Another which model question!

[ausyota]

Hi all
Im new to zooks, mostly hang around the toyota forums.
Well the wife is thinking a zook would be a good daily driver and weekend fun machine.
She wants something with an auto tranny, power steer, air con, hard top and something zippy (bit of power).

We were thinking a zuk vitara JLX around 95 model.
We've seen a couple of them for around 8 or 9 grand dose this price sound OK?

Are there any common probs with these? Are the autos strong enough?
Or we are open to sugestions if anyone reckons that a different model would be more suitable.
Thanks
Paul.

[Beastmavster]

Hi all
Im new to zooks, mostly hang around the toyota forums.
Well the wife is thinking a zook would be a good daily driver and weekend fun machine.
She wants something with an auto tranny, power steer, air con, hard top and something zippy (bit of power).

We were thinking a zuk vitara JLX around 95 model.
We've seen a couple of them for around 8 or 9 grand dose this price sound OK?

Are there any common probs with these? Are the autos strong enough?
Or we are open to sugestions if anyone reckons that a different model would be more suitable.
Thanks
Paul.

Sounds alright for price. There's no major probs I'm aware of with the Vitara except for the front diff's alloy casing. I own a manual soft top.

One problem might be that she'll kick your a$$ on the trail.........

[ausyota]

what I'll have to do is fit front and rear ARB air diff locks to the lux.
And leave the wifes zook diffs open
hehe just follow me babe.

[Beastmavster]

what I'll have to do is fit front and rear ARB air diff locks to the lux.
And leave the wifes zook diffs open
hehe just follow me babe.

That might almost work. Almost!

Nahh - the Vitara's good for what people expect of it but it ain't as capable as say a Widetrack Sierra. Still, it looks like you're prepared to do a little fiddling with yours and you'll have to make sure that you improve hers when you improve your own or you'll be spending all day strapping her out - and after all you're gonna have a spare set of 32"s shortly aren't you?

[ausyota]

She has allready told me she doesnt want hers highly modified so I think the 32s might be a bit much.
But how hard is it to fit something like a 30 inch tyre?

The plan for her zuk when we buy one is a small lift, 30s(maybe), extractors, good free flowing exhaust, snorkle, front bar, rear bar, sliders, lightforce spotties, and an air compressor.
Later on down the track might fit a rear airlocker(after I fit mine to the lux!!!).

I have also hear that a fuel tank skid plate is a good thing to fit to a vitara as they are a bit vulnerable, is this true?
Paul.

[12uke]

Fuel tank guard will be one of the first things you should do as the dent realy easy and I would think about 235's and not 30's as the 235's are a tad smaller and won't rub as much or at all.

[Beastmavster]

She has allready told me she doesnt want hers highly modified so I think the 32s might be a bit much.
But how hard is it to fit something like a 30 inch tyre?

The plan for her zuk when we buy one is a small lift, 30s(maybe), extractors, good free flowing exhaust, snorkle, front bar, rear bar, sliders, lightforce spotties, and an air compressor.
Later on down the track might fit a rear airlocker(after I fit mine to the lux!!!).

I have also hear that a fuel tank skid plate is a good thing to fit to a vitara as they are a bit vulnerable, is this true?
Paul.

High priority fitting the fuel tank pritector - the tanks are very exposed and very weak.

235"s should fit without and dramas (maybe the slightest rubbing stock, but a little lift should fix that).

I'm running 30" muddies with 1" body and 2" suspension lift and they do rub a little - but strangely it wasn't an issue with my 30" A/T's.

Maybe with 2" body lift instead the 30" tyres might be ok.

With all the mods you've mentioned that sounds like it's gonna end up highly modified to me.... may as well go the whole hog.

[ausyota]

how hard is it to bodylift an auto vitara?
Any probs with the auto tranny linkages and stuff?
I did the bodylift on the lux so I sorta know what Im doing.

The zook will end up with a few mods but not for a while.
I havent even bought one yet.
Just thinking things through

[Beastmavster]

how hard is it to bodylift an auto vitara?
Any probs with the auto tranny linkages and stuff?
I did the bodylift on the lux so I sorta know what Im doing.

The zook will end up with a few mods but not for a while.
I havent even bought one yet.
Just thinking things through

I had some issues lifting mine due to the bumper design - there's a thread about it earlier. The design is part good, part bad.

Can't make any comments about auto tranny linkages except it SHOULD be easier to modify auto tranny linkages than bend/extend gearshift levers.