ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: Jookycola on April 13, 2006, 06:57:42 PM
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http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=6&i=123178&t=123178
Not sure i like it.
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:-\ :-\ :-\
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meh
looks big and expensive
bet you could outfit at least 4 zuks/kicks for the price of one brand new
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(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/673000-673999/673055_149.jpg)
X32...................X32CarDomainPage...................X32 (http://www.cardomain.com/ride/673055)[/url][/size]
I want to swap my bolt
pattern from 5x139 to 5x114.
If anyone has any input,
please let me know!
Also, I get a lot of people who
want to buy my UNIQUE Tracker.
(so if youre SERIOUS and got the $$$)
contact me and we can talk.
RyouBakua|removethispart|@Hotmail.com[/size]
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I agree with some of the other folks on that forum...
what is with the headlights?
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Well that thing is well equiped for grocery getting and hanging out at the local Starbucks....almost nobody will ever wheel any of Suzuki's latest offerings. I was afraid of what the next gen Xl-7 will look like... :'(
I am very dissapointed that Suzuki is turning it's back on the 4wd crowd and a huge part of their heritage and success. Sure it's great idea to market to the pavement Suv crowd but eliminating the "rugged, cheap little 4x4" that we all love love is a bad move. Look at Nissan and Toyota, they have their cute Ute's and minivans and such but they still uphold their 4x4 line and heritage.
There are still many years left for the Zuk entusiast. There are lots of used Sammy's, Kicks, Vits, and Xl-7's for years of wheeling fun. I don't mean to be negative, just stating the obvious and at some point I will have no choice but to wheel something else (If I live that long ;D). Hopefully Suzuki has something "up their sleeve" for the future. As someone once said "It ain't over until the last 2006 Xl-7 is rusted into the ground" and even then there will be parts left to fabricate a rig... so we still have a future yet.... ;)
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I kinda like it. Suzuki is just trying to jump into the big market with Honda and Toyota. To do so, sometimes they have to be competitive like with this. My only gripe with Suzuki is that most of their SUVs are now turning into half frame/half unibody vehicles. I want a full frame!!!
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Looks like a soccer mom suv FREAKING YUK...
wouldn't own one if given to me.
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Much better looking than the current XL-7, IMO ::) What about the underpinnings though? Is it based on a similar drivetrain as the new GV?
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wouldn't own one if given to me.
shiet
Id take it
then probably sell it and buy 4 modded kicks
wha-ta!!!
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it's official, all new suzuki's suck. first they ruin the GV now they ruin the xl 7 even worse, I can't believe people actually want to buy such stupid cars.. oh well, it happens. I guess if one were to buy a zuk they should stick to 05 and under
the headlights on that make it look really mini van, I thought the 04 front end on an xl looked mini van, guess I hadn't seen this coming, suzuki needs to make a good vehicle again!
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Can you imagine if Consumer reports never picked on Suzuki and the Samurai...the course of Suzuki history would have been different. The sales of economical,fun and tough little vehicles would have continued strong helping Suzuki build it's company up to a level where it could stand side by side with the major auto manufacturers. We would have then been able to enjoy the Samurai sucessor the "Jimny" and Suzuki wouldn't have been forced to put all it money into being a company of followers rather than what they used to be in offering tough unique economical vehicles.
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Ever seen that video where they were trying to make the Samurai tip? You hear the guy say "If you can't make it tip, Ill find someone who can."
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 Can you imagine if Consumer reports never picked on Suzuki and the Samurai...the course of Suzuki history would have been different. The sales of economical,fun and tough little vehicles would have continued strong helping Suzuki build it's company up to a level where it could stand side by side with the major auto manufacturers. We would have then been able to enjoy the Samurai sucessor the "Jimny" and Suzuki wouldn't have been forced to put all it money into being a company of followers rather than what they used to be in offering tough unique economical vehicles.
exactly, all the companies are copying each other once someone makes a stupid idea like a yuppie SUV or a turn of the dial or push button 4 wheel drive, they come up with the dumbest stuff
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But thats just the thing nowadays. Noone appreciates simplicity. Its all about pushing a button, voice activation, lights that turn on for you, remote start, and flashiness. Not many people are in the market for simplicity, reliability, and ruggedness. Its too bad, but I understand Suzuki has to follow along or be left behind.
