Yeah but the front bumper of the Altima and most cars is tapered upward so when you approach a curb or incline, it doesn't hit. The Aerio is straight out and flat so it hits very easily. As for cross-shopping, a LOT of people mention the Aerio SX on the GT board as being considered and even at the dealership people were checking out both. The reason being, I don't see the SX as very good competition for the Vibe and Matrix. They are both designed as active lifestyle vehicles. The interiors have hooks, tracks and things designed to hold a multitude of items like bikes, etc. Even the front passenger seat folds forward in the Vibe/Matrix/Vue/PT Cruiser while the SX is pretty much a standard small wagon. The seating/interior options are not the same as the others... in other words, you have a cargo area and the seats fold... nothing revolutionary there. At least the others mentioned above have options that make them more viable for active people. Also, I think the vehicle will be on more peoples' shopping lists if it offered side airbags and a sunroof. The dealer here in White Plains, NY stated the styling wasn't the main turn-off to people as he thought it would be. Aparently, he claims the biggest turn offs are the digital dash, no standard armrest/storage and lack of sunroof. I asked if side airbags are an issue and they don't appear to be mainly because most shoppers believe most cars come with them now so they don't even ask.
I for one would much rather have the bright easy to read orange digital gauges on my Aerio than the dim and hard to see red analog gauges on the Matrix/Vibe. My gauges don't get washed out in sunlight whereas the Matrix's does. The chrome rings around the Matrix gauges also caused issues with glare. They need to rethink the gauge lighting on the Matrix. It is a very poor design in my opinion.
look like Lexus gauges in the way they light up, and in case you didn't know, that little dial to the left marked "brightness" makes the gauges lighter for being seen when the sun is shining! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Here is some rather useless info on Suzuki cars. I've done a little research on the Wagon R, Aerio's older and definitely uglier, but more successful cousin. Wagon R looks like a cube on wheels. It is very square and probably even shorter than the Aerio, but just as tall. The body is very flat with almost no creases or curves. The engine is 1.3L with 88 hp. I believe rental mopeds in Bermuda have bigger engines. The car reminds me of the Ford THINKCity, a new hybrid-power experiment in road eye sore distraction. Wagon R is UGLY and slow, but it fits well in the congested Japanese and to some extent European landscape. Opel, a subsiduary of GM, produces an Opel Agila which is the same as Wagon R and is sold in Europe. It's a joint venture with Suzuki. I think the car is pretty popular in the UK and Ireland. Wagon R would not have a chance in the US (think Yugo for appearance and powertrain), and it is very different from the Aerio. However, Suzuki introduced a Suzuki Liana in Europe in 2001. That car is practically the Aerio inside and out except for, once again, much smaller engine choices: one engine is the aforementioned 1.3L snail banger, the other is a 1.6L (102 hp) powerhouse. So we have it really good here in North America. By the way, how do they come up with these car names?
I believe that the Ford THINKCity is not a hybrid, but rather pure electric with a 50 mile range. It's an alternative to a family's second car, which may only make short trips to the Supermarket, or to a commuter bus/train parking lot. And, I agree with you - I don't think that it's a good looking vehicle.
Sorry, but equipped with ABS, AT, Wheels, 6-disc, keyless entry, fog lights and flor mats (to match the AWD Aerio equipment) and the INVOICE on the 2003 impreza wagon is $19,000. Retail is $21,000 to the aerio's $18,000. That's a $3,000 difference.
I really like the Aerio SX digital gauges a lot. I think the implementation was done pretty well. That was somewhat of a deciding factor for me getting this car. I think more manufacturers should use digital gauges. The Toyota Prius (Hybrid) also has digital gauges that work pretty well. Come to think of it the Aerio SX would be a cool car make as a hybrid vehicle.
As far as I am concerned the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix are direct competitors of the Aerio SX. In fact I drove both of these vehicles and decided to get the Aerio. I never considered the Elantra GT as a competitor. I think its nearest competitor is the Mazda Protege5. Having side airbags would be nice. However, I could never find any side airbags on any of the Matrix's I went to look at. I don't know why they advertise them as having them but don't build them that way. The Vibe was the same way. No side airbags.
lngtonge18 - the Aerio looks good in black. Only problem I have is trying to keep a black car clean.
