A better Defender replacement than the new Defender?

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lightning

lightning

Well-Known Member
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High Peak
Jimny five door.

Sadly not available in UK but addresses the small size of the three door.

lt's also cheap, under £25,000. A little underpowered but no worse than an old Defender.

lf these were available in the U.K. l would sell my new Defender Commercial and buy one.

Only minor disappointment is no centre differential so you're only 4wd when off road or in snow/ice etc.

We've had a 3 door for 3 1/2 years and it's been fabulous, no issues or failures whatsoever. Also easy to work on and well designed.
 

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Boss's wife has a new 23 plate 3 door one, I may have influenced her into buying it, think it was 21 plus the vat, or maybe 21 all in?
 
The new post 2020 Jimny is really very good. lt's a lot like a late model old Defender, but 3/4 the size.

The underpinnings are the same, live axles with mechanical low range transmission lever and separate chassis etc.

lt's all plastic trim inside, like an old Defender.
This is great in a utility vehicle as it is hardwearing and easy to clean. But it's refined, you can sit at 65mph in relative refinement.

Suzuki only import the two seat "Commercial" version now, it's more basic but still the same to drive. lt retains all the important features of the saloon version such as HDC, traction control and the low range transmission.

l would still obviously rather have an old type Defender, and a TD5 at that, but the Jimny is a viable alternative if you don't mind the size of it.
 
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A friend of mine swapped his 300tdi 90 for the 3 door model, 23plate brand new, he said it’s the most frightening vehicle he’s been in, at 60mph on the motorway it was all over the place, he went back with it and it was checked out by dealer, outcome was that, that’s how they drive, and keep it below 60.
He had it 3 months before swapping for a jeep Rubicon. He says he can get to 70 before that starts wandering.
 
l've read that quite a bit, phrases like "blown around like an empty paper bag" and l just don't understand because ours is absolutely fine, we've driven to Wales many times when my FIL lived there and we've been to London in it, obviously a few hours at motorway speeds.

No issues at all, 60-70mph, certainly not scary even when overtaking trucks when it's windy.
Mostly sat at 65 with the cruise control on.

l can't believe we just got a good one because l can't see how it could be any different to any other.

My missus hates driving when it's windy and the Jimny is her car, so l would have heard if there were any issues.

l keep telling her every time l see a nice low mileage Defender, our local dealer recently had a lovely 16,000 mile Puma 2.2 SW at £26,000.

When you see the prices some dealers are asking for very low mileage Defenders l was surprised this one took months to sell.

The Jeep is a nice vehicle as well, l may have bought a LWB over my new Defender but they don't do a "Commercial" version and so l couldn't put it through my LTD company.
 
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johnlad said:
A friend of mine swapped his 300tdi 90 for the 3 door model, 23plate brand new, he said it’s the most frightening vehicle he’s been in, at 60mph on the motorway it was all over the place, he went back with it and it was checked out by dealer, outcome was that, that’s how they drive, and keep it below 60.
He had it 3 months before swapping for a jeep Rubicon. He says he can get to 70 before that starts wandering.
Click to expand...
That sounds like utter none sense. Did 280 miles on Saturday in the Jimny and best part of 150 yesterday. No problem on dual carriage ways or motorway.
 
lncorrect tyre pressures maybe. They seem
to be delivered with 40psi all round and it should be around 26.
l bought mine second hand six months old and the tyres were still at 40psi, the first owner had never checked.
 
lightning said:
lncorrect tyre pressures maybe. They seem
to be delivered with 40psi all round and it should be around 26.
l bought mine second hand six months old and the tyres were still at 40psi, the first owner had never checked.
Click to expand...
Makes you wonder. Not sure what mine where when new, but I tend to run them at 28-30psi, as any lower and it triggers the silly TPS system on cold days.

Been out today and came back down the dual carriage way at a minimum of an indicated 70mph no trouble.
 
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