BS: Suzuki or what??

Subject: Suzuki or what??
From: beachcomber
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 06:39 PM

My wife is insistent that she needs a Suzuki "Jimny" for her commuting, I'm not sure if I should encourage her as I have no experience of such a small car. Any 'catters feel like posting an appraisal of said vehicle , just as a guideline??

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 10:16 AM

Don't know about the model you are asking about, but the Samurai's are prone to rollovers. Too high and top heavy.

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 11:51 AM

Try here or here.

I wouldn't call it a little car though. Try a Daewoo Matiz or even a Smart car! (Mind you I did learn to drive in a Reliant Supervan III, known affectionately as the plastic rat.)

Does she really need a 4WD for commuting though? Do you have bad weather and/or road conditions where you are? I remember seeing a review of a BMW variable drive that changed to match road conditions and the 4WD only cut in once. They were testing during a rainy Octobers day in the English lake district which , while not extreme by some standards, was pretty gruelling apparantly.

Good luck with whatever you get anyway.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Grab
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 12:14 PM

A car which returns 35mpg is NOT a suitable car for round-town commuting. For that kind of economy, you might as well get a 2-litre car which actually performs properly. Or for a proper commuting car, try any of the very good superminis available which will easily top 50mph and will cost a damn sight less than this one. I can dig out my latests Which? review of superminis if you like.

I'm fine with ppl who say they need SUVs for actually going over rough ground and stuff. I'm even fine with ppl who'll honestly admit they've bought it for the looks. But I really, really dislike ppl who pretend they've bought it for any other reason (eg. it's safe/rugged/reliable/economic/the only way to transport lots of ppl/the only car that'll fit taller drivers) because all of those reasons are provably false. I suggest your wife owns up and says "Look, I want one of these bcos I really like it" - much better all round.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: beachcomber
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 07:04 PM

Thanks lads for your comments and bothering to reply. I suppose my lead in was a bit too abrupt to really tell it as it is but I was half afraid that no one would be interested. The situation is that my wife has no compunction about stating her liking for a "Jimni" (Suzuki) because some of her colleagues have them and have demonstrated it to her. "Commuting" is probably what confuses some of you because , for us, it means driving approx 20miles at an average speed of about 55/58 mph and return trip. Traffic is not a problem as all the journey is in a rural area. The "Jimni" is a type of "jeep" but is not a 4-wheel drive and has a petrol engine. It is a lovely looking little thing, small but perfectly formed etc. and , a very important consideration for us, is a mere 17,000 euro new. I was a little concerned that it's wheelbase is rather narrower than a "normal" size car or even jeep and so I posted.Thanks Sorcha , for the tip and I will try to download the sites given by Dave . Thank you all again for your trouble Cheers beach

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 04:16 AM

I think someone's pulling your leg about in not being 4WD BC! - To quote from one of the reviews "The car has a 1.3-litre petrol engine, a very short wheelbase, and full high/low ratio 4WD, with 2WD for normal road use."

I would suspect in 2WD you do get more than 35mpg though - but I am not sure.

Spot on about it beeing a "type of jeep" though. From the other review "the unusual name, which incidentally means 'little Jeep' in Japanese"

Out of interest I have a friend who is a mechanic and has a Suzuki Vitara and he loves it. I guess they must be mecahnicaly sound anyway!

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: beachcomber
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 06:37 AM

Thanks again Dave, yes the Vitara is substantially larger (and dearer!) than the Jimni but I've now driven one and it is a 2 wheel drive version right enough. It is a little bit bouncy on the road compared with norman wheel base type vehicles, but slow down! did I hear you say. Slawn Dave Beach PS> BTW isn't a gnome a kind of little leprechaun in fact? :-)? thanks again beachcomber

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 08:49 AM

No problems Beachcomer. Glad to be of service!

BTW isn't a gnome a kind of little leprechaun in fact? - Nah. You have it the wrong way round. I was sitting at the bottom of a garden holding my pole long before the little people started tricking people and not giving their gold away;-)

From the Columbia Encyclopedia...
, in folklore, tiny subterranean creature associated with mines and quarries. Usually represented as misshapen, frequently as hunchbacked, gnomes are said to be guardians of hidden treasures.
(Just like me...:))

Have fun.

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: beachcomber
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 07:15 PM

Guess what Dave, my missus has now turned her attention to a Fiat "Multipla", yes you've gone and frightened her off the Suzuki what with all that loose talk of overturnings and whatnot, so all my enquiries have been , well, in vain, I suppose.Funny thing is the Fiat is not that much more expensive so, drive on..

beach

PS Leprechauns are smarter than gnomes anyday.

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: bernil
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 06:37 AM

I'm a little too lazy to read things carefully and look up words (I'm Swedish) so I don't know if this is relevant att all but I wan´t to tell you about my new car. It's a Suzuki Wagon R+ and I love it! It's small (short), yet big (high) and a great car for me who is disabled. I'm sure it would fit a lot of normal people too... ;-) I suppose you've seen it when you've been looking att Suzukis but if you haven't - take a look! Suzuki Wagon R+

Sorry the text is in Swedish.... ;-) Berit in Sweden

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: beachcomber
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 07:36 PM

Thanks Berit, I have seen one already but, of course my good wife has spoken!! beachcomber

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Grab
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 05:50 PM

Sorry BC, I'm just a bit ratty about the local women who take their monster trucks on the school run! :-( "Commuting" round here is definitely of the order of a mile or so.

Our planned next car is a Seat Leon. The 1.8l injected one of those gets 35mpg, although I suspect it costs a bit more to buy than your Jimny! ;-) The Jimny looks quite cute though, much better than the Vitara which is just ridiculous.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 02:56 PM

Yeah but...

The Multipla is the ugliest car in the world! Makes us Gnomes look positively handsome.

But I guess it must have something to satisfy the Italian sense of style. Guess I just don't have it;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Suzuki or what??
From: beachcomber
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 07:52 PM

Mmmm yes, that Multipla isn't exactly the Gina LLollobrigida of Italian cars but it packs 'em in. I believe it is fairly economical to run too and reliable, in any event that is what 'er indoors wants....now! Christ there's an ugly rumour going around the village that my other next door neighbour is soon to be delivered of a new Saab 2point something or other......phew! beachcomber