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SUVs Suzuki Grand Vitara/Vitara 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara
68 messages, Last post on Nov 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
You are in the Suzuki Grand Vitara/Vitara Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Replying to: budman3 (Mar 10, 2009 3:43 pm) Further summing up re: "my defection", it would have been a tougher call say if this had been 2011, (with depreciation having worked it's magic on an '09 GV), and again with the caveat that the all the reliability data had panned out on 'em [first]. But RIGHT NOW with the Spring deals just starting to sweeten, if one needs, (and I repeat NEEDS!), that 4wd capability, the '09 GV's are metaphorically sweet Florida oranges, (hopefully not other citrus varieties like some '06's/'07's were), vs. a whole crop of pretty unremarkable [other] 4wd "APPLES", alternative choices out there. Why anyone would want to continue to contest those facts is a real puzzlement to me. Translation: the '09 GV seems real sweet to me, but, alas was not quite yet ripe for picking at the point when we had to pluck fruit from the tree. But as consolation, ya, we did pick the shiniest awd APPLE, (it seems), and yes, are enjoying it immensely... As an aside, our fave was the 2000 or so Honda coupe. Further, was sorely tempted by a black '08 on clear out on the Honda lot when we scored the CR-V. May we all get what we want, (and NEED), at the time of purchase, eh? Nwdsmn. |
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"Motoring 2009", (our esteemed Cdn. weekly tv auto show), awarded the '09 GV this honor on a recent show. Chief reason(s) for them seemed to be Suzuki's "all things old are new again", (my words), *idea* of bringing back an economical four cylinder [for it]. They also mentioned it's price/bargain status in the marketplace, given its equipment/content features. No arguments here.....
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We regularly use a road that climbs from sea level in Squamish, up to 3000'. It's a popular place to go backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. The road's lower half is 2-lane gravel, and the upper half is 1-lane gravel. It twists and turns as it climbs, and in the winter, you cross the snow line somewhere during the climb. Usually you also cross a temperature transition from above to below freezing. The road is cut into a steep mountainside, and the road surface is cambered toward the dropoff. There is a ditch on the uphill side and a dropoff on the other. (Take your pick.) Obviously a recipe for trouble. To put the icing on the cake, a snowplow/grader with a dull blade had left a glazed greasy slick layer of hard snow. Sanding would have been the only solution, but it wasn't done. During 30 years of using varied vehicles on that road, I have had many vehicle challenges. Including a couple of cases of sliding backwards downhill. Fortunately none resulted in damage. But the GV has never failed to make it all the way up, and has never lost its composure. In fact, it romps up and down the road. On the way down that road last Sunday many people lost control. We saw: one 4-Runner rolled and wrecked, one 4-Runner with chains mounted slid into a ditch. One Ford Freestyle slid over the embankment and crunched against a tree. One large tow truck with dualies, on the scene to remove the 4-Runner and extricate the Freestyle, slid over the embankment and crashed into the side of the Freestyle. I have never felt as grateful for a cuv with a low range to allow slowly engine braking down the steep slippery sections - rather than use the brakes. I was also extremely grateful for the new Bridgestone Blizzak DMZ-3's. Not to mention a vehicle with excellent weight distribution (and lots of air bags). We were unaware of the degree of the problem until after we stopped in the middle of one of the steepest hills to await clearance of car-nage below. It was at that point I discovered it was very difficult to stand on the road without falling. After seeing the vehicle behind us go off the road (fortunate since he would have hit us had he gotten much farther), I decided to put our chains on. With or without them, we were able to stop anywhere, while these other vehicles could not stay on the road. There simply was a vast difference in how the vehicles handled the conditions. Numerous fans of other suv's and cuv's challenge the wisdom of buying a Grand Vitara. This fiasco certainly reinforced my belief that the GV was the right choice. Note to suv owners: the very popular BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires are useless on slick snow.
