Is it my imagination or...

[Scott Larson]

Do a lot of people seem scared or put-off by the recent rash of blown VX's?
There seems to be a fair amount of long-time owners (relative term there) selling their beloved VX's. Is this a new phenomenon or is this the norm? :wtfo:

[VEHISIC]

Nope, these things can run for ever, if taken care of properly and every precaution is taken........now same question but with Caddy Catera's..... i wouldn't accept one even if it was free lol

[Scott Harness]

It's the bad news you hear everyday...imho...People are bombarded with bad stories all the time.The economy isn't that bad(depending on where you live, ect)When the election is over, everything will look better.Who ever wins will say everything is GREAT! :yesy:

[MSHardeman]

Nope, these things can run for ever, if taken care of properly and every precaution is taken........now same question but with Caddy Catera's..... i wouldn't accept one even if it was free lol

Not necessarily true. I babied mine all of it's life with it barely ever seeing anything over 3500 rpm. It drank a lot of oil, but I always stayed on top of it and it never even got to the half way mark on the dip stick, and I changed the oil religiously every 5,000 miles, used synthetic oil and had the pcv changed every oil change, and the egr cleaned every other oil change. Mine didn't completely blow, but it did lose cylinder three. I think some of them are going to go no matter what you do.

We have seen a lot of sales recently, but it seems like most of them are for either financial or family reasons. Maybe some just wanted something new. I totally plan on being a VXer for life, but this is the first car that I have owned for more than three years (going on eight now) because I always just wanted something else to play with.

[89Vette]

Not necessarily true. We have seen a lot of sales recently, but it seems like most of them are for either financial or family reasons.

Hardeman's point(s), and the rising price of gasoline (that doesn't seem to want to stay down while the economy is down), are the real issue here. If there's one thing I hate more than politicians (especial with all the BS commercials during campaign season), is the fat cat oil company execs....

Between the cost of fuel and the taxes we pay in order to step up MPGs (and buy a newer vehicle, it's a one-two "punch" they deliver while sticking their hand in our pockets!

[blacksambo]

Maybe the drought and corn harvest short fall will doom ethanol, at least for a while. Then everybodies mileage will increase.

[ZeroSix]

I think the styles are catching up.... The VX might actually seem dated as more vehicles are coming out with high tech / futurama profiles....

Someone mistook my VX for a hyundai sonata.... I wanted to go ballistic

[Prcdpnknova]

Someone mistook my VX for a hyundai sonata.... I wanted to go ballistic

;puke2;

[H3_VX]

While alot of us love the car and will keep it forever (me), most people need reliable cars. And lets face it, the VX is a mechanical blunder and most people don't have thousands of dollars to fix Isuzu's shortcomings. Don't get me wrong, I love my VX, but I've never owned or heard about a car that had more obvious problems. I'm stubborn though, and I will have this baby in my driveway forever, while others see a more logical choice....cut and run. LOL!

[VEHISIC]

You guys have it easy, gas in the states is cheap compared to Canada lol, and you made valid points but, personally I think 5000 miles is too long between oil changes, we do 3000 miles or 5000 kms....I do 3000 kms because I love my vehicles :p

[TheGanzman]

While alot of us love the car and will keep it forever (me), most people need reliable cars. And lets face it, the VX is a mechanical blunder and most people don't have thousands of dollars to fix Isuzu's shortcomings. Don't get me wrong, I love my VX, but I've never owned or heard about a car that had more obvious problems. I'm stubborn though, and I will have this baby in my driveway forever, while others see a more logical choice....cut and run. LOL!

Here's the thing with this forum, and most other forums - 'Ya just hear the BAD news! I rarely post on here simply because I HAVE no "bad news". I VERY carefully bought my VX from an original (high desert) owner 3.5 years ago with 58K miles. It's my daily driver, with just under 90K miles on it as I type. Including all the BRAND NEW cars that I've owned/driven this long, I've spent less $ in maintenance/repairs on this vehicle than ANYTHING else, to wit: $100 for a battery (the 10 year old original battery was STILL working fine when I bought it, it just made me "nervous" having a 10 year old battery!), $400 for tires, which I should get another year out of, $20 for a new serpentine belt (only 'cause the original had some light cracking), $150 to replace the rear pinion seal, one headlight bulb, oil/filter every 5K miles, change front/rear differential fluid; that's IT! It uses just under a quart of oil in-between oil changes - Boo-hoo! Driver's window had "troubles" when I bought it - 30 minutes of adjustment and it's been working fine since...

