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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

922.0. "Suzuki Swift GTi Comments" by LARVAE::MUNSON_P (The F Plan) Fri Jan 12 1990 17:10

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922.1Pah!CURRNT::SAXBYIsn't it 5.30 yet?Fri Jan 12 1990 18:1113
    
    Total Rubbish!
    
    The worst car ever built!
    
    Junk, junk, junk!
    
    Couldn't pull a sailor of your sister!
    
    
    Now I wonder if Barry Gates reads this conference? :^)
    
    Mark
922.2CHEFS::KARVEShantanu Karve @REO (7)-830-4478 Fri Jan 12 1990 18:319
    I saw one, on the A34 ( Newbury to Oxford ); it was coming up really
    fast in my rear view mirror. I was doing <xx>, but I wanted the
    company so pulled in, let him pass, and then chased. Around a speed
    of x2x ( so my wife tells me, I was too busy looking at the road),
    I gave up.
    
    Looked like a pretty stable, fast car.
    
    -Shantanu 
922.3MACNAS::BMULQUEENMon Jan 15 1990 12:471
    Isn't this the one called Gtii?
922.4PEKING::TAYLORGBodybuilders do it till it hurtsMon Jan 15 1990 13:136
    re-1
    
    You are thinking of the Dihatsu (Sp?) Charade GTti 1.0 Litre pocket
    rocket that does 0-60mph in 7.7 seconds and 115mph.
    
    Grant
922.5Swift Relpy !!!!LARVAE::BRISTOW_AMon Jan 15 1990 15:0424
    Swift GTi,
    
    Well let me think.!!!!!!! Tick Tick Tick.
    
    I had a review once upon a time on the......
    
    Citroen AXGT, Daihatsu GTti and Swift GTi.
    
    I think the closing line was something like.
    
    A smart little car with an excellent engine and roadholding.
    
    
    If you want to see one (only available in white and black)
    
    there is one at the Alfa Romeo garage, Oxford Road, Reading.
    
    Tel no: 0734 584957. (In white) (My other half was going to have it on 
    
    the lease scheme. But we gave up waiting for the quote!!!)
    
    The other garage is in Holybourne, down near Alton...
    
    
922.6CURRNT::SAXBYIsn't it 5.30 yet?Mon Jan 15 1990 15:465
    
    The original style ones were also available in Red, but I'm
    not sure about the latest style cars.
    
    Mark
922.7COMPLICATEDLARVAE::BRISTOW_AMon Jan 15 1990 20:019
    NO.
    
    ONLY BLACK OR WHITE!! 
    
    THE NEW PRODUCTION MACHINES CANNOT COPE WITH THREE COLOUR
    
    PAINT SPRAYING!!!!
    
    ANDY
922.8I want oneESSB::DOODY3 Cylinders Good- 4 Cylinders badTue Apr 03 1990 20:1922
    If its anything like:
    
       Reliability                 +++
       Cold Weather Starts         +++
       Economy                     +++
       Silence                     +++
       Cruising speed               70 MPH
       Lightness of Controls       +++
       Rust resistant              +++
    
    (+++ = Excellent)
    
    That my 1985 Swift GL 1.0 is then I want one.
    
    ( OK I'll admit I always wanted one)
    
    
    Brian.
    ps. They cost 13.5K on Ireland
    
     
     
922.9SUZUKI SWIFT GTi COMMENTS KERNEL::PURVERRTue Dec 18 1990 19:5812
    The Suzuki Swift GTi is one of the best little cars on the road
    at the moment in time.........As far as putting the swift down i
    strongly disagree....
    
    
    I myself have a E reg Swift GTi and have had no problems since I
    got it .......
    
    
    Racheal 

    
922.10Heating problemCOMICS::WATTERSONTue Dec 18 1990 20:026
    
    
    Racheal - I heard a rumour there's a problem with the heating - have
    you heard anything about this ?
    
    Paul
922.11SUZUKI SWIFT GTi COMMENTS KERNEL::PURVERRTue Dec 18 1990 20:044
    Paul, where have you heard this ????
    
