Gen 4 Jimny 2018+ - General questions to other owners

Hi all,

I have owned my Gen SZ5 for Jimny since May 2019 and have done about 15 xxx kms and I have some general questions for other owners . Thought comparing our experience would be a good insight for people thinking of buying or on the waiting list.

1. How comfortable is your ride?
   My car has been a little bit over the place. I understand it is a ladder frame car and it is suppose to flexible but the rocking side by side was getting a little out of hand. Didn't really feel that confidant driving on the highway due to crosswinds and at high speeds. Mrs was complaining about getting sick every time we went somewhere so I thought of upgrading suspension
   I ended up getting the 40mm lift kit from tough dog that have stiffer shocks which dramatically reduced the body rocking back and forth along with some wider offset tyres definitely helped. I know the stiffer suspension can hinder offroad performance but I am more of a weekend warrior and use my Jimny as a daily.
   little tip - the 40mm lift kit from tough dog headlight bracket is actually the same bracket as the 50mm and 60mm. Best to redrill some holes on the bracket to ensure the LED headlights aren't aimed lower than they should be.


2. Do your ears ring after 15-20mins?
   I have done quite a few things as the car to reduce road noise which really started to affect my ears. Once you go past 70km/h you really start hearing a lot of road noise and vibrations.
   
   My ears start hurting pretty badly after driving 15-20mins driving above 70km/h with the windows closed , cracked a little or open. Kinda feels like pressure in the ears, like in a tunnel, on a plane or even diving. I have placed sound deadening, noising cancellation foam on roof , doors, side panels and under the carpet but still no changes. Does anyone have this issue?


3. Do you have difficulty finding accessories?
   I know I was one of the first people to get the Jimny in Australia but I found it extremely difficult to find parts , accessories or information for a long long time. I understand it is a new car so I have made Google Doc with a lot of websites and items that work. Check my signature.


4. Do you have trouble with visibility?
   I am 110kgs and 6'1" so I am pretty big for the Jimny. Inside the cabin I use to have trouble seeing some traffic lights and I would have to bend down and look up through the windscreen in order to see the lights. I did notice that after I put the 40mm lift kit I no longer do this so that was a bonus adding the lift kit.
   
   I was leading a group of cars on our way to offroad track and I had quitea few people mention that even though my car is super bright it is very easy to lose in traffic. The tail lights being so low , its hard to see when I am going to turn when my indicators sit so low.
   
   I have installed some tail lights on the roof racks and I have noticed a lot less people up my a** while I am driving. More space and people changing lanes sooner behind me after i turn on my indicators.


5. What little things annoy you?
   I have one thing that really annoys me, the temperature nob. I always drive with the vents open and in the morning I tend to have the heater on, once it gets warm I turn off the blower. Now, later in the day with the vents still opened, hot air blows in. The only way I can find to adjust the temperature is to turn on the blower again, adjust the temperature and then turn off the blower. This is how I adjust the temperature of the air coming through the vents. Am I missing something or is this the only way?


6. Do you have any other questions you would like to ask?
   Ask away , I would like to hear peoples experience with their Jimny and maybe there is something I can learn as well.

Good idea for a thread

I've only had my Jimny since March this year and 2000'ish miles. Although I'm a seasoned 4x4 owner, having been around them all my life and currently owning at least 3 1/2 4x4's of various makes.

1. How comfortable is your ride?
   On road the ride is fine. I do, hand on heart find it baffling about the side to side motion you describe. And put it down to your roof rack, lack of familiarity with 4x4's, wheel/tyre combo or something being broken/wrong.
   
   I have seen over 90mph on the speedo (private road...) and it mine will run at speed no problem. With very little body roll, even when driving fairly hard on twisty country British B roads.
   
   They ca be a little sensitive to cross winds, but if I'm honest no more than my Smart ForTwo was. And even when windy, driving at 50-60mph was just like any other car.
   
   
   Not the most twisty of roads, but fairly high speed (count the gear changes). The Jimny felt planted and stable.
   
   
   
   
   Off road I'd say the stock suspension is not the most compliant however. And does feel bumpy compared to my Land Rover.


2. Do your ears ring after 15-20mins?
   Windows up, no.
   
   The Jimny is very quiet IMO, it's the quietest car I've owned in 25 years. Windows open, no different to any other boxy 4x4.
   
