Towing advice for Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 petrol

JandJIrv
JandJIrv Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited January 2021 in Towcars & Towing #1

Looking for some advice. Does anyone use a Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 petrol to tow a caravan mtplm 1475Kg? We are considering buying one but unsure how it would cope towing our caravan. Thanks for any advice.

Comments

  • rayjsj
    rayjsj Forum Participant Posts: 930
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    edited January 2021 #2

    Suzuki Grand Vitara used to be the budget 'king' of 4x4 towcars especially with the Renault 1.9 turbo diesel. Alas no longer made, not sure the 2.4 petrol is either ?

    I recently called in to a Suzuki dealership locally to ask what do they have that can tow a 2 tonne livestock trailer (used a lot locally) the Grand Vitara USED to be able to tow 2.5 tonnes, he, embarrassed ,said they had nothing, and that Suzuki were concentrating on smaller economical cars and of course hybrids. Which of course have sod all towing ability.

     

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited January 2021 #3

    I appreciate you may have a tight budget but personally for towing i wouldn't touch petrol, especially in non- turbo form. If diesel doesnt rock your boat The only caveat would be something north of 3litres with lots of grunt and go for an LPG conversion. My guess is a petrol Vitara will struggle on hills.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2021 #4

     ...  but personally for towing i wouldn't touch petrol, especially in non- turbo form

    My normally aspirated 3.0 petrol Vauxhalls never had a problem towing 😉

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited January 2021 #5

    Why do think that Petrol engines are no good for towing a caravan Flatcoat ???.......I towed my Lunar Delta from the Forrest of Dean to Hereford ,with a 1.4 L Escort petrol car. It was the only way I was able to get my caravan home. You have to use the gears, if in a RH drive car it is the stick to the left of you.laughing. I drive a Lexus RX350 and it is the best car and Towing vehicle that I have ever had. I think I have sufficient experience to say this after 25+new cars averaging miles of 40,000 +for many years in my job. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2021 #6

    Our 2ltr diesel Sportage auto is in a different much more competent and relaxed drive ,than the same model same year but petrol version, athough the petrol had a hgher BHP it was a pig towing,surprised

  • Oscarmax
    Oscarmax Club Member Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2021 #7

    We used to tow with a petrol manual Grand Vitara it towed our old swift Conqueror fine, just had to use the gear stick a bit more, totally bullet proof.

     

     

  • JandJIrv
    JandJIrv Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited January 2021 #8

    What weight was the caravan you towed?

    ours is 1475kg and we are just not sure if the car would tow this?

     

  • Oscarmax
    Oscarmax Club Member Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2021 #9

    It was a few years ago probably mid 1300kg. We tow a 1500kg Swift Conqueror with a 2.4 petrol Mitsubishi Outlander, similar power to the Suzuki 2.4 no problems.

    I am curious why the Suzuki 2.4 petrol there is better tow vehicle out there

  • TonyBurton
    TonyBurton Forum Participant Posts: 269
    edited January 2021 #10

    My first tow car was a 1622cc petrol Morris Oxford. Then 1800cc petrol Wolsey, Two 1600cc petrol Cavaliers, a 2000cc petrol Capri. That's when I started towing a heavy sailing yacht. A temporary switch to diesel with a Rover Maxi, then back to petrol with a 1800cc petrol Mondeo. Then a 1800cc diesel Focus and finally my 2000cc diesel 4x4 Kuga. Yes the Kuga is probably my best tow car to date but the point I'm making is there is a lot of mythology about diesel being the only option.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2021 #11

    Your towing with petrol ICE vehicles is very similar to mine ecept the first car i towed with was a 1500cc column change Austin A55 ,Cambridge and i went with my first diesel tow car in 1994 which was when i realised that when towiing with a diesel was in a much higher plane than petrol 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2021 #12

    your Kuga is probably the best car you've had ... A brave man to admit to having owned diseasal Maxi! 😉😉

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited January 2021 #13

    There is no such car as a Rover Maxi (Austin yes) and the Maxi never had a diesel option. Go to ARonline for a wealth of info on Austin, Nuffeield, BMC, BMH, BL, Austin Rover, MGRover.....

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2021 #14

    I did wonder about a diseasal Maxi .... 🤔

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited January 2021 #15

    The Farina cars (A60/Oxford) had a B series based 1500cc diesel option in some markets as had the Marina/Ital in Portugal and elsewhere but not the UK. The land crab 1800/2200 didn’t have a diesel option albeit i think there are one or two conversions around. The BL diesel effort started in earnest with the Meastro/Montego, Rover SD1 and Range Rover. 

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited January 2021 #16

    I had a Austin Maxi, I think it had an 1850 Petrol Engine. Worst car I have ever had. No good to drive and rubbish to tow with. I can't even remember how many clutches it had in 2 years. It was a company car and changed after 2 years.....good riddance.BL rubbish.

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited January 2021 #17

    It had either a 1500 or 1750cc engine. Unfortunately the Maxi was a great idea ahead of its time but hampered by a rushed and underfunded development programme, questionable ‘styling’ compromised by having to use the land-crab doors and usual BMC/BL production line antics. By the time the Mk3 came along it was a half decent car. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2021 #18

    The only really good petrol tow car i have had was my Rover 100,the only problem i had that was never really sorted was the Overdrive solenoid kept burning out after about 1500 miles ,i always carried a spare surprised

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2021 #19

    ED wrote: "I did wonder about a diseasal Maxi"

    I think it's a mistype. I had a diseased Maxi!

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited January 2021 #20

    My brother was given a 1750 Maxi .... it wasn't such a bad car to drive. As Flatcoat says ahead of its time ... 5 speed  hatchback. They just rotted for fun.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2021 #21

    I'm sure it had more than 5 gears. You just couldn't find them.

  • JandJIrv
    JandJIrv Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited January 2021 #22

    Thank you.

    We need a petrol as during the working week we do low mileage (less than 4000 in a year with lots of stop starting), our current car has lots of electric sensors etc and quite complicated to work on. We think with a petrol car which is less complicated it would allow us to work on it ourselves.

  • Oscarmax
    Oscarmax Club Member Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2021 #23

    So simple and easy to service we used to carry out our own servicing, it all the years we owned it it never went wrong, my next door neighbour brought of me, last time I saw him it was still going strong.

  • asda160
    asda160 Forum Participant Posts: 87
    edited January 2021 #24

    We had a 2009 3Dr 2.4 Suzuki GV manual gearbox

    Towed a 1200kg caravan, no issues. No issues on hills as suggested by Flatcoat. Steady in side wind. MPG low 20's. If you have the low range gearbox, fab for shunting van into awkward uphill pitches.

    Good strong engine, not frugal. Cheap to service.

    I liked it.

     

  • rayjsj
    rayjsj Forum Participant Posts: 930
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    edited July 2021 #25

    Our Only tow car near it, was a  2litre 4 door Toyota Rav4  petrol, of 1997 vintage, my ex company car it lasted 14 years as our towcar, do everything car.

    It did everything well, never ever broke down or needed major repairs. Towed our 1200kg Caravan off of many a muddy field with diff lock engaged and Goodrich all terrain tyres. Was sorry to see it go.

     

     

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