newbie vx buying advice

[vxfan]

hey guys
i've always liked the vx when it came out, but at the time it wasn't feasible for me to buy it... then i got into the whole sports car phase for a while... while buying performance parts for the sports car is somewhat fun, i'm getting very sick and tired of fixing all the little things that are going wrong so i'm back in the market for something sporty, something fun, and something reliable.

the vx is definitely sporty and fun... is it also reliable?
what are the things a buyer should look for in the vx?
which parts are prone to being broken and are expensive to fix? (for example, the subaru svx has weak rotors and a weaker transmission)

thanks for all the help
and i'm looking forward to joining y'all in the ranks of vx owner

[vxfan]

one more question... was sunroof/moonroof an option on the vx?

[Moncha]

Opinions will vary some but, all in all most will agree that the VX is very reliable. As with other vehicles, there will be and are some problems. Fortunately with the VX, the problems are minor. Window binding ( FIX ) is a somewhat common problem. Although in the two VX's that I have owned, I've not experienced this. (Knock, knock). Others will chime in here but I think that there is no one concern that has plagued everyone.
For the next upgrade to the site, I'm creating a section of common problems with links to either TSB announcements or appropriate fixes then this question will be answered much easier.

No, the VX did not come with a "Stock" Sun/ Moon Roof. Some members have had theirs installed custom..

Good luck in your quest!

[AlaskaVX]

The only problems that seem to be repeditive are the power windows, chrome pealing on inside of rims, cracked hood insert, and the CD changer going out (i've gone through 2 in 50,000 miles) Now my warranty is up on the CD thing so I have to go aftermarket, (oh well planned on it anyway)

Other then those minor problems it seems to be very reliable, seems a few VXs are burning some oil though.

[Dallas4u]

Originally posted by AlaskaVX
... chrome pealing on inside of rims...

By the way, this only includes the 18" chromed wheels.

[Heraclid]

Someone already said what I would say to this, and that is that the VX seems quite reliable and that fortunately all of the problems that tend to pop up are minor things.

You can fix the windows yourself in 20 minutes for free if they ever cause you problems.

Most with the 18's seem to have their wheels replaced without too much resistance if they ever need that.

Get what you can out of the factory changer and then upgrade to an aftermarket CD changer, because otherwise they'll replace it with the same thing and it seems like it isn't a question of if, but when. My changer bit the dust about a week after I got it (I got it used).

Get a '00 or '01 with the better warranty. Also gets you 18 inch wheels and climate control, both of which 99's don't have.

No problems thus far with my hood insert, and I think that is probably only happening to some folks because the bolts are tightened too much on it.

Some have had their headlight gaskets pop out (really easy to repair).

Other than these things, the drivetrain and all of that seems real solid. I love mine!

[vxfan]

what seems to be the fair market price for a 00? i'd like to get a range for private sales and for dealer sales... my budget right now is about 15000 sticker price...

also, how often do dealers give trade in incentives? i'm thinking about getting rid of the two cars i have right now to cut the damage buying the vx is going to do to my wallet.

would i be wrong to make the generalization that for a single male, the vx seems to be quite a practical car in terms of size and hp?

[Heraclid]

I think you'll be able to make the finances work, and yes, it's an ideal single male vehicle. I think it is a very masculine vehicle. The first thing out of my mom's mouth when she saw it was that it definitely looked like a guy car, and girls who don't give a flip about cars think it's really cool. I've had equal interest in it from girls and guys, which is saying something because a lot of guys ask about it. It has a decent backseat but it's hard to get into, but without a family it's not an issue. It is sporty-looking in and out, and has enough pep to back that up. It's changing as faster ones are out these days, but it is still one of the quicker SUVs out there, particularly for one with all the hardware (and therefore weight) it has. Extremely capable off-road. Isuzu isn't exactly a status symbol make, but these were about $30,000 new. And it is definitely different and it screams "look at me!"

[AlaskaVX]

Heraclid, you hit the nail on the head!

For $15,000 I would be looking for a 2000 VX with around 30-50,000 miles on it. If you have trade ins also go for the lowest milage possible!

But, when I think about it I would never sell my VX for $15,000 and I have over 50,000 miles now. Of course I plan on getting burried with it

[Dallas4u]

Originally posted by vxfan
I'm thinking about getting rid of the two cars i have right now to cut the damage buying the vx is going to do to my wallet.

What cars are you thinking of getting rid of?

[AlaskaVX]

I think this is worth it!
Kaiser VX on Ebay

[vxfan]

i have a 91 toyota mr2 na with header, intake, exhaust, shocks, springs, rims, mp3 player, bazooka tube, aftermarket speakers all around, cf hood

and a
92 subaru svx, currently getting a 5spd swap... but its been months since i last saw the car, at this rate, i just want to get rid of it...

[vxfan]

oh yeah, and on both cars i have aftermarket slotted and drilled rotors, on the mr2 i also have ss brakelines and ss ****er cables

the svx also has aftermarket speakers all around hooked to an amp, and a tube sub. the hu is still original, never had the chance to switch it as the auto tranny went out and its been months since its in the shop getting teh 5sp

[vxfan]

wow that's a nice vx on ebay... too bad its a bit out of my range right now... don't think i can afford a 2001..... as the books seems to suggest that they should go around 16000-17000ish, i'm hoping to find a nice 99 or 00 as i think the only difference between all three years is that the 99 came with 16" while the 00 and 01 came with 18s?

[WyrreJ]

And the a/c system is a lot fancier on the 00/01 models. Plus there are a number of less obvious differences - for example the interceptor mod has less margin to work with on the 00/01 models because ostensibly they have their transmissions tuned tighter from the factory than the 99s.