Miles on a Grand Vitara/Tracker when flat towing

[anitajeff]

I am looking to purchase a 1999-2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara or Tracker, basically the same car. Does anyone know when you are flat towing, does this model put miles on the odometer? I had a 1995 Sidekick and it did add miles when towing. The newer Vitara has a electronic odometer, not mechanical. I was told it makes a difference Looking for someone with experience here. Thanks Jeff

[Heisenberg]

2000 Tracker 20,000 + miles towed, none registered on odometer.

[Gonzo42]

If you wind up with a unit that does roll up the odometer, you might consider the following:

On my ROCKY the odometer does roll up. I keep a spreadsheet on all my vehicles to track taxes and MPG among other things. I fill one cell with miles being towed so I can subtract from the total miles and therefor have the number for the miles actually driven.

For instance, we visited Jellystone NP and the towed miles was 1250. The miles driven in the park was a couple of hundred.

The original owner of my ROCKY also used it as a toad so the 80K miles on the odometer was 75% towed miles.

ROCKY is so much fun to drive I use it for daily errands, but my spreadsheet keeps track of all the mileage.

[D_E_Bishop]

My 2006 had an electric transfer case and yes it did have a neutral. No it did not add miles while towing. The 1995 we use now does but the ones with electronic xfer cases don't. The SGV wasn't worth the extra weight, took almost a 0.5 gallon more per mile than the 95 and not as much fun.

The manual is available on line and geves a lot of good information.

[Janss]

I had a 1999 Tracker and now a 2012 Grand Vitara. Both 4WD with transfer cases that I put into neutral for towing. Neither register miles while towing.

[SidecarFlip]

Wish I still had my ZR2 with the twin cam V6. Great small SUV but a big buck liked it better last year and it lost, big time. He went from the passangers side front door, over the top and off the hood and spun me around 360 degrees. Never even saw him coming... on a dead run. Totaled it.

[enblethen]

No mileage on odometer on Suzukis after 1996.
Currently have 2002 Grand Vitara, 2003 Chev Tracker, 2005 Suzuki XL-7.
The 2002 and 2003 have mechanical transfer case. The XL-7 has electronic transfer case control.
Note the electronic transfer cases in later models do not have a neutral position so take care when looking.