Well, went and looked at a fairly low mileage 2012 SLS AWD that went on sale nearby. I really liked it, and I don't hate the CVT like some do...but it definitely makes the drive more sedate and less engaging. Maybe that would be a good thing after a long day at work slogging through rush hour traffic, but I think I'll hold out for a manual since it would be more fun to drive, and where I live AWD might be useful 2-3 days out of the entire year.
Also, this particular car was black on black, (very nice looking) which can be unbearably hot after sitting in the sun for just an hour or so. Before the test drive the salesman rolled down all the windows and popped the moonroof....but it was still pretty toasty until the a/c caught up.
WESHOOT2 wrote:I know driving envoronments differ, but to me the Kizashi shines as an AWD sports sedan.
No truer words spoken...I am amazed at how this car performs in rainy weather (with a good set of tires of course). w/ the awd active it really behaves as though the roads are dry.
I love driving in the rain. Our secondary roads can be really crappy (ALL Vermont roads can be really crappy, even beyond really crappy ), and the rainwater ponds in the tire grooves.
So if I keep the hammer really down, I can make the traction control light stay lit for quite a distance....
Yee-haw!
Did I mention my wife busted me; the backgound picture on my phone is the speedo at 100MPH.
And I actually know how to spell 'environments'
I think the law of supply and demand is catching up. I've been looking for a GTS or SLS and they are hard to find. I'll have to drive a couple hundred miles to look at one this weekend. I already negotiated an out the door price provided I like it. I saw the NC car that you've been talking about. It's close enough to me, but I can't sit in the GTS without the power adjust seats. It's just too hard on my back. Although I see a new 2013 GTS that has the power seats so they must have tucked them back in.
LPSISRL wrote:I think the law of supply and demand is catching up. I've been looking for a GTS or SLS and they are hard to find. I'll have to drive a couple hundred miles to look at one this weekend. I already negotiated an out the door price provided I like it. I saw the NC car that you've been talking about. It's close enough to me, but I can't sit in the GTS without the power adjust seats. It's just too hard on my back. Although I see a new 2013 GTS that has the power seats so they must have tucked them back in.
My 2011 GTS has power driver seats plus a moonroof. They were deleted in MY 2012, but may have returned for MY 2013.
LPSISRL wrote:I think the law of supply and demand is catching up. I've been looking for a GTS or SLS and they are hard to find. I'll have to drive a couple hundred miles to look at one this weekend. I already negotiated an out the door price provided I like it. I saw the NC car that you've been talking about. It's close enough to me, but I can't sit in the GTS without the power adjust seats. It's just too hard on my back. Although I see a new 2013 GTS that has the power seats so they must have tucked them back in.
My 2011 GTS has power driver seats plus a moonroof. They were deleted in MY 2012, but may have returned for MY 2013.
They did add those back for 2013, but then proceeded to delete the most important thing about getting a GTS....the manual trans. Basically, except for a brief period of time (2011 models iirc) when the SLS was available with a 6MT, Suzuki made it impossible to get everything you might want in a single trim level. Decisions like that probably played only a small part in their lack of North American success, but it certainly didn't help matters. (sending people who wanted leather, moonroof and manual tranny to other makes/models)
LPSISRL wrote:I think the law of supply and demand is catching up. I've been looking for a GTS or SLS and they are hard to find. I'll have to drive a couple hundred miles to look at one this weekend. I already negotiated an out the door price provided I like it. I saw the NC car that you've been talking about. It's close enough to me, but I can't sit in the GTS without the power adjust seats. It's just too hard on my back. Although I see a new 2013 GTS that has the power seats so they must have tucked them back in.
Yeah, the power seat would be nice, but the manual adjust one suits me fine and feels just as comfortable to my backside. If you aren't set on getting a manual trans, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a low mileage Kizashi out there...I would have one already if I weren't so stubborn.
If you want a 2013 model and don't mind the CVT, (all 13's are CVT) then you might want to check out that Jim Shorkey place in PA....he has more Kizashi's than anyone else in the country, but most are SE's. Last I checked about a month ago his prices were a little delusional, but as time goes on and the inventory sits on the lot..I'm sure they'll come back to earth.
LPSISRL wrote:I think the law of supply and demand is catching up. I've been looking for a GTS or SLS and they are hard to find. I'll have to drive a couple hundred miles to look at one this weekend. I already negotiated an out the door price provided I like it. I saw the NC car that you've been talking about. It's close enough to me, but I can't sit in the GTS without the power adjust seats. It's just too hard on my back. Although I see a new 2013 GTS that has the power seats so they must have tucked them back in.
My 2011 GTS has power driver seats plus a moonroof. They were deleted in MY 2012, but may have returned for MY 2013.
They did add those back for 2013, but then proceeded to delete the most important thing about getting a GTS....the manual trans. Basically, except for a brief period of time (2011 models iirc) when the SLS was available with a 6MT, Suzuki made it impossible to get everything you might want in a single trim level. Decisions like that probably played only a small part in their lack of North American success, but it certainly didn't help matters. (sending people who wanted leather, moonroof and manual tranny to other makes/models)
Another thing that I don't think helped Suzuki in NA was pricing the GTS at around 27,000. With the engine they are offering that is a high price to pay for a little known brand in the US. Really to move those cars they would have to sell them south of 25,000. I know now if you are buy used or new they are great deals which is our gains since they left the NA market.
sold)
), and the rainwater ponds in the tire grooves.
