Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
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Thanks in andvance
Dennis P.
-mike
It's "Shark Week" on Discovery...not a bad time to advertise an SUV that looks the part...
Went off roading this past weekend with some VehiCross trucks, those things are very off road worthy. My 2wd AX got high sided, without 4x4 dirt roads and mild off roading is fine. Anything more 4x4 is recommended. I'll post the pics when I get them.
-mike
-mike
The AX performed well on the dirt roads, I wouldn't call it a rock crawler. I did get high sided on the dirt mound, but it was my spotter's fault. I wanted to take one line and he put me on a different line, sure enough, I got high sided. Here is a pic of me descending the climb. Made it up ok, the gas tank skid plate works well.
http://swordforger.net/vx/dsc02683.jpg
Steve, Host
Saturday rock crawling.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/342dsc02708-med.jpg
http://swordforger.net/vx/dsc02704.jpg
http://swordforger.net/vx/dsc02690.jpg
Sunday roll over, I wasn't there for the Sunday excitement.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/342wreck_me_on_top-med- - .jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/342wreck_top_shot-med.- - jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/342wreck_rear_shot.jpg
That winch looks sweet tucked into the bumper like that.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/496sliders1-med.jpg
-mike
Now, my dilemma -
Having decided to buy an Axiom, I found a local dealer who had 5 2002 Axioms XS models left on his lot. (yes, 2002 not 2003) One silver demo (5000k) miles and four blue ones with about 400 miles each. Full 10/120 warranty applies.
He's offering them at around $24,000, except the demo higher-mileage unit for $23,000. I initially offer quite a bit less for one of the blue ones, since I have seen things on here and elsewhere that make me think a 2002 can be had for mid $22,000. He refuses to counter offer at all, saying this is all his dealer cash on the table on these and he would rather auction them off than go any lower.
Boom, like that, end of negotiation. In fact, the sales manager walked off without so much as a handshake.
Am I nuts, or is he? Can he really expect to sell four blue 2002 Axioms at $24,000 each? Can he really auction them and do better than $22,000? This is my first new car negotiation, but I truly expected a counter offer to my initial offer (which of course was a bit less - say $1,000 - than I was willing to pay).
Look forward to your comments, and if anyone else got a steal, let me know how you did it!
Tbone
Also do a Blue Book on a 2002, http://www.kbb.com/
use "private party value" that would be considered "high blue" In my zip code it's worth 20K. IMO you shouldn't pay more than high book.
www.isuzudealers.com
There are a bunch of 2002 for 17-21k.
Also, I recent saw ads at some dealers for 10K off MSRP on 2002 Axioms.
What about the new vs used comparison? In trying to ascertain the "fair price" I found it very difficult to find anything (even on Edmunds) for NEW 2002 models. It seems like comparing new to used is apples to oranges. Don't the warranty and other factors make a new untitled AX worth more than a second-hand one on the open market?
I am by no means anti-used car, BTW. If I get the Axiom, it will be the first new car I have ever owned. But still, in determining new car pricing, research on 2002's has been difficult.
Also, finding a 2002 XS instead of an S model for under 24,000 has been difficult, even after looking on isuzudealers.com They are out there but certainly getting very few and far between - and the dealer I mentioned in the previous post is the only one I have found in my metro area with 02 XS's left. Maybe its time for a road trip.
Tbone
They will work with you on price. I noticed they had $4000 off on one black Axiom, not sure what year model, and they also are offering 0% financing for 72 months, I noticed when in side the store.
They have a well-equipped service area too, open on Saturdays. Sales is open all weekend.
Just a tip, in case you are interested.
Dennis P.
Also Tboneshe: I got the same act from the SM at the Isuzu dealer here in Tampa, what a jerk. The guy stated Isuzu did not have a sales problem. There are plenty of Isuzu dealers and plenty for sale used to put up with that junk. Good luck
For those of you in the market for a new or used Axiom - hold the line on price. It is a buyers' market and I am sure that you will find a seller (dealer or private) that will give you a good price. If you are not paranoid about being able to get it serviced by a dealer like I am it is an excellent value and great car.
Thanks to all of you on this forum for all the info I've been able to get over the years on both tha Axiom and Trooper. Happy motoring!!
