HDAV Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Have you driven a jimny? 4wd in short wheelbase and knobbly tyres are not recipe for good on road handling. A fiesta with decent tyres will be much better on Tarmac! MK1 rav4 are good but 2.0l engines and won't be cheap to insure much, much better on road than vitara or jimny IMO... Really...? How does it do that? Trooper? Aren't they 3.0l engines? It's really narrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted September 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) Have you driven a jimny? 4wd in short wheelbase and knobbly tyres are not recipe for good on road handling. A fiesta with decent tyres will be much better on Tarmac! MK1 rav4 are good but 2.0l engines and won't be cheap to insure much, much better on road than vitara or jimny IMO... It's really narrow! Tbh I haven't but I am planning on test driving one soon.... I do appreciate the on road handling will be nothing like the fiesta but I am actually willing to sacrifice that to get in 4wd:) it's a bit wierd for a 19 year old lad to want that guess but I just do haha Edited September 6, 2014 by WinchesterDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Just don't think a 4wd/off roader is any safer on the road, they aren't, high centre of gravity means more likely to fall over if you get it wrong in a bend, tyres dont grip as well, heavier so braking distance is increased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Jimny will go places a 90 or vit won't trust me scrap yard springs to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) scrap yard springs to mind :whistling: Edited September 6, 2014 by magman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 That Defender wasn't even trying to get up there until his final attempt, you could tell by his lack of throttle on every run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Show me a car for very little money that you can have more fun with than a jimny , if you need anything more buy a tractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Tbh I haven't but I am planning on test driving one soon.... I do appreciate the on road handling will be nothing like the fiesta but I am actually willing to sacrifice that to get in 4wd:) it's a bit wierd for a 19 year old lad to want that guess but I just do haha TBH i would of loved one at 19 you seem a sensible lad and realize your sacrificing speed for off road ability so hats off to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Sold my jimny, but still see it about and it has done well over 100k now. Had a set of bfg ATs on it, never got stuck and got around the shoots with ease, kept up with any other 4x4. I'd love another one but need a bigger car for the kids, dog etc..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 TBH i would of loved one at 19 you seem a sensible lad and realize your sacrificing speed for off road ability so hats off to you They look like dumper tyres? Road legal? Put a lift kit, winch and agri tyres on a feista and it will go places a RR sport on road tyres won't ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I had to get rid of my Navara the other month but still needed a 4x4 for shooting so i bought an old jimny,its basic,70 mph is pushing it and the load space is just enough for the dog and the kit,but i am genuinely surprised how good it is off road,it is light and nimble and this works to its advantage, all i have is at tyres on it and it seems to cope very well. Don't dismiss a jimny until you have tried one they may just surprise you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Jimny's are alright but take the road tyres off and replace them with AT's. With road tyres they're a liability in winter conditions. Lorraine parked hers on it's roof a couple of winters ago. In addition their centre of gravity is too high which makes cornering at speed a bit hit and miss. Off road they're very good with one exception. Their wheelbase is about the same as the distance between tractor tyres so crossing tram tracks in a field, if they're deep enough will end you up with front wheels in one rut and rear wheels in the other. Really they're a small nippy town car with added 4x4, and not too economical considering the engine size. We wouldn't have another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Really they're a small nippy town car with added 4x4, and not too economical considering the engine size. We wouldn't have another one.An AWD town car is the SX4, justy, panda etc Much better on road.... Jimny has its uses and can be very competent off road it's just bloody awful on the road... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) Dupe Edited September 6, 2014 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted September 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Just don't think a 4wd/off roader is any safer on the road, they aren't, high centre of gravity means more likely to fall over if you get it wrong in a bend, tyres dont grip as well, heavier so braking distance is increased. Thanks hdav for the heads up, like everything I do I'll take it slowly and learn what the car is like etc TBH i would of loved one at 19 you seem a sensible lad and realize your sacrificing speed for off road ability so hats off to you Magman I appreciate you saying that, cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted September 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I had to get rid of my Navara the other month but still needed a 4x4 for shooting so i bought an old