Should You Buy a SUZUKI JIMNY? (Test Drive & Review)
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- čas přidán 12. 11. 2019
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The Suzuki Jimny has been on the UK roads since 1998 meaning you can now pick them up for very little money. As we approach winter, would it make sense to buy one? Let's see what they're like...
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#highpeakautos #suzuki #jimny #suzukijimny - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I love the randomness of this channel. One week it's an M3 & the next, a Jimny lol
Haha I've got a very odd taste in cars so its literally anything I think is interesting lol :)
@@HighPeakAutos I absolutely love it, never change.
Yeah I love that too
have any problem or breakdown
this is a great "I dont care" car.... hit a pot hole i dont care, narrow lane with branches I dont care, bump up a curb i dont care go anywhere yep pretty much.... cheap to buy, cheap to run..... cracking little motor....
I agree! Perfect for that :)
I bought a new Suzuki Sierra when I lived in Australia in the 80's. Excellent 4wd that took me to places in the outback that would not have been accessible otherwise. Almost lost her in a bush river but she came good and got me out safely. To engage 4wd, you had to click the front wheel hubs and drive backwards 4 feet to engage. I think the model was called the 'Rhino' in the UK.
Cracking review of a cracking little car! You really need to take a Jimmy off road to show it’s true character. Proper axles front and rear. Basically a tiny, reliable, hilarious Defender
Haha thats right :)
I fully understand the grin factor, I once had a SJ that had the road manners of a drunk, but it was built to cross the roughest terrain, I loved it 👍
Another excellent review. My daily is a 2006 Jimny. It always makes you smile when you drive it. Fabulous motor, definitely not a motorway vehicle but its perfect for country lanes. Cheers
I absolutely love these cars! Fitted a few double DIN stereos in these. Great simple cars - great video
my friend had one and we always had a laugh in it! bought back some memories!
Such lovely diversity to the cars featured here, and I really love your presentation. This was by far the spiciest intro to any of your videos and yet it was so calm and collected lol
Haha Thank you :)
These little shits are amazing, my friend took me for a ride on it , nearby a river, we went up and down on steep hills, i thought it gonna turn over, its is insane how well this thing handles and what's capable of ..seriously thinking to get on for weekend someday.
They're the car equivalent of a mountain goat :)
"These little shits"... thank you sir for making me laugh out loud!
Awesome quick "little" video (and car!!!!). Thanks for the effort and the candid review - It makes much, much more sense to me! The car is absolutely brilliant. Spent quite some time in those previously off-road and forest roads. I'm maybe a "bit" too tall for dem, but awesome little and very capable runner.
I like how honest your reviews are.
I started watching the one about the Jag XJ x350, and I couldn’t agree with you more about what you said about the Jag.
It’s just that bit more special than its rivals.
Keep up the good work, bro! 😊
- Madd from Singapore.
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it :)
I had one of these or two years, 50/50 road/off road use, took the back seats out and levelled the load bay and then it became a good working little off-roader. To be fair it is not a good road car, but off road? It was fantastic, went anywhere, never got stuck, and really reliable. Sadly it had to go as it was just too small to do what I wanted. Always regretted selling it
i just saw on jimny passing cars half on curbs, it was just priceless to see how much fun the owner was having
I've had one for four years and I love it. It is used for going to golf or fishing. It takes me anywhere and it is great fun.
Great commentary and keep up the great work.
Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Thanks for watching!
Seriously thinking about getting one of these, you may have tipped me over the edge. Great review, cheers
I own two, a 2019 JB75 Auto, and a 2001 J43 Manual.
Both are brilliant, the newer is more refined, safe and far more tolerable on long trips but thr old one is just unreal, I drive long hours in it at motorway speeds on rough roads here in Australia, I get overtaken by trucks and I get passed by learners but, What I trade that for is never being able to not be happy in my car, The waves and smiles people give you on the road, the conversations at petrol stations "I usto have one of those as a kid" "best car I ever owned" "are you selling it" every day, it's great.
It's the most reliable car I've ever owned, Anything that breaks you can just about repair yourself, if not any mechanic would light up with joy when you tell them, Because they know how easy they are to work on, parts are cheap and maintenance is as cheap as it gets.
