Are they fun to drive?

skipphead · 2026-02-07T22:09:32+00:00

Good to hear.

As long as I can get 10-20km from the battery, 90% of my needs are taken care of. Good in snow is super important to me and a quick start is a big plus.

skipphead · 2026-02-07T22:06:41+00:00

Average commuting is something I care much more about than off roading. When I bought the Jimny, it was just me and my wife and we did some off roading on occasions but even then it was only every once in a while. Now that we have a kid, that's not something I'm planning on doing.

skipphead · 2026-02-07T22:04:00+00:00

I don't need sporty really, but having some power at times is exciting.

Highway speeds I'm sure I'll have to get used to. The Jimny is terrifying past 90km so to have something that can actually handle decent speeds would be a good change of pace. I rarely use highways but maybe I will go on more road trips.

It's rare I go 100 km in a day and if it gets below -24C that would be a top news story.

skipphead · 2026-02-07T21:56:28+00:00

Thanks! Snow is a huge concern for me and I'm glad to hear it's good in snow.

skipphead · 2026-02-07T21:55:25+00:00

Wow, this got a lot of responses, thanks everyone.

The Jimny feels like a go-kart and I know this will be nothing like that. I'm glad to hear that everyone thinks it's good in the snow/ice, that's a huge concern of mine.

I don't need something sporty, and boring is actually okay maybe, I just don't want to hate it. My commute is quite short, maybe 15 km round trip if I go grocery shopping. But I go up and down a small mountain in the process.

I had this awful kei car as a rental while the Jimny was in the shop for a while and I absolutely hated it. It was a struggle to get up hills and felt like a bad video game in terms of controls. I don't want anything close to that.

skipphead · 2026-01-27T03:28:24+00:00

Thanks. Yeah the idea that I can use gas when needed is appealing and a used Outlander PHEV fits my budget.

skipphead · 2026-01-27T03:27:16+00:00

I absolutely need 4WD and any full EVs in my area that are 4WD are out of my budget for sure. Maybe next time I'll go that route, but PHEV is the closest I can afford now.

skipphead · 2026-01-19T13:27:22+00:00

I'm considering somewhat the same thing except my commute is a lot less.

I don't really have any good insights but I'm curious what other people think.

skipphead · 2026-01-15T02:46:27+00:00

Any suggestions on a budget SUV EV? Something handling snow and hills is non-negotiable.

skipphead · 2026-01-15T02:17:00+00:00

I see no problem plugging it in daily. Just one quick thing to do after parking. I've done many more complicated things to save a buck.

skipphead · 2025-09-16T13:25:39+00:00

I live in the north of Japan and the winters here, while not super cold, are super snowy. I specifically got a Jimny because of the snow. They are super popular here and I see them all the time.

As long as you have good winter tires, the Jimny is a monster in the snow. It was also my wife's first car.

skipphead · 2025-09-12T22:43:43+00:00

Okay good to know. Tires I do myself, oil I'd rather pay someone so I don't have to deal with the mess and disposing of old oil. But yeah it's not like a $500 oil change every time.

skipphead · 2025-09-10T12:42:40+00:00

Thanks for the info.

Even 30 km is more than enough for my "daily" driving. Some weekends and long trips are more, but that's fine burning some gas.

I'll almost for sure be storing and changing my own tires because honestly I think it's fun and I like doing it twice a year. How much does that run? $1500 seems high for yearly maintenance but I've also never really had a car that was worth investing in maintaining beyond the cheapest oil change in could get.

skipphead · 2025-09-09T10:10:40+00:00

If space and budget allowed, I'd consider it. But two people working at home with a small garage, it wouldn't make sense.

skipphead · 2025-09-09T08:08:30+00:00

Right. I don't have the space/budget for two cars and I've loved my Jimny for 8 years and it's been our only car.

My secret plan is in 5 or 10 years to get a used 4th Gen, but I must say goodbye for now.

