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Suzuki Grand Vitara (2005 and earlier)

2456710

Comments

  • geoff7geoff7 Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone know of a bike rack that will actually fit on the rear hatch of a Vitara - perhaps attaching to the spare tire itself? Or is the type that holds the bikes upright on the roof the only option?

    Geoff7
  • eswoopeeswoope Member Posts: 1
    geoff7: When I had my Sportage with the rear-mounted spare tire, I got a Rhode Gear bicycle shuttle. It straps to the spare tire and holds two bicycles securely.

    List price is about $90. You can take a look at www.rhodegear.com.

    FWIW, I'm trying to sell my carrier. It works great, but my Xterra doesn't have a rear-mounted spare tire so I don't need the carrier any more.
  • kstenzelkstenzel Member Posts: 1
    What, if anything, does anyone hear about the 2001 larger Grand Vitara? This sounds interesting. Also, I saw a spy photo of a Grand Vitara SUT (Sport Utility Truck) in a magazine about 4 months ago. It looked pretty neat. It had four doors and held 5 people like the regular GV but also has a 4 1/2 foot pick-up box on the back. Has anyone else heard more about these two vehicles???
  • geoff7geoff7 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks, Elizabeth. I should have known to check out Rhode Gear since I live in Rhode Island!

    Geoff7
  • gone2seagone2sea Member Posts: 33
    I have about 3000 miles on my 1999 GV. The noise I get at highway speed seems more related to tire pressure than wind. Keeping tires at 30 to 31 psi reduced highway noise quite a bit. Also lowering rear windows just a crack actually reduced wind noise up front with or without drivers window open.
  • djwooddjwood Member Posts: 2
    Have just 1000 miles on my 2000 GV and it's great! Have had Subarus for many years; needed something with a more "chair high" seat, which is not available in Subaru, even with their electric seat on the new models. Extensively test compared and drove the GV against all the competition in mini-utes. There is no comparison. GV beats all in its class in terms of fit and finish, comfort of seating (Edmunds review about back seat not good for anyone over 4' tall is misleading), sound system (have both tape and CD changer), visibility, and POWER. All the competition are left in the dust compared to GV's V-6. I've only done 2 things.....had the windows tinted (to combat Colorado sunshine) and had the tires safety siped. It smoothed the ride and, as anyone familiar with this procedure knows, will extend the life of the tires. If you're shopping around for a great little SUV, just stop and go with a GV.
  • akashinoakashino Member Posts: 36
    I was reading the following webpage and it mentions that their GV came with a Limited Slip Rear Differential. I din't know the GV came with Limited Slip... or does it? Anybody know????

    http://www.fourwheeler.com/newtrucks/fwoty/99/4wheel.html
    Article:
    The grand Vitara has a similar four-wheel drive system to that on last year's Sidekick: a traditional (thank you) lever-operated two-speed part-time transfer case with a dedicated Neutral setting.
    Low-range gearing is 1.82:1, and sends power to a Corporate IFS open diff-equipped axle up front and a Corporate rear live axle equipped with a limited-slip.
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Akashino, I wish I had the limited slip, but I think they goofed. Some magazines have a tendency to do that. I know for a fact, mine is an open diff. Of course, about $1500 worth of ARB air-lockers and a couple of weekends underneath the GV could fix that. ;-)

    Kelly
  • djwooddjwood Member Posts: 2
    The 2000 GV I took ownership of in October has the limited slip. I've tried it out in Colorado high country snow, and it works as prescribed.
  • akashinoakashino Member Posts: 36
    I spoke to the dealer who said that the GV doesn't have LS.