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Replying to: norwoodsmn (Mar 16, 2009 12:09 pm) I know, "Hey Bud, go away and quit bothering us Zuke owners."  I did purchase one for all the same reasons you current owners have one. I just fell out of love and won't consider getting back together. There are some great points as xostnot has pointed out in driving conditions. Then there are those with vibration and tire problems. Since Suzuki didn't address my problems, I feel I'm justified and pointing out the not so good points to potential buyers of any Suzuki. Then there are reviews such as this, that doesn't help out the Zuke brand. http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/908/jaguar-buick-det- hrone-lexus-in-reliability-study/;_ylc=X3oDMTEyMGJyNHYyBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwL- XRvZGF5BHNsawNhcF9qYWc- |
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Replying to: xostnot (Mar 17, 2009 9:01 pm) And we drove our Samurai right up on the N/W flank of Mt. Garibaldi till we could go no further. Gotta luv 'em. Still, bud strikes a useful cautionary note by advising they, (Zukes), frankly require "more care and feeding", (so to speak), than the main stream softies do. I don't think anyone can argue that point. Ya, again, apples and oranges, but... However speaking from experience now actually owning a CR-V, (2005), and having td'ed the similarly equipped (loaded but for leather), '09 GV JLX 4 cylinder, well, I thought it was a great rig. NO not the same ULTIMATE sophistication/on road performance as the CR-V, but hey, with the low range, that fine new suspension, those short stopping new rear discs, the quiet new cabin thanks to the sound proofing refinements, well, but for the intractable, TOO STEEP intro prices of 'em when we HAD TO move to replace "RUSS", (the rapidly oxidizing! Sidekick), well we would have been happy as clams to have one parked in the driveway here. So seems the moral of the story is, if you need that rough country performance margin, think Suzuki. If you find on the other hand you can scale back the outdoor adventures a bit, well then the other choices are obvious. No one's right or wrong here, it all just comes down to what [do you] need?, and how willing you are to put up with the extra care and feeding that comes along with owning a more complex to service [Suzuki] true 4wd vehicle. There are going to be some happy fortunate folks who end up with very good deals on these new '09's between right now and December. The new 4 cyl JLX is as close to a CR-V in general feel as I think Suzuki can possibly make 'em. That's a real tribute given it's considerable capabilities as duly noted by xostnot. You're welcome [again] Suzuki... Nwdsmn.
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Replying to: norwoodsmn (Mar 19, 2009 4:41 pm) ) your replies and thought you said the crv was boring. When I drive my daughter's 08, it can be a bit underpowered and no frills and yet it is a Honda. Trouble free so far. Curious why you chose an 05 CRV over an 06 or 07 GV? Seems like there are some great deals to be had. BTW, the zuke dealer in town closed it's doors. As well as a major boat manufacturer. The economy sure is taking it's toll on everything.  Hope it's warming up for you. We've only had a couple 90* days and rain today. Have a Happy Easter!
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Just picked up a new 4 cyl 2.4 gv model JA 5 speed manual this month. Wow pretty refined little machine. I have owned suzis all my life I have had an x90 and 2 trackers, This machine is an entirely diferent beast quite smooth rides nice not bad on gas. I have put 1000 km so far in 2 weeks. Very impressed now time will tell as far as maintaining goes. If there are any questions people may have fire away I will be as honest as possible about the vehicle. Cheers.
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Replying to: budman3 (Apr 10, 2009 4:33 pm) So well ya, why'd ya do what ya did then, (you may well ask?) First we TDed a brand new '09 full base awd CR-V. In full base trim it came "equipped" with ACRES, (HECTARES up here), of unending dull grey plastic. And wow though there was a, (well, ya, it's about time you got competitive in the marketplace, HONDA!), year end $7,000.00 internet factory deal!, (internet buying service figures, we'd signed up...), even with that it just didn't wind my crank. It didn't feel right in the sense that you were so fully isolated from what was going on there at the road interface(es) with the tire contact patches... IE: just making you feel too "oh so comfortably remote" from the driving experience. Enter maybe two months later, our chance finding of a fully loaded low mileage, (22 thou MILES), '05 AWD [prior gen] ex lease one on the local lot, (good as Gold in color, at about twelve grand less than it's original selling price!), AND including it's vastly more involving [prior gen] feeling of yr. being actually invoved in the driving process, (vastly more road feel in the handling department vs. the isolation from same a new '09), and hey, we were left only with the question, what time does the bank open up Monday morning? Actually we went with Honda finance which with our Cr. Rating, readily gave us an acceptable deal, the next business day. But without totally spillin my guts here, (this