RE: Suzuki Jimny | PH Used Buying Guide
Discussion
300bhp/ton said:
The article says £22k.....
Very few £30k Jimny's and I'm note sure any would actually have sold at that money. Certainly nobody on the bigjimny forum owns up to paying anything like that. And there are a lot of 4th Gen owners on there.
And as posted above. Used Land Cruisers 3 doors seem to be about £40k+. so almost double the money. That was a nationwide autotrader search.
I don't hate or dislike Land Cruisers either. I do think the current ones look boring and fulgly, because they are boring and fugly looking.
But you need to understand there is more than one type of Land Cruiser. And what we get here is a much softer version with IFS, built more as a Discovery (or RRC) type of vehicle. This doesn't make them bad vehicles, I think in the LC world they call these the "Comfort models". While other parts of the World still get the "Off road models" based on the J70. Available in several wheelbases and much more rugged and off road focused.
These are very cool:
But what we get in the UK is intended as far more as an SUV than as off road 4x4. You can even get it with an even worse looking face and a Lexus badge, priced right up at Full Fat Range Rover levels....
That’s what I’m saying, it did say they were changing hands for up to 33k and I just think that’s too expensive for what they are.Very few £30k Jimny's and I'm note sure any would actually have sold at that money. Certainly nobody on the bigjimny forum owns up to paying anything like that. And there are a lot of 4th Gen owners on there.
And as posted above. Used Land Cruisers 3 doors seem to be about £40k+. so almost double the money. That was a nationwide autotrader search.
I don't hate or dislike Land Cruisers either. I do think the current ones look boring and fulgly, because they are boring and fugly looking.
But you need to understand there is more than one type of Land Cruiser. And what we get here is a much softer version with IFS, built more as a Discovery (or RRC) type of vehicle. This doesn't make them bad vehicles, I think in the LC world they call these the "Comfort models". While other parts of the World still get the "Off road models" based on the J70. Available in several wheelbases and much more rugged and off road focused.
These are very cool:
But what we get in the UK is intended as far more as an SUV than as off road 4x4. You can even get it with an even worse looking face and a Lexus badge, priced right up at Full Fat Range Rover levels....
Sadly you’re right we do only get the Prado here in the UK but it’s still a pretty capable vehicle, probably on par with a Disco 4,the new 300 Series that has just been released in other parts of the world will be a beast off road though.
The 70 is very cool but also a bit hard to come by and expensive here, you can get them with the V8 diesel in Aus I believe which would be great.
I’ve recently bought myself an 80 Series 4.2 TD with triple diff locks, it needs a few little bits doing to it and a set of off road tyres but I can’t wait to get that off road over the winter as they are really capable and tough.
I made the switch to Toyotas a while ago, had loads of LR/RRs over the years, the ones I used off road most were RR Classics and a D2, only thing that’s going to be a downside on the 80 is how wide it is, fortunately I’m friends with a good detailer!.
I think, as with so many cars, the question is not is this a suitable vehicle for you, but are you suitable for the car. To pick two extremes, c70 chap and 300hp chap, they seem unable to conceded that they are BOTH right. I have covered tens of thousands of miles in cars like 34hp beetles, StreetKa, Smart cars because I am happy to adapt to the car's shortfalls for pleasure of ownership. As c70 chap pointed out, a Caterham or the like is similarly limited in its overall appeal because of its raison d'etre, yet you could also use one of those every day, if you wanted to.
It is not the fault of the owners, or Suzuki, that people were happy to pay over the odds for these cars, putting them in the realms of much more substantial used 4x4, but that's not really the point is it. New, even a Panda Cross doesn't compete with the Suzuki because it looks like a tough little car; one I covet hugely, as i do the Panda! The Suzuki has zero new competitors which is unusual. It has huge heritage, it could only be a Suzuki Jeep and its genetics are pure, it has not been diminished by trying to be something it is not. Many have made the comparison with the old defender and if you read what I have written there are strong parallels. Both are relatively easy to knock over ergonomics, on road performance yet both were utility tools that excelled in one area whilst making a passable fist of everything else, because that is all they have to do.
