Isuzerati

[Raque Thomas]

Hey guys - that's my VX, here's the response I just posted on the Lotus site:

Originally posted by MikeAR303
A vehicross owner with low self esteem who thinks they're fooling someone?

No, actually NOT an Isuzu owner with low self esteem. Low self esteem would be one of those people who buy the least expensive model of an exotic or luxury car so they can say they have one. My self esteem is fine - thank you.


"Ugliest vehicle since the Aztec"

No way man - nothing is that ugly, except that one car from the '70's, what was it.....oh yeh, the Lotus Europa. Actually, through my "informal" survey, I've found that the VehiCROSS (VX) is usually liked by men and disliked (often strongly) by women (kind of an "anti-babe magnet"!). So I am assuming by all these posts that most of the people on this forum who have chimed in are female? Oh, and one more thing, a little homework reveals that Simon Cox - a Lotus designer - was the designer of the VX. Hmmmm....you guys know anyone who will sell me their Lotus badges?....Lotisuzu....I like the sound of it!!!!

If you want to put a Lambo badge, and VW badge, or a badge that says kiss my ***** (thank you Transio!) on your car, that's your business - you paid for it right? I don't personally like what a lot of people have done to their vehicles - but hey - this America after all!

I don't know any of you and don't owe you an explanation, but I'm going to give you one anyway, my Christmas gift to you to help "broaden your horizons". The VX is a great vehicle, VERY capable off-road, check the vehicross.info site to see some amazing things (it won the Dakkar rally), It has some pretty cool techno bits related to it (ceramic body molds, aircraft aluminum shocks with separate reservoirs, true computer controlled 4WD that senses wheel spin before it happens) not to mention a design that is 10 years old, but looks like it is from 10 years in the future (sorry ladies - I'm just talking to the guys here!), a full ladder frame, the shortest stopping distance of any SUV, and limited production of a concept vehicle. OK - so what's this have to do with the badge?? Well, I took off the god-awful Isuzu billboard on the back (about 1 1/2' tall!!) and people kept saying cool vehicle - what is it? As soon as I would say Isuzu, the next thing out of their mouth was "Oh" (let down tone in their voice). So I thought I would put a different badge on it - I toyed around with several and actually considered the Lotus badge because of the tie-in, but finally settled on the Maserati. Maserati has been the willing participant in more than one "poser" vehicle - most notably the Chrysler TC by Maserati, and the Bi-Turbo (Now I have the Maerati forum mad at me too!!), so it seemed to fit.

I do not EVER maintain that this vehicle is a Maserati product - other than, of course, the badge. 9 out of 10 people still ask me who makes it, even with the Maserati badge, and I now get the opportunity to tell them it is a concept car and about all the cool innovations before I tell them it is an Isuzu. Am I ashamed to drive an Isuzu? No, I love the vehicle - it does however deserve more respect.

Ladies, before I leave your neighborhood, I want to first of all thank you for the pictures you took of my VX - I have added them to my gallery, and second, I want to assure you that although you offended me with your comments, my intention was not to offend anyone here - I come in peace (and in jest!). Lastly, although I had lately been considering re-debadging my VX, I have decided because of this to continue my quest to educate the world about this great vehicle, and am now in search of Lotus badging - if any of you can help, please PM me!

[TechnoPope]

Thank you, Raque. You hit the nail on the head. I hope Maugan_VX reads, and understands, your post. I drive a rebadged VX now and have had the same experience. It sure is a great conversation starter and provides a chance to talk about my VX. I never mislead anyone who asks that it is not an Isuzu.

[JoFotoz]

...even if he was only ( arguably) "partly" responsible for the VX design.

The tirade about 'women' , was thankfully nothing more than white noise.

You dont NEED to justify your "personalization' , but it seems YOU do.

Enjoy , thats the beauty of diversification.

Jo

[Maugan_VX]

Read.

The only thing it did is serve to prove to me that debadging is as stupid as I thought it was.

Well, I took off the god-awful Isuzu billboard on the back (about 1 1/2' tall!!) and people kept saying cool vehicle - what is it? As soon as I would say Isuzu, the next thing out of their mouth was "Oh" (let down tone in their voice). So I thought I would put a different badge on it - I toyed around with several and actually considered the Lotus badge because of the tie-in, but finally settled on the Maserati. Maserati has been the willing participant in more than one "poser" vehicle - most notably the Chrysler TC by Maserati, and the Bi-Turbo (Now I have the Maerati forum mad at me too!!), so it seemed to fit.

So yeah, you care to much what people think about you. While you may tell the truth to people that care to ask, 10 other uninformed idiots are driving along thinking you drive a maserati. Deep seated psychological problems, all of you debadging people. Asserting the illusion that you're capable of purchasing a vehicle thats made by a company who by its very nature is cost-prohibitive is something that might require heavy doses of psychotic repressants. Does it wretch your stomach everytime you look at the steering wheel and see the Isuzu emblem (as tiny as it is) in the middle?

Its ok, you're just one of the masses of Americans to whom your vehicle becomes your social status symbol.

[TechnoPope]

My steering wheel is rebadged.

[TechnoPope]

Stomach is fine.

[Raque Thomas]

Originally posted by Maugan_VX
Read.

The only thing it did is serve to prove to me that debadging is as stupid as I thought it was.



