New UK Member....

[fildigger]

...Just thought i would introduce myself to the UK crowd (i use the word Crowd loosely ;))

I will be picking my very first Vehicross up this coming Saturday (3rd March 2012) a 2000 model in Firefox Red Mica...great original condition with only 37K miles....Really looking forward to it and have being doing a lot of research on the whole concept of the vehicle!

It does appeal to me, because of the whole ethos of the design concept and how well it was executed by Isuzu...i do also like the JDM models (currently have a Subaru Forester STI, marvellous :yesgray:)

So, i will see if i get a reply from any UK members!! (any US guys, feel free to respond)....I know it is understandably quite on this side of the pond as i believe there are only 100 or so models over here in the UK!

Nevertheless, the Whole site has been and will keep on being a very useful source of information for me...hope i don't need it for any engine related issues hoping the JDM engine will be everything i hope it will be :grinb:

Thanks, in advance, for any replies i get,

Phil

[samneil2000]

Welcome to the madness man. Good luck with your new toy. Pictures or it didn't happen :)

[fildigger]

Welcome to the madness man. Good luck with your new toy. Pictures or it didn't happen :)

Thanks Sam, will get some pictures up when the VX is on my drive ;)

[Paul_A]

Hi Phil... I reckon there's less than that here... less than 50 I'd say! Did you import yours or buy it here?

[VCrossfan]

Welcome to the forum ! ! !

[fildigger]

Hi Phil... I reckon there's less than that here... less than 50 I'd say! Did you import yours or buy it here?

Thanks for reply Paul (was feeling i could be a longterm lonely UK member :()

Only 50 you say!...well i can believe that.

I pick the 2000 model Firefox red mica VX up at the week-end...mint condition, with red/black leather interior (Imported from US) and only 37K miles on the clock.....Has been over here since 2000 with just the 3 owners.

Looking forward to it :yesb:

Cheers, Phil.

ps. would be interested in any of your experiences with it and any issues you may of had!

[Mile High VX]

I pick the 2000 model Firefox red mica VX up at the week-end...mint condition, with red/black leather interior (Imported from US) and only 37K miles on the clock.....Has been over here since 2000 with just the 3 owners.


Wonder how that happened...the Firefox only came with Black/Gray interior...:confused:

[fildigger]

Wonder how that happened...the Firefox only came with Black/Gray interior...:confused:

JDM Firefox model here in the UK had the original cloth seats swapped out for the red/black leather (previous owner imported the leather seats from the States)...Must be like gold dust to get hold of now!

ps, looks nice but it still has the grey/black interior door cards...would look great if i could get hold of the red door cards (might be worth getting the grey covered in red vinyl or similar ?! Maybe :confused:)

[Ldub]

JDM Firefox model here in the UK had the original cloth seats swapped out for the red/black leather (previous owner imported the leather seats from the States)...Must be like gold dust to get hold of now!

ps, looks nice but it still has the grey/black interior door cards...would look great if i could get hold of the red door cards (might be worth getting the grey covered in red vinyl or similar ?! Maybe :confused:)

E-Z P-Z...:yes:

Just take the int panel off the door, everything comes apart very easily (faux c/f, map pocket, speaker grilles, lock plunger grommets, & door handles) from the back side...:yesgray:

Then just clean it up real good, shoot it with adhesion promoter, the color of your choosing, & a couple coats of flat clear...DONE!

