Hi, my daughter is interested in buying a Suzuki Jimny as her 1st car, she's 23, and looking for job in wildlife sector, hence the
4WD......looking to spend about 5K on 10-12 yr old car.
I don't know much about these cars, so do you have any hints, tips, advice & what to look out for on this particular car? TIA.
I love the look of the jimny but couldn't believe how mentally expensive they are! Shame really.
Keep your eye out for rust, first places to show are normally boot floor, under rear seats, behind front panel, and chassis outriggers.
Occasionally you'll find one with no rust, but they are not the norm, I have had rusty holes in 6 year old jimny.
Have a look here for some pointers;
https://www.bigjimny.com/mediawiki/index.php/Rust_protection
The engines are pretty bulletproof, later 16v engines have better fuel economy and the gearboxes can leak oil.
The front axle hub swivel bearings are a similar setup to a landrover, any stiffness, roughness or excessive play can affect the handling, sometimes
giving what's termed "death wobble" when that play induces steering shake while braking - fixable but can really catch you out while
driving at any reasonable speed.
A related problem is wheel bearing play causing brake judder, the front caliper is installed in the 12 o'clock position, so any play is magnified
as pad knockback.
Trouble is I can't think of alternative small 4x4's that don't also have either rust or mechanical problems at the age you're
looking at. I have an old jeep patriot which I have had to weld the rear quarter panel and replace the rear subframe (very little other rust though,
but i did waxoyl it everywhere I could when i bought it 10 years ago), and suffers from frequent suspension bush wear all round (it is used off road
daily though) the mechanicals have been generally good though, the patriot is based on a mitsubishi outlander/asx platform, these are also rust prone
in the body and subframes.
Dave
as an alternative what about the PANDA 4x4?
I have never had one - some love them
Swivel hubs as mentioned. Usually (all the ones I've dealt with) if they're bad, they leak oil/grease from the swivel seal at the back, so
easy to check. Not a difficult fix (if you can build a kit car) but messy with lots of steps. Repair kits avaliable and good videos.
Rust of course but later ones don't seem too bad from what I've seen.
Great little motor overall.
[Edited on 30/7/24 by adithorp]
4x4's don't generally make good first cars as they handle dreadful on the road and fall over very easily. Does she really need one to access where she needs to go? You could always put winter or offroad tyres on a cheap small FWD (even with a lift kit) and most will go anywhere reasonable. Fit a sump skid and sliders to the sills...
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
4x4's don't generally make good first cars as they handle dreadful on the road and fall over very easily. Does she really need one to access where she needs to go? You could always put winter or offroad tyres on a cheap small FWD (even with a lift kit) and most will go anywhere reasonable. Fit a sump skid and sliders to the sills...
I was going to suggest the panda 4x4 - they seem pretty decent cars for what they are and may be a much better first car. It all depends on what she wants to do & more seriously what she's likely to do whilst she's got the first car.
Sounds like she needs a darcia duster two or four wheel drive
G
How much off-roading is really required - surely work provides a vehicle for the rough stuff? I have a 2016 version of one of these, a Subaru Impreza
1.6iRC - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407252132426 - constant four wheel drive, manual gearbox with a low ratio transfer box (so 5 low
forward gears as well as the regular 5 ratios) with a Subaru steel sump guard and diff guards (both available as accessories, the sump guard you could
get in ali too) and careful driving including low ratio got me a long way on remote forestry tracks for work and have a second set of wheels with
winter tyres. Not much power (114bhp) and a 1.6 fuel injected petrol engine with no turbo. Later ones are Euro NCAP 6 but more money, this one is a 5.
Check insurance plus when OK for low emissions zones.
Also this model is rated for 1500kg towing weight - handy for an Austin Healey Sprite or Locost 7 on a light single axle trailer…
If you need something for access for deer stalking including moving the carcass and perhaps hauling an ATV in a trailer then this is not it.
Cheers
Mike
[Edited on 30/7/24 by Mike Wood]
[Edited on 30/7/24 by Mike Wood]
[Edited on 30/7/24 by Mike Wood]
[Edited on 30/7/24 by Mike Wood]
[Edited on 31/7/24 by Mike Wood]
Given the required criteria I would go for a freelander. Still drives like a car but will handle the mud well with a set of decent tyres.
I found the jimny's to be underpowered to the point of thrashing them just to keep with traffic.
OK thanks for the comments chaps, and the alternative options too. I've shown her the replies and we are planning to go and view some cars in next 10 days.
For what it's worth I'd also throw in the Skoda Yeti. Available in 2 & 4 wheel drive with a range of engines they are a very solid vehicle that drives very well on the road and is quite a capable mild off-road performer - even in 2wd configuration. My step-daughter has a 2wd 1.4 petrol version which has to cope with frequent visits to remote surfing locations as well as day-to-day domestic duties.
quote:
Originally posted by overdriver
For what it's worth I'd also throw in the Skoda Yeti. Available in 2 & 4 wheel drive with a range of engines they are a very solid vehicle that drives very well on the road and is quite a capable mild off-road performer - even in 2wd configuration. My step-daughter has a 2wd 1.4 petrol version which has to cope with frequent visits to remote surfing locations as well as day-to-day domestic duties.
The yeti is not a bad shout, if she needs 4x4 then the 1.4 and larger petrols and the 2.0 diesels are the only models built with 4x4. I would avoid
the diesel for the egr valve being common to fail, and it being a remove the subframe and transfer box job to access, not cheap to repair when it does
go(£1200 at dealer w/genuine parts, patterned valves are a crapshoot, worst ones I've fitted lasting 4 days, hence I don't fit the patterned
ones anymore).
The 2015 onward 1.4 tsi is the best option on the petrol engines, the timing belt intervals have recently been changed from 5 years to inspect yearly
(as a guide probably ok for 8years/100k miles). If you look at a low mileage one, there is a reasonable chance the actuator rod for the turbo will be
seized from lack of use, but can usually be freed off with a bit of penetrating oil, but no major problems beyond normal wear/tear.
The older 1.4tsi has a timing chain, but suffers from chain stretch and tensioner failure, to assess you need to hear the car running from cold to
pick up the signs of an impending problem, if caught early is just a new chain kit, but if left will end up as a full head rebuild. As per most other
modern chain driven cam engines, the oil needs changing at absolute minimum yearly or 12k miles to give the chain best chance of not wearing out.
Dave
Hi.
If your daughter needs any help with insurance at all then please feel free to drop me a line.
Regards,
Dan.
My niece and her partner have a Dacia Duster, and they live at the end of a steep farm track in the wilds of Scotlandshire! They've been very happy with it, and I believe my brother is thinking of buying himself one as a result (or may have done so already).