VStrom Owners Thread

The cargo variety? I think they'd like seats..

Gotcha! Hadn’t noticed the solid door/side panels. Not so many of those...

Just out of curiosity, what’s the inside of the C/V look like? Extra deep floor where stow and go seats would be?

There's an older one not relatively far from you. However, it's an older one and won't have all the niceties of a newer one.
https://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/2005-DODGE-GRAND+CARAVAN-5014351413
And one close to me:
https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/ctd/d/portland-2013-ram-v-tradesman-cargo-van/7236140566.html
And another one just up the road from me:
https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/d/lynnwood-2014-ram-cargo-van-tradesman/7233104993.html
Hopefully you get things worked out in your favor.

The ones I've seen are just a flat floor.. I don't think there's access to the seat storage wells.

No seats in middle or rear, just flat aluminum floor. Below floor storage wells was an option during some years. I built a sleeping platform in back with storage compartments below it.

Looking at these vans tells me that I got a killer deal on mine.

Yeah, sometimes scarcity is a good thing.. usually depends on whether you need one or you have one.

It's amazing to me to see how much prices on vehicles have gone up this year and the past few years, but especially this year! You'd think the opposite would've happened this year.
Also, the insurance adjuster doesn't need to know what you paid. But you already know that.

I entered my maintenance log into an email to send to the adjuster and put together a Smugmug gallery of photos of some of the work I've done on the van. I'm ready for this.

I had a car get totaled by hail a week after doing a bunch of work to control arms, bushings, tie rods,struts, bearings, etc. I gave them the receipts for all the parts and showed them photos... it definitely helped.

Did you get caught in that hail storm in Louisville, CO? I watched tow trucks haul totaled cars out of office parks by the dozens.

MrBob,
Never underestimate the skulduggery of an insurance company. Years ago a lumber yard delivery truck made a u-turn in front of me. I was in the truck, chained up since it was really icy, almost got stopped before impact. Cops said his fault. Made insurance claim and the insurance company replied with a letter that said they had cancelled our policy 6 weeks before the collision. Yes, we were current on our premiums.

Never underestimate the skullduggery of an insurance company.

Hope you come out ahead in this.
Jathkajoe

No, it was in CO Springs about 5yrs ago. Totaled both of my cars with golf ball+ sized hail

My 2011 Wee does not have a tool kit. Next time a really nice person has their tool kit out, could you grab a photo so I can decide what to add to the one I'm assembling? Thanks in advance.

Never underestimate the skulduggery of an insurance company.

Best regards,

I can take a picture of the tools if you insist, but I can tell you the only really useful tool in there is the flat rear axle nut wrench. It's relatively lightweight and with the extension handle, actually useful while doing maintenance away from your garage. Everything else is of questionable quality and use.

I make my own tool kit in some repurposed bag. A socket set in useful sizes, a few open/closed combination wrenches, assorted hex wrenches, flat and Philips screw drivers, front axle hex tool, needle nose pliers, electrical tape and fuses. I think that's it (from memory). And, of course, that OEM rear axle nut tool. On the '12 model I have it's a 24mm nut.

Gustavo

I'm not likely to insist on anything. And I found a stock tool kit on eBay. That's all I was interested in.

Sorry, @MrBob, forgot one important detail. One other useful tool in the OEM tool kit is the spark plug socket. Most of my standard spark plug sockets don't fit as well as this does, due to their wall thickness being more than Suzuki planned on, so using it makes removing and reinstalling spark plugs easier. Also, despite the fact that it may seem as the other end of the tool will fit the front axle hex perfectly, it's not designed for the type of torque you need to apply to remove the axle. DAMHIK...

Gustavo

I remembered this from my 2006 Wee and I think I found the hex I needed at HF, IIRC.

Recently I did quite a bit of maintenance on the old V-Strom, with one of the smaller projects including replacement of the front sprocket. Check out what I found behind the sprocket cover!