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Suzuki XL-7

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Comments

  • xl7xl7 Member Posts: 20
    As of 8/08/01 I have 10,000 miles on my XL-7 touring model. My purchase in March begin with should I. What about the Ford Escape? What about the Mazda tribute? What about the Toyota,the Hundai...and so on and so on. Over the months, I have looked for every reason not to appreciate this vehicle. Well, what more can I say. 10,000 miles. Not one problem,no rattel's,etc. Thanks fellows for your comments. I have learned more from this message board than from the dealer. I didn't know that there was a storage compartment under the passenger seat.Wow..just what I needed.
    Note: It seems to run much better with more mileage. I'm using 87 octane (Exxon),filled up today here in Woodbridge Va $1.22 gal. Any comments on which octane is better for this vehicle? The dealer says use 87 and on every 4th fill up,use a higher grade. Well, what more can I say. I'm still in the monitoring stage, but happy with its overall performance. Also, still looking for aftermarket brush guards,grille guards,etc. I also agree that the front and rear bumpers must be protected. They are just not what the doctor ordered for this vehicle.
  • ncjudgencjudge Member Posts: 30
    We are seriously considering buying an XL-7 Limited. I have been reading this board for a long while.

    XL7, a couple of questions about your post. First, what gas mileage are you getting in city and on the highway? Second, can you go into more detail about the bumpers not being "what the doctor ordered" for the vehicle??

    Also, can you give some feedback on ride quality, engine power and room?

    Anyone else please feel free to comment.

    Thanks. We can get a Limited for around $400 under invoice and need to make a decision soon.
  • jyeungjyeung Member Posts: 4
    I've been reading the reviews and comments on the XL7 for a few months now. I am seriously considering a 4WD, automatic Touring or Limited XL7, and I have some questions I hope that you'll provide your comments.

    1. Is the noise level acceptable during highway speed (around 70mph) in long trips?

    2. Is the A/C cold enough on 100 degree days? And is there a way to control the rear fan speed from the front seats?

    3. Is there a concern about noise with the sunroof and not enough window tinting in the front side glass and sunroof?

    Thanks in advance!
  • xl7xl7 Member Posts: 20
    Re guarding gas mileage: I normally get aprox 20-21 city. Highway 21 to 23 depending on the speed, hills & hwy conditions;stop and go, etc.
    Engine Power: great power for the size,consistent pick-up,with overdrive engaged it feels like a V8.

    Ride Quality..the ride is smooth, not a lot of road,engine& wind noise.It cruises very well at 65 to 70. You get wind noise with the windows cracked about 2".Maybe vent shades can correct that. I haven't experienced much wind noise with the sunroof open traveling at 60mph. It handles very well,tracks well,the seats are somewhat comfortable however could just use a tad bit more padding. My wife finds the 2nd row of seats comfortable. She enjoys this area with the arm rest down,the visibility,and rear ac controls.She finds it cramped when the kids are in the 3rd row,also she finds it extremely annoying letting them get in and out of the third seat. One feature I like: 2nd row of seats can be split and if one section is slide forward it gives the kids better access to the 3r row.
    Room: Plenty of room, depending on preference,not a lot of storage space,unless 3rd row of seats are used.
    Bumpers: See the safety crash report on this vehicle. Examine the bumpers for yourself,it appears that a slight mishap in the parking,could cause annoying scratches,and surface marks.
    My Dislikes: Front license plate holder.Front and rear bumpers,rear gas tank,spare tire on door (see Safety crash test).3rd row of seats down doesn't provide a level storage area. Radio,to low,must take eyes off road to change cd's etc.Front cup holders,also requiring you to look down. Clock...on radio on right hand side.
    Overall: I find it appealing,roomy,and great for 4 to 5 hr interstate trips. Its extremely great for city driving,the size, the power,the room,the handling,the parking,local fishing,golfing,church,etc.
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    My XL-7 is a limited and I have just over 5k on her. I pretty much agree with all the above comments. I am getting 21+ MPG in town and run regular. I do not know why the dealer said to use high test every 4th take except they may feel the high test has a good fuel inject or cleaner as part of the mix. I am using Mobile 1 5-30 and she has not burned any oil.
    On the rear tire carrier. I like it myself. We have greyhound dogs and have several custom covers that we use on it so that is one of the reasons I bought it.
    I like the ride but you should remember it is a truck on a true truck chassis, not on a car chassis.
    I posted a few of the design flaws last week so I will not go into them but for the value it is great. I especially like the fact it has a timing chain, not a belt. Those get expensive to replace every 60K.
    I looked at a touring but decided for an extra 1K I would go with the leather and running board. Love it.
  • rando2rando2 Member Posts: 8
    I just got my side windows tinted with a quality material fore $44 with a life time guarantee. I notice that vehicles made in Japan do not have tinted windshields. My Montero Sport also had a windshield without the tint at the top. However, we replace windshields here in Arizona on regular basis. When the time comes I will remedy that situation, as I did on my Montero.
    The only problem with the window tinting, the installer scratched my door. They said they will have it fixed, but XL-7 is grey. It's a small area at the top of the door, hope it looks OK
    About the storage draw under the passenger's front seat. Even Edmunds didn't know it was there.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    My front window on my Trooper, made in Japan, has tint.

