Should i get a jimny?

Hi guys, 

so for months I’ve been thinking of getting a jimny. Dreaming would be better. Now I’m not an expert driver, but now live in a very rural setting, lots of narrow lanes, muddy passing spots, tracks, hills, muddy gravel roads, farmland everywhere.etc etc. 

I didn’t realise you have to slip it in and out of 4WD, I have also read that you should never drive in 4WD in the above conditions I mentioned. Is this correct?

I also read that they have a tendency to roll??

on this forum someone talked about what tyres to put on. Would the correct tires make it easier in driving RWD with above conditions? 

I also read - I’ve read a lot- that it can be tricky to slip it into 4wd unless you are stationary with wheels straight!

im looking at older models 2005 for example.

sorry, quite a few questions. Feedback would be greatly appreciated 
Thank you. 
 

 

You can only use 4WD when there is some slip in the surface, so snow, mud wet grass and very loose gravel are all ok.

You can switch between 2WD and 4WD whilst moving but to engage 4WD low range you have to be stopped.

A decent set of AT tyres will cope with roads, muddy patches, grass, gravel and even off road, you don’t need 4WD all that often.

I don’t think they roll, that is probably a myth. I can sling my Jimny in to a corner and it has never even wobbled, in fact it’s pretty good.

So should you get one, well if your daily drive in out in the wilds and the road conditions are sometimes poor then yes a Jimny will keep you going when other vehicles fall by the way side.

Plus they are great fun.

Robin

Narrow lanes--tick.
Muddy passing spots --Tick.
Tracks --tick.
Hills -tick.
Muddy gravel roads -tick.
Farmland everywhere -tick (with permission ).
You do not drive in 4WD on dry roads
It was the SJ models that rolled and that was back in the eighties under extreme provocation.
Tyres designed for dirt, gravel snow and ice are always better than bog standard road biased tyres and may under some conditions suffice in 2WD but 4WD will be better still.
It is not difficult to engage 4WD but you need to be stationary to do it and straight wheels are not mandatory.
I think you need to change your reading material.
For the type of conditions you have mentioned, a Jimny is ideal as it is light so doesn't damage soft tracks as much as larger heavier motors, it's narrow so can squeeze down narrow lanes, it's tall so it's better at looking over hedges, it's frugal, always a good point and it's relatively cheap to run. Plus they are reliable and then you have us to tell you what not to read.
Welcome to the Forum.

Roger

If the conditions dictate you can quite happily change between 4x2 and 4x4 high range at upto 60 miles an hour though and this is just my opinion if you are doing 60 in conditions that require the additional traction of 4x4 you may consider slowing down unless its some kind of rally race.

The Rolling over thing  is nonsense and was started in America back in the 80s when some Automotive experts crashed one and tried to get the samurai removed from the USA. Suzuki Won the case as it was proved that the tests to roll the car were rigged and it was very difficult to roll one. All of this is on YouTube for those interested. Now back to the Jimny on a country lane in the wet or Ice there would be a high chance of the Jimny slipping and sliding causing it to crash so more care would be needed compared to other cars. The lightness and rear wheel drive can cause the back end to slip. Apart from that it’s ideal on the back rounds and most at home doing that kind of work. 

They are great cars, but most 2005 cars will have some established rust.  You need to spend half an hour inspecting it for serious rust, including shimmying underneath the car. 

Boot floor
Wheel.arches
Behind the headlamps
Body to chassis mounting points
Sills (looking outwards from underneath)

And check the 4WD actually works.  On older cars the vacuum system that locks the front hubs often fails.

Also, drive it at all speeds and watch for a violent steering wheel wobble at around 50mph.
 

wrote:

It is not difficult to engage 4WD but you need to be stationary to do it and straight wheels are not mandatory.

 

The opposite is in fact true. You can be moving at up to 60mph but you must have the wheels straight.

wrote:

Hi guys, 

so for months I’ve been thinking of getting a jimny. Dreaming would be better. Now I’m not an expert driver, but now live in a very rural setting, lots of narrow lanes, muddy passing spots, tracks, hills, muddy gravel roads, farmland everywhere.etc etc. 

I didn’t realise you have to slip it in and out of 4WD, I have also read that you should never drive in 4WD in the above conditions I mentioned. Is this correct?

I also read that they have a tendency to roll??

on this forum someone talked about what tyres to put on. Would the correct tires make it easier in driving RWD with above conditions? 

I also read - I’ve read a lot- that it can be tricky to slip it into 4wd unless you are stationary with wheels straight!

im looking at older models 2005 for example.

sorry, quite a few questions. Feedback would be greatly appreciated 
Thank you. 
 


 

You shouldn't need to use 4wd unless it is snowy out when road driving in the UK. RWD is fine and should be no problem to drive on the road, even if you haven't driven rwd before.

The Jimny is a "proper" off roader. So while it handles perfectly fine, it will drive significantly differently to a fwd hatchback. Best bet is go and have a test drive in one and see if you like it.

Now don't get me wrong, 4wd can be a benefit in some conditions, but the Jimny just isn't designed to use 4wd unless on slippery or loose surfaces. If you want 4wd all the time you'll need to look at something like a Rav4, Freelander or swb Shogun.

Thank you for your responses. Much appreciated. I’ll consider all and if get one- report back!!

Get a 2004 model 
Stronger gearbox and stick transfer box 
2005 vvt saw introduction of the chocolate R72 gearbox and electronic push button transfer box 
Jack

You asked on a Jimny forum if you should get one, that's like asking at an AA meeting if anyone's up for the pub 

I am going to say maybe, but a lot will depend on what you follow, your heart or practical.

The Jimny is great on narrow roads etc and you only need 4WD for the seriousness slippery stuff. Great visibility and actually fun to drive. A roads and motorways for distance not so good. They don't roll over and are no more prone to sliding than anything else driven within it's  limits.
The down side is fuel economy (32 ish average) and rust, rust, rust, rust. Check this carefully if your heart wants a Jimny.

If this is your first car and want to go practical would suggest a C1/Aygo / 107. Cheap to insure, cheap to purchase, cheap to tax, reliable and  50 plus mpg. They are also fun to drive and great on narrow roads. They are also good in snow and the slippy stuff, not Jimny good, but you won't get stuck unless you go axle deep in mush. I know, I've owned a C1 for many years. They are also better on A roads and motorways than the Jimny.

Not going to be a popular suggestion on a Jimny forum, but I've just taken my rose tinted glasses off to suggest an alternative thats more road biased and a better first car. If you really want 4x4 another alternative is pre 2006 Rav4. After 2006 they messed the engine up and they became large vehicles / diesel lumps. 

Glasses back on, get a Jimny, they are great fun

it is totally impractical, about as much storage as an MX5, uncomfortable, leans in sharp corners, slow, garbage fuel economy, high road tax, etc etc etc. It will be the most fun, enjoyable, quirky vehicle you have ever had.... You live in the areas it was built for...dont think. just do it. (... read up here and google as to where to look for the dreaded rust issues!)