Suzuki Hustler

[Kamalawarna]

Hello, 

I have planned to buy a hustler as my first car. I have following questions 

1.What are the different models available and from where I can get a good comparison? 

2. What is the difference between 2wd and 4wd Hustlers?

3.Generally what are the pros and cons of this vehicle? 

Any help will be very much appreciated

Thank you

Edited January 15, 2017 by Kamalawarna

[fiatLife]

Hustler comes with 4wd?  I mean by the looks of it, it looks like a bodybuilder with skinny/toothpick legs  

[Kamalawarna]

Thanks for the reply fiatLife.  Yeah they say it comes in 4wd option.  Thats not as advanced as off road vehicles.  I think they have added it just to keep the vehicle moving. 

However I was to buy a used Hilux. But I changed the plan due to high maintenance cost and difficulty in finding a good vehicle. I never expect a replacement of a cab by   hustler.  

[fiatLife]

16 minutes ago, Kamalawarna said:

Thanks for the reply fiatLife.  Yeah they say it comes in 4wd option.  Thats not as advanced as off road vehicles.  I think they have added it just to keep the vehicle moving. 

However I was to buy a used Hilux. But I changed the plan due to high maintenance cost and difficulty in finding a good vehicle. I never expect a replacement of a cab by   hustler.  

never expect advanced or trustworthy options by the looks of it, What is the reason behind stating high maintenance cost? because we also have a 1991 double cab and its abused but still running strong, just the usual wear and tear Well an engine rebuild should be done if not, other than that reliable for us, its been with us for more than 8 years now.  

[Kamalawarna]

I was looking for something beyond 107 SSRX.Because I need it be a multipurpose vehicle. Both for workplace and in the wild.  I looked for more than 20 cabs.  Most of them exceed 3 million.  That's well beyond my range. Most of the vehicles are in and around Colombo and I cannot go for inspection for each and everyone.  No point of buying without an inspection by an expert.  Because most try to deceive us and sell their vehicle. 

Fuel economy is less than 10 per/l. 

So the only option is to buy something new.  For my range, a hustler might come in handy in terms of repairs, fuel etc.  I only need a vehicle to use for 5 years till I get my permit and I can go for a new cab. 

[iRage]

50 minutes ago, fiatLife said:

Hustler comes with 4wd?  I mean by the looks of it, it looks like a bodybuilder with skinny/toothpick legs  

Yes..but no...the Hustler has a full-time AWD variant with a system Suzuki calls "Grip control system". If the system detects slippage in the drive wheels it will just divert some power to the rear wheels to keep the car moving. Ideologically it is similar to what most cross-overs like the RAV4, X-Trail have but the system on the Hustler is very rudimentary and simply can't handle more than a slight snow or mud covered road. (i,e, much similar to the systems you get in the average sedans).

 

[Kamalawarna]

So what's your suggestion? 

[iRage]

8 hours ago, Kamalawarna said:

So what's your suggestion? 

Well...what are your actual requirements of the car ?

The Hustler is a kei car and a nice little run about city car and actually has a fun little feel to it. It will be a bit choked wjhen fully loaded and pushed but will still get you there.

Just don't buy a Hustler in lieu of a 4WD..in fact don't buy a 4WD...

It seems like you need something utilitarian ?

How long have you searched for a Hilux or other pickup truck ? Maybe you should be a bit patient till a good one comes along and then spend a bit on getting it properly fixed ?

[Kamalawarna]

2 hours ago, iRage said:

Well...what are your actual requirements of the car ?

The Hustler is a kei car and a nice little run about city car and actually has a fun little feel to it. It will be a bit choked wjhen fully loaded and pushed but will still get you there.

Just don't buy a Hustler in lieu of a 4WD..in fact don't buy a 4WD...

It seems like you need something utilitarian ?

How long have you searched for a Hilux or other pickup truck ? Maybe you should be a bit patient till a good one comes along and then spend a bit on getting it properly fixed ?

Thanks iRage.