    -mike
  • xlmomxlmom Member Posts: 3
    I read the town hall for a couple of months and you all seem to love the XL7. I bought mine this weekend, a green Touring. I love it. The dealer is running 0% on a 4 year and 1.9% on a 5. What a deal considering the other things out there.
    As to the no place for the CD's. I found a great place! If you remove the cup holder divider in the cup holders for the 2nd row seats in the back of the console, the CD cases fit perfectly.

    The air was fine. I was driving it on a 95 degree day with Humidity making it feel like 102. I did not have any problems with it.

    I don't know what it is like where you live, but there are few of these on the road here, so I have found a lot of stares from other drivers. Did not get that in my Altima. And frankly I laugh at the 4 Runner owners, because I liked this better and save $$$$$.

    We took this thing out in the pouring rain and decided it was time to check for a roll over. A friend of mine is a race car driver so I felt that we should give it a try. The XL7 out manovered and out handled every SUV that we drove that day. I am thrilled with the XL7 and thanks to all of you for posting. Will keep on the boards, and post again soon!
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    I developed a rattle a few days ago but found out what it was. I put the headrests from the center row seats in the footwell for the third row and the metal posts were laying against the floor and thus the rattle.
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    You will enjoy it. I changed the oil just after I got it and I suggest you do the same. Not that the oil they use is bad I just find that the synthetic is so much better and you do not need to change it as often (once every 5k vs once every 3k) plus it stands up much better.
    I also like the idea of having something that is well built, costs less and you do not see on every corner. Keep us posted.
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    I found a really good site for tire covers, racks, etc. It is: www.tops4less.com. Give it a try
  • xlmomxlmom Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the tip!

    Found the darnest thing the other day. Did you know that under the 2nd row of seats there is cargo nets for the headrests?? :)
    The kids love my "TRRRRUCKKKK" (the two year old) All I need to do now is to put in a video system!! (hahahahaha)
  • xl7xl7 Member Posts: 20
    FYI!

    After several months MANIK has released brush guards & tail light covers for the XL-7 model. Visit the site www.autostyles.com and select the Suv section for accessories.

    Grille Guards for Suzuki99-01 Grand Vitara Grille Guard Black 2/4 F1 MNK.919050 $385.00
    2001 Grand Vitara XL-7 Grille Guard Black 2/4 F1 MNK.919051 $385.00
    99-01 Grand Vitara Taillight Guards Black 2/4 RT2
    _________________________________________________
    MNK.919059 $137.00
    2001 Grand Vitara XL-7 Taillight Guards Black 2/4 RT2 MNK.919059 $137.00
    __________________________________________________
    Manik Accessories for Suzuki
    1999-2001 Suzuki Grand Vitara Accessories
    Grille Guards for Suzuki / Step Bars for Suzuki / Taillight Protectors for Suzuki

    Grille Guards for Suzuki

    To Order Call 1-888-407-9456 Toll Free If you prefer to fax or mail your order, Click Here
    _________________________________________________
    Also a wide range of tire covers can be found at
    www.tire covers.com (create our own design).
    __________________________________________________
    Reguarding the brush guards, I haven't checked yet,however they should bolt on without any drilling,etc. I met an XL-7 owner that had one and there were brackets that fit on the frame,without any drilling required.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    http://www.ecb.com.au


    these guys make real off-road equipment, instead of the cosmetic stuff that most of the US manufacturers make. For ordering you can order through a US importer http://isuzu-suvs.com


    -mike

  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    I saw an article on the 2002 XL-7 and one of the major design flaws has been fixed. It is now a flat floor. There is no longer a space between the 2nd and 3rd rows. Now I want to see if it can be retroftited to my XL-7. I can not see where they would do a major redesign of the seats so it must be some kind of attachment with a sliding panel.
    Also a slight bump up in HP and tourqe along with heated mirrors. That seems to be the major upgrades.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    ...but I'm here to announce the new Suzuki Grand Vitara Owners club now available on Edmunds.com Owner's Club board. Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.