    He did mention that there are two after market products on the market to make it LS. One is electric ($$$'s), and the other involves opening up the diff and adding two plates that limit the slip. He says that the latter is less expensive, like a couple of hundred for the parts and the labour.
  • moschetfmoschetf Member Posts: 3
    Hi All,

    I had gotten my GV with the window gard accessory, when I brought it back to the dealer complaining of excessive wind noise the mechanic/technician that went on the test drive with me, said it was probably the window gards. So he took them off, and WOW there was a significant (70-80%) reduction in wind noise, there is still a little but I can live with it. I'm going to try "gone2sea"'s idea of keeping the rear windows open a bit.

    I'm not familiar with "safety siped" tires can "djwood" or anyone else educate me (and others)

    Thanks Much
  • fsumom28fsumom28 Member Posts: 7
    Went on a road trip this weekend....they adjusted the throttle which did help the acceleration, but at 73-78 mph the vibration is still there. You can physically see the steering wheel shaking and feel it in the seats. The a/c didn't leak, but they have wrapped the outside with some sort of heavy plastic, so of course it won't leak inside. Do you think that is normal? and do you have any ideas at all on the vibration? They said they did some sort of high speed test on the tires and didn't see any vibration, but on the road there is.
  • akashinoakashino Member Posts: 36
    Spoke to a few retailers about tires and rims for the GV since I travel a fair bit through the snowbelt here. For the GV, I have found the following that are in the 236/60R16 size.
    Hakka Q's
    Michelin Arctic Alpin's
    Bridgestone Blizzak MZ-02's
    Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice
    Toyo GP-4's with the Microbit Technology (Walnut shells in the rubber)

    Cost wise, they are all pretty close except the Toyo's being cheaper.

    My question is (Based on your experience with these tires, and not based on what we read in Consumer Reports or otherwise), what do you think will be best for a location with black ice, snow, and freezing rain as part of the environment????
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    My wife just called from the dealer, sure enough, he claimed because the tires have more than 20,000 miles on them, they refuse to do anything other than adjust pressure. The truck has 20,100 on it, so they cleverly pulled the 20K number out of thin air. They thoughtfully lowered my tire pressure to 26 psi. What a deal. Also, they claimed not to feel the shake in the steering. Seems like a whole bunch of contradictions going around.

    Ah, dealerships. I wish instead of warranty, I could get $$ back and do all of my own work instead. At least it'd be done correctly.

    Kelly B
    '99 JLX+, 5 speed
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Akashino, sorry but I've used only Yokohama Guardex 600's. They use a similar 'crushed walnut' technology, only using nylon fiber, it works remarkably well. I've got a set of four on our Dodge Intrepid, and the car is almost as sure-footed as when driving in the dry, truly amazing. Another nice thing about them is the Yokohamas have their snow/ice tread all the way to the wear bars, unlike the Bridgestones which become all-season tires halfway through.

    I've heard the Michelin Artic Alpin is just wonderful on ice, giving up some snow traction. Looking at how the tire is heavily siped, I can believe it.

    Kelly B
    '99 JLX+, 5 speed
  • supe93supe93 Member Posts: 1
    I have a Suzuki sidekick 1994 with 125000 miles on it. Only major problem was wiring harness needed replacement at 110,000. I drove a GV 6 cylinder this weekend and the engine sounded really bad. dealer claimed that it was a compression noise which would disappear after 1000. Has anyone noticed the noisy engine? My sidekick is very quiet, you can't tell if the engine is running or not but the GV sounds very tinny.

    am thinking of trying the gv 4 cylinder next weekend. I love the car, the price but am afraid of the engine noise.
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Listen to another one. Mine, with the hood up, doesn't shake or make noise, 'cept for the engine-driven fan. Sounds like there was something wrong with the one you heard.