jimny,its basic,70 mph is pushing it and the load space is just enough for the dog and the kit,but i am genuinely surprised how good it is off road,it is light and nimble and this works to its advantage, all i have is at tyres on it and it seems to cope very well. Don't dismiss a jimny until you have tried one they may just surprise you. Interesting comment, you can still talk positively about a jimny off road after the likes of a Navara and don't seem to have been let down despite the massive change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Haha some great replies and lots of food for thought for the lad here. However, Seeing as Dave has mentioned that he does like a bit of cornering occasionally, perhaps the Jimny may end up doing some roof skidding? How cheap can you buy a Jimny for? If it was me, I'd just buy a £500 car and be done with it - for the price of buying a expensive car and ruining it off road, may as well get a cheap one for now and replace it when trashed in a year or two's time. (Plus if you replace with the same model, you would have plenty of spares). I have a nice family carrier thing (Well it's not my cup of tea but is shiny and no scratches and stuff) and I worry when parking anywhere about door dings, worry about the inside of it, worry about it full stop and when it goes wrong it's costly. The Vitara is used more for winding up ignorant parkers as you couldn't make the doors actually look any worse (Thanks Bullet1747 haha) and I don't even take my wellys off when getting in it haha. Frontera's and Pajero's and old defenders are all great, but possibly a little too expensive to fix on certain problems (And bigger engines) - a nice little 1.6 or similar is fairly simple to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted September 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Mac with regards to roof skidding haha I am and would continue to be a safe driver and certainly not do corners fast in a jimny I realise that by doing so could induce a roll. It's a valid point you make about buying cheap initially.... As you say food for thought. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe soapy Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 check vitara seat belt anchorage, regular MOT fail point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 check vitara seat belt anchorage, regular MOT fail point Very true... Lift up the carpet in the boot space with the rear two seats lifted. Some Vitara's are absolute rust buckets (then again my 2002 shogun was a rust bucket too) - so worthwhile looking carefully. I have some surface rust on my rear seatbelt points, but my mate will cut out and weld in new soon and says it's not an expensive job to do. Just check wheel arches well and lift any carpet you can do. Sometimes the plastic sill covers hide a load of rust too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted September 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Cheers chaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Haha some great replies and lots of food for thought for the lad here. However, Seeing as Dave has mentioned that he does like a bit of cornering occasionally, perhaps the Jimny may end up doing some roof skidding? How cheap can you buy a Jimny for? If it was me, I'd just buy a £500 car and be done with it - for the price of buying a expensive car and ruining it off road, may as well get a cheap one for now and replace it when trashed in a year or two's time. (Plus if you replace with the same model, you would have plenty of spares). I have a nice family carrier thing (Well it's not my cup of tea but is shiny and no scratches and stuff) and I worry when parking anywhere about door dings, worry about the inside of it, worry about it full stop and when it goes wrong it's costly. The Vitara is used more for winding up ignorant parkers as you couldn't make the doors actually look any worse (Thanks Bullet1747 haha) and I don't even take my wellys off when getting in it haha. Frontera's and Pajero's and old defenders are all great, but possibly a little too expensive to fix on certain problems (And bigger engines) - a nice little 1.6 or similar is fairly simple to work with. nowt wrong with them doors same colour windows work door shuts job done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 nowt wrong with them doors same colour windows work door shuts job done haha :-) I love them, I managed to find plenty of targets to zero with too (Sweet wrappers) haha. :-). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 haha :-) I love them, I managed to find plenty of targets to zero with too (Sweet wrappers) haha. :-). they were my sons honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 they were my sons honest Haha yea, I believe you - the Cadbury's flake wrapper I used for a 5 shot grouping the other day worked a treat, great colour to be visible at 100 yards lol. And UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT, so definitely yours haha :-). Great cars the Vitara, It's been used every day since I brought it apart from when i've been away on business. My colleagues weren't too impressed when I picked them up to take us all the Gatwick from mine though, but I found it hilarious. Used the valet parking thing too and the chap in a suit and high vis taking the car from me's face was simply priceless. Winchester Dave: Here's my beaut - you could be impressing many a chick with one similar your self too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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