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yea, even wranglers have that vaccum actuated front diff like the front of a GV, don't understand what's so hard about having hubs and a lever, a lever isn't any more difficult for me than a dial would be, especially since it always works, unfortunately suzuki decided to put a vaccuum actuated front diff on GV's so I don't know how long that will last but so far so good
yea, zuk had some good stuff, it's a shame to see them making stuff as lame as a CRV or rav 4
freaking sucks, they can't just keep the stuff that actually is reliable, they have to put the crappy new stuff on that always quits working. I know a guy that didn't know his turn of the dial 4 wheel drive didn't work on his super duty till he needed it so he was stuck
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meh
looks big and expensive
bet you could outfit at least 4 zuks/kicks for the price of one brand new
how about 4 XL7's? I paid just 8K for mine and with low mileage :)
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meh
looks big and expensive
bet you could outfit at least 4 zuks/kicks for the price of one brand new
how about 4 XL7's? I paid just 8K for mine and with low mileage :)
true enough
but I dont know how much the new one would run so I figged 20K
and with 5k you can take a kick and toss lifts, bumpers, swampers, the works
but you get the idea
8)
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Yeah, its not a 4x4...... not even in all wheel drive mode......
I mean as a mid sized SUV i dont hate it.
I honestly dont consider any SUV that costs more than 20k to be areasonable off roader, they are more for snow and looks, so they may as well be front wheel drive with a rear wheel assist.
My other truck is an Avalanche Z71, with all the little bells and whistles that you get with that 4x4 package. Snow cant stop it....and light duty off-roading is ok, but i would never consider taking it anywhere that it would scrape a tree or get near a log or rock......it just cost too damn much.
I just got back from Florida, saw a Minnesota driver down there with his custom lifted ford super duty diesel off road beast.....thing must have cost 60k with a huge custom body painted winch bumper, custom axles, pumpkins, suspension, wheels, tires, rooftop cargo rack, safari canvas cargo bed tenting, off raod lights MOUNTED BEHIND THE CAB ABOUT 6" ABOVE THE ROOFLINE.....duh, Anyway the point being it could have been front wheel drive for all that it would ever get near dirt or a rock...... it was totally for show.
Last point...
Our kids who are interested in off roading will probably only have pick-up truck derived 4x4's to play with. Passenger vehicles are becoming more and more regulated and engineers are under pressure to improve gas mileage, safety, comfort, ride, handling, all the things that a good 4x4 compromises. The Samurai could never be liscenced in america as a new car these days, it would never pass the new saftey regulations. You can see what those requirements do if you trace the Samurai through the final convertible Tracker......they keep getting bigger and heavier until they dissappear forever.....
So as much as we hate that the XL-7 is no longer a true 4x4, it was inevitable.
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Well said guys....so now that the longterm prognosis for Suzuki has been carved in stone, any ideas what we'll be wheeling when we are all say... 15-20 years older. So far Ford has screwed up the Explorer (full frame with front and rear Independent Suspension). Chevy still holds up the banner with a full framed solid rear axle Trailblazer and a few other full sized models. Then theres the pickups and the last resort....the Heeps, but even they are getting more wimpy by the year....I know there's plenty of Zooks to go around for many years to come, but I'm curious what the average Zook enthusiast would wheel if there were no Zooks left :'(
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What would I wheel if there were no Zuks left..... I would wheel barefoot.
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What would I wheel if there were no Zuks left..... I would wheel barefoot.
isnt that just called "hiking"
:P
;D
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I'd prolly wheel some OTHER Japanese light-weight or at least smaller 4x4
Montero (not a light-weight!)
4 runner
Yota
something..
If it got really bad, I would prolly just build a tube buggy with available parts and make it small and light, but wide and low to the ground like my current Zuk.