I love the manual, but the auto isn't bad either, but even in the auto it just feels like its begging for you to take control of the gears and have fun with it.
I guarantee if you buy one it won't be your last, and one day in 20 years you'll walk upto them everytime you see them to talk to the owner, and probaby ask if he's selling it too.
Like a lot of others here I have fond memories of holidays and renting my Jimny for the fortnight. Strangely I used to get all excited when holidays drew near .... not for the sun, sand, and cheap booze, but two weeks of Jimnying!
Great video Matt.
Cheers
Mike
Haha Cheers Mike. I know the feeling :)
I bought '22 Jimny this year. I think they might have improved it a bit because I'm quite happy driving it long distances on Australian roads. 1.5L manual, and it overtakes slow traffic just fine. I also don't find the handling or ride anywhere near as bad as a lot of gen 4 reviews would have you believe. I am used to driving 4WD vehicles since the 90's though.
The thing with the body roll, is it's a function of the off-road suspension, not so much road holding. It does encourage you to drive it conservatively though, not so much of a bad thing. The wheelbase being so narrow it probably does mean you are closer to the limits, but it's also what makes it extremely fun to drive. My driving style is to find those limits, and back off a little from there.
It goes just great on the beach or muddy washed out tracks. I'm still nowhere near finding it's limit off road.
best cars ever! never lets my down,small but strong,the best car i ever owned,i would not buy anything else.
I agree. They're very dependable
What about reliability?
@@ibrahimalexander4653 a really
Durable little truck mate.
Have had 1 for past 3 years,
Just love it. Don't want anything
else.
@@ZoidPickle does it drive long distances? say 5-600 km?
I own two if these - both automatic (a 2003 and a 2007, without and respectively with VVT, both of them as basic as it gets: no airbags, no ABS, no headaches ).
The rust is an issue on the newer one, while the older one is bulletproof.
They aren't perfect by any means, but with a little maintenance and TLC they go a veeery long way.
Thanks for another great vid. As others have said, l really love the variety on your channel. What next, a Tucker?
Haha thank you for watching :)
Another cracking video!
I love Jimmy's we've had a couple, superb off road, full of character, if a little tiresome on motorways (plus all the issues that come with a short wheel base). We didn't have the rattles in ours, as you did in yours - although bomb proof on the whole (there are some areas to watch for in terms of bodywork** and suspension, plus any off road abuse), Suzuki trim can get rattly on any model (easyish to fix though, if the rattle can be pinpointed).
Even with a bad back, at just under 6', I never had any aches or pains from the Jimmy's seats, even on a 5hr cross-country trip to North Wales. But both the Jimmy and I are older now, so buyer beware!
Always the way though that the UK ends up with lower specd models. This was especially true of the older SJ 410 & 413s, in Europe these were higher spec than UK models by a long chalk.
I loved the LJ 10 & SJ 20 models from the 1970s & 1980s they looked so utilitarian and military.
All have been capable off roaders and like the FIAT Panda 4x4s can get in and out of places (in between trees etc) that larger 4x4s can't. Also the entry/exit angles on the front and rear bumpers etc, means that really rough terrain (with the right tyres) can be traversed.
NEVER underestimate a Jimny!
** We 'Waxoyled' the underside of our Jimnys and those cavities that didn't have OEM wax within. The earlier models from the late 1970s through to late 1990s rusted horribly, so 'Waxoyling' was a must - but again, IIRC those early models, and in particular, the Dutch market models came with better rust prevention/wax/underseal and UK cars, back then had none! Poor old UK always the bridesmaid's cousin!
Went on holiday to France in mine, some years ago. 2 adults, a baby and a big dog in the back and a tent caravan behind it, both loaded to the max. Had a great time!
I've been researching Jimnys, and your clip delivered!
I just wondered, if you'd recommend a particular 'year' to buy from. It'll just be something for me to dart around the city in, and to get me out of a pickle 'as and when'; I do get the impression that all Jimnys along the years are quite sound though. Cheers :-)
I love these. We got this model in 2009 with a few revisions and the auto arrived in 2014 with more revisions in South Africa. A few owners have taken theirs on overlanding trips up through Africa! I'm still debating about getting the new model which is a vast improvement.... Either way both are just really fun to drive.