Why is it so important to be right? Drive what you like, enjoy it.
It is not the fault of the owners, or Suzuki, that people were happy to pay over the odds for these cars, putting them in the realms of much more substantial used 4x4, but that's not really the point is it. New, even a Panda Cross doesn't compete with the Suzuki because it looks like a tough little car; one I covet hugely, as i do the Panda! The Suzuki has zero new competitors which is unusual. It has huge heritage, it could only be a Suzuki Jeep and its genetics are pure, it has not been diminished by trying to be something it is not. Many have made the comparison with the old defender and if you read what I have written there are strong parallels. Both are relatively easy to knock over ergonomics, on road performance yet both were utility tools that excelled in one area whilst making a passable fist of everything else, because that is all they have to do.
Why is it so important to be right? Drive what you like, enjoy it.
Edited by biggbn on Wednesday 17th August 11:32
Silvanus said:
Getragdogleg said:
Well said.
waits for 300 to come and disagree 
I've now done 150 miles in my new jimny, pretty twitchy, slow, not plush, very basic. Perfect for what I want it to do, Pop to the shops, pick up bits and bobs and go into town and park it easily.
If I want fast I'll take the V8 manta for a spin.
If I want comfy ill waft about in the volvo xc90
If I want load capacity I'll jump in the Nissan cabstar
If I want to go to London I'll be on the train, sod taking any vehicle in there now!
The expectation that all vehicles should do all things is daft.
Getragdogleg said:
I've now done 150 miles in my new jimny, pretty twitchy, slow, not plush, very basic. Perfect for what I want it to do, Pop to the shops, pick up bits and bobs and go into town and park it easily.
If I want fast I'll take the V8 manta for a spin.
If I want comfy ill waft about in the volvo xc90
If I want load capacity I'll jump in the Nissan cabstar
If I want to go to London I'll be on the train, sod taking any vehicle in there now!
The expectation that all vehicles should do all things is daft.
Silvanus said:
am tempted by one, was looking at the hybrid Ignis 4x4 and Panda 4x4 (hired one and loved it), but the Jimny keeps waving at me. Wondering if as second car i could live with compromises.
They are a fun car, they do pretty good mpg, I'm up 38mpg without trying, they have great visibility, good driving position (I'm 6ft) and my two seater has a huge boot for stuff! Endless dress up stuff if you like to tinker and it gets positive comments from people wherever I go.
Its not hard to live with, it's just not refined as much as other cars. it's streets ahead of my first car back in 1991, a mk1 fiesta 950cc, and I drove that for years and didn't consider it basic at the time because I hadn't had my expectations raised by what we now take for granted.
I smile when I use it which is why I bought it. It sparks joy.
Getragdogleg said:
Silvanus said:
am tempted by one, was looking at the hybrid Ignis 4x4 and Panda 4x4 (hired one and loved it), but the Jimny keeps waving at me. Wondering if as second car i could live with compromises.
They are a fun car, they do pretty good mpg, I'm up 38mpg without trying, they have great visibility, good driving position (I'm 6ft) and my two seater has a huge boot for stuff! Endless dress up stuff if you like to tinker and it gets positive comments from people wherever I go.
Its not hard to live with, it's just not refined as much as other cars. it's streets ahead of my first car back in 1991, a mk1 fiesta 950cc, and I drove that for years and didn't consider it basic at the time because I hadn't had my expectations raised by what we now take for granted.
I smile when I use it which is why I bought it. It sparks joy.
Getragdogleg said:
I've now done 150 miles in my new jimny, pretty twitchy, slow, not plush, very basic. Perfect for what I want it to do, Pop to the shops, pick up bits and bobs and go into town and park it easily.
If I want fast I'll take the V8 manta for a spin.
