... I came accross the ad for a Suzuki Swift 1990 Navy blah blah blah and the price was well below my budget, I would be able to pay my insurance in one go too. I rang the number and the man was more than happy for me to come down and havea test drive etc. I enlisted the help of my boyfriend ... Read review
Advantages: Great on fuel, Quick, Small engine class. Disadvantages: Road noise, Security, Parts can be troulbesome.
...accross the ad for a Suzuki Swift 1990 Navy blah blah blah and the price was well below my budget, I would be able to pay my insurance in one go too. I rang the number and the man was more than happy for me to come down and havea test drive etc. I enlisted the help of my boyfriend (now my husband) and his dad. My boyfriend being a biker was no use really, but his dad had some experience in buying used cars.
We arrived at the house ... ...13 years old when I sold it and I still see it around is testament to the car on a whole. All Suzuki need to do it modernise the interior a bit and re-shape the exterior a little and they've got a good rival for the micra.
... more
When buying my first car I had many things to consider. The cost of the car itself, the cost of my insurance, the running costs, and like any vain early twenties person, the look of it. I was younger then, looks in a car meant a lot to me but I was constrained by my budget. Looking in the national used car papers I sat down and circled a lot of ads. The more I rang numbers the more disheartened I got, most of the ones I wanted were sold by the time I picked up the phone. I had a picture in my head of the car I wanted and what I wanted wasn't available. I started looking at different vehicles, ones that were less appealing to me but much more what I could afford. I came accross the ad for a Suzuki Swift 1990 Navy blah blah blah and the price was well below my budget, I would be able to pay my insurance in one go too. I rang the number and the man was more than happy for me to come down and havea test drive etc. I enlisted the help of my boyfriend (now my husband) and his dad. My boyfriend being a biker was no use really, but his dad had some experience in buying used cars.
We arrived at the house and the car was sitting outside. It was different from what I had imagined, a little smaller. The man was more than happy for me and my (now) father-in-law to go off and have a drive of it, leaving my husband and his father's car outside. It drove lovely and the price was right anyway so I had decided to buy it anyway before we got back. After a bit of haggling, I managed to get another few hundred of his already low price. It was here the problems started. It had no headlight on the drivers side when I went to see it and test drive it. The man had said his wife had hit something and the headlight had to be gotton rid of. Thinking it would be no trouble to pick one up from a scrap yard. Then when I went to pick it up, I discovered it was a Japanese import - not a Swift at all but a Cultus. I didn't think it made that much difference but it did. The headlight was impossible to source and I had to enlist a 'part-finder' to source it in the end. He was quick enough and got me one for relatively cheap considering the fact that it was the entire headlight unit.
Once this was done, I got on to my insurance company, and insured it. When they found out it was a import version they charged me an extra 500 for it. Unfair I know but insurance in Ireland is very strange. And VERY expensive. This had me miffed enough as it was difficult getting insurance in the first place, being a learner and under 21 with a 10 year old car. All got sorted and I could finally start motoring! The first few weeks it was me who had the problems rather than the car. Being nervous on the road meant that I was cutting out and whatnot. But once I got into the swing of things I was flying. Nothing could stop me.
The car itself was VERY cheap to run and I had no problems until I went for my NCT (MOT in the UK). I discovered that my power-steering had been leaking, hence my not knowing I actually had it! And my engine was filthy. I had a dent in the back (from an unfortunate meeting with a pillar) and because it had a 'sharp edge', my car was failed. Away I went, annoyed at myself for not having it checked before I brought it for the test. A Re-test was booked and I set about having the car fixed. All these problems were fixed cheaply and quickly and the car passed with no problems second time around. I was away again and loving the freedom of the open road. The interior was basic at best but since I was happy about it having 4 wheels and an engine that went, I didn't mind that much. Oh! How I had changed my tune! I went from wanting a car for vanity and transport to just wanting to keep it for transport. I didn't care about the looks. It was super comfy and I loved driving it. The extras were basic, but since it was a Japanese import it had a few things the standard Swift wouldn't have - A/C, Power Steering and a 4th cylinder (as far as I was told anyway) No fancy stuff here - just a car that will have to be put down!
It drives like a sporty little 'hot hatch' cornering like a dream and having great suspension. The engine will go and go and then take a bit more abuse. Very quick on the take-off and great for over-taking as it has good speed in the lower gears. Motorways and long haul are it's ideal environment as it'll keep going and at a steady rate (if traffic allows) City driving is a bit of Achille's heel, but it took it in it's stride and is a good little city car when treated right and handled well. Parking is fantastic with the power steering and it's small enough to fit in to some spaces that others might think are 'too small' (though this does depend on your perception more than anything) It was a 3-door model and the back was VERY spacious for passengers with loads of boot space for luggage and whatnot. Many a weekend would go by where we'd load it up to the gills and travel off with a few friends with room to spare. People would joke about it, but I always defended it with the retaliation of "Well, it'll do 120mph without breaking a sweat - what can you do on your feet?" which was alway met with the reply of "Fair enough then" I won't tell how I know it'll do 120mph but I reckon you can figure that out. This car is FANTASTIC! I loved it, I should never have gotton rid of it - but vanity won out after a year and I changed cars to my old Punto (see other review). The one major fault I ever had was the thermostat in the radiator went - this meant it kept over-heating but by just popping it out the problem was fixed. It was summer and I was in no rush to replace it (it regulates the heating internally too) and when the time came, it was very cheap to replace. I still get a little smile when I see one (in fact I still see mine regularly!) Anyone who ever drove mine said they were great and my brother-in-law nearly bought one when he was buying his first car. They are the perfect starter car - it WILL take a bashing, it WILL take the abuse of a learner driver, it WILL keep going. I reckon this car will need to be put down instead of dying itself. The fact that mine was 13 years old when I sold it and I still see it around is testament to the car on a whole. All Suzuki need to do it modernise the interior a bit and re-shape the exterior a little and they've got a good rival for the micra.