So yeah, you care to much what people think about you. While you may tell the truth to people that care to ask, 10 other uninformed idiots are driving along thinking you drive a maserati. Deep seated psychological problems, all of you debadging people. Asserting the illusion that you're capable of purchasing a vehicle thats made by a company who by its very nature is cost-prohibitive is something that might require heavy doses of psychotic repressants. Does it wretch your stomach everytime you look at the steering wheel and see the Isuzu emblem (as tiny as it is) in the middle?

Its ok, you're just one of the masses of Americans to whom your vehicle becomes your social status symbol.

I don't give a rat's ***** waht people think of me - the uninformed idiots are just that - idiots! As for looking at the steering wheel, you obviousy didn't fully read one of my previous posts (even though you responded negatively to it) that my steering wheel has been debadged as well. As for "asserting the illusion that you're capable of purchasing a vehicle that's made by a company who by its very nature is cost-prohibitive" I'm not asserting **** - if I chose to buy that kind of vehicle, I certainly could. I've never been one to spend obscene amounts for a vehicle, or other possesion, but I've always been one to take very good care of what I have. I know plenty of people who brag about how much they spent on this or that - I've always been wired different, I prefer to brag about how little I paid for this or that, and what a deal I got. For those of you who have an IKEA store around, you may understand. My friends who spent $50,000 for their kitchen cabinets cannot believe that I spent less than half of that (AND got a better look!) on my ultramodern look. By the way, if you are a fan of modern decorating, and you don't live near a major city, check out IKEA.com, if you are ever in one of the few cities they have a store, check it out - you will be suprised (at minimum) and awe-stricken (at maximum) by the deals and what they have to offer.

My vehicle is not my status symbol; however, my vehicle is a big part of who I am, and is NOT just a means of transportation. You will rarely see it dirty, and although it only cost $21k I am VERY particular about it - don't close the door too hard, don't get fingerprints all over the door when you close it (a design flaw, in my opinion), don't eat in it, wash underhood every other outside wash, etc.

Maugan - I offer you the same advice I offerred the Lotus crowd - expand your horizons and realize that although everyone is not just like you, most of them are still OK. You and I have different viewpoints - that's OK, we have the admiration of this veicle in common, and probably a lot more things in common if we look hard enough. Let's just agree to disagree on this particular topic - if we ever meet in the future, we'll arm wrestle over it or something!

[VX Grrrl]

Raque Thomas -

Some people just have no sense of humor. It's a shame that people feel the need to harass you over something so trivial. Though I wouldn't debadge my own vehicle, I do think the Maserati badge is funny and cool and I don't think you should remove it. Unless you find something even funnier and cooler to replace it with.

I saw a VX for the very first time just last month, and a week later....it was mine! I don't understand why anyone wouldn't like the VX when I was able to fall in love with it from the first glance. And I'm a girl.......how 'bout that?! ;eekp;

[JoFotoz]

....must surely be the desire to drive something other than a Ford Taurus , a Rav 4 or an Exploder.

Isnt individuality something that makes the VX attractive to us?

Arent those that de-badge..re-badge..simply going a step further ?

An Englishmans home is his castle....
An Americans car is part of his 'id'....

Celebrate the satisfaction of primitive needs....

We ALL want to stand out in a crowd , and we all do it our OWN way.

Jo

[dutchie]

Yeah Raque and why defend yourself against people who drive a car which is almost twice the price (at least here in Japan)of an VX, sits two skinny people, leaks when it rains gets beaten by a Vauxall and then needs a totota corolla engine to get even, etc etc.

Don't misunderstand me, I like the Elise, but the "cool" factor is way overrated, a TVR is cool an Enzo is cool, an Elise is cute.

[Raque Thomas]

an Elise is cute. [/B][/QUOTE]

I was going ot respond to your post before I read this - but it just really put he icing on the cake! An Elise is cute - that is like the ULTIMATE put down!!! Do I have your permission to post this to the Lotus site? (Like I would wait for your approval )

[dutchie]

he he get them boy!

[spaceCADETzoom]

let's not turn this into a "my car's better than yours thread." There can't be a sane person out theere that is not flat out impressed by a Lotus Elise. Perhaps they have different engines in Japan...I know they do in Europe. But the US Elise has a v6 in a lil car that weighs 1900 lbs. Don't like sports cars? fine...each thier own. BUt don't like the elise because of its sports car characteristics..?

Different categories of automobile. I can't fault the VX for not being able to get 0-60 in under 9 seconds...

I like the VX for plenty things, but that aint one of them. I guess, like some folks, I like different things. WHile I'm attracted to the VX, I also have a 3rdGen RX_7. My urges should be covered all around...

[technocoy]

everything in that style and size just screams MIATA to me. at least the vehicross was the one being copied, and not doing the copying. the elise is a miata is a Z3 is a S2000... bleh.

if your gonna buy a lotus, get an esprit.

[spaceCADETzoom]

no offense, tecno...but do you know much about sports cars? miatas are as elemental as it gets to classic sports car.

again...let's not start flinging stuff toward other cars. Especially when those other cars are in a completely separate category...

I can safely say I love automobiles. Trucks, cars, sports cars, roadsters, history, design, engineering....

Outside of merely getting a car that "no one else has" for the simple need to stand out, can we all say that? I love the design and ideas behind the VX. As I do Datsun 240z's, Corvettes, and countless other autos...