    Racheal
    
922.12COMICS::WATTERSONTue Dec 18 1990 20:069
    
    
    Re last
    
    I know someone who has one and they're always complaining that the
    heating doesn't work properly (if at all)- especially in this cold 
    weather.
    
    	Paul
922.13ZEUS STICKS MUM IF IT WONT Go ?????CRATE::RUTTERRut The NutTue Dec 18 1990 20:061
    closest to an anagram that I could get...
922.14SUZUKI SWIFT GTi COMMENTSKERNEL::PURVERRTue Dec 18 1990 20:287
    Paul, can you tell me who that was ???	
    as I would like to know !!!!!!
    
    
    
    Racheal
    x
922.15GTI S ??STKAI2::RNORBERGThu May 16 1991 09:576
    Hello, has anybody heard about a Suzuki Swift called GTI S. Is there
    one called that, What's the difference between GTI and GTI S.
    
    Anybody ?
    
    Robert
922.16New OwnerAYOV27::MMCKINLAYSomeday...and some don'tFri May 24 1991 16:5913
    
    	I thought I'd just add myself in here, now that I am the new
    owner of one of these (so far delightful) ~lunch boxes~ !
    
    	This is the first time I've been in the conference for a while
    and thought I'd look it up for comments about the car, although I
    don't "get custody" now until Tuesday (due to some !@#$%^&*() taking
    a dislike to the colour and trying to remove it IN THE GARAGE).
    
    
    Mark.
    
         
922.17Lovely VehicleKERNEL::MORIARTYFri May 24 1991 19:388
    	Did anyone ever try the Swift GLX 4x4??....I had a test drive &
    thought it was great with the full body kit.....did they ever sort
    out the problem with the Rear spoiler & the wallowing suspension 
    over about 65-70 mph??
    
    Kevin
    
    
922.18Beware of timing belt breaking.RIVAGE::GATESMon Jun 10 1991 18:4120
    A word of warning to any Swift Gti owners :-
    
        Beware of the timing belt breaking at around 50,000 miles. My
    girlfriend drives the old shape (but same engine) Gti Swift and this
    happened to her on the M4 today. There were no bangs or thumps just a
    total loss of power and she coasted to a stop on the hard shoulder.
    
    The garage that is fixing the car says that this has happened on two
    other cars (both at around 50,000 miles). Because of this Suzuki have
    included a belt change in their service at 48,000 miles but only since
    last week!
    
    I don't know what the bill will be for this but one of the other cars
    had 11 valves mangled at a cost of 800 pounds and the other had
    4 valves mangled at a cost of 400 pounds. Considering the rarity of
    these cars I'd say that this must be a design fault to look out for.
    
    Now where did I put my access card....?
    
    Barry.
922.19RIVAGE::GATESWed Jun 12 1991 18:399
    Just got an estimate for the cost of repairs to the valves, etc. It
    is 600 pounds + VAT. I don't think this is too unreasonable as 14
    valves have been damaged. Still, I can't say I'm too happy.
    
    It seems the more you are revving at the time of the belt breaking the
    more valves get damaged. It really begs the question of why these
    timing belts are made to such a poor standard.
    
    Barry.
922.20NEWOA::SAXBYA house! My kingdom for a house!Wed Jun 12 1991 18:445
    
    Bad luck Barry, but I'll be sure to have the timing belt on the 
    Calibra changed at 50,000! 
    
    Mark
922.21NSDC::SIMPSONThu Jun 13 1991 11:047
I had mine changed on the Golf last week, after 130,000 kilometres. The garage 
said that there was nothing wrong with it, and that it should be good for a 
long while yet - I changed it anyway. The first time they do a visual inspection
on the belt is at 100,000 km - but they rarely replace it.

I spoke to him about timing belts, and he cited Subaru and Fiat (generally 
every 40,000 kilometres) as being the ones that need replacing most often.
922.2236k miles Sounds SaferAYOV27::MMCKINLAYSomeday...and some don'tThu Jun 13 1991 18:0612
    
    	When I bought my Suzuki two weeks ago (41k miles), the garage
    	told me they were replacing the timing belt. After 1 week of
    	waiting for this belt I asked if the old one could just be
    	kept and I would replace it, they said absolutely NOT !
    
