chrispti Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 (edited) Iv driven defenders all over the world, on all sorts of terrains. Iv seen jimnys off road, and they are a very capable little car, I know this as Iv got one. It's fitted with bfg AT tyres, but It's lack of diff locks means its not as capable as a defender with comparable tyres. As for boot size, Iv removed the back seats, my 32" ou fits in side ways on the arm rests no problem. As has been said, if your looking for a cheap reliable off roader for getting about you shoot, a jimmy will be hard to beat. Edited October 6, 2012 by chrispti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 Jimny - small light car. Defender - big heavy car. Not really a fair comparison. My SJ410 did go places a Defender couldn't, regularly, at 4x4 fun days, but it's not a simple as that, the SJ was a lot lighter and narrower and had a better turning circle - all as you'd expect of a very small car. If you levelled the field a little by putting a couple of adults, winch, tools, water etc. in the SJ then that weight advantage diminished and it would get stuck just as often as a Defender. Off-road, tyres being equal, weight is the killer. My P38 has BFG mud tyres, lifted air suspension ( easy ) so loads of ground clearance, traction control and viscous locking centre diff, 4.6L V8. It weighs nearly 2.5 tons though, so a 1 ton Jimny will run rings around it until you loaded them both up with weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 No diff locks, and this is what happens ..... Defender would make it through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby dazzler Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 Yea but he is only using normal road tyres if he had a decent set of tyres on would of been a bit different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 (edited) Yea but he is only using normal road tyres if he had a decent set of tyres on would of been a bit different How do you know what tyres he's using? If it had diff locks, then it wouldn't have one wheel spin and it would not have gotten stuck, Iv done it in mine, and I have decent tyres. Edited October 6, 2012 by chrispti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 Autocar did a side-by-side comparison of the two. Defender £29000, Jimny £12000 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86inch Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 Comparing Jimny's & Defenders is a rediculous pursuit... Defenders are larger, much heavier, built for load-carrying off road and on, coupled with a massive towing capability - which if you need it is beyond compare for the task. A Jimny is a simple, light 4x4 built as a hairdressers runaround, which just happens to be very good off road too. Off road they were comparable with my 86inch S1. Defenders are expensive, and not-so-cheap to run, but contrary to popular opinion, they are not unreliable provided you follow the maintenance recommended by the factory. But they will last longer and have a much higher residual value when you come to sell. For a cheap runaround a shoot, and relatively cheap motoring a Jimny is almost certainly the right choice... but if you need to carry a load or do heavy stuff, it just will not last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIVERD Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 In Your situation i would get the Jimny. It is an ideal wee 4x4. I would hate it but in your situation it is probably ideal. I drive a disco day by day, it is large comfortable and reasonably economical. it is a TD5 and is ok off road. With my lifestyle and work i need a 4x4 most days. My shooting / fishing car is a 1985 110 200tdi defender. It will go anywhere i need it to, with 4 adults, rifles, dogs, and quad on the trailer. It will go to the top of the Grampian mountains and regularly does to recover stags and roe. It will tow a boat, a caravan, and is a solid truck. The chassis is solid. It has two alternators, two batteries, roof light, heated seats,winch and a dvd player linked to a remote NV lamp on the roof. Ok, it has cost me a fortune over the years, but is paid for, and annually costs me an MOT, insurance, £120 or there abouts, and a couple of hundred in maintenance. Parts are cheap, it is easy to work on. If i bought a new car, it cost me the annual cost monthly, and if i can i will have it forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedwards1966 Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 It's very simple depending on your needs. If your wanting a project to occupy your time with repairs and maintenance, and to spend your hard earned on, a Defender is top choice. If however you want a cheap motor that will work reliably and cheaply for years to come, and you don't need a vast amount of extra weight for regularly towing heavy loads, and you aren't wishing to show off, then a Suzuki is the choice. Another thing - Suzuki's are a bit boring. You get in, turn the key, and arrive at your destination and think nothing of it. With a Defender, you find a sense of relief wash over you when you find it starts, and when you arrive at the destination without having something break, fall off or fail in some way, you find yourself relieved. And glad to get out of the shed on wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 You all keep saying Defender`s have difflocks,but I thought it only locks the centre diff? That only gets them back to series 3/Jimny set up surely ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 I'd say, forget the jimny and get a vitara some on here will remember my older vitara painted camo, in 5yrs it never let me down, never needed money spent on it, and went places a defender dared to go (sorry pete) only got stuck once, due to me not paying attention, sold that on to a member here, and had a choice between landy or grand vitara, the vitara won, cheap insurance,tax, cheaper on petrol, has both 2wd,4wdl,4wdh gears all auto diffs my new one only cost £950 but the mrs wont let me paint it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 as someone who repairs vehicles for a living i can say that landrover 90 / 110 / disco are no more or less reliable or prone to breakage than any other make, yes i own a disco but I've also had diahatsu's and suzuki's, and i think I've spent more more time welding up diahatsu's than discos easy, the real difference is when you come to work them, I've a few customers who run landrovers, farmers / tree surgeons / contractors and they use their landrovers for towing ..... and usually towing a lot of weight....... the landies take it in there stride. Some of the jap stuff is ok, hilux are a good truck, and the second hand price reflects that, mazda not so good, suzuki stay in the small 4x4 end of the market and cannot be compared on the same level, same goes for diahatsu, we all know