Why did you buy a Jimny?

My pal in Scotland had one. Tricked it up and it just got me thinking. The Justy bodywork was starting to go and I thought do better look around for an alternative for the winter. Saw an awful lot of rubbish, went all over the place..
Ended up finding one literally a mile away. A silver 06 with 40k on it.
Bought last summer and went through it top to bottom with a view to selling it in winter and making a profit. Thought I'd get another year out of the Justy.
That didn't happen lol. Sold the Justy this year which has ended up going to Scotland of all places and kept the Jimny.
The bug bit and I started to add stuff.
Next on the agenda is a lift kit. Going to go the Trailmaster route but still can't decide wether to go 2" or 3"

I regularly go mountaineering, mountain bicycling and on overland (wilderness) touring.
Therefore, I need a genuinely all-terrain capable motor vehicle.

My first car ever was a Fiat Panda 4x4 Mk1. It was the best that I could buy for cheap, that is relatively young and well preserved.
Although it is not an all-terrain vehicle design (it's a city car with purposely designed 4x4 drivetrain - a "fake" 4WD vehicle), it was very capable and durable off road. That is very much because Steyr-Daimler-Puch designed its 4x4 drivetrain, including a solid rear axle with leaf springs.

Today, that car would be classified as a "crossover", but it is definitely two levels above any current crossover vehicle, which are useless.

However, Panda Mk1 is a very basic vehicle ("basic" is a too luxurious word). Also, it is not a proper all terrain vehicle.

I wanted to upgrade to something genuinely capable off road, and also with more comfort and safety.
I certainly wanted to have separate chassis and body, low range gearing, and also both solid axles.
Although I rarely drive on so hardcore terrain to justify both solid axles, I made that a requirement just because I always strive to have a complete solution without compromises.

These purist requirements ruled out a significant portion of all-terrain vehicle model catalogue (like Niva, 4Runner, Land Cruiser Prado, Terrano 2, Vitara, Pajero, Cherokee, Liberty, Retona, Sportage, Sorento, Frontera, etc.).
Not to mention fake all-terrain vehicles like Freelander, RAV4, CR-V, X-trail, Explorer, etc.etc. which have none of all-terrain design elements: unibody construction, no solid axles and no low range gearing.

The models which fitted my requirements were:
-Suzuki Samurai
-Suzuki Jimny
- Daihatsu Feroza and Rocky
- Land Rover Defender / Discovery 1 & 2 / Range Rover 1 & 2
- Jeep Wrangler
- Mercedes G class
- Toyota Land Cruiser 60, 70, 80
- Nissan Patrol Y60 and Y61
- any that I forgot?

Of all these satisfactory vehicle models, most are either very expensive to buy or even more expensive to own. Not to mention that some are larger than my living room. Being large is a disadvantage when you go or (God forbid) reverse through narrow forest roads along hill slopes.

The only three which were a reasonable expense were Suzuki Samurai, Suzuki Jimny, Daihatsu Rocky and Daihatsu Feroza.

Daihatsus are quite hard to find to be a bit newer (past year 2000), and they do eat a lot of fuel, being petrol with well over 2 l engine capacity. Also, they are rare with electric windows and AC, and I believe they have no ABS nor airbags.

Suzuki Samurai is more economical, and there is also a diesel edition, bit it is also hard to find newer than year 2000, and none has electric windows, AC, ABS nor airbags. It is also very small and impractical.

So there comes Suzuki Jimny. It's a Samurai with safety and comfort - ABS, two airbags, much better interior utilization, electric windows, AC, heated seats, even electric mirrors.
But it looks like an anime cartoon fan designed its looks. Looks like a girl's first city car. In the wild, it looks like it got lost from its city stroll to where it does not belong.
However, it has all mechanical ingredients, and that should matter the most, I keep saying to myself. It is still tiny and impractical, but if you want to be an uncompromised purist, you have to make some compromises. Or buy a Land Mower or Land Bruiser.

And that's how I got to Jimny.

I like it very much. But if I think a bit deeper "why", I start to struggle to find a clear answer.

Mechanically, one thing which I certainly despise is its poor steering knuckle design, which is very vulnerable to water and mud ingress. Having to rebuild swivel seals and kingpins on regular basis if having occasional proper water or mud contact definitely defeats the purpose of having such a theoretically capable vehicle with both solid axles.

