2008 Suzuki Swift Pricing and Specs

Spark plugs can foul with oil or with fuel if the mixture is incorrect or the fuel is old and stale. If it’s fuel that’s the problem you need to either fix the problem that is throwing the air-fuel ratio out of whack or replace the fuel if its old (and modern ULP doesn’t have a huge shelf life). Experience has also shown that once a spark plug has fouled because of old ULP, no amount of cleaning will bring that plug back to life.

If it’s oil that’s fouling the plug, it’s probably because of blow-by from worn piston rings or valve-stem seals. If that’s the case, the oil level n the dipstick will be falling over time and you may even see evidence of blue-grey smoke from the tailpipe. Without knowing how many kilometres this engine has covered and how it’s been serviced, it’s very difficult to suggest what the cause might be.

It can, Jayson, but there’s one vital thing you must check first. Lift the bonnet of your car and find the build date. It should be on a small, silver tag somewhere in the engine bay. Here’s why: Suzuki lists 2008 as the cut-off year for E10 fuel for the Swift. That is, Swifts built before that date can’t use E10, those built after that date can.

So why check the build date on your car? Because even though it may have been sold in 2008, it might have been built in 2007. Even if the registration papers list the car as a 2008, it could still have been built in 2007. Paperwork is only as accurate as the person filling it in, but the build-date on the car’s tag doesn’t lie.

Do not buy a Cruze, or buy a European brand. They will prove costly. It's best to go for the cars that are well proven over many years. The Lancer is a good one, but so too is the Toyota Yaris or Corolla, Suzuki Swift, Mazda2 or 3, or Mitsubishi Colt.