mahalo!

Jonathan

[ipd]

Yeah, owning a VX outside the lower48 isn't exactly a cheap proposition. :)

[321ironman]

I needed a vehicle fast and NOW, as my MINI lost it's transmission and supercharger. I went on CL and saw this cool looking '99 Ironman, older than I was looking for and I thought the price was a little high but was still drawn to it and it looked to be in great shape. I gave the owner an offer of $4500 and he agreed on the spot, picked it up the other day and couldn't be happier. This car has the original window sticker, all original paperwork, original destination dealer checklist and manifest. Came from Japan in July of '99, ported in San Diego, freighted to Portland, trucked to Eugene, OR. Dealer manifest states it came there with 6 miles on it and it stayed with the dealership for 2 years, (I'm thinking it was used by the dealer), sold in March of 2002 with 429 miles. This car still looks showroom new and has all the original added options that brought the original price to a whopping $31,377 in 1999, (no wonder it sat for 2+yrs.). I hope to have this for many years to come and trust that this site will help me find what I need to keep it running and looking great. So far all I've found is the Ironman floor mats are a little worn, (where can I find them?), and there's a cd stuck hard in the 6 disc cd player. Other than that, it's in beautiful shape since it's a one owner car and garage kept. Thanks for having me.

[Nikad92397]

New to the group, I got a silver 01 with 230k, premuch stock, a/c under repairs, PS window is falling down(what to do?)DS mirror not moving!, but since 99 when I heard about VX wanted one, now after three Isuzu's got one. Looking forward to enjoy this truck, anyone around LOS ANGELES aria?

http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/27540-Any-So-Cal-VXrs

[ipd]

321. That's a HELL of an upgrade from a mini to the greatest mass-produced off-road vehicle ever made. ;)

I recommend Hex mats, since they're much more spill-proof (and wear/dirt proof) and look great. They also match the grille.

I'd also recommend swapping to an aftermarket head unit with an aux/USB input...as this will give you FAR more options. (I have a 128GB sandisk cruzer ultra in mine--~4000 songs--and unless you knew what to look for, you wouldn't even see it there).

i'll take any chance i get to post-whore mine. :p
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/20151015_152230_zps8thxcrff.jpg

[Kuehjo]

Ironically - I too drive a Mini Cooper (2003 6-spd S model) ...

Love both - but obviously for COMPLETELY different reasons.

But if you think about it - both are kind of "campy" vehicle selections... definitely unique crowds who love them.

[Ditchplains1]

Hi everyone!
I recently purchased my second 2001 VX; the first back in 2002. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed driving it. Reading through the forum I am amazed by the number of problems; and solutions you've found. I just had mine Ziebart rustproofed and am looking forward to many more years....
Eddie
Montauk, NY

[ipd]

Yeah, I had mine rhino-lined on the underside before it saw its first Utah winter. Hopefully the 2nd one is the last....I should be moving to GA.

Had Ziebart done on my 3000GT the day I got it too.

[dallas121469]

Traded in one of my Jeeps for a 1999 VX and looking forward to getting the mods started! Currently located in New Mexico but reside in Idaho. Lots of terrain to try out the VX and see how it compares to my ZJ. Little less power than I'm used to but seems like a very capable rig.

[CatFish]

I hope you get the VX trail ready soon, maybe you could join us in Moab this spring. http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/27399-Moab-2017-Get-your-rooms-booked-)?highlight=moab+2017

[XEBO]

I was driving my son to school and saw a White VX. I didn't know what it was so I did some googling to find out. The next day I found a '99 astral silver one for sale about 4 miles from home. Two weeks later she was mine. Come to find out it was previously owned by "Buffy" (who is a member) who did a complete rebuild on it back in 2010 and documented the whole thing.

http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/18749-And-so-it-begins?highlight=buffy%5DVX+Rebuild

Kinda neat I have that kind of history on my new ride. The next owner changed it over to a 5 speed with 4:77 gearing. I haven't done any real climbing with it but I'm driving it from Florida to Oregon in two days. There I'll get the chance to put her to the test. I'll be sure to take some pics and video. Cross your fingers she gets me to Oregon safe and sound

[VX KAT]

Buffy did AWESOME work to that VX, you've got a great VX!