Yeah, manufacturers really don't build a lot of ABS and Side-airbag vehicles the first year... almost like they are trying to keep the price low to attract new buyers. I do believe the vibe/matrix are competitors, but if your goal is an active lifestyle vehicle (as they call them now) all things considered, designs like the the vibe/matrix offer far more for the money with the reconfigurable interiors, plastic/easy to clean cargo areas, forward-folding passenger seat to carry long items, tracks to hold bikes and hiking gear, etc. However, if you're just looking for a tall 5-door hatch and those other features don't matter to you, or you find the other vehicles uncomfortable, the Suzuki is a good alternative.
I noticed in one of your post's you said you are in SoCal. So am I!! I'm looking for a good deal on an SX, where did you purchase? Did they have anymore in stock? Who was your salesman?
I bought mine at Don A Vee Chrysler, Isuzu and Suzuki in Placentia. I don't have their number at the momement with me. My sales person was Richard Agajanian. Only ask for him. He is really cool and non high pressured. Finance department are typical sales type jerks. They will try to sell you all kinds of stuff. I guess its worth listening to their sales pitch if you want the car.
You can also try Suzuki of LA. Ask for Dave Marino. He is the fleet manager. I just talked to him but never met with him. I live in Orange County and he was in LA around 45 miles from me. A bit too far.
I guess I'm not the only one from SoCal here. I bought my 03 Aerio SX a little bit over a month ago and I paid the MSRP. It was the first batch of 03 model on the market. The dealer didn't budge, persisting that since I got 0-0 financing, Suzuki takes away dealer's incentive so he can't give me any discount. I don't know whether this is true, but I tend to believe it wasn't. Before I bought my car, I was keeping in touch with 2 other dealerships. Too bad they didn't have the car I wanted (yellow or silver and ABS a must). Otherwise, I would've gone with one of them instead of the one I bought my car from. Suzuki of San Gabriel is where I first test drove a silver 2002 Aerio SX. I passed by their lot this weekend and I saw at least 6 and at least 2 of them were silver. I think I saw a red one that they offered me a month ago. Steve, the salesperson I dealt with seemed to be an honest guy. Suzuki of Santa Ana is the other dealership. The salesperson I talked to on the phone, Joanna, wasn't trying to fool me when they didn't have the car I wanted, which I really appreciated. mugman, smiller678 got a good deal on his. You should go to his dealer. I'm just giving you other options.
In a month that I've owned this car, I have seen 4 other Aerios on the street: silver, red, yellow, and black. I've always been proud of my Aerio, except when I saw the yellow one. I was a little bit jealous.
lntonge, thanks for the tip on the rear seatbelt. I found out about it myself when I had to fold the back seat flat to fit a 48"x48" foam board, which to my dissappointment didn't fit into my car. I had to trim 8" off on one side so I could fit it in. I could fit in a 40"x72" board but not 48"x48". So, it was a delight to hear your story about the 7ft tree.
To me, the biggest Aerio's competitor is the Protege5. Personally, I stayed away from Matrix/Vibe mainly because of the styling, both exterior and interior. You can call me vain, but it really matters to me. The orange/green-on-white gauges didn't go well with my taste. I love the digital display on the Aerio
To my knowledge, side airbags don't come standard with most Japanese cars. However, many of them offer it as an option. Same goes with ABS.
err...smiller, Dave Dimarino was my sales guy. If you want to know their inventory, you can go to their website. You can find the link from Suzuki website.
Tessk - Congrats on your car also. From your post it seems like you got Silver? Did you buy from Dave Dimarino at Suzuki of LA? Silver was my first choice originally but when I saw Pearl White I changed my mind. Besides my last car (01 Elantra) was Silver. You may have paid MSRP because you got a rare find with ABS. Most of the Aerio SXs I have seen don't have ABS. None at Don A Vee had any Aerio SXs with ABS. Not even the AWD model. Also, I was told the same thing by several dealers that they wouldn't budge below MSRP if you got the 0 Down 0% financing. So I could only bring down the price by $300 or so. Actually, their markup from invoice is only around $600 or so. I got a slightly better deal than you but not by much. But also I had a very clean trade in which I think they will probably make a good profit on. My trade was a few hundred dollars below KBB trade in value. So all in all it was a wash. Aren't these great little cars?
Mugman - I will be a Don A Vee around 6pm tonight (9/26) to pick up my garage door opener and a front nose mask I had ordered. I have a Pearl White Aerio SX. Maybe I will see you there.
Tessk, Mugman maybe we should have a Southern Calif. Aerio SX gathering?