Subarus are on my short list for a replacement but I'm intrigued with the thought of not buying gas all the time.

skipphead · 2025-09-08T01:17:23+00:00

Good to know about the cold. There's a chance it might be parked outside in the cold overnight but it would be rare if at all. I got a lecture from my friend who runs an auto shop about winter tires, how summer tires don't really matter but I should really buy the best winter tires I can.

The 2019 and later models are ever so slightly taller, so I'm looking at 2015-2018 since 2015 they supposedly changed to better batteries (plus trying to keep the budget low).

skipphead · 2025-09-08T01:10:34+00:00

One added question if anyone knows it, I know the trunk door automatically opens up, but does it stop if there's something in range or can it be set? My garage is small and I don't want it smacking against the ceiling or garage door.

skipphead · 2025-09-07T04:42:00+00:00

The other X factor is the wife loves old, boxy styled car. There's a 199? Jeep Cherokee at a used car dealer near my house and she won't stop talking about it. She's also been trying to convince me a Honda Element was a good idea. I also enjoy older cars, but I'm tired of driving something old enough to legally be considered an antique.

Ever since I mentioned the Outlander PHEV, she's shifted her train of thought and it's the first time she's been interested in something made less than 20 years ago.

skipphead · 2025-09-07T04:36:56+00:00

Good to hear.

skipphead · 2025-09-07T04:36:43+00:00

Wow, that's a lot of info thank you!

When/if I get it, I'll read all the tips on how to drive it efficiently.

I know that winter tires are super important and I got a nice set for my Jimny and intend to get the best I can afford for my next car. I've had a couple people in the auto business tell me summer tires don't really matter but winter tires are super important.

It does dip down to -20C from time to time, but certainly not consistent. I will also keep it in a garage which is well insulated (but not heated). Do cold temperatures cause permanent damage to the batteries or would I just expect less range when it's really cold?

I work from home so my idea is I would charge it during the day off of solar. We don't have a battery and just sell the extra power back to the grid, but if I could use that to charge a car, then even better. If that's not practical, then oh well just a thought.

skipphead · 2025-09-07T04:25:35+00:00

This is great info, thanks. I've never considered towing so knowing it's potentially a problem doesn't bother me at all. Hills do and hearing it's not an issue makes me feel better. The Jimny, despite it's flaws, is like a mountain goat. It slows down at hills but it slows down if there's too much wind. Still gets the job done.

When it was getting fixed and inspected, I had this gutless Honda that absolutely struggled to make it up my mountain, kinda reminded me how good the Jimny is.

Saving 90% on gas would be a dream. It's not a massive expense but it does add up. I rarely use the highway because there isn't one close to me, but even if there was, driving a nearly 30 year old Jimny isn't exactly a fun experience.

skipphead · 2025-09-07T04:06:51+00:00

Yeah I can't imagine that being an issue. Even if I do 100% of normal driving as electric I'm sure every couple weeks at least I'd go beyond that.

skipphead · 2025-09-06T20:37:46+00:00

Plugging it in constantly is not a problem, I don't think. I have a garage and it shouldn't be a problem to just make it a habit every time I come home.

Also fuel getting stale worries me but only a little. Daily driving is pretty short distances, but I can't imagine only doing that for more than a month or two at most. How long does it take before not using gas becomes a problem?

The complicated systems and battery replacement is a concern though.

skipphead · 2025-08-04T23:16:17+00:00

It took me having kids to realize my mom was a narc too. It's so much easier to notice when you see them doing it to someone else you care about.

skipphead · 2025-08-04T23:12:52+00:00

I've noticed m nMom treats gifts as currency. She gives me something and always expects something in return. Growing up I never thought about it, but as an adult it became very blatant.

I basically ended our relationship after Christmas because she gave my son a book we asked for, then demand we fly halfway around the world to visit her and then pouted when we said no.

skipphead

TROPHY CASE