114 Days: Pt III (3rd time's a charm)

Anything related to the Kizashi can go here, but please look at the other headings first. Your topic may fit better under something else.
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

I REALLY should:

-change the plugs
-change the air filter
-change the cabin filter
-rotate the Blizzaks



117,180
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KIZAWDinKC
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:53 am

I bought my Kiz In November 2010. Still drive it as a daily.

Work that has been done to it over the years:

-Rear bass/speaker re-glued due to vibration issue covered under warranty
-New mechanism replaced in drivers electric seat covered under warranty
-New water pump and belt replaced. They never failed, but I got the feeling the water pump might, so I had it replaced.
-Drivers side taillight bulb
-Both front high beam bulbs
-New pulley installed onto belt tensioner. Was making noise, bearings going bad. Tried to replace entire tensioner,
but the bolt was seized. I just replaced the pulley which did the trick.
-Rear shock replacements
-New brake pads
-On my 4th set of tires including the OEM's. My 4th set are fairly new.
-I always use synthetic oil/filter
-New spark plugs at 100,000 miles
-New valve cover gasket at 100,000 miles

100,110 miles
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Good report. Seems typical of a zuk's reliability from my experience. How can ya complain about that?
CVT or MT?
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)
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KIZAWDinKC
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:53 am

CVT (with paddle shifters too). Were the paddles shifters standard? I never use them of course. lol .
Yea, I guess it's been almost 10 years that I've owned it. I remember buying it. Traded a Toyota camry in for it. I remember driving the kiz home from the dealership, and it seemed so cool to me back then. It was a lot better than the camry that I couldn't wait to get rid of. It was quiet, had big mirrors on each that seemed cool, and just had an expensive feel to the vehicle (for that time). It was like I was getting a sporty BMW or Mercedes coupe for the price of a new base model Toyota camry. Even though I knew in the back of my mind it was just a cheap Suzuki car, that car seemed so cool to me. Today, it's a rough sounding beater car with worn sway bar bushings that clunk when the weather is cold. Although, the drivers seat fits me like a glove and still feels better to sit in than just about any of newer vehicle I've ever come across.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

A beater car that, sans the Jatco CVT and BS electronics, would easily last another 100k+. It pains me to hear a Kiz referred to as a beater car! IDK, after driving the CX5 for many weeks in a row, it's pure heaven for me to slide in behind the wheel of the Kiz. Same went for anytime I was traveling and then got back in to the Kiz when I returned. The entire car fits me like a glove, much the same feeling I experienced every time I jumped in to my Samurai for the occasional weekend beating. I was just one with the machine. Never got that feeling w/ the 92 4-dr Sidekick though. It was a zuk, it was durable, and reliable, just ...meh. I think that thing was the beginning of the end with mixing car-like ride and true utility, giving birth to these uni-body CUV/SUV turds.
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)
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

All my cars are beater cars 8-)




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KIZAWDinKC
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:53 am

I think maybe 3 or 4 years ago, I went out of town on business and drove a Toyota Avalon rental. Leather seats, very nice. When I flew back home and got into my Kizashi at the airport, it still felt better to sit in than the Avalon. I've driven everything from Maximas, Malibus, Sonatas, Rogues, Camrys when I use to go out of town often, and the Kiz drivers seat always felt a lot better when I got back in town. I have a second newer vehicle that I drive the Kiz to keep the miles off of, but that's half the reason why I keep driving the Kiz after almost 10 years is because it's a pretty darn comfortable car for what it is.
Sasha-CR
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:17 am

KIZAWDinKC wrote:CVT (with paddle shifters too). Were the paddles shifters standard? I never use them of course. lol .
Yea, I guess it's been almost 10 years that I've owned it. I remember buying it. Traded a Toyota camry in for it. I remember driving the kiz home from the dealership, and it seemed so cool to me back then. It was a lot better than the camry that I couldn't wait to get rid of. It was quiet, had big mirrors on each that seemed cool, and just had an expensive feel to the vehicle (for that time). It was like I was getting a sporty BMW or Mercedes coupe for the price of a new base model Toyota camry. Even though I knew in the back of my mind it was just a cheap Suzuki car, that car seemed so cool to me. Today, it's a rough sounding beater car with worn sway bar bushings that clunk when the weather is cold. Although, the drivers seat fits me like a glove and still feels better to sit in than just about any of newer vehicle I've ever come across.
Suzuki cars have historically been affordable cars, but I wouldn't call the kizashi cheap.. it is now cheap in price for the US market but this car when new, depending on the market, was upwards of 40k USD.

Anyway the clunks you describe were happening to mine up until today. I couldnt find the original rear sway bushings and a shipment of universal ones got lost so I went to my local auto parts and had them match by measuring the closest bushing. Closest one we found was for a kia sephia! lol!

The clunks are completely gone now. I did the work myself. Total cost was about 7.00 dollars and a few good sprays of WD-40.

The sway bar links and shock absorbers are sometimes the culprit.. but I dare say these little bushings are the root of the noise in most cases of rear clunk! My rear shocks were visibly shot, but, they still dampened movement and did not induce any clunking. Though, through binding, they may have caused increased wear on the aforementioned bushings.

In any case.. I'm a happy camper clunk free.

The only noise starting to unsettle me a bit is the little chain rattle I sometimes hear on cold starts. Or a faint clunk engine noise at idle when warm... hmmm... might be time for an oil change.
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Woodie
Posts: 1167
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Laurel, MD

Sasha-CR wrote: Suzuki cars have historically been affordable cars, but I wouldn't call the kizashi cheap.. it is now cheap in price for the US market but this car when new, depending on the market, was upwards of 40k USD.
Highest list price for a Kizashi was $29,000 and Suzuki was never in a position to demand full list price, at least not in the States.
Sasha-CR wrote:The clunks are completely gone now. I did the work myself. Total cost was about 7.00 dollars and a few good sprays of WD-40.
Well done fixing that yourself, probably saved $200 at the mechanic. If the clunk comes back get some genuine lubricant in wherever you sprayed WD-40. WD-40 is not oil, it's good at getting into places, but it doesn't stick around at all.
Sasha-CR wrote:The only noise starting to unsettle me a bit is the little chain rattle I sometimes hear on cold starts. Or a faint clunk engine noise at idle when warm... hmmm... might be time for an oil change.
I've got a Suzuki Aerio that makes a horrific thrashing noise on startup, been doing it for ten years. That's a J23, essentially the same engine.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

A $40k Suzuki anything? Maybe the Kizashi prototype... $40k for a working man's brand/model car of any kind? :roll:
Who's that much of an idiot? Never, ever, seen or heard of any $40k Suzukis especially in the U.S..

2010 AWD Kizashi GTS New: $21,700 OTD including tax on about $5-6k cash in after trade allowance.
2018 AWD Mazda CX5 Touring w/Pref Pkg New: $24,250 OTD no tax owed after trade.

I'd might consider laying down 40k for a brand new loaded LHD Jimny, or, a mint-condition, completely rust-free, 1990-95 Samurai w/ ridiculously low-mileage, in mint condition, w/ all of the optional bells and whistles of the day...because I'm disturbed....
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)
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