Suzuki Swift Sport

[Normski]

Hey gang, thought I’d share this wee go kart jap box I picked up a few weeks ago.

Since the daughter has started P1 this year and with the wife and me being civil servants but me still having to go to the office at least 3 days a work and her probably being based at home until at least March 2021 at the minute I needed an extra wagon to either get me up and down to work or her to use for the school pick up etc.

The big Passat is still one of the cars we have but with the Impreza not being insured to be driven as a daily and just the cost it would rack up on petrol alone I couldn’t even think about using it as a daily.

My return journey is about 10 miles in total a day so I didn’t need a diesel which would throw up dpf issues etc so just had a wee look about for something cheap, fun and fairly frugal. This wee wagon won the job!

2007 Suzuki Swift Sport in supreme red pearl, lovely in the sunshine, 106k miles but its been very well looked after and the last owner threw more at it than what I paid for it at around 100k miles to replace all the parts which had reached their end of lifespan, clutch parts, brakes, driveshaft, gearbox service etc, all recent work done at turnington pitstop looking at all the dockets.

I’ve done near 400 miles sinces getting it and put nothing into it other than £30 fuel and purchasing some rallyflapz which I know won’t be to everyone’s taste but I think they suit the style of car.

It’s got some nice spec for the age and price of car, keyless entry and start, climate control etc, only mod I can see besides being standard is someone has put a K&N induction kit on and it does make it sound superb above 4K rpm.

Plan to just drive it on and see how long it serves me for, must say it’s a great wee wagon round the twisties, with 125hp it won’t trouble traffic light Grand Prix’s but is more fun than it may look.

Anyway, what people what to see, the pics:

 

[ItsAdamC]

Excellent choice, I've drove one of these a few times and they're fantastic wee cars. As you say they arent flying machines compared to todays hot hatches but they certainly go very well for what they are and the handling is excellent!

 

[gav525]

Had one of these for a short time and so much fun was had! Great wee back road blaster, and from what I've seen they're great track toys also.

Great colour that as well

 

[Coog]

Love these!! Great fun.

 

[Normski]

Had one of these for a short time and so much fun was had! Great wee back road blaster, and from what I've seen they're great track toys also.

Great colour that as well

If it ever becomes defunct I would defo consider making it a track toy, for all it cost me I’ll get what I can out of it on the road first, driving lovely at the moment

 

[GaryC200]

Hired a track prepped one of these at the nurburg a few years ago. Unreal cars for what they are n were able to keep up with a lot of higher powered cars through the twisty sections. Health to enjoy.

 

[TheDaniel]

I am possibly the biggest fan of these on RMS and a big advocate for them lol .. Since buying mine many moons ago, I have had about 7 or 8 other folks buying them on my recommendation purely becuse I spoke so highly of them and they all loved them. They're so reliable and so surprising how much fun you can have in an underpowered FWD car.

My other half still has hers and I drive it as much as my own car. This one is the ZC31S and the most fun of the lot. Purely because the steering is weighty and gives you a lot more feel when keeping the foot to the floor on long sweeping bends where others would have to brake. They give you so much confidence and you never feel like you're going to under steer. Traction on these works when you need it to and can save you from time to time when you need it most, without making you feel like you've bogged down too much. They're well balanced and can take a hell of a beating and they love it!

I'll stop rambling. Anyway, I love it and I hope you do to. Health to enjoy and i'd love to hear what you think of it! Cheers!

 

[Reno_LV]

I loved mine. Great handling gokarts. Perfect power for our backroads.

 

[mark19]

I really love these

Bit random but what's the boot space like??

 

[Gambit]

I tried finding one also when I was looking a wee runaround I think theyd be great craic as a runaround and a very reliable wee thing.

 

[Reno_LV]

I really love these

Bit random but what's the boot space like??

Shaite. I couldn’t get child pram in without getting the seats down. still didn’t put me off! Loved it. I see my old one is back up for sale.

 

[Normski]

I really love these

Bit random but what's the boot space like??

As @Reno_LV says its not great but unless your'e planning to use it as a family car it'll still take a couple of airport bags or a weekly shop no problem, issue with the rear seats are that it only folds down as one whole bench so you cant have part split with any people / kids on the back but this shouldn;'t cause me any bother for what i'm using it for. It does have isofix so my daughter loves to get dropped to school in it days im off so its an easy swap with the seat from the passat bus

 

[Normski]

I am possibly the biggest fan of these on RMS and a big advocate for them lol .. Since buying mine many moons ago, I have had about 7 or 8 other folks buying them on my recommendation purely becuse I spoke so highly of them and they all loved them. They're so reliable and so surprising how much fun you can have in an underpowered FWD car.

