Suzuki JIMNY [merged threads]

[OTEP]

Have had 2 units under my care. Both are used in UST (flood prone area).

Test drive one first and decide if you think its a good idea. Try hanging out here at the forum. Maybe a Tsikoteer would be kind enough to give you a ride around the block in their Jimny.

Common problems between the two units:
*Passenger seat rattles when no one is sitting on it. Not so hard to fix.
*Seatback folding knob also rattles. Again, not hard to fix.
*Front wheels needed balancing
*No lock for spare tire and spare tire cover (I put in a locking lug nut to fix that)
*Fuel economy may surprise you. It's not a Honda Jazz but a Honda Jazz can't drive through bumper deep waters also.

Otherwise, the thing is next to indestructible if you don't abuse it.

[renzo_d10]

Hi! I'm a college student looking to buy a car, and my mom wants a Suzuki Jimny for me cause my uni is in a very flood-susceptible area.

Is this a good idea?
Also, what are the top 5 problems of the Jimny?
Is the wobble problem encountered by all Jimny owners?

I'm sorry if these have been brought up before. Your replies are very much appreciated.

Yes, it's a good idea to have one.
However, if you're looking at a used unit better think of alternatives FAST.

Sobrang konti ng used unit na Jimny. Closest thing you can get are the old Samurais.

Kung brand new naman, no problem.
Doesn't look good .. probably doesn't suit your college image as well especially with your friends happily revving around their Hondas and what not. But no worries, your insecurities will be long gone when it starts flooding & your friends starts asking if they could take a ride with you home because their Hondas can't make it through the deep floodwater.

GF won't mind also. Hinde na uso sa babae sumasama sa mga naka-SiR.
Okay na rin sila sa mga naka-SUV.

Why am I saying this? Ganyan naman sa college eh.
***. Cars. Girls. Repeat.

Thing is, don't be insecure if your friends go in your campus using their dad's BMW or their Honda's. Mas masaya mag-ford ng floods ng hindi ka kinakabahan kaysa sa mag-rev lang ng mag-rev sa kung saan saan and hard launching when the stoplight turns green.

Ok rin magkaron ng high-ground clearance SUV. You can take it ANYWHERE. Unlike lowered sedans, you need to plot your trip kase baka sumayad.

[trishad]

Yes, it's a good idea to have one.
However, if you're looking at a used unit better think of alternatives FAST.

Sobrang konti ng used unit na Jimny. Closest thing you can get are the old Samurais.

Kung brand new naman, no problem.
Doesn't look good .. probably doesn't suit your college image as well especially with your friends happily revving around their Hondas and what not. But no worries, your insecurities will be long gone when it starts flooding & your friends starts asking if they could take a ride with you home because their Hondas can't make it through the deep floodwater.

GF won't mind also. Hinde na uso sa babae sumasama sa mga naka-SiR.
Okay na rin sila sa mga naka-SUV.

Why am I saying this? Ganyan naman sa college eh.
***. Cars. Girls. Repeat.

Thing is, don't be insecure if your friends go in your campus using their dad's BMW or their Honda's. Mas masaya mag-ford ng floods ng hindi ka kinakabahan kaysa sa mag-rev lang ng mag-rev sa kung saan saan and hard launching when the stoplight turns green.

Ok rin magkaron ng high-ground clearance SUV. You can take it ANYWHERE. Unlike lowered sedans, you need to plot your trip kase baka sumayad.

Haha! You paint quite a picture, Sir renzo_d10. I bet you had fun in college! Thanks for the reply.

Gonna get a brand new car of course. But I'm still reluctant about it cause 1) it's no Honda Jazz, which is actually the car I wanted, and 2) it's so cramped inside! Kahit masiraan mga friends kong naka-Honda or BMW, di ko sila masasakay! Haha.

Also, di na nakikisakay girls ngayon. They bring their own cars. I should know.

Anyway, Jimny over Jazz? Sure?

[trishad]

Have had 2 units under my care. Both are used in UST (flood prone area).

Test drive one first and decide if you think its a good idea. Try hanging out here at the forum. Maybe a Tsikoteer would be kind enough to give you a ride around the block in their Jimny.

Common problems between the two units:
*Passenger seat rattles when no one is sitting on it. Not so hard to fix.
*Seatback folding knob also rattles. Again, not hard to fix.
*Front wheels needed balancing
*No lock for spare tire and spare tire cover (I put in a locking lug nut to fix that)
*Fuel economy may surprise you. It's not a Honda Jazz but a Honda Jazz can't drive through bumper deep waters also.

Otherwise, the thing is next to indestructible if you don't abuse it.

Hi Doc Otep. I couldn't help but notice you're an ENT at UST so I asked my dad and my sister, both doctors at UST. Turns out they know you and told me to say hi. So hi!

Thanks for your input. I'll have to ask my brother pa cause he's more fluent in car-talk. But most of the issues you brought up seems simple enough.
Is it an expensive ride to keep? Fuel and maintenance and all?

