advice on buying grand vitara 03/04

mk1esc

what are the like on juice, tyres, towing, parts etc....what are the usual faults with them??? im considering buying one and want some info please or should i stay away....;)

TrailerBob

Neighbour had one for a couple of years. Ok on juice, 35 mpg or thereabouts he said. But, as its a 2 litre, and basically a tall car, towing will be limited, less than 2ton. Pretty reliable too, and able for a muddy field. Not bad if you need a small jeep for light work. Not for a 14ft cattle box though!! Same goes for anything of this size really.

mk1esc

id be towing a car transporter with a car on it, not all the time though but will be towing a twin axle trailer for building materials etc....im no farmer so wont be towing cows or sheep ....i dont wanna commercial as i will need it for my kids also and plus the fact i dnt ave a vat no. for the cheaper tax....:(

101sean

Grand Vitara is no good to you for towing a big car trailer, max towing weight is 1850kg, half that of a Land Rover or Land Cruiser. Anything more and you are breaking the law.

Must admit I'm surprised it's that low.

Useful towing weight checker http://www.uktow.com/towing%20capacity.asp#tab1

TrailerBob

101sean wrote: »

Grand Vitara is no good to you for towing a big car trailer, max towing weight is 1850kg, half that of a Land Rover or Land Cruiser.

Thought that alright, To be honest OP a lot of people chance towing transporter trailers with Vitara sized vehicles but in reality you will be at or above your legal limit for the vehicle - Typical factory transporter weighs about 500 - 700kg... Add a car to that - say a Golf (1300kg) and you're into dodgy territory.

mk1esc

thanks for the input, so what would you guys reccommend then??? remember im on a budget, need it for kids as well as towing...so no commercials or 3.1 turbo troopers

101sean

Kia Sorento, 2.5 engine, tows 2.8t. Gets good reviews on here.

Hyundai Santa Fe isn't any better than the Vitara for towing, 1870kg

You are caught in a dilemma, you want cheapish tax and be able to tow a decent amount but anything 2.0l or less is going to max out at 2 tonne according to that website I linked to. I know you'll see Santa Fes with twin horse boxes and the like but technically they are breaking the law and the Guards are cracking down it some places.

mk1esc

i went looking at nissan terrano's earlier, 2.7 but the road tax is a killer for me €1300 per year :mad:...they look nice, 7 seats etc and will pull 2.5 ton no problem but again its back to the towing weight .....it would be pretty rare that i would be towing the transporter anyway as i dont attend that many classic car shows......my car weighs less than 1 ton i think its 946kg or there abouts but the trailer has a good weight but 2 axles are braked....

so whats my best option then???? buy a classic van and get cheap tax n insurance n dont worry over the towing capacity

101sean

Terranos are fairly bullet proof but as you say, tax is a killer.

Put your trailer on a weighbridge, at least you'll know where you stand, may just get in under 1850kg total.

Otherwise, it's only you that can make the decision. A lot of us are in the same boat, I'm getting very choosy which shows I attend and am not sure how much longer I can justify using the 110 everyday.