Love it!
Air conditioning hose needed replacing.
New brakes and numerous batteries since I live in Arizona.
Love this car. I have not had any major repairs, very reliable. It goes anywhere. Has enough umph when going up hills.
On long trips road noise can be disturbing.
I have had the car for 10 years, and will be hard pressed to buy any 2014 SUVs.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th May, 2014
Go anywhere fun
The listed problems below all happened around the 85000 km mark.
- Water pump showed signs of failing (8-10 hrs of labor).
- Seal where drive shaft connects onto transfer case failed.
- Front hub assembly worn out.
- Rear wheel bearing worn out.
- Head gasket suspected of forming cracks.
I've been fortunate that I still have warranty on it, which covered all costs.
According to some forums and other GV owners, my problems seem to be isolated. The 4X4 is really good. I've yet to get it stuck or use 4L. The ride is loud but comfortable and confident. So far I'm happy with this truck minus the recent problems.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th August, 2009
Good for nothing
The day after I got my new Grand Vitara I drove to my second home, 300 miles away. When I arrived there, there was a smell of burning fluid and smoke POURING out of the engine compartment. Fluid had leaked and sprayed all over the engine compartment, and even pooled in some places. After 2 visits and 29 days in the shop, and a new front end, my car is still smoking and smelling of burning fluid. The service dept. tells me that the fluid is still burning off from the previous leak despite my argument that it should be all burned off by now, since I've had it back for a week and a half.
Suzuki's response to my certified letter of complaint was a telephone call telling me that they would contact the service manager. Great. Thanks. Also, they asked if I had used the car in four wheel drive - as if using the 4WD would cause repeated the front axle to have so much play that it keeps breaking axle seals.
While the warranty covered the daily cost of a rental vehicle, it did not however cover the 7.75% tax. This isn't such a big deal on a $40 per day rental rate for a couple days. It IS a big deal thirty days later, after a $75 bill that I had to foot. (Not to mention the gas driving back and forth to the service dept. repeatedly, the inconvenience of making a 100 mile round trip to the shop, and the loss of that "new car piece of mind". I bought the car so I wouldn't have to worry about reliability issues.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 10th November, 2004
30th Dec 2007, 03:46
Just to follow up...
It is now over three years later and after a major battle with the manufacturer (and THREE MORE new complete front ends - and my four wheel drive STILL doesn't work), I have finally qualified for the lemon law in my state.
Call me cheap, whatever. It was my frustration that kept me motivated to fight for fair compensation. (It was real bad when, during a blizzard, I realized that my "recently repaired" 4WD didn't work.)
An interesting side note: after being black-listed from every Suzuki dealer/service shop within a 250 mile radius, I finally got my car fixed during a week when the Suzuki service network was down. This is not a coincidence.
Also, apparently almost every dealer in my state has stopped selling Suzuki cars... they don't want the headache either.