Somebody scratched my car! Who ever did it thought it was funny to put an "X" above the Aerio emblem. Now, I have to go fix it. I suspected it was going to happen to me because of the area I live in, but I was hoping they would go for the nice and expensive cars that are around.
I bought my car from Suzuki of LA. Dave is actually a cool guy. He didn't try to sell me any accessories when I was there. Although, it might be because it was getting late and they didn't want to stay any later. Anyway, I'm really happy with my purchase.
Sorry to hear about that. I know how you feel. My car was "keyed" on the right side from one end to the other. I hope these fn losers that did will get what's coming to them sooner or later.
I posted a message at 2 weeks of ownership and wanted to give an update...
I still love the Aerio. The "knock" I had before was taken care of by the dealer - it was a spindle evidently. The dealer didn't know anything about it being a 'defect' but replaced it quickly anyway. I've taken lots of roadtrips & driven in many different conditions so far and found it better than expected. Passengers in back continue to marvel at the spaciousness; the adjustable rear seats are great. Keep an eye on your tire pressure as I notice a striking difference in gas mileage with adjustment. Watch out for driving with your driving lights on at night - your taillights don't go on unless you turn the headlights on and I got pulled over for it (no ticket).
[earlier posting - after 2 wks]
I got my Aerio 2 weeks ago with 0%APR/5yrs which is incredibly cheap. Since then, I have been very pleased with the car, with the exception of the "knock" that has been discussed here (see msg 232). The dealer is ordering the parts to replace them, but I'm wondering if there is any more information than has already been provided about this problem? --Observations-- I'm a big guy (6'1", 250+lbs), and while I find the headroom & space more than adequate, I'm a little displeased with the side support on the seats. The suggestion that the privacy tray should be raised a few inches is a good one - it should at least be high enough to accomodate a bag of groceries without crumpling the top of the bag down! The absence of a center armrest (except as a $130+ "accessory") is a bad idea and it should be included. The dash needs more nooks & crannies to store stuff. The auto tranny is excellent IMHO. Passengers in back love the space, even my basketball-playing 6'+ friends. The mesh covering the seats and armrests seems to hold soil. The "seat height" adjustment I saw in some of the literature is in fact a seat _angle_ adjustment for the lower plane of the driver's seat. The stereo sounds great. Buy the "Rear Bumper Protection Sheet" (~$35 part # 99000-990AB-342) - it's worth it and I can tell you from experience how easy it is to muck up the top of your bumper by dragging something across it when unloading. The A/C is icy cold and blasts HARD for quick relief on hot days. I LOVE the underfloor trunk storage - great for wet stuff so your carpets don't get soggy! My friends & family like the look/ride/features of the car very much.
I know I don't have a lot of miles. I have had my 03 Aerio SX for only 2 and half weeks. I just put over 400 miles. I have been driving really easy. No freeway driving or so. All surface streets. All I can say is that I really am impressed with this car. I really like it. I feel very comfortable drving this car. The seats feel good, I really like the digital dash, the radio, roominess and smoothness of the engine. I think the fit and finish of the interior of the plastics is a lot better than I had originally thought. Only exception is the door handles. The exterior fit and finish is first rate. I am totally impressed by the paint job. One thing I noticed on this car compared to my 01 Elantra is that it seems to have much better initial pickup. I rarely ever need to rev the engine beyond 3K rpm. I like having all the torque at a low 3K as opposed to 4200 rpm for my Elantra. My first tank of gass yielded me 34 mpg. Not as good as I hoped for. But I ran the AC quite a bit the last 2 weeks along with city driving only. So it was decent enough. Besides the engine is broken in yet.
34 mpg?? I would say that is excellent for your first tank since the car is only rated at 26/32. Unless that was a typo and meant to say 24. I wish I could have broke in my car like you did. In its first week, I put 1600 highway miles on it!
I will be part of the initial quality survey for the Aerio. This is the first time after buying 3 new cars that I have been part of it. After filling it out, I can definitely see how little annoyances can drag a car's rating down. They will count 7 problems with my car which is way above average but 5 of them are so minor that it shouldn't really count (I wanted to be honest in hopes Suzuki will see what I wrote and make improvements). It was nice to open the envelope and receive a nice crisp dollar bill for taking the time to fill it out.
