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View Full Version : First Drive - My Impressions!



IsuZOOM
03/27/2003, 09:25 PM
Quick backround - I'm a car nut who's owned a few SUVs, most recently a Honda CR-V for a few years, and the last year a 95 2-door Ford Explorer Sport. The CR-V was terrific but it's no truck, and the Exploder is junky and unreliable. So, we've been toying with the idea of getting two new SUVs, a used RX-300 for the wife, and a real truck for me, for fun as we literally drive perhaps 10,000 miles a year between us! Having always loved the looks of small trucks (like the Exploder) I first went to the Amigo (RS) and that naturally lends itself towards the funky cousin, the VX! I am the guy who subscribes to 5 different car mags and reads each one cover to cover 3 times, so I was well aware of this unique vehicle, but never thought my wife would let me have it! The time is right, I need a real truck for fun, and I want something small. And it has to have room for 4, so a compact pickup was out. I don't much care for the Tracker/Vitara crowd, so it's really a choice between the Amigo/RS and the VX. My first drive was a 2000 Dk Green VX tonight with about 40k miles.

First Impression

Boy, this thing is small!!! (To me, that's a good thing. I own a Honda del Sol for just this reason) It's also beautiful and crazy! So far, so good!

Interior

The high-gloss carbon fiber trim all over is great, I'm not sure how durable it is, but it looks strudy and strong enough. A lot of the interior looks dated, with squared off vents, bezels, and storage areas. With all of the attention paid to the exterior, the bland early 90's look of the interior was a bid disappointing. The high points were the previously mentioned CF trim and the beautiful Recaro leather seats with the silver trim (I'm anxious to see the red trimmed seats!) Interior plastics and carpet seemed normal for a $20,000 vehicle, a bit cheap for a $32,000 one. Not luxurious by any stretch of the imagination, the interior is a no-frills cabin with little to mention, good or bad.

Exterior

I love the look of this truck. The 18" wheels on the '00 and later models really look great. The bolt-on cladding makes it look like a cross between a lunar lander and a sports car, which I think was the exact intention. The front grill and lights are very original in design, and I think it works. Big time. This truck looks great, truly cutting its own path through the automotive jungle!

Comfort

The seats are very comfortable, but the adjustments available are slim and akward. Large dials are literally unreachable during driving, and required me to open the door to adjust to my liking. Once adjusted, I had no further complaints! Control placement is fine, excluding the afterthought of the CD Player deep down near the shifter. Unfortunately the example I drove had a malfunctioning radio which didn't produce any sound, so I was unable to give the factory audio system a whirl.

The automatic temperature control (the first I've seen without some sort of LED display) worked fine during our 25 degree jaunt. I wouldn't expect to see dual climate controls in this price range but my wife was hoping...

The rear seats were incredibly roomy! My wife commented at least three times during the drive that she couldn't believe such a compact vehicle was so roomy in back, but at the expense of the cargo area. For my needs, folding down the back seats creates all the cargo space I'd need for my weekend camping trips!

Performance

With a whisper of snow on the ground, I took the VX on some back roads and really let her open up, and I'm pleased to say I was very pleasantly surprised. Accelleration is more than what I expected, and I didn't even try the POWER mode which I assume adjusts shift points for even faster driving. I know, I know, the price is paid in fuel consumption, but this thing is fun to drive! 0-60 is quoted at 9 seconds, and that's plenty fast in such a hefty but petite vehicle for me, thank you! Mashing the pedal provided instant gratification.

Truck-iness

I think that this category might be what kept the world from embracing the VehiCROSS (and the Suzuki X-90). It's a truck. It's a sports car. But it's really a truck. ad infinitum. Designers obviously make lots and lots of compromises, the biggest being the lack of a tow rating (or factory tow kit), no factory brush bar, no skid plates (though I read a '93 Trooper's are compatible) and no power socket in the rear for camping or tailgating. In my case, I own a small 16' jet boat that weighs in around 2,500 lbs on the trailer, and I think if we take a VX home, she'll not lug the boat, we'll leave that to the RX-300. Drive over a bump and you'll remember this is a truck. Turn a corner at faster than 10 mph and you'll remember that you're sitting up high, in a truck. Complaints? I don't think so, just the nature of the beast. For my taste, I think it's enough truck for me. It still has to be practical to find a spot in my garage!