2yrs on and it’s still a great review well done bud👍
I love your style of review, it's fun to watch. Oh yeah, just subscribed😁
Thanks! Thanks for subscribing
Drove one of these about 30 years ago in Cuba, loved it.
I love the choices of cars for these videos. Can’t imagine these on US roads with behemoths like the Chevy Tahoe & Suburbans and Ford Expeditions roaming around on the highways. More suited for cities but such a cute Ute. You have to love it.
Thanks for watching! They would look so small in the US
I drove this for several years in rural Greece, it never let me down. And believe me the conditions were sometimes bad
What was your fuel consumption my friend?
Because mine does 270 km with one tank
@@nektarpgss4701 J don’t know exactly, but it was pretty bad
Another great one. I always look forward to your videos - but make them longer, as we want more!
Thanks! I always try and keep them around 10 mins or less. I thought people would lose interest if they were any longer
@@HighPeakAutos Not me! Keep them coming
Great vid tonight. In my early years when my girlfriend (now wife) used to go on cheap package holidays to the Greek islands we would always hire the convertible one like you. I totally remember the car hire guy in broken English telling me NOT to use the 4 wheel drive gear lever. Which of course after a few miles, totally dismissed and went off roading on some dusty tracks and on the beach and yes as you described was grinning the whole time. Good times, that’s what life is about ha ha.👍
I agree! They're quite good fun, especially whilst on holiday somewhere sunny
Great review, wouldn't hesitate in buying a car from you with such honesty lol 😂
Mate at college in the late 90's had one of these. The heater blower was so big the stereo wouldn't fit in the dash. We had a '99 Vitara 4U2 soft top once and the rear fog lamps rusted out as the spray coming off the rear wheels blasted straight at the brackets (nice design feature, not..) and the battery tray rusted out. Apparently they came from Spain hence the useless tin worm resistance. Was good fun though and took it from Yorkshire to Mull, and even went off-roading in it while there. Great fun, but a bit tractor like to drive and seriously needs something to stop it rusting.
Hi Mr peak thanks for your vlog please keep making videos we enjoy them
Thanks!
I really like the Jimny, good looks, cheap to run and own.
The predecessor to the Jimny I think was the Suzuki SJ Samurai which had a reputation of being easy to tip over so I get what you mean with the Jimny it looks a little high and narrow.
A cheap way into the 4x4 world though!
Mistakes big mistake 😊 is was fake consumer report in USA 😊 they ruined Suzuki Samurai business in USA after 1986 first super successful selling almost 90000cars per years fake report
Samurai Jimny Sierra legendary car 😊
I do like the Jimny especially the new one and as you mention they have proper off road ability.
Top form tonight , loved the puppy analogy and fisher price!!,
Cheers!
I brought one for the mrs and have had plenty of different 4x4's in the past. I love this little jeep it's like driving a go kart and well impressed with its 4x4 capabilities. By the way I like and agree with your thoughts on the do gooders
I drove a 2004 one of these for the first time over the weekend! I am beginning to think that this upload schedule isn't entirely decided by us any more....
Your commentary is spot-on. Well said!
Cheers!
Hi there I had one of these the convertible version years ago when I lived in East Grinstead it was perfect for the snow . and just doing a bit of weird off-roading I loved it.Cheers Phil from Newark
Very cool!
Cheap and cheerful sometimes is all you need , great review
Thats right :)
I just love these reviews. I bought a 04 BMW X5 on the strength of your review & its been the best car I have ever owned apart from a1977 Toyota 2000 GT Liftback, but thats another story.
So wish I bought one back in 2006. Love the pickup conversion that done Private companies do.
Great car I have rented in Greece many times. Terrifying at 70mph+
Nice to see the variation of cars and good to hear some common sense spoken, keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching :)
Only other alternative under the radar 4x4 that I can think of would be the Renualt Kangoo Multispace 4x4. It's so like standard model as to unoticeable to most non car enthusiates, has had a similar long life so not to expensive and is only slightly larger than the Jimny but is proper family transport.
