Ok My Offical Intro ---- Pics 2

So as most of you know I ended up gettin that 99 astral with the high milage. Its about day 3 now and I love every minute of it. I am somewhat supprised that I am not getting any of those "WTF is that stares", but then again I am in texas and people really dont care over here. So far I cleaned the totally faded cladding with back to black and it shined like new. I heard rumors that dust will now become a magnet... and I can vouch for that. I did some trail riding today (well kind of). There is this little I guess you can call it trail back behind my subdivision where there are some high power electrical cords and I ended up going back there. I figured that if I was going to post pics up here I did not want them in my driveway... lol.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

I also have a few questions.
1. Where can I get new rubber things for under the hood.. like those hood stays that prevent the squeeking. The ones I have are pretty worn due to heat, so I might as well replace them.
2. Regular gas... I am assuming, but you never know
3. Is it common for the fog light fuses to go out. Mine dont work, and I really doubt its both bulbs. Also where are the fuses for the fogs located.
4. Does the tranny often feel kinda slippy? To me it feels like when a standard is lacking grip from the clutch, like when you press the gas and the clutch dosent really stick. Its not really bad, so I think it may just be how the trans is supposed to feel.
5. What is the stock tire size. I think mine already has some aftermarket bigger tires, but I forgot to check b4 I posted, so I will just make sure by asking.
6. There is a button under my steering wheel... any ideas what it is?
7. The button next to my fog light button... whats that? (See pic)

Thanks guys.....
-Mike

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Mike,

Welcome to the addiction! Not sure about the buttons, but the VX uses regular gas. Check the tranny fluids. Low level sometimes equals "slippery".
Fog lights? You mean running lights, right?
It seems that you have some after market buttons.

Enjoy your VX and see you at the next Houston meet!

the black button isnt stock, maybe thats your fog lights? if so the red thing next to it is (on other VX's, yours looks diff but might just be the picture) the alarm LED, if you use the remote to lock the doors, it should light for like 3 seconds then flash after that until you disarm

i use regular grade gas, and have no problems, at the meet i went to there was talk about improved gas mileage with higher octane, but i havent tried yet

its possible both of the fog lights are blown, id check that first, you should go to home depot and get 18w malibu outdoor light bulbs to fit in the sockets, they make a huge improvement over stock

my trans feels like it slips sometimes, try using (or turning off) power mode, many VXers drive with power mode on all the time, if the slipping trans really bothers you, you could try to order an autotrans interceptor from www.tonemonday.com (Tone on the forum) but if you are going to, hurry, last i heard he has 10 more and theyve been discontinued

as far as i know there arent any stock buttons under the steering wheel...

I will check the trans fluid and see if that works. I will check the fog light bulbs too... but think that it could be the fuse due to the fact that both are out at the same time. Thanks for the heads up guys.
-Mike

Good to see another VX in the Houston area. If you have any questions or want to meet up, I will be at the Houston vs Rice football game at Rice University at 8pm, just e-mail me, I will check my e-mail sat on my phone. If you are hoping that those lights will light up the road they will not. They are just for looks, i am guessing the guy before you may have disconnected them and put different ones in and then maybe did not wire them back correctly, i have tons of those extra bulbs as I have replaced all of mine with LED's and I can bring some to the game to check for you. I have tried all different qualities of gas and can say for me that I have noticed no real noticable difference between any, so for now it's reg. Yes those tires look to be almost between 30" AND 31" a little bigger than stock, but your wheels are bone stock 16" that came on the 1999. 2000, and 2001's came with stock 18" wheels. Hope that helps and I hope to see you at some of the VX meetings.
In Christ,
Ryan
USA Decathlon Team

I will not be able to make the game because I have to work tonight. I go to UH, so I would love to have gone, but there was no way that I could get off. I am sure us Houston VX's could set some sort of meet sometime soon... that would be great. I am not sure of too many good off road places around here, but possibly we could make a day of it.
-Mike

Chances are we'll probably get together sometime this fall around Texas Renaissance Festival time. Will add you to the list and let you know date as time gets closer...

Hey Ryan- if you happen to stumble onto a couple UT & Rice tickets I would be humbly grateful if you'd drop us a line :yeso:
________
Medical Marijuana Strains

Corrosive, did you try pushing the mystery button on the dash?! It might be to release the rear door (in OEM form, it ONLY opens with the key from the outside - period). Tone sells a door-popper kit that many of us have installed, and that's exactly where my switch ended up.

I tried... I will check again. Would I be able to tell from looing at the rear lock? It looks un-molested. I may buy that rear popper and then install it to that button.
-Mike

If it has a door popper kit, you should see a spring-loaded plunger thingy (or even two of them) mounted on the black trim of the rear hatch are on the right side (as you look in). If that's what it is, you would definitely hear the sound of the solenoid when you press the button.

Make sure you have the ignition in the ON position while you try to figure out what that switch does, as whatever it is may be wired in to a switched circuit.

Good luck!