Bought my first VX 4-23

Just thought I'd intro myself, tell how I found my VX (maybe it found me) and ask a few questions. My Name is Don and I live in Apex NX, which is a 'burb of Raleigh. Will be moving to Atlanta end of month which is part of my VX story. I first saw a VX years ago at a dealer...fascination at first sight. It seemed so cool but impractical, yet something /everything was beautiful (except the price). Anyway, the move to Atlanta is a job promotion (medical imaging engineer - Philips) and for the first time in 15 years I needed to purchase a car..I have had a company van all that time (but the new position is 'inside'). I searched my needs, desires, and budget ...worked for 2 months on my wife and finally got her OK to buy a nissan 350Z. Weds I test drove one...it was pretty OK but I was having real problems with spending that kind of money on a car. And besides, I have her and a 10 yr. old son to consider and the 350Z is a 2 seater. On Thursday I took a service call for a vacationing engineer and passed through a small town in NC where I saw the VX for sale at the side of the road. My buried intrigue with the car surfaced right away. I couldn't raise the owners on the phone until late that evening. We agreed to meet the next day. Sleep was restless and dreams were of VXs. 9 AM I drove it. 9:15 my offer was accepted on 1999 ironman number 0358. By 5 PM it was in my driveway. It has 37k miles and the original owners took perfect care of it. It is like new in every detail. They made me promise to call them first if I ever sold it). Of course I could go on and on; but wont. What is weird is that this is the first car I have purchased for myself in 30 years. It may be the last car I every purchase (am 53 yrs and it looks like it could go many, many years). Here's how I describe the car to my friend and neighbors...every item is engineer to the n th degree. For example when I washed her Sat, I marveled at the fact that all logos and words (3.5L for example) were smoothed and I wasn't leaving wash mitt strings behind. Attention to detail. I drove by the jeep dealer on Sat (to talk to the salesman who is pestering my daughter to by a Liberty) and told him we bought the VX for her so he would quit calling us. Four salesmen were perplexed as to what they were looking at. I told them, "When a jeep dreams...this is what it sees." They wanted me to leave, this beautiful car was making their Jeeps look shoddy (of course they didn't come right out and say that, but I could tell. My question is this, "What do you like most about the VX? My answer would start with the looks and the fact that is fun to drive.
Don

Welcome to the addiction!

Yep, sounds like you are hooked.

Question: As you put the VX up for the night, do you turn back taking a last look and give it a smile?

That's love...;Dr;

Welcome to the family, and the pleasure of owning the coolest ride on (or off) the road!

Don, I'm orginally from Durham (in Maryland now). I'm very familar with Raleigh and the Apex area. Congrats on the job promotion. Good luck with the move and relocation to ATL (I'm sure you're enjoy the change in scenery). But most of all, welcome to your new family of beloved VX owners.

BTW, if the RDU area is home for you (as it is with me), maybe I'll spot you around town when visiting for the holidays. If you see an Ebony with MD tags, don't hesitate to stop me and say hello.

Que.

Sounds like the reaction I had when the VX first hit the floors in '99... I loved the looks but as you said, the price tags were not so pretty... took me a few years before realizing that I could afford a nice used one... the rest is history...

Welcome to the club! Your right, the looks are AWSOME and very unique... and the thing is a BLAST to drive... I can't wait to get mine back on the road... UGH! I wish I could afford TWO of them... am I sick? Do I need help?!

Anyway... its great to have ya!

TTYL!

Coach... I mean Randy (I often forget who I really am) ;)
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Originally posted by Anita
Question: As you put the VX up for the night, do you turn back taking a last look and give it a smile?

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Anita-
I'm even worse about that deal... I don't even go through my garage so I don't see my VX unless I go out of my way... I'll wander down there and peer into the garage just to see it... I'll wander INTO the garage to take a look at the NEW motor resting in there too.

Later!

Hey Don,

Welcome to the family. I'm also in Atlanta. When you get settled, send me an email or a PM so we can get together. It could be a good occasion for an informal meet with the other Atlanta folks (Dave, you reading this?).

-- Best, John

Hey Don,

Welcome to the family. I have only been here for a little while myself, but these seem like a great bunch of people. I have the exact same feelings about the VX that you do. There isn't just one thing that I love about it. All I know is that I just smile the whole time I drive it....

Dean

Welcome Dean... Yes let's get together for a mini meet when you get here to ATL! Look forward to meeting you and good luck with the move.

-Dave

3.5 years and, when walking away, I still turn around to look at it... it's a marvel to look at!

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

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Originally posted by Triathlete
Welcome to the addiction!

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so true..........

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"What do you like most about the VX?"