I know its an old video, but we always hire one of these when we go to Greece, it is really good off road, nice review
These are brilliant. Live in Saddleworth and was at home in the bad snow the other year, absolute beast of a car.
Perfect for this kind of area
Very nice,theyve been around forever in aussie and loved. Thanks ,very intrresting.
They'll be fine over there then, they won't rust I wouldn't have thought
You should do a pov driv of every car, just like 10 minutes, would be really nice. People like the POV style, and it could bring many new subs to the channel!
Considering getting one of these. Prices in UK up a fair bit since this video was made. Great to see Matt has reviewed one. Mclovin reference😂
Oh wow this is an old video. Cheers
Very interesting review, thank you. My commute goes right across the North Yorkshire Moors. I reckon the best drive to work ever under normal circumstances. Please advise how would a Jimny/Panda 4x4 cope with snow and ice?
I always enjoy your videos. And with bush fires burning just kilometres from us - almost 64,000 hectares burned in that fire - it's nice to see the greenery and the rain.
We've had the Jimny in Australia since the early 70's. I believe that the very first model was a 2 cylinder, two stroke, but the one I mostly remember seeing was a 3 cylinder two stroke (600 cc ?).
My commuter car for many years was a 1985 Holden Barina (a rebadged Suzuki Swift - even the plates under the bonnet stated "Suzuki Motor Company") with the same 1.3 litre you have in your Jimny. I caned the daylights out of it on a daily 140 km round trip and it never missed a beat. There's a Woody Allen film (Sleeper) where he finds a VW Beetle in a cave which has been there for hundreds of years and it starts on the turn of the key. That Jimny will be the same. Just un-killable.
Your local enviro-Nazis would have apoplexy if they could see the line up of vehicles at any local meetings here. This is sheep and cattle country so it's Toyota Land Cruisers to the horizon and none of your diesel nonsense. V8 and big six cylinder petrol engines all the way. Also, I'm sitting here with the smell of bush fire smoke burning my nostrils. With hundreds of thousands of hectares of bushland now vapourised by the fires producing columns of smoke that can be seen from space, so much for reduced emissions.
David Hynd - Your comment is a nice read, thanks. Hoping those wildfires we are reading about are not dangerously close to you and are under control soon: we have much smaller ones here in southern Spain and they're scary enough. Definitely agreed on how nice it is to watch this channel and have the added bonus of seeing the UK greenery, landscape and even some rain!
@@apexmarbella Thanks for the good wishes. We've had our cars packed since Friday in case we have to evacuate and spent Friday night and Saturday watching for spot fires from all the burning embers raining down on us. It's a long way from over, but at the moment we're reasonably safe. We're about ten kilometres (as the crow flies) from the small village of Torrington and there have been around a dozen homes destroyed there. I wasn't aware of the fires in southern Spain (a bit preoccupied with our own) but I hope you and your family are safe. It would be heart breaking to lose everything in a fire.
"Enviro-nazis" as you flee from wildfires, record heat and drought. Okay. 🤦♂️
David Hynd Sorry to hear that. Good luck 👍🏻
Gareth Lucas 😂 Anyone would think it’s summer in Australia when fires are common due to high temp and no rain
Damn awesome vid and chosen vehicle 👏👏👏 was few days ago looking for one 😁 pretty funky little thing 👍
Thanks! I agree. They're good fun :)
I bought one new in 2001 and immediately drove it from Inverness all the way to family in Kent, took me a week to be able to stand upright again. Did the return journey 2 weeks later. It would cruise at 55 mph on the A1 OK but side winds caused it to wander dreadfully. We had it full of luggage and fishing gear, back seats folded down it carried a lot of stuff though. Back in the Highlands it was incredible off-road and over 4 years we took it fishing in some places you could hardly walk too. In low ratio it would climb what looked to be a 45 degree hill and would push through snow 2ft deep. I sold it for a Grand Vitara which was a poor substitute. I had no mech. issues over 50K miles but did have it serviced regularly. I remember it fondly. Like your programme
Haha Yes I bet. I can relate. Thanks for watching
Very entertaining and a good summary😀
Thanks
I bought one. Never regretted it!!