    Kelly B
    '99 JLX+, 5 sp., 20,200 mi
  • fsumom28fsumom28 Member Posts: 7
    You must be a mechanic??? Well, I thought the same thing (imagine, a woman that can come up with these ideas...) but wanted to get another opinion. Don't think I will say anymore to the dealer...will deal directly with the Suzuki/Attorney General's office now. Let them decide if my car is a "lemon"...thanks for all your help!!!
  • gone2seagone2sea Member Posts: 33
    I have a 1999 with 2850 miles on it. There is no vibration from engine with hood up or down, in park or in gear, and sometimes I forget that it's already started by the time I buckle up and adjust everything. Very little engine noise except under hard acceleration above 3000 rpm. Try another. Only complaint I have is tire noise at 60-65 mph. No vibration, just noise. I've reduced it by using 30 to 31 psi instead of 26 as I think Kellyb suggested many posts ago. Other than that very happy.
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for the praise, and yeah, I probably should be a mechanic, but being a mutual fund portfolio manager pays better. Also, my wife sometimes points out things I miss. It isn't a gender thing, it's a way of thinking, and having an interest in things mechanical. I've taught her how to do brake work and stuff like that, she's more than willing to learn how it all works and goes together, even if I do the work. She gets recruited for garage work more often than not, and she enjoys it. Of course, she also like sitting on the garage couch and supervising.

    Good luck with the Lemon Law!!

    Kelly B
    '99 JLX+, 5 sp., 20,300 mi
  • swest1swest1 Member Posts: 9
    to supe93,

    If it wasn't for the tachometer, I'd never know my GV's engine was on under 3000 rpm!

    swest
  • bko12bko12 Member Posts: 2
    Until I found this site I thought I got the one bad apple concerning my 1999 Vitara. I have experienced the vibration and the chintzy attempts by Suzuki to eliminate the vibration. It has been extremely frustrating because I too really love this vehicle. I only wish I would have found this site sooner. On 23 November I go into arbitration for a replacement vehicle with the BBB and Suzuki Corp. I would appreciate anyone who could email me with their experiences concerning the vibration. Suzuki Corp has stated they are unaware of a problem with vibration in any of their vehicles. I want to submit them as exhibits for my case to defuse their attempts at ignorance. I would really appreciate your responses, as many as I can get. If I am sucessful I will gladly assist or share my experience with anyone who is attempting to pursue the lemon law. bko@aol.com
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Hmmm, Suzuki doesn't know about it, eh? Then they should read the thrashing they got in the last issue of Automobile. They dealer said steering wheel vibration is endemic to the vehicle. Good luck, but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts the new one will do it, too.

    Some people seem to have cleared it up with new, non-OEM tires, picky tire balance, and an alignment. Personally, I think the trucklet needs a steering damper, but if Suzuki admitted that, they'd be on the hook for what could be a few hundred dollar recall on each vehicle.

    Kelly B
    '99 JLX+, 5 sp., 20,600 mi, steering shake=yes
  • bko12bko12 Member Posts: 2
    I think it is very odd that so many people have this same problem and no one is reporting it to the National Highway Transp. Safety Admin. I checked their site only 19 people have submitted complaints. The complaints are sent to Suzuki and they are provided time to fix it. If too many reports are submitted the NHTSA they can force Suzuki to do a recall on the tires, rims, driveshaft,....whatever the problem is. I called the NHTSA, they said normally 50 complaints and they start looking into it. If they confirm the defect they can direct Suzuki to recall. What irks me the most is Suzuki's attitude that its a little problem and they just putz around fixing it. 4 months and mine is the same, they do alittle fix here and there but nothing that actually eliminates it. When I called I spoke with the Suzuki reps they all said it was the "first" they heard of it. Thanks for the letting me about Automobile Magazine, I am taking the copy with me. Incase I am "stuck" with this vehicle what kind of tires should I be looking at getting? Thanks again.
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for the info, NHTSA will have another complaint today.

    Tires, well, I prefer Michelin for passenger car tires, BFGoodrich, if you're looking for an aggressive all-terrain. These are just my personal choices.

    Speaking of tires, even with 9 inches of the white stuff this morning, I managed to get out of my rather steep gravel driveway with the nearly shot OEM tires. The GV is like a mechanical goat, pure and simple. Well, it hasn't developed any offensive habits, yet. ;-)

    Okay, it did take me a half a dozen tries to actually get all the way to the top, but I had to 'plow' it first.

