Jimny for Commuting 15k a year ??? Pro's & Con's

im thinking about buying a jimny, and i do around 15k a year, my commute to work is around 40 -50 miles a day, previously i had a disco and peugoet but couldnt afford to run 2 cars.
i thort a JIMNY would be a good choice economical and 4x4 ability .

id like to lift it 3 inches and give it some 235x75x15 but wondered what the pros and cons are going to be if i use it as a dayliy comuter ??? expected mpg and how it will effect reliability etc.

Hello and welcome to big Jimny! I think 40-50 miles per day would be ok. If you modify your Jimny your problem will be mpg! Expect 25-26mpg with 235 tyres, even on standard 205-70-15 road tyres its hard to crack 30mpg. Stay out of deep water and a Jimny should very relible and cheap to run. Big lifts will make the car much more tiring to drive on the road.

Cheers for your help. i surpose its all down to how you drive. if it ends up being a problem i would consider lpg. my old disco wasnt the most road friendly with 265's , 3 inch lift and no anti roll bars lol.

How badly will the performance be effected with the 235's, will it just end up eating clutches??

I just bought a jimny 3 weeks ago.
LOVE it to bits however......
I have had 4x4 probs ( leaking vacuum pipe )
few rust holes in it ( easy to plate )
25mpg in constant 4x4 on 3ish mile journeys over a tank which isnt too bad.
Everything on the jimny seems to be easy to fix so far, I especially like the fact it has a chassis unlike modern vehicles - and the fact every part is easy to obtain and mods are plentifull ( even if cash isnt atm )
The one downside......doesnt bother me in the slightest.... is driving it fast. You cant.
While Im happy dottering at 50mph many arnt, if your not dont buy one.

Others may disagree, but this is my opinion. I love her as I said but there are always pros/cons.

Hope you get what you want,

Bert

I just bought a jimny 3 weeks ago.
LOVE it to bits however......
I have had 4x4 probs ( leaking vacuum pipe )
few rust holes in it ( easy to plate )
25mpg in constant 4x4 on 3ish mile journeys over a tank which isnt too bad.
Everything on the jimny seems to be easy to fix so far, I especially like the fact it has a chassis unlike modern vehicles - and the fact every part is easy to obtain and mods are plentifull ( even if cash isnt atm )
The one downside......doesnt bother me in the slightest.... is driving it fast. You cant.
While Im happy dottering at 50mph many arnt, if your not dont buy one.

Others may disagree, but this is my opinion. I love her as I said but there are always pros/cons.

Hope you get what you want,

Bert

Thing is, i find that 55-60 in a jimny doesnt feel slow so suits me just fine.

hairy when lifted, poor mpg... but i do like it !! Summit about it!

Ive only had mine a month or two, went for 215/75's on modulars as the whole slowness on any bigger put me off as i do a fair few miles 12-15k. Lifted it 3" aswell. Probs around 25-26 mpg.

Im sure youl enjoy it

im surprised to hear everyone saying that you only get 26ish mpg, i was expecting to get mid to low 30's in 2wd seems as its going to do most miles on the road.

30mpg is a pipedream especially when you're doing over 55mph. I personally find it tiring keeping up with traffic when joining/leaving roundabouts or merging from slips etc... If you drive it within its normal limits you'll very often hold people up coming off roundabouts.
It just its neck wringing to keep up with traffic. Personally i'd look at a diesel swb terranno for the sort of mileage you're doing, if you've the budget for it a swb landcruiser, my mates got one on bfg at's and it returns 30+mpg easily.

I love my jimny but it wouldn't be my 1st choice for regular commutes over 30 miles.

bertbuckie wrote: I just bought a jimny 3 weeks ago.
LOVE it to bits however......
I have had 4x4 probs ( leaking vacuum pipe )
few rust holes in it ( easy to plate )
25mpg in constant 4x4 on 3ish mile journeys over a tank which isnt too bad.
Everything on the jimny seems to be easy to fix so far, I especially like the fact it has a chassis unlike modern vehicles - and the fact every part is easy to obtain and mods are plentifull ( even if cash isnt atm )
The one downside......doesnt bother me in the slightest.... is driving it fast. You cant.
While Im happy dottering at 50mph many arnt, if your not dont buy one.

