SX4 rolling about US... anybody seen one?

[TPFilm]

Cool. Since my post I have not only driven the blue one but also the copper orange one. The copper orange on the SX4 looks much better, more red than the other Suzukis. I like the 5spd for obvious reasons, but didn't like how the RPM stays at over 3500 at 70+mph. The auto revs at barely 3k at 70+.

How do you like your SX4? Who was your salesman? How was he or she? Did they take you over into (what I call) the used car building? It's like why bother even building a Suzuki building if you are not going to use it!

Do you plan on letting them service your SX4? If so, let me know how the 1st one goes. I am in talks with them now for a Blue SX4. The sticking point is how little money they want to give me for my trade.

[Aoiga]

We really like our SX4, especially since we traded our Dodge truck for it. Great, tight handling and no parking space is too small. And the amount that they gave us for our trade-in was in line with it's year/model/mileage value. They gave us what we expected to get based on our research.

Our salesman at Wilmington Suzuki was Bob Jones and he was extremely friendly and not at all a "typical car salesman"...not pushy or fake.

We do plan on servicing there since it is under warranty...we'll let you know how it is.

Wilmington also offers an extended warranty that turns the 3yr/36,000m bumper to bumper plus 7yr/100,000m power train warranty into a 7yr/100,000m bumper to bumper warranty including components, for an extra $800. They didn't offer it to us until we were signing the papers and had already arranged our financing, so you may consider asking about it in negotiation. Although you don't have to purchase it at signing, we were told that we could purchase it anytime before the original 3yr/36,000m warranty ends but I'm not sure if it changes the price. We'll probably purchase it in January, just in case. Also, if you are military, Suzuki gives a $500 discount.

[TPFilm]

Bob Jones is who I am dealing with, too. He called me last week to tell me that a truck was bringing in some SX4s, I told him I knew, I was right behind it. He laughed.

What have you done with your car so far? Have you felt brave and taken it to Ft Fisher or the north end of Carolina Beach? That's the only thing I am wary of. I have a Chevy Tracker 4X4 that I can take on the beach. When I have been on the beach I have seen Ford Escapes and Subarus. They all have lockable AWD, like the SX4. I have also seen CRVs and heard that people have taken VUEs out there.

Besides, it's great to know what kind of experience someone is having in a car you want on roads you drive, too!

[TPFilm]

Check out this SX4 forum:

http://www.sx4club.com/forums/

[Aoiga]

What have you done with your car so far? Have you felt brave and taken it to Ft Fisher or the north end of Carolina Beach?

We haven't gone off road yet, and I don't take cars out on the beach. I've always viewed the beach as exclusively for pedestrians, parking is real close, and most importantly the sand and salt will prematurely rust your car (I'm from Maine - think road salt ...). However, I'm sure the car would do just fine in moderate or packed sand, or on off-road trails. I would be concerned about clearance in softer or deeper sand, so if I was going off road I'd be in the market for a more aggressive and slightly larger tire. A trick for sand that they teach in military driving schools (where you do go on the beach) is to reduce tire pressure to slightly mushroom the tire and produce a bigger "footprint" for more weight distribution and traction, like a snowshoe. Given the Suzuki's small tires, I should think you'd need a little bit bigger tire to employ this technique. We have used our SX4 in very wet situations and it corners very nicely with the AWD.

[TPFilm]

Originally Posted by Aoiga

...exclusively for pedestrians, parking is real close, and most importantly the sand and salt will prematurely rust your car... We have used our SX4 in very wet situations and it corners very nicely with the AWD.

Well, if you go to the North end of Carolina Beach, yeah it's packed. But that's just because that's where the tourists go. I go out to Fort Fisher. It's a larger area and people tend to respect each other more and, if possible, people don't stack on top of each other. As for the sand and salt: you are not suppossed to drive in the water (could get a ticket, not to mention sudden drop-offs!) Also, any serious beach driver stops at the nearest high pressure coin-op car wash or as soon as they get home washes off the undercarriage, drivetrain, brakes, engine compartment and body. I have spent up to 45 minutes in the past hosing down my Tracker after a trip to the beach.

The reason cars up north rust out is because they are exposed every second of the day for months at a time. That would make plastic rust!

Did you enjoy the SX4 in the rain? Have you taken it on a long drive yet? How was that, if you did.

Of course, this thread's not just for people from Wilmington, NC... Anyone can respond!