I prefer a whorish spritz of RED personally...:smilewink

I don't recall even having to mask anything off...:thumbup:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC01399.jpg

[Paul_A]

Lol! Had the usual issues with mine (as everyone does at one time or another!) Sticky power windows, tailgate lock coming loose that kind of thing... by far the worst is the intake manifold gaskets though. That problem is very,very, common... just doing mine at the moment.. pig of a job but can be done at home. The gaskets are a kind of plastic and just disintegrate over time letting air in. The kind of thing a garage will charge you at least £4-£500 for..so worth trying yourself. Symptoms are erratic idle and stalling etc.
I'm guessing yours is the 3.2 as it's Jdm?
Exactly the same engine as the Vauxhall Frontera 3.2 and Monterey 3.2 (Zu Trooper 3.2) so engine parts are pretty easy to come by but don't go to Vauxhall dealers for parts cos their pricing is MENTAL! Isuzu Dealers are flippin USELESS for parts.. so don't even go there! Ebay is good for stuff like air filters etc (ANY "B" series frontera air filter element will fit..... they're all the same!) Same goes for brake pads Frontera "B" series again. Things to keep an eye on are driveshaft gaiters .. they have tendency to split.. easily replaced though (I use the Type that you "glue" together... they work just as well as the one-piece type and don't let anyone ever tell you mot testers don't like them... they're fine!) If it takes you more than 30 mins per side to replace 'em... you're doing something wrong. :) The iac valve can get a little sticky at (lumpy idle) times but its a ten minute job to pull it and clean it. The hood (bonnet) insert fades pretty badly and no amount of messing around with restorers seems to do any good. so do what most of us do.. cover it with carbon fibre wrap.. it looks good and seems to last pretty well! Drive it in 2wd most of the time ... as I do..It DOES save fuel! If you get any issues... give me a shout... I'll try and help! Oh... the most useful thing is get yourself an OBD reader that you can plug into a laptop (One of the cheap "Elm 327" ones off ebay.. they work just fine!) The diag plug is on the drivers side under the dash right near the hood release.

[fildigger]

E-Z P-Z...:yes:

Just take the int panel off the door, everything comes apart very easily (faux c/f, map pocket, speaker grilles, lock plunger grommets, & door handles) from the back side...:yesgray:

Then just clean it up real good, shoot it with adhesion promoter, the color of your choosing, & a couple coats of flat clear...DONE!

I prefer a whorish spritz of RED personally...:smilewink

I don't recall even having to mask anything off...:thumbup:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC01399.jpg

Brilliant, i can see you could be a sorce of very useful information...looking forward to a summer of modding and tinkering!..... Some great ideas on this site. Nice tonight

[fildigger]

Lol! Had the usual issues with mine (as everyone does at one time or another!) Sticky power windows, tailgate lock coming loose that kind of thing... by far the worst is the intake manifold gaskets though. That problem is very,very, common... just doing mine at the moment.. pig of a job but can be done at home. The gaskets are a kind of plastic and just disintegrate over time letting air in. The kind of thing a garage will charge you at least £4-£500 for..so worth trying yourself. Symptoms are erratic idle and stalling etc.
I'm guessing yours is the 3.2 as it's Jdm?
Exactly the same engine as the Vauxhall Frontera 3.2 and Monterey 3.2 (Zu Trooper 3.2) so engine parts are pretty easy to come by but don't go to Vauxhall dealers for parts cos their pricing is MENTAL! Isuzu Dealers are flippin USELESS for parts.. so don't even go there! Ebay is good for stuff like air filters etc (ANY "B" series frontera air filter element will fit..... they're all the same!) Same goes for brake pads Frontera "B" series again. Things to keep an eye on are driveshaft gaiters .. they have tendency to split.. easily replaced though (I use the Type that you "glue" together... they work just as well as the one-piece type and don't let anyone ever tell you mot testers don't like them..

. they're fine!) If it takes you more than 30 mins per side to replace 'em... you're doing something wrong. :) The iac valve can get a little sticky at (lumpy idle) times but its a ten minute job to pull it and clean it. The hood (bonnet) insert fades pretty badly and no amount of messing around with restorers seems to do any good. so do what most of us do.. cover it with carbon fibre wrap.. it looks good and seems to last pretty well! Drive it in 2wd most of the time ... as I do..It DOES save fuel! If you get any issues... give me a shout... I'll try and help! Oh... the most useful thing is get yourself an OBD reader that you can plug into a laptop (One of the cheap "Elm 327" ones off ebay.. they work just fine!) The diag plug is on the drivers side under the dash right near the hood release.