The blasted obstructed rear view

Okay, this has got to be the most common subject in reviews of the VX, and anyone who's driven it knows why. You literally have no rear window, and the side view ain't so hot either. I've read all about the Van Eyes refraction accessory, and also about the rear cameras (and I noticed the cutout for the camera which is standard on JDM models!) Frankly, I can't understand how someone could drive this without it. I had to back the truck up past a few cars right after I sat down and I'll admit, I darn near threw my wife into the snow to help me navigate, but slow and steady, I made it without incident alone. I tried parking a few times in a standard parking lot, just to experience backing out, and it's scary. I feel like I'm going to take out small schoolchildren
without warning. If a VX comes home, a camera system can't be far off.

Value

This scares me. The one I looked at tonight sold for something like $32,000 just 3 years ago, and is now selling for a little more than half that. I think that now that the VX has become somewhat of a collectible the prices may stabilize around the $15,000-20,000 mark. A look at the Lotus Elan M100 (only around for one model year in 1991) shows just that - prices dropped from the original $40,000 to about $15,000-25,000 and haven't moved in nearly 5 years.

Conclusion

Well, let's just say I haven't crossed this one off my list just yet. I plan to drive either an Amigo or a Rodeo Sport shortly, and I'm anxious to see the differences in such similar vehicles made by the same company.

I'm glad to see such a friendly (and knowledgable) online community for the VX, it's encouraging and I may just be the new kid on the block in the next few weeks.

TimG
03/27/2003, 09:43 PM
Do you do that professionaly? That was very well written. You seemed to find all of the annoying things about the vx right off the bat. I think I'll point people to this post from now on when they start asking if they should buy one.

I've found that I can reach the dials that adjust the seat on the side by the center console easier than I can the side by the door.

The back seat does have good room, but it is a pain to get back there. Someone makes a modification for the passenger seat that allows easier access to the back.

You can get a hitch from Tone for pulling your boat. Pulling 2500 lbs is no big deal, just make sure you change the tranny fluid more often

Believe it or not (and I know it's hard to believe), you actually learn to not need the rear view mirror. Get some of the little round stick on mirrors that go on your side mirrors and it will help a LOT with the blind spots on the sides.

johnnyapollo
03/28/2003, 03:19 AM
I've personally pulled a trailer with 2 tons or more of stacked books in boxes. The VX made it up some pretty steep hills without an issue. The only problem I had was breaking carrying that load. If you pull a boat consistently, you would want some type of breaking assist on the trailer. I have Tone's hitch installed.

-- John

Dallas4u
03/28/2003, 05:14 AM
Nice review... it's nice to see someone not bash it for some reason before really getting to know it.

I'll chime in on the rear view... you really DO get use to using the stick on mirrors for your side mirrors. In fact, if I drive other cars/trucks, I find myself looking for those mirrors right off the bat. Then I realize they aren't there, and I have to adjust to not needing them. I use them the first time, everytime, and they work great.

Good luck in your decisions, but I think you'd love it if you really gave it a try!

edyavno
03/28/2003, 08:02 AM
Great review.
Are you sure you're only reading those magazines and not writing for them? ;)
In any case, all that reading time wasn't wasted.
I think other posters already answered to all of your concerns. Just want to add something about the visibility.
When you drive at first, the lack of the rear visibilty freaks you out. I live in the crowded NYC where I have to back up often, and at first I was really paranoid about doing it. Having installed the Van Eyes and blind spot mirrors, and learning how to use them properly, I now feel almost as confidient about it, as I do with any sedan. I'm actually finding myself using the rear mirror a lot: with the VanEyes mounted directly behind it, you can see the cars behind you very well, and the blind spot mirrors along with the big stock side mirrors are really helpful when you switch lanes (I do a lot of that) .
You don't even need a camera if you make a good use of them.
I have however recently installed a mirror built-in monitor and a camera, but only because my wife is begining to drive the VX too, and she's a new driver.

