Still Driving the Kiz

Anything related to the Kizashi can go here, but please look at the other headings first. Your topic may fit better under something else.
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

bennetkid27 wrote:Wish I have the right skills to keep a car in good condition for so long.
Skills are gained by practice. I started wrenching toys, bikes yard equipment when I was a kid and a car at 15. I wanted a car when I turned 16, didn't have a ton on money, and certainly couldn't afford to pay someone to do anything to it when it needed something. Looong before the internet and places like this forum to learn from others' trials and tribulations. 16 was just around the corner and my father asked me "what do you think you're going to drive?" Meaning "not my damn car". Necessity breeds innovation, you simply learn how.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
User avatar
redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

My Kiz has been babied for it's first 4 years. Garage kept in winter. For the next 5 years it was my primary vehicle. Now I plan to semi-baby it until a hybrid or better yet a all-electric vehicle strikes my fancy. I'm thinking maybe two years. Then, since it has a low resale value and is a joy to drive it will be babied again and used for pleasure drives but not in the snow. I enjoy driving it. It probably will be the last manual transmission vehicle I will own. For me it's much more fun and responsive than a automatic. I still get people driving up close behind then pop in front of me trying to figure out what kind of vehicle it is. I took off the Suzuki badge in back and blacked out the big S in front, but left the Kizashi badge in back. When the time comes to let it go. I will miss it. I'm not ready for that yet.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5165
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

redmed wrote:My Kiz has been babied for it's first 4 years. Garage kept in winter. For the next 5 years it was my primary vehicle. Now I plan to semi-baby it until a hybrid or better yet a all-electric vehicle strikes my fancy. I'm thinking maybe two years. Then, since it has a low resale value and is a joy to drive it will be babied again and used for pleasure drives but not in the snow. I enjoy driving it. It probably will be the last manual transmission vehicle I will own. For me it's much more fun and responsive than a automatic. I still get people driving up close behind then pop in front of me trying to figure out what kind of vehicle it is. I took off the Suzuki badge in back and blacked out the big S in front, but left the Kizashi badge in back. When the time comes to let it go. I will miss it. I'm not ready for that yet.
Exactly how I feel though I'll likely keep my Kizashi much longer.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
User avatar
redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

KuroNekko wrote:
redmed wrote:My Kiz has been babied for it's first 4 years. Garage kept in winter. For the next 5 years it was my primary vehicle. Now I plan to semi-baby it until a hybrid or better yet a all-electric vehicle strikes my fancy. I'm thinking maybe two years. Then, since it has a low resale value and is a joy to drive it will be babied again and used for pleasure drives but not in the snow. I enjoy driving it. It probably will be the last manual transmission vehicle I will own. For me it's much more fun and responsive than a automatic. I still get people driving up close behind then pop in front of me trying to figure out what kind of vehicle it is. I took off the Suzuki badge in back and blacked out the big S in front, but left the Kizashi badge in back. When the time comes to let it go. I will miss it. I'm not ready for that yet.
Exactly how I feel though I'll likely keep my Kizashi much longer.
You misunderstand when I get another vehicle I'll still keep the Kiz. Only when I can't find or modify parts will I part with my kiz.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
Luke Kizashi
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:55 pm

Great post. Im still driving my kizashi also. Its been my daily driver for the last 5 years. I've just reached 100,000km and its never missed a beat. I'm currently on my second battery and second set of tyres. I service my car every 6 months and hand wash/clean every weekend. This car is absolute quality. Great job by Suzuki. I still love getting in my car and going for long drives on the weekends, especially after a clean. 8-)
mysuzyK
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 1:15 am

yup, me too I gots 2010 SE. got 91,000 on it and still have original front breaks. replace the back ones a few years back.
runs still very well every day. I will drive it till? I still have TPS problems and have changed all the tire sensors, have a dealer scan tool scan it. and a few others and they say it in the computer? they all can turn it off but a few miles down the road the light comes back on like a beacon in the night. the only time it stays off is when it's raining?
I assume there is a short or grounding problem? I have made peace with it. I am on my 4th set of 50,000 tires?
best car I have ever had. will be very hard to replace it. be safe all.
User avatar
redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