My other half still has hers and I drive it as much as my own car. This one is the ZC31S and the most fun of the lot. Purely because the steering is weighty and gives you a lot more feel when keeping the foot to the floor on long sweeping bends where others would have to brake. They give you so much confidence and you never feel like you're going to under steer. Traction on these works when you need it to and can save you from time to time when you need it most, without making you feel like you've bogged down too much. They're well balanced and can take a hell of a beating and they love it!

I'll stop rambling. Anyway, I love it and I hope you do to. Health to enjoy and i'd love to hear what you think of it! Cheers!

Great to hear someone loves them, I can see why, they are very quirky and definitely a lot more fun round bends etc than people would expect. They are a rival to the mini cooper or C2 VTS but having owned a C2 I must say the swift is a level above with enjoyment in the twisties, amazing how at standard height it has very little body roll for such a boxy car, the Suzuki rally development team i'm sure had some input into that.

Only downfall is only having the 5 gears, 6th would be great to bring the revs down as motorway speeds over 65 sees about 3.5k revs and with limited noise deadening compared to bigger cars it can be loud but I just crack the radio up louder when on the motorway.

Induction noise over 4k is class especially with the aftermarket filter, its like a budget vtec lol. I haven't had a really good proper back-road blast yet but I look forward to having one when I can.

A back-box delete apparently gives them a nice note but this is supposed to be a budget daily, as usual, like everyone else, I've told myself i must not buy things for it but we'll see how long that lasts, Impreza hasn't had a look in since this arrived ...

 

[TheDaniel]

I agree, always said it. The only thing missing was a 6th gear! .. Your right it definitely sounds like weetec I never lowered either of mine, I was always worried it would ruin the drive and they're perfect as they are IMO.

 

[ST Colin]

Very nice @Normski always been a fan of these. Hope you are well mate!

 

[Crow555]

Our neighbours when we were in our last house got one of these after their Cooper S lunched its own turbo. They asked me what I would recommend as something similar and reliable and I told them to get one of these.

About a week after getting it they asked me if I wanted to take it for a drive so off I went with the husband. "She's got plenty of poke, watch yourself". I take it up these back road around Mallusk and opened it up - and the neighbour has the jesus handles in a death grip and a look of terror on his face. That was confirmation they never had it over 4k.

Class wee thing for the short amount I got to drive it properly. I'd have one of these or an Abarth as a runabout anyday.

 

[TheDaniel]

Our neighbours when we were in our last house got one of these after their Cooper S lunched its own turbo. They asked me what I would recommend as something similar and reliable and I told them to get one of these.

About a week after getting it they asked me if I wanted to take it for a drive so off I went with the husband. "She's got plenty of poke, watch yourself". I take it up these back road around Mallusk and opened it up - and the neighbour has the jesus handles in a death grip and a look of terror on his face. That was confirmation they never had it over 4k.

Class wee thing for the short amount I got to drive it properly. I'd have one of these or an Abarth as a runabout anyday.

Definitely not the Abarth. Choose a Swift. Just trust me on this one as I may have some inside knowledge lol

 

[Jonesy]

Hey gang, thought I’d share this wee go kart jap box I picked up a few weeks ago.

Since the daughter has started P1 this year and with the wife and me being civil servants but me still having to go to the office at least 3 days a work and her probably being based at home until at least March 2021 at the minute I needed an extra wagon to either get me up and down to work or her to use for the school pick up etc.

The big Passat is still one of the cars we have but with the Impreza not being insured to be driven as a daily and just the cost it would rack up on petrol alone I couldn’t even think about using it as a daily.

My return journey is about 10 miles in total a day so I didn’t need a diesel which would throw up dpf issues etc so just had a wee look about for something cheap, fun and fairly frugal. This wee wagon won the job!

2007 Suzuki Swift Sport in supreme red pearl, lovely in the sunshine, 106k miles but its been very well looked after and the last owner threw more at it than what I paid for it at around 100k miles to replace all the parts which had reached their end of lifespan, clutch parts, brakes, driveshaft, gearbox service etc, all recent work done at turnington pitstop looking at all the dockets.

I’ve done near 400 miles sinces getting it and put nothing into it other than £30 fuel and purchasing some rallyflapz which I know won’t be to everyone’s taste but I think they suit the style of car.

