Some questions to VX owners

[stangri]

So I'm about to send the deposit for the VX which is all the way back east and even tho it's going to cost about same as have the car delivered I figured I'd make a road trip out of it.

The seller advised me that:
1. There's not much tread left on the tires and I'll need new ones
2. Oil & filter will probably need replacing

So the questions I have are:
1. VX currently has stock rims -- what sort of tires are best for driving on wet roads? I do not expect to be doing much off-roading besides driving on gravel once a month or so, but living in North-West I'm very concerned about driving in the rain. I've had a 3-door Landcruiser Prado overseas and the stock Dunlop tires were horrible -- it was like I was driving a different car when I switch to Michelins. So whoever is still staying with stock rims -- what tires did you like and why?

Also, what's the cheapest source for tires in US? I've looked at tirerack, discounttire and costco. Anything else I'm missing?

2. Are there national mechanic chains which specialize in the oil changes? Are they likely to have suitable oil filter for VX?

3. What are the Isuzu recommended major services -- 20/60/100? How expensive are they and what do they include?

4. Finally -- what should be used to de-badge the car? How do I remove all the logos from the back, sides and the grill of the car?

Thanks!

[hyperkid]

Currently I have the Kumho Road Venture AT KL78 and before that I had Bridgestone Dueler. I enjoyed both tires. They gave me good street performance and the agility to do some light off-road if I wanted too. Both were great in the rain/snow for me. Bridgestone makes the MT D673 which has a nice aggresive look while steel giving good street performance. I just called around town and got quotes from all the tire shops and went with the cheapest. The shop I went with gave me my 4th tire free. As far as the scheduled maintenance I highly recommend going to the downloads section and getting the service manual CD. If you search the forum you will find some information there as well. Oil Changes...DIY - you can get the filters anywhere they are not solely just for the VX and much of the maintenance you can DIY. The badges are easy - some fishing wire, water and soap, and some polish to remove the residue and clean it up. When I first removed my back USUZU there was a hazy outline which quickly went away after a hand buff with some good polish. Since you are a new VXer there are some things you will probably want to do upfront and my fellow VXers would agree - Replace your fuel filter, pull your EGR,TPS and MAF sensors and clean them (super easy to do) - Spray your window tracks with silicone spray and MOST importantly, check your oil regularly.

Well that's my .02 anybody else got anything

Welcome to the family - your going to have loads of fun with your VX

[circmand]

80,000 mile tires from PepBoys for $700 with a $110 rebate. It incleded everything, tires, stems, disposal, road hazard and a front end allignment. I am not sure if they have Pep Boys back East

[RickOKC]

I don't have the expertise in tires to make a recommendation, but I sure like the Surveys tab on TireRack. They rank various aspects of the tire and you can also select the link to "Compare This Tire to Other ____ Tires" of the same general style. I suspect "who's cheaper" may depend on the tire.

Go to the Downloads section (<---- left column) and find the VX Owner's Manual. It has all the recommended service intervals. Even if you get a paper copy with your VX, having an electronic copy is handy to have around, too. I keep it at work, at home, on my phone…

On other forums, I've read about people using dental floss, fishing line or light weed trimmer line to carefully saw through the adhesive between the paint and the badges. Don't use anything metal unless you like scratches! The remaining adhesive can be removed with Goo-Gone, WD-40 or 3M Adhesive Remover (without acetone!) I think an old terrycloth rag works best because the texture helps remove the glue as it becomes a mess. Don’t use paper towels (they can scratch).

[etlsport]

I know around my way its not so much who is cheapest as it is who has the best service. I know that every major shop within 20 miles of mine price matches the competition. find a place with a good reputation and see what kind of deals they offer for tires.

the tires you choose is completely based on what you intend to do with your VX and what you expect from them. the VX tires sizing allows for many AT tires as well as many high performance street tires.

the oil filter is insanely common. its found on older hondas (94 accord comes to mind) so you can find that anywhere. the Mobil1 number is m1-104. the Purolator number is 14459. I've found that many of the parts are easy to come by, Moog has a whole line of suspension parts, Wagner has a whole line of brake parts. All of them are common enough that I've convinced my shop manager to allow me to keep them on hand, just in case

[navistar]

If you don't know the service records then replacing all the fluids would be a good idea, oil, transmission fluid, differential, transfer, cooling.

Park it in the direct sun for a while. When it's heated up you can pick the badging off with your finger nail easily without scuffing the finish.

The grill badge has to be pried out. It'll break in the process probably.

[Mile High VX]

x2 on changing all of the fluids. Don't use any synthetic fluid in the transmission...it won't like it.

I debadged mine by heating the emblems with a hair dryer and lifting them off with some small guage fishing line. Goo Gone for the leftover glue and then a good rub with ScratchX and a microfiber cloth to remove the shadow that was left over. When I heated the front emblem and removed it, it did not break.

I'm sure Riff will be along to answer your tire questions.