Thanks for all that info Paul.much appreciated (hope i don't get hit for to many problems..will be giving the VX the once over when i get it, although just passed the mot so should be fine in most departments . thanks bud

[vt_maverick]

Hey fildigger - what are the last four digits of your VIN? I have a Foxfire database that I try to keep up to date on which ones are out of commission, overseas, still running, etc.

[fildigger]

Hey fildigger - what are the last four digits of your VIN? I have a Foxfire database that I try to keep up to date on which ones are out of commission, overseas, still running, etc.


Will get back to you this Sat' or Sunday (don't pick the VX up until this saturday)

Would be great to see where all the remaining Firefox's are...Thanks for that...be in touch soon

ps. dont forget to remind me about this..i may forget with all the VX excitement ;)

[ovi]

I am a new member and I hope you can help me.. My front windscreen from my isuzu vehicross is complete damaged and I need a new one, do you have any idea who is selling this kind of parts ?
Thank you,

[fildigger]

Hey fildigger - what are the last four digits of your VIN? I have a Foxfire database that I try to keep up to date on which ones are out of commission, overseas, still running, etc.

Ok then...i have got the vehicle in my possession...the last 4 digits for the Foxfire are 1598

Hope this helps with your database buddy ;)

[vt_maverick]

So it's right hand drive right?

[fildigger]

So it's right hand drive right?

Yep..JDM 3.2....imported Brand new from Japan (so never registered as owned over there)

a few pics....http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/fildigger/2012-03-04154542.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/fildigger/2012-03-04154907.jpg
Only 37K miles!

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/fildigger/2012-03-04154717.jpg
Red/Black seats imported from the US (JDM Recaro's normally grey cloth)

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/fildigger/2012-03-04154829.jpg
3.2 JDM V6.

[vt_maverick]

Foxfire was not a JDM color. Do me a favor and find your color code, it's stamped on the black metal plate attached to the firewall in the upper right corner of your last pic above. It should say 872, 745, 808, or 756. Tell me which one and I'll tell you your color.

[fildigger]

872 is the number stamped on the plate!!!!

have i got one that slipped through the export net to the USA (strange how it is right hand drive if that was the case?)

Don't let the Recaro leather fool you!...it was sourced by the previous owner and shipped over here from the States!

Interested to know your findings :yesy:

[fildigger]

Got me thinking :_thinking.....Had to do some research..

...865 = foxfire red

..my 872 is RedRock Pearl.......so, is that one of the 175 Ltd edition JDM versions :confused:

[vt_maverick]

On the Wikipedia page 872 is listed as "Leadlock Mica" but I've heard folks say that is an inaccurate translation. In any event, 872 is one of the "main" colors that JDM VX's were produced in, similar to the color palette of black, white, silver, red, green, and yellow for US models. Regardless, according to the Wiki page your VX is one of only 125 made in that color, and perhaps the only one with US-spec red/black seats.

[fildigger]

On the Wikipedia page 872 is listed as "Leadlock Mica" but I've heard folks say that is an inaccurate translation. In any event, 872 is one of the "main" colors that JDM VX's were produced in, similar to the color palette of black, white, silver, red, green, and yellow for US models. Regardless, according to the Wiki page your VX is one of only 125 made in that color, and perhaps the only one with US-spec red/black seats.

Great stuff Mav'....nice to know i have something just that little more unique and more so here in the UK (i could be the only one!)

I had to laugh at the 'LeadLock' Mica colour !!!!!...

...If you were to put on your best Japanese comical accent and say the words 'Red Rock' it would sound like 'Lead Lock' :laughing::laughing:...not so much an inaccurate translation, more like what the English speaking guy heard when the Japanese guy told him the colour !!!