If I want comfy ill waft about in the volvo xc90
If I want load capacity I'll jump in the Nissan cabstar
If I want to go to London I'll be on the train, sod taking any vehicle in there now!
The expectation that all vehicles should do all things is daft.
bennno said:
Give it another few hundred more miles and you’ll realise it’d be nicer to just go in the Volvo.
No, hateful thing, s
t on fuel, huge and hard to find a space for and it's just a massive wallow barge. Only got it because there are 6 of us in the house and we go out together quite a bit.
I'd rather follow in the jimny to be honest.
Silvanus said:
am tempted by one, was looking at the hybrid Ignis 4x4 and Panda 4x4 (hired one and loved it), but the Jimny keeps waving at me. Wondering if as second car i could live with compromises.
I suspect an AWD Ignis is quite capable if you drive on a lot of untreated roads or into some grass fields. But it is a million miles away from the Jimny. I've not driven the AWD Ignis, but I've driven a few 2wd ones. Not for me at all. 
BVB said:
This is what the new Defender could have been. Cool l, utilitarian, and actually useful.
Indeed. And had they offered something akin, I'd have probably bought it tbh.I like this LR concept... would have been ideal.
The new Defender is a fine vehicle if you want a replacement for an older Range Rover or Discovery, but not if you want the same kind of vehicle the old Defender or Jimny is.
Walter Sobchak said:
That’s what I’m saying, it did say they were changing hands for up to 33k and I just think that’s too expensive for what they are.
Well not really. You can get them way cheaper. No point in only siting the most extreme expensive ones. Anything remotely near that price either doesn't sell, or has £000' in mods.£20-22k is very realistic:
There is really nothing comparable new or used for this money as "modern" vehicle for this kind of money and 4x4 capability/focus/design.
Walter Sobchak said:
Sadly you’re right we do only get the Prado here in the UK but it’s still a pretty capable vehicle, probably on par with a Disco 4,the new 300 Series that has just been released in other parts of the world will be a beast off road though.
The 70 is very cool but also a bit hard to come by and expensive here, you can get them with the V8 diesel in Aus I believe which would be great.
I’ve recently bought myself an 80 Series 4.2 TD with triple diff locks, it needs a few little bits doing to it and a set of off road tyres but I can’t wait to get that off road over the winter as they are really capable and tough.
I made the switch to Toyotas a while ago, had loads of LR/RRs over the years, the ones I used off road most were RR Classics and a D2, only thing that’s going to be a downside on the 80 is how wide it is, fortunately I’m friends with a good detailer!.
I have nothing against Toyota at all, as said previously. But it depends what kind of off roading you want to do and where. I have off roaded lots of Discos and RR's (have a lifted p38 on Mud Terrains now). But tbh they are too big for many of the locations I might want to go.The 70 is very cool but also a bit hard to come by and expensive here, you can get them with the V8 diesel in Aus I believe which would be great.
I’ve recently bought myself an 80 Series 4.2 TD with triple diff locks, it needs a few little bits doing to it and a set of off road tyres but I can’t wait to get that off road over the winter as they are really capable and tough.
I made the switch to Toyotas a while ago, had loads of LR/RRs over the years, the ones I used off road most were RR Classics and a D2, only thing that’s going to be a downside on the 80 is how wide it is, fortunately I’m friends with a good detailer!.
Silvanus said:
300bhp/ton said:
Silvanus said:
300bhp/ton said:
Silvanus said:
Plenty for sale at the price mentioned above
Silvanus said:
Used was quite clearly mentioned, new prices are irrelevant
Well it wasn't, not at that point of the discussion. But let's ignore that.Looking at used 2018 and up 3 door Land Cruisers results in you needing over £40k still. Quite a difference in price. If you drop to 2012 there is a single vehicle with 120,000 miles on the clock for £20k......
So under £33k, even used there appears to be bugger all as much of a direct alternative to the Jimny.
king pointGassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff