Get a load of the love note somebody left on my windshield!

[Heraclid]

First day I drove my VX, which was probably just over 2 weeks ago, I pulled into an automotive store to check out rubber mats. The car that pulled in next to me - well, I'm not the type who's looking to see if anyone's looking, but this guy was pretty obvious and stopped me and asked some questions. Then the next day I was out and there were two women I had to wait on to get out of their car so I could get to my VX. They were checking it out and said it was "cute", and I know that bothers some of you but it really doesn't bother me because a compliment's a compliment. Besides, my mom saw it and said it was pretty tough looking and definitely looked like a guy's vehicle. My dad saw it and he normally doesn't get too excited about much of anything and he said something I won't repeat, but he liked it. I've seen a few people looking since but haven't been approached anymore yet. What's kinda interesting is that there is definitely some kind of jealousy or competitive thing under the surface at work. There are supervisors who I don't think like having people who work for them having nicer vehicles, and people with new vehicles who talked about them a lot and now they may feel trumped. One guy was, in a roundabout way, putting down my previous car once, and hasn't uttered a peep on the VX. Just plain silly stuff. I did have someone say it looks a bit like something else on the road but they couldn't remember what. No big deal, but I can't think of anything like it. Closest thing is maybe some of the Amigos, or if you want to really stretch it a Hyundai Santa Fe from the front. Headlights are probably most like some of the Preludes or Mitsubishi sports cars... there just really isn't anything I'd confuse it with. Then again there are people who just don't pay it that kind of attention and practically can't tell a Mustang from a Mazda or whatever. One thing I've noticed is a lot of things with similar cladding, but less of it, and I think they all came out with it after the VehiCROSS debuted. Oh, and on a side note, I had this guy with a tricked out older Integra sitting a mile from the steering wheel with the aftermarket exhaust from hell and all the rest (you know the type) who pulled out right behind me and then decided he had to race past me, and I played with that a bit because this thing is my baby and I haven't even gunned it yet. Before we hit the speed limit he backed off after I let him get almost even with me and then just left him. Now I'm not really one for street racing (and the VX isn't meant for it) and I won't make a habit of this and don't want to rag it out, but it was kinda fun just this once, and I didn't even give it all the VX had.

[WyrreJ]

Really, there are a ton of newer SUVs that have taken styling cues from the VX. I think on the other board there was a guy who worked in an automotive design department for one of the American manufacturers who said that regardless of the market success or failure of the VX, that design-wise ALL of the major manufacturers paid close attention to the styling. I think the truth in his words becomes more evident with every new model SUV released.

Unfortunately, the effect is to make the VX less visually unique and more easily mistaken for some other vehicle. We definitely blend in more today than we would back in 1999.

[Spike]

If a VX on South Park, I guess it would have been a 5 a$$ed Baboon?

[orionblues]

I definetly agree that other manufacturers paid attention. In fact, that picture of the concept VX looks alot like the new nissan murano. I think Izuzu dropped a major ball by discontinuing the Vx. After all, if something as sinfully ugly as the Aztek can still be in production, why not the Vx (no offense to any Aztek owners);pr;

[Andrey]

The point here is that public was NOT ready for such a drastic (read different) body style. I can garantee that this shape will be back. Isuzu with VX was a PIONEER and KUDOS to them for taking a risk and bringing to life such an awesome piece of machinery ! I think they've lost money with VX because it was very expencive to manufacture them by hand and put $420 a pop KYB shocks etc and not being able to sell whole lot of them (4153 units sold in US)

I love my Ironman and hope to keep it as long as I can !

Cheers

[Heraclid]

There are a whole lot of vehicles out there with a good bit of the polypropylene on them, and most with it came out after the VehiCross debuted. Now not a lot of it looks a whole lot like its application on the VX, but for example the Chevy Avalanche has enough on there to call it bona fide cladding, and the Nissan Frontier pickups sport some very similar styling, with the same sort of exposed bolts look over the wheel wells. And I am pretty sure the VX came out first. Not sure, but I suspect the Nissan Frontier's bolts are simulated and aren't actually functional in holding the plastic molding on there... not sure though. Like has been said earlier, we VXers do blend in a bit more today than back in '99, but I think the VX is still a pretty distinct vehicle. I don't think the new will wear off for me on it. Man, tonight it was parked in the dark with a faint glow of light on the front of it, reflecting off the headlamps. It looked like some beast in the dark, fangs bared, with eyes glowing like a cat's eyes in the night. It was pretty cool... I keep needing to pinch myself that I actually have one of these things now.

[Spike]

At a Chick-Fil-A drive through window on Friday, the teller said 'cute car'
(great, that C word again'

Yesterday, at a 'do it yourself' coin op carwash... one of the employees from the mechancal car wash side came over and said 'nice car... is that a 2004?'

And then someone else in a passenger seat was doing some serious rubbernecking while I was driving up I295 in NJ.


Oh, Don't know if anyone knows this yet , but the Avalanche now comes in 2 flavors... with cladding, and naked. I will have to say, it looks more traditional without it.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I was coming out of a pizza shop behind a couple who were walking ahead of me to the parking lot within "audible" range and all I could hear was the girl saying how ugly my VX was....that it was too "spacey" for her taste....meanwhile her boyfriend just said...I dunno...I think it's kinda cool myself...

It was then that I hit the key fob doorlock button and the VX flashed it's headlights and popped open the door locks with the loud audible chirp, chirp...

the couple turned around to see me getting in the VX and she hollered out "sorry"

I just shrugged and said, "No Problem...I like it" and drove off....
At least she didn't ask me if it was an Aztec like a few others have done!

[isuzusales]

THAT JUST MADE MY DAY!

[mrtew]

People have apologized to me for stuff they said about my VX when they didn't know I was standing right behind them too!