I have two major requirements. I am keen bird photographer so I need accesibilty. I am a doctor, so I need a vehicle suites my workplace as well. 

I had two options.  Buy fuel friendly car, travel as far as possible and rent safari vehicles for the rest.  Option two is to buy a used double cab(preferrably a Hilux  107 ssrx as I need full option) and reach everywhere on my own. 

I just started my carrier,so  I am very much budget oriented. So my  range is 2.5-2.8 million(3 with difficulty). 

Indeed utilitarian!

I have been searching for a pick up truck for nearly a year. As I mentioned in previous thread, I faced few unavoidable problems. I am far from Colombo and most vehicles are placed there.  So I cant go for each and every one. I am not an experienced person with vehicles.  So there is a high chance of getting outwitted. There are many hacked ones in the market.  For my price I might probably end up with 1992-1997 vehicle.  Old diesel engines. Who can trust. 

Next comes fuel. They never do more than 10/l as I have heard.  Sellers say it's 12-13. But users never say that. 

I waited patiently for long time.  Travelled with my heavy camera gear on foot, in buses  and on my scooter for more than 5 years. Now it's the time. I still love a cab, but it has become a dream.  I hate cars, but it has become the destiny. 

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by Kamalawarna

[Crosswind]

Why don't you look for a Suzuki Jimny instead? It's got the proper 4WD setup (not a softroader like most of the so-called 'jeeps' in this country) and it will also be a good daily runner for a youngster like you.

 

[iRage]

Crosswinds beat me to it....look in to a Jimny....the tech is pretty easy so you don't need degrees in Computer Science and Mech Eng to get the basics running. The 660cc engine would be pretty fuel friendly but the 1300cc variant might not be too bad on fuel and you will definetly appreciate the extra torque and power when offroading.. Granted..you don't get these on sale that often. Failing which the second gen Vitara should also fit your budget but those things would probably do about 7kmpl....

but then on the other hand...how often do you go on your excursions ? Because your plan to buy a daily car and then rest an off-roader as needed might be a better solution if you can't find the above. In which case...if I may give some advise..

1. .don't spend your entire budget on the purchase of the car. Save some for a few repairs that you would have to do (even if the car is a so called unregistered low mileage car directly imported and sold by our loving car sales people).

2. for the first inspection try to go with a friend who knows about cars. If a certain car meets your initial criteria then take it to get it checked out. You can try the agents as well as other reputed places that do comprehensive checks.

Being a young doctor it might not be entirely possible with your duty roster....however it might be in your best interest to come to Colombo a few weekends.

Edited January 16, 2017 by iRage

[Kamalawarna]

36 minutes ago, Crosswind said:

Why don't you look for a Suzuki Jimny instead? 

 

Thanks Crosswind 

Again it's not common,  used,petrol with fuel economy of 12-14 at outstations. 

[Kamalawarna]

1 hour ago, iRage said:

Crosswinds beat me to it....look in to a Jimny....the tech is pretty easy so you don't need degrees in Computer Science and Mech Eng to get the basics running. The 1000cc engine should be pretty fuel friendly as well but the 1300cc variant might not be too bad on fuel as well and you might appreciate the extra torque and power when offroading.. Granted..you don't get these on sale that often. Failing which the second gen Vitara should also fit your budget but those things would probably do about 7kmpl....

but then on the other hand...how often do you go on your excursions ? Because your plan to buy a daily car and then rest an off-roader as needed might be a better solution if you can't find the above. In which case...if I may give some advise..

1. .don't spend your entire budget on the purchase of the car. Save some for a few repairs that you would have to do (even if the car is a so called unregistered low mileage car directly imported and sold by our loving car sales people).

2. for the first inspection try to go with a friend who knows about cars. If a certain car meets your initial criteria then take it to get it checked out. You can try the agents as well as other reputed places that do comprehensive checks.

Being a young doctor it might not be entirely possible with your duty roster....however it might be in your best interest to come to Colombo a few weekends.

