Re:new Gen4 or not ?

I prefer manual - although the Gen3 auto is the nicest autobox I've driven -but my SO only has an auto licence, something that will be increasingly common as EVs start to take over.  I would be the only driver if I bought one.  I still might - it depends if we move somewhere unsuitable for keeping my MX-5.

DrRobin wrote:

Not trying to talk you in to one and I am still on a Gen3 but looking round here a new LCV at £21,500 with warranty and 3 or 4 year old Gen4 (with four seats) at £23-£25k with little in the way of warranty, it doesn't make sense to go for the 3 or 4 year old, just to gain 2 more seats in the back unless you have to have them.

Robin

If you are considering an SZ5 spec, then it is more than just rear seats. Personally I find having the seats useful, I don't use them every week. But it has been very handy to be able to take 3 adults and a dog or 4 people from time to time.

The SZ5 also has things the LVC doesn't, such as the touchscreen infotainment system with a good DAB radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatible. No need to have phone holders stuck to the screen if you have this and if you travel about and use navigation like Google Maps it is very very handy.

The LED headlights are also awesome. I'm sure the halogens are fine, I have other cars with good halogen setups. But the LED headlights are in another league! These alone were IMO worth the price difference between the SZ4 and SZ5 specs.

Heated seats are also great to have on a daily driver and a proper climate control. Doesn't the LVC only get a basic A/C system?

The SZ5 also has a leather wrapped steering wheel instead of a plastic one. And while it would never be a deal breaker, the auto headlights, specifically the auto main beam is highly useful if you drive lots of A or B roads. This isn't something I would have worried about before having it. However, having now got a vehicle with this feature, I find it is certainly one worth having. I drive a lot of B roads and back roads. And it really does work well on roads like this and allows you to keep your hands on the steering wheel a lot more.

I personally also prefer the look and style of the alloy wheels over the steels. I don't mind steels, but they generally run the risk of rusting. Someone else said they are easier to keep tidy than the alloys. But I'd disagree with this. I don't see how they would be. Also if you really want steel wheels they are generally cheap and easy to buy used, while the alloys are harder to find and more money.

I do see the appeal of a 'new' LCV. I did buy my SZ5 new and the benefits of a warranty etc are there. As a daily driven vehicle however, I would say the commutative changes that an SZ5 offers over the Commercial makes for a vastly more comprehensive vehicle.

Or to put it this way. If I could swap my 4 year old SZ5 for a brand new LCV without having to pay anything (I guess I could based on used prices....), I wouldn't. It would feel like a relatively large backwards step to me.

300B, agree 100% with everything you said, the equipment level is much better on the SZ5 and I can see why you wouldn’t want to swap yours for a new LCV. Plus the insurance and potentially the tax/ULEZ might be more.

However, going from a Gen3 we don’t have the LED headlights and only really have basic A/C and no cruise control and what you don’t have you don’t really miss.

I did upgrade the stereo to an Android unit and have all the functionality of the SZ5, that I would definitely miss in a LCV. I had several company cars with all of the goodies and heated seats and hardly used them, so those wouldn’t be missed.

I have a spare set of alloys (I prefer the look as well) so would keep those and swap between the steel wheels and if my replacement seats would fit I would swap those over as well.

I don’t use a car every day now and don’t do big mileage so I wouldn’t really get the full benefit from some of the SZ5 extras.

It’s a difficult decision, I will probably stick with what I have got and just look from time to time and see what comes up.

Robin

The biggest difference between the Gen 4 and my old Gen 3 from the driver's seat is that the Gen 3 was much nicer inside.
Admittedly, the gen 4 has the "leather" steering wheel (I bet the closest it has ever been to a cow is when I drove past Macky-D's the other day though), but everything else is a backwards step.

Mine was an early Gen 3 so it had the proper split folding rear seats and the nicer (IMHO) instruments, but my main gripe is the lack of any trim to hide the garishly painted metal everywhere. The driver's seat was a lot more comfortable too, but 20 odd years could have worn it in nicely!

I'm not a fan of the shakey-wakey stay in lane warning, or the  COLLISON IMMINENT! BRACE FOR IMPACT! that comes on whenever I approach a parked car, I just know that the camera will fail and cost £££££££££££ to replace.....

Don't get me wrong, I like driving my Gen 4, but I liked the Gen 3 more.

 

Just before Christmas I drove Vivs Audi Q3 Quattro to a party. Distance about 8 miles. I was worried about the quality of the LED lights to the extent that certain corners were difficult to judge in the darkness of the undulating country lanes. The following night, with similar weather conditions, I drove the same route at the same time with similar numbers of oncoming vehicles, but this time in Tonka, my Gen.4 SZ5. Now I could see the brow of a certain uphill section as it curved to the left. The flood of light clearly illuminated the kerb, the verge the ditch and the hedge. The distance was enough for my speed and the spread to the right spot on for illumination without causing on-coming traffic to flash their lights. If anyone needs to check this for themselves, I suggest you borrow an SZ5 from somewhere and try it for themselves. You really will be impressed. And remember that test was an Audi Q3 with LED lamps - cosmetic type ie moulded type to match aerodynamic shape - against 7" round LED on a Jimny. IMHO halogen, whatever the wattage, don't get a look in.

Roger

Purley in the spirit of trying to help you decide I would ask yourself the following:
Do the reasons or circumstances that promoted the swap to another vehicle in 2007 still apply?
If they do then it's unlikely the G4 will fully address these issues, unless it simply rotted out, as the G4 DNA is basically the same as the G3.
As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, so your recollection of your Jimny days has had time to focus on it's good traits.

As I said, just trying to make you consider all angles before you decide. Appear to be plenty about now, our local Suzuki dealer has two in prominent display where once none existed.
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Absolutely concur. My SZ5 has the best headlights ever. Much better than my Audi S4 B9. I've fitted the fog/DRL with LEDs too, the combo of both h/l + IPF fogs is unbeatable.

 

We love our SZ5 Jimny. lt's great fun to drive and plenty fast enough.
The headlights are indeed awesome, much better than those on my new Defender.

We've never had any issues with the Jimny in 3 1/2 years.
lt's still worth more than we paid 3 1/2 years ago according to Motorway or WBAC but it's not for sale.

The extra features on the SZ5 are great to have, but they don't make it drive any better than an SZ4. However the SZ5 has always been more desirable and commands higher prices.

We rarely use the rear seats although they are nice to have, as my Defender is a 2-seater Commercial version.

The SZ5 may now cost over list price to buy, but you'll get it all back when you sell. There will be no more 4-seat Jimnys so look after it and there will be little if any depreciation.

To be honest even at the higher than list prices l think the Jimny is a bargain, when you consider the residential values.

And it's just so well thought out.
For example
On the Defender if you need to remove any trim, all the clips break off and you have to replace them. On the Jimny this doesn't happen.



 

I don't understand anyone paying over list for a car that is out of warranty and has 3.5 years' corrosion on it (Suzuki not having a great reputation there).

It's not quite as simple as that. Since the end of April 2023, Suzuki will apply an extra one year warranty if you have had it serviced at a Suzuki dealership - and also all the other services - and the dealership say it is ok. At the next service ie 12 months later, the same deal applies.
In my case the warranty expired on the 28th February 2023 approx. 1 month before Suzuki started this scheme, so from 1st April 2023 until when I have it serviced at Startin sometime in March 2024 I will not have a warranty. Once it is serviced and classed as ok the warranty will re-start for another year. If it is not ok, I must pay for repairs before the warranty continues. So as long as the service is done before the warranty runs out, any defects are covered. Accept there are items not covered including ICE.

Roger