2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 TD SE 3dr Diesel Estate

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SKY

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really like this 4x4.

it seems good with fuel ect. but towing say 1600kg, so would this not be suitable for towing trailer and horse. i have a double trailer and usually only take one mare at a time. but sometimes i do take my mares together and they are 16.2hhs heavy mares. so this wouldnt be suitable. i have had a thread about 4x4's before. but found this and it seems great but its the towing.
all other 4x4 seem so expensive to run. i dont really do long drives too often so its all short trips really maybe once a month i would be doing long trips..
its the fuel is so expensive, also parts for them. thats why this 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 TD SE 3dr Diesel Estate seemed great also it is only £3250 and has 91,000 miles on it. anyone know of something like this with better towing and ticks all the boxs.
 
Go to the Suzuki website and you can check towing capacities. Would doubt that particular one would tow 2 x 16.2hh horses. I have a Grand Vitara 2.5l Petrol (1998) that I have had since new. It's still going strong and I tow a Fautras trailer with 2 horses (admittedly 15.2hh or under) with no problems and have towed long journeys the length and breadth of the country. I also have a 3l diesel VW transporter but the Grand Vitara handles hills much more easily with the trailer attached and has the benefit of 4WD.
 
SKY said:
really like this 4x4.

it seems good with fuel ect. but towing say 1600kg, so would this not be suitable for towing trailer and horse. i have a double trailer and usually only take one mare at a time. but sometimes i do take my mares together and they are 16.2hhs heavy mares. so this wouldnt be suitable. i have had a thread about 4x4's before. but found this and it seems great but its the towing.
all other 4x4 seem so expensive to run. i dont really do long drives too often so its all short trips really maybe once a month i would be doing long trips..
its the fuel is so expensive, also parts for them. thats why this 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 TD SE 3dr Diesel Estate seemed great also it is only £3250 and has 91,000 miles on it. anyone know of something like this with better towing and ticks all the boxs.
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I think you have answered your own question !!! you need to look at bigger 4x4s why not spend £1500 on a older trooper or fourtrak, pajero etc it will tow and be safe, maybe does 5 mpg less than the suzuki...
 
what is the best fuel, petrol or diesel. whats the cheapest to run ect, just wondering. as i am always told to get diesel.
 
I did reply to this earlier but my work computer did something stupid and it looks like my reply was lost!

It is a shame that the Vitara does have a better towing capability to be honest as it is one of the few affordable 4x4s out there with the high and low ratio gear box which is a bloody godsend when you're in deeps now/thick mud/ice etc.

You can google "towing horse trailers" anda site should come up where you can put in makes and models of car to see what they can tow. The max Vitara can do is about 1800kgs I think. I have seen one towing one horse in a trailer a couple of years back but it was the newer model. i still think it was probably about at it's tow limit though.

Maybe look at Nissan Patrols or Isuzu Troopers as I think they have a decent towing ability, as does the Mitsubishi Shogun in certain models although i am not sure on how much the Mitsubishi costs to maintain. The Subaru Forester (or there could be another model - I can't remember) or Mitsubishi Outlander are also quite good towing cars I think.
 
SKY said:
what is the best fuel, petrol or diesel. whats the cheapest to run ect, just wondering. as i am always told to get diesel.
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It depends on how many miles you are going to do if its just for towing and not lots of miles then a petrol may be cheaper to buy but cost per mile for fuel more say about 10 mpg!! to be honest whatever you get it will be expensive to run approx 30mpg , I do a fair mileage so running a cheap car and a lorry works out best for me, but do your sums with your weekly mileage...
 
thanks a million for replys, going to look at some other models.
as far as i can see the shogun is the best at towing but cost a fortune every way, to buy, fuel, parts and tax. so will keep looking. thanks
 
I'm afraid any older 4X4 is going to cost big money to run, insure, tax and inevitably fix (unless you have a mechanic to hand).

Can vouch for terrano, maverick (same car as terrano but cheaper), shogun, 3.1L trooper ect.
If you can afford it buy a second small car for using daily and keep jeep for towing only, you can insure the 2 on a Multicar policy now from admiral.

Having had small car, sold it to buy jeep, found jeep too expensive for commuting (£10 went 42 miles!!), I had to sell jeep and buy small car again.

Very expensive lesson to learn, I didn't account for the ever increasing cost of diesel and the expense of fitting small things like brakes + exhaust (£600).
 
