Does this still happen to everyone???

[So-CalVX]

My proton has tinted door windows (illegal in Cali) and I roll around half open all the time. (And with no seatbelt) and I get cops looking at me and giving me thumbs up and stuff. I know they see the tint and me with out my belt, but I don't get pulled over in the bee.
does anyone else get the same thing?
(I'm knocking on wood as I type this BTW.) LOL

[snowtrooper1966]

I actually got pulled over the other day while driving the GF's car for speeding on the freeway. The Highway patrol strolled up, asked how fast I thought I was going. I replied within 5 mph of what his radar told him. He then asked if I needed a ticket or if a warning would suffice. I said warning, please. He looked down and pointed to an Iron maiden CD I had on the passanger seat and asked if I was listening to that while I was flying down the road, to which I replied affirmative!
So I am not sure if it was my honesty about the speed (85mph) or the maiden CD that got me the warining.
First time for everthing, I guess....
James

[alanbradley]

I've found people's conversation starter is:- "So, you don't see many of those around..."

As well as the neck-craning, swivelling in the passenger seat, etc. that goes on. I swear one bloke in a French supermarket car park's head was going to fall off if he'd turned it any further!

A

[johnnyapollo]

I came out of the theater and noticed two big black dudes (dressed in hip-hop fashion, they were 300+ lbs each and over 6' tall) walking around the VX and looking at it - seems they had just parked next to me in a tricked out black FX45 (24" rims, blacked out windows, etc). In typical fashion, I hit the auto-start - they jumped back and started looking around and I could almost hear what they were saying, real excited - note the compustar has a 6000' range so I was still really far from them so they weren't sure what was going on. They kept looking in the windows and I got worried that maybe I shoudln't have hit the autostart (thought they were going to steal it for a second but that's just general paranoia as the VX has a cut-off switch if someone gets in it without the key), but as I walked up they met me a few feet way and started asking me a bunch of questions about the VX - they were actually really nice if a bit stoned. Telling them about what kind of gas mileage I got didn't phase them a bit, seems the FX got worse (which didn't surprise me either with the V8 in those, plus they also had to use premium - we bonded). Two things stood out - when I told them it was a 2001 I got a "sheeee***it" of incredulity - they thought it was a new model - I convinced them by showing them the cracked center console. The other thing was how similar the VX looked like their FX - when I told them the same lead designer was involved it all made sense to them - I told them my VX was their FX's "grandpappa" and they nodded their heads knowingly. When I said my farewell they watched me all the way to the exit - I got to wondering if they made their movie.

-- John

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

plus they also had to use premium - we bonded).

I've had the same mentality about using premium 'cause of the SC..but, recently on my trip to Moab some of the service stations I came across didn't have a very high octane on their version of premium (I seem to remember 89 as the highest at a Texaco I stopped at) and when forced to run it...my VX not only ran fine but seemed to get noticably better mpg. I started running regular afterwards except for the mountain ranges. I seemed to need gas before hitting the mountains and would fill up with premium then since boost would be pretty continuous. In short, I plan on running regular to mid-grade from now on unless I plan on using alot of boost!

*side note---I did see 2 service stations in the US with mid-grade gas that was cheaper than regular! One was a BP in Omaha, Nebraska.

I just finished a trip from my home in PA to Wheeling, WV (like 365 miles) and I still have 1/8 tank of "regular" gas left. I can't remember ever getting 365 miles out of a "whole" tank of gas when I ran premium!!!

When I was meeting up with Gill & Cece in Chicago I stopped at a BP station and the attendent came out drooling over my VX and said he never seen one before and assumed it was new....along pulled up Gill & Cece to top off their tanks and I looked at him and said "What do you mean...they're all over the place...there's two other ones right over there!" He looked dumbfounded..lol.

[mrtew]

I didn't even know we were supposed to use premium. I've been running on normal for years. Like 8 years. I should spend an extra $2 and see if I notice a difference. With gas as high priced as it is, the additional relative charge for the high octane is almost nothing.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I didn't even know we were supposed to use premium. I've been running on normal for years. Like 8 years. I should spend an extra $2 and see if I notice a difference. With gas as high priced as it is, the additional relative charge for the high octane is almost nothing.

you're supposed to run premium if you have the supercharger...sorry if I didn't post that better.

[mdwyer]

..but, recently on my trip to Moab some of the service stations I came across didn't have a very high octane on their version of premium (I seem to remember 89 as the highest at a Texaco I stopped at) and when forced to run it...my VX not only ran fine but seemed to get noticably better mpg.

There's something about altitude that lowers the minimum octane rating you need. Around Colorado (which goes from 3,313ft to 14,440ft), all the pumps are 82, 85 and 91 octane. I understand the rest of the US usually sees 93 octane at the high point.

All my cars request 85, and I give it to them, even though it sounds like 82 would be sufficient up here. 'Course the ability to use cheaper gas comes at a cost. NA engines lose a lot of horsepower.

[So-CalVX]

<I stopped at a BP station and the attendent came out drooling over my VX and said he never seen one before and assumed it was new....along pulled up Gill & Cece to top off their tanks and I looked at him and said "What do you mean...they're all over the place...there's two other ones right over there!" He looked dumbfounded..LOL.>

That's great. I woulda loved to have seen that. Just too much.
:bwgr:

[mrtew]

I was being questioned at the border today and the guard wanted to look in the back to see if I was smuggling and he asked me what kind of truck I was driving and I told him an Isuzu VehiCROSS and then he asked the only question that he really needed an answer to but couldn't quite put into words. He said, "Is it a normal vehicle?". I have no idea what he really meant by the question but I enthusiastically denied that it was and he let me go! It's always something when you drive a VX.

[Pepino]

My proton has tinted door windows (illegal in Cali) and I roll around half open all the time. (And with no seatbelt) and I get cops looking at me and giving me thumbs up and stuff. I know they see the tint and me with out my belt, but I don't get pulled over in the bee.
does anyone else get the same thing?
(I'm knocking on wood as I type this BTW.) LOL

ya my foxfire has tinted windows all the way around 15% illegal too here in wisconsin by far, the legal limit is 30% and got black healdights and taillights and cops never care they get to distracted trying to find out what car it is

[So-CalVX]

i got a new job at Abercrombie & Fitch in the mall down the street here and i have pics of my Bee in my phone. so im at work after the mall closes and im browsin youtube on my phone and just as i tap out and go into my pictures some of my coworkers gather round and look over my shoulder... make this short, they all stop me on the pic of my VX off road in Balanger.
they're askin the typical questions and i'm answering as quick as i could. then we're walkin out and one of the guys say's that's very californian. ok? and one of the girls says it suits me or she pictures me in it, like i wouldn't look right in something else i guess. sounds good to me. i don't plan on anything else.

just thought id post this

along with this pick of the first time i saw a VX in person.... ;D