Getting into off-roading/greenlaning
Discussion
Recently the idea of getting into greenlaning and off-roading has been very appealing to me. I would want to run the 4x4 as a second car really. As such I'd want something quite cheap to buy and run.
I have been thinking about a Suzuki Jimny. Originally I was looking at Landrovers both disco's and defender 90's however they're more expensive to buy, insure, tax and maintain.
Anybody got any advice? or could put me onto any other forums that would?
Thanks,
Brett
I have been thinking about a Suzuki Jimny. Originally I was looking at Landrovers both disco's and defender 90's however they're more expensive to buy, insure, tax and maintain.
Anybody got any advice? or could put me onto any other forums that would?
Thanks,
Brett
What sort of budget did you have in mind for the off roader?
Jimny is a capable little car, but you could end up spending a small fortune on mods etc. The attraction to me for the Defender, apart from the fact I always wanted to own one, was that it came all tooled up already, somebody else had paid to add a snorkel, winch, uprated suspension (not lifted). All I added was the tyres and it was ready to go.
Oh and with regards to insurance, my Defender 90 costs £135 a year to insure, which includes 5k miles pa and full off road cover. I think, with limited mileage classic policies, you cant insure the Jimny cheaper!
Jimny is a capable little car, but you could end up spending a small fortune on mods etc. The attraction to me for the Defender, apart from the fact I always wanted to own one, was that it came all tooled up already, somebody else had paid to add a snorkel, winch, uprated suspension (not lifted). All I added was the tyres and it was ready to go.
Oh and with regards to insurance, my Defender 90 costs £135 a year to insure, which includes 5k miles pa and full off road cover. I think, with limited mileage classic policies, you cant insure the Jimny cheaper!
Edited by eltax91 on Tuesday 5th March 16:30
A vitara with a carb is a brilliant machine, very little in the way of electronics to go wrong and mechanically very easy to work on and maintain. Also lots of aftermarket parts etc available too.
If your offroading it will get scratched, it will get dents it will get abused so in my opinion you don't want to spend too much.
Most 4wd are capable as long as you have some good mud tyres.
If your offroading it will get scratched, it will get dents it will get abused so in my opinion you don't want to spend too much.
Most 4wd are capable as long as you have some good mud tyres.
Brett748 said:
Recently the idea of getting into greenlaning and off-roading has been very appealing to me. I would want to run the 4x4 as a second car really. As such I'd want something quite cheap to buy and run.
I have been thinking about a Suzuki Jimny. Originally I was looking at Landrovers both disco's and defender 90's however they're more expensive to buy, insure, tax and maintain.
Anybody got any advice? or could put me onto any other forums that would?
Thanks,
Brett
If the Jimny appeal (and it is good), then head over to https://www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum/indexI have been thinking about a Suzuki Jimny. Originally I was looking at Landrovers both disco's and defender 90's however they're more expensive to buy, insure, tax and maintain.
Anybody got any advice? or could put me onto any other forums that would?
Thanks,
Brett
That said, do you have an idea what sort of off roading you'd like to be doing?
The Jimny excels due to it's basic underlying design, in good suspension travel, ladder chassis and live axles. But it is small. Which is good for many off road situations, but not all of them.
Do you plan on going on longer expedition style journeys, or maybe even taking an entire family out for the day? If so the Jimny may be a little cramped.
Also you might want to consider off road competitions. One of the most popular and accessible are RTV trials. These are for road taxed vehicles and are a lot of fun. Very cheap motorsport too, £20 to enter and £20 annual membership fee.
If you think RTV's would appeal, then bear in mind the two largest organisations that run them are the ALRC (the Land Rover club) and the AWDC. The All Wheel Drive Club will allow any make of vehicle to compete, but the ALRC is Land Rovers only.
In the UK owning a Land Rover does mean you gain access to far more off road and 4x4 options, events and activities.
If you do decide the Jimny is a little small, then take a look at a Jeep Cherokee. Also very good off road, but with a bit more space.
That said the Jimny is a good choice in its own right.
TheHeretic said:
There is also more to offroading than 'get a land rover'.
There is. However, if you are here in blighty, offroading is more restrictive, laneing is getting harder and harder to do legally, so the alternative is pay and play. In my opinion, the lowest cost of entry is then probably a Land Rover. Look at eBay, list all the Jimny's in a certain radius, it's rare to find a pre-modded one, so, you buy your Jimny and chuck a wedge at modding it. Do the same on eBay for Disco's/ Defenders, you find probably 40-50% of them have been modded in some way. They don't fetch any more money than standard (sometimes less) so in this way, you can get a decent off roader and not pay out a fortune for it.
Just going through the process of putting my 90 in the classifieds. Solid chassis, 12 months MOT, HD springs and shocks, a snorkel and 265/75 mud tyres. It'll probably fetch under £3k and the buyer will be able to head out straight away. Looking at equivalent Jimny's and a modding budget and you are easily going to spend £3k to get one and make it as capable.
The other thing about Landy's is the low cost of maintenance. Look after them and they will rarely leave you stranded. A full service kit and cambelt kit was had for mine recently, under £60 for the parts. Bearings are £20 for OEM timkin ones, it all adds up to a very good off road offering.
Another vote for the Jimny, to be honest, to get a Jimny ready for off road, you are looking to spend no more than £500. (that would get you a +2" suspension lift, and a set of full blown mud or AT tyres.
if you want to go more serious, a body lift will allow bigger tires, but you will start to suffer from lack of power from the tiny 1300cc engine, so then your either looking at a bigger engine from a 1.6 swift or a custom made transfer box, the latter will set you back around £400.
www.bigjimny.com is a source of knowledge
Here are a few pix of our old one
if you want to go more serious, a body lift will allow bigger tires, but you will start to suffer from lack of power from the tiny 1300cc engine, so then your either looking at a bigger engine from a 1.6 swift or a custom made transfer box, the latter will set you back around £400.
www.bigjimny.com is a source of knowledge
Here are a few pix of our old one
t the bed of late.JVaughan said:
Good review by Autocar, but it would have been a lot fairer had the Jimny been given a set of AT tyres.
The Terrano2 is also very surprising off road with a set of AT tyres, and you can pick them up for peanuts too.
Why would it have been fairer? One presumes the point of the test is to test a standard car which you buy off the shelf?The Terrano2 is also very surprising off road with a set of AT tyres, and you can pick them up for peanuts too.
I liked the Autocar review, however, the Defender stuck thing was just for show, wasn't it?
I have taken my 90 around Sibbertoft (Avanlanche Adventure) many times and only been stuck when being stupid and pushing the limits!
eltax91 said:
Why would it have been fairer? One presumes the point of the test is to test a standard car which you buy off the shelf?
But with off roaders it makes such a huge difference that I think it is a massive point to consider.e.g. two Defenders on different tyres, one will go everywhere easily. The other won't go anywhere. Does this make the Defender good or bad off road?
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