[ipd]

Mine got me from Utah to Georgia just fine. It's really just a matter of how well kept a VX is. Mine didn't even appear to burn any oil at all in 2000+ miles.

[VX KAT]

JonneB you really need to determine if your VX burns/consumes oil, and if so, what , if any circumstances, it does it, and any pattern it may have. Several very well maintained VXs have had sudden oil disappearance and failed, unexpected and unknown why. Just check it frequently and carry a gallon of oil with you to be prepared. ������

[idrequired220]

Hi All. I just got my first Vehicross a few months ago. It's a 2001 Kaiser Silver and its pretty much entirely stock. I look forward to contributing, as this site has been immensely helpful.

[XEBO]

Well I made it to Oregon. Burned some oil, had to change out two tires but other than that it was a great trip. I was quite suprised at how comfortable the trip was. I took 7 days to go 3500 miles and had some nice visits with friends and family. Still haven't done any serious rock climbing, but soon.

[ipd]

600 miles a day is booking. I found it to be nearly at the limit of my personal capabilities, so 7 seems doable. I can't imagine going back to the west coast though. Gonna have to take it to Savannah, just to complete the cross-country tour. Bought it in SD, so Savannah will finally bring it to both coasts.

[Diver692]

Hi everyone, my Dad and I recently bought our first vehicrossand this forum has been a huge help to resolve the problems we have had with it. We are from mexico and we take it to the dunes almost every weekend. It's a very fun car to drive and it turns heads everywhere.

[flee]

HELLO~~ I am a new and proud 01 proton yellow VX owner :))

[arcobarco]

Congratulations, my wife has the 01 Proton and thinks that it's the best color that the VX came in.

[CatFish]

Welcome to the forum flee

[ipd]

wilkommen! Great to have another member. I had a guy ask me today if mine was a body kit. lol!

[petapaulmary]

Live in Perth Australia just bought a right hand drive vehicross silver colour. Have been looking at sight heaps for info will need help in lots of areas.
Not sure how many Vehicross members are from Australia be great to find out.
I want to lift car, larger tyres, fresh paint job. Bits missing rear spoiler brake light, little plastic cover hiding the jack, plastic bits that secure the inside spare wheel cover.
Big question why does my car manufacturers plate say 05/03 (May 2003) thought none manufactured after 2001. Plus how can I telll if my engine is 3.5 or 3.2 litre version, there is no plates showing
Thanks for letting me in your club
Regards
Paul

[ipd]

JDM market vehicles tend to end up like that, with the carry-over models being adorned as later years. It's a stupid practice, but I've seen the same thing with Mitsubishi GTO's. As to the engine size, is there a code for the engine on the firewall or anything? Or a engine cover with a logo?

[petapaulmary]

Hi

Thanks for replying just can't see anything just v6 Dohc 24 valve. If it's the 3.2litre that is an interference fit engine am I correct in thinking that? It's got 200000 km on speedo and seller no idea when it changed if ever he had for 3 years only ever drove it a little bit then garage and forgot about.

[Mile High VX]

All of the right side drive VXs are 3.2L engines. This is the version made for the Japan market, or JDM as it's known here.

Hit the Facebook page and look for Dan. He buys and parts out these here in the US. He'll have all of the small stuff your looking for.

Welcome to the addiction...:)

[PK]

Hi, from another Aussie. I am in Adelaide at the moment, but live in Hobart Tasmania.
Your engine will be the 3.2 6VD1 unless the previous owner has done a transplant. Most of the engine parts are interchangable with the 3.5L, except the crankshaft and conrods. Maybe the pistons as well.
Engine parts from the 3,2L Jackaroo or Rodeo with the 6VD1 engine will fit.
Your confusion over the year probably comes from looking at the wrong plate. These were brought into Australia as second hand grey imports, and a new VIN plate was fitted showing the year of import, not the original year of manufacture. The original plate might still be on the firewall, and should show the manufacture date as 1997 or 1998.

Be careful buying parts from the US for trim pieces. Apart from the fact that they are LH drive, the whole interior is different in colour and material. Headlights are also different as the bias is aimed at the wrong spot and illegal in Australia.

Good luck with your purchase. They are great to drive.

PK

[ipd]

I'll buy your steering wheel though...or swap you mine. ;)

[petapaulmary]

Thank for info

[petapaulmary]

Thanks for reply

[petapaulmary]

Hi again can't fiqure out how to list a question elsewhere on site?