Could you describe in detail when you heard this knock and under what conditions? I have a loud knock sound that comes usually if I put very light pressure on the brake pedal while in reverse or 1st and 2nd gear and with the steering wheel slightly turned. It doesn't always do it, but it's loud enough to sound like a rock banging against the wheelwell. It could just be the brake pads shifting in their mount, but it could also be this spindle problem. What in all did they replace and how long did it take? Is there a TSB # you might can give me so I can make sure the dealer knows what I am talking about? I would appreciate any further insight you could give me.
I had to drive 300 miles the first night I bought it in order to get home. The closest 03 black 5 speed was in Orlando, a 3.5 hour drive away. Than, the next weekend I drove all the way down to Ft lauderdale and back to go to a concert. I was so disgusted seeing my car get old in mere days. I also worried about the break-in period but tried to vary my speed as much as possible and didn't use the cruise until after 600 miles.
I occassionally go to the Erio Sedan forum and I have noticed that no one has posted there since mid June. Doesn't anyone own the sedan. Or is everyone buying the hatchback version?
You know, Suzuki of America estimated Aerio Sedan sales would make up over 75% of sales. It seems like NOBODY buys the sedan and most are the SX. I bet they're shocked.
With the WRX. The wagon was priced thousands less than the sedan (at least in Canada, maybe just a thousand in the US) and yet they sold a good percentage of wagons (around half, can't remember the exact figure). If you are getting a subcompact like an Impreza or an Aerio, most want the extra cargo room even though the Aerio sedan has a very large trunk for its size.
Well, my list of niggling annoyances that were mentioned in the survey is this: Reverse is sometimes difficult to engage. The brakes groaned loudly the first 2000 miles when stopping at a moderate to hard pace. They shouldn't have taken so long to break in but it finally seems to be getting better. The front windshield generates quite a bit of wind noise at speeds above 65 (this accounts for 2 problems because there were two different codes for wind noise on the driver-side front and the passenger-side front). Lastly, the front speakers cause an annoying door panel buzz with certain kinds of bass at even moderate volume settings. The engine vibration at 2k rpms and bucking in first gear in traffic were the other two problems. I forgot to mention the odd clunking noise I sometimes hear when engaging the brakes. No doubt my survey will hurt Suzuki's rating and I sort of feel bad about it because I do like the car a lot. But hopefully Suzuki actually looks at it and decides to make improvements. I did give my car an overall high score (9 out of 10) to show that I was happy with the car.
I bought my '03 SX just over a week ago, love the car, except for the brakes, they pulsate when braking moderately (like the ABS is activating). I have an appointment on Monday to take her in. Has anyone else had this problem? I have owned several new cars and never had pulsating brakes when new... Yes, if the rotors were out of round and the car had 30,000 miles I could understand, but this has been doing this since I drove off the lot (10 miles on odometer) and it now has 150.
I have to say Suzuki has built a great little car, great fit and finish, acceleration, standard equipment and minimal options. Looking forward to filling it up and checking the gas mileage (should be around 22-24, mostly city with a few miles on the freeway).
I have been looking at getting a new car for quite some time and test drove the Aerio SX awd today, advertised at $15,389 (no abs). I think that the car is an excellent value in comparison to similarly equipped competitors awd models. Impressive value but it has a few minuses as well. I live in the Midwest and with Winter coming the ground clearance appears inadequate for driving in heavy or drifting snow. Hit some frozen ice boulders at 30 mph and 20 below zero and the plastic snout will break. The sticker says 145 HP but I sure couldn't feel it, I was a little disappointed with the acceleration. Smoothness was ok, road noise level seemed ok too. The digital dash was not my favorite but I guess I could learn to live with that. The body fit and paint were quite good but the doors didn't sound/feel high quality when I shut them. Suzuki.com says 0% financing but the salesman says no. I think what they might be doing is discounting the car instead of offering the 0% financing but I could be wrong. The Aerio awd is a very good value, I can't think of another awd that comes close in price.
They may not discount very much at all when you get the 0 down 0% interest. I just got an 03 Aerio SX (FWD, Auto, No ABS) with the 0 -0 plan. But I only got them down by $300 under MSRP. I talked to another dealer her in southern CA and they said there was no haggling with price if you opt for 0 - 0. That was 3 weeks ago so it might have changed.
for Aerio SX, and they were directly targeting HyunKia - their ad reads "7 year/100,000 mile warranty, and OURS IS TRANSFERABLE, WITH NO DEDUCTIBLE". A bit of a cheap shot, but then, HyunKia should have made theirs free and transferable in the first place.