    Kelly B
    '99 JLX+, 5 sp., 20,400 mi
  • swest1swest1 Member Posts: 9
    After reading the above posts, I bought a copy of the dec 99 Automobile magazine. They certainly did trash the GV!

    Aside from the persistent vibration, I thought the rest of their criticisms were kind of bogus. It certainly would be nice if someone got to the bottom of this issue.

    After reading it, I am glad that we got the standard (if what they say about the auto and power is really true).

    Our GV experience is very different. It's a pleasure to drive, handles great, is quiet, ours handles very well at highway speeds and always feels stable. We've never felt any lack of power for passing, etc--just the opposite.

    I agree about the superb off-road performance. Once you set it in 4L and hit the rough stuff, the machine just begs for more!

    I read the review aloud to my wife, and we mostly just looked at each other and wondered how we could have such an overwhelmingly positive view of the machine when these people could hardly get themselves to say the words "grand vitara" without puking?

    We laughed when we read Megan McCann's summary at the end. The on-road performance was so bad that she was afraid to take it off road lest it snaps in half..? Come on! Megan is clearly an imcompetent twit.

    What they feel is bad, we seem to love. 4 doors, solid construction, extremely reliable..etc. When we camp or go on an extended trip, we pull a little trailer--storage problem solved.

    I can honestly say that this is my first and last copy of Automobile I'll ever buy. I'm not saying this because they trashed the car we bought, but because their review was so blantantly weird...

    I'm left wondering if a bunch of consumer reports hippies decided to leave and form their own car magazine?!

    My 6 year old really did love the issue though, since he could recognize most of the $50,000 plus cars because of all the training Need For Speed III and NFS High Stakes has given him.

    Apparently, the Automobile wirters can't seem to review an $18,000 4x4. I guess they are too used to reviewing all the machines that most of us can't afford. I guess I'll take their petty critisicms as a compliment.

    JMHO,

    swest
  • kellybkellyb Member Posts: 23
    Actually, most of the 'writers' for Automobile are Car & Driver rejects from what I took as a housecleaning @ C&D several years ago. I've been a C&D subscriber since 1980, so I've seen a bunch of changes, and the departure of the now Automobile folks, was a welcome one, IMO.

    Personally, I can't give a magazine which doesn't even do their own performance tests much credibility.

    Honestly, their test way biased against the vehicle from word one. I don't know how they can live with themselves. Fortunately, I didn't buy the magazine, I read it at the stand. Initially, I felt guilty, but quickly got over it.

    Kelly
  • varmitvarmit Member Posts: 1,125
    Sorry, I've lurking here for quite some time and after reading the above comments about the Automobile review, I had to go out and buy a copy. In my estimation, the review is fair, but incomplete. When I read these things, I look for positive points, negative points, and what the writers look for in the total package.

    For example; CR does a nice job of spelling out what they expect from a vehicle. Too bad what they expect is a soft riding economy car with a cargo space. Their review gets my vote for "most out of touch." At least they are honest about it. You can read that right up front and recognize that CR is looking for a wagon, not a truck.

    Oh yeah, back to Automobile. While they don't spell it out like CR, the writers make it fairly obvious what they think these vehicles should be capable of. The criteria are also much more complete than CR's. They provide good examples of the problems and don't just say "it sucked" with no explanation.

    What I take issue with is the fact that the writers don't mention more of the things that the GV has going for it (styling, towing, ground clearance, and low gears). Too many negative points and none of the things that people might fall in love with. For a review to be complete, it has to mention everything about the vehicle, not just the good or (as in this case) the bad.

    For someone like Gone2sea, who is down-sizing from a Blazer, the onroad manners (one example) of the GV are a step up. While they aren't as good as a CR-V, Forester, or RAV4, the bottom line is they are good enough (for him). The rest of the vehicle's positive traits obviously make up for it. Automobile left too many of those out of the article.
  • swest1swest1 Member Posts: 9
    Hi varmit,

    I'm surprised they belittled the reliability despite noting it so many times.