Now - if I became interested in a VX and did my "online research", leading me to THIS forum, I'd NEVER buy one in a thousand years! Did *I* get lucky? Maybe so, but I think it's more likely that there are a PILE of VX owners out there like me, that just DRIVE their vehicles without trouble. By analogy, my wife owned a Lexus SC430 for six years - ZERO trouble in 50K miles. I went on a Lexus SC430 forum one time to look for an "answer" to some question I had - could not BELIEVE the troubles that people were having with theirs! I thought I was on a YUGO forum!

Another thing that most people will deny, that I know to be true at 56 years old - people don't take care of themselves or their STUFF! My VX looks NEW, 'cause I take care of my stuff. Most people's idea of "maintenance" is to drive it like you stole it, then bitch when something breaks. Also - and most people on this forum won't wanna hear THIS either - the VX was NOT meant to be turned into a lifted, big-tired, rock crawler! This vehicle was built as "an assembly", with microcomputers at every wheel - just try dropping ten pounds out of one tire and see how "confused" your VX drives! Start changing the "arithmetic", and you're just asking for it - premature brake, axle, pinion, u-joint/CV joint failure will follow!

O.K. - caffeine-induced rant off. I know - "Hey Pops; better get home - your soup's getting cold!" Now pardon me while I go ride my bicycle 48 miles...

[Scott Harness]

Here's the thing with this forum, and most other forums - 'Ya just hear the BAD news! I rarely post on here simply because I HAVE no "bad news". I VERY carefully bought my VX from an original (high desert) owner 3.5 years ago with 58K miles. It's my daily driver, with just under 90K miles on it as I type. Including all the BRAND NEW cars that I've owned/driven this long, I've spent less $ in maintenance/repairs on this vehicle than ANYTHING else, to wit: $100 for a battery (the 10 year old original battery was STILL working fine when I bought it, it just made me "nervous" having a 10 year old battery!), $400 for tires, which I should get another year out of, $20 for a new serpentine belt (only 'cause the original had some light cracking), $150 to replace the rear pinion seal, one headlight bulb, oil/filter every 5K miles, change front/rear differential fluid; that's IT! It uses just under a quart of oil in-between oil changes - Boo-hoo! Driver's window had "troubles" when I bought it - 30 minutes of adjustment and it's been working fine since...

Now - if I became interested in a VX and did my "online research", leading me to THIS forum, I'd NEVER buy one in a thousand years! Did *I* get lucky? Maybe so, but I think it's more likely that there are a PILE of VX owners out there like me, that just DRIVE their vehicles without trouble. By analogy, my wife owned a Lexus SC430 for six years - ZERO trouble in 50K miles. I went on a Lexus SC430 forum one time to look for an "answer" to some question I had - could not BELIEVE the troubles that people were having with theirs! I thought I was on a YUGO forum!

Another thing that most people will deny, that I know to be true at 56 years old - people don't take care of themselves or their STUFF! My VX looks NEW, 'cause I take care of my stuff. Most people's idea of "maintenance" is to drive it like you stole it, then bitch when something breaks. Also - and most people on this forum won't wanna hear THIS either - the VX was NOT meant to be turned into a lifted, big-tired, rock crawler! This vehicle was built as "an assembly", with microcomputers at every wheel - just try dropping ten pounds out of one tire and see how "confused" your VX drives! Start changing the "arithmetic", and you're just asking for it - premature brake, axle, pinion, u-joint/CV joint failure will follow!

O.K. - caffeine-induced rant off. I know - "Hey Pops; better get home - your soup's getting cold!" Now pardon me while I go ride my bicycle 48 miles...

X2...my ONLY problems are the window thing...a little oil burn and a cv joint now and then...but I've been to Moab 8 years in a row...no complaints here

[Cobrajet]

Well, my VX has been nothing but problems!!! I've had to replace the battery, the tires, the oil and filter!! And that's just in the LAST TEN YEARS!! Not to mention having to put GAS in every few hundred miles.

