Hello and a few questions (towing, running costs, fuel consumption)?

Hi all 

I’m not a jimny owner, though I’m considering becoming one. I currently own a tdv6 auto discovery 3 it’s a good machine, it’s not really suiting my needs though. 

I’m a big landy fan having had a series 3 swb as my fist car still have it though restoring it just now and always wanted a defender though they are stupid money these days. 

my conundrum is I want to occasionally go camping etc for walking and mountain biking. I also live in the Scottish highlands and help out on estates and farms locally so a 4x4 is not essential but a useful tool to me and good when we get snow. 

I have recently tried to branch out on my own and do a bit of mobile mechanic work in my time off. I’m a marine engineer and work away on ships for a couple of weeks/ a month at a time. The disco doesn’t really have the space I require to store tools permanently for such a venture while being useful for other activities. 

What has all this got any relevance to jimnys you may ask. Right well I’ll get to the point. Something like a large 4x4 sprinter van would be ideal, But are prohibitively expensive as I’d put some kind of work/camper vehicle in one. But I don’t always need my tools and I won’t always need a camper. My idea is a box trailer workshop about a ton in weight, a small van to use as a camper and a working away occasionally and Suzuki jimny to handle the 4x4 requirements I have. Van and jimny would interchangeably tow the workshop to where it was required depending on situations and requirements. 

So dose anyone know what’s the jimny like towing about a ton in weight no lift and a set of all terrain tyres. What’s the fuel consumption like towing and on its own? 

what are the general running costs of a jimny like? 

part of the reason for this is not surprisingly the disco is extremely heavy on fuel and not really sustainable in many ways and it’s not really fit for purpose all on its Tod. I would just get a trailer and use the disco but it’s not great as a camper for anything more than a night. 

Hi and welcome.
Running costs - Very cheap.
Service it yourself and all it needs is oil and filters. I bulk purchase my oil and a full service works out about £80 in parts and about 2 hours of my time. That's engine and transmission.
Very easy vehicle to work on, hence one of the cheapest I've owned as I so far can do everything myself.

Towing - comments based on my 2009 standard Gen3 with all terrain tyres / Manual Transmission.
I regularly tow about 750kg from one end of the UK to the other. It's fine if you are in no rush, hills are your enemy. Long or steep inclines can see third gear and may revs just to keep it above 30mph. It can make you sweat a little on the a fast motorway, but usually theres a lorry you can follow that's struggling also. On the flat it can pull it at 50-60mph but it's not got any more left.
It handles the weight just fine, it's the lack of power that makes it hard work. Better tow vehicles exist, but I put up with my Jimny because I like it. 
I average 35mpg over a year including my towing. it's about 30 to 33 mpg on the motorway with the van. This is our daily drive, so year average mpg includes everything, urban, weekly supermarket run, long days out and towing.

If you want 4x4 with low ratio gearbox that's cheap(compared to others) then you don't have much choice. If you don't need the low ratio box then how about something with a bigger engine, RAV4, Duster etc. 

But if you just like the Jimny then get one, it will do just fine!
 

Are you looking at the new 2018-on Jimny or the previous version?

A ton is a lot to tow with a small vehicle like a Jimny, l've tried our 2020 SZ5 with our Basecamp 2 Caravan (around 1,000kg) and it did better than l thought, have to thrash it on hills but in general driving it was better than the reviews would have you believe.

The 2018 on model has a larger engine with more power, although people have successfully towed large trailers and caravans with the previous version.

When not towing our Jimny manages over 40mpg. Even on the commute it does around 38mpg.

Not sure what the previous one is like in that respect though.

I'm a shepherd and consequently I have to tow a lot usually at or near the full 1300kg. I also live on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales so have an abundance of big hills between me and anywhere I need to be. My current Jimny is a 1.3 automatic and it's very capable of the work if a little slow if I run out of momentum. Yes towing with my land cruiser is much nicer and quicker than the Jimny but the Jimny gets the same high 20s mpg towing as the land cruiser manages solo down hill with a following gale. Solo my Jimny will comfortably do low 30s which is great for a relatively heavy 1.3 automatic brick. My previous manual was only able to get 4 or 5 more mpg solo so I am happy to pay the price of having the better gearbox, it's so much calmer and smoother than the manual and it's better off road.