It’s got some nice spec for the age and price of car, keyless entry and start, climate control etc, only mod I can see besides being standard is someone has put a K&N induction kit on and it does make it sound superb above 4K rpm.

Plan to just drive it on and see how long it serves me for, must say it’s a great wee wagon round the twisties, with 125hp it won’t trouble traffic light Grand Prix’s but is more fun than it may look.

Anyway, what people what to see, the pics:View attachment 297757View attachment 297758View attachment 297759View attachment 297760View attachment 297761View attachment 297762View attachment 297763View attachment 297764View attachment 297765View attachment 297766

Have you still got this?

 

[Normski]

Very nice @Normski always been a fan of these. Hope you are well mate!

Hi @ST Colin, been too long buddy, sorry I haven’t been logging in here too much lately as you can see, all well enough yes cheers bud, how’s things you’re end? What you wapping about in these days?

Our neighbours when we were in our last house got one of these after their Cooper S lunched its own turbo. They asked me what I would recommend as something similar and reliable and I told them to get one of these.

About a week after getting it they asked me if I wanted to take it for a drive so off I went with the husband. "She's got plenty of poke, watch yourself". I take it up these back road around Mallusk and opened it up - and the neighbour has the jesus handles in a death grip and a look of terror on his face. That was confirmation they never had it over 4k.

Class wee thing for the short amount I got to drive it properly. I'd have one of these or an Abarth as a runabout anyday.

Sub 4K it’s any usual shopping kart, but when weetec kicks in its superb, especially with an induction kit, besides the whine in 5th on the motorway journeys I love everything about it, I find myself driving or more than the 2 other higher powered motors we have, really want to lower it to finish the look but spending £ on coilovers hurts my mind when I think how little I paid for the car itself

Have you still got this?

Yes buddy, thanks foe the messages, will get back to you now

Found my old wee Vibe active Sub which was knocking about in my old Seicento back in the day so along with a new Pioneer CarPlay unit and upgraded front speakers I got at Christmas I stuck it all in just after Christmas and it definitely makes the In Car entertainment side of things so much fresher.
Still loving bashing it about

 

[Normski]

Thanks to @Jonesy for the freebie arm rest contraption

Ideally it should be screwed in but that could prove messy for all it is, put some double sided tape on the contact areas underneath and it shouldn’t move too far, I will be leaning down on it primarily after all.

Definitely great having arm rest on both sides now and a wee cubby to stash the sweets

 

[ST Colin]

Hi @ST Colin, been too long buddy, sorry I haven’t been logging in here too much lately as you can see, all well enough yes cheers bud, how’s things you’re end? What you wapping about in these days?

Sorry, meant to reply to this sooner. I live over in Manchester now, moved over back in August 2014 for a fresh start. Company car these days, just a boring grey Octavia. Does the job. Glad to see you're still on the scene. Miss home a lot, maybe I'll come back some day.

 

[Normski]

Haven’t updated this for a while but wee Suzie is still going along nicely, one major update really - had MOT end of February, failed on a broken spring and some corroded brake lines which wasn’t bad considering it hadn’t had an MOT for guts of 3 years and I went into the test without getting it looked at.

Anyway, pipes fixed by a local shop, then onto the springs. Turned out 3 we’re actually broke when we took it apart to see what needed changed so why bother with the standard stuff, wee set of Tein coilovers purchases and installed by a friend and me in my garage. Completed over a couple of nights and she passed MOT no problem, still getting me up and down to work in Belfast when I’m in the office. So much smoother even on the coilovers now as I suspect the standard harsh ride I thought it has was actually down to the 3 broken springs. Can go lower but I think it’s fine as it is for something I use most days and can sensibly get over bumps etc.

 

[ItsAdamC]

looks really well at that height mate!

 

[Normski]

Not much going on with the wee Suzie, still doing daily duties when required, needs nothing other than super unleaded and the odd bit of oil

Thought it had a hole in the exhaust, sounded more like a 2 stroke moped, so went to the exhaust shop to see what the craic was. The backbox is perfect but the centre section between it and the cat was rotten.

New centre pipe on and while I was there I got him to put some bigger slash cut ends on the box.

Does the job for me and looks much better. Didn’t want a burbling box anyway as it can get tiresome as the daily.

Dee’s exhausts, perfect job, nice lad to deal with

 

[Coog]

Mine rotted round the centre section too. Ended up falling off completely lol