Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi there, Im looking at buying my first GV and have a few questions.
I have a budget of around 7-8k and im looking at the 1999-2000 model grand vitara. I think ill need the 4 door version so i can take the wife and kid with me. There seems to be a few out there for my price range.
is there anything in particalur that i should be looking at (apart from obvious things) when buying a GV?
Do the auto or manual seem to have a better reputation?
Do the 2.5lt have much more grunt then the 2L?
I will be pulling a box trailer with a quad, will the GV handle this ok?
Ill be taking it up to stockton dunes, so does the GV perform well on the beach?
Would it have enough juice to pull the trailer/quad on the beach?
Alot of the GV's that i have looked at on the net have 200,000+kms, is that too many for the GVs?
Any other advice with buying a GV would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance and i hope these questions have not been covered too much already, fresh info is always good anyway!

If you are taking the wife and child along then you will need the 4door.

Yes, the 2.5 has a lot more grunt than the 2.0. I would suggest the 2.5 if you are towing.

The GV handles very well on the beach. The only problems i've had with mine have been in places where many tracks meet and teh sand is churned up badly... as well as being bone dry. If you keep up the momentum then it's easy.... if you stop or slow down too much then it can bog.

This can be fixed with taller tyres.

mike

thanks for the reply mate! what about transmission? Are the manuals any better then the autos or vice versa?

avoid the 2.0 litre four if possible and the auto is sooo much better.

yeah im thinking the 2.5L 6cyl just for the extra bit of power, auto would be better as then the missus could drive it as she does not know how to drive a manual and ive already been through a clutch or 2 in previous cars trying to teach her. Although most the the GV's on the market seem to be manual...

What are (if any) the common problems/ faults with these cars?

think the early autos have the alloy front diff so watch out for cracks/ leaks.

and make sure it has had the timing chain issue delt with. can be exxy if not done correct.

at 7 - 8 K you will be looking 98 99 models and the auto's have a alloy diff as mentioned above

schmik wrote:If you are taking the wife and child along then you will need the 4door.

Yes, the 2.5 has a lot more grunt than the 2.0. I would suggest the 2.5 if you are towing.

The GV handles very well on the beach. The only problems i've had with mine have been in places where many tracks meet and teh sand is churned up badly... as well as being bone dry. If you keep up the momentum then it's easy.... if you stop or slow down too much then it can bog.

This can be fixed with taller tyres.

mike

lower your pressures to 8 psi(my 94 vit goes great through boggy soft dry sand)-pulls bogged hilux's out no probs with 8 psi in it