"As Du Volant" (skuhnphoto)
02/07/2018 at 13:02 • Filed to: None
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"As Du Volant" (skuhnphoto)
02/07/2018 at 13:02 • Filed to: None | 8
| 19 |
I love the Suzuki SX4.
They’re not that great looking nor are they fast (though with the manual it’s adequate for normal driving). But it’s a cool little car.
My fiancee has one. It’s neat. It’s got a 6-speed stick. It’s got an AWD system that can be switched on and off, with a lockable center differential.
The Christmas tree farm we used to go to allowed you to drive right out into the fields. It was slightly wet and sometimes a little bit muddy but it was fun driving the SX4 out there.
A couple years ago they put a natural gas well on the property and the road up the hill to the trees turned into a total mud pit. They posted a sign at the entrance saying “4x4 only beyond this point.” I drove the SX4 in. An old man flagged me down and told me “you can’t take that car up there.” I locked the diff and took it up anyway.
I had to take care not to bottom out in the ruts but it went up the hill just fine. We had the only vehicle up there that wasn’t a pickup truck.
The car came with a spare set of snow tires but last winter they wore out. This winter we bought a set of brand new ones plus a set of black steelies to mount them on. She hates the look of the steelies but I kind of like them.
Today we had a winter storm. Several inches of snow topped with a half inch of ice and then more snow. Most of the roads near here weren’t taken care of very well and were covered with slop. My Impreza has an unrepairable flat tire and currently is running on the donut spare (fresh tires are currently in the mail) and fiancee works half a mile from home so I’ve been driving her car.
So once again the diff lock went on and so far I’ve put in almost 60 miles in the mess without spinning a single tire. It’s the most solid-feeling car I’ve ever driven in the snow. Puts my Subarus to shame.
I want to find a parking lot and do donuts but I’m afraid it’ll have so much traction that it won’t even do them. That’s a good problem to have.
Maybe next year we’ll get a lift kit.
Also it’s got heated seats.
4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 13:52 |
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The first gen SX4/Fiat Sedici is an absolute guilty pleasure of mine. Capable little things too!
With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 13:59 |
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Not that great looking? They’re practically a 3/5ths scale Mercedes ML-class!
RallyWrench
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:01 |
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I still want one of these for a commuter.
smobgirl
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:07 |
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I don’t hate these. I’d prefer an Element, but I think an SX4 is probably going to be cheaper.
Wacko
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:24 |
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I bought my 2010 6 speed manual awd new
Loved it, till the day I crashed it Feb 2 2015.
I was planning the lift kit, right before i crashed it.
I already bought and installed my General Grabbers AT2 on it.
It would go anywhere, and was a fun little car that can be parked anywhere.
This is mine with the GG AT2 on it.
was also going to install LED fogs in the lower grill.
and how did you get heated seats in a Manual, here in canada the only way i could get a manual was the bare bones, but i got the dealer to install factory fog lights
edit: i see by your mags that it’s a 2009 or older you got , so 5 speed and you got the old engine without the VVT
re edit: I see the pics ain’t yours and re-read your text....
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Wacko
> 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
02/07/2018 at 14:27 |
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i loved my 2010, since the say i bought it new till the day i crashed it. I was so sad when the insurance company claimed it was a total loss.
Happy when they gave me a check for 32000$cnd
SmugAardvark
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:27 |
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Suzuki really released some decent looking cars there towards the end of their U.S. presence.
For example, I think the Kizashi was an attractive alternative to some of the other compact sedans out there. It almost looks like a cross between a Jetta and an Altima. I heard that the driving experience wasn’t all that stellar, but for the price, I wouldn’t necessarily expect as much.
Also worth noting, their Kizashi shooting brake concept looks incredible to me.
Apart from the wheels, at least.
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As Du Volant
> Wacko
02/07/2018 at 14:30 |
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Sorry to hear about your SX4.
No idea on the heated seats, we bought it used. Maybe the option packages were different in the US, or for 2011? It’s also got the pop-up Garmin nav on top of the dash.
RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:38 |
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I’ve always quite liked the little SX4! Friend’s dad in uni was an auto journalist and she borrowed it from him a few times. Solid little well built car!
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Wacko
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:46 |
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the popup garmin was not an option in canada, I had the fake speaker, since base model
do you do your oil changes cause it is in the worse place possible on the 2010&+
between the fan and the headers. if so you need this.
i went to try the SX4 that my engine got a new home in, but didn’t buy it cause
Shiity job on aftermarket wiring, trouble shifting into first, so needed a new tranny, and felt cramped in it. Got used to the space my 2014 pathfinder
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Wacko
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:48 |
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oh and so much fun in the snow, just needs a bit more gas when you are turning a corner, and drifto mode activated.
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Wacko
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 14:50 |
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this is my total loss btw
rear wheel slid into a stop sign. see bent rim.
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Wacko
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 15:02 |
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jkm7680
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 15:58 |
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Suzuki just got bad luck in the American market. They made some pretty interesting vehicles, there just weren’t people buying them.
HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 18:12 |
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There was a Red Manual for sale while I am was car shopping and I really thought about buying it, but decided I needed more power. My experience with AWD has been NA Forester, a V8 300c, and my Galant VR4. The Forester was the only one that wasn’t very fun. It just didn’t have to power to overcome its traction. So I decided I wouldn’t get an AWD car unless it was a turbo 4, or 6 cylinder
OmerCarrothers333
> As Du Volant
02/07/2018 at 19:46 |
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You see TONS of these in Utah.
ciscokidinsf
> As Du Volant
02/08/2018 at 00:24 |
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I love them too. BUT.... models before 2010 have a tendency to blow their engines and throw rods, specially those with manual trannys. If you want one, try to get one from 2010-2012 (Not sure why even the sedans in 2010-2011 also blow up sometimes) Anyway, looking for one for my college boy. (Also, I dont understand how some SX4's go for MORE than a Kizashi. WTF?)
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As Du Volant
> ciscokidinsf
02/08/2018 at 08:06 |
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Sx4 is more sought after so it goes for a higher price.
Did not know that about the engines. Fortunately ours is a 2011.
ThePlasticOne - no diggities expressed nor implied.
> As Du Volant
02/08/2018 at 12:33 |
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I have respect for the SX4. A regular at my local Cars and Coffee shows up in this:
Tires are BFG All Terrains. And yes, he got the bike to match the car.