In absolute base form, this car is a steal - the ad quoted $15.5K with A/C and power stuff as well, and it could probably be got for less than this MSRP, too, right?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I was looking at a '03 SX FWD, AT w/floormats (no ABS), sticker $16500, internet price $15700+ taxes/fees. Then I saw a nice Pearl White with ABS and AWD, $18000 sticker, internet price $17000+ taxes/fees. Only thing no 0 down and no 0%, but I went to my credit union and got 5.4% for 60 months. Get a price on PowerShopper here on Edmunds.com. I wouldn't buy another car any other way, no haggling, no pressure, in and out within 2 hours (including a 45 minute test drive)! Also, got $1250 for my trade, 1990 Nissan Maxima , 182,000 miles with a dead engine (timing belt just broke, and with this year Maxima that ment replace the engine!). Glad I won't have to replace those timing belts any more!!
As for ground clearance, I have several speed bumps in my neighborhood and I have not had any scraping of the underside. There is more ground clearance on the Aerio than on the '03 Maxima.
Wonderful car for the money, and a great warranty too 7 year, 100,000 miles, transferable and FREE loaner car when required overnight repair. Does HyunKia offer a free loaner? They make good cars,and I was looking at then as well, but the Suzuki wins hands down! Yes, they don't have side air bags, moonroof or leather, but I sure next year they will!
My brakes pulsated from the beginning too! Under light braking, it wasn't noticeable. But under moderate to hard braking, they pulsated slightly. My brakes were also making a groaning sound. Do you have that noise? Over time, it worked itself out. Don't ask me why but they don't pulse or groan anymore. I also notice that the brakes are much stronger now. Let us know what the dealer says about your brakes.
As for Hyundai, they do offer a free loaner for overnight repairs. However, I had to fight the dealer to give me one.
I've never felt pulsing on new brakes before but it generally takes 300-500 miles of driving to seat in the pads, rotors, shoes and drums. Tires get broken in too, in a similar amount of time.
Yes, I guess the brakes are getting broken-in as the plusating is decreasing and it is stopping better. I had to get some wax and scotchguard for "Cooki", so I drove around and enjoyed the ride and noticed the braking has improved (Only 168 miles thus far). I have never had a new car plusate like this before, but I'm still going to the dealership tomorrow as there is a ding in the roof. [;'
Love having a car that is different! Had several drivers trying to catch up with me and see what went by them...
I just purchased a 2003 Aerio AWD Abs last week Pro's price and quality I traded a 2000 Nissan Altima GSX yes the Altima had more "stuff" but I have to say that the fit and finish on the Nissan is inferior to the Suzuki and for about the same price (18k range) I got more room AWD ABS and a much longer warranty Cons Lacking some basics, I would like to have a factory alarm system and center armrest/console these are options that I plan on purchasing from the dealer I suspect that the dealer I bought from did not install this type of stuff to keep the sticker price down. Overall I am very impressed with the car so far.
Just wanted to comment on the Aerio brakes. My SX has ABS, and I've driven 3,000 miles so far. I had a problem with braking early on in that ABS would engage often, primarily in hard braking and on wet surfaces. The brake pedal does pulsate, and the car rocks a little when ABS engages. That's just how the Suzuki ABS system works. Some other cars have more polished ABS systems. However, I think that the main problem for unsure braking was the original equipment tires, Yokohama Geolanders. They have a traction rating of B which is average (AA is the highest). They also have a rather low treadwear rating of 200. I believe they provided poor traction, thus causing the ABS to step in a lot. The tires also squealed loudly in hard turns and provided a pretty rough and noisy ride. They are not good tires. I've recently replaced them with Yokohama Avid T4 performance tires of the same size. They have a traction rating of A and the treadwear rating of 400. They can be purchased on the Internet for a good price (mine were $63 each). I honestly can notice a major difference now. The ride is softer and less noisy without any loss in handling (the new tires are still performance tires). And the stopping power appears to be a lot better, thus reducing the number of times ABS engages. I believe that proper tires make a big difference in terms of ride, handling and braking. Also check out a Motorweek review of the Aerio at PBS.org (go to Motorweek program once there). They have a very positive review of the car, but do notice that ABS, when engaged, causes a lot of noise and pulsating. However, it does not deter from the brake system being a good one overall. Motorweek's weekly TV program is the granddaddy of them all.
