1997 Suzuki Carry Van 0.97 petrol from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Cracking little people mover!
Faults:
Bought the van July 2010 for £600. Couple of bits of surface rust around, but no corrosion. Not even on the arches, which is rare for these vans. Chap had done the clutch and the timing belt a couple of thousand miles before I bought it, so as yet nothing has gone wrong. Touch wood.
General Comments:
The driving position takes a bit of getting used to, and it can be daunting at first driving right at the front of the car. But once used to it, it becomes perfectly normal, and the seats themselves I find very comfortable.
Handling obviously is not a strong point of these vans with their high sides and narrow wheelbase, and with no load in the rear the tail can be quite lively in the rain, which you need to look out for. Personally, I find the lively rear end amusing.
It will hit 70, but running at 70 for any length of time isn't recommended. Will sit perfectly happily at 60 all day though, maybe a bit more with a tail wind. Acceleration to 25-30 feels amusingly nippy thanks to the rev-happy engine and the snappy gearbox.
The 970cc engine is geared more for torque than outright power, so whether she's empty or full, and whether I rag her or drive economically, I still get around 30-35mpg and c.220 miles from a tank.
Mine is the MPV/crewbus version with 7 seats in the back rather than a load space. Seats are on quick-release bolts, so can be easily converted back should you need to do a run to the tip etc. I've tried to liven mine up with coloured side panels, a retro floor and a flip-down DVD player.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th November, 2010