Luke Kizashi wrote:Great post. Im still driving my kizashi also. Its been my daily driver for the last 5 years. I've just reached 100,000km and its never missed a beat. I'm currently on my second battery and second set of tyres. I service my car every 6 months and hand wash/clean every weekend. This car is absolute quality. Great job by Suzuki. I still love getting in my car and going for long drives on the weekends, especially after a clean. 8-)
Two sets of tires. Just about where I'm at with my Kiz. I got my third set of tires Michelin Defenders last fall. I have maybe 3,000 miles on them. I put them on last fall for winter traction and removed them in spring. I have my old set of Michelin Defenders on now for the summer. I have both sets of tires mounted on their own rims so I can swap them at will without any reprogramming. The new tires are averaging 31 mpg the old set that is worn (55,000 mi) is averaging 34-35 mpg and may still be used next summer.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
User avatar
Drem
Posts: 85
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:03 am

Bros, I bought mine new in 2011 and only have 21k or 22k miles on it. :D It's my daily driver too, I just don't drive far. 11 minutes for work is as far as I go, and I don't travel. On my days off I like to stay home, I'm a gamer.

As far as maintenance and modifications, I got 20% tint on all windows and replaced the battery immediately (to a high capacitance battery for audio reasons) and replaced that battery once. I've only had to refill radiator coolant once and replace the tires once. The initial set of tires didn't last past 10k miles. This set is fairing better, but I haven't been getting them rotated and it shows. I may have to replace them early. I think it needs an alignment too. I also tore off the S and "Suzuki" on the trunk lid and blacked out the S in the front as redmed did.

I'm also a huge audio nut and have my Kiz completely redone audio wise. You guys interested in seeing pics? I'd give you an audio demo if that was possible. Even if I tried with a video, the experience wouldn't translate. That Rockford Navigation system that comes in it is utter crap, but if you like it, don't go looking for better because it gets exponentially more expensive as your ears learn.
2011 - Sport SLS AWD - Platinum Silver
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Has to be one of the lowest mileage early K's still on the road. At the rate you're going, it'll last longer than you will!
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
rossirob73
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:06 am

KIZAWDinKC wrote:I haven't posted here in years. Bought my AWD GTS Kizashi new back in late 2010.....I'm still driving it almost 9 years later. It's just a daily beater 'drive to work vehicle' now that allows for my other vehicle to stay parked. It has only 95K miles on it, of which is a little lower than average for the age. Only thing I've had to do with it since I bought it new was replace the water pump & belt last summer as a maintenance item even though it was still working. I replaced rear shocks. Been through several sets of tires. On 3rd battery. I did have two warranty items back when it was under 36K miles to replace a mechanism in the drivers seat that somehow broke and the known subwoofer vibration issue of the Rockford system that needed to be glued down better. Had a TPMS issue years ago after getting new tires that was finally resolved. Haven't had a problem since.

The car with its AWD still drives like a champ in snow with its new good tires i put on in November of 2018. Although the vehicle is dinged up with a worn-out suspension, the engine itself still runs like it's brand new. Very responsive. But that might be because i've always used synthetic oil with the Kiz, plus I've always driven it easy. I've never slammed the accelerator from a stop or rarely has the car ever been over 80 mph. And the drivers seat still fits me like a glove!!!! And I'm still amazed by the Rockford system. Just last week I was bluetoothing dolby 5.1 & bass sound samples from Youtube, and sound from the Rockford system is like sitting in a movie theater.

Don't know how much longer this car will last, but it keeps going and starts right up every time I hit that push-button-start. It's not worth much as a trade-in, which is why I've decided to just keep it and drive it even though I have another new vehicle. I think Suzuki built a good one. :drive:
Hi mate
Im on the kind of wear and tear as yourself. I brought mine awd 2011 kizashi in 2015 it that point in time the car was on the road for 2y 9m and 32,000 km
Asked the dealer to put on new tyres all round as he put on cheap tyres they lasted around 12 months.
I will hit 98,000 today so i have done 66,000km in just under 4 years.
The car is on it's 3rd battery
Heavy on tyres compared to other cars i have had.
I changed the rear shocks due to leaking.
Changes front and back rotors and pads.
No need for the awd in sydney
Nice car to drive no real issues i will need to do the timing belt before year end.
I wish they kept coming into Australia but they don't sadly.

Happy driving.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Post Reply