I too got rid of the Geolander tires for all the reasons you mentioned but I opted for the Yokohoma Avid H 4 which is one speed rating above your T4 and one below the original V rating. They were $180 with trade in at Discount Tire. I am very happy with them for many reasons but they warned me to carry 2 or 3 extra pounds of air in them as an H has a softer sidewall than a V and your T is softer yet so boost them up a little. My Aerio does not have ABS and I prefer it that way and I think my brakes are just fine. If I still lived in Colorado snow country I would insist on ABS as that is where it shines. Some people brake so gently that they rarely activate their ABS and others stomp on them hard most of the time to activate them frequently which chews up brakes and tires. They basically are for panic stops or slippery situations. Nice to have but not a necessity. 6000 miles on my Aerio and no problems.
about the brakes and tires. I got my car back yesterday and both the dent and brake problem were fixed (first time too!). I had a loose wire on the ABS controller... brakes very smoothly, now.
Thanks for the advise regarding the tires. I'm keeping the originals for now as I want to add the alarm, center armrest, roof rack, stainless steel dash kit/door stills, and tint the windows. The Geolander's are not bad and I haven't heard them squealing back at me.
I am getting ready to take a 1200 mile trip with the Aerio. What kind of highway gas mileage are most of you getting? On a few 200 mile trips we got 29 with the AC on at all times and I would guess 31 if we didnt use the AC. What do you think? Im talking at 75 mph. Thanks
My Aerio SX only has 950 miles but so far the best I have gotten is just a tad over 24 mpg. I just started taking the Aerio on the freeway. Its definitely not yet fully broken in. I have only driven up to 70 mph at max and usually cruise around 65 pmh. Anyway, mine car is an 03 Aerio SX, FWD with Auto.
The max I have seen on the highway is also 29mpg at 75 mph with the AC on. But I think my car is starting to break-in because my city mileage has improved from 24-25 to 27 this last time. I will see if it continues to stay as high.
I'm moving rapidly toward getting one of these. The package seems right to me, although I think the suspension could stand to be a little firmer. Dealer is offering a killer price on a 2002 SX 5sp in black. $12470 or $0/0% for 60mos on $13470.
I'd be getting out of a '99 Trooper, so it would be quite a change, and we'll see what kind of trade-in they can come up with. With all this sabre rattling at the Middle East going on, I think the 13mpg my Trooper gets could start to get expensive.
Congrats on your SX! I didn't answer your question about the electrical system because I don't know the answer. I looked it up in the manual and it doesn't say. I'm guessing it's either an 85 or 90 amp alternator. You definitely got an excellent deal! Where do you live? I had to pay sticker for my 03 black 5-speed.
Comments
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
As far as I am concerned the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix are direct competitors of the Aerio SX. In fact I drove both of these vehicles and decided to get the Aerio. I never considered the Elantra GT as a competitor. I think its nearest competitor is the Mazda Protege5. Having side airbags would be nice. However, I could never find any side airbags on any of the Matrix's I went to look at. I don't know why they advertise them as having them but don't build them that way. The Vibe was the same way. No side airbags.
lngtonge18 - the Aerio looks good in black. Only problem I have is trying to keep a black car clean.
Happy motoring all.
I bought mine at Don A Vee Chrysler, Isuzu and Suzuki in Placentia. I don't have their number at the momement with me. My sales person was Richard Agajanian. Only ask for him. He is really cool and non high pressured. Finance department are typical sales type jerks. They will try to sell you all kinds of stuff. I guess its worth listening to their sales pitch if you want the car.
You can also try Suzuki of LA. Ask for Dave Marino. He is the fleet manager. I just talked to him but never met with him. I live in Orange County and he was in LA around 45 miles from me. A bit too far.
Good luck. Let us know your outcome.
I guess I'm not the only one from SoCal here. I bought my 03 Aerio SX a little bit over a month ago and I paid the MSRP. It was the first batch of 03 model on the market. The dealer didn't budge, persisting that since I got 0-0 financing, Suzuki takes away dealer's incentive so he can't give me any discount. I don't know whether this is true, but I tend to believe it wasn't. Before I bought my car, I was keeping in touch with 2 other dealerships. Too bad they didn't have the car I wanted (yellow or silver and ABS a must). Otherwise, I would've gone with one of them instead of the one I bought my car from. Suzuki of San Gabriel is where I first test drove a silver 2002 Aerio SX. I passed by their lot this weekend and I saw at least 6 and at least 2 of them were silver. I think I saw a red one that they offered me a month ago. Steve, the salesperson I dealt with seemed to be an honest guy. Suzuki of Santa Ana is the other dealership. The salesperson I talked to on the phone, Joanna, wasn't trying to fool me when they didn't have the car I wanted, which I really appreciated. mugman, smiller678 got a good deal on his. You should go to his dealer. I'm just giving you other options.
