Mrs J wants a smaller car for work, and now that we don't need to cart around all the paraphernalia you need for small kids, I reckon something like a jimny would be useful.
Obviously the current amount of snow is partly influencing my thoughts, but even without it, a small 4x4 would still be useful for firewood gathering etc.
Opinions, alternatives, horror stories?
Someone in Cornwall thinks they're awesome. I would tend to agree.
my mother has one 
and she's 77 !!
That said, they live in the sticks and are regularly snowed in (including now, if they didn't have the Jimny) - it is every bit as able in the rough stuff as a SWB Landy.
It is very small, and quite horrible to drive in 'normal' conditions if you want to go over 50mph. I don't think I would be totally comfartable putting my kids in it regularly - cetailnly not motorway or faster road driving
Loads of guys I know use them off road properly. A bit ugly but capable. Beware fast cornering!
We've got friends who live up farm track on top of a hill. They bought the Jimny last year and its been superb apparently.
Very easy to roll from what i have heard - not driven one myself though.
I don't think I would be totally comfartable putting my kids in it regularly
That is one of my concerns, but we'd be keeping the other car for family journeys.
they are fun to drive slowly, but if you do ever get over 50, quite scary.
Mat will be along soon !! 
probably the perfect vehicle for what you want, not much else available like it bar an old fiat panda 4x4 if you can find one.
Suppose A3 quattro would be no good??
I'd go for the Jiminy and if you don't get on with it I'm sure you can sell it on for similar what you paid for it.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1993-suzuki-jeep-/220711883603?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3363741353
like this one
Great little things. Go anywhere fun.
on the plus side, they are very reliable. Missus used to have a Grand Vitara, which we had for 3 yrs and it never missed a beat (apart from the twice she crashed it in the wet torquey diesel, light back end RWD and no electronics, fun on roundabouts) )
Suppose A3 quattro would be no good??
That's another on the list, but it's a slightly different proposition, and I'm not sure I could use the firewood gathering excuse 
tow bar and trailer??
They don't get very good reviews but a guy at work has one and reckons it is great for general stuff except motorways. Ideal runaround especially at the moment and as has been said they hold their value pretty well and are reliable.
There are other similar options depending on your budget Fiat Panda, Suzuki SX4, Ford Kuga
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1994-LADA-NIVA-RHD-RED-/250739695234?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a61401e82
These are great but rare in good nick now.New ones are available but as left hookers only
Find a 4wd drive site to see what they work like off road. Ace. had mine from new, 04 and 77K miles. Never had a handling issue, fail to see the concerns. After all the speed limit is 70 on motorways, which it does no probs,and now't but a t*** pushes the limits in the country. can't see why people won't put their kids in one. Cramped for me at 5,6" in back with my stiff joints. 37mph mixed open roads and conjested stop start, bit better on a run, 4 years of anal record keeping produced that! Run tyres that a bit more than road spec, I like the original Bridgestones £70 approx, but some people give them away. Good door seals which help in 18" water although it does get a bit floaty. Firm suspension. Copes well with trailer. About the only Jap 4wd that has high and low box. Low is wonderful down icy roads.
get one but not a soft top.
but not a soft top
That's what I'm thinking. Too many horror stories of badly fitting / leaking / torn / slashed rag tops.
The one I hired in Kos one year didn't like thick mud too much 
The bloke from the hire place liked having to come and rescue me n the wife even less and showed this displeasure by way of replacing it with a Deawoo Matiz
Great little vehicles, and they work properly off road as well. Like little mobile tool boxes. Not much space in them though.
That Lada (I think is good)is it the same as the Cossack as that was great.
What Car slagoff:-
http://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/suzuki/jimny-4x4/summary/23521-3
Oddly enough I'm seriously thinking of replacing my Octavia with one. I don't really need a big car, most of my driving is local A roads and lanes, often potholed, which has meant replacing two alloys on the Octy. A Jimny with all-weather tyres would be ideal around the lanes of North Wilts. I found a 51 plate Jimny in Bristol a short while ago for £2450, which looked ok.
Whatcar crap. It isn't slow. It does over 70. It may not be quick but who needs that?
Cramped yes but not for 2. or kids. position fine. what doesn't it have?
Cheap rsiduals a bonus on this sort of thing. You buy cheap and keep it .
No similar vehicles out there as they don't have low box or solid axles. . Comparing them to Kuga's, SX4's etc is like comparing your 6" travel mtb to a track bike.
try one first I would or better still buy a Lada Niva. The Cossack is the "posh " version. Even better off road, a touch bigger and they last for ever. no one will steal it but you will have the most fanatical owners club ever. faultless for its purpose.
What tyres for a Suzuki Jimni? 
Mattscm you talk sense. My dad had a Niva and loved it.
I'm past the driving quick stage and Mrs J is the definition of a pootler. I don't take much notice of the whatcar reviews and it doesn't surprise me that it gets a panning.
I suspect for the money we'll pay, it will probably hold its value and could be sold without loosing too much on it if we decided it wasn't for us.
THere is a nice one on Autotrader, but it's in Bradford - a bit too far to travel at the moment. 
We hire them when on holiday (in Barbados) and they are perfect, but I couldn't imagine actually driving/owning one in any other circumstance...
And if you are looking at low miles, then buy something bigger - its not like you'll spend much on fuel.
I rolled a hired Suzuki. I wouldn't want one for everyday use
Diahatsu Terios? Little bit more civilised on the road and little bit less capable off.
Got to be cheap ones around as they are not exactly trendy.
And if you are looking at low miles, then buy something bigger - its not like you'll spend much on fuel.
Mrs J wants a smaller car for work, and now that we don't need to cart around all the paraphernalia you need for small kids, I reckon something like a jimny would be useful.
What about a Shogun Pinin 3dr.
Real off road ability and not that much bigger than a Jimny.
Niva's are ace. A mates dad used to export Ladas back home years ago. He had a shonky old Niva that we used to batter round our home made motorcross track in a farmers field. We must have rolled the same one at least 30 times and it just kept going fine. Took a good few goes before all the windows eventually gave up. Survived several front impacts too without the radiator busting, all wheels still ran straight
I decided we needed a second car mainly just for me to use last May, after lots of looking round decided a Jimny was the best idea. I've not regretted it at all, needs roofbars though for all the stuff you can't fit inside.
The kayak might prove handy when all the snow melts...
Nice little car, that.
cheers, its not so clean anymore, and there is not much snow here in Perth, Australia...
cheers, its not so clean anymore, and there is not much snow here in Perth, Australia...
one of the last true offroaders, plenty of accessories and forums out there to support them too. europe gets a diesel version using the renault 1.5dci which would help as its a bit revvy otherwise.
Also look at the terios and pinin. we cant agree, the missus would have a pinin and i would have a jimny.
They are all hated by the press because most mags cant comprehend using the car on anything but their extra urban test route.
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