   
   


3. Do you have difficulty finding accessories?
   Not really. The internet makes it easy. The Jimny certainly has a bigger aftermarket than many other vehicles. But smaller than others.


4. Do you have trouble with visibility?
   No.


5. What little things annoy you?
   Nothing major. A couple of niggles maybe.
   
   Biggest gripe. Lack of storage bins/cubby boxes.
   
   Sun visor is not wide enough and leaves a big gap next to the interior mirror.
   
   Unhelpful fuel gauge.

I've had mine since Jan 2019 and about 7500 miles covered to date.

1. How comfortable is your ride?
   I find the ride quality fine, despite running on tyres with a higher than standard load index (so stiffer sidewalls). It definitely sways more than a 'normal' modern car and gets blown around on windy days, but I learned to drive in a Citroen 2CV, so the Jimny feels like a rock solid tank in comparison.


2. Do your ears ring after 15-20mins?
   Not something that I've experienced, either before or after adding sound deadening material (Dynamat Xtreme in boot floor, rear wings and front doors). Have taken my family on a 1200 mile holiday round trip in a week, with plenty of motorway driving at 60mph/100kph with no complaints of noise. Only exception is if you drop the front windows, then you get the same 'pulsing' or 'booming' of wind which is awful. Window weather shields get rid of that.


3. Do you have difficulty finding accessories?
   It's the opposite in my case, there are too many bits and bobs available! Lots of stuff comes up in various Facebook groups, Instagram and on here. The main difficulty is sorting out the things that are really beneficial from the cosmetic tat.


4. Do you have trouble with visibility?
   Sometimes it's tricky to see traffic lights if you're close, due to the small front screen, but never really thought of it as a problem. Overall visibility is excellent with all the glass, but I'm glad I added a reversing camera and parking sensors, as things that are really close vanish from view.


5. What little things annoy you?
   I've fixed some of the annoying things:
   - The door open beeper when the key is in the ignition - fixed by removing a plug in the steering column.
   - Static shocks when getting out of the car - fixed by fitting Escapegear seat covers
   - No variable windscreen wipers - fixed by fitting Swift wiper stalk
   
   One thing I do hate is that the centre air vents can't be turned off like the side ones. Not a problem when driving solo as I just point them at the passenger side, but irritating when you have a passenger. Another annoyance is that the infotainment and dash clocks aren't linked and need to be adjusted separately and and I really miss having a volume knob, steering wheel controls just don't cut it when you want to quickly whack the volume down.
   
   Lack of an additional gear in both the auto and manual that would make motorway cruising more practical also a shame, but driving style has adapted to compensate.
   
   With the SZ5 I just have the climate control on all the time in auto, if it's chilly in the morning I might bump it up to 22, then dial it down to 19 once the cabin is warm. Same as with other cars.

I've gotta be honest here, I thought it would be much much worse than it actually is. I bought mine totally blind and only saw and drove it the day I picked it up then had to drive 200 miles down the M1 same day. It was wobbly in the wind and noisy and definitely no point driving it over 70mph so 65 all the way but damn I had a smile so wide you could have driven an er Jimny through it. It was a lot more refined than the press made out to be.

One tip is get wind deflectors fitted as they greatly help with wind noise and buffeting.

It's super compromised and the wifey hates it but I don't care and if worse comes to worse then I can sell it for 3 grand more than I paid for it.

If I had to be picky:
No armrest but solved with an after market one.

No sun visor mirror on the sz4 so I can't check out my grin every 5 mins.

No cupholder (due to armrest) but bought an after market one.

No leds on sz4 but standard lights are great.

I don't have to drive any more than 5k miles a year and if it was my daily commute car I'd have a long hard think.

Ps. Sz4 so I have a volume knob and the head unit is actually very good.

I have no problems with the ride or noise but a little more power along with a 6th gear would be nice for the dual carriageway/motorway.
My biggest issue is the over sensitive auto headlights but this is countered by the superb LED lights and the faultless auto dip. Would be nice to know how much fuel is left when the warning comes on. Dodgy interface with Android Auto although it's consistent as long as I follow the precise switch on routine. Oh, and it's the 1st car I've had that returns better mileage than specified. Having said that, a bigger tank would be good.

Gadget wrote: I really miss having a volume knob, steering wheel controls just don't cut it when you want to quickly whack the volume down.

