Finally.... my VX craps out....

[uncle_asa]

It's terrible. I really sorry.

The only good thing here is that new parts you install in replacemant are new parts. So you will not worry about they fail on the road.

Good luck to you with the rapair!

[Hotsauce]

Make sure you check the timing belt before its started again. If the belt cover shows any damage at all I'd want the belt replaced.

John C.

[WormGod]

After 100 phone calls yesterday, I ended up dealing with, get this, an Acura dealer. The shop I was gonna work with totally disrespected me and treated me like crap when I spoke with the owner yesterday evening, so they have lost my business. Their business, not mine, so screw em.

The Acura dealer was an interesting find. My friend Anne was the CFO there and told me to try them out. So, I called and they said they had a tech there that came from an ISUZU dealer and they would talk with him. They called me back and said sure, he can do it, and as a matter of fact, he loves to work on VehiCROSS's. So, sounds good to me. It's a very reputable Acura dealer. Today I get to hunt down a flatbed company to tow the VX there.... the whole 50 miles from my house. I know a guy that owns a company, so hopefully he will cut me a friendly deal.

As for the battery, it was the OEM, to the best of my knowledge. It was the original battery that i bought it with. The brand was Panasonic, which I have honestly never even heard of as far as batteries. Insurance and warranty are totally out the window on this one. This is an out-of-pocket pickup, unfortunately. I dropped a brand new Die-Hard in just to check electrical and all seems ok there, and the engine turns over instantly, but the risk of the damaged radiator leaves it sitting the driveway until a tow takes her to the shop. The acid did it's fair share of munching on anything plastic though. The battery sleeve is all but gone and the powder coating on the framework just below is meat. There will be a fair share of cleanup once she is back on her feet.

Just another one of those things.

[nfpgasmask]

eBay headlight

[SPAZZ]

but, ISUZU won't cover any portion of your warranty that they can weisel out of.

They told me they wouldn't cover my VX at only 10,000 miles when it was bone stock due to the fact that I had changed the air filter to a K&N inside the air box. I still had the stock air box, but I didn't keep the stock brand of filter. Everything thing else was still stock. It was getting horrible mileage and they said they would not honor the warranty because I had "Moddified" the vehicle.

They said the same thing about the charging system and so on. Eventually I finally did "Moddify" my VX

I should have just parked across the Isuzu lot and spray painted "ISUZU LEMON" on it and seen how long it took for them to fix it.

That is why I'll never buy another Isuzu again. Sales department was AWESOME!!!! Service department sucks ***

[Joe_Black]

Be fair Spazz, you're talking about Isuzu America.

[kpaske]

That is why I'll never buy another Isuzu again. Sales department was AWESOME!!!! Service department sucks ***

Isn't that how it is with most stealerships? Once they've got the sale, they could care less if you're happy with their service. I'm already starting to see the same thing happen with my new VW.

[etlsport]

at least they recognized it as an isuzu, i went to a dealership in frederick md (avoid them wormgod!) to order some parts, when the guy asked what car i was ordering for i said vehicross, he says a what? i point to it in the parking lot.. he tells me 'um, we only deal with isuzus and audis'... i said "ohhh, sorry" and left.. i figured he didnt need my business

[WormGod]

Well, she is in the shop. The Acura dealer she was towed to is quite large and services/sells many makes, so she is actually in what is known as Gaithersburg Mazda. The best part about it is, the tech working on her has been anticipating working on her since I called. He even called yesterday asking when the tow truck was going to arrive because he was excited about working on a VX again. He apparently used to work for an ISUZU dealer and knows the VX quite well and has always been a fan of them. I am thinking my VX is in the right hands.

He should be calling today with a list of the damages. I guess you can tell that I am really looking forward to that call. As is my wallet.

[Catch77]

Sounds like she's in good hands. Anyone who's eager to work on it will treat the vehicle like their own. Keep that puppy on the road since you do have a great lookin' VX!

[kpaske]

I bought my VX at the Gaithersburg Mazda/Isuzu dealership. The service quickly declined soon after the sale was final and I haven't taken it to a dealer since (save ONE diagnostic test that only Isuzu's computers can perform). If you know the tech then you are probably safe, but I personally wouldn't ever bring my VX back to them. Let us know if the situation over there has improved and deserves reconsideration.

[WormGod]

kpaske, considering the are no longer dealing with ISUZU, something tells me there was a reason that service declined. Perhaps some dealers were getting rubbed the wrong way by IoA, the same way we owners are. Dunno, but it is interesting and I should probably ask "them" about it. See if I actually get an answer.

I actually don't know anyone at this dealer, but they took the job when no other ISUZU dealers would. The only person I knew there was the CFO and she isnt there anymore. She does work there come every tax time, but only for a few weeks, then she sits home and travels the world with her fat wallet, heh. I saw her last night and she said she stopped in on the dealer to look at my VX and to talk to them a bit. She told them that I was a very special friend and that my VX had better be treated with the utmost respect and care, heh. Good thing she knows them all well or that would have been taken as a threat, heh. But ya, she said the tech who will be working on it was pretty amped up about the job, so I wont be too worried. I also gave them the go-ahead to take their time. I have another car so I am in no hurry. I surely don't want a job that is pushed out the door to make room for another run-of-the-mill job.

So, the waiting game has begun and my garage is lonely. I don't even park the WRX in there. It is reserved for the VX, heh.

[VXIRONwoMAN]

that happened to my mom's truck only it exploded while she was getting out of the car and left some hefty dents in her hood...but she caught it before the acid ate away the truck she pushed it out of the garage and all was ok...sorry yours didn't go over well...go after the battery manufacturer. good luck.

[WormGod]

Spoke with the tech last Friday and it all sounds pretty good. He tore it down and went over the entire engine bay and other outlying areas. Electrical damage is very minimal (wiring) and only a couple wires need replacing. The majority of the damage is what I originally found; headlight, radiator, hood insulation, battery tray, and a few plastic clips. Pretty lucky considering the VX probably sat like this for about 2 days with battery blood all over. He estimated damages to be around $1500 and some change. Now comes the part of waiting for some parts to be put in. My garage is so empty and lonely.

[WormGod]

Well, picked up the VX on Saturday. The shop did a GREAT job with the repairs. Ended up sandblasting the frame area and repainting/undercoating it where the acid ate the paint off even.

Fixed/replaced:
-radiator
-battery tray
-battery harness/wiring cluster
-fuse box
-hood latch (by my request, just fixed, not replaced)
-fan shroud
-fan serpentine belt
-other various wires and hoses

Things untouched:
-passenger side headlight assembly (they were able to repair it but it still looks hideous.... said it would take a few weeks to get one in for $416 in any case)
-a particular radiator hose which is on "international backprder", which apparently means, good luck getting one. the one on there is ok, but with minor damage
-underhood insulation, also on international backorder

In all, it ran $1800. Most of it I could have done myself, but I refuse to play with the wiring. Better to let someone else be responsible for that, heh. I told them not to worry about the headlight, hose, and insulation. I will just try to hunt those down myself, even though they offered to keep their eye open for them. At least it is back on the road and drivable again.