Advice about Jimnys

Hello there I am an 18 year old looking to buy a Jimny too go to college in and to off road when I can.

I have about £3000 max to spend and to be honest I have no idea what too look or where I even begin looking I have checked out eBay and auto trader but I have no idea what I’m looking for >.< low mileage or a newer car or what .

I live in the east of England but we have a house in Scotland so I want to be taking it up there too off road and to play around in the snow in the winter months and I don’t know weather too be looking for a hard top or a soft top for the off roading.

And how many miles do you do to a full tank?

I hope that made sense


Thanks from Hugh

Young Jimny drivers are few and far between... i'm 21 had mine for a little over 12months

Long trips aren't the most comfortable in a Jimny... i do Cornwall (200miles) once a year and that is far enough! especially sat at 55mph with a kite buggy and all the gear sat on the rear end!

Insurance is interesting on a Jimny too... i was shocked that my insurance nearly doubled from my 2001 Fiesta! even though Fiesta have the boy racer appeal, and had a 1.3 petrol engine... its now down to a semi respectable £700

I personally would go for a Hardtop. I've been told to steer clear of the rag tops, as the Jap hardtops are better built... what truth is in this i'm not sure.

Aim for an 02-03 with 40k on the clock, should be around 3k! Pre-Modded Jimny's do seem to be a bit cheaper, but thats probably due to the limited market. Newer 'Facelift' Jimny's have a slightly nicer (car rather that van like)dash, and a Subaru style front bumper... but they also have button activated 4x4, which imo is asking for trouble and much prefer the mechanical lever.

I went for the 04 Mode... nice few little extras inc leather: seats, steering wheel and gear knob.

Hugo Boss wrote: ...I have about £3000 max to spend and to be honest I have no idea what too look or where I even begin looking I have checked out eBay and auto trader but I have no idea what I’m looking for >.< low mileage or a newer car or what ...

Does your £3k cover just the Jimny, or the Jimny plus insurance? At the lower price end of the market for any car I would buy on condition, not age or mileage

Hugo Boss wrote: And how many miles do you do to a full tank?

WHen I first got mine it had the engine management light on and was returning 26mpg. After servicing it and replacing the lambda probe it gave 32-33mpg. Since replacing the faulty alternator I'm now getting 35-36mpg. To put that in context, mine is a 2002 standard hard top running on the standard 205/70/15 Bridgestones and is being used on journeys where it's fully warmed up, not stuck in traffic and typically not going much over 65mph. Now that it's giving 35-36mpg I can comfortably get about 240 miles between fill ups - it's got a small tank and I don't like gambling on the needle dropping into the red.

adamatdraycott wrote: I personally would go for a Hardtop. I've been told to steer clear of the rag tops, as the Jap hardtops are better built... what truth is in this i'm not sure.

I've heard that too - hardtops built in Japan, soft tops built in Spain, but there are plenty of folk on here with soft tops who are very happy with them. The only thing to be careful of with any soft top is the amount of snow that you let build up on it. In Scotland last year we had masses of the stuff, burying unused cars in inches of snow. It was enough to burst weak points on the roof on a few soft tops.

I have a soft top but I only got it as I really enjoy driving with the roof off!
However the back section of the roof is a bit fiddly (particulalry the older roofs with the bars and clips, rather than the newer roof with studs). If you intend to drive around topless a lot go soft top, otherwise stick to the hard top.
Hardtops seem to be a little cheaper to buy, will be a bit more secure and warmer in the winter.

This may sound a bit vague but theres plenty out there and you've a good budget. Don't buy the first one you look at, look at a few, buy the lowest mileage and newest you can afford depending on condition.

Now they are dropping below 2/3k there are more abused examples getting about. A couple of years ago most were road only and well looked after or second cars. There are some nice cars to be had though so buy with care.

Hard tops are more practical as with the seats flat you can get a surprising amount of stuff in the back and of course you can always use the roof. Theres been quite a few times lately where i've missed my old sj where i spent most of the summer with the roof off, but when you get up in the winter to ice on the inside of your windows and its like driving inside a poorly erected polytunnel in the wind i'm grateful i got a tintop.

I return roughly 220-240miles to a full tank if i drive sensibly. Motorway miles aren't fun and i've frequently laboured the point of it being hard work keeping up with the flow of traffic. Until you've sat on a motorway in the inside lane with all the trucks you can't appreciate just how fast everyone else drives on motorways.

mcjimny wrote: I return roughly 220-240miles to a full tank if i drive sensibly. Motorway miles aren't fun and i've frequently laboured the point of it being hard work keeping up with the flow of traffic. Until you've sat on a motorway in the inside lane with all the trucks you can't appreciate just how fast everyone else drives on motorways.

I COULD squeeze 280 out of a tank... but have now got AT2's fitted so expecting about 240

Couldn't agree more regarding motorway miles... i sit at about 55mph with the revs at just over 3k
I have done 75mph but its noisy and i'd rather keep wear down to a minimum. Plus sitting at 55mph gives you the option of speeding up if need be

Insurance wise - try ensleigh insurance - they're specialist student insures and they came in top of the list for my first car and then the jimny. Unfortunately they are keen on modifications (i've had to swop mine over) but they always came in with the cheapest quote.

Echo the tin top views about how much you can get in. I have the seats down in the back of mine all the time, avoids you becoming the taxi for mates, but they're there for emergencies.

As for motorway speeds and MPG, i can get 240 out of a tank and thats driving at 70mph, and i avoid the inside lane - especially this time of year with all the caravaners out there!!!! LOL!!! just watch it if you try and pass a wagon at greater that 60 - you do get sucked in

Thank you so much for your advice im going to look at a 02 plate with 48000 miles on the clock this looks like the one for me and its a hard top thank you once again

Hugh