Suzuki Jimny

Am looking into buying a car have seen at the local showroom.

Suzuki Jimny, 2001

Any opinions on these, parkers gives them pretty good reviews, apart from
practicality and comfort, the reliability seems pretty good, and I am only
after something small for me and my wife, cheers in advance



Rob

"Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Am looking into buying a car have seen at the local showroom.
>
> Suzuki Jimny, 2001
>
> Any opinions on these, parkers gives them pretty good reviews, apart from
> practicality and comfort, the reliability seems pretty good, and I am only
> after something small for me and my wife, cheers in advance
>


What do you want the car for? My mum has a Jimny 2001 hardtop. It's good
off road and it's been totally reliable since new. I borrowed it for a few
weeks
so here's my verdict.

Great driving position around town - high up, good visibility. Pity about the
door handles resting against your knees.
Nippy enough if revved hard
Awful bouncy ride over potholes and uneven tarmac roads
Uncomfy, thin seats.
Bouncy ride on the motorway, hates crosswinds. I drove 600 miles in a day in it
once.
Uneconomical over 60mph. I used more fuel going to London from Manchester than I
did in a 2.0 Mondeo .
Boot space totally useless unless you fold the seats down. Even for two people
on a weekend away.. Tiny.
Good off road
Light controls

Despite the negative points, it is actually fun to drive on the road, it's revvy
and handles well enough, even if it does bounce around a bit

If you are going to go off road a lot with no luggage, then it's a great little
tool but if you're mainly going to be on road I think you'd get very weary of
the noise and the bouncy ride very quickly - at 70mph it's doing 4500rpm in top
gear so motorway journeys are long and unpleasant. Potholes make it very bouncy
and crashy to the point of giving me a headache.

If you are not going to be off road much, or just the odd dirty track, then get
a small modern hatchback, they are 1000 times
more pleasant to drive

hth

Mike

Yeah, not driven one in town but off-road they're pretty handy. In a lot of the off-road events they're the only cars that regularly beat Land Rovers. (Send your complaints to...)

"Mike P" <[email protected]>
>

>
> Despite the negative points, it is actually fun to drive on the road, it's
> revvy and handles well enough, even if it does bounce around a bit
>
> If you are going to go off road a lot with no luggage, then it's a great
> little tool but if you're mainly going to be on road I think you'd get
> very weary of the noise and the bouncy ride very quickly - at 70mph it's
> doing 4500rpm in top gear so motorway journeys are long and unpleasant.
> Potholes make it very bouncy and crashy to the point of giving me a
> headache.
>
> If you are not going to be off road much, or just the odd dirty track,
> then get a small modern hatchback, they are 1000 times
> more pleasant to drive
>
> hth
>
> Mike
>
>


I am going to take it off road, but yeah is mainly for road use, no
motorways, only local A roads, I just needed something small n cheap, which
this one is, nice to look at (well I think it is lol)

Thanks for the VERY informative feedback though, its WELL appreciated!

"Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Mike P" <[email protected]>
> >
>
> >
> > Despite the negative points, it is actually fun to drive on the road,
it's
> > revvy and handles well enough, even if it does bounce around a bit
> >
> > If you are going to go off road a lot with no luggage, then it's a great
> > little tool but if you're mainly going to be on road I think you'd get
> > very weary of the noise and the bouncy ride very quickly - at 70mph it's
> > doing 4500rpm in top gear so motorway journeys are long and unpleasant.
> > Potholes make it very bouncy and crashy to the point of giving me a
> > headache.
> >
> > If you are not going to be off road much, or just the odd dirty track,
> > then get a small modern hatchback, they are 1000 times
> > more pleasant to drive
> >
> > hth
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
>
>
> I am going to take it off road, but yeah is mainly for road use, no
> motorways, only local A roads, I just needed something small n cheap,
which
> this one is, nice to look at (well I think it is lol)
>
> Thanks for the VERY informative feedback though, its WELL appreciated!
>
>

Mind you dont tip it over!

