[Wolf]

Hey everyone. I'm not new to suzukis but I am to Vitaras. Lookinh for a second car as i take my jimny off the road. I wss looking at a new swift sports but for where the jimnys headed It wouldnt make much sence as now i wouldnt have anything to tow or go camping in. So made me think about a Vitara or a GV. I know nothing about them besides some habe G16s some J20as and the V6.


My basis of requierments.

I want a 4 door 5 seater.

Somthing for mild off roading nothing to harsh for me anymore.

The better on fuel the better for me as long comute daily.

Now my questions are. How are the Autos in them or do i stick to manual. Biggest ill ever be towing is a jimny on a trailer. and what do i look out for and what should I be aware of when buying


Cheers

Wolf

[watermouse]

You might want to do some research on braked towing capacity of the GVs. Looks to be 1600kg for the GV 5door V6, 1850kg for the XL7 but I could be looking at random internet numbers. A ~1100kg Jimny on a ~600kg car trailer...

My '98 j20a GV was the most gutless car I have ever owned. Could barely tow a trailer load of mulch back from the garden center.

[fordem]

Which generations are you considering?

For first gens, the four doors will either be a 1.6 G16, or a 2.0 H20a V6, for second gens, four doors are the 2.0 J20a or the 2.5 H25a V6 - as far as I know the automatics are all the same, the Aisin-Warner 03-72LE four speed. I've never towed a trailer with my 98 J20a GV, but it's no slouch - I did, at one point, use it to tow my brother-in-law's H20a engined first gen to the shop (clutch failure), and I had no difficulty moving it, first gear, no throttle, easy on the clutch and I had both vehicles rolling, the J20a has the torque to do it.

[Wolf]

Looking probably at a 2nd gen currently as its a bit newer. do the Autos hold up well?


Are the XL7s anygood. found some nice ones already modded for sale

[Gwagensteve]

The auto is pretty bulletproof- the most common problem is the grease dries out in the range switch causing the contacts to stick. This can prevent the car from starting.

[Wolf]

manual still decent? are the xl7s just a longer gv?

[fordem]

The XL-7 is essentially a stretched GV, but with a larger engine, and just enough difference in the drive train to make life difficult if/when modifying and/or parts are needed. As much as I like the extra space, it didn't make my short list.

[Wolf]

fordem wrote:

The XL-7 is essentially a stretched GV, but with a larger engine, and just enough difference in the drive train to make life difficult if/when modifying and/or parts are needed. As much as I like the extra space, it didn't make my short list.

Different diffs and that? was contemplating lockers

[fordem]

As far as I know there are no lockers to fit the rear diff, the front diff in the 01~03 XL-7 is pretty much the same as the second gen GV (except it should be a steel housing), so it should be possible to get a locker into there, but it will require some faffing around with centers from a Vitara and so on.

[Wolf]

i love how suzuki do this, same platform then put unique diffs in and not standard gv ones

[fordem]

There is method to their madness - the XL-7 is three row, so bigger & heavier than a Grand Vitara, it has a bigger, more powerful engine, so the axles need to be stronger.

It's all about cost reduction, no point in fitting a stronger, more expensive part on a vehicle that doesn't need it.

If you ever have the opportunity, take a look at the variations in the front axle housings used on the various generations - as far as I know, on the Vitara & Grand Vitara from 89~2005, and the XL-7 to 2003, they are "dimensionally identical" and can be interchanged, but there are several different part numbers, the XL-7s had steel housings, as did manual transmission vehicles with the 2.5 liter V6, automatic transmission vehicles with the 2.5 V6, received aluminum alloy axle housings, as did smaller, less powerful engined manual transmission vehicles - there are different aluminum housings with different numbers of reinforcing ribs.

The axle internals are also, in many cases, different, but in many cases, still interchangeable - the manual transmission vehicles have a stronger differential, but you can swap the ring gear from a V6 automatic transmission GV onto the differential from it's manual transmission sister, it will fit.

[Wolf]

thats not bad. found support for front lockers but no rear exists. is there anything to look out for on xl7s? any years to avoid and whats a decent price range for one