2003 Suzuki Ignis Sport
Discussion
Thought I'd make a thread about this as there aren't many about. I bought a silver one last year without really having any idea what it was. To cut a long story short it ran on fresh air for a year without fault before the bottom end let go, forcing me to use my RX7 as a daily. So I looked for another and ended up with this one, a red 2003.
It saw me through winter without any problems at all!
Unfortunately this became a problem...
So got it booked in for the alignment sorting, turns out it was miles off!
Now it handles properly and I've been enjoying it for the summer. Easy to work on, easy to drive and most importantly - cheap!
With a friends non-fogged car:
It saw me through winter without any problems at all!
Unfortunately this became a problem...
So got it booked in for the alignment sorting, turns out it was miles off!
Now it handles properly and I've been enjoying it for the summer. Easy to work on, easy to drive and most importantly - cheap!
With a friends non-fogged car:
Cambs_Stuart said:
Nice. I've been tempted by these in the past but they seem to climbing past pocket money budgets...
To be honest with you, prices of these cars are still probably about as low as they'll ever be. If you're on Facebook, join the UK Ignis Sport Owners group and you'll regularly find cars going for sub-£1k, often almost half that!Integroo said:
I really fancied one when I was looking, thought it would have had to have had the fogs - gives it a real mini rally car look. Sadly, couldn't find any decent ones. Smashing wee car. Heard parts availability can be a problem / expensive?
Yeah it's a great little all-rounder. Availability isn't so much of an issue if you're after OE parts; there are plenty in the scrappers and Suzuki still stock lots of stuff. Price can be a sore subject though, seen lots lately with suspension failures being scrapped because the price of shocks is so extortionate in comparison with the overall value of the car. Not a great aftermarket either!C70R said:
Holy crap! That's just about the baldest tyres I've ever seen on a road car.
How long was it running out of alignment to get this bad, and how did you not notice?
Yeah it caught me out to be honest. The tyres at that point were around 2 months old having covered maybe 1500 miles. At a glance the shoulders still had full tread so I had no real reason to check the whole width of the tyre. It was only having happened to have parked the car with the wheels turned that I realised something was desperately wrong.How long was it running out of alignment to get this bad, and how did you not notice?
The reason was -1deg toe on each of the front wheels, something I hadn't really noticed when just pottering about to work. The car is lowered 35mm so any adverse effect on handling I put down to that.
Hi rogue
Yeah these are fitted to mine at present.
They are prov sold as a guy has first refusal on them. Just waiting to hear back.
Alternatively I modify them for people if your local to Manchester drop them off and I can do them as a 2 day turnaround. Split spray, then wet sand the lens, cut back and polish them up.
Yeah these are fitted to mine at present.
They are prov sold as a guy has first refusal on them. Just waiting to hear back.
Alternatively I modify them for people if your local to Manchester drop them off and I can do them as a 2 day turnaround. Split spray, then wet sand the lens, cut back and polish them up.
As kerwin said head gasket failure is rapidly becoming a common issue. I absolute love them in my third now. And will keep an eye out for a blue one
Mine let go the other night. The price to pull it apart and replace everything properly is frightening I was upto £400 in parts on what I knew had to be replaced. Decided to break mine as its not far off what the car cost. It was meant to be a cheap track toy
Mine let go the other night. The price to pull it apart and replace everything properly is frightening I was upto £400 in parts on what I knew had to be replaced. Decided to break mine as its not far off what the car cost. It was meant to be a cheap track toy
There is a suggestion that OAT coolant can have a detrimental affect on the engine internals and can lead to corrosion and gunking up of the coolant passageways. As these cars only have a blue and red light for coolant (no gauge), by the time the red light comes on, it's usually too late. That, combined with a strict flushing and bleeding procedure, which many people don't know about, and the engine running high compression, is leading to increased HGF.
Best thing to do is check your cooling system, replace the radiator if it's original (pretty cheap off ebay) a proper flush until clear, use Comma G48 coolant, bleed the system properly and fit a Scanguage or Turbogauge OBD unit to monitor the engine coolant temps. Regular checks of the oil filler cap for mayo and the coolant expansion tank levels.
If you find a good Iggy, they are an amazing little car. Was out a few months at a drive it day and my little iggy was hanging onto much more expensive metal in the twisties. Admittedly it got thrashed in the straights, First section of the drive was long straights, so we ended up last. Once we got to the tighter twisty roads we managed to gain 3 places. Not too shabby for a little 1.5L car up against various RS? 911 and R8 machines.
The best thing is that you can drive the wheels off these little cars and you are not doing silly speeds, you are using the full capabilities of the 109bhp and the lively chassis, while the other cars are having to restrain the loud pedal to stop himself spearing off into the shrubbery.
It's much more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow :-)
Best thing to do is check your cooling system, replace the radiator if it's original (pretty cheap off ebay) a proper flush until clear, use Comma G48 coolant, bleed the system properly and fit a Scanguage or Turbogauge OBD unit to monitor the engine coolant temps. Regular checks of the oil filler cap for mayo and the coolant expansion tank levels.
If you find a good Iggy, they are an amazing little car. Was out a few months at a drive it day and my little iggy was hanging onto much more expensive metal in the twisties. Admittedly it got thrashed in the straights, First section of the drive was long straights, so we ended up last. Once we got to the tighter twisty roads we managed to gain 3 places. Not too shabby for a little 1.5L car up against various RS? 911 and R8 machines.
The best thing is that you can drive the wheels off these little cars and you are not doing silly speeds, you are using the full capabilities of the 109bhp and the lively chassis, while the other cars are having to restrain the loud pedal to stop himself spearing off into the shrubbery.
It's much more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow :-)
Couldn't of put it any better myself kerwin. My old silver one is in here somewhere. That one had regular oil nd coolant changes and is still going.
This red one I bought was cheap as it was losing water. I noticed the rad leak g so thought it was worth a punt unfortunately hasnt worked out but I knew it was worth a gamble with the amount of modified and good condition parts on it so breaking it to get even and move the money into the next project
If you can drop them off and pick them up I can usually do a two day turnaround. Charge £30 to do it. It was never my intention to start doing it as a side business but it's starting to pile up with orders now.
This red one I bought was cheap as it was losing water. I noticed the rad leak g so thought it was worth a punt unfortunately hasnt worked out but I knew it was worth a gamble with the amount of modified and good condition parts on it so breaking it to get even and move the money into the next project
If you can drop them off and pick them up I can usually do a two day turnaround. Charge £30 to do it. It was never my intention to start doing it as a side business but it's starting to pile up with orders now.
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