Re:Best year / mileage to buy?

Welcome to the forum. There's a buying guide in the wiki section. But in basic terms avoid manual cars between 05 an 09 as they have gearbox bearing issues. Newer models depend on your budget and older ones are all about condition. There's much more info here with the search button.

If you can find a twin cam hard top between 2000 and 2004 that has no rust that has the manual transfer box and a bomb proof engine and gearbox combination.

The key bit is rust free is tricky to find.

Have a look at the buying guide in the wiki to see where they rust most.

If you are willing to pay for a 2010 on car then rust us the only main issue.

Of course you could go for an automatic gearbox between 2005 and 2009 as it's only the manual that suffered. If you intend to modify it with bigger tyres I believe that you need to solve the issue of the automatic gearbox needing a bigger transmission fluid cooler. There's been a post on that on here in the last week.

An auto could be better off road in some circumstances but I think I've come to the conclusion that it would drive me mad having a slow car with a basic auto box on the road. The Jimny needs to be revved to hustle it along and this is not possible with an auto without permanently being in kick down.

Kirkynut