Tim..

"Tim.." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Mike P" <[email protected]>
>> >
>>
>> >
>> > Despite the negative points, it is actually fun to drive on the road,
> it's
>> > revvy and handles well enough, even if it does bounce around a bit
>> >
>> > If you are going to go off road a lot with no luggage, then it's a great
>> > little tool but if you're mainly going to be on road I think you'd get
>> > very weary of the noise and the bouncy ride very quickly - at 70mph it's
>> > doing 4500rpm in top gear so motorway journeys are long and unpleasant.
>> > Potholes make it very bouncy and crashy to the point of giving me a
>> > headache.
>> >
>> > If you are not going to be off road much, or just the odd dirty track,
>> > then get a small modern hatchback, they are 1000 times
>> > more pleasant to drive
>> >
>> > hth
>> >
>> > Mike
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> I am going to take it off road, but yeah is mainly for road use, no
>> motorways, only local A roads, I just needed something small n cheap,
> which
>> this one is, nice to look at (well I think it is lol)
>>
>> Thanks for the VERY informative feedback though, its WELL appreciated!

No worries Go to a dealer and take one for a good drive on some of the
roads you use. You might like it!
My mum thinks her's is great but her previous cars have been 2 Lada1200 saloons,
a 2CV , an SJ410 and a old shape Vitara...


> Mind you dont tip it over!
>
I haven't yet It's not actually that bad. I've cornered faster in it than I
would expect with no problems at all.. It's
a LOT more stable than the old SJ410 and the ride is Rolls-Royce like compared


Mike P

"Mike P" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Tim.." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >>
> >> "Mike P" <[email protected]>
> >> >
> >>
> >> >
> >> > Despite the negative points, it is actually fun to drive on the road,
> > it's
> >> > revvy and handles well enough, even if it does bounce around a bit

> >> >
> >> > If you are going to go off road a lot with no luggage, then it's a
great
> >> > little tool but if you're mainly going to be on road I think you'd
get
> >> > very weary of the noise and the bouncy ride very quickly - at 70mph
it's
> >> > doing 4500rpm in top gear so motorway journeys are long and
unpleasant.
> >> > Potholes make it very bouncy and crashy to the point of giving me a
> >> > headache.
> >> >
> >> > If you are not going to be off road much, or just the odd dirty
track,
> >> > then get a small modern hatchback, they are 1000 times
> >> > more pleasant to drive
> >> >
> >> > hth
> >> >
> >> > Mike
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> I am going to take it off road, but yeah is mainly for road use, no
> >> motorways, only local A roads, I just needed something small n cheap,
> > which
> >> this one is, nice to look at (well I think it is lol)
> >>
> >> Thanks for the VERY informative feedback though, its WELL appreciated!
>
> No worries Go to a dealer and take one for a good drive on some of
the
> roads you use. You might like it!
> My mum thinks her's is great but her previous cars have been 2 Lada1200
saloons,
> a 2CV , an SJ410 and a old shape Vitara...
>
>
> > Mind you dont tip it over!
> >
> I haven't yet It's not actually that bad. I've cornered faster in it
than I
> would expect with no problems at all.. It's
> a LOT more stable than the old SJ410 and the ride is Rolls-Royce like
compared
>
>
> Mike P
>
>
hello all
i'm also shopping for a Jimny at the mo, just as a play car really and was
wondering if anyone out there knw the tallest tyres that will go on (i fancy
some mud terrains) but have heard that jimnys are not as easy to lift as say
the earlier SJs? cheers, Rich ps anyone with a jimny want to swap it for a
94 4runner 3.0td?!

"Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Am looking into buying a car have seen at the local showroom.
>
> Suzuki Jimny, 2001
>
> Any opinions on these, parkers gives them pretty good reviews, apart from
> practicality and comfort, the reliability seems pretty good, and I am only
> after something small for me and my wife, cheers in advance
>
>
>
> Rob
>

What is the centre diff, is it perm locked or open diff, dont know what I am
talking about, its just something someone asked me to ask.....he says
something about testing the 4WD, and if its a locked diff or something, you
cannot test it onroad??