In a month that I've owned this car, I have seen 4 other Aerios on the street: silver, red, yellow, and black. I've always been proud of my Aerio, except when I saw the yellow one. I was a little bit jealous.
lntonge, thanks for the tip on the rear seatbelt. I found out about it myself when I had to fold the back seat flat to fit a 48"x48" foam board, which to my dissappointment didn't fit into my car. I had to trim 8" off on one side so I could fit it in. I could fit in a 40"x72" board but not 48"x48". So, it was a delight to hear your story about the 7ft tree.
To me, the biggest Aerio's competitor is the Protege5. Personally, I stayed away from Matrix/Vibe mainly because of the styling, both exterior and interior. You can call me vain, but it really matters to me. The orange/green-on-white gauges didn't go well with my taste. I love the digital display on the Aerio
To my knowledge, side airbags don't come standard with most Japanese cars. However, many of them offer it as an option. Same goes with ABS.
Tessk - Congrats on your car also. From your post it seems like you got Silver? Did you buy from Dave Dimarino at Suzuki of LA? Silver was my first choice originally but when I saw Pearl White I changed my mind. Besides my last car (01 Elantra) was Silver. You may have paid MSRP because you got a rare find with ABS. Most of the Aerio SXs I have seen don't have ABS. None at Don A Vee had any Aerio SXs with ABS. Not even the AWD model. Also, I was told the same thing by several dealers that they wouldn't budge below MSRP if you got the 0 Down 0% financing. So I could only bring down the price by $300 or so. Actually, their markup from invoice is only around $600 or so. I got a slightly better deal than you but not by much. But also I had a very clean trade in which I think they will probably make a good profit on. My trade was a few hundred dollars below KBB trade in value. So all in all it was a wash. Aren't these great little cars?
Mugman - I will be a Don A Vee around 6pm tonight (9/26) to pick up my garage door opener and a front nose mask I had ordered. I have a Pearl White Aerio SX. Maybe I will see you there.
Tessk, Mugman maybe we should have a Southern Calif. Aerio SX gathering?
Happy motoring.
Anyway, I'm really happy with my purchase.
I still love the Aerio. The "knock" I had before was taken care of by the dealer - it was a spindle evidently. The dealer didn't know anything about it being a 'defect' but replaced it quickly anyway. I've taken lots of roadtrips & driven in many different conditions so far and found it better than expected. Passengers in back continue to marvel at the spaciousness; the adjustable rear seats are great. Keep an eye on your tire pressure as I notice a striking difference in gas mileage with adjustment. Watch out for driving with your driving lights on at night - your taillights don't go on unless you turn the headlights on and I got pulled over for it (no ticket).
[earlier posting - after 2 wks]
I got my Aerio 2 weeks ago with 0%APR/5yrs which is incredibly cheap. Since then, I have been very pleased with the car, with the exception of the "knock" that has been discussed here (see msg 232). The dealer is ordering the parts to replace them, but I'm wondering if there is any more information than has already been provided about this problem?
--Observations-- I'm a big guy (6'1", 250+lbs), and while I find the headroom & space more than adequate, I'm a little displeased with the side support on the seats. The suggestion that the privacy tray should be raised a few inches is a good one - it should at least be high enough to accomodate a bag of groceries without crumpling the top of the bag down! The absence of a center armrest (except as a $130+ "accessory") is a bad idea and it should be included. The dash needs more nooks & crannies to store stuff. The auto tranny is excellent IMHO. Passengers in back love the space, even my basketball-playing 6'+ friends. The mesh covering the seats and armrests seems to hold soil. The "seat height" adjustment I saw in some of the literature is in fact a seat _angle_ adjustment for the lower plane of the driver's seat. The stereo sounds great. Buy the "Rear Bumper Protection Sheet" (~$35 part # 99000-990AB-342) - it's worth it and I can tell you from experience how easy it is to muck up the top of your bumper by dragging something across it when unloading. The A/C is icy cold and blasts HARD for quick relief on hot days. I LOVE the underfloor trunk storage - great for wet stuff so your carpets don't get soggy! My friends & family like the look/ride/features of the car very much.