    I also felt like they selectively made the decision to not take the machine to the dealer to get the vibration worked out. Then they noted how many complaints the vehicle got on the vibration.

    That would be kind of like reviewing a Blazer when the ECU died and they didn't bother to get it fixed. Everyone who tried to drive the thing would make a log entry, so the result is that the thing just sat there for the whole long term review while everyone complained they couldn't drive it off the lot! This is an extreme example, but you get my point. Oh gosh--the brakes don't work right, but we'll just let everyone who test drives it for the next year complain about it, and then we'll tell everyone that all we got were constant complaints! I'm sure that when things happen to other vehicles, they go to the dealer and get them fixed, and this stops the constant stream of complaints...

    They did note that the Suzuki salesman said the problem was indemic to these vehicles. I've never talked to a salesman who could even explain exactly how the 4WD system works on the car either. Not very authoritative.

    Your statement about the reviewers just wanting a wagon reminded me of a story I saw on the network news last year. It was after the crash test results of various SUVs. They started the segment showing SUVs plowing through mud and the rough stuff. Then they showed both cars (with real bumpers) and SUVs in similar fender benders. Of course the SUVs with their sheet metal bumpers did very poorly. Funny thing is that they never showed the cars trying to go through the same terrain as in the opening segment with the SUVs. This kind of one-sided reporting is what we saw in the Auto review.

    Basically, my feeling on reporters these days is that most of them couldn't objectively investigate their way out of a paper bag.


    swest
  • mfraziermfrazier Member Posts: 1
    Maybe some of you guys can help me out. I have owned a GV since December of last year (21,000) miles on it. I love the car. I experience some vibration in the steering wheel but attributed it to the truck like nature of the vehicle. Just how much vibration are we talking about? Also since this is essentially the same vehicle as the chevy tracker (at least suspension wise) has anybody heard of complaints from tracker owners? If there are no complaints there I would imagine it would have to be attributed to the tires, right? Since I dont beleive the trackers have the bridgestones on them and the suspension is the same. I do agree the bridgestone duelers are awful tires. I am to the point where they need to be replaced already. Great discussion, great insight and great little truck! Let me know what you think!

    Wolfgang
  • geoff7geoff7 Member Posts: 4
    This forum was very helpful in helping me to make a decision to get a 2000 4-door Vitara, so I thought it only fair to post a message with my report on it.

    For me it was Sportage vs. Vitara. In fact, originally I was interested only in 2wd. I eliminated the CRV and RAV 4 on price, and the fact that they are car-based. The Sportage was the emotional favorite going in. I had a soft spot for that car. I like the looks. Once I started researching on the web it became clear that Kia has troubles. In the Sportage forum here at Edmunds it was downright nasty. Of course, the GV had it's share of complaints here too, but they seemed moinor: vibrations, rattles.. that kind of thing. Over at the Kia forum, the niggles were major. SO that made the decision easy.

    I drove both the GV and the plain Vitara and decided the 2.0 liter 4 was enough for me. I think it has plenty of pep. The dealer talked me out of 2wd drive because of resale value (I'm in New England).

    Anyway, the 4 door Vitara JLX is a fantastic buy if you are looking at small SUV's. The motor is quiet, the ride is free of all the vibration problems I've been reading here about the GV. Off road it is very solid and a pleasure to throw around in the dirt. I looked at Trackers, too, but couldn't get the options I wanted at a price as good as the Vitara JLX. This thing is a sleeper because the GV is getting all the attention. You should really consider this model if you are looking at the GV, and if you really don't need the extra power of the V6 - which only felt a bit more powerful to me when I drove it against the 4 cylinder Vitara.

