VX220 handling issues, what are they like?

[Ebo100]

I was out for meal last night with someone who spent quite a few years in the used car trade but has now moved into another industry. I mentioned that I was looking to buy a VX220, his first statement was that they a death traps and I will end up coming off the road and wrapping it round a lamp post. A scan through the pistonheads classifieds shows a large proportion of CAT C & D cars, enough to make me think there maybe some truth in his statement.

I have owned mid engined cars in the past and know that the handling is different but does the VX220 have handling issues? The threads I have read on this forum have lead me to think the VX was a grown up go-kart and I was expecting something that corners like on rails.

Is there any truth in this guys statement??

[Defcon5]

They are easily written off due to the price of replacement clams and lights and things, plus I would imagine the lead times for such items are substantial, increasing the cost even further.

Cars dont crash - drivers do

[teapea]

It's bks,
I use mine as a daily driver, and have done 16k in snow, ice, sun and rain and have had very few bad moments, nothing close to crashing.
the people who crash them are just driving too fast for the conditions and the fault lies with the driver and not the car.

[Rarst]

[quote]VX220 handling issues, what are they like?
[/quote]

an elise?

loads of cat c/d writeoffs of them too, easy to stick in a ditch if youre an idiot would be my guess.

[Ebo100]

Defcon5 said:

They are easily written off due to the price of replacement clams and lights and things, plus I would imagine the lead times for such items are substantial, increasing the cost even further.

Thanks, you confirmed what I had in the back of my mind. The danger of having a one piece front end I suppose means that even the smallest of prangs could lead to the car being written off.

Defcon5 said:

Cars dont crash - drivers do

While I agree with your point here and don't want to come over all troll like, I seem to remember the Audi TT being re-called to add a rear spoiler due to handling problems.

Edited by Ebo100 on Saturday 12th September 20:20

[DJSNI]

As we Teapea, I use my VX220 Turbo as a daily driver. They handle as you would expect a lightweight mid-engined car would, bearing in mind the short wheel base. They are very similar to the Elise and Exige in handling, but also command the same respect. When well driven they do tend to corner 'as if on rails', and can provide a very pure driving experience which you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere, excepting the likes of Caterham etc, but are also easy enough to live with on a day-to-day basis. For more information I would check out the vx220.org.uk site for a wealth of (balanced) information, and I'm sure the folks there would be more than happy to answer any questions! I would strongly recommend you get a run out in one... and that should help make your mind up. You will be pleasantly surprised.

[fridaypassion]

I think the biggest problem the VX has is the lack of traction control. A lot of drivers come to the VX as their first RWD car (I did) with some experience the handling is actually quite tame but I'd recommend some time spent getting use to the limit handling and what happens when the traction breaks. I've had my previous VX's drifting and oversteering away with perfect balance and precision all in a safe environment (oulton park drift circuit is brilliant for this)so if your used to RWD handling its a doddle in the VX but its easy to see how people could be caught out.

[jimmyVX]

I also use my VX Turbo daily and I have to say that I was very weary to begin with about wet weather driving but I have to say that it has bags of traction and while of course it is easy to spin up the wheels and break traction, you have to be being silly to get caught out. I have had several RWD cars before my last being a TVR Chimeara which I drove daily aswell but the driver feedback that the VX offers is second to none and allows the driver to know exactly what is going on, which in my opinion makes it much more easy to drive. If you are careful and sensible you will have no worries, as time in the car increases as will confidence!

[ad551]

As long as you remember the traction/stability control is your right foot and not a computer somewhere in the car you'll be fine...

