[zattard]

Hi all,

Thank you for welcoming me, I have recently decided to sell my forester in favor of a 4wd and have decided on the GV ZUK! This is due to the space, mod capabilities and 4wd prowess. I have a $10000 budget to buy used then another 3k to mod it out. I was wondering if you guys had any tips for me buying the car. I have been looking for about 6 months now and do not want to make a bad decision! I will be kitting out with draws and a 12v system, lift and new tyres.

Regards
Zac

[ZUZUKI]

Hi Zac,
1st off, welcome to (potential) Suzuki ownership!.

When you say GV ZUK - there are a couple of different (very different) generations of cars within that statement.
The earlier SQ (1st generation GV, 1998-2005) will be mint & overpriced at your budget, so I'm assuming you are talking about the 2nd gen version - JB/JT 2005 to current. I'm also assuming you are talking 5 door wagon, if you are after more room than a Forester.
Even within that, there are 5 engine choices (within LWB - a couple more in SWB).

The early cars will be cheapest, come with J20 = 2.0litre 4cyl (a bit underdone in a NGV with a touring load onboard) or H27 = 2.7litre V6 - lusty enough, but drink fuel.
Fuel tank is small for touring.

Around 2008, a 3.2litre V6 (N32) replaced the 2.7litre, not much heavier on fuel, but the power is addictive. This engine was only fitted 2008-2010. They are uncommon & still usually over $10k, as it was bundled with the "Prestige" options - sunroof, leather, bling bling.
This is the version I would buy, but then I'm a bit of a petrol head. Only 3 things stop me from doing so.
1. I love my 1999 GV 2.5. 2. A NGV just won't be as capable, & I use my car hard occasionally. 3. Touring range. Fuel tank size is very hard to overcome in a NGV.

2009 or so, a 2.4litre version of the J motor. was fitted. This engine size & designation is still fitted to the car you can buy new - except the early cars (up to approx. 2012) have a poor reputation for cracking heads & blocks. Will be in budget, but frankly best avoided - for piece of mind, if nothing else.

There is a 1.9litre 4cyl Renault sourced diesel, only available as a manual. Fuel economy is much better, so touring range with one of these is respectable enough. Unfortunately, reliability also has a question mark over it. Many are great, but enough go very expensively wrong that they are hard to recommend. Shame, because they make the most 'sense' as a touring vehicle.

So, back to a later, 2012 onwards J24 4 cyl. Should be cars within budget. Go for the niceset, best maintained etc car you can find. these later cars also come with traction control, which is 1/2 reasonable. The early cars with no traction control, could be frankly embarrassing as to where they could get stuck, due to 'cross axling' with small wheel travel.

As for 12V system - no really nice options for an Aux. battery. The best we did, was a 105A/hr AGM 'straddling' the transmission tunnel in the rear footwell, but that compromises the back seat. A 40A/hr AGM fits on it's side in the under cargo area storage compartment, but 40A/hr.....
No practicable room under the bonnet. A plastic 'marine battery box' held down some how (that is the tricky bit) in the cargo area might be an option, but robs space.

If you go draw/s, keep it light. Payload is not huge. Space is taller, but not much bigger overall in a GV compared to a Forester I'd suggest. If you fill that more space with more stuff, it will be a heavier, less capable car.

Plenty of info on here about tyres & lifts.

Have fun,
Rgs, Michael

[zattard]

Thank you for that reply mate, I am eyeing off a 2.7L 5 door GV at the moment 2007 with 155000kms although heard mixed on the engine particularly at those kms.

[vet 180]

I would be looking at a 1998- 2005 model (the older GV) 2.5 V6 in mint condition. Aiming for something newer in that range with full service history. They just drive better on and off road. Your budget will extend way further and you will ultimately end up with a much better vehicle and most likely be well under budget. With more budget for recovery gear and touring mods. Better to mod too imo.

Regarding vehicle mods and branded 2 inch lift will be fine. Depending on what tire size you go or whether you start with Auto or manual some 1.6 vitara diff gears might be worth looking into.


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[fordem]

Ahhh - as the owner of both, I'd say the new GV drives better on road, and the old GV is better off - but yes. the older GV would probably make for a better touring & 4WD than the new one, and easier to modify.

[Gwagensteve]

To be fair though, a GV of any generation isn't an ideal touring 4WD - too small, too little payload, too little fuel capacity, too light duty. This tends to mean they're at or over GVM once packed and with the apparently inevitable accessories people fit. This means every system it maxed out - bearings, body mounts, shock mounts, cooling, engine. The result is they're thirsty, don't drive very well, and have a significantly shortened life (the point at which multiple repairs are required which aren't cost effective) Starting with a car that, at 155K is already most of the way though it's useful life, is only going to accelerate this process.

I guess it depends very much on the definition of "Touring" - if it means remote travel/long distance/extended duration/self sufficiency id be looking for a more heavy duty vehicle with a higher payload. Yes, people have done it, but that doesn't m mean it's the right tool for the job. Ironically, when you visit most of remote Australia, the locals are driving au falcons or land cruisers., with every little in-between.

This isn't an easy compromise to resolve. Many (many) years ago when I was in the Landcruiser club, the club was full of people who used to lumber around in fully kitted out troop carriers etc all the time because once every couple of years they'd spend a month touring. Or even worse, they'd buy and equip a lumbering troop carrier so they could go touring "when they retired" meanwhile, they're chugging around with 1/2 their life savings in, basically, a truck, not fitting in car parks, chewing up , maintenance and fuel costs, not having a great time.

[ZUZUKI]

I'm one of those people who have made a SQ GV do things it was never meant to do.
I agree with everything Steve has said:
It can be made to work for a couple. We did Cape York to the tip in 3 weeks door to door, from Melbourne with a 15yo daughter - there is no other Suzuki model that would have done that trip better, but there are plenty of non-Suzuki 4WDs that would have.
Yes, I have a long range tank (88litres, up from 66litres & it's still not really enough)
Yes, it is thirsty (13-14L/100km around town - empty on M/Ts, roof rack & blah, blah. Only drops to 12.5L/100km on a country run. touring 14-15L, heavy sand work - 22L/100km
Yes, it's way over GVM when in full touring mode - shhh.
No, I haven't had failures due to it being light duty - maybe I'm lucky - so far.

Could I do what I have made (forced really) my SQ to do, with a JB-JT - no.
What do I do, when I finally kill my SQ - no idea. Nothing since has been better - maybe another one, maybe a Mitsubushi Challenger / Pajero Sport??

Back to the original poster- Yes, an early 2.7litre JB-JT will be better to mild off road than a Forester, but not by amazingly heaps & still a lot less than than a Pajero or Prado.

Rgs, Michael