Bought my 1995 JX 4Dr, 4WD Manual Sidekick with 89,000 miles on it. I am honestly very satisfied, and quite frankly a bit surprised in this little vehicles reliabilty, and performance. It has never given me any troubles, and starts up on the first crank. I use the sidekick as my primary vehicle, which I commute with during the week (240miles/week). On the weekends, I . take it offroading on jeep trails with friends or camping up into the mountains, where 4WD is necessary. This little truck will do it all. I have traditional street radials, and regardless, this truck will perform right along side modified 4x4's. It's size helps as well, where others cannont turn around, the little sidekick can fit in spots others cannot. I constantly surprise my lifted Jeep friends. They scratch their heads in disbelief. I'm always right there.
I've read a few posts where people have complained about the trucks lack of power. First of all, what are you using it for? For most people, the little 1.6L 16Valve engine is plenty, and it has a good amount of pep to get you out into traffic. The truck is geared a bit lower, but since the engines 4cylinder powerplant needs to spool up a bit to produce the torque, it requires a higher than normal RPM rev...Not a biggie..The little engine will rev up to 5k without whinning.
I highly recommend this truck for anyone who A) Needs a good reliable vehicle that can get you home, regardless of the weather B) Has a small family C)Wants to get a great little truck to cruise around in, that can tackle off road situations.
My only con about the truck is that since it's a little higher profile than a car, and it's a bit lighter than a full size SUV, so it is subject to getting whipped around a bit in heavy winds. I have come to expect this, and as a result, slow down on high wind days. Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints.
Suzuki did a great job on this truck, and have made me a believer in them! I will certainly buy a Grand Vitara once my truck begins to age (at around 300k miles!!)
As of 2/10/03:
My 95 Sidekick now has 115,000k miles without a single problem I've replaced sparkplugs, new front brake pads, and oil every 3k, but otherwise working wonderfully. I just purchased a 2002 Grand Vitara Limited, and can't believe how much more refined it is over the Kick. I'm keeping the Sidekick because I love it so much. The tires are still in unbelievable condition, and don't show signs of needing replacement.
Amount Paid (US$): 4500
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1995
Model and Options: JX 4Dr, 4WD, Manual