[trishad]

Have had 2 units under my care. Both are used in UST (flood prone area).

Test drive one first and decide if you think its a good idea. Try hanging out here at the forum. Maybe a Tsikoteer would be kind enough to give you a ride around the block in their Jimny.

Common problems between the two units:
*Passenger seat rattles when no one is sitting on it. Not so hard to fix.
*Seatback folding knob also rattles. Again, not hard to fix.
*Front wheels needed balancing
*No lock for spare tire and spare tire cover (I put in a locking lug nut to fix that)
*Fuel economy may surprise you. It's not a Honda Jazz but a Honda Jazz can't drive through bumper deep waters also.

Otherwise, the thing is next to indestructible if you don't abuse it.

Hi Doc Otep. I couldn't help but notice you're an ENT at UST so I asked my dad and my sister, both doctors at UST. Turns out they know you and told me to say hi. So hi!

Thanks for your input. I'll have to ask my brother pa cause he's more fluent in car-talk. But most of the issues you brought up seems simple enough.
Is it an expensive ride to keep? Fuel and maintenance and all?

[foifoi05]

Jimny Surgery (LED Gauge Mod). Not my unit, it belongs to a surgeon from another hospital:

saang shop po ito sir? specialty nila mga jimny's and the like? thanks in advance

[OTEP]

Sa shop po ni Jemson. He has a thread in the security forums. Hehe.

Trishad,

The 2003 Jimny actually replaced the 2007 Jazz. Why? Because the Jazz was so damn fragile. We regularly kept scraping the underside and front bumper driving on regular roads. Water went into the interior after a relatively mild rain storm because the thing sat so low. When my gf went on a beach outing, one of the tires got ripped and blew up after being unable to handle the terrain. The underchassis was also starting to make rattles.

No such problems with the Jimny. We even prefer using it over my jumbo sized toyota.

Dr campomanes is also a ust ent. After he sold his land rover, he got a navara. After ondoy sunk his wifes mazda 3, he gave her the navara and got himself the Jimny. He is one happy customer. Dr egay tan of anes also got the black jimny (i sold it to him). He now likes using it more than his corolla or innova. Your dad and sis should know them both.

[renzo_d10]

Haha! You paint quite a picture, Sir renzo_d10. I bet you had fun in college! Thanks for the reply.

Gonna get a brand new car of course. But I'm still reluctant about it cause 1) it's no Honda Jazz, which is actually the car I wanted, and 2) it's so cramped inside! Kahit masiraan mga friends kong naka-Honda or BMW, di ko sila masasakay! Haha.

Also, di na nakikisakay girls ngayon. They bring their own cars. I should know.

Anyway, Jimny over Jazz? Sure?

Been there done that.

I am quite torn between the Jazz and the Jimny since I like them both. The former, drives really well. Has great handling and has incredible space inside.

It has also been said that the Jazz' legroom is actually quite better, if not at par, with the legroom of the Forester.

I haven't actually tried the Jazz, but I have tried the Forester and indeed it is cramped. So the statement above could be possible.

As a college guy, one would definitely enjoy the Jazz more as it is more comfortable to bring & better looking (subjective) however .. as said, one cannot predict how deep the floodwater will be in case of heavy downpour. Hence, it will be a risky choice.

I can pick the Jazz over the Jimny IF you have a friend who has a full-sized SUV (Nissan Safari & the like) or your family has an SUV which you could bring in case the weather is terrible.

The capability of the Jimny to go anywhere is really something that cannot be ignored, and for the price of a subcompact, it's actually a steal.

It's a tough choice, really. But personally hmm .... I'd pick the Jazz.

[trishad]

I'm still torn but I'm pretty sure my mom's set on getting a Jimny. I should just accept my fate, yeah? Mother knows best naman. Haha.

Anyway, I was reading a few pages back and someone said that it only goes 8kms/L? Daaaamn. Is that the max?
And is it true that Jimny parts are expensive? and even goes as expensive as Ford parts?

[renzo_d10]

I'm still torn but I'm pretty sure my mom's set on getting a Jimny. I should just accept my fate, yeah? Mother knows best naman. Haha.

Anyway, I was reading a few pages back and someone said that it only goes 8kms/L? Daaaamn. Is that the max?
And is it true that Jimny parts are expensive? and even goes as expensive as Ford parts?

Possible. It's a 1.3L after all. Though I wish that the Jimny came in with a diesel instead.

If you really want the Jazz, fight for it. You will be the one who's using it anyway, not your mom.
She'll give you her approval, might take some time, but most likely she will.

[dreamur]

I used to own a 2007 jazz (1.3) but sold it as I was not satisfied with the performance (i.e. blind spot and rattle) plus the fact that I coudn't afford to pay the mortgage of 2 cars at the same time. since I also got a car loan from the bank for a 2008 Jimny matic. I never experienced any of the issues that doc otep mentioned. Probably they have corrected those in the later models. I did not regret buying a jimny inspite of the limited space and not so economical fuel consumption (compared to the jazz) but it is worth every penny. Have driven it to Baguio, Tagaytay and the mountains of Cebu and never a bit felt less confident or threatened by the terrains. Unfortunately my wife has took possession of it after Ondoy when she saw how it battled the rain and flood, plus of course the advantage of fitting into a small parking space. Now I am contented with driving a Grand Livina and becoming a full-fledged family man.

