Is it my imagination or...

[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.

[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.

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

[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.