How Good Off Road Are These Sportages?

pepper · 10-16-2005, 06:35 AM

Hi I'm thinking of picking up an old 4x4 for quarry days and offroad trials.

How much abuse have you fellow forum users dished out to your sportages?

The quarry where I'm mainly thinking of taking my vehicle is a serious off road playground I don't want to be buying a vehicle which can't cope.

Though the old Suzuki SJ410's get on pretty well in there.

pepper · 10-16-2005, 03:40 PM

Hmmm 24 views since posting and no ones posted yet,

Does this mean none of you actually take these Sportages off road?

Spec SX · 10-16-2005, 03:49 PM

I know of one person that has taken his Sportage off road and it is set up for off road use. It has been lifted. Not sure if a stock Sportage is all that good off road.

pepper · 10-16-2005, 04:05 PM

I was looking at the meagre ground clearances and was already thinking along the lines of a lift, there's no way it'd cope over the quarry otherwise.

Just think it would be nice to have a Kia for the road, my Sedona and a Kia for the off road a Sportage,

The vehicle I do buy will be trailered to events, as I don't see it being kept road legal for long once my daughters start driving it (mad sods)

Spec SX · 10-16-2005, 08:11 PM

Oh if your going to lift it there shouldnt be any issues of taking it off road.

fierotech2000 · 10-17-2005, 02:38 PM

you might be discouraged once you buy it. Sportages have no guts to them (compared to other off road vehicles) they are simply a nice looking 4wd car so that the wife can get around in the winter

take one for a test ride and bring 3 friends and get on the highway, you will know what I mean....

pepper · 10-17-2005, 04:00 PM

I understand what you mean, but I will be mainly using low gears in quarries and unclassified roads.

Funnily enough the most successful vehicles I've seen apart from the big RangeRovers have been the little Suzuki Rhinos they only come with 1100cc or 1300cc engines, tiny little things, but they have good ground clearances short overhangs and short wheelbases so make up for their small engines in other ways.

VinDiezel84 · 10-18-2005, 12:24 PM

Ask any of the guys over at http://www.4x4wire.com/ and I am sure they will tell you otherwise.

They are the offroading aspect. This site is more dedicated to the people who have something going wrong with their car and just want to know how to fix it.

pepper · 10-19-2005, 02:37 PM

thanks Vin there's some good ideas over on that forum!

VinDiezel84 · 10-19-2005, 10:51 PM

No problem. The offroad sportage setup is not my strong suit. If you need any info on lowering, bodykitting, turbo, custom hoods, and other interior/exterior mods feel free to contact me for more info.

AIM mycuzinvinnie

Email Seiber2@tcnj.edu