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For me it is the 'fun to drive'.
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There are a number of drawbacks to the VX ....... many, if not most well documented ....... the poor visibility, the inaccessability of the rear seats, small storage area ........... others not as well documented ..... the reliability issues ..........
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but there are few vehicles (in this 'class') that I am aware of that are as fun to drive as the VX ........ very unique ........ most of it has to do with the great handling traits ........
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beside the fact that I always look at it when i walk away my driveway goes in front of my house. Yes you better believe the vx gets parked where I can see it from my living room window and bedroom window. I check on it like it is a little kid at night. It towed my boat up to the lake this weekend and after out goofing off on the boat I sat on the dock staring at the VX. Bought my boat to match the VX is there something wrong with me? Instead of my boat being dark on bottom light on top it is the opposite. Where as the vx is dark on bottom light on top.

dkmiller68 your story also reminded me of finding my VX. My wife had been looking for a SUV of some sorts for months. Driving around after being completly pissed off after looking for cars we happened to stumble across the VX. That was a sunday night the next morning I bought it. Couldn't resist it. Within two weeks I bought my wife a new car and took the VX for myself. I love the thing!

:wave: :clap: :wave: Welcome to the family! :wave: :clap: :wave:

The sad part is that Apex used to be a cow town 30 minutes from Raleigh. Cary actually used to be a small town 15 minutes from away too. Those used to be all of my stomping grounds. Ive lived in RTP, Durham, Hillsborough, Siler City, Greensboro, Wilmington, Asheville, Goldsboro. I can never truly go home due to urban sprawl. My brother attends NC State, and he talks about Raleigh, it isnt the same city I knew. Thats why I moved to Alabama! I hope you will enjoy the VX as much as all of us have. I grows on you very fast.

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Cary actually used to be a small town

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Is it true Cary is actually an acronym for Containment Area for Retired Yankees?

dkmiller68, welcome to the club! I'm much the same - I admired one years earlier at a car show at the local convention center and adored it. Saw one just occasionally on the street afterward, but loved my Dodge Avenger ES and just never really pursued it. Didn't need a new car, loved what I had.

Then one day about a year ago (wow- actually I think I brought it home a year ago TODAY- maybe we'll celebrate over a case of Royal Purple!) one showed up on a platform at a lot I go by all the time, and I was practically drooling. My car was starting to have some issues but had plenty of good miles left in it, and I didn't really want anything else. I drove by the VX every day for about a week, and to my surprise it had not sold yet.

So... a little voice inside said to check the asking price just for the heck of it. Deep down I knew that it was the one vehicle I would gladly trade in the Avenger for without hesitation, but before long I wouldn't get much for the Avenger on a trade anymore. I was surprised that the VX was priced better than I had been expecting, even used as it was, considering I too had sticker shock the first time I saw one. Once I knew the price suddenly it seemed like this dream could be a reality and things got urgent - ya know - that thing's gonna sell to someone else and I'm friggin' lucky it has been a week and it hasn't already and I must make damned sure that won't happen and I must have it yesterday! :-) Plus it was so unique. I had seen one years before and had seen one precious few times since.

So I test-drove it that Saturday, and it was in great condition. Had it in the driveway a couple of hours later. :-) It was one of the few compulsive buys that I haven't come to regret. All I knew was I loved it. I still knew very little in particular about it. I got lucky - found this great gathering place for VXers and the VX is treating me well.

I definitely do still sit around just looking at it, and I still turn around to look as I walk away from it in parking lots. I watch myself go by when I go by a building with a mirror-like exterior. It has a strict bathing regimen and goes in the garage right away when I get it home. I found a grassy spot at work beside the building where no one would even probably see it that has day-round shade nearly all year long and keep it parked there. I get pissed for a minute every week when the lawn care people my boss hires come in and mows back there and get it all dirty. Today was one of those days. :-) So I whip out the duster and clean it up before I hit the pavement, even though I'm crunched for time to get my dog to the vet after work for a broken tooth.

Oh, and if you use a car duster for little touch ups, the wiper arms do like to grab a string or two from those occasionally. :-)

Wow...great to hear from y'all. Thanks for the warm welcome to the addiction. I too, look at it alot. Everytime I see it in my driveway, I smile and say a small thank you prayer, which, I realized was a little silly considering it is only a car...but it got me to thinking about whats important and cool in life and now when I see my wife or son I say a small thank you prayer too. I believe that in America there are 15 to 18 million cars and light trucks sold every year...so divide 45 million by 3500 (number of VXs sold in 3 years) and think of it like this...after each 1.5 MILLION vehicles were made, they made 1 VX.
Don

I believe 4153 VX's were imported to the US during 99, 00, and 01.
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I never have been able to locate production numbers for other parts of the world.
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Unlike some/many other limited production vehicles - that are barely used - the VX's do see alot of 'action' - are used as daily drivers and for recreation. Because of this, a number of them have already been 'retired' ..... (ouch).

Welcome aboard mate!

Until you pass your first milk tanker on the highway in your VX and catch yourself looking at the VX's reflection in the mirrored side of the tanker...it is only then you realize how addicted you really are!