But, seriously, I have owned several NEW cars in my life, but the VX has been the most reliable and maintenance free vehicle I have ever owned. I've taken it in for it's routine dealership service on schedule, and changed the oil/filter with Mobile1 synthetics since new, and have never had any major issues. The MAF needed cleaning once, and the serpentine belt idler bearing ate itself, but other than that, it's been uneventful. 135K miles! The windows still work, the CD player still plays, and no ABS or CEL lights (since removing the K&N oiled filter.)

I just returned from trips to Nashville, TN and Atlanta, GA (each about 1250 miles) and only added 1/2 quart oil after the Nashville trip. I'm planning to make a few more road trips in the near future and am not the least bit concerned about the VX letting me down. I've read all the threads about engine failure, and it may happen eventually, but I plan to get my engine rebuilt (not replaced) when or if that ever happens. More than likely, one of my kids will inherit the VX with the original engine intact. :happyface

[H3_VX]

Well, my VX has been nothing but problems!!! I've had to replace the battery, the tires, the oil and filter!! And that's just in the LAST TEN YEARS!! Not to mention having to put GAS in every few hundred miles.

But, seriously, I have owned several NEW cars in my life, but the VX has been the most reliable and maintenance free vehicle I have ever owned. I've taken it in for it's routine dealership service on schedule, and changed the oil/filter with Mobile1 synthetics since new, and have never had any major issues. The MAF needed cleaning once, and the serpentine belt idler bearing ate itself, but other than that, it's been uneventful. 135K miles! The windows still work, the CD player still plays, and no ABS or CEL lights (since removing the K&N oiled filter.)

I just returned from trips to Nashville, TN and Atlanta, GA (each about 1250 miles) and only added 1/2 quart oil after the Nashville trip. I'm planning to make a few more road trips in the near future and am not the least bit concerned about the VX letting me down. I've read all the threads about engine failure, and it may happen eventually, but I plan to get my engine rebuilt (not replaced) when or if that ever happens. More than likely, one of my kids will inherit the VX with the original engine intact. :happyface

Congrats! You've been lucky. I hope i'm as lucky as you.

[gonzo7231]

Well I am looking at getting a second in my driveway so I won't complain about people getting rid of theirs.

Gonzo

[H3_VX]

Well I am looking at getting a second in my driveway so I won't complain about people getting rid of theirs.

Gonzo

x2! Not now, but in the future. Actually, was thinking really hard about an Ax.

[Prcdpnknova]

Well, my VX has been nothing but problems!!! I've had to replace the battery, the tires, the oil and filter!! And that's just in the LAST TEN YEARS!! Not to mention having to put GAS in every few hundred miles.

:laughing:

[Gussie2000]

The VX is one of the most cool looking vehicules with the bad luck of having one of the worst drivetrain ever made by a jap automarker.

We cannot deny or try to ignore that the VX is one vehicule that even with the best maintainance can go bad.

[89Vette]

The VX is one of the most cool looking vehicules with the bad luck of having one of the worst drivetrain ever made by a jap automarker.

After driving Jeeps for 20 years, I disagree. With the exception of not having a 2x4 [selectable] option, I prefer this drivetrain to the more popular Jeep stuff. Their diffs are the trash.

[Mile High VX]

Well I've had mine for almost three years...and it's been GREAT!

Only thing in 25K miles that has been done, with the exception of regular maintenance, is my serpentine pulley that the bearing disintegrated on. I got one CEL once but it went away and never came back...:yeso::yesb:

I take care of it well with oil changes every 3K with Mobile 1 High Mileage 5W-30, new WIX filter and new PCV valve. I've changed the diff fluids, plugs, cleaned the MAF, cleaned the TB, keep the zerks filled on the driveshaft, put in a new battery, and have done a few mods that I wanted. I love this vehicle and it's never let me down.

I'm blessed that all of the POs have been forum members and it was well taken care of before I purchased it.

God willing I'm in it until the kids inherit it!

[Chopper]

While alot of us love the car and will keep it forever (me), most people need reliable cars. And lets face it, the VX is a mechanical blunder and most people don't have thousands of dollars to fix Isuzu's shortcomings. Don't get me wrong, I love my VX, but I've never owned or heard about a car that had more obvious problems. I'm stubborn though, and I will have this baby in my driveway forever, while others see a more logical choice....cut and run. LOL!