    I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in SUVs.

    Looking forward to meeting everyone!

    KarenS
    Host
    Owner's Clubs
  • clay11clay11 Member Posts: 17
    Interesting info. Would like to know more. If the article was found on-line, can you share the URL. Otherwise, do you know the source. While extremely happy with my XL-7, the gaps in the rear floor are a little annoying. Also found installing the factory cargo net on the inside rear door overcame the habit of grocery bags rolling out from the slightly raised flat rear seats (went through more jars of pasta sauce than I thought possible...but at least saved the beer :-)). Would also like to know if Suzuki has added a "door ajar" warning system on the new model. It is an inexpensive item that would be a nice safety feature. This is my first Suzuki so do not know if it is available on other models. Thanks.
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    I read it in one of the major mags that had all the new cars/trucks for 2002 in it. I do not remember the name.
  • magillamagilla Member Posts: 75
    Borrowed a 7 from a dealer last night. Took the cheapo 5sp, 2wd, base model. I always check out vehicles this way.

    Observations: The only way this vehicle's could be called underpowered is if the people saying this are used to driving NHRA dragsters or muscle cars. This thing has tons of umph and it sounds "nasty" too. You hear (with no radio) just enough motor to make it fun. Motor is nice piece of machinery. Five-speed tranny is very truck-like, but heavy duty. You can tell right off this is not a weakly built drivetrain. There were a few nitpiks with this car like a cheapo plastic cover over a metal seat flipper (don't know the term) came off in my hand, hate the middle armrest - they're for stick people, and cruise control is odd but once you get used to it-fine. Otherwise, would say this is one solid vehicle and a great deal for the money. Will hold 6 easily, give very acceptable mileage, and hold up until you absolutely have to buy another vehicle 5 or 6 years down the road. Hint: Unless you like driving trucks, get the automatic. Two thumbs up for this vehicle.
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    My wife and I are considering an XL-7. We were planning on a Trooper S 4x4, but her car allowance wasn't quite what we were hoping it would be, so we had to lower our sights. We are looking into the lease deal they are offering. $2,000 down and $249 a mo. for 48 months. for a 4x4 Plus Auto model (not incl TT&L) Comparable leases for 20k are about $300 a month. Has anyone bought one with these lease deals?
    Truck impressions; real nice level of standard equipment. The total package of peppy V6, real 4WD, actual towing capacity (3,000lbs)makes this a much better vehicle compared to the RAV4 and CRV for the money. Even the Escape and Tribute don't have 4lo and are unibody construction. The Jeep Liberty and Nissan Xterra are the only other mini suv that have the same specs (roughly), but they don't have the third seat and seem a bit smaller inside.
    Interior was roomier than I thought it would be. I'm 6'1 and had plenty of leg room in the passenger seat, almost felt too far back with the seat slid all the way back. Rear seats were pretty darn comfy and the reclining feature made them even better. I was even able to get to the rearmost seats with out too much stooping. I could actually sit back there, my knees touched the middle seat but, but weren't jammed up against them. Things are a bit cheap on the plastic stuff, but not horrible. To get all the mechanical niceties, they had go cheaper somewhere else.
    It drove very nice, firm but not harsh and the engine was very quiet until you stomped on it. It really reminded me of a scaled down Trooper, the only thing it doesn't have that an S Trooper does is the 4 wheel ABS (on the Plus we are looking at), heated mirrors and obviously it's smaller. But it gets quite better gas mileage, which was the only real negative about the Trooper.
    I used to have Suzuki Samarai after high school. I beat the tar of of that truck and although I had some big repairs, they were all self inflicted by an inexperienced off-roader. The engine ran great to 120K and then I sold it to a Nephew who I'm sure added some more abuse. It was a tough little truck. I have no concerns about Suzuki reliability.
    Has anyone bought the cross bars for the roof rack? How much were they? (with no components, just the bars)
    We'll let you know if we buy (lease) it, we're taking it home tonight for an overnight test drive.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    the other downside v. Trooper is there is no AWD/Pavement 4wd for the XL-7.

