1983 Suzuki Hatch review from Australia and New Zealand

Relatively nothing.

The engine has been fully rebuilt, although the transmission is the original, with no work done to it. When tightening the head bolts for the 1000km service the mechanic (who normally works on Volvos and who I had to pay to complete this service for me for warranty purposes) encountered a little trouble getting the rocker cover gasket to seal properly. The original F5A engine had a plain rocker cover gasket with no tabs or any description to secure it in place. Unless properly attached with some sort of gasket sealant and given plenty of time to cure, the gasket has a tendency to buckle inwards and leak oil over the inlet and exhaust manifold. Later revisions of the engine had 6 slots cut into the rocker cover so that moulded tabs in the gasket could ensure it does not buckle inward. I simply chased up a later model gasket and ground the slots into my rocker cover - problem solved.

Aside from that slight irritation, everything has, and still is, running beautifully. :)

This is not a car that I would recommend to anybody with any large interest in comfort and performance. However, for those of you who are interested in a real head turner and aren't phased by a mildly rough ride, then this could be the car for you.

I have driven many cars ranging from European to Asian, off-roader's and strictly street cars, and I can safely say that I have never felt a greater joy driving any of them than I have felt in my Suzuki Hatch.

As a city commuter I find the car is perfect. Yes, it IS slow to accelerate, particularly if you drive the 2-speed Automatic, as I do. Providing you are driving on relatively flat terrain, however, the car keeps up admirably given it's huge power disadvantage, with good cruising potential at and around 85km/h. Long trips can be a little bit of a hassle - I'm generally not prepared to drive mine any faster than 90km/h on the highway as it is inefficient and fairly hard on the car.

But getting away from the more mundane driving patterns we all know, the hatch can be a bucket of fun on tight city streets. The cornering potential of the car is great, and when driving on tight roads it can feel a lot faster than it really is. The standard brakes are impressive, too, as if they are in good condition they can easily lock the wheels at high speeds and handle a fair bit of braking before you start to suffer from fade. One should always bear in mind, though, that this is dependant on the pads your car is running. You are best to get your discs re-machined if they have any grooves in them, and then fit performance pads like the Bendix Metal King or similiar.

I love this car, and I would recommend a drive to anybody who is interested in a little bit of fun. The hatch often receives extremely harsh reviews for its rough ride, lack of power, and build quality, but the majority of these reviewers, I feel, are lacking perspective. Consider the fact that, brand new, the car sold for only $6000AU in Australia in 1983. The engine is under a hell of a lot of stress to try and push the weight of the car and its passengers, and given the abuse they receive, they are incredibly reliable. The average life of the engine is about 150,00kms, but we must remember that this is with your average driver, who never warms the car up correctly, runs poor quality motor oil and fuel, and more than likely never does a service until they have breached 10,000kms.

My advice to you, should you acquire a Hatch is:

* Do a complete rebuild of the engine the first chance that you get.

* Run the engine in on a good quality mineral-based, non-friction modified oil for the first 1000kms.

* From your 1000km service onwards, never run anything, but pure synthetic motor and transmission oils. I personally prefer Mobil 1 5W-50. People get the dirts when they see the price of the oil, but remember that your sump has a capacity of under 2.5 Litres. I work in automotive retail and I am able to acquire Mobil 1 @ $40AU a bottle, when then works out to only be $20 an oil change: less than the cost of a much lower grade premium mineral oil in your average car.

* ALWAYS change your oil and oil filter at 5000kms. Even synthetic motor oil starts to break down at around 4000-4500kms. Most oil filters start to clog at 4000kms, too. NEVER go 10,000kms without changing your oil and filters.

* Always run brand-name fuels like BP, Shell & Mobil. NEVER run discount fuels. Come on, you can afford it in a car that only costs $20AU to fill!

* Always allow the car to idle 1-2 minutes before you commence driving on a cold start - the majority of your engine wear occurs in the first 15 minutes, don't be at all tempted to blat it!

* Pamper the car STUPID and I guarantee it will provide you with nothing, but satisfaction and memories that you will cherish. These are wonderful little cars that are often misunderstood, and with just a little bit of understanding, you too can enjoy this kind of relationship with one of the quirkier cars to drive on our roads. :)