what L200 are like and the same goes for the navara, throw away ****! I bet there will be more old landy defender 90 /110's on the road in twenty years time than all of the current jap **** that manages to dodge the scrap yard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoBeRt1990 Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 It's very simple depending on your needs. If your wanting a project to occupy your time with repairs and maintenance, and to spend your hard earned on, a Defender is top choice. If however you want a cheap motor that will work reliably and cheaply for years to come, and you don't need a vast amount of extra weight for regularly towing heavy loads, and you aren't wishing to show off, then a Suzuki is the choice. Another thing - Suzuki's are a bit boring. You get in, turn the key, and arrive at your destination and think nothing of it. With a Defender, you find a sense of relief wash over you when you find it starts, and when you arrive at the destination without having something break, fall off or fail in some way, you find yourself relieved. And glad to get out of the shed on wheels. These types of posts always make me laugh I've had my TD5 defender for 3 years and its done over 190,000 miles me putting 80,000 of those on it and in that time the only thing its needed other than normal servicing was a front propshaft which I broke when I whacked it on a rock. There not unreliable people abuse them and expect them to run forever with little to no maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 You're trying to compare two cars which don't compare! Posts here stating the Jimny is a better car than the Landy is plain ridiculous! It's a bit like saying a Subaru is better than a Rolls Royce because it faster! If your budget is tight then get a Jimny, simple as that. Not because its a better car but because it is within budget. There are many posts here with very good reviews on the Jimmy, reliable and capable off road. These should be your reasons for buying one if you choose to, not because its a better car than the Landy. Cos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornishfowler Posted October 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Thanks lads it is actual price really. I think it would be fine for the dogs and running to and from college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilentKill Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 (edited) check out this Defender http://www.ebay.co.u...1#ht_500wt_1360 sounds like its another +1 for the Jimny! (I dont have either by the way but am in the market for one) Edited October 7, 2012 by SilentKill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 I am to in the market for a small 4x4,(just for getting down the farm lane'gets a bit muddy' with the quad & trailer) went to look at a Jimney on Saturday, lovely motor but no room at all in the back.I took an empy gun slip for an idea on the space,even with one rear seat down the slip would not fit in, so Jimney's off the list.Next in line Terios (wish my fiesta had a bit of height & grip as i can get all my kit in this with one rear seat down & only £30 road tax & 60mpg). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 I am to in the market for a small 4x4,(just for getting down the farm lane'gets a bit muddy' with the quad & trailer) went to look at a Jimney on Saturday, lovely motor but no room at all in the back.I took an empy gun slip for an idea on the space,even with one rear seat down the slip would not fit in, so Jimney's off the list.Next in line Terios (wish my fiesta had a bit of height & grip as i can get all my kit in this with one rear seat down & only £30 road tax & 60mpg). Put both seats down then, or take them out. I can fit my 32" over and under across the back of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 check out this Defender http://www.ebay.co.u...1#ht_500wt_1360 sounds like its another +1 for the Jimny! (I dont have either by the way but am in the market for one) Ha! This made me chuckle: "The Defender is now taxed so i can make full benefit this weekend of the fresh air conditioning achieved by the gaps and holes that come as standard on a landrover.. Im looking forward to Defender elbow as i bruise my arm at every left turn due to the brilliant position of the steering wheel so close to the driver door ... So now you have a taxed Defender too..and the money you saved would be well spent on hat , coat and gloves .. I will miss waking up the wind screen wipers and asking them to go faster when it rains!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Put both seats down then, or take them out. I can fit my 32" over and under across the back of mine. Still to small for all the kit as i some times take my mate & my son(so occasionally need that 3rd seat),pity realy as they are a nice motor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 had discos and now have a jimny, 30mpg if im lucky around shoots 34 on a run Bloody hell - my D3 will do 28 round and about and 32ish on a run. I could get a coffin in the back there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 How about this for a rule of thumb: If you don't know you need a Defender then you don't need a Defender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 How about this for a rule of thumb: If you don't know you need a Defender then you don't need a Defender. But put the other way, I have a Defender and don't need one. BUT IT'S MINE AND I WANT IT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 (edited) Still to small for all the kit as i some times take my mate & my son(so occasionally need that 3rd seat),pity realy as they are a nice motor It's good as a 1 man motor, agreed. Iv made a tray for the roof rack which can hold my gear, leaves room for a passenger and their gear and 1 dog, but its tight and the fact my ground is literally on my doorstep makes the trip just about bearable. The only problem you have then, is if you have a good shoot and dag up! Need a small trailer then...... Edited October 8, 2012 by chrispti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fib new Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 (edited) I had a vitara for a while: great car for shooting and daily driving. Broke down a couple of times, cost some money but was still a nice car. Had a Toyota landcruiser for a while: Same story, only more expensive when it broke down. Drive landrover defenders for years now: also break down, also cost money.... But will buy a land rover without hesitation any time. I think you should buy a car you can afford. A jimny is nice, a defender is nice also. As a lot of others allready pointed out: you cannot compare a jimny and a defender... Edited October 8, 2012 by Fib new Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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