Please forgive my ignorance, the world of 4x4 has always fascinated me, but
not been able to get into it before, but I am a willing pupil


Rob

Rob wrote:
> "Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Am looking into buying a car have seen at the local showroom.
>>
>>Suzuki Jimny, 2001
>>
>>Any opinions on these, parkers gives them pretty good reviews, apart from
>>practicality and comfort, the reliability seems pretty good, and I am only
>>after something small for me and my wife, cheers in advance
>>
>>
>>
>>Rob
>>
>
>
> What is the centre diff, is it perm locked or open diff, dont know what I am
> talking about, its just something someone asked me to ask.....he says
> something about testing the 4WD, and if its a locked diff or something, you
> cannot test it onroad??
>
> Please forgive my ignorance, the world of 4x4 has always fascinated me, but
> not been able to get into it before, but I am a willing pupil
>
>
> Rob
>
>
Rob

I see no one has answered you question. Diffs let the wheels on the
outside of the bend spin faster than those on the inside of the bend. It
does this by transferring the power to the wheel that has the least
resistance. See all the spinning wheels in the snow this week!

The jimny has permanent drive to the rear wheels through the rear diff.
This gives you one wheel drive, the standard method for most vehicles
including front wheel drives and permanent 4X4 if the diffs are not locked.

Back to the Jimny. The transfer of power from the engine to the front
and rear drive shafts does not go through a diff, but uses a chain. The
front wheels have locking hubs with no central diff on that axle. The
locking is by vacuum controlled from a lever/button in the car.

This makes for a good set-up. Economical rear wheel drive on metalled
roads. Lock those hubs while moving straight ahead and you have the
front two wheels always driving. The rear could loose traction and spin
a wheel, but the fronts will spin at the same rate.

My wife has one that i get to driving when my LR is in for a oil change.

Andy

"ntlworld" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
<<SNIP>>
>
> Back to the Jimny. The transfer of power from the engine to the front and
> rear drive shafts does not go through a diff, but uses a chain. The front
> wheels have locking hubs with no central diff on that axle. The locking is
> by vacuum controlled from a lever/button in the car.
>
> This makes for a good set-up. Economical rear wheel drive on metalled
> roads. Lock those hubs while moving straight ahead and you have the front
> two wheels always driving. The rear could loose traction and spin a wheel,
> but the fronts will spin at the same rate.
>
> My wife has one that i get to driving when my LR is in for a oil change.
>
> Andy

How on earth does it go round corners without a diff in the front axle? I
thought the Jimny was mechanically pretty much like the coil sprung Sammys
available everywhere else in the world before the Jimny came along?

Simon H

Simon H ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

> How on earth does it go round corners without a diff in the front
> axle?

Unlocked hubs, so the wheels aren't connected to the driveshafts.

"ntlworld" <[email protected]>
>>
>>
> Rob
>
> I see no one has answered you question. Diffs let the wheels on the
> outside of the bend spin faster than those on the inside of the bend. It
> does this by transferring the power to the wheel that has the least
> resistance. See all the spinning wheels in the snow this week!
>
> The jimny has permanent drive to the rear wheels through the rear diff.
> This gives you one wheel drive, the standard method for most vehicles
> including front wheel drives and permanent 4X4 if the diffs are not
> locked.
>
> Back to the Jimny. The transfer of power from the engine to the front and
> rear drive shafts does not go through a diff, but uses a chain. The front
> wheels have locking hubs with no central diff on that axle. The locking is
> by vacuum controlled from a lever/button in the car.
>
> This makes for a good set-up. Economical rear wheel drive on metalled
> roads. Lock those hubs while moving straight ahead and you have the front
> two wheels always driving. The rear could loose traction and spin a wheel,
> but the fronts will spin at the same rate.
>
> My wife has one that i get to driving when my LR is in for a oil change.
>
> Andy


Thanks for the answers Andy, much appreciated!!!!

