Newbie

The Jimny can be an incredible capable vehicle off road and as a Jimny owner I am biased towards towards them, however, I am not sure of what use they can be as a response 4x4 vehicle.

The reasons for me saying this are:

It is so light it can't move much by towing and by winching it will move rather then the object it is trying to move.

It is so small it can only carry a small amount of equipment.

It is so small it can not carry a casualty on a stretcher.

I think size is where the Green Oval People have us stumped. It's great getting to the people needing rescuing from floods, snow or whatever, but you've gotta be able to be of some use when there. A Jimny could only offer emergency first aid or convey emergency goods or equipment to people and could not take that much to them.

There is perhaps a place for a Jimny in such a service but it would have a limited role I think.

Perhaps I'm looking at things from an emergency services personnel point of view and too seriously, but it would not be my choice of vehicle for that purpose.

For someone wanting to take part in such a role without spending Landrover money - as lets face it they are too expensive for what they are compared to a Jimny - they offer a good choice, as long as their capabilities in the role are understood first.

This is my considered if somewhat boring point of view!!!

Kirkynut

Thank you very much for your input, very interesting and mostly points i have considered. Just to tidy a couple of points up as, without wishing to insult your intelligence, what we do isn't quite as you've explained. We are all about transporting people/key user groups in adverse conditions, we do not transport casualties other than perhaps walking wounded to a 1st ait point when marshalling events. In terms of the equipment we need to carry it is really just recovery equip - given the nature of the conditions we work and any gear that we are required to carry by the organisation we are working for - 3 alu cases when working for the docs for instance. I have been argueing with myself for weeks now over the size and i'm also keeping an eye on grand vitara's too as I don't want to go too old (pre 98/99) as I'll get somebody elses problems much older. If i could afford a young enough landy i'd have one in a snap, my 90 towed one of the lads' Off road prepped disco circa 2.5/3 tonne, - the other recovery alternative? An SJ. Funnily enough I was eyeing up the interior of a jimny parked up earlier and it does have a rediculous loadspace. Perhaps a GV or Terrano SWB or something is the way to go as it is a little bigger. Thing is i wanted an off road toy too as it's a second car. :dry: arrrrggh decisions decisions!

The car park has been sorted out now and is a lot better
there was a guy in a ferarri there a couple of month's ago

I work on the gate from 9-11am then go marshalling so 12 is no problem at all
there is still 4 hrs left to break thing's and get stuck :laugh:

As i said pal your more than welcome to call down just give me a bit of
notice and ill send you my mob no



Jamie

JonathonMarshall wrote:

Aye that'd be fab mate! I'm just down in Chester-le-street. I'm not sure whether I can PM anybody but i'll try. Nice looking Jimny btw, theres a similar hardtop knocking round here somewhere.

yes your pm worked, i'll be out on sunday if thats anygood to you - just to a local pay play day. i'll pm you the details if you wanna pop along
cheers

Ah good Jamie, that's reassuring then - my pug sometimes has er issues with such things as speed bumps you see :laugh: Anyway I'll probably be looking at early august before i'll be able to get down again but i'll definitely take you up on your offer.

Jon I got you're PM, I'll reply now and give you a buzz later on this afternoon.

Thanks all, you're a good bunch

Oh right, I see what you do, I was going by articles I have read in magazines about Response Groups.

A Jimny may well fit the bill then but will be a little cramped if you have to carry much kit. I think with a bit of thinking you could use the load area witht he rear seats down to maximise it but it takes a bit of headscratching.

I wouldn't go back to an SJ now, coil springs are great and seem luxurious compated to our old SJ.

The others you mention are not as capable off road due to the independant front suspension they have but do offer the greater space. I don't think they're as bad off road people say though, so perhaps a Grand Vit would be the way to go.

With respect to the age of the vehicle, I think I'd buy on condition rather than age. Reparing an older vehicle is alot cheaper and simpler than a newer one, if you can find one in the right condition to start with.

You do have alot to think about!!!

Kirkynut

It would seem that way...I won't be in a financial position to get anything until towards the end of the year at the earliest so plenty of thinking time:) I'm going out in Jonplace's Jimny tomorrow so that should be fun My budget may allow a half decent disco into the mix by then you never know. I may be able to do a car share with a mate whos got a knackered disco he was going to kit out for off roading which he's getting rid of. He had a Sportrak a few yrs ago so a Jimny might be ok for him.

With regard to the back seats - though i'll find out tomorrow - do they split or would i have to rip the whole lot out and fine a single donor rear? If they don't split or i can't rig something that'll be the jim out of the running i reckon. I suppose in a way i'm my own worst enemy as I want to have a bit of a extreme truck with a lift as well - and the jimny's seem to be easy to modify at a glance Ahhh decisions decisions! :dry:

I'd quite like a V8 Disco 1, Bobtailed on Megasquirt and LPG with internal LPG tanks, but they seem like a bit of hassle. Everyone I speak to that does proper off roading tells tales of snapped halfshafts and broken CV's and blown diffs, meaning you have to spend a fortune at Ashcroft Transmissions to make your vehicle less breakable.

This and the fact that the larger items on a Landrover such as engine and gearbox are so blooming big and heavy, meaning working on them is harder work steered me safely in the direction of the Jimny when our 410 starting showing signs of needing tlc.

Suzuki engines and gearboxes and trnsfer boxes are so light you can lift them into place on your own and my engine hoist will lift out of the lifted engine bay.

I'd still like a Disco though and perhaps when the pitter patter of tiny feet come along we may get one as an everyday car and use it for greenlaning.

If we were to stick with a Jimny and still go on Greenlaning holidays with kids in tow (not literally) I have thought about getting a trailer like Halfords sell to tow to the accomodation with the luggage in and then just stick the daily stuff and basic tools recovery stuff behind the rear seats in the shoebox sized boot.

Then it'll be decisions decisions for me but a little while before then, gotta get a house (with garage/workshop) first!!!

Kirkynut