There is a Mute button too

I have an SZ5 since January now with 10k on the clock.
How comfortable is your ride?
Similar experience. On tight bends it does roll but I now adapt my driving to the car and got used to it.

Do your ears ring after 15-20mins?
No.

Do you have difficulty finding accessories?
I only plan to add a snorkel. I added the OEM tow bar and reverse radar system. I do mostly mountain forrest trails chasing game and the Jimny is perfect as-is.

Do you have trouble with visibility?
No. I am 6 feet tall and I find the visibility great (compared to a Defender...) The only minor visibility issue is looking right (on a LH drive car) when turning left, the passenger seat headrest is in the way. Again, I have adapted to this.

What little things annoy you?
Apart from the above, I find the heating and AC rather inefficient. The lack of a 6th gear... and a few more HP would be nice. Actually, the over sensitive daylight sensor does get frustrating.
Having said that, it is great fun

How comfortable is your ride?
Upgraded suspension to give slightly better sill and tyre clearence. Has stopped the sway and on good roads is a vast improvement. Short wheelbase, firmer suspension so as expected a little more pitchy.

Do your ears ring after 15-20mins?
No. Either windows up or fully down off road or the rattle drives me crazy.

Do you have difficulty finding accessories?
Yes. Is Australia so getting appropriate and standards approved gear at reasonable price near impossible. Cannot understand why dealers here don't offer all of Suzuki genuine gear.

Do you have trouble with visibility?
No but the rear vision mirror is too low. Luckily a shorter 3D printed one is in the works.

What little things annoy you?
Being told I'm going to crash twice a day. Have turned of lane keep assist as it simply is an annoyance on Oz country roads.
Small fuel tank (480km to a tank on average including off road).
Transfer case chain noise in 1st. Know thete is a fix but it doesn't last.

Do you have any other questions you would like to ask?

General comments.
Love the little beasty. It makes me smile, it's very capable off road. Looks great. Has been easy to work on. Everyone I've met through having a JB74 have been happy and helpful, absolutely great bunch of people.


crash486

1. How comfortable is your ride?
To be honest I do like the way it handles and drives, nice and comfy. I think a lot of people that say they don't handle well are still driving the Jimny like a hot hatch. I have come to the Jimny from a Toyota iQ on lowered springs, that felt like it was on rails on the bends compared to the Jimny, but I like driving the Jimny in an equally good way, but just differently. Having said that I will be fitting my 40mm OME lift kit next week, but my reasons are not for handling on road.

2. Do your ears ring after 15-20mins?
Only when the wife is in and starts singing along to the radio
I don't find it anywhere near as noisy as some of the reviewers would have you believe. Sometime I drive without the radio because I like the sound of the mechanics. A totally silent car would be boring.
I do have wind deflectors on, that is so I can have the window cracked open a couple of inches without letting rain in.

3. Do you have difficulty finding accessories?
No, I think I have managed to get everything I want/need.

4. Do you have trouble with visibility?
No, even though the wing (door) mirrors are quite big, I don't find them obtrusive.
Edit: I did fit the reversing camera as backing into spaces with bollards and things, they soon disappear from view. Worth every penny.

5. What little things annoy you?
Nothing really, some things seemed strange at first (window switch position) but you soon get used to them and they become the new norm.
I tend to always have the fan on #2 and temp at 22 in cooler weather. The only thing I don't like about climate control is you can't select the vent mode, it is automatic. My iQ was like that though, so presume it is a universal climate control thing.

6. Do you have any other questions you would like to ask?
Can't think of any.

What little things annoy you?
"Transfer case chain noise in 1st. Know there is a fix but it doesn't last".
I have to ask Crash, what's the story with the remedial not lasting?
I haven't had mine done but if I did I would expect a fix to last.
Chris

CC Baxter wrote: What little things annoy you?
"Transfer case chain noise in 1st. Know there is a fix but it doesn't last".
I have to ask Crash, what's the story with the remedial not lasting?
I haven't had mine done but if I did I would expect a fix to last.
Chris

There have been several people here in Australia that have had the fix applied. Initially the sound is reduced substantially but after a while it returns.
It doesn't appear to be a problem mechanically, just noisy. It may come to be a Jimny "feature" .
I'd still report it and ask for the fix though.

crash486

I have a 69 plate, never had 1st gear noise thank goodness. Seen vids on utube sounds like a metal fart.