    You might try a different dealer for the Trooper, I've heard prices on the S for around $22-$23K after rebate.

    -mike
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    My dealer says $160 for the pair.
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    I've read your comments and advice in the Trooper section for awhile. I thought of one other item, the hard cover for the spare tire.
    I got prices on the S down to right at 20K for a Trooper S 4x4 Auto, but they don't even offer a lease, so the payments would be in the $400 range with minimal downpayment. This lease at $250 a month is just too low to pass up. The only other options at this monthly payment are leasing a Civic or base Accord (Oh boy!)
    The Trooper is definitely a first choice, maybe next year when my truck is due to be turned in.
    Wow, $160 for just cross bars. My dealer said they thought $90 but seemed like they were guessing.
  • bordsourcebordsource Member Posts: 95
    Is there an official Limited model out? I have looked around at Edmunds and Carpoint, all to no avail.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We have two listed - a 2x and a 4x model. Here's the link to the 4x.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The Isuzus do not lease well. They are the kind of car you buy and run to the ground. They have poor resale, but will go 200K. The XL7 is like you said a scaled down version, I like it due to it's frame, and ruggedness, just a smaller version. The Kia Sportage is another great value in the cute-ute market with a traditional frame.

    -mike
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    Brought home the XL7 Plus 4x4 auto that Suzuki is offering for the 2k down, $249 a mo. lease. After reading the posts on the Grand Vitara topic I was worried it had the junk Bridgestone tires everyone was complaining about. Yes, it does. Has anyone with an XL7 had the tires wear poorly and had to replace them around 20k? They really make them out to be horrible and dangerous, but have to say they seemed to handle fine and were quiet and smooth so far.
    The odo has 951 miles on it, it's surely been around the block a time or two. A few scratches that should be fixed and a minor plastic handle needs to be replaced on a rear seat. The wife said it seemed to have a bit more wind noise than the Touring we test drove. We'll put it through the paces tomorrow and see how we like it.
    Any info about the tire experiences on the XL7 would be appreciated, thanks for all the info.
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    The limited has been out for several months. I purchased one in June for 22,800. It was a demo with5k on it and is solid as a rock.
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    Can anybody with at least 10k-15k miles on the tires report how they are holding up? They seemed to wear and perform poorly on the regular Grand Vitara, curious to know if they are doing any better on the XL-7.
    Anyone having any shimmying or vibration problems? That seems to be the other common complaint on the GV.
    The one we are probably purchasing drove very nicely. Seemed solidly built and was very comfortable. It is a bit wind sensitive, but any SUV will be somewhat.
    Stereo sounds good, better than most. The rear A/C works well and keeps you from having to blast the front to cool the rear. Brakes were quick and responsive without being too touchy. Over all a car that took only minutes to get used to, everything is laid out pretty well. Climate controls would be better as dials and the fresh/recycle lever looked like it works the fan. Seems to be passenger side oriented, perhaps from being a Japanese left side driver originally(?).
    We're going to buy if the final figures are actually what we were told they would be.
    Any other owner comments about the tires would be appreciated, thanks.
  • isellpotiacisellpotiac Member Posts: 122
    tire pressure for all 4 tires. They are different from front to rear. I stress that to every customer that buys a suzuki XL-7 from me.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Troopers are higher in the rear than the fronts too.

    -mike
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    They were all four at 27 psi on the one we drove. Seemed a bit soft, one GV owner said he ran them at 30-32 and seemed to handle better, although a bit more harsh.
    The biggest compliant seemed to be wearing quickly and close tight treat pattern locking up with packed snow and making the tires essentially "bald", where they then started sliding around a lot. Here in SE VA we don't get a lot of snow, so that's not a big concern

    I thought they were pretty cool just looking at them, fairly wide and with the 16" rims, the low aspect ratio makes them look kind of "street rod". But tires can easily be replaced, just hate to not get at least 40k out of the originals.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wow, a lot of people here on edmunds never like to change their tires. I generally will replace my tires @ 40K and at most 50K. Don't forget that is the only thing between you and the road. Also beware of low TPs. Ford Exploders...

