Want to start offroading, only 17...

[junder]

Hi Guys,

I would like to start off roading / green laning however at the moment i only have a corsa. The only 4x4's i've been able to get a quote (at a reasonable price) on is Suzuki Jimmy (1.3 petrol) and Vitara (1.6 petrol) at a push..

I know that as they are quite small engines and petrol neither are going to be great but i know the jimmy has a low range box and 4wd and i think the vitara also have. Can i have some of your thoughts on whether this will be any good to start with or am i going to have to wait a while (5 years or so) and get a defender ? I would plan on getting something better when the insurance is viable but to start with i guess they have to be better than nothing ??

Thanks,

[pits]

jimmy things are horrible things, never driven or seen one off road mind you though lol

why not look at a suzuki SJ?

[300bhp/ton]

junder said:

Hi Guys,

I would like to start off roading / green laning however at the moment i only have a corsa. The only 4x4's i've been able to get a quote (at a reasonable price) on is Suzuki Jimmy (1.3 petrol) and Vitara (1.6 petrol) at a push..

I know that as they are quite small engines and petrol neither are going to be great but i know the jimmy has a low range box and 4wd and i think the vitara also have. Can i have some of your thoughts on whether this will be any good to start with or am i going to have to wait a while (5 years or so) and get a defender ? I would plan on getting something better when the insurance is viable but to start with i guess they have to be better than nothing ??

Thanks,

I don't know that much about these. I've seen a few off road (not sure what model).

As long as they have low range you'll probably be ok. Limiting factors are ground clearance and axle articulation/flex. They also don't appear to be the most rugged of off roaders. However their small size does allow them to go places others can't.

Have you looked at a Series II or III Land Rover? I know they are old, but they are pretty capable.

[JimexPL]

pits said:

jimmy things are horrible things, never driven or seen one off road mind you though lol

why not look at a suzuki SJ?

Surely a jimny is just a more refined, modern version of an SJ -
Ladder chassis, live axle (with coil springs front and rear)

Seems like a good idea as a first off roader. Performance, economy and refinement will be far better than a series landrover.

I think that it's just a decent set of tyres away from being a good choice.

Edited by JimexPL on Wednesday 10th September 14:56

[Psimpson7]

I'd say a Jimny is a good idea. On of my mates back in the UK has one. He also has a Wildcat! They are pretty capable.

My other half has a 1.6 Vitara which I drive from time to time (no gay jokes please) and thats pretty good too.

[Darkslider]

If I were you I'd get a series 2 or 3, you might find insurance is pretty cheap on a limited mileage classic car policy. All you'd need is decent wheels and tyres, no other real modifications and it would be a very capable off road motor, much more so than a vitara or jimny!

As said a suzuki SJ is also a pretty good little 4x4 as well, I've been surprised at how well they cope off road.

[Hard-Drive]

A suitably tweaked Vitara is surprisingly good off road. Have a look at mudclub, plenty stuff on there.

[andy400]

I've seen SJs and Jimnys performing very well at pay&play sites (decent tyres a definite requirement). Plus: cheap to buy and run, cheap parts, and if you tip it over you can just push it upright again!!

[pugwash4x4]

Sjs andf Jimnys are amazing little things- i've seen a couple of modded SJs run rings round the bigger kitted 90s and the like- coupld of guys in the southwest running in BWORC, CSw and 4x4 adventrues challenges regularly win events in their SJs.

Rhino Ray has all sorts of fun and games with both Sjs and Jimnys producing all sorts of wonderful upgrades- they are NOT an inferior product!

[300bhp/ton]

pugwash4x4 said:

Sjs andf Jimnys are amazing little things- i've seen a couple of modded SJs run rings round the bigger kitted 90s and the like- coupld of guys in the southwest running in BWORC, CSw and 4x4 adventrues challenges regularly win events in their SJs.

Rhino Ray has all sorts of fun and games with both Sjs and Jimnys producing all sorts of wonderful upgrades- they are NOT an inferior product!

I've seen them perform very well. I think it does depend on the event type, terrain and to an extent driving style and mods though.

Biggest advantage has to be size, they are tiny, which in affect gives them much more room to play with, so less likely to hit stuff or not make a turn.

[rossyIIa]

Depending on how remoter area you live in the NFU will give cheaper insurance on land rovers i dont know about the suzuki's. i have a 1969 series 2a land rover and love it, it was £300 to buy spent about £100 on to get it on the road its a couple of 100 a year to insure plus no tax, one draw back its not quick but then again nor is an sj.

[Silent1]

IIRC a Discovery is a lot cheaper to insure when you take the rear seats out so it's only 5 seats. At least it was for a mate at college a few years ago.

[John.]

took a mates vitara down some green lanes was quite good as far as i know bit ground clearence was an issue but you can get rasing kits for under £200. took lots of abuse without fault as well.

[MRDIITD5]

A mate of mine has a Jimny and it is very capable off road. He took his to Cowm Quarry near Rochdale and he was amazed at how well it did. The door seals did their job as he bobbed along that big lagoon

They have marginally less ground clearance than a LR deafener on standard tyres. As said earlier, them being smaller and lighter gives you an advantage up to a point.

As for series Landrovers, you may get an unpleasant shock when you try for a quote. A pre '71 model might help offset the insurance (tax free)

Happy hunting

[SamHH]

Silent1 said:

IIRC a Discovery is a lot cheaper to insure when you take the rear seats out so it's only 5 seats. At least it was for a mate at college a few years ago.

Did your mate tell the insurer that's what he'd done or did he claim it was always a 5 seater? My suspicion is that an insurer wouldn't accept a car as a 5 seater on the basis that the rearmost seats had been removed: it would still be registered as a 7-seater after all. Happy to be proven wrong though.

[Silent1]

SamHH said:

Silent1 said:

IIRC a Discovery is a lot cheaper to insure when you take the rear seats out so it's only 5 seats. At least it was for a mate at college a few years ago.

Did your mate tell the insurer that's what he'd done or did he claim it was always a 5 seater? My suspicion is that an insurer wouldn't accept a car as a 5 seater on the basis that the rearmost seats had been removed: it would still be registered as a 7-seater after all. Happy to be proven wrong though.

He converted it and the insurance company said as long as he removes all the fixings for the seats they'll accept it as a 5 seater

[SamHH]

Silent1 said:

He converted it and the insurance company said as long as he removes all the fixings for the seats they'll accept it as a 5 seater

Oh. Some of the things that can change your insurance premium are bizarre. I wonder if I take the back seats out of my car I'll be able to get a discount.