I've had 3 Grand Vitara's and I absolutely love them for everything other than their towing ability! With the GVs diesel is definitely more economical than petrol. If I had to sell the lorry and just use the trailer, the GV would have to go and be replaced by a proper towing vehicle.
 
Rowreach said:
I've had 3 Grand Vitara's and I absolutely love them for everything other than their towing ability! With the GVs diesel is definitely more economical than petrol. If I had to sell the lorry and just use the trailer, the GV would have to go and be replaced by a proper towing vehicle.
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i am just thinking, most of time i only tow 1 horse, sometimes 2 but mostly 1.

i am thinking that if i tow a trailer and 1 horse that the grand vitara can tow 1600kg. so just stick to towing 1 horse which i nearly always do and i should be fine. also legal and its a cheap 4x4 to have in every way, fuel, tax insurance and parts arent too bad. what do you think?
its just not visable for me at min to be able to pay more, but need something hopefullt all being well this summer. if i can afford it
 
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If you are only towing one, I'd go for it, because in all other respects the GV is a lovely vehicle, and economical to use as a car, unlike some other 4x4s, and is fantastic off road or in snow and ice. I tow 2 ponies/one horse quite happily with mine. I am lucky having a lorry as well, so if I need to take more I take that.
 
Rowreach said:
If you are only towing one, I'd go for it, because in all other respects the GV is a lovely vehicle, and economical to use as a car, unlike some other 4x4s, and is fantastic off road or in snow and ice. I tow 2 ponies/one horse quite happily with mine. I am lucky having a lorry as well, so if I need to take more I take that.
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thanks you so much, you have really helped and nice to hear from someone that has one. also i only do really short trips with them, its only maybe once a month or longer that i would be driving a few hours with it. but that would be fine. also just thinking it would be fine for a 1 mare and foal, wouldnt it. literally only driving a few miles each time from field to field and the in winter a mare and foal to sale few hours away but like thats only time would be the 2 of them for a long drive, but that should be fine shouldn't. i really like this, have you ever had a prob with them. thanks so much for replying.

also last few years i even sold my foals from house, so might not even have to take mare and foal to the sale, also if i wasnt happy with it, and it is only once a year i would get a lend of my uncles.
 
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Never had a prob with the Vitara's, though I did have a prob with a Suzuki estate I had (something to do with the type of grease they put on the brakes which made them seize up :eek:) but that was sorted. The GVs have been very reliable touch wood, and not hard on the pocket, although road tax has gone up now. I reckon though that the running costs are not a lot for what you get vehicle-wise, and I'd rather spread running costs over a year than fork out £000s for a more up to date 4x4 which has lower road tax. Mine is 6 years old, was ex-demo and end of model line so I got it cheap, and I've only done 35k in her, so I've no plans to change!
 
Rowreach said:
Never had a prob with the Vitara's, though I did have a prob with a Suzuki estate I had (something to do with the type of grease they put on the brakes which made them seize up :eek:) but that was sorted. The GVs have been very reliable touch wood, and not hard on the pocket, although road tax has gone up now. I reckon though that the running costs are not a lot for what you get vehicle-wise, and I'd rather spread running costs over a year than fork out £000s for a more up to date 4x4 which has lower road tax. Mine is 6 years old, was ex-demo and end of model line so I got it cheap, and I've only done 35k in her, so I've no plans to change!
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ok, the one i am looking at was an estate. but was just looking not buying till summer, also going for a 3 door in it.
what does this mean, braked and unbraked. as you have a load on either way.
Max towing weight (braked) 1600 kg
Max towing weight (unbraked) 550 kg
Minimum kerb weight 1450 kg
 
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No sorry I've confused you, the GVs are called "estates" but the estate "car" I had was a Boleno (looked a bit like an old Toyota estate car), not a 4x4.

Not had a problem with the GVs :)
 
great thanks a million, hopefully in a few months, i will be a proud owner of one, just have to sell my car 1st.
 
SKY said:
ok, the one i am looking at was an estate. but was just looking not buying till summer, also going for a 3 door in it.
what does this mean, braked and unbraked. as you have a load on either way.
Max towing weight (braked) 1600 kg
Max towing weight (unbraked) 550 kg
Minimum kerb weight 1450 kg
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Overrun brakes must be fitted to a trailer more than 550 MAM if being towed by that vehicle

Is this vehicle for B or B+E licence towing?
 
i am doing my b+e test in few months, this will be before i buy my 4x4. all will be legal, before i drive it.
 
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