Isuzu Amigo Vs Suzuki Sidekick

Hi all, This is my first post I hope I am posting it in the right section.
I'm currently in a 2000 Hyundai sonata GLS V6 AT and looking for something with a little more power.
get up my girl friends non-paved hill drive way, drive on the beach in the summer and also get me to work and school.

It seems like right now my 2 choices are a 1999 Isuzu Amigo S soft top V6 AT (out of state dealership) inland
and a 1998 Suzuki Sidekick JLX Sport 4 Cylinder AT (local dealership)

I was wondering if maybe some one could assist me with the better choice.
I want the Amigo but my fear is rust I live on Cape Cod right near the salt water and I heard a lot of complaints with rust with Isuzu's.
Also Isuzu has no more dealerships in North America. so getting it serviced might be a problem. The Softtop looks so fun though! :biggrin:

I don't know to much about Suzuki. I know it has a lesser engine so going to the beach and up dirt hills might be a choir even though it has 4x4.
Anyway thanks for the help! looking forward to hear your thoughts

Here are the specs on each vehicle for you:

Sidekick Specs (http://www.internetautoguide.com/13-13-1998-78-1156-911/1998-suzuki-sidekick-jlx-sport-hard-top-sport-utility-specifications.html)

Amigo Specs (http://www.carsdirect.com/1999/isuzu/amigo/specs)

Based on what I've read, I would honestly go with the Amigo myself. If you're concerned about rust, see if you can get an undercoating done on the vehicle and verify before purchasing that there isn't already some substantial rust on the vehicle. Additionally, it might just be a need of washing the thing once every week/two weeks to make sure the salt stays off.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the fast reply! I am going to look at the Suzuki Side Kick today maybe give it a test drive...
The Amigo is about 5 hours away and the dealership is doing some work to it (new muffler and Back windows) and wont be done for 2 weeks :frown:
The guy at the dealership for the Amigo said there was no rust issues with this car.
I never heard of a under coating before! i'll have to look that up. does meineke's do something like that?

Also I forgot to add will be needing this car to get threw the New England snow as well :rolleyes:
Thanks again for your fast reply!

Thanks for the fast reply! I am going to look at the Suzuki Side Kick today maybe give it a test drive...
The Amigo is about 5 hours away and the dealership is doing some work to it (new muffler and Back windows) and wont be done for 2 weeks :frown:
The guy at the dealership for the Amigo said there was no rust issues with this car.
I never heard of a under coating before! i'll have to look that up. does meineke's do something like that?

Also I forgot to add will be needing this car to get threw the New England snow as well :rolleyes:
Thanks again for your fast reply!

Here is a look at what undercoating does (http://www.ehow.com/facts_5006661_what-car-undercoating.html). Basically it's a rubberized coating that is meant to protect the undercarriage of the car.

I'm not sure who does it in your area - I would check with local dealers/detail shops before checking with the chain muffler shops. Alternatively, you can probably get some and do it yourself if that option is out there.

As far as the Amigo goes, if you aren't sure about it, the best thing you can do is check it out once the work is complete and drive it for yourself. Then, despite what they may have told you, inspect that thing from bumper to bumper using your own eyes to verify that it has no rust. You don't want to buy a car and then get it home only to find that it has frame rust underneath or in the door jams.

Here is a picture of the underneath the Amigo. Do you guys consider this a problematic amount of rust? it looks pretty good in imo, but then again I do not know to much about this kind of thing :1zhelp:
http://img233.imageshack.us/i/photojah.jpg/