Advantages: Swift - Says it all. Quick off the mark Disadvantages: Street Cred!
I bought a Suzuki Swift in Jan 04, and I can say I was impressed. Being quite ignorant about cars at that time, I was unsure about the pro's and con's on cars. See my other review for information......
When I drove the Swift out of the showroom I was impressed with the speed it could reach in such a short time. Not saying it is a porshe or anything, but it was impressive!
Top speed I reached out of it was 120mph at a push. Not bad for a 998litre. ... ...parts (Being Japanese)
- Basic Model (That is what you may be looking for)
- Loud Engine
- Electric window problem (in my personal opinion)
Some good points include:
- Cheap tyre replacement
- Quick acceleration
- Cheap Tax
My Swift did around 25,000 miles in a year, quite a high mileage. It did not need any major works to be carried out, accept an insurance rapair (replacement bonnett). Parts are quick to be shipped in.
You won't find many ...
mrbeanyuk 10.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Swift 1.0
Advantages: Cheap to buy and run Disadvantages: Poor suspension and noisy
...bought my Swift from a Suzuki dealer for £5999 with only 7 miles on the clock. It was my first car and for the first six months I loved it.
It looks quite attractive and comes in a range of colours inside and out. Spec wise I got electric windows, central locking, radio/tape, but no power steering. However, as the car is so light, power steering would really have been superfluous.
It's fun to drive, can get in anywhere, and does well over fifty ... ...my Swift's lack of finesse.
Buy it if you're on a budget and don't spend too long on the motorway. One word of warning, though - Suzuki recommend servicing every 6 months (which in my opinion is completely unnecessary), and your warranty isn't valid if you don't comply. ...
sandrabarber 14.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Swift 1.0
Advantages: Cheap, Reliable & Economical Disadvantages: Not for full loads
I purchased my Swift eighteen months ago and I am fast approaching eighteen thousand miles. The fuel economy is excellent, I have avaraged almost sixty miles per gallon. It is fairly comfortable and responsive for a 1.0. The car is very light (hence the economy and response). The upholstery is cheap and cheerful and the paintwork is easily marked. I am pretty pleased with my Swift as an economical means of getting from A to B. I found that it was ... ...finance over 3 years) than buy anything halfway decent second hand, plus you don't buy that question mark over a cars history that you get with secondhand (no matter who you buy from). The price has come down by quite a bit since I bought too. Doesn't handle too well when there's much weight in the car (ie more than one adult passenger).
Also qualifies for £100 annual road fund licence. ...
amillwood 05.11.2000
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Swift 1.0
Advantages: cheap to buy, easy to drive, nippie, nice electronic windows Disadvantages: frigile body structure, expensive parts, not good for long distances
...the car from a local suzuki manufacturer, from seven thousand, this included a year comprehensive insurence which I was delighted as I'm a young driver, further more the car came with a decent sound system, and nice interia sports seats, the car addtionally consisted a mobiliser, and central locking, plus electronic widowns, oh yea they gave me a year free servicing and MOT.
Ok lets get down to it.... the good points about the car is that it's very ... ...the car is light therfore it's quite dagerous if you gona have a crash, its not going to protect you, to purchase suzuki parts are furthermore expensive.
In genral the car is ok, cheap at first, however when you drive it for longer periods, the car gets nackard up! ...
mleeng 31.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Swift 1.0
== Suzuki Swift !!!! ==
Swift...yes it is !!!!
I own thin one fro about 6 months now and i am totally in love with it. Its a great Car. If you are looking for soemthing good in the HatchBack section, than this one is a very good option.
I think i should tell you about each and everything in detail to make it more clear :
=== Space ===
This small looking car is in real sense a huge one from inside. You get a great seating capacity and too with ... ...a great pickup..as always with Suzuki they have powerful engines....so you can easily rush if you are in a hurry....The ride is smooth and comfortable...you will find a bit of noise in the engine at high speeds.
The car is not very fuel efficient...so thatmay be taken up as a disadvantage...
=== reliability ===
This one is from Suzuki, they have always provided great cars...and ths one is too in agreement to their standards...
=== Overall ===
...
Whitebabe 09.12.2007
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki Swift 1.0
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