I mean, all the parts you could ever want are now made aftermarket, and in recycling yards)
I saw a MEAN 4-runner going down the road today.. there was a cop behind the wheel.. I pulled up to him at a light and complemented him.. he was sort of an asshole about it anyway..lol... Thing was lifted a little, snorkeled, trimmed, had a winch and high lift, LTB's... looked capable.. was dented all around, like it SHOULD be.. ;D I was thinking to myself that I would wheel one of those if I could get one right.
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If it got really bad, I would prolly just build a tube buggy with available parts and make it small and light, but wide and low to the ground like my current Zuk.
I mean, all the parts you could ever want are now made aftermarket, and in recycling yards)
I guess I would build a frame myself and slap some diffs under it and put whatever cute-ute body that was available like a frameless 06 Zuk body or Rav4 or CRV. I guess anything could be done. Just gotta weld some crossbeams to the body and fab up some body mounts. What drivetrain,computer etc..and how to make that work??? ??? That's what I would do. I like the tube buggies but I like to wheel in the winter too and not in a snowmobile suit :D Plus if it could pass somehow as street legal even better. By this time(15-20 years) my fab skills should be up to the challenge... ;D That would be cool a Rav4 on 4runner axles and 35's
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I'd wheel a yota or jeep probably, good vehicles. don't know if I'll ever get another zuk, honestly didn't even like them till I started driving mine, now I love them, however, a yota already has stronger drive train parts and more stuff is availiable. however, GV's and kicks are comperable to a 5 link rear 4 runner because GV's have 5 link and kicks have 3 which is even better, also, zuk's don't have crappy torsion bars, oh how i hate those
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Maybe we will just adapt, or at least our kids will. The fundamental problem is cost vs. performance, and that always goes down over time. There will be a time when independent suspensions are both stout and cheap, probably in most of our lifetimes.
In the mean time, if going “soft� on the XL-7 is what keeps an innovative company alive and growing, then so be it. It will probably be the best vehicle for what it was designed for. Then maybe down the road they can return to their roots, but with the strength to do it well.
jSager
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If I ever build my zook and get tired of it I will build a buggy. I plan on having my lil red sammy for a looong time though. I will wheel the black one hard and see what happens.
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What would I wheel if there were no Zuks left..... I would wheel barefoot.
isnt that just called "hiking"
:P
;D
Exactly!
If not Suzuki, I would *gasp* buy a CAR because wheeling just wouldnt be as fun without a Suzuki made beast.
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but I dont know how much the new one would run so I figged 20K
more like 30K with all the trimmings!
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Maybe we will just adapt, or at least our kids will. The fundamental problem is cost vs. performance, and that always goes down over time. There will be a time when independent suspensions are both stout and cheap, probably in most of our lifetimes.
In the mean time, if going “soft� on the XL-7 is what keeps an innovative company alive and growing, then so be it. It will probably be the best vehicle for what it was designed for. Then maybe down the road they can return to their roots, but with the strength to do it well.
jSager
why couldn't they have kept the 2nd gen kick/tracker as well as the stupid 06 GV and new xl 7? I think they should have done that and called the 06 GV something else because the only thing that's "grand vitara" about it is the name and the engine block, not the rest of the motor, jus tthe block. I can't stand it, it's so hard to find a good new vehicle, not that I can afford one, but you know
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These new "SUVs" suck.
I could own a new car making the payments but nobody makes anything worth a shit.
I don't care if I hit the lottery I will not buy the crap car companies are making for SUVs now.
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Reminds me of a Nissan Murano... ...or is that MORON-O...
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why couldn't they have kept the 2nd gen kick/tracker as well as the stupid 06 GV and new xl 7?
Because, unfortunately, there are not enough of us to buy them. A car manufacturer cannot play to niche markets until it gets big and stable enough in the “heart� of the industry. The YJ/Liberty transition was just as hard on the Jeep crowd, but there were not enough voting with wallets, and the YJ was dumped.
I can’t blame Suzuki for going where the money is. I’ll just be zen about it and hope they’ll come back some time in the future.
jSager
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why couldn't they have kept the 2nd gen kick/tracker as well as the stupid 06 GV and new xl 7?
Because, unfortunately, there are not enough of us to buy them. A car manufacturer cannot play to niche markets until it gets big and stable enough in the “heart� of the industry. The YJ/Liberty transition was just as hard on the Jeep crowd, but there were not enough voting with wallets, and the YJ was dumped.