Have 2017 Jimny bought from new, its fine on motorway between 60 and 70 mph. Prices are still incredible, would almost get what I paid for it!
They're brilliant and I've had range rovers to focus rs's I'll be keeping my little "jimmy"
Go into the remote parts of the Lake District and there's loads of various age Jimneys kicking around.
I bought my 2007 suzuki jimny in 2011 after the snows of 2010 as a inexpensive second vehicle. While I had to wait until 2018 to justify that purchase its been fun to own it..now its 2021 I still have it as my daily driver. By adding things a centre arm rest and wind deflectors and a souped up ice and amp system two light bars and most stock after that and oh bought it with 32k miles it now has 86k miles I'm very happy I bought it those years ago.
I had a Samurai and loved it to bits when i get some spare pennies i'll be having a Jimny because if the Sammy was anything to go by they'll be fabulous cars with a massive heart
I always liked the Samurai too
As an Aussie that lives in the rurals, on acreage down a gravel road, I have been eyeing the Jimny for a while as a general knockabout 4x4. The new model is of course terrific and at around $24,000 not too expensive, but I have this thing about not wishing to scratch the paintwork by going into the bush and paddocks. If I could find a Jimny in good working order but with a scratch on two on the duco, then I reckon that'd suit me down to the ground.
I agree! I think the new one is great value and they depreciate very slowly :)
Once again you get it so right.
I love the Jimny, and I love white steel wheels......106 Rallye must be one of my favourites.
The Jimny is a cheap, honest, capable and characterful little car. I needed a second car, literally just to put the dogs in and seriously looked at a Jimny, ended up with an old Polo in the end.
Thanks for watching! I agree, perfect little rural runaround :)
Such a great little car. I saw a brand new one the other day and it looked awesome. Square and boxy like they should be.
I agree. I love the new one. They should make a LWB version though
Some of the slightly later models (post 2007 I believe) have the all-important AIR CON, but earlier cars do not have this option. I don't agree with your assertion that the Grand Vitara is no better than the Jimny, for the following reasons: 1) There is a diesel option (I own one) which cruises comfortably at motorway speeds, due to better (longer) gear ratios. 2) Unlike the earlier Jimny models, my 2004 model Grand Vitara has air conditioning. 3) The seats are more comfortable and fine for longer journeys, 4) My LWB (5-door) version has adequate space for rear passengers to sit in comfort without feeling claustrophobic. 5) The fuel economy of the 2.0 TD diesel Grand Vitara is slightly better than the petrol powered Jimny.
I have 2! Manual and Auto. Love them ❤
Amy Lou Clements do you find that the auto is a bit slower than the manual or is there not much difference.
@@lachiestyles8699 They seem the same to me👍🏼
Great video mate 👍
Cheers!
Spot on review .
great vid, would make a good second car if you lived out in the wilds and had bad winters, cheers
Hired a Jimny in Iceland a few months ago. Great fun on the gravel tracks and crossing through rivers. If only I did that kind of stuff in the UK... 🤔
Perfect for Icelands terrain :)
Had one for 10 years use on a Hebridean Isle.... wish I still had that Jimmy, pre 2000, as the tax is cheaper, illogical I know... from being a great off roader; re labouring on dual carriageways I left a defender behind at 90mph on m6 but only got 18mpg ... worth it to wipe the smug look off that guys face... great turning circle tiring on long journey but in a city so much fun... luv ‘em
Good little car - once went to Coniston waters in about 3 ft of snow - narrow track worried it would turn over ! However good little car - ours was 2005 - tough little thing - rotted badly behind front seats - need to lift rear seats - seat belt mountings vulnerable
Ours dropped crank pulley - fairly common - £400 main dealer
Bought ours mainly for our beloved spaniel Harvey ❤️ - still see our 2005 going around - tough little things but can rot 😢
great video - I've test driven the new model Jimny and it's great - big waiting list though but it'll be worth it. If it was an animal it would be a mountain goat!!
Haha exactly!
