Bought a Jimny for the winter!

Hi everyone, just bought a navy blue over silver 54 plate Jimny with 90k on the clock for the winter.. 2 BMW's in the house and although I'm fine with the snow my GF is very hesitant as she only got her first RWD on xmas eve last year and with the reports that I've seen of "what's to come" over the next few months I thought it best that we would be better to have a 4x4 lying for use, she works in the community and also has a small cleaning company (she's the sole employee) so lots of un-gritted roads that usually get forgotten about within housing estates are part of her winter travels. Never gave much for the Jimny so I think I might make it into a proper wee off-roader in the new year!

Any input is appreciated from the users in the forthcoming months and hopefully it will be a trouble free experience for her through this time.

1 question I do have just now is tyres, I can't see her giving up the luxury of her 10 month old car unless the white stuff is actually falling so does anyone have any recommendations as to decent tyres for the standard 15 inch alloys that will go under the arches at standard ride height? Was wanting to put something with a off-road style tread on it. Am I right in assuming that a 205/70/15 off road style tread is the same physical dimensions all round as a 205/70/15 standard road tyre? Or are they taller (diameter) Thanks in advance!

Melrose

Nice looking jim there mate! If your gf is gonna use it make sure she understands how to use the 4wd system though..... I.e only putting it into 4wd when there's slippery ground as otherwise she'll cause damage using it on clear Tarmac.

I run 215/75/15s on my standard jimny (no lift) and they're perfect. I went for general grabber AT2s which are an all terrain tyre so decent on normal Tarmac but much better in the snow etc.

Looks like this


Enjoy yours

205/70/15 are smaller than standard 205/75/15 are the same size

try this link for sizing www.kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator


195/80/15 come in about 50quid each tyresdirectuk.co.uk/shop/product-info.php?prodname=&id=16178

You will be able to laugh at beemers as you sail past in the rotten weather in the jimny and you get to leave your beemers tucked up at home away from the salt and mayhem when it does turn icy, added bonus!

I would have thought there should be plenty of space for the cleaning business gear, with the seats down it's surprising what you will get in the back. Also I'm sure your misses will enjoy it, my mother had a jimny for years and loved it to bits.

Hello and welcome.

as yours is a 2004 I believe you have a different front bumper than the older model so I dont think you can fit 195 80 15's as they will rub.

Mines a 2001 and I run 195 80 15 kumho kl71 mud tyres and theres not much clearance. Recon the fronts get within 10mm.

This is something that will need to be confirmed or disregarded by other members as im not sure what year it changed.

I got mine when there was a little bit of snow left and needless to say it was an interesting driving experience coming from a front wheel drive turbo hot hatch :ohmy:
especially if left in RWD :whistle:

Front bumpers with the higher fog lights (as per the OP) should be able to handle 215/75/15's (not remoulds) with no issues.

I believe it's the newer front bumpers with the close to the ground fogs which may have clearance issues with larger dia tyres.

A word of warning though: You may find that your already not great fuel economy drops a bit with larger tyres or a less road orientated tread.

I run the same tyres as Minibbb above with no issues on a standard setup (2003).

Thanks for all the replies so far, fuel economy isn't really that important if it's being sacrificed for traction. She works mostly within a 6 mile radius of the house and when we had the bad weather a couple of years ago the housing estates were a nightmare to get around, especially a few of the more hilly areas. So is in not advisable to run the jimny in 4wd on Tarmac? I had a 3ltr swb shogun years ago and that could be driven in 4wd constantly if preferred.

the jimny is only part time 4wd so doesnt have a centre diff therefor if you drive in 4wd on a high traction surface (dry to wet roads) the transmission winds up and can do serious damage to shafts etc as when you turn the outside wheels travel further which the centre diff on say a defender allows for (or something along those lines).

snow covered roads mud gravel etc are fine for 4wd as there is limited traction which means the tyres can slip abit re-leaving any tension in the transmission.

Ah right, I had just assumed the diffs on each axle would have allowed that to sort out the differences within the drivetrain left to right, and front to back. Well hopefully she won't read this as I've been toying with a 90 van for a while and she was nipping my head to buy 1 of those instead of a jimny! Money makes the world go round though and right now shelling out big money wasn't on my priority list.

ME13OSE wrote: Ah right, I had just assumed the diffs on each axle would have allowed that to sort out the differences within the drivetrain left to right, and front to back. Well hopefully she won't read this as I've been toying with a 90 van for a while and she was nipping my head to buy 1 of those instead of a jimny! Money makes the world go round though and right now shelling out big money wasn't on my priority list.

Don't panic, the jimnys are heroic in the snow! Mine got me everywhere last winter and showed up many other 4x4s. For what you want it for it'll be perfect, the LR90 would have cost far more too.

If you're not going off road standard A/T tyres are a good compromise. It all depends on your existing tyres wear wise or you just want the looks.
My wife is a mobile hairdresser and comes across similar situations to those you have described.
It's the urban estate roads that are the worst for uncleared snow and drifts as generally the main roads are ok.
I know someone with a BMW and he couldn't get off the estate in snow! Of course we should all fit winter tyres like our continental cousins :ohmy:
She used 4wd for the first time last year and came back raving about how stable the car felt.
Never any problem on A/T tyres and of course they are ok on dry roads as well.
As said as soon as you hit dry or just wet tarmac switch back to 2wd!

Just really looking for something that will get her out of anything the urban winter jungle might throw her way, and the tyres thats on it are not too clever, and possibly double up for a bit of light offroading for me