    Geoff7
  • gone2seagone2sea Member Posts: 33
    Congratulations. Best of luck with the Vitara

    Howard

    99JLX+ GV, 4000 miles
  • swest1swest1 Member Posts: 9
    For the last week and a half, we've been on a vacation that contained quite a bit of driving in our GV JLX (which now has 6700 miles on it).

    We have two kids, so there were 4 of us in the vehicle. I gotta say that we had a very comfortable trip. The machine handled excellently, got good gas mileage (averaged 23 mpg), was very quiet, and had barely enough room for all our stuff without putting anything on the roof.

    We came back from our trip very impressed with the level of comfort we had on the trip. The trip also included some 4 wheeling in the Sitgreaves National forest, and the JLX was a complete blast :) The rougher the logging road, the more fun we had. Then back on the pavement at 80 mph, and the machine was just as smooth as could be.

    7 months after our purchase, we have no regrets and would do it again.

    swest
  • davefuchsdavefuchs Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 JLX with the clarion tape deck. I've had it for about 3 months and have blown 3 tape decks!! The dealership can't find the problem, and they think it's something I'm doing. I don't plug anything into the power tap, or use any other electronic appliances in the vehicle. I don't have a garage (they thought it could be a garage door opener). They say there's no known problems with the radio, but I'm suspicious since the same thing happened on the demo unit I had while mine was in the shop. It didn't happen while I had it, but a few days after I turned it back in.
  • k7pak7pa Member Posts: 1
    I am planning on towing my GV behind my RV. Anyone have any experience doing so? Any known restrictions when towing the GV? Thanks in advance.
  • gone2seagone2sea Member Posts: 33
    There are no restrictions on towing GV. Key is to make sure you have transfer case in neutral setting on 4WD selector. There are other things to do also -- owner's manual covers them all.
  • fisher7fisher7 Member Posts: 3
    We have 20000 miles on our GV and it is wonderful.I do have to admit that we are Suzuki people having owned eight of them over the last 15 years.I will say that the GV does need a steering dampner.There is more feedback in certain bumps than anyone we have ever owned before.The tires are terrible.They are no good in snow and yes they are too wide for the vehicle.The steering is my major objection.It is very poorly engineered in this regard.As far as reviews are concerned the magazines have never liked Suzukis.I consider myself an expert on cars and I think their products are excellent
  • popoypopoy Member Posts: 2
    I recently test-drove a 2000 Grand Vitara JLX 5spd. I found it to be a very pleasant and capable ride. Power delivery due to high torque ratings was smooth. The sticker on the truck was $19749. I brought it down to $19000 with tax, title and tags included. Does anybody have an idea of what a good/better price is for the little kicker? Thanks to anyone who can help:-)

    To the guys wondering about the steering wheel vibrations on the GV; it must be a problem with the wheels and tires not balanced properly, or maybe a slight misallignment of the wheels. The truck i tested was free of any rattles or vibrations. Hope this helps any.

    *** I noticed that the shifter was a tad rubberry when shifting. Any thoughts on this?
  • rbalkrbalk Member Posts: 15
    Right on ... But the shifting will be smooth if you make a few shifts.
    There is a EGroup mailing list for the Suzuki
    Grand Vitara owners. You are welcome to subscribe. Only you can do is just send an email to suzukigrandvitara-subscribe@egroups.com with blank subject and message and then you are automatcilly subscribed. You can click www.egroups.com and see for yourself.
    Good Luck and enjoy the new mailing list.
  • popoypopoy Member Posts: 2
    thanks!
  • john300john300 Member Posts: 1
    The electric fan on my 1999 GV (located in front of the raditor) started making an awful racket at about 14,000 miles (sounded like marbles rattling around in a tin can). This fan turns on when the A/C compressor is operating. I had the fan replaced on warranty and it now seem louder than before it broke (air noise now - no marbles). Prior to this, I never remembering hearing the fan. It so annoying that I turn off the A/C at stop lights to shut it up. I brought the GV back to the dealer and they said that it's normal. I can believe that Suzuki would double wall insulated the entire vehicle and then cheap-out with a loud fan. Does anyone else have this problem?