"Adrian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Simon H ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like
> they were saying :
>
>> How on earth does it go round corners without a diff in the front
>> axle?
>
> Unlocked hubs, so the wheels aren't connected to the driveshafts.

OK, then.
How on earth does it go round corners when in 4 wheel drive?

Simon H

Simon H ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

>>> How on earth does it go round corners without a diff in the front
>>> axle?

>> Unlocked hubs, so the wheels aren't connected to the driveshafts.

> OK, then.
> How on earth does it go round corners when in 4 wheel drive?

Very badly.

Simon H wrote:
> "Adrian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Simon H ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like
>>they were saying :
>>
>>>How on earth does it go round corners without a diff in the front
>>>axle?
>>
>>Unlocked hubs, so the wheels aren't connected to the driveshafts.
>
> OK, then.
> How on earth does it go round corners when in 4 wheel drive?

Tyre slippage, which is why 4WDs without a front-diff should never be
used in that mode on tarmac.

--
Eddie [email protected]

"Eddie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
<<SNIP>>
>
> Tyre slippage, which is why 4WDs without a front-diff should never be used
> in that mode on tarmac.
>
> --
> Eddie [email protected]


Eddie,
Please give some examples of 4WDs that don't have front diffs... I'd like to
find out how they work. Hydraulic drive and skid steer? Could be interesting

Simon H

Simon H wrote:
> "Eddie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Tyre slippage, which is why 4WDs without a front-diff should never be used
>>in that mode on tarmac.
>
> Please give some examples of 4WDs that don't have front diffs... I'd like to
> find out how they work. Hydraulic drive and skid steer? Could be interesting

Vitara, for starters. But, AFAIK, the Vitara has a "proper" driveshaft
and transfer box to allow selection of 2H, 4H and 4L ratios.

It seems to work OK, as long as you remember never to engage 4WD on tarmac.

--
Eddie [email protected]

Eddie ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

>>>Tyre slippage, which is why 4WDs without a front-diff should never be
>>>used in that mode on tarmac.

>> Please give some examples of 4WDs that don't have front diffs... I'd
>> like to find out how they work. Hydraulic drive and skid steer? Could
>> be interesting

> Vitara, for starters. But, AFAIK, the Vitara has a "proper" driveshaft
> and transfer box to allow selection of 2H, 4H and 4L ratios.
>
> It seems to work OK, as long as you remember never to engage 4WD on
> tarmac.

Is it the *FRONT* diff that's AWOL or the centre diff? I strongly suspect
the latter.

Adrian wrote:
> Eddie ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
> saying :
>
>>>Please give some examples of 4WDs that don't have front diffs... I'd
>>>like to find out how they work. Hydraulic drive and skid steer? Could
>>>be interesting
>
>>Vitara, for starters. But, AFAIK, the Vitara has a "proper" driveshaft
>>and transfer box to allow selection of 2H, 4H and 4L ratios.
>>
>>It seems to work OK, as long as you remember never to engage 4WD on
>>tarmac.
>
> Is it the *FRONT* diff that's AWOL or the centre diff? I strongly suspect
> the latter.

Hmmm... I didn't think it had either, but now I'm not sure. Hopefully
SWK will be along shortly to confirm either way.

--
Eddie [email protected]

Eddie wrote:
> Adrian wrote:
>
>> Is it the *FRONT* diff that's AWOL or the centre diff? I strongly
>> suspect the latter.
>
> Hmmm... I didn't think it had either, but now I'm not sure. Hopefully
> SWK will be along shortly to confirm either way.

Actually, having thought about it a bit more: you're probably right, or
it'd never get round corners even on the loose surfaces that allow for
slippage.

--
Eddie [email protected]