I use my Jimny for firewood deliveries. Gen3 on all terrains, towing over a ton regularly. I have now fitted a 1.6 which makes things much easier, but it did the same work with the 1.3 and managed admirably. If you're used to a series Landrover the Jimmy will feel like a rocket, with the caveat that you have to rev the engine high to get it's full potential. Then engines are fine with that though. There are a few hills near me where (with the 1.3) I liked to use 3rd gear to hold 60mph, which means it's merrily spinning away at 6,000rpm. It did that day in day out without drama. Having the 1.6 means I can hold 60 in 4th at under 5,000rpm so it's much more civilised!
I get better fuel economy when I'm towing but that is down to driving style and speed limits.

Thank you all for the reply’s they were just what I was looking for. 

Although I would concider a haldex system 4x4 of some description, like a freelander or duster, but I would prefer to get a 4x4 with low range as it’s much more useful for me.

it all seems pretty good to be honest so I think it has seriously moved up the considerations list, I don’t have the budget for a new one so I’d be looking for an older one in the £2000-£3000 bracket. Don’t mind if it needs some work. It will have to wait till I have sold my disco though unless I can persuade anyone to swap for it. Hahaha though it’s unlikely with mine. 

I suppose I should read the buying guide to see what it’s got on the subject of them is there anything to look out for not mentioned in there.  

Good news it's still on your list.
​RUST is your main concern.
In summary:
Below headlamps (front body mounts), behind front wheel arch liners hence difficult to see. But if can see rust below the headlamps it's likely the mount below is shot.
Body mount just behind front wheel and inner sill's.
Rear body mount behind rear wheel and load area floor, check the jack storage area.

SO have a good look in these areas and generally everything else. 

Engine usually bomb proof but check for coolant loss or issues with blowing coolant into overflow bottle. If it's empty or over full after a test drive ask yourself why, some reports of head gasket failure on older or overheated engines and these are the symptoms.

Kingpins - A Jimny right of passage. They don't last forever and rusty swivel accelerates their failure. Steering wobble, oil leak on wheel or play in front wheel the signs of issues. Not a big problem but £50ish and an hour or two each side to fix.

4x4 system still working, check it does. Rust on the vacuum lines or controller issues prevent its operation and many fit manual hubs rather than fixing the issue. Nothing wrong with this, but check the manual hubs if you can.

Have fun and good luck in your search.


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Right so been having a look into these vehicles a bit more and it all seems quite promising. 

Just a couple more questions though. 

So how’s the jiminy off for seating position for tall drivers. It would appear to be pretty good but I’m 6’1” so my high sometimes poses a problem in cars. 

how flat can you get the back seats when folded down, though if not I can take them out if need be as I wouldn’t really be needing them. 

cheers

Rear seats in the Gen3 don't fold flat, you have a fair step between the rear and seat backs.
Take the seats out if you have no need to carry rear passengers and fit a flat load area. That's what I and many others have done, looks neat and makes the rear a very useful space.
Not tall enough to comment myself, but recall some fit adapter plates that allow the seat to move back more for those long of limb.
 

I'm about an inch shorter than you and broad with it, I also have recaro seats in mine which lift you up a little bit and I fit fine, it's actually one of the more comfortable vehicles I have owned.

Cheers guys thanks for the advice and input been very helpful. 

Just to add as you are in the Highlands you won't be tearing around.
Due to the low gearing the Jimny is really happy in the 50/60 range or less.
I did the NC500 towing a small Freedom 750kg caravan and on the single track section round Durness down to Ullapool because I was travelling relatively slowly I thought the fuel gauge had broken as it didn't use much at all.
It only has a 40ltr tank so distances on motorways etc can be limited eg I can just about get to Carlisle/Newcastle on a tank from Northampton.
Driving on smaller roads is a bonus and it's as good as a landrover off road but it doesn't have a centre diff so all the wheels are locked in 4wd so it's not advisable for tarmac in 4wd except snow/ice/mud etc.