[vxsmithers]

traction control is for gays - 300 bhp/ 320lbft torque and i haven't died in mine yet

[Herman Toothrot]

My VX220 is my daily driver its fine. As said easily written off due to parts prices & availability i.e. Headlights at £800. Mine got reversed into with in a month of buying it, it needs a new front clam. It is all gaffer taped up but perfectly drivable so I'm driving it waiting for Vauxhall to supply a new clam via the insurance company, its been over a month wait now. If the car was un-drivable they may have written it off as hire car costs would start to get silly, all it has is a 6" crack along the nose infront of the bonnet and a 8" crack down the front of the bumper no other damage at all.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Wednesday 23 September 13:45

[steveavxt]

I think the reason a lot of VX's get written off is that they handle really well and inspire a lot of confidence at high speeds. So much so that people push it further, when they do find the breaking point they suddenly realise they don't have the ability to correct it.

[fridaypassion]

Nail.Head.

Same with a lot of sports cars really.

[Gnits]

Had two. Daily drives. Bloody great cars but as has already been said they are light mid engined and have a short wheelbase. They are communicative though which gives you a good warning of road conditions but surface changes in the wet and standing water can take you off-guard and then you have to be quick to catch them. I had a few 'moments' which were due to carelessness on my part. Had one 'moment' which was due to rain and surface change on a roundabout which solidified my decision to get a Murtaya. I had enjoyed the VX and was time to move on and up.
Handling is by far the least of their 'issues/foibles/characteristics' whatever you want to call them. Have a look on the VX220 forum for the thesaurus and you will see what I mean!
After all that I would definitely recommend one though!

[TubbyNorman]

Only problem with using the VX turbo as a daily drive is that you will have to keep a supply of lemons handy, you have to suck one to get the silly grin off your face every time you drive it !

[G0ldfysh]

Main issue with the VX is the nut behind the wheel is often a little loose

[Heathyboy]

I went from a TVR (S3) to a VX220 (NA) and the VX is far more planted on the road than the TVR ever was and the handling far better - though I find it less communicative and less exciting. It's actually quite docile at low revs (turbo will be different as it comes on song low in the rev range).

Any rear wheel drive car in wet or greasy conditions will be scary. I had a BMW 1 series when they first came out and had more problems with the handling of that than any sportscar I have owned, probably because it had traction control I expected it to cope better.

The Cat C / D are down to the cost of replacement chassis I would guess. Even a small prang can bend it and then it's useless - it's not like they're being wrapped around trees every five mins.

Buy one, take it easy, get used to it and if you don't like it sell it again! You don't have to keep it ;o)

[tail slide]

I have a TVR T350 which I'm never selling, and had a VX220 NA as a daily driver for a year, with suspension set up well & on Nitrons.

It's the go-kart you suggest, with wonderful feel through the steering and chassis, much more feelsome for B-roads than the T350. Though plenty quick enough I hankered for bit more power after being spoiled by the TVR, so was going to get an M3 but it feels like a saloon most of the time, so I'm keeping it & adding a Courtenay SC conversion to 250bhp

Edited by tail slide on Tuesday 20th October 18:03

[Ebo100]

thanks for your comments guys. I bought a VX n/a last week:-


I can't believe how well it handles. The usual 'go-kart and drives on rails' comments really do apply. I have had a couple of trips over the North Yorkshire moors and absolutley love it. The grip in the dry seems to be far in excess of anything else I have driven (as an Audi S3 and Clio 182 owner will testify after last night). In the wet however it may be a different story as understeer has been evident when experimenting on roundabouts and I think it could be easy to arrive at a corner with an arm full of lock and continuing in a straight line.I think Steve sums up everything quite well below, because already I feel the car is quite a confidence booster and I will run out of talent long before the car.

steveavxt said:

I think the reason a lot of VX's get written off is that they handle really well and inspire a lot of confidence at high speeds. So much so that people push it further, when they do find the breaking point they suddenly realise they don't have the ability to correct it.

G0ldfysh's comment should become a mantra that every VX owner should say out loud before driving in the wet.

G0ldfysh said:

Main issue with the VX is the nut behind the wheel is often a little loose

Edited by Ebo100 on Saturday 30th January 20:48

[MrSimba]

Dolfin Blue! looks a beauty!!!

Take it to Steve Guglielmi and get him to set the geo up - it will be the best money you ever spend on the car!

...and it will handle like nothing else when he's finished with it!