I don't know about any "mechanical blunders".....more than a few of these cars have passed the 200k mark....we've one here approaching 300k. I backed mine off the carrier @ Daytona Isuzu, about 5:30pm (shift was over and I waited for the truck)in 2001............It has been dead-nutz reliable....never a hiccup, or a failure in any system or part (headlight rubbers aside) for 11 years
WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?:grinb:
a horse isn't this reliable

[johnnyapollo]

Pretty much every issue I've had with my VX was due to my own tampering or modifying of it - with two exceptions: the ABS unit and the TOD speed sensors. Luckily neither of those were too costly (found a used ABS unit for $100 shipped) and I was able to do both jobs myself. It's been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned, (of course I've owned a slew of British rag-tops so I may not be the poster child). Oh and I bought mine "new" in 2001.

-- John

[HubEZ]

It completely blows my mind at how many people do NOT know how to maintain a vehicle. They leave them filthy inside and out. I was my vehicles at least weekly. There's some people out there that do not know how and have NEVER washed their cars, and after a year its so easy to tell. You see 15 year old vehicles maintained very well, looking newer then a 1 year old vehicle. If you keep the carpets in your car like you do your house, they will last even longer then the ones in your home.


Here's the thing with this forum, and most other forums - 'Ya just hear the BAD news! I rarely post on here simply because I HAVE no "bad news". I VERY carefully bought my VX from an original (high desert) owner 3.5 years ago with 58K miles. It's my daily driver, with just under 90K miles on it as I type. Including all the BRAND NEW cars that I've owned/driven this long, I've spent less $ in maintenance/repairs on this vehicle than ANYTHING else, to wit: $100 for a battery (the 10 year old original battery was STILL working fine when I bought it, it just made me "nervous" having a 10 year old battery!), $400 for tires, which I should get another year out of, $20 for a new serpentine belt (only 'cause the original had some light cracking), $150 to replace the rear pinion seal, one headlight bulb, oil/filter every 5K miles, change front/rear differential fluid; that's IT! It uses just under a quart of oil in-between oil changes - Boo-hoo! Driver's window had "troubles" when I bought it - 30 minutes of adjustment and it's been working fine since...

Now - if I became interested in a VX and did my "online research", leading me to THIS forum, I'd NEVER buy one in a thousand years! Did *I* get lucky? Maybe so, but I think it's more likely that there are a PILE of VX owners out there like me, that just DRIVE their vehicles without trouble. By analogy, my wife owned a Lexus SC430 for six years - ZERO trouble in 50K miles. I went on a Lexus SC430 forum one time to look for an "answer" to some question I had - could not BELIEVE the troubles that people were having with theirs! I thought I was on a YUGO forum!

Another thing that most people will deny, that I know to be true at 56 years old - people don't take care of themselves or their STUFF! My VX looks NEW, 'cause I take care of my stuff. Most people's idea of "maintenance" is to drive it like you stole it, then bitch when something breaks. Also - and most people on this forum won't wanna hear THIS either - the VX was NOT meant to be turned into a lifted, big-tired, rock crawler! This vehicle was built as "an assembly", with microcomputers at every wheel - just try dropping ten pounds out of one tire and see how "confused" your VX drives! Start changing the "arithmetic", and you're just asking for it - premature brake, axle, pinion, u-joint/CV joint failure will follow!

O.K. - caffeine-induced rant off. I know - "Hey Pops; better get home - your soup's getting cold!" Now pardon me while I go ride my bicycle 48 miles...

[VXorado]

Their diffs are the trash.

(Rubicon exempt)

[nfpgasmask]

I think a lot of what we see is cyclical. People own a vehicle and after 5-7 years they want something new.

Bart

[vt_maverick]

In my experience forums are full of both complainers and self-righteous aficionados who are all too ready to take full credit for their vehicle's condition because of their meticulous maintenance. The reality is that most people are hard on their vehicles but that even with quality care a certain amount of luck is involved in keeping a vehicle in top condition. Location makes a big difference too, if you don't happen to live in the high desert your vehicle will almost certainly wear faster even with careful maintenance. And remember that our VX's were hand-built and that the dies were more susceptible to degradation over time, so there will be variation among individual examples (compare the fit and finish between body panels, especially between the door and front fender, on VX's that haven't been in accidents - it's really amazing).