If there is one reason why I will maybe one day change my Jimny for something else (apart from the size/interior space requirements), is to buy a car which has the steering knuckle system properly and durably designed (that is, if I still stay true to my "both solid axles" stance). I am thinking of a Merceses G class or a Toyota Land Cruiser 70 SWB. But I first have to make a prosperous career in stock markets, petrol distribution or gambling.

So I think I will not divorce the Jimny any time soon.

We have a touring caravan, but from last November it has been static on a seasonal pitch in Devon. The lanes around there are very narrow in parts so as I didn't want to damage my towcar I bought the Jimny. I was a bit unsure at first because we have an 80 miles trip to the caravan which is 50 miles motorway and 30 miles up the A38 with some steep hills but the Jimny has been fantastic. We have no worries now on the lanes, and as we use the caravan all year round, have no worries about getting home should the weather get nasty. In fact the big towcar never moves now as I use the Jimny all the time. I am thinking about a 2" lift just for the taller ride height but am concerned it might make the car less comfy on the motorway. As it is, I can do 70 to 75 with no rattles or uncomfortable noise.

After years of saying" I was born to be chauffeured", my wife announced that she wanted to learn to drive.
So I bought her a Jimny 'cos that's what she wanted, and until such time as she passed her test, I used it myself....the rest is history...she still has hers and loves it, and I'm on my 3rd !!!!
Can't imagine life without one now, and don't think I'll ever not have one....we also have a Grand Cherokee which only gets used for towing the caravan....expensive luxury, I know, and the Jimny is ten times the fun !!!

I got mine last year for 2 reasons.
1, I needed a replacement for my Offroad comp car. I loved my SJ KJA but it had to double up as my daily driver
to get me to work. The SJ was old, uncomfortable, damp and loud! ( vitara 1.6 + side exit exhaust). The Jimny is
much nicer.

2, My other half got hers 1st, a black o2 soft top. I took the micky and called it a bit gay!
I drove it a couple of times and found myself grinning like an idiot. A month later I bought my Jim bob
and started getting it ready for offroad duty.

11/60 wrote:
So how did you find yourself with a Jimny?

Cheap road tax, end of.
I saw some lemons before I got one. Then mine had king pin troubles, smoking and rear brakes that never passed the MoT . Ironic really

Bought mine for a bit of fun.....and it is

Bosanek wrote: I regularly go mountaineering, mountain bicycling and on overland (wilderness) touring.
Therefore, I need a genuinely all-terrain capable motor vehicle.
These purist requirements ruled out a significant portion of all-terrain vehicle model catalogue ( Pajero).
Not to mention fake all-terrain vehicles like Freelander,




So there comes Suzuki Jimny.
But it looks like an anime cartoon fan designed its looks.
However, it has all mechanical ingredients, and that should matter the most, I keep saying to myself. It is still tiny and impractical, but if you want to be an uncompromised purist, you have to make some compromises. Or buy a Land Mower or Land Bruiser.



Mechanically, one thing which I certainly despise is its poor steering knuckle design,
.

I have to say the Pajero is surely an all terrain vehicle, has a four wheel drive you can even stay in on any surface if you wish etc. etc. It is a superb off roader.
Second you have not mentioned the Pajero iO or the Pajero Junior.
Junior has exactly all that you want in front drive system and in size and less lady design. I own one and it is a superb off roader.
iO is very capable as long as you get an iO and not a Shogun Pinin version.
I do agree about the king pin weaknesses of the Jimny

Also I would not be too quick to rule out the Freelander. One good thing is they have a reputation for not rusting.

Grego wrote: Bought mine for a bit of fun.....and it is

Same here. Mostly because my stupid mate bought an L200 and nagged me to buy something for greenlaning.

I decided to by a jimny because.....

I had one....loved it....sold it....got a defender....hated it....sold it....got a jimny....love it

I bought a Jimny as I only had a bike and I hate riding in the rain!

Saw a Jimny and figured at least it's a longitudinal engine arrangement....transverse is anathema to me.

Noticed it was a little fun so...well mostly modded it into a completely different animal.