Could you do a video on ideal first cars. Minimum standards of year 2000 ncap. Would it be cheaper to buy/own a 2002 316 e45 BMW than a 2012 micra and which is safer, better equipped and better to drive. Keep up the good work.
Timed to perfection with Pistonheads Jimny article.
Pure coincidence but worked out well :)
Lovely Jubbly, yet another very interesting view of an oddball car.
paul taylor Thanks for watching!
Matt - as always you mention how you personally feel about the car you're driving, but, you always give a impartial review - we'll done.
Can you do a review on the Toyota Urban Cruiser please.
Thank you.
Joker
I had one of these years ago, bad handling round corners and roundabouts, drank fuel as in you could see the gauge dropping down, sold it after 3 weeks 😳, now I have a newer Suzuki Vitara much better, very happy with it 👍
Brilliant car I've had all sorts including range rover sport focus rs etc etc now have new jimny all the car you ever need in uk
Ooo lah Dee dah! Speccing your new landy!!?? Always liked the rhinos myself. Got a good green lane following. Nice review. Cheers.
I've not ordered one sadly, I was just killing time...
Good! Let the others find out if it's up to scratch first. Shame its not made in England anymore but it's a Chinese company now. Get the Jimny off road for us!
I was planning that in this video but bottled it...
How does this compare against a 2005-2009 kia sorento diesel in terms of comfort, fun to drive, ease of driving, fuel economy, city and highway driving, daily driving, and etc...?
I think it's a great little car to have as a second car, just take out the backseat and install a barrier behind the front seats then you have all the space you need for your dog and hunting gear for an example.
Thats right
Amusing as always. Interesting wipers too. PS - Any chance of a review of the new version of the Suzuki Vitara?
Thanks! I will do as soon as I get one in stock :)
Not sure about later models but the early 1.3 litre engine was mechanically bulletproof.
The same engine was used in the Carry van which again had appalling rust issues but there are plenty patched up and still on the roads.
Thats quite right
Something strangely appealing about the Jimny ,workmate is a first aider on a ski centre in the winter and this is his choice to get there !!
Who did you use for under sealing it please? And we’re they any good
A few of these around in garages near me, they are going for 4-6k. People clearly know what they're worth and in demand.
Okay, halfway through and you've described it for me. Not sure what I'm going to miss by going now......
They are brilliant off-roader. I’ve watched videos of it up against RangeRovers and it could do as much as they could, I was totally shocked. The new model is a great looking Jeep.
Bapster Man I agree! Very capable and the new one looks mint
Last week I was looking at m3's on ebay. Now im looking a jimny's. :)
ttmadness34 Haha 😂
@@HighPeakAutos think I might buy one and turn it into a mini monster truck. 😂
Wahahaha!
As usual high peak auto is the only video you need to watch
Thanks!
@@HighPeakAutos one question, does it hold its value or appreciate as future classic?
@@jobz1808 they hold their values really well. Better than most
@@HighPeakAutos looking at Ignis sport, seems to be more practical.
Good summary! We hired one of these on holiday in Barbados. It was a baby blue soft top version and was noisy, basic, and felt like it was going to skip off the road if you hit a bump mid corner, so rudimentary was the suspension. It also had tourist plates so we were accosted at every opportunity by locals looking to give us directions aka ‘charity’. Great fun to chuck about though. Would I buy one? No thanks, I’ll stick to the Discovery. Like white steel wheels? See if you can get your hands on a Peugeot 106 rallye 1.3. I had one of those, fab little car.
Andrew Goodman Did it have a yellow stripe down the sides? I think I may have rented the same car 😂
I’m looking for a car to drive from England to Mongolia. I know you said you wouldn’t want to do long journeys in it but we need a cheap, reliable car that is no more than a 1.3 litre engine. What do you think? Any other suggestions?
i really do love the idea of the 4x4 small option i think its very great for someone looking to have a higher ride height without the overbearing size of a proper 4x4 or luxury one. would love one as a first car or even later in life but they are quite hard to come by in my part of kent in terms of one thats in reasonable condition that you'd expect for a first car haha
I deliver food for living and I need something with asmall engine but higher off the ground than a normal car is this a good bet any advice would be greatly appreciated 👍