[VX KAT]

[QUOTE=Mile High VX;203981]x2 on changing all of the fluids. Don't use any synthetic fluid in the transmission...it won't like it.
QUOTE]

???? I put Royal Purple MAX ATF synth transmission fluid in over a year ago. Several other forum members use it too...what's the issue with using synth in our transmission?? Did I miss something significant?

[djvx]

I'm sure Riff will be along to answer your tire questions.[/QUOTE]

[Riff Raff]

The seller advised me that:
1. There's not much tread left on the tires and I'll need new ones

So the questions I have are:
1. VX currently has stock rims -- what sort of tires are best for driving on wet roads? I do not expect to be doing much off-roading besides driving on gravel once a month or so, but living in North-West I'm very concerned about driving in the rain. So whoever is still staying with stock rims -- what tires did you like and why?

Also, what's the cheapest source for tires in US? I've looked at tirerack, discounttire and costco. Anything else I'm missing?

Welcome to our tight-knit family of VX fanatics. You didn't mention your VX year of manufacture, but I'll assume it's a 2000/2001 with OEM 18x7 rims. I'll chime in with a couple of tire recommendations that may be a nice match for your specific geographical location of British Columbia. Being a very close neighbor to you in the PNW, I feel you will need a tire that can handle multiple facets of adverse weather conditions including excessive rain and deep snow.

In this regard, a lightweight All-Terrain (A/T) tire with the prestigious "Snowflake/Mountain" rating will be your best match for driving in the PNW. I have only two(2) tire recommendations that meet this criteria (lightweight + S/M rated), and they are essentially only different by O.D. Thus, you can make a choice based on the "look" (wider for a meaner appeal) or for "higher ground clearance" (taller for off-road). Both of these tires are bolt-on perfect on a "non-lifted" 100% stock VX when used with the OEM 18x7 Stock Rims, and may/may not require very slight trimming of the front cladding depending upon fitment.

They are:

A. Pro-Comp, All-Terrain (A/T) in 285/60R18 (31.4" O.D./43 lbs). Pick this lightweight tire if you prefer a wide/mean look with sporty handling. They are somewhat expensive as they are Pro-Comp's with a 50,000 mile warranty, and are easily available at www.4WheelParts.com and their national service centers. Fellow member BorderCross2000 has this specific tire mounted on OEM 18x7 Stock Rims on his VX.

B. General, Grabber AT2 in P275/65R18-116S (32" O.D./44 lbs). Pick this lightweight tire if you prefer increased off-road ground clearance and want your VX to ride visually higher without lifting the suspension. These are incredible tires at a bargain price of only around $150 each. There are multiple members here (including myself) that have this specific tire mounted on OEM 18x7 Stock Rims on their VX.

In addition to the websites you indicated, please check-out:

1. www.tires-easy.com (super-low prices).
2. www.onlinetires.com (unique tires)
3. www.1010tires.com (excellent multi-tire calculator & tech info)

[stangri]

Thanks so much! I'll check out all recommendations!

Another question I forgot to post earlier -- The car comes with only one key and no remote -- has anyone installed an immobilizer system on VX? If so, what did you install and how much time did it take? Also what other Isuzu models use compatible key blanks so I can find them on ebay easier?

Ah, also I'm a bit concerned about putting bigger than stock tires -- if I go for a wider tire (285/60) how can I ensure the fitment so that I wouldn't have to trim cladding?

thanks!

[etlsport]

if you are not sold on larger tires, the VX factory size tires are just fine. I have not been impressed by the Dueler H/T in the snow though. The VX does look much better with larger tires though!. You can always go in the middle of factory and RiffRaffs suggestion.

a 265/60/18 is a good in between tire size that will require no cladding cutting at all if used with factory wheels. When I got my new tires I considered

Goodyear Fortera Tripletred
Bridgestone Dueler APT4
Falken ST/Z01

All in a 265/60/18. The goodyear was most expensive, but offered the best traction by far. It is severe weather rated with the mountain/snowflake symbol, but not nearly as loud as the A/T tires recommended by riffraff they have a 60,000 mile warranty. In my experience they do last every bit of that 60,000 miles if you maintain them properly. On the downside, if you don't rotate them and have alignments done when needed, they will wear very badly because of the tread design.

The Dueler APT4 is a good agressive looking tire with squared off shoulders, but has no big gaping holes in the tread so its still reasonably quiet on the road while maintaining good snow traction as well as rain/dry comfort and traction. It also has a 60,000 mile warranty (This tire is a Sears only, so may not be available for you) The Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo is not too different, and much more widely available

The Falken is the tire I have the least experience with. It is considered UHP (ultra high performance) and has a directional tread pattern which should help wet traction. no real experience with them, but from reviews and seeing the tire, it looked to be a pretty good option. They have a 50,000 mile warranty

I ended up with the Falken STZ04 which is non directional and a touch more aggressive, I have been very happy with them so far (but had to go a size larger to 285/60/18) as they aren't offered in a 265.

[VX KAT]

Thanks so much! I'll check out all recommendations!

Another question I forgot to post earlier -- The car comes with only one key and no remote -- has anyone installed an immobilizer system on VX? If so, what did you install and how much time did it take? Also what other Isuzu models use compatible key blanks so I can find them on ebay easier?

Ah, also I'm a bit concerned about putting bigger than stock tires -- if I go for a wider tire (285/60) how can I ensure the fitment so that I wouldn't have to trim cladding?

thanks!

REMOTE KEY FOB: PART NUMBER: BAB237131-013 - 2-90101-701-0
I'm not sure if the alarm system was standard, so FIRST make sure you have the alarm system. The control box is WAY up under your left foot well and off to the left side. It's black, about the size of a in dash CD player and has a BRIGHT GREEN button on it. I have a picture of it if you need it, just holler.
I have the easy programming instructions for the remote, it's really easy to do.

Here's a post I made in Feb. that has several references:
http://vehicross.info/forums/showpos...5&postcount=10

http://www.originalkeyless.com/produ...&categoryId=13

There's currently 4 OEM remotes on ebay that will work. These are the genuine OEM remote, be careful and note that several are selling a knock off replacement remote...just decide which you want and make sure you are sure which one you're getting.
http://desc.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nk...sacat=0&_rdc=1


KEYS:
There's several Vehicross keys on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-...s#ht_500wt_698


TRIMMING CLADDING TO FIT 285/60-18 TIRES ON OEM RIMS:
I have that size tire on OEM 18" rims, and NO TB cranked, and no lift, no special springs etc....and this is ALL you have to trim off cladding...it's very easy. Since these are hand made cars, we've heard several instances where people encounter slight variances and tolerances, so you may have a slightly larger or smaller piece to cut, etc... vt. mav said he had to trim cladding to a slightly different degree on each side for his tire/wheel application, so there's sometimes slight variances, but all very doable.

[Riff Raff]

Ah, also I'm a bit concerned about putting bigger than stock tires -- if I go for a wider tire (285/60) how can I ensure the fitment so that I wouldn't have to trim cladding?

VX-KAT--- Excellent post, with excellent pictures. This shows exactly what area of the front cladding that is trimmed when using fatter 285 series tires, and specifically the 285/60R18 (31.4" O.D.).

STANGRI--- Most tire shops have air-powered circular "mini-saws" and can easily cut through the plastic cladding like butter. Just take a little bit off at a time, until the desired clearance is acheived. If you're still a bit skittish about going under the knife and trimming your front cladding, then perhaps come down to a slightly narrower/smaller tire to size 275/60R18 (31" O.D.). The skinnier 275 series won't invade into the front cladding as much and will still give the VX a more pronounced wider stance than stock. You won't know if they rub until they're actually fitted on the VX; however the narrower 275 width combined with the reduced O.D. of 31" will "likely" fit bolt-on perfect without any rubbing. Each VX is slightly different from the factory-- what clears on one VX, might barely rub on another VX. You'll just have to test-fit to find out.

I also wonder if you consider my previous A/T recommendations having a too aggressive tread design to your liking or lifestyle, and leaning too much to the off-road flavor. With that in mind, I re-focused my tire search for a more "street" tire designed for a rainy wet environment with the majority of your travels on the pavement with an occassional gravel road. Here are my recommendatons in the smaller 275/60R18 (31" O.D.) size:

A. Nitto, NT404 in 275/60R18 (31" O.D./41 lbs). This tire has a great looking modern tread specifically designed for wet/rainy environments like the PNW and would really compliment the modern VX style with a more "street" type of flair. This tire is worthy of your serious consideration.

B. Falken, Ziex S/TZ04 in 275/60R18 (31" O.D./40 lbs). Another upscale tire for the street, but with slightly less water evaluation properties when compared to the more radical Nitto. Eric has these on his VX with commendable remarks (previously stated in this thread).

C. Yokohama, Geolandar A/T-S in 275/60R18 (31" O.D./39 lbs). This is the only true A/T tire made in this unique size. A great rain/snow capable tire, and for venturing off-road when the mood strikes. There are multiple members who have praised this tire on their VX.

The DiscountTire website has a really neat tire calculator that will adjust for your O.D. difference to get your new speedometer reading (most reasonable aftermarket tires will be about 5 MPH off (+/-) from OEM speedometer reading). As with all tires, please read the customer reviews where available on various websites (TireRack is a great source). For example, the Good/Year - Fortera TripleTread (all season & snowflake/mountain rated) tire wears-out like crazy due to its soft rubber compound and is extremely noisy after only very minimal miles. Many people had thought their wheel bearings needed replacement which was actually excessive tire noise from the G/Y Fortera TripleTread.

[RickOKC]

My spare key has the following: ILCO X184 B65

A web search didn't tell me what specific vehicles use the same blank (beyond GM, Honda, Isuzu, Geo) but the photos looked like my spare.