Read dozens of posts on tyres size etc but making myself confused. If I go 285 x 75 x 16inch (which is my stock rims) with say a 2 or 3 inch lift do I have to cut anything in the tyre well area?

[ipd]

reposted from another thread:

"285/75 is a VERY large size to put on stock 7" wide rims. I can say that I had 265/70r16's on mine without any trimming. 285's would be both wider AND taller & require a rather large amount of trimming, I'd wager. I currently have 265/60r18's, and I had to trim a bit on the front of both front fender wells. Based on that experience, I'm positive that 285/75 would require a HUGE trim. Plus, the speedo would probably be off by 10mph. "

I'm not 100% sure with a lift (mine's still stock height), but I'm thinking the width may be what throws it off for you. Then again, since I have a lower offset than the stockers, that probably didn't help (they didn't have the offset I wanted).

http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/13095-biggest-tire-size?highlight=Biggest+tires

http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/14685-Post-of-all-Rims-and-Tires-out-there!?highlight=Biggest+tires

(props to Jo for the links).

Keep in mind that the stock 16" tires were actually 265/65R16's, iirc.

[petapaulmary]

Cheers something to think about might try and find amate to borrow a tyre to test

[smalls23]

Long story short I still remember seeing the original 1999 VehiCROSS new on the lot parked atop a rock structure. Man did I want one.

Well, almost 18 years later I need a new hunting truck or SUV. I need something highly capable and also unique. While speaking to my wife she points out, with that almost always famous phrase from everyone, "What is THAT? It's pretty cool."

So I explain the history and my childhood want and what does she say but, well you should get one for hunting... And now two months later I own a 99 Astral

[VX KAT]

Keep in mind that the stock 16" tires were actually 265/65R16's, iirc.

Actually, the original stock 16" tire size was 245/70-16, and the 18" was 245/60-18.

[VX KAT]

Long story short I still remember seeing the original 1999 VehiCROSS new on the lot parked atop a rock structure. Man did I want one.

Well, almost 18 years later I need a new hunting truck or SUV. I need something highly capable and also unique. While speaking to my wife she points out, with that almost always famous phrase from everyone, "What is THAT? It's pretty cool."

So I explain the history and my childhood want and what does she say but, well you should get one for hunting... And now two months later I own a 99 Astral

GREAT story! :thumbup:

[ipd]

Keep in mind that the stock 16" tires were actually 265/65R16's, iirc.

Actually, the original stock 16" tire size was 245/70-16, and the 18" was 245/60-18.

god that seems tiny. :)

[broadkast]

Hi Everyone,
Paul from NJ
Reaching out to introduce myself. I've been a member for a while but haven't been very active. The forum has been wonderful, but I must say I was saddened after coming back after a while to see so many folks have sold their VX and moved on.
I bought my VX in 2009 from the original owner in St Louis. I found the car on the internet with 48k original miles, flew to St Louis, bought it on the spot and drove it home.
It now has 65K on the ODO and I'm finally getting around to making some improvements. Better late than never, I guess. For a 16 year old she still runs and looks great.
It's a pleasure to be a part of the group.
Cheers!
Broadkast

[petapaulmary]

Update on my car in Australia

Lifted 2 inches only and fitted AT Mickey Thompson 265/75/16 my floor to diff has more clearance than my mates patrol and land cruisers sweet������

[Blazer]

Hello! I acquired a 1999 VehiCross today. Purchased it remotely from Colorado where ironically it had been shipped from Phoenix, and had it shipped back down to me :)

So far am very happy with the purchase, as it is in great shape. Pretty much the only issues are the ABS light (which I understand is par for the course with these), and the passenger window is a bit slow (also a common issue).

I was glad to find this site and forum, as I am pretty late to the game as far as ownership of a VehiCross goes, so it is great to find a wealth of archived information and a still active user base :)

I don't see an option to upload or embed a photo, so here is a link:
http://i.imgur.com/7h94v9s.jpg

-Charles

[ipd]

Welcome^

Be careful with the windows. Slowness isn't the problem, it's that they tilt forward, away from the track...and the motor has to work super hard to try and get it up. A jury-rigged workaround is to pull the window back manually as it raises.