Buying a Vitara

[GRIMACE]

Looked at a 1991 JLX Vitara thismouring.........

Basically the chick selling it is an easy bargain.....BUT
What do you guys think i should be lookin out for in this model vitara.

Problems it has so far....
Its a two door and both electric windows dont work (drivers side doesnt even have the switches in the door)
Transfer case lever is bent 45degrees towards the hand brake (how this happened I have no idea she said its been like that since she got it)
Timing case has a crack and some plastic missing from the upper driver side corner (this crack isnt smal so the case will need to be replaced)
The belts are slipping and the brakes arnt the best.
The shocks need replacing aswell but that doesnt bother me as I was intending on changin them anyways.

Its an Auto and she claims the auto was overhauled just over a year ago (it seemed to work fine in both high/low range and that giving it shit load of accel and dropping it to first and letting it chirp up on compression )

The chick wants $5800 but i am thinking more along the lines of 4800-5000 depending on what the RACQ inspection results are (if we dicide its worth proceeding with this vehicle)

Almost forgot it has 229thou on the clock.

Any info or comment would be much appreciated

Cheers
Anthony

[runnin4life]

for starters i would figure out the costs of what needs to be replaced and say i am paying this for it cus its going to cost me this much to fix

if you get what i am trying to say works for my dad and his freinds get the car a lot cheaper and you try and find the highest price to replace the parts

[-Mick-]

Mate there are heaps of clean vitaras out there for that price without the dodgy levers and so forth

I would be patient and look around a bit that one sounds a bit neglected

Also don't bother with RACQ they won't tell you sh!T you can't see for yourself Do a compression test on whatever you buy yourself and put the RACQ fee toward a carton

BTW why are you lookin at vits

[Beastmavster]

That is way too high a price for a Vitara of that age and you should easily get that one in that condition for $3k-4k.

You'll get a really clean one with that sorta milage on it for $4k with no problems so I'd walk away.... walk away and buy mine im still looking at selling it if in the next few days..... cmon Overkill where's that email

and it's got all the bits you want...... just done the NBS Bodgy challenge in it and except for a "Did Not Compete" on airlocker it blitzed all the stages

[GRIMACE]

Ok i have already walked away from it... thanks guys


Suzuki Viagra - Tell me more about yours and PM me with what you askin value is and we will take it from there I would rather buy from someone of this board

[GRIMACE]

BTW why are you lookin at vits

I am sick of my rangie I want a real 4by
Nah its gonna be a daily driver maybe ormeau for some easy shiznit.

Basically my Rangie just aint road friendly anymore and for some reason I have lost shitloads of ECONOMY getting about 340-380 to an 80L tank... used to get about 450-500

And fuel prices are not bein very wallet friendly ATM

[-Mick-]

BTW why are you lookin at vits

I am sick of my rangie I want a real 4by
Nah its gonna be a daily driver maybe ormeau for some easy shiznit.

Basically my Rangie just aint road friendly anymore and for some reason I have lost shitloads of ECONOMY getting about 340-380 to an 80L tank... used to get about 450-500

And fuel prices are not bein very wallet friendly ATM

Cool turn the rangie into a ute I'll do the cutting for ya free of charge NO GUARANTEES IT WILL SURVIVE

[RIKSTR]

Gee I just bought my one for $1750, bit rough but not that bad

[GRIMACE]

BTW why are you lookin at vits

I am sick of my rangie I want a real 4by
Nah its gonna be a daily driver maybe ormeau for some easy shiznit.

Basically my Rangie just aint road friendly anymore and for some reason I have lost shitloads of ECONOMY getting about 340-380 to an 80L tank... used to get about 450-500

And fuel prices are not bein very wallet friendly ATM

Cool turn the rangie into a ute I'll do the cutting for ya free of charge NO GUARANTEES IT WILL SURVIVE

You wanna do some cutting.......... come and cut my guards for me

[Impulsive]

I'm glad ya talked him out of that, Viagra...

I was gonna say the same thing. My JLX with power everything is on eBay atm (for $3,950 starting price), but will be removed, and re-lodged this Thursday, due to eBay stuff-ups.

Hope you find something that suits you up there. Viagra's one would be sweet if you're buying one to get dirty.

Cheers,

Adam

[85zook]

get a Sierra

[fightara]

I think it's funny you're looking at a Vit Anthony - I've just gone the opposite way and bought a Rangie as a toy. My Vit will be for sale come summertime, and I'll be getting a softroader - I just do too much onroad driving for a bouncy, underpowered 4B.

I sorta wonder why you wouldn't look at a car for a roadie when you've got a capable offroad rig? Vit's are not that great on the road - like I say, mine's very bouncy, and a bit thrashy at highway speeds.

[Impulsive]

LOL... u think a Vitara's bouncy...

U should drive a Sierra!!

The Vitara's a limo after the Sierra...but the Sierra was great offroad, so it's all about compromise I guess.

Adam

[Grantw]

I saw a grey vitara soft top at a yard down your way the other day. On brisbane rd labrador, opposite gold coast inflatable/mariners mate marine. It was $2800.. Looked ok. worth a look maybe

[GRIMACE]

I saw a grey vitara soft top at a yard down your way the other day. On brisbane rd labrador, opposite gold coast inflatable/mariners mate marine. It was $2800.. Looked ok. worth a look maybe

I will pop down that way and have a geeza

A vitara seemed like a good choice for a 4wd thats still a 4wd (has xfer case) and thats abit more comfy then a Sierra

And they are cheap

[Beastmavster]

I think that the Vitara's offroad ability isnt that far behind a Sierra and it's onroad ability is way better.

For all the talk I hear about how crap Vitara's are offroad I've never really seen sufficient proof until we get to heavily engineered stuff, and then the limitation is more the $$$ and commitment from the owner, and similar commitment form a Vitara owner would easily match that.

Don't get me wrong, the Sierra IS better, but the difference is nowhere near as huge as people make out. In our club competition recently, a LWB Vitara on 29" tyres (but twin air lockers) drove easily something that no SWB sierra drove without assistance - even the guys with twin lockers, rockhoppers and exocages.

He had the smallest tyres on any vehicle in the competition too.

Even mine with a single locker, 31"s and no gearing reduction certainly put some more heavily modified sierras to shame.

The main benefit over the vitara really is how cheap most of the aftermarket stuff is. I think the disadvantage of the IFS is pretty well offset by the bigger engine, longer wheelbase and flexier back end.

He has his extreme offroad vehicle which he's keeping, he wants something as a daily driver with a little light-medium 4bying thrown in. The Vitara is perfectly capable of that with similar mods to what he'd want to do to a sierra... maybe something like 30" rubber and one locker.

[GRIMACE]

or cut the shit outta the guards and fit 33" rubber with ETC

[antt]

or cut the shit outta the guards and fit 33" rubber with ETC

hope you've got a sledgehammer ready to take to the firewall, cause my 32's rub hardcore on the firewall and i've bashed it back at least 10mm already

[Beastmavster]

What's on celia's now? 35"s?

[GRIMACE]

or cut the shit outta the guards and fit 33" rubber with ETC

hope you've got a sledgehammer ready to take to the firewall, cause my 32's rub hardcore on the firewall and i've bashed it back at least 10mm already

only 10mm you werent hitting it hard enough

[Beastmavster]

Yeah. I used a 2lb mash hammer and moved it back more than that but it still rubs a little under brakes when I have a bit of wheel lock.