Yeah as crosswinds point outs Jimny  is a fine suggestion. I had it in my list too. 

I gave up on it, because of its rarity, being a used vehicle and patrol engine with fuel economy of 12-14.

Yeah, your point 1 is what drags me behind from a Hustler. If spend 1.5-1.8m on a Jimny, I'll  save for another jimny ?. If I go for hustler , I'll be on trouble at that point.  

My excursions ?I take every possible second of my time ,except working hours and sleeping, to spend in the wild. My wife is a mirror image of me. So no problem?.

If I find a good Jimny  ,I won't waste a second and buy it.  

 

[iRage]

I am curious....what kind of a fuel economy are you expecting ?

[Kamalawarna]

Don't take the fuel to the top of list. Actually 12-14 is OK with me.  But hybrids do 20 -25. That'll be lot more beneficial in 500-600 km drives. 

When I was planning for a cab,I had made up my mind for 10/l diesel engine. 

 

 

 

 

[iRage]

17 minutes ago, Kamalawarna said:

Don't take the fuel to the top of list. Actually 12-14 is OK with me.  But hybrids do 20 -25. That'll be lot more beneficial in 500-600 km drives. 

When I was planning for a cab,I had made up my mind for 10/l diesel engine. 

Yeah....for a Petrol 1300cc 4WD car you should be happy to get 12-14...but don't be too bent over about it if you only get about 10-11 as well...many things can effect it. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter even if you get 100kmpl if the car doesn't do what you want the car for in the first place.

[Crosswind]

44 minutes ago, Kamalawarna said:

Don't take the fuel to the top of list. Actually 12-14 is OK with me.  But hybrids do 20 -25. That'll be lot more beneficial in 500-600 km drives. 

When I was planning for a cab,I had made up my mind for 10/l diesel engine. 

 

 

 

 

If that's your expectation, you are going to be sorely dissappointed.

1300 CC Jimny does about 7-8 kmpl. 10 would be max on long drives (I had a Jimny sometime back. Superb ride but fuel economy is not its plus point)

Hybrids like Honda Fit do a max of 13-14kmpl on city. May be 16 on long runs

Prius, aqua et. al. do around 15kmpl. One prominent forum member reports that his Axio Hybrid has done a max of 20.

I wouldn't expect more than 12-13 from a hustler. 660 CC + turbo + 4WD = LOW fuel economy

There's no car in this land that would do 25. Hybrid or not. 

This is my usual quote for those who are looking for high fuel economy -  "What people say about their penis sizes and the fuel consumption of their vehicles is best to be ignored"

Edited January 16, 2017 by Crosswind

[fiatLife]

17 hours ago, iRage said:

Yes..but no...the Hustler has a full-time AWD variant with a system Suzuki calls "Grip control system". If the system detects slippage in the drive wheels it will just divert some power to the rear wheels to keep the car moving. Ideologically it is similar to what most cross-overs like the RAV4, X-Trail have but the system on the Hustler is very rudimentary and simply can't handle more than a slight snow or mud covered road. (i,e, much similar to the systems you get in the average sedans).

ahh okay well something is better than nothing  

[iRage]

6 minutes ago, fiatLife said:

ahh okay well something is better than nothing  

but really doesn't make much difference in SL....unless you are in a snowy (or slippery muddy hilled) place in SL

[Kamalawarna]

2 hours ago, Crosswind said:

If that's your expectation, you are going to be sorely dissappointed.

1300 CC Jimny does about 7-8 kmpl. 10 would be max on long drives (I had a Jimny sometime back. Superb ride but fuel economy is not its plus point)

Hybrids like Honda Fit do a max of 13-14kmpl on city. May be 16 on long runs

Prius, aqua et. al. do around 15kmpl. One prominent forum member reports that his Axio Hybrid has done a max of 20.

I wouldn't expect more than 12-13 from a hustler. 660 CC + turbo + 4WD = LOW fuel economy

There's no car in this land that would do 25. Hybrid or not. 

This is my usual quote for those who are looking for high fuel economy -  "What people say about their penis sizes and the fuel consumption of their vehicles is best to be ignored"

7-8 /l ? Jimny . That small vehicle?. I saw in a thread in this forum that it does more than that. But I can't beat what you've experienced.

 Ha ha ha . yes what you have said at the end is 100% true.

So all these boastings are lies ?

However , what's the conclusion? Will I be in trouble if I go for the Hustler. 

[fiatLife]

4 hours ago, Crosswind said:

This is my usual quote for those who are looking for high fuel economy -  "What people say about their penis sizes and the fuel consumption of their vehicles is best to be ignored"

^ This quote  

[iRage]

2 hours ago, Kamalawarna said:

7-8 /l ? Jimny . That small vehicle?. I saw in a thread in this forum that it does more than that. But I can't beat what you've experienced.

 Ha ha ha . yes what you have said at the end is 100% true.

So all these boastings are lies ?

However , what's the conclusion? Will I be in trouble if I go for the Hustler. 

What is your definition of trouble ?

If you go for the Hustler you will be stretching your budget to the max

You won't get 20+kmpl..you will probably get in the mid teens or a bit over at most and you being a very gentle driver.

I too am a bit shocked about the Jimny....our RAV4 gets 6 kmpl on average when I use it...(dad gets close to 5)...so I would have expected more...a friend had a Pajero Jr with a 1000cc engine and that got about 11...so I would have expected around 10 on a decent condition Jimny....

 

[Kamalawarna]

If I define trouble : I deserve a double cab . I am gonna buy a toy- looking car.  I might put it in bad conditioned routes( not as bad off road adventure ones). Or  I'll have to park the vehicle by the tarred road and continue the rest on foot or by a safari vehicle.

 

[iRage]

10 hours ago, Kamalawarna said:

If I define trouble : I deserve a double cab . I am gonna buy a toy- looking car.  I might put it in bad conditioned routes( not as bad off road adventure ones). Or  I'll have to park the vehicle by the tarred road and continue the rest on foot or by a safari vehicle.

 

Okay..then based on that definition...yes you will be in trouble. The AWD Hustler is not for off roading or frequent harsh road use. It is just to keep you moving on a slippery tarmac road  Go get a double cab....save some money..fix it up properly...

[Crosswind]

15 hours ago, Kamalawarna said:

7-8 /l ? Jimny . That small vehicle?. I saw in a thread in this forum that it does more than that. But I can't beat what you've experienced.

 Ha ha ha . yes what you have said at the end is 100% true.

So all these boastings are lies ?

However , what's the conclusion? Will I be in trouble if I go for the Hustler. 

You need to come down to the real world. That's all. Buying a car is not a one time expense. It's just like getting married. It's a recurring expense irrespective of what you buy.

12 hours ago, iRage said:

 

I too am a bit shocked about the Jimny....our RAV4 gets 6 kmpl on average when I use it...(dad gets close to 5)...so I would have expected more...a friend had a Pajero Jr with a 1000cc engine and that got about 11...so I would have expected around 10 on a decent condition Jimny....

 

If I'm not mistaken, RAV4 is not a full time 4WD while the Jimny is (correct me if I'm wrong here) and its bloody heavy. That could be the reason.

[Supra_Natural]

Honestly dude, I would suggest going the used double cab route. They are built tough and can take heaps of abuse and when they do break down they are not complicated to fix. On the subject of inspecting the vehicles I'm afraid you're going to have to make the effort and go look at a few if you want to get a good one, can't escape that so you'll have to plan your schedule around it. 

Hiluxes have always been very expensive because of the "Toyota" effect in the lankan used car market. They are indeed superb trucks but the competition is pretty solid as well. I would advise looking at a Nissan D21/D22 because you should be able to find a good one within your budget. They are generally more comfortable on road than the Hilux and have slightly nicer interiors as well.

Another option you could consider is the Ford Ranger, you can get a much newer model for your money and they are solid trucks too.