    -mike
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    Some tires are shot by 35k, but I try to get at close to 50k if I can. Most decent radial AT tires you should get that if kept properly inflated and rotated. We had a Mazda B series (Ranger) here at work that got over 80k on the original Michelin tires and still looked OK, but we figured they went the distance and then some and changed them. Mostly highway miles. I realize stock tires are only going to be so-so, but the GV owners really dogged these Bridgestone Duelers. Also, Bridgestone is sister to Firestone, so not a lot of confidence in these.
    Any owner comments?? Sure is quiet on this board.
    Paisan, any suspension suggestions for the XL-7 like putting the Rancho 9000's on or stiffer springs?
    I noticed the front is MacPherson struts, does that mean you can't change out with Rancho's?
    Also this truck could certainly use a front skid plate to protect the front end driveline components.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I have over 140K miles of experience on dueller 684s (2 sets on my Rodeo, 1 set on my Trooper) they are a good overall tire. Never had a problem with them cracking or coming apart. They held their traction on them up to 50K miles. Excellent overall. I've taken em off-road and snow. Not the best, but for the $ good overall.

    -mike

    PS: More on suspension in a bit.
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    Any idea about suspension upgrades?
    We're going to pick it up tonight! There was a $295 processing fee put in there that wasn't disclosed before, but that was the only surprise. Got them to throw a hood protector in for free due to the miles. A few scratches were bad enough they might have to paint. I told them if they'd throw in the cross bars for the racks, I'd live with the scratches as is. Well see how it "buffed" out tonight and decide. Sales cost was $20,879 for a 4x4 auto Plus
    The misses is excited to have her own 4x4 so I'm not the only one with a truck. I think it will fit our life style well and be somewhat practical also. I'll try to report back on it and see how well it holds up.
  • xlmomxlmom Member Posts: 3
    We were in the shop the other day for another vehicle and they had a xl7 up on the rack. Problem: get this, time for a tune-up 60k and some new tires. The guy who owns it said that he had changed the tires that came on it from the factory, so he bought new rims and tires, and hated it! Went back to the original.
    Took mine on the first road trip, about 1000 miles this weekend, wish the gas mileage was better, but no complaints. I expected the gas mileage to stink considering traffic was running at 75+.
  • isellpotiacisellpotiac Member Posts: 122
    will tell you to run with 26 psi in front, 32 in back. If you have a fully loaded XL-7 change the back to 36. Keep an eye on the psi and you tires will last as long as they state they will. The side channels on the tires is why the do not dissapate(sp?) snow as well as some tires. Every customer I have sold tells me that MPG improves with age.
  • dmarzodmarzo Member Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I currently have an option deal on a Honda CR-V. The option is up in early 2002. I have been planning to just buy it out as I have been generally pleased with it. And then I came across the XL-7. Two things have piqued my interest in the XL-7: 1)an attractive option deal and 2) the third row of seats. The good financing runs out this weekend and I am questioning whether I should make the plunge.

    My three main criteria: are a decent finance deal (the Suzuki seems like a good one); durability (I want to keep it for 6-7 years and would probably put 12-15K miles on it a year; and size (I am married with three kids so the third row is attractive)

    I would appreciate advice from those familiar with both the XL-7 and the CR-V as to their impressions. I hate the process of buying a new car and am leaning towards just keeping the CR-V at this point but I would appreciate inputs that might sway me.

    Many thanks

    Dave M
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    I think the Suzuki beats the CRV hands down on features, options, space, and power. But the Honda reliability is always great and I think the CRV is listed by Consumer Reports as "the" most reliable vehicle out there. Suzuki reliability is good, but not excellent like Honda and Toyota. We just got an XL7 and love it, but I'm sure by 100,000 miles some repairs are likely. We are doing the $249 a mo. lease deal, so I felt like if it proved to be not so reliable, we would just turn it in at the end of the lease. We drove the CRV and it was nice, but seemed sparsely furnished. My wife thought it was too slow, we were getting on the freeway, she had it floored and just looked at me like, this is a joke. It was slower than her Corolla. The Suzuki just seemed like more of a vehicle, the V6, the rear A/C, real 4WD, towing capacity (3000lbs), the third row seating all added up to a lot more vehicle for the same (or less) money. The third row is useable, mainly for kids, but the middle row really only seats two, the middle seat of the middle is on a bad hump and the lap belt is poorly located (because of the 60/40 split). But it certainly has more room than the CRV. The Suzuki also is very quiet and stable feeling (relatively speaking). My wife really likes it, she thinks it's a good compromise between a full size suv and the mini-mini's. The gas mileage is better than most larger ones and it's pretty easy to park and get around in. I guess it comes down to which is more important, features or Honda's reputation for quality. Not that the Suzuki isn't well built, it just has a few cheaper items on it and its reliability might not match the CRV. We love it so far and would recommend one to anyone. We paid $20,879 for an '01 Plus 4x4 Auto and then took the lease deal. Got them to throw in a hood protector to compensate for 950 miles on the odo and some cross bars for the racks to make up for some scratches on the rear door. I've heard rumors that '02 might have a bit more horsepower and has the seats re-done to fold completely flat and not have any gaps between the seats, don't know if this is really true. Good Luck!
  • dmarzodmarzo Member Posts: 2
    Thank you so very much for taking the time to give me your thoughts on the CR-V versus the XL-7. I am very appreciative of both your time and insights. I might just make the plunge tomorrow--the XL-7 seems so tempting. Your thoughts on it will help quite a bit.