Let me show you the pictures below. Look at the jazz and the livina and spot the difference!

[renzo_d10]

But do remember guys that the Jazzes you are talking about are the older ones. Which is a bit of .. small compared to the current one.

And the new ones have a different powerhouse, am I right? No more of those iDSi and problematic CVT transmissions.

[Dirtdiver]

Hi! I'm a college student looking to buy a car, and my mom wants a Suzuki Jimny for me cause my uni is in a very flood-susceptible area.

Is this a good idea?
Also, what are the top 5 problems of the Jimny?
Is the wobble problem encountered by all Jimny owners?

I'm sorry if these have been brought up before. Your replies are very much appreciated.

Driving a SUV in a flood susceptible area is always a good idea. No problems with the dreaded wobble yet, but then again my Jimny is only a month old. As for the top 5 issues? Only ones I see for now are the dreaded wobble problem (easily fixed), the lack of cargo space (solved by folding down the rear seats OR getting yourself one of 'em Thule cargo boxes), and the lack of legroom in the back (solution: midget-only seating).

However, it seems you've got your heart set on the Jazz. So by all means keep pestering your mom to get it for you instead :-)

-DirtDiver

[dreamur]

But do remember guys that the Jazzes you are talking about are the older ones. Which is a bit of .. small compared to the current one.

And the new ones have a different powerhouse, am I right? No more of those iDSi and problematic CVT transmissions.

Agree. Actually I like the latest generation of jazz compared to the previous one.

[renzo_d10]

Agree. Actually I like the latest generation of jazz compared to the previous one.

Me too. The current Jazz has also been said to have a great handling.

Wonder how does it compare with our FD. Hmmm.

[OTEP]

But do remember guys that the Jazzes you are talking about are the older ones. Which is a bit of .. small compared to the current one.

And the new ones have a different powerhouse, am I right? No more of those iDSi and problematic CVT transmissions.

We had a VTEC Jazz (no funny 8 spark plugs crap) with a CVT. No problems with the drivetrain experienced. The new Jazz still sits too low for our taste. What the hell is the approach angle on that thing? True, the cabin is not roomy but since its usually only the two of us riding, the only additional room we need are for fire fighting gear and radio communications and those stuff fit the Jimny perfectly.

And there's still no temp gauge on the new Jazz and I'm someone that likes to know what's going on especially as a car ages. My other ride shows me oil pressure, voltage, in addition to the usual, speed, rpm, fuel and temp. True you can buy those OBD II thingies to show engine temp but in the Jimny that gauge comes as standard already.

If our fellow Tsikoteer wants a Jazz, go ahead and get one. You'll have plenty enough left to buy a Jimny when you decide to sell it. hehehehe.

I kinda like the Jimny exclusivity and the faces of those motorbike riders when they see you driving on the sidewalk with them [I do not encourage anyone to do that, we were responding to a fire call that time].

[kotiko]

Can someone suggest some good shops/mechanic for a Jimny? Having trouble finding a place that's familiar with the vehicle. Thanks!

[crazy_boy]

Can someone suggest some good shops/mechanic for a Jimny? Having trouble finding a place that's familiar with the vehicle. Thanks!

try Filmars in Blue Ridge.

[renzo_d10]

We had a VTEC Jazz (no funny 8 spark plugs crap) with a CVT. No problems with the drivetrain experienced. The new Jazz still sits too low for our taste. What the hell is the approach angle on that thing? True, the cabin is not roomy but since its usually only the two of us riding, the only additional room we need are for fire fighting gear and radio communications and those stuff fit the Jimny perfectly.

And there's still no temp gauge on the new Jazz and I'm someone that likes to know what's going on especially as a car ages. My other ride shows me oil pressure, voltage, in addition to the usual, speed, rpm, fuel and temp. True you can buy those OBD II thingies to show engine temp but in the Jimny that gauge comes as standard already.

If our fellow Tsikoteer wants a Jazz, go ahead and get one. You'll have plenty enough left to buy a Jimny when you decide to sell it. hehehehe.

I kinda like the Jimny exclusivity and the faces of those motorbike riders when they see you driving on the sidewalk with them [I do not encourage anyone to do that, we were responding to a fire call that time].

Still no temp gauge for the current Jazz? That's ridiculous.

Of all the things to remove, why the temp gauge.

[battaglin]

Between jimny and jazz? jimny of course! it's a man's car. I love the ground clearance, no worries pagsampa sa bangketa.

BTW, I had my front wheel bearings replaced and now the high speed wobble is gone. I did road test on roads where I usually hit 80kph and there is no hint of wobble now.
I plan to test it sa NLEX one of this days to see if its really solved. my jimny is turning 7 end of May.