    	I say better safe than sorry and have it replaced every 36k.
    
    	Mark.
    
    
    
922.23RIVAGE::GATESThu Jun 13 1991 19:3611
    Mark,
       I'm interested in the garage you use. The one where the car is being
    repaired now is Town and Country Cars in Ripley, Surrey. Where is the
    one you use?
    
    You are very wise to change the belt at 36K. Unfortunately, we didn't
    know that it was a common problem.
    
    Even after the moans, it is still a very good car for the money.
    
    Barry.
922.2436k or 2 years!VIVIAN::MILTONI'm thinking about it!Fri Jun 14 1991 20:126
    Not suzuki but..
    
    My service book says change timing belts every 36k - the importers say
    every 36k or 2 years whichever sooner!
    
    Tony.
922.25RE .23AYOV27::MMCKINLAYSomeday...and some don'tTue Jun 18 1991 22:1815
    
    Barry,
    
         The garage I bought my car from was Arnold Clark in Kilmarnock,
    SCOTLAND !   It's a bit unusual for a dealership like this to be so
    thoughtfull towards car owners, but it did take them 1 1/2 weeks to
    find a timing belt (and that was expedited due to the fact that I
    sourced one in 20mins). 
    
    	The 36k rule for replacing timing belts should really be generic,
    most manufacturers I believe recommend the change at this interval !
    
    
	Mark.
    
922.26GWYNED::BURTONTue Jun 18 1991 23:3918
    
>>    	The 36k rule for replacing timing belts should really be generic,
>>    most manufacturers I believe recommend the change at this interval !
    
      That's not entirely true.  Honda and some other Japanese manufacturers 
      recommend changing at 60K.  Renault recommends changing at 40K on their 
      1.7 litre engine. Valve damage will depending on how high the engine is 
      revving at the time the belt breaks and how much clearnace is built 
      into the upper cylinder area.  Most of the time, Hondas will just break
      the belt.  Renault 1.7's, however, will bend the valves every time.  I
      have one sitting in my driveway now where the previous owner neglected
      to change the belt with devastating consequences.  The worst damage
      happens when the belt slips a tooth or two prior to breaking.  Then the
      engine keeps running and bends all the valves before the belt breaks.
      At US$29 a valve for Renault valves, neglecting a timing belt can be
      expensive and foolish.

      Jim
922.27KAOA01::LAVIGNEWed Jun 19 1991 00:483
    Another example is the Mazda 323.  I was instructed to change the
    timing belt every 96,000 km.  So far I have 190,000Km and no problems. 
    Come to think of it, I guess I should get the belt changed soon.
922.28Suzuki Swift GTi, 16v, Twin CalmSCOAYR::ATODMANThu Jul 18 1991 16:269
    
    
    Has anyone got any comments/knowledge/information about the Suzuki
    Swift GTi, 16V, Twin Calm, as I am thinking about buying one ?
    
    All I know is :- 0-60 in 8.5 seconds
                     Top Speed of 115mph 
    
    Help......!!!
922.29RIVAGE::GATESThu Jul 18 1991 16:3111
    Do a  
          dir/tit=swift
    
    there is already a topic about them. Maybe the moderator would like to 
    move these notes in a couple of days?
    
    IMO it is a good car for the money, but beware of timing belt breaking
    if you are buying a second-hand model. There are two versions; the
    Mk I and the Mk II. The same engine but different body styling.
    
    Barry.
922.30pricing and insurance.COMICS::MISTRYMon Jan 20 1992 12:009
I did a dir/tit=swift and it came back with the same topic. Anyway my question
is, does anyone know the price of one these cars, insurance grouping and does it
have a 4-door option ?.

Has anyone ever put a quote in for one (the new lease scheme)?.



Bipin.
922.31LARVAE::MUNSON_PA dream within a dreamTue Jan 21 1992 16:337