Suzuki Jimny Sierra! First Impressions & Off-road Test

We just bought Australia’s cheapest Suzuki Jimny! Find out how much we paid and why we got it for so cheap in this video. We take it for a test drive off-road in the bush too!
Make & model - 2008 Suzuki Jimny Sierra JLX JB43 (SN413 T6)
We’ll be looking at maintenance and modifications on this Jimny in an upcoming build series.
Jump to Section:
00:00 Introduction & Reveal
00:33 Test drive & discussing problems
03:00 Off-road/4WD test & discussing problems
05:31 Getting bogged
07:21 Exterior walkaround
08:29 Interior walkthrough
08:57 Engine Bay walkthrough and service history
09:37 Underneath the car (oil leaks etc.)
11:10 Outro featuring (not the real) Andrew St. Pierre White
Disclaimer: At 2nd Gear Low, we love working on cars, but we are not trained mechanics. We like completing maintenance and modifications to all sorts of cars and filming it for your entertainment, but we can’t promise that you won’t harm yourself, someone else, your car or your warranty by trying this. Talk to a qualified mechanic if you are ever unsure about any part of a job that you choose to try yourself.

[@BorisEkner]

From 1998-2005, in Sweden I had two Gen3’s. The first one was a company car, as I liked it a lot I bought one of my own. I installed a PowerTrax / LockRight a rear diff-locker in my own Gen3. It changed the car from a very capable 4x4 to a mountain goat. Of all the driving I did with it I only got stuck twice. Both times I ended up on top of large piles of snow and had to shovel the car down to the ground. Things to look out for… 1st - The auto is sensitive carrying heavy loads. Meaning, if you often carry a lot of heavy cargo keep an eye on the color of the ATF fluid. As soon as it darkens - change it. (As I daily carried heavy loads I installed an extra & large AT cooler in my own Gen3 (It was ~half the size of of the radiator. I had a manual switch in the coupé to turn the extra cooling fans on. The extra cooling extended the lifespan of the AT by ~50%. Refurbishing the AT is ~50% the cost of a new one witch at the time was ~$AU6’700 of a new AT. I changed the AT once (refurbished) on my own Gen3.) 2nd - The king-pin bearings are under-sized. I changed all four of them twice on my Gen3. If you see oil/grease on the inside of the front wheels it’s time to change the king-pin bearings. It’s a pretty large/intense job to do, but the tiny bearings are standard (off-course!) and can be bought at a much cheaper price at a dedicated bearing shop than Suzuki will ask for. 3rd: Don’t add a turbo/supercharger to your 84hp vehicle unless you upgrade the entire drivetrain. Meaning, the drivetrain isn’t designed for the extra power. A turbo/supercharger