aint a short one so far, is it?), we had other issues on the horizion too, including aging parents down south of the border. In fact just two months after scoring the CR'V, my dad "crapped out", (so to speak), and I can tell you it was a real godsend to be down there for almost a full month recently, with out having to worry about, (for instance), the chance my gas gauge might suddenly quit working. My heater core would suddenly disgorge its contents onto the floor of the passenger foot well, the seat belt fasteners were found to have been mfg'rd deffectively, and, but I wouldn't know about it, the this, the that... Or that the insulation beneath my cat converter might "smoulder?" as I drove over the mountain pass I had to traverse while heading south, (sendin fumes into the cockpit?), or, or, or and or......... Still again this very morning ya, I recommend with out reservation the new 4cy GV to my best bud. How/why? He has a ski cabin just down the hill from were we grew up, (almost, we're still workin' on it), skiing together as high school kids, (still go way too fast on 'em yet, Atomic GS race skis though we graduated to the Nomad Crimson ti's this season), AND because his cabin is also immediately adjacent to one of the finest alpine wilderness parks in the lower 48, AND ya, you need a 4wd w/low range to get in there on some of the key access roads, so I HAVE TO influence him to buy one FOR US TO USE while I am visiting, (please?). Don't even think about with your CR-V, on the other hand... Nuff said? Ya, probably more than, but maybe you can discern some path of logic in these ramblings? Yrs. Nwdsmn. |
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Replying to: theguy (Apr 11, 2009 6:26 pm) Please keep yr. input coming, that's chiefly why we're here I think, to hear from you new '09 owners. Just a few items re: my "War and Peace" length, (sorry), last post. Correction: our new CR-V tester around the first of the year was an '08 on clear out, (with that 7 grand internet factory discount). Think you can do about 5 grand now on a new '09 awd, (have had no reason to check back any more now). Did see the spring deals are starting to blossom just a bit on the '09 Zukes though. But for he or she who can wait til the frost is on the pumpkin, or the snow is on the yule tree, well, the deals oughta be killer then... Just hope the brand doesn't suffer too much in this economic climate as wary folks continue to contribute to "deflation". Further, sure don't see those Equator's flying off the lots, (at least not here). Would be interesting to know the sales figures on the other '09's. Have not seen any recently. What's happening back east there now on the lots in eastern Canada, (other bud)? JUST GREAT to hear you too have owned other Zukes, as there ain't many of us here, (as near as I can tell), though the Maestro of GV info?, our bud xostnot sure is an invaluable info source. But now we're waiting to hear from you, (and yet again ultimately, one: JD Power), to see if these latest Zukes can transcend their past reliability issues. No, as you and I and others know, nothing there that would ever tend to leave you stranded by the side of the norwoods road, but regardless those haunting little gremlins do, (lets be honest), manage to score right up there on the aggravation meter.... If Suzuki can now prove with the new '09's that it has overcome the necessity [for all of us] to have to keep noting this repetitive "issues footnote", well then at such time imo, the marque will finally have fully matured.... Hope it goes that way for them, and we the [mostly] still faithful. Keep us informed. Nwdsmn. |
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Trouble is, the more people wait to buy Suzuki's, the more dealerships will close, and the higher the risk Suzuki will pull out of North America. If you want sales figures, someone at cartalkcanada posts US and Canadian sales breakdowns monthly, right down to the model. The Equator, indeed, is not doing well. Surprise! The SX4 presently is saving the company's North American bacon. However, on the global scale, and Suzuki IS a global player, Suzuki is doing ok, having recently moved up to 9th largest world carmaker. #1 in India, for instance. There are, however, lots of stories of closing dealerships in the US. Not that it's not happening to other brands though. http://www.globalsuzuki.com/globalnews/2009/0428.html This site has a wealth of information about Suzuki, a magazine, even a picture of the Iwata plant where the GV is built. North Americans have a completely different perception of Suzuki. People on other continents don't single out the brand for resale value, mileage, reliabilty, dealerships, etc. They also don't read Consumer Reports. Perhaps if Suzuki wants to grow in North America, they should look at how Hyundai has done it. If they care. I've come to distrust Consumer Reports and JD Power reliability ratings. The only souce I respect is Michael Karesh's truedelta.com. Speaking of which, he could use a few more GV owners to get the GV onto "fully qualified" status of 25 vehicles per model year. The reliabiilty stats gathered so far are mid-pack. Certainly not at the bottom as CR and JDP rate them. Below Chrysler, for instance. Obviously that has not been our experience.
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