-mike
It depends on where you drive your Axiom. Chances are that 11.6 was in heavy traffic and in the city. Quite frankly in "stop and go" you are going to get horrible mpg results no matter how easy you are on the gas pedal. Your average will improve with some highway driving where you can get up to 23 mpg if you don't go too fast.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2003/04/17/159599.html?NEWS
I tried it and I think it is the cure-all, the panacea for the ISC sproingy ride problem. Here's what I did:
Drove the car a mile in Comfort mode. Parked the car without shutting off the engine and lifted the hood. The Active Ride fuse is in a small waterproof box on the LH fenderwall. I unplugged the 30 amp Active Ride fuse and replaced the WP snap-on cover and began driving again.
The new ride is just right. Kinda like Goldilocks and the 3 bear's beds. It is a medium comfort setting without all that extra PID gain that the ISC controller throughs in there unnecessarily.
By the way, that is the flaw. ISUZU engineers, where are you? Don't you read these postings? This system is fatally flawed and works better with the power deactivated. Why? Because the control loop has too much PID gain. It is overresponding to the inputs and creates a nearly dangerous ride.
As an illustration of this point, my wife refused to drive my Axiom in Comfort mode. She said it felt too weird. Now, she said she likes the way it drives. We drove across Florida to the beach on Sunday and back and the ride was wonderful.
Hey Ax lovers - you gotta try this.
And then, as someone else posted, we need to complain as a group to the NHTSA. They have a Web site with an online complaint form and if enough complaints appear on the same vehicle for the same problem, then they will look into it.
All for now...
In sport with the fuse removed the ride is a little softer, and perhaps more predictable, however on the freeway it's a litte bumpy.
I ride with the fuse because I think that the ISC works quite well.
Can anyone say proportional, integral differential?
I am just not sure that a PID controller could work well enough for multiple perturbations to the system that a rough road gives. The computer just can't predict the next bump and be prepared for it. I think it would be better if the Axiom's ISC could recognize a rough road by realizing that the system is not dampening as expected by the PID calibration. If it could recognize this, then it could simply go into a intermediate setting depending on mode and wait for the system to stabilize itself. It could be that on a rough road the Axiom would remain in a static shock setting, but at least the computer would be fighting it.
But again, I don't think the ride is that bad and I usually drive in sport mode since the roads are so bad here. With a little more engineering it could actually be great all the time. I will be interested to see how Volvo pulls off their own ISC system in their new model.
With four adults in the vehicle, the normal mode is very soft and the sport mode feels much better.
I think the computer program does not take the differing weight factors into account very well. It is possible Isuzu engineers just used some arbitrary weight when program the ISC. Who knows.
sorry about the delayed response.
I though I was having problems with my keyless door entry not working. The horn would blow but the door locks would not work. I first noticed it last winter when pre-warming the car outside. I lock the doors so someone doesn't steal it while it is running. The keyless entry did not work. If I hadn't had an extra key it would have been trouble. I was trying to trouble-shoot it at home with the car off since it worked sometimes. I leave the key in the ignition since it is in the garage. I removed the key by coincidence and figured out that the problem was there was a key in the ignition. If the key is there even with the engine off the keyless entry does not work. You could be out of luck if you have the key in the ignition and plan on getting back in with the keyless entry alone! It will not lock with the remote either but you can lock it with the door locks.
I finally tried to program the i-link for the garage door again. I dug out the manual and read it again. The first time I missed the step about pushing the button on the opener unit hanging from the garage ceiling. Once I did that it worked right away. I have a Craftsman opener a few years old with the rolling code that changes.
I started getting the seat rattling and squeaking from the rear seats with only 7300 miles. I had some thin metal tape with adhesieve on one side. I wrapped it around the seat hooks several times until it was snug with the seat latched. It takes up the excess space and also the thin metal forms itself to the shape of the latch for a tight fit. It shouldn't rip and get gummed up in the latch. The tape is similar to metal duct tape that actually has a thin metal layer instead of just cloth.
The step I missed was clicking the button on the opener unit hanging from the garage ceiling.
Once I did that it worked the first time.
current owners: If you would have a choice of buying the Axiom again, would you do it?
I've been looking at this car since it was introduced. And the only thing that stops me from looking at it as a potential buy is the interior. Maybe the '04 will have a better looking inside trim. The current one just won't do it for me.
http://www.isuzunewsbureau.com/press.php?action=recent
Dennis P.
all the way around. Comments anyone!!!!!