    John
  • wukwukwukwuk Member Posts: 17
    I don't know about you, but after reading all the posts in here about GV's, I'd say they are made on the cheap side. I see alot of people complaining about similar problems that should be easy to cure. I hope the folks at Suzuki are in here reading this too. I don't have any confidence about buying one for now. Who needs the headaches!
  • SfMikailSfMikail Member Posts: 2
    My 1999 JLX+ just recorded 35,000 miles. I am as much in love with this vehicle now as I was when I originally bought it. Performance, comfort, quality and style are on par with price paid and my expectations. Besides hating the stock tires, I have loved everything else about the GV. I recently took an novice off road class in Hollister California. My instructors were impressed with the GV's performance, low gear and body strength. They praised it constantly. Alas, my off road driving skills did not receive the same amount of praise. I would definitely reconsider purchasing one again. Not all of us have had problems with the GV, and it seems to me that quite a few of the posts herein are from happy and satisfied owners. To anyone considering a GV, do your research and analyze ALL input before rejecting it out of hand. Moab, Utah here I come!
  • swest1swest1 Member Posts: 9
    Although I understand how wukwuk may have come to his conclusion reading these emails, SFMikail has got it right.

    You can call the GV a lot of things, but cheaply built ain't one of them. I have a unit where the only problem is slight wheel shake that went away when the front tires were rotated to the rear, so it's a problem with one of the wheels or balancing. Pretty darned minor if you ask me, and when I re-rotate, it'll get fixed.

    Perhaps one can conclude that the thermal control system isn't a good as it could be, but mine works just fine except the re-circ switch doesn't always stay in the detent--again very minor.

    Otherwise, the GV is one heck of a well-built machine that is simply untouchable for the money. Perhaps mukmuk can tell me what competes with GV? The RAV4, CRV, Forester, etc are not competitors since their off road performance pales by comparison--one of the main reasons I got the GV.

    My GV has been absolutely reliable, has not a single rattle, and handles better than anything I've ever owned before.

    What's the difference between the GV and a 4-runner, explorer, or grand cherokee? About 1 to 1.5 feet of rear space and $10,000.

    Now there are a lot of things I will spend $10,000, but 1 foot of cargo space ain't one of them.

    I can tell a machine with very high mechanical integrity when I drive it. I'll put the longevity of my GV up against any of these other vehicles.

    Time will prove me right. The last off-road trip we went on caused a brand new jeep cherokee to suck water into a piston. The GV didn't even hicup...

    There's a selection effect in these groups. When people do have problems, they seek these lists out. When most people are satisfied, they just drive. When was the last time you filled out a comment form for great service. Never for me, I only fill them out when something isn't right. Right now on these lists, I count about 10 people having problems with their GV--how many have been sold, and what's that percentage...?

    JMHO,

    swest
  • walt_embreewalt_embree Member Posts: 5
    My 2000 GV JLX had about 1,000 miles on it when I noticed a vibration in the 45-55 mph range. It seemed to feel like a bearing or imbalanced drive-shaft. Almost a 'rumble' more than a tire hop. Acting on a hunch, I got home from work and jacked up both front wheels. The left wheel was free, but the right was locked at the differential.

    (read the manual regarding the "free-axle" 4WD system). Putting the vehicle in 4WD runs a small air pump behind the front bumper. This builds and maintains air pressure to push the engagment pods of each axle into their respective gears at the differential cluster. When you take it out of 4WD, a valve opens and releases the air, and a set of springs push the cogs away from the cluster

    The dealer was able to reproduce the non-disengagment of the right axle and got Suzuki in the mix. Here's a screamer...

    Suzuki told the dealer that they have a known defect in the axle cog release springs in the front differential. They even have a upgraded unit to replace the OEM differential. I don't know whether Suzuki gave a Service Bulletin Number on this or not, but there it is.

