Soon to be new 2019 owner

Hi all,

Quick hello from me, soon to be first Suzuki owner. I'd been pondering a Defender or Wrangler for some time but prices and theft issues stopped me ending up with either. I started then looking at a Renegade then the spy shots came out for the new Jimny and I've been keenly following it since mid-2018. I ended up putting a deposit down late November without driving or seeing one and following a test drive on 14th December agreed to go ahead with a purchase with the dealer indicating they were only getting two in, one of which happens to be in the colour and spec I was looking for.

The only other car I've had anywhere similar is a Skoda Yeti, which I found rather dull to drive and very far removed from a driving experience. I'm used to more nimble sportyish cars, but as a long as a car has character I'll enjoy the drive. Proper off-roading history for me is nil so we'll look to change that at some point but I'm certainly hoping it will be a lot more capable in the snow that we usually get than the rear wheel drive cars I've got/had which have been, errr, interesting around where we live just south of the peak district.

The dealer indicated a late January delivery date, which I'm fine with, I'm not an impatient fella and I'll enjoy getting my last few drives out of the GT86 whilst I'm waiting

Welcome to the forum and the best kept secret in motoring!

Hi and welcome. Waiting for mine as well. Good choice

Hello and Greetings from the Cotswold Hills

Blimey Hanslow - chalk and cheese with the GT86 v Jimny!
Just take it easy; the handling will be chalk 'n cheese too!

Stunning area that you live in

Thanks for the warm welcome

I found out on the test drive that the steering needs a bit more work with the four turns lock-to-lock compared to the two and a half that I'm used to. That's part of the fun though and will certainly be a (re)learning experience.

I've still got my project Eunos for the close to the floor stuff and it'll be nice having the transition between it and the Jimny as they'll be far more contrasting than the 86 is. At least I'll have a bit more consistency with two cars both only having five gears rather than having to mentally keep reminding myself not to lunch the gearbox by going from fifth into reverse :ohmy:

Hopefully it'll arrive before the snow otherwise I'll struggle to pick it up!

A good friend and colleague of mine was a huge Eunos fan owning several of them but has now switched his allegiance to the MGF.
Another guy where I work races much modified MX5s.
My own close-to-the-ground stuff is in the form of a 1970s Midget and a pre-war MG.

I know where you're coming from with the 6 v 5 gears - have found myself looking for 6th since parting with my SAAB :ohmy: