Help me replace my newly wrecked Vitara, please...

I was driving northbound I-55 near Cape Girardeau, MO and hit some black ice on a bridge.  Went off a 12' embankment basically backwards at about 65-70mph with my just-purchased FZR400 Yamaha rolling chassis on a U-haul trailer.  I think I'm okay (sore neck).  There was a multi-car fatality crash in the opposite direction about 200 yards from me so I have to value how lucky I was.  My 2002 Grand Vitara, however, I have to believe is going to be written off by the insurance company.  The U-haul trailer is damaged and being processed by insurance.  

This incident heavily reinforced my appreciation for crash standards.  So now I'm on the hunt for something 1995-2005 vintage (?) with anvil-like reliability, maybe with 4wd.  My biggest financial concern is insurance cost.  I can't afford anything much newer because I simply don't make enough money to pay the insurance on a newer vehicle, especially with a newly-licensed 16 year old.  Anything roughly comparable to a Grand Vitara worth looking at?  Rav4?  Maybe E150 Ford?  

Sorry about the accident and glad to hear that you're OK.  My mother has a 2011 RAV4 and that thing is indestructible.  It drives great and does very well in winter weather with appropriate tires.  I love the size; plenty of room for 4 adults but easy to park and maneuver.  She lives in the land of salted winter roads and it has little to no rust after 13 years.

Nissan D40? Toyota 4runner? Maybe an Xterra, although they're popular enough that I wouldn't be surprised if they'd appreciated...

Might sound crazy, but what about another Vitara? Gotta be cheaper than a CRV or RAV4... Glad you're ok!

As a prior owner of an FZR400....I gotta know....how's the bike?

If you liked the Grand Vitara and wanted another, I would seek out a Suzuki XL-7; the stretch Grand Vitara which has a tiny 3rd row.  Sort of The Grand, Grand Vitara. 

I would scrap the tiny 3rd row but the additional cargo room is nice. 

Sorry to hear - Hope all is good health wise.

Just curious on the future outcome with uhaul.  I usually decline and default to my State Farm policy but wonder if that's a bad/good idea.

Very glad to hear that you have minimal damage, but I'm sorry about the Suzuki. That said, people on here keep saying Suzukis are over-engineered, and you may have just provided another data point.

I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I can't imagine an E-150 coming through that event with a similar happy(-ish) outcome. I like the other suggestions WAY better.

myf16n said:

As a prior owner of an FZR400....I gotta know....how's the bike?

Haven't had a chance to see it in daylight, yet.  I think it's okay.

The tow company was able to get the Grand Vitara and the trailer into "operable" condition.  I took a chance and drove them home (about 220 miles) yesterday.  There was an extremely odd vibration on the drive back.  It roughly followed a 12 second bell curve--the vibration would start, escalate for four seconds then diminish for about four seconds followed by about three seconds of no vibration.  The steering column shook very badly at the start but diminished by the time I got home.  The vibration followed this pattern for almost four hours.  Weird.

Took the trailer back to U-Haul in the morning.  The additional insurance I bought for $16 covers the replacement cost of the trailer but not the items on the trailer.  Dunno why I bought it this time but I'm sure glad I did. 

Got the car to the shop where they pronounced both left side (steel) wheels were junk--bent at the hub (hence the vibration).  However, they claim no suspension damage.  How do you impact the wheels hard enough to destroy them and not damage the suspension?  They mounted the spare on the front and I went to the local salvage yard to get another OEM wheel for the rear.  I'm on the hunt for another wheel to use as the new spare but there are no others available locally.  Anyone know what other make/model uses the same wheel as a 2002 GV?

So now I'm wrestling with the insurance.  Yay.

https://car-part.com

-> Wheel w/ display 

Shows Sorrels has one steel wheel for $45

Also search for Chevy Tracker wheels that may net you a wheel that looks slightly different but functionally identical 

Same place lists a '99 Tracker steel wheel except 15" for $50.  Will 15" clear your brakes?  Could this odd 15"er serve as your spare tire?

FWIW, my "new" cars are either barely more expensive or actually cheaper to insure than my old cars on a standard policy. It always varies on location/person/etc. etc. but make sure you actually get quotes for every car you're considering.

I believe one reason is that modern cars are more expensive, yes, but also much safer and tend to hit things less often, which makes them less likely to cost the insurance company money.

If I was looking for a new 20-30 year old daily with anvil-like reliability and some cargo hauling capacity, CRV would be at the top of my list, honestly along with Explorers and similar. I'd buy any one of the little SUVs but based on condition above all else.

A few wildcards: Isuzu Troopers are a LOT of bang for the buck in this vintage. Immensely capable, durable, and reliable. Nobody shops for them except the three of us that like troopers. But they drive like body on frame SUVs because they are.

I love love love loved the few modern Volvo wagons I owned, especially a 2001 beater I drove for a few years. Mechanically it was rock solid, but the electronics and interior dissolved around me. Great driving and very safe.

5 X 5.5 Bolt Pattern Cross Reference and Wheel Sizes - Roadkill Customs

You'll see the Tracker has a 108mm center bore, where a lot of other vehicles are smaller. That would be a problem for steel wheels, but you can cut a bigger bore with a router if you can find aluminum rims. Pre-85 Jeep CJs and the 1st generation Kia Sportage/Sorento are a fit in steel or aluminum. I would think the Kias should be easy to find in a junkyard, just check your offset to be sure. Older Dodge and Ford trucks used 5x5.5 PCD, but smaller bore, but there may be some aftermarket wheel available pretty cheap.

Glad you are ok. I didn't know 20-30 year old vehicles existed, they don't in CNY, the rust gods have reclaimed them by now. 

Other then the bent wheels check rotating items for packed mud, snow and ice. I have had cars vibrate severely from packed snow after off road excursions.

stroker said:

myf16n said:

As a prior owner of an FZR400....I gotta know....how's the bike?

Haven't had a chance to see it in daylight, yet.  I think it's okay.

 

Glad to hear you're OK. I was coming to ask about the FZR too. :) I've had a pile of FZR400s over the years. Fantastic bikes.

If you liked the Grand Vitara, maybe see about buying it back from the insurance company and finding another? You'd have have a heck of a spares stash. 

Marketplace - 15" Rims, 5 x 5.5" | Facebook

Seller says the center bore is 4", but the info in my previous link says they should be 108mm. Just measure to be sure. If it's only for a spare the offset wouldn't be critical. Polish up the chrome one for the spare...

Edit: Samurai wheel should work.....Marketplace - Suzuki samurai wheel | Facebook

I'll add another vote for a Rav4. My wife has a 2013 and it's awesome. Great MPG, an astonishing amount of interior room, and if you avoid the 2013 year model (first year of a new transmission, can have torque converter issues) they are pretty much an anvil with the Toyota reliability

Mazda CX5. The Miata of crossovers. 
Avoids the Toyota Honda tax and drives better. 

I posted mostly because I did not know what a 2002 Grand Vitara was/looked like.  Cool little SUV/CUV.

Glad you are ok!!! 

 I would go rav4 if I were in the market for something like this.  I own a 2016 that I got for my wife but my daughter took to college with her 6 years ago and she has never returned it.  I will be gifting it to her this Christmas.  LOL  

With straight wheels and an alignment the car is running pretty much normal.  I'm told the left side trailing arm is bent, however.   Salvage yard about 60 miles away has one for $50.  I dread what R/R on that's gonna cost.  Sounds like the exhaust was damaged, too (duh).  So the good news is that I don't think a new car is in the offing but it looks like I'll be trying to demonstrate damage to the insurance company and get reimbursed for a while.  

Supposed to be sunny and warm on Sunday so I'll be getting photos to submit and scanning receipts...

Thanks for all your suggestions on replacement vehicles!

clutchsmoke said:

Might sound crazy, but what about another Vitara? Gotta be cheaper than a CRV or RAV4... Glad you're ok!

this was my thinking. Those were still boxed frame, solid little critters. If you go with the 07 (body style change with the 2.7 over the 2.5) its still full frame, but unibody on top and even more structurally sound. All of the others (CRV, RAV, Sportage, Tucson etc) are all unibody car construction. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Parts for Suzukis are beginning to become uncertain, but availability will probably outlast me...