    If you are experiencing poor acceleration, a strange vibration at moderate speeds, or other front-end 'feelings', jack you car up and check to see both axles are releasing from the cluster. As a reference, engage 4WD and see how both front wheels are locked up. Release 4WD, and both wheels should spin free. If not, see your Suzuki dealer ASAP.

    What's the result of a one-sided lockup? Normally, your differential outer assembly is designed to rotate at a speed that is determined by the difference in tire rotation speed during a turn or small tire-size differences. We're talking maybe 1-10 rpm, tops. When one side is locked, the differential still rotates at this 'differential' speed, but in this case the difference is the same as full road speed. The outer cluster was never designed to spins this fast for long duration.

    When my dealer pulled the unit apart to determine what the fix might be, as soon as they got inside, a new differential was ordered (and still on back-order), no further questions asked.

    Please check this out and post your findings.--walt
  • walt_embreewalt_embree Member Posts: 5
    Now for my own question. I got a Clarion CDC635 changer (Santa must have thought I was VERY GOOD :-). Am I correct in thinking there is already a 13-pin connection wire under the driver's seat in the Grand Vitara? I thought someone had found this, and the hookup was a snap. Can anyone confrim or deny this rumor? Thanks!

    walt
  • vitara1vitara1 Member Posts: 1
    Does any one recommend a dealer in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area? I am interested in buying a Suzuki Vitara or Grand Vitara.
    This is my first car and I don't know much about cars. Which would you recommend, the Grand or the regular? Also, can you get the grand or the regular with a driver's side armrest?
    Thanks.
  • gone2seagone2sea Member Posts: 33
    I test drove the Vitara and the Grand Vitara and purchased the latter. I like having a V6 engine. However, you need to know that this vehicle replaced a GMC Jimmy which also had a V6. As for the armrest, there is one armrest shared by both the driver and the front passenger. It attaches to the center cup holder and storage console. If you get it, note that you lose use of the rear cupholder unless you are willing to raise the armrest and lower it each time you want access.
  • geoff7geoff7 Member Posts: 4
    See my post # 91.

    My 4 door Vitara is not my first car, but it is the first new car I ever bought. I find the 2.0 liter 4 in the plain ol' Vitara peppy enough for me and just fine at highway speeds. Off-road it is great. I liked the GV very much but here in New England they were running $2500-$3000 more. And the gas mileage is a couple MPG below the 4 door Vitara. It's a pleasure to drive, to park and to run around the woods in. Heats up FAST (I've been driving vans for years). I know people with Sidekicks that are well over 100k miles and still going strong. Fine machines.

    Geoff7
  • lurkerleelurkerlee Member Posts: 4
    Waiting until the last minute, I finally chose the Grand Vitara over the CR-V. Tough decision, as both had features I liked and didn't. It finally hinged on the fact that the dealer threw in the 6 yr/100K warranty as well as paid taxes on the original quoted non-tax price (and supposedly discounted because I didn't like the (gold) color as well as the others).

    The good news is that, after 5 years in an automatic, I can still drive a stick!

    One small drawback that I haven't seen mentioned: those rear seat head rests have got to go! Maybe it's because I'm a 5' woman, but they block 2/3 of the view in my rear view mirror. I think they are about to find a permanent hiding spot in my basement.

    Now, as soon as I save up some more money, I want to buy it some "toys". Are there any good web sites with GV accessories? When I was looking, I found several good Honda accessory sites.

    One other question - the roof rack. I hadn't planned on getting one, as I already have a removeable Saris rack. The current rack rails are so wide apart - are there any sort of cross rails available for it? The stuff I haul isn't that wide. I'm hoping the Saris have adapters so I can use them as well... although at 5' they're rather over my head .

    Thanks to everyone for all of the great reports. You all really helped me make up my mind (although it was undecided until the very last minute ).

    Lee
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