Good luck,
- Ed Y.

IsuZOOM
03/28/2003, 10:08 AM
Wow, thanks for all of the compliments. My biggest compliment is for the help I've already received in the 2-3 days I've been around here!


Originally posted by edyavno
I have however recently installed a mirror built-in monitor and a camera, but only because my wife is begining to drive the VX too, and she's a new driver. I definitely would plan to take the offered advice of the Van Eyes and blind spot mirrors - but this camera system seems like a nice add-on. What's the cost?

edyavno
03/28/2003, 10:57 AM
Originally posted by Randy712

...
I definitely would plan to take the offered advice of the Van Eyes and blind spot mirrors - but this camera system seems like a nice add-on. What's the cost?

Here's the thread (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=532) with more info on my setup.
To recap, I have this Rear View Mirror Monitor (http://www.savv.com/rear.htm). The camera I got, however, wasn't waterproof, and after a few washes, the water got in there, and the camera blew up.
I'm going to buy a waterproof camera, haven't decided which one yet. Would appreciate any suggestions on that too.

- Ed Y.

IsuZOOM
03/28/2003, 12:08 PM
Well obviously I don't want to follow that example ;) I see that there are a few different rear-mirror displays, as well as visor displays... I think choosing the camera would probably be more important. What have people had success with?

Joe_Black
03/28/2003, 03:41 PM
Excellent review, very balanced. Don't sweat the towing thing, it's basically a Trooper TOD drivetrain so figure on about 5000lbs. being the max for a serious tow. As mentioned by TimG, just keep up with the tranny fluid changes and you'll be good. Mobil1 has an ATF out now which is more stable thermally in addition to being fully synthetic.

You'll find a nice example soon enough to take home, just be sure to post pics on your new arrival so we can officially welcome you to the family!

IsuZOOM
04/03/2003, 11:54 AM
Well, after reading countless positive experiences with this truck, I took the plunge yesterday and bought a 2001 Proton Yellow VX with only 9,000 miles from Virginia! Here's a pic:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/2/401low-resvx.jpg

On another note, my original post mentions a Lexus RX-300, which we also purchased this week. We found a 2000 model with about 35,000 miles and a beautiful champagne silver color. I'm sure we'll be very happy with both new vehicles! Now we just must sell our current ones (1997 Honda del Sol VTEC Dark Green, and 1995 Ford Explorer Sport Black)

xdfarrx
04/03/2003, 12:16 PM
Very astute reveiw- Cargo- I pulled my back seat, and on occasion have put it back in with some effort-(Look out for the litttle bolts they can break as one thread says). Tone offers a tow hitch. I had a custom one fab'd through U-Haul which mounts to my chassis and is class IV. Super bomber, however not as tucked away as Tone's but I believe more weight capable. I could be wrong. Does take away some of the 'angle of departure' but I not a rock crawler. Camera thing sounds tight but I myself do not have one. The car's tight wheel base does help develop that 6th sense about reversing, and I suggest to always play it safe reversing. Fuel Economy can be promoted as well as performance through an exhaust and Intake. I built a custom one which consists of a K&N Cone, Calmini bracket, cut 3.25 plenum and there you go(@95$). I put on a 3" stainless catback Sebring straightthru(250$ custom built) before I was aware of the Power Vault. From what I read the cat back has marginal improvement but I really dig it. I put in a Tornado, which I got for 30$- I don't know if it really helsps- I was told they help most on Jap high revving engines- I'm not really sold on it- but I use it. I suggest the Interceptor tranny module Tone is selling(145$). I don't have one yet but from many discussion with my mechanic and friends it actually promotes tranny life, being the belts and valves- I'm getting one next week -Scott at Monchavx is selling some urethane sway bushing/mounts(45$)that I believe will help with the squeaks and such- All the above mods are reasonable and you can do your self maybe excluding the exhaust. Its really cool because we got experts like Tone, MonchaVX, and Ron(VXconcepts) making really smooth mods and custom stuff- Which you guys rule for Enjoy your car/truck/tank/street weapon- they rule

Anita
04/03/2003, 12:52 PM
Just in time to join us in Moab!

