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SUVs Suzuki Grand Vitara/Vitara Suzuki Grand Vitara 2006 through 2008
1006 messages, Last post on Oct 11, 2009 at 9:29 PM
You are in the Suzuki Grand Vitara/Vitara Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Replying to: bm000092 (Dec 01, 2008 5:07 am) Got me on that one, bm. My family lives in Canada and I took french in hs but I'm definately not fluent, et? |
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No worries, have a nice day 
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Replying to: WookieOnRit (Nov 30, 2008 7:02 pm) |
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Replying to: WookieOnRit (Nov 30, 2008 7:02 pm) Re: past "inefficient engines", actually there was very little if any difference between the mileage figures posted for "your" prior USA 2wd only model, (pre '09), and the awd models. No, I never understood that one, but the bottom line seemed to be you paid no significant mileage penalty for having Suzuki's awd system on board. In praise of the 2.7 engine, (did I say that?). After railin' on it here in the past, I offer some recent personal insight... ACTIVELY in the market to replace "Russ", we have now even td'ed an '02 auto XL-7, (on top of TWO recent spins in an '08 JA awd, and that new '09 JLX four cylinder, AND the '09 Forester). Point being re: Suzukis: that six year old 2.7 in the XL-7, "did it's thing" much better than way back when I td'ed two of same when they were new, (an auto and a 5 speed manual), AND it even seemed to have better upper mid range performance than that brand new 2.7 '08 NGV! Clearly this indicates the engine performance bias against the 2.7, (certainly my own, and possibly that of media testers???), may have been due to the engine's "pre break in status", and how it tends to perform [new] up there up beyond the middle of the rev. range. So what, "Chewie"? So maybe even look at one of the MANY 'inefficient" '08' 2.7's out on the lots now. You'll save big time, and the mileage is what, 17 city and 23 highway, 19 combined, (US), not drastically different from the new ones. As my needs are chiefly utilitarian, have to say with this economy I'm leaning towards an older pristine XL-7 at 1/3rd of it's original selling price as a stop gap measure. OR, depending upon the December incentives, secondly at maybe an '08 JX or JA. There are ISSUES you have to look out for with those older XL-7's too though, AND (please note), same is true for later gen Suzuki NGV models, as we have yet to see improvements reflected in the JD Power NGV reliability data, to date. To speculate, the '08's would seem to offer the best hope of their having gotten it all right, especially as former USA boss Rick Suzuki acknowledged his awareness of those JD Power stats in an '07 interview, and said they were addressing [it]..... The '09's have NO CHOICE but to show they've done better in this area when that data is eventually tallied up, (IMO). If bucks were no consideration today however, I'd be reporting [here] now re: my experiences with a new '09 four cylinder, low range equipped, base manual 5 speed NGV, but Suzuki doesn't sell one in North America, [yet]. Repeated here: that 4 is a great engine! To xostnot: What a difference a better set of tires makes, eh? |
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Replying to: bm000092 (Dec 01, 2008 5:16 am) |
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Replying to: WookieOnRit (Nov 30, 2008 7:02 pm) Beware that the criteria used to determine the EPA mileage ratings has changed between the '08 and '09 models. The '09's are better compared to the '08's than is apparent. Or so I understand. I don't know if Canada has followed suit. |
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I back up bm000092 on the configuration of the GV's awd system. The 4wd GV's definitely are in 4wd all the time, and the transfer case is a limited slip operation. In the 4-mode version, it can be locked, but that doesn't preclude that the normal operation is also 4wd. Just that in 4High, sufficent traction differences between the wheels will cause slippage within the transfer case. That's how it can corner without binding, and also why you shouldn't use 4HLocked on dry pavement. ........................................... I was worried about buying a first-year model, so I researched Suzuki Vitaras for repair history. It appeared that each of the totally new versions had repair histories very similar to the subsequent years of the same generation. At the time, there was also no other cuv available with the low range. The closest were the Liberty (too big, and from Chrysler), and the newest Xterra (too big). Since our problems have been relatively minor things, I'd have to say the first year build was pretty good. Having a similar body in production (Saturn Vue) and engine in the XL-7 were also reassuring. I'd also say that reports of lemons have pretty well gone away during the years of the current generation. Which makes it a very safe buy.
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Replying to: steve_ (Nov 05, 2008 9:13 am) So just as a suggestion: perhaps [also] because few prior NGV owners [here] seem to have test driven an '09?, and since we continue [therefore] to almost exclusively address only the relative merits of pre '09's, I seriously wonder if a whole new category might be warranted here Steve? Specifically, "2009's and newer"? Despite "the controversy" that might engender, (though I'm not sure why), perhaps that's a risk worth taking in order to prompt new '09 owners to come forward and join the Grand Vitara forum... This pre '09 "thread" would/should continue regardless, (just like all the other Suzuki ones), and anyone of us could continue to participate on any of them, (including a new '09 one), of course. As an aside, really it's only the odd pro auto journalist out there who doesn't seem to have fully grasped just how far the '09's have evolved. HOWEVER the vast majority of their peers HAVE. Seems that change should be reflected here too? Being fully a believer in the democratic process though, perhaps anyone else who has td'ed a new one should also offer an opinion on this too...? According to my own tally, that's only two of us here so far? Meantime I'm just afraid we may be unintentionally putting off actual new '09 owners from joining in... Why? Really when you stop to think about it, why would they care about any of a number of issues [here] which no longer are relevant to the new '09' models?, thanks again not just to the many "upgrades" but also notably because of the TOTAL REDESIGN of many aspects of the '09's...? Answer: NOT. Instead, they will have their own [new] issues which wouldn't necessarily be relevant to the pre '09's either. Personally I'd like find out about any '09 issues [early on] from those new '09 owners... Whatdaya think...? Seasonal Cheers to all!
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Replying to: norwoodsmn (Dec 09, 2008 11:30 am) 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara We'll edit the title of this one too and try not to confuse too many owners. |
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