I know I don't have a lot of miles. I have had my 03 Aerio SX for only 2 and half weeks. I just put over 400 miles. I have been driving really easy. No freeway driving or so. All surface streets. All I can say is that I really am impressed with this car. I really like it. I feel very comfortable drving this car. The seats feel good, I really like the digital dash, the radio, roominess and smoothness of the engine. I think the fit and finish of the interior of the plastics is a lot better than I had originally thought. Only exception is the door handles. The exterior fit and finish is first rate. I am totally impressed by the paint job. One thing I noticed on this car compared to my 01 Elantra is that it seems to have much better initial pickup. I rarely ever need to rev the engine beyond 3K rpm. I like having all the torque at a low 3K as opposed to 4200 rpm for my Elantra. My first tank of gass yielded me 34 mpg. Not as good as I hoped for. But I ran the AC quite a bit the last 2 weeks along with city driving only. So it was decent enough. Besides the engine is broken in yet.
Anyway, happy motoring to all.
That was a typo. It was 24 mpg. Sorry for the confusion.
Wow! 1600 miles in the first week. Did you take the car on a trip?
Happy motoring all
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I occassionally go to the Erio Sedan forum and I have noticed that no one has posted there since mid June. Doesn't anyone own the sedan. Or is everyone buying the hatchback version?
Happy motoring.
I have to say Suzuki has built a great little car, great fit and finish, acceleration, standard equipment and minimal options. Looking forward to filling it up and checking the gas mileage (should be around 22-24, mostly city with a few miles on the freeway).
They may not discount very much at all when you get the 0 down 0% interest. I just got an 03 Aerio SX (FWD, Auto, No ABS) with the 0 -0 plan. But I only got them down by $300 under MSRP. I talked to another dealer her in southern CA and they said there was no haggling with price if you opt for 0 - 0. That was 3 weeks ago so it might have changed.
Good luck on your choice.
Happy motoring.
In absolute base form, this car is a steal - the ad quoted $15.5K with A/C and power stuff as well, and it could probably be got for less than this MSRP, too, right?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
As for ground clearance, I have several speed bumps in my neighborhood and I have not had any scraping of the underside. There is more ground clearance on the Aerio than on the '03 Maxima.
Wonderful car for the money, and a great warranty too 7 year, 100,000 miles, transferable and FREE loaner car when required overnight repair. Does HyunKia offer a free loaner? They make good cars,and I was looking at then as well, but the Suzuki wins hands down! Yes, they don't have side air bags, moonroof or leather, but I sure next year they will!
As for Hyundai, they do offer a free loaner for overnight repairs. However, I had to fight the dealer to give me one.
Love having a car that is different! Had several drivers trying to catch up with me and see what went by them...
Pro's price and quality I traded a 2000 Nissan Altima GSX yes the Altima had more "stuff" but I have to say that the fit and finish on the Nissan is inferior to the Suzuki and for about the same price (18k range) I got more room AWD ABS and a much longer warranty
Cons Lacking some basics, I would like to have a factory alarm system and center armrest/console these are options that I plan on purchasing from the dealer I suspect that the dealer I bought from did not install this type of stuff to keep the sticker price down.
Overall I am very impressed with the car so far.
Thanks for the advise regarding the tires. I'm keeping the originals for now as I want to add the alarm, center armrest, roof rack, stainless steel dash kit/door stills, and tint the windows. The Geolander's are not bad and I haven't heard them squealing back at me.
My Aerio SX only has 950 miles but so far the best I have gotten is just a tad over 24 mpg. I just started taking the Aerio on the freeway. Its definitely not yet fully broken in. I have only driven up to 70 mph at max and usually cruise around 65 pmh. Anyway, mine car is an 03 Aerio SX, FWD with Auto.
Happy motoring.
I'm moving rapidly toward getting one of these. The package seems right to me, although I think the suspension could stand to be a little firmer. Dealer is offering a killer price on a 2002 SX 5sp in black. $12470 or $0/0% for 60mos on $13470.
I'd be getting out of a '99 Trooper, so it would be quite a change, and we'll see what kind of trade-in they can come up with. With all this sabre rattling at the Middle East going on, I think the 13mpg my Trooper gets could start to get expensive.
Well, I went ahead and put down a deposit - they did a good enough job on a trade-in. Should go pick it up next week.
Did you? Conratulations!
Thankyou very much - I'm sure I will enjoy the car.
Revka
Hatchbacks & Wagons Host