Suzuki Sx4, Any Thoughts?

[RKing]

My regal is bout had it, looks like a trans is in order and I am not spending that on it as it has electrical issues anyway. SO, fellow I work with is selling a SX4 AWD hatchback and I'm thinking it may be worth picking up to "get be thru" till 2016. Daughter likes it so might move "down the line" when I get my black manual Elio
Any body had one/got one ? He says his wife gets 26MPG, not so hot but way better than my farm truck!

 

[Richad]

I think it's an ok vehicle with terrible resale value.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

If you don't need 4 seats (and you must not if you're getting an Elio ) consider a gen 1 Honda Insight. They are undervalued right now due to cheap gas and short-sighted consumorons. $3000-7000 depending on age, trans, mileage, and condition. Their value will skyrocket again next time gas hits $4/gallon. Meanwhile they are very well made (built on the same assembly line at the same time as the NSX), all-aluminum, all the foibles are well-understood, and there is a well-developed community supporting them. Oh, and you'll get 50-70 real-world MPG. I bought a 150k mile 2005 CVT for $3000 last Summer and I'm getting 60 MPG.

 

[RKing]

I think it's an ok vehicle with terrible resale value.

Thats the main reason I'm interested

If you don't need 4 seats (and you must not if you're getting an Elio ) consider a gen 1 Honda Insight. They are undervalued right now due to cheap gas and short-sighted consumorons. $3000-7000 depending on age, trans, mileage, and condition. Their value will skyrocket again next time gas hits $4/gallon. Meanwhile they are very well made (built on the same assembly line at the same time as the NSX), all-aluminum, all the foibles are well-understood, and there is a well-developed community supporting them. Oh, and you'll get 50-70 real-world MPG. I bought a 150k mile 2005 CVT for $3000 last Summer and I'm getting 60 MPG.

Humm that worked ok.... Oh, I am seriously considering the Insight also, had a long discussion with an owner in Fla last weekend. He loves his also. Problem is I live in the country and our roads are ..uh.. kinda rough. Based on his experience I am a little worried about that , any insight (hehe) on that issue? Main problem is I don't see any for sale round here, but 3K sounds right down my ally!

 

[Hotscoots]

What year is the Suzuki ?

2006-2009 1,586 cc AWD Manufacturer claims 38 MPG
2010-2013 1,995 cc AWD 32 MPG

Keep in mind that Suzuki is no longer sold in the USA . Parts "may" become increasingly difficult to find .

 

[W. WIllie]

RKing
If you want all the info you can absorb about the G1 INSIGHT, visit their forum here.:
http://www.insightcentral.net
I have had mine for over 14 years and 352,000 miles wouldn't sell it,......... even when I get my ELIO.
Willie

 

[RKing]

Suk is 2006, have to look up the detail specs. Thing about the SX4 is I get it for dealer tradin value, about 2/3 of the retail price. And yes I already know I'm cheap
thanks W.Willie, got some reading to do. That insight is really interesting, closest thing to Elio I know of!

 

[Hotscoots]

I'm not a fan of the G1 Insight but followed Willie's link and went over to their group . They have an 11 page thread on the Elio !

 

[Ian442]

Parts aren't hard to come by. Just no Suzuki dealer service.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

[...]Problem is I live in the country and our roads are ..uh.. kinda rough. Based on his experience I am a little worried about that , any insight (hehe) on that issue? Main problem is I don't see any for sale round here, but 3K sounds right down my ally!

I live on a tar and chip (chipseal) road out in the country and my commute is mainly secondary and tertiary country roads. No issues. We have a guy up in PA who does several miles of his 90 mile/day commute on gravel roads IIRC. (Willie can correct me on that one.) It's not like riding in a Bentley, but it's tolerable.