96-98 Vitara LWB parts compatibility

[PsyCro]

Hey zookers, noob here, first post, getting right down to business

I'm looking to buy a 97 Vitara LWB with 2.0 V6. i was looking at grand vitaras but these older ones look much better, and this one has gas installed and hasn't been driven off road so it looks quite good.

Being as they were made only from 96-98, my question is, how compatible are parts from other Vitaras, and from grand vitaras from 99 and on? Everything from engine components to suspension to chassis.. i am i going to be ok? I see lots of Vitaras and newer grand vitara parts locally, so i'm hoooping that i'll have lots of options.

So, will i have options??

Thanks in advance!

edit.. here's the link so y'all can have a gander!
http://www.njuskalo.hr/auti/suzuki-vita ... s-17161251

[dan_2k_uk]

A workmate has one of these. He had some difficulty finding a timing chain kit bit found one eventually. He hasn't had to do anything else other than change some engine service parts which are available.

The rest of it other than the engine is much the same as other Vitara/grand Vitara parts.

[RickUK]

My Vitara is the same year and model that you have been looking at and i must admit the V6 lump is one of the best engines that i have ever driven,its as smooth as silk and pulls like a train,have not had any major issues with mine in 2 years,i do admit i dont service it and all i do is check the oil level and throw some STP oil additive in the engine and that is all i do.Dont have any problems with camchains or the engine does not knock,rattle or any other noise apart from purring along.

Body work problems are usually to be found just behind the plastic facia or body mouldings on the sills as they do tend to trap water,but you name me a Suzuki 4x4 that does not have any rust problems,its not a big problem as they can be welded easy if need be,i had to have some small amount of welding done just behind the front bumper,but once again that was not a big job either.

Over the last 2 years i have done about 20k miles wise and no other problems apart from the usual wear and tare,wont part with the old Vitara till it gets a total failure on the body,but also looking at either a newish Grand Vitara or even a newish Jimny.

[PsyCro]

hmmm, this is more of what i'm after information wise.. on another forum its all 'you won't find aaaany parts'

reliable seems to be the main thing in any case, so i'm not exactly expecting big problems. But i'd like to have options as far as suspension and drivetrain goes in case i go a little over ordinary green laning. Engine wise i believe i've read some positive things for parts, but it looks like its time to dig deeper, save links, and find some real compatibility info, obviously i'm now looking for v6 2.0 lovers . I know ive even seen info on Mazda engines having similar parts, sidekick having useable drivetrain parts etc..

Why didn't they make more of these beautiiiies!!??

[ScottieJ]

Vitara parts aren't hard to find, there are loads of things that swap between models. All of the main suspension and drive train components are same on the earlier shape vitaras, there are a few small changes in some models liek the steel front diff in diesel models etc but they are all interchangeable.

I Think the H20a has a different bell housing pattern to the G series and diesel engined vitaras but you can swap the bell housing anyway, the gearbox and transfer boxes are all the same, there have been some minor changes like the output spline count on the tbox was changed at some point (i think) but vitaras are so common it's not hard to find the correct box if a replacement is needed. I've got a few sat in the workshop and I don't even own a vit.

Not as much is interchangeable from the GV but a lot of parts still are.

[PsyCro]

Thanks a bunch for the info!