I can’t blame Suzuki for going where the money is. I’ll just be zen about it and hope they’ll come back some time in the future.
jSager
YJ is the cherokee right? and at least the liberty is actually capable unlike the stupid new GV, liberty's have 3 link rear, the only thing I could see about them that was crap was the low hanging lower control arms and uniframe, other than that they are very comperable to a kick or non- 06 GV and have tons more power I think
I was reading up on the jimny post and I am pissed that places like germany got coil sami's and jimny's and we get crap xl 7's and stupid new GV's.. can't blame them for doing the right thing to stay in business, but I have to say, the mainstream car buyers in this country are LAME! that's why we get stupid vehicles like the 06 GV to replace good ones. just like you, I hope they come back as well
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No good!! looks like a van, all wheel drive :P >:(. I'm glad I bought the 06 model. The grand vitara is o.k.! but the xl7? nah!!!
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Glad i already have an 03. Lets have a moment of silence for the passing of suzukis lastbody frame suv.
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Glad i already have an 03. Lets have a moment of silence for the passing of suzukis lastbody frame suv.
Only 'cause you don't get the Jimny like we do :P
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I just went down the new car road, it wasn't pretty. I desperately wanted a new zuk, but it just wasnt in the cards. I was looking for a 2 door convertible, and there are only 2 left on the american market that I am aware of, 1 being the jeep wrangler and the other being the kia sportage, and I am even sketchy on the kia. I dismissed kia as I have known several people who had lots of problems with reliability on the kia suv, so I went with the wrangler, and even that is watered down for 07......
Sad times indeed for the off road enthusiast on the new car market.
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Only 'cause you don't get the Jimny like we do :P
Thanks, why don't you just rub it in and kick us while we are down. :'(
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Only 'cause you don't get the Jimny like we do :P
Thanks, why don't you just rub it in and kick us while we are down. :'(
yea, I envy non-US regions cause they have the jimny
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You are complainning too much...
we do not even have suzuki in Brasil anymore : (
I would realy like to have a new G. vit
and the new G.vit is not bad, I bet by the time we start to wheel them we are going to be prety good at tweaking independent suspensions : ) I am pretty sure with the right mods you can make it realy awesome, and you can alway SAS it for hardcore action and to ride stock those can probabily go further than a stock sidekick, we should stop complainning untill we start to work with those.
It is going to take a while for us to accept but unibodys are stronger and lighter, and those halth frame halth unibodies are nice.
and suzuki is still making their older models... you can always import those : )
http://www.seoudi.com/suzuki/frm_v_show_room.htm
http://www.chevrolet.com.co/content_data/LAAM/CO/es/GBPCO/001/BRANDSITE/default.html
http://www.suzuki.at/de/cars/products/index.asp?Start=true
http://www.chevrolet.com.ec/content_data/LAAM/EC/es/GBPEC/001/BRANDSITE/default.html
And Santana motors of Spain still makes the sidekick and with coll rounded headlights : )
But I thing I get what is making us feel awkward, the Samurai still goes on with the jimny( for some at least)...but for those of us who like the sidekick...uh the G.vitara III is not exactly tha same is it? I do not complain they started to built nicer and bigger vehicles, but I would like to see a vehicle to replace the sidekick, the new G. Vitara does not do that.
But what I realy think is that the easier path in the future is going to pick-up trucks and smaller company niche market vehicles, and I think our only option for light and tiny 4x4s are going to be the japanese ones... Ok I was forgetting...chevrolet has a joint venture and has renewed the lada niva( tiny, rugged unibody russian 4x4) take a look I think that it has potencial : )
http://www.jipemania.com/newsd/0309/chevrolet%20niva.htm
I think they do have those in Canada too, the factory is called Avtovaz not that many like them and they are not know for being the most reliable thing on earth, but this newer models seems to be reliable, I do not now how it ended up but It was going to have a chevy engine and Aisin t-case and axles.
Do not you guys have mitsubishi in US?
And take a look at what we have in Brasil for 4x4s...
http://www.agralemarrua.com.br/
www.troller.com
Gui