Others may disagree, but this is my opinion. I love her as I said but there are always pros/cons.

Hope you get what you want,

Bert

You're not using it in 4wd on tarmac are you Bertbuckie? You'll get transmission wind up and break something in the transmission - only use 4wd off road on loose surfaces!

In respect of 40-50 miles a day, it comes down to what you will tolerate. If alot of it is at low speed you're fine except the MPG but as others have said, doing speed and getting up to speed is hard work, especially with big tyres.

If I had to use mine for communting to still be able to have it like you are saying you have to - I would do it - but I only have short distances to do and I own a 1.3 T reg Micra for economic commuting.

Added to this is that mine has an external cage and winch and I have to leave it on the street near to work if I use it - I just know my winch would get nicked.

Kirkynut

mcjimny wrote: 30mpg is a pipedream especially when you're doing over 55mph.

I used £24 of petrol to go 120 miles this holiday, that is 28 mpg. Did about 40yards in 4wd when I couldn't get it to go up a hill in 2wd the rest is commuting at 20-40 mph :whistle:

mcjimny wrote: I personally find it tiring keeping up with traffic when joining/leaving roundabouts or merging from slips etc... If you drive it within its normal limits you'll very often hold people up coming off roundabouts.
It just its neck wringing to keep up with traffic.

I just take no notice of anything behind. I find it is best to not look in the mirrors much though

mcjimny wrote: Personally i'd look at a diesel swb terranno for the sort of mileage you're doing

I had one of those. Did about 33mpg, pulled very well 2nd gear starts on the flat, soon as the wheels go round into 3rd, then 5th. Used to vibrate a lot pulling hard though, so I sometimes used 4th around town.

mcjimny wrote: I love my jimny but it wouldn't be my 1st choice for regular commutes over 30 miles.

Agreed: something that does at least 75 to the gallon, preferably insurance group 1 and tax band A

I will get my 'bike out again soon, that does 60-65 mpg, and I still cry when I fill it up each week

Well I do 40 miles a day in the peak district to get to work and back.
I have kumho kl71's which are 20/80 split road - mud.
I keep a close watch on mpg. If I drive at 60+ on the A roads I get 27mpg if I tootle at 40 I will get 30
That's only 18 or so miles difference on a tank full.
I will have had mine a year on the 9th jan.
I have done 13k.

I had a 330d BMW before that I could get 50 mpg out of!
I prefer the jimny as it makes me grin driving it quick!

kirkynut wrote:

bertbuckie wrote: I just bought a jimny 3 weeks ago.
LOVE it to bits however......
I have had 4x4 probs ( leaking vacuum pipe )
few rust holes in it ( easy to plate )
25mpg in constant 4x4 on 3ish mile journeys over a tank which isnt too bad.
Everything on the jimny seems to be easy to fix so far, I especially like the fact it has a chassis unlike modern vehicles - and the fact every part is easy to obtain and mods are plentifull ( even if cash isnt atm )
The one downside......doesnt bother me in the slightest.... is driving it fast. You cant.
While Im happy dottering at 50mph many arnt, if your not dont buy one.

Others may disagree, but this is my opinion. I love her as I said but there are always pros/cons.

Hope you get what you want,

Bert

You're not using it in 4wd on tarmac are you Bertbuckie? You'll get transmission wind up and break something in the transmission - only use 4wd off road on loose surfaces!

In respect of 40-50 miles a day, it comes down to what you will tolerate. If alot of it is at low speed you're fine except the MPG but as others have said, doing speed and getting up to speed is hard work, especially with big tyres.

If I had to use mine for communting to still be able to have it like you are saying you have to - I would do it - but I only have short distances to do and I own a 1.3 T reg Micra for economic commuting.

Added to this is that mine has an external cage and winch and I have to leave it on the street near to work if I use it - I just know my winch would get nicked.

Kirkynut

No, It was in the bad snow up north east scotland
I just tried 2 wheel drive and got around 32mpg as a ruff estimate..... but I drive it like miss daisy's the passenger