12th Feb 2007, 10:20

Hi Geoff.

I too have had several new Suzuki's, currently an Ignis auto (review titled 'Much better than the old one').

Can't comment on the Swift - I only had the old model - but agree totally re Suzuki UK.

I had an intermittent brake fault with my Swift. I eventually wrote to Suzuki GB at Crawley. They never replied and the fault was never fixed. 18 months later I was shortly PX-ing and thought it might be fun writing again to see what had occurred. They wrote back without so much as a sorry, just as if I'd written yesterday, and displayed no interest whatsoever. Quite disgusting.

Good to see they're keeping up the quality of service!!!

Incidentally, I've found your reviews very interesting. Some may think you a nit-picker, but I agree that's what this site is for.

Cheers - Peter.

13th Feb 2007, 09:24

Part-ex it.

I did!!

Geoff.

28th Mar 2007, 13:36

Hello.

Just been reading some of the previous posts regarding rattling doors and other trim on the Swift. I used to own an older model swift (02 reg) and that did nothing, but rattle and creak at any given moment, in fact so much so that I ended up PXing it in for an older, but better built car interior wise with a more gutsy engine compared to the crappy 3 cylinder 993cc that the Swift had.

I have been looking at the new swift as they appear to share similier characteristics as the new Mini, although after reading about such problems as Geoff's I think I'll steer well clear away and stick with my trusty MK2 Mondeo for now ;-)

30th Mar 2007, 02:08

Very wise... those Mondeos last forever-mine had done 120,000 without major problems.

My life has improved since I sold the Swift, as my blood pressure has dropped.

I have bought two cars to replace it-a 2006 Daihatsu Copen coupe convertible, and of all things, a 2002 Perodua Kelisa (!!)

The two seater 659cc turbo Copen is an acquired taste, but is great fun part time, but the £1700 ebay 23,000 mile Kelisa is less rattly and better built than the Swift...! (and does similar mpg) It is far less composed or talented than the Swift, though, obviously and is far less safe.

It does show that new is not always best...

I am very very glad to be away from those daft alarms and electrics at last, though.

Geoff.

3rd Apr 2007, 02:18

I think that car makers are trying to outdo each other on specification lists, and have lost the user-friendliness of simple good design by doing this. They have some great ideas, but in the race for spec, the overall inherent quality of the car is poorly executed. If you can live with poor quality on a brand new car, and are immune to rattles, squeaks, faults and senseless alarms then you must be a far better person than me.

I don't want to be flash - I just want a car to believe in, and to feel that I have received value for money. This is clear in the new choices especially my wife's 2002 Perodua Kelisa (!!). It's not stylish or attractive, but everything works as it was meant to, and there are NO rattles, and this is important to me - more important than what you or the neighbours think.

Enjoy the rattles!

Geoff.

20th Jun 2007, 04:01

They just don't make 'em like they used to! Loads of kit, but no inherent quality...

For quality/durability see early Saabs, Volvos and Mercs. 250,000 milers still look like new. You pays yer money...

Enjoyed your comments.

Geoff.

3rd Aug 2007, 06:11

Good review. I know your pain with regard to rattles. They were the bane of my life in my old Clio.

I'm surprised at the lack of build quality from a Japanese manufacturer.

As for the stupid alarms; you'll find most manufacturers have a selection of them now. I haven't been in a newish car that didn't have it's own orchestra of bing, bongs and squeals to nanny its passengers.

I traded in my bag of spanners for a Skoda Octavia; no squeaks or rattles yet and no alarms (yet).

4th Aug 2007, 09:52

The alarms are infuriating-but some manufacturers set them up better than others-the Suzuki set up is just daft and they work all of the time-particularly annoying if at the tip/recycling place and going between sections where the seatbelt is not needed-but the alarms keep going on and on once armed.

I was the original writer of this thread and have since bought a UK supplied Perodua Myvi (a what?!) (read 2007 1.3 SXi report) which I find to be a better car than the Swift- especially as the dealers turned the alarms off by request before delivery.

It is not as stylish as the Swift, and has had some minor issues, now resolved- and there are NO rattles and NO alarms!! Joy!

22nd Jan 2008, 18:19

I bought my Swift in July 07. Its fine... no real problems, but it doesn't go as well as my gutsy H reg Toyota Corolla whose body work gave up the ghost! However, my car stalls when I slow down at lights or when pulling into the driveway and they say its me! I agree with all the comments above re boot, alarms, light, radio, clutch, odd seating position etc, but here's an extra - the very first time I sat in the car I somehow cracked my elbow on the door panel and damaged all the nerve endings... has been very painful since and hospital says it could take a year to heal!!!

24th Jan 2008, 03:39

I'm the original writer of the review.

Stalling improves as the car runs in, but I found that it is better to let the car breathe and tick over for a few seconds before trying to drive off, as it reduces stalling.

We now fun a Fiat Panda Multijet Diesel 1248 70BHP Dynamic (same 1248cc engine as Swift) and a Fiat Doblo Multijet 1910 120 BHP Dynamic. See reports. No stalling isse.

The Panda is nowhere near as stylish as the Swift, but makes better use of the same components and is only £35 road tax, not £115 as it falls just under the 120g/km bracket, not just over like the Swift.

We rate the Panda as 50x better than our old DDiS Swift, as it is just less annoying to live with, and the engine and gearbox suit the Panda's size and weight very well.

We also ran a 2007 Perodua Myvi 1.3SXi between the Swift and Panda, which my Parents now have-see report and comparison to Swift too. Less annoying and much cheaper!

I do hope you enjoy your Swift. I still think they look nice, but I am very glad I sold ours...