Congrats to those with great VX's for both your hard work and good fortune, and sympathies to those with rougher VX's regardless of the reason.

[Gussie2000]

After driving Jeeps for 20 years, I disagree. With the exception of not having a 2x4 [selectable] option, I prefer this drivetrain to the more popular Jeep stuff. Their diffs are the trash.

Sorry but you probably didn't understood my statement

I wasn't making a comparison of the VX and the Jeep.

My point is that the Vehicross has a awesome design,but its drive train is unrealiable
and not dependable as we all wished.

I mention that isuzu's 3.5L engine is probably the worst japanese engine ever built and unfortunately ended up in the VX.

[89Vette]

Sorry but you probably didn't understood my statement

I mention that isuzu's 3.5L engine is probably the worst japanese engine ever built and unfortunately ended up in the VX.

No, I understood. When something goes wrong, everyone tends to think they bought the worst POS imagineable.

Ask me about the Sumitomo tires (made by Goodyear/Dunlap) on my Vette. They work, but they're crap because I had two sets in a row with more than one tire having a factory imbalance. I'll blast them from now on.

Gotta say that 270k VX we've seen in this forum proves the drivetrain can last. Plus, every differential is NOT a whiney piece of crap -- like 1999-2001 Jeeps. Wanna hear about their "hidden" alum head problem in those years? What about failure rates of the V8's in the 100-120k mile range.

It's all he-said, she-said. This forum can't even come to a consensus on what the issue is. Kinda means there's not one in my book.

[Scott Larson]

Damn, some very interesting points indeed; I've been gone a few a days without checking in and I'm impressed with the responses! I particularly liked what Ashley (vt mav) said about people's perceived notions about how they take care of their rides. And as John (johnnyapollo) eluded to about self-induced problems, we really have no one to blame but ourselves. Lots-o-food for thought here guys...:thanx:

[89Vette]

Wonderous engine additives is another. I wonder how many people thought they were "treating" there engine to extra protection with some magic elixir like Slick50, and engine (carbon tetra) cleaner, or running with synthetic for 10k miles?

[Gussie2000]

There's records of many VX with failing engines @ 30000 or less.

I really doubt that any one that owns a car with that little amount of miles would neglect to keep up with its maintainance

I bought my VX with only 39K on the odo and the engine already had a noticeable noise,i am the 2nd owner and make sure to keep up with the horse need for care.

Again,isuzu just F.... UP with these engines BIG TIME !!!

[89Vette]

There's records of many VX with failing engines @ 30000 or less.

I really doubt that any one that owns a car with that little amount of miles would neglect to keep up with its maintainance

I bought my VX with only 39K on the odo and the engine already had a noticeable noise,i am the 2nd owner and make sure to keep up with the horse need for care.

Again,isuzu just F.... UP with these engines BIG TIME !!!


And, did you confirm it wasn't your 12-13yr-old timing belt?

BTW...I contacted and had a conversation with the long-time QC guy for Isuzu [on this issue]. Posted what he said about a year ago.

You also missed the part about additives -- that can be used as early as mile #1. And, personally, I do believe there's people who will neglect maintenance in the first 30k. For example, I'd bet big money that MORE people ignore the requirement to change diff/trans fluids at 30k [than doing this procedure]. I'd bet there's a good chunck who start forgetting the oil changes too...and don't check the oil.

Unless you bought a car new, and performed every single maintenance task yourself, you have no idea what happened to your truck.

[Scott Larson]

Not everyone buys a car as a long-term investment towards reliable transportation, sometimes it's "just" transportation. If ya got the bucks and it's the car you want for stylin' and profilin', just buy it and drive the wheels off it. Unfortunately, the next guy to come along and buy that car has no idea the amount of neglect it has been subjected to, especially if it was a trade-in at a dealership and got the "resale treatment"...

[givegodachance]

i took advantage of the problem. i found one with a bad engine and am putting a 3.2 in it. i hope that is better then the 3.5. Even though the only difference is the stroke.i think