    Dave
  • isellpotiacisellpotiac Member Posts: 122
    is 183@6000 rpm's
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    On the PSI: I run mine at 2lbs under the max listed on the tire. It makes for a slightly choppy ride but I have found this high pressure really helps the tires live long. I was able to get 105K out of the Michalens (sp) on my van and 90K on my wife's Probe. The high pressure makes for easy turning and spreads the wear around the entire tire.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    is pushing it, IMHO. I don't care if there is tread on them or not, but 105K is way too long, and 90K is too. I figure that is the only thing between you and the road. 50K max is what I do, generally by then you need em, even if there is tread left. I too use higher pressures for better control.

    -mike
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    If you run the factory PSI you will hear the tread being scraped off the tire when you do slow turns. It sounds like someone is taking a set of shears to the tires. Run over the limit to the feel you are comfortable with but not over the max. Just an idea. I had this brand on my 4-Runer and they did really well but they were the knobby tires. Well, enough on tires.
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    I pumped the pressure up to 30 in the front and 32 in the rear. Much better turning now, although a bit more tight on the bumps. Has anyone noticed the door placard calls for 26 front, and 26 rear unladen and 36 laden! What a huge difference. I think the factory 26 is way too soft. Caused a lot of squealing in hard turns and more steering effort when making tight maneuvers like parking.
    Put the cross bars on the roof rack on this weekend, but they make some noticeable wind noise, so I took them back off. They are very easy to attach and remove, so I'll just put them on when I'm actually going to use them.
    Got her all cleaned up and waxed this weekend, so far everything is tight and functioning properly!
  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    Interesting about the difference in PSI for the tires and I do run the high PSI. I agree about easy turning--much, much better. I am getting ready to purchase the cross bars also and figured they would add a little noise but also that they would only go on when used. With the sunroof open I do not need any extra noise. Mine is really more of a toy for weekends with the dogs but at 5k plus she is still tight.
    From reading I understand they have come up with a flat floor for the 2002s. I am waiting for them to come in so I can see how they solved the gap between the 2nd and third row and determine if I can do a retro fit. Right now I have a large piece of plywood on the floor so the dogs do not fall into it but that is only temporary till I come up with a better solution. I am thinking about a piece of plexiglass (sp) with a small hinged piece to cove the hole.
  • aek1976aek1976 Member Posts: 3
    Hi there, I am looking into purchasing a XL-7. I wondered if anyone had any suggestions on good questions to ask while shopping. I have debated about getting a 2001 after the 2002's come out in order to get a better price, but I'm afraid if I wait too long, they will be gone (what the dealer told me) or the good financing will not be offered. Not that anyone looks forward to dealing with car dealers, but I'm a young woman without a ton of car knowledge and I am definitely not looking forward to the whole process, that is why I want to be as informed as possible. This town hall thing is really helping. But any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
    -Anne
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You may want to look around our Womens Auto Center Board too.

    Steve
    Host
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  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    Morning. While there are 4 models the base is very rare and you really would not want it anyway, even if you found one. There is the plus, touring and limited. Go to the pricing part of Edmund’s and get the base price for the models and go from there. The best value for the money, in my opinion, is the touring. It is the limited without the leather, automatic, and running boards. I can not remember if ABS is on both the touring and limited or just the limited. You will most likely not find a touring with a stick. I have over 5k on mine (limited) and we like it very much. The major changes from 2001 to 2002 are heated mirrors, slight increase in horse power (about 8 I think) and a flat load floor Vs the 2001 that has space between the second and third row seats. You can also go to the library and look at some of the current magazines and read about the upgrades from 2001 to 2001. The present one has plenty of horses so that is not a problem. Enjoy
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