IsuZOOM
04/03/2003, 12:59 PM
Originally posted by Anita
Just in time to join us in Moab!
I'm really thinking about it!

coachreed
04/04/2003, 05:31 PM
Just picked mine up 20-30 mintues ago... dayum! Gotta love this thing! Already getting asked questions about it... and getting lots of stares... time to go cruise around... ;Db; ;pb;

TTYL!

Coach... aka Randy!

Pam
04/08/2003, 04:47 PM
Congrats on the new (to you) vehicles! I too find the stick on reflectors for the side mirrors indispensible. If you have to drive in city traffic a lot and you don't have to use the back seat, you can also put the seats down. You can see quite a bit better that way.

Also glad to have the heated mirrors. Two minutes and you didn't have to do anything but push a button.

IsuZOOM
04/08/2003, 05:23 PM
I'm already making a list of upgrades / modifications I'll likely pursue:

1) Poly bushings (already purchased)
2) Heated seats
3) Either safari bar or fiberglass skid plate
4) Trooper skid plates
5) Backup camera (this camera! (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=807) and possibly this monitor (http://www.pyleaudio.com/itemdetail.asp?model=PLVIN56))
6) New CD player
7) Add switches to the "fuzzy hole", for the LCD monitor, possibly rear popper, and if I get the Safari bar, front lights
8) Contemplating a sunroof.... ($$ holding me back!)
9) 16" rims and mud terrain tires for Off Roading
10) Vanity license plates
11) Beefy sun visors
12) Remote Starter
13) Heavy duty floormats (someone mentioned Walmart had near-perfect fitting ones)
14) Hot Wheels (already got this!)
15) Add-on trailer side mirrors

IsuZOOM
04/13/2003, 03:41 PM
After a few hundred miles with her, I can post some 'refined' impressions:

This is a definite attention getter, and obviously my purchase of a bright yellow truck helps proliferate that! I love looking out the window, I find myself doing that more than ever before with any other vehicle!

The window operation isn't as smooth as I desire, and the passenger side closes with about a 1/2" gap on the rear of the window if I don't help it along by putting pressure towards the rear. The driver's side is similar but to a lesser degree. It's definitely going to the shop soon for what I hope is a permanent fix. My only other quibble is that my remotes have no range. If I'm more than 3 feet from the car, they don't work.

Other than those issues, I love the truck. The best unexpected feature is the really tight turning radius. The wheel just keeps turning and turning :) The worst thing is the lack of seat adjustments, but I've certainly manuevered it to a comfortable position, I just tend to change my seating position as a I drive and love to be able to quickly adjust it while driving. Not really possible here, but something I can and will live with.

I'm taking her to the mountains this weekend for my first camping trip of the season, it's a little off-road but nothing my Honda CR-V couldn't handle so we're not talking about anything that will stretch the limits of the VX's abilities. But it's off-road nonetheless and the video camera will be rolling if we go off exploring!

Thanks again to all who have provided what I consider invaluable advice regarding my purchase - I believe I found a great one and I'm extremely pleased with it!

Moncha
04/13/2003, 03:57 PM
Two tips to cure the range thing.. Move the antenna to the A pillar and or hold the remote to your temple then push the button.

AnalogVX
04/13/2003, 04:20 PM
Originally posted by Moncha
Two tips to cure the range thing.. Move the antenna to the A pillar and or hold the remote to your temple then push the button.

How about a fresh battery? My range is really quite good and I can even lock up from inside the house.

Anyhow, I can relate to the lack of seat adjustment. I felt the same way until I found the front of the seat pulls out right under your thighs. It provides a little more support but I still can't find a good angle for my right leg and foot.

IsuZOOM
04/14/2003, 09:52 AM
Brought her into Tynan's this morning for the windows (I'm going camping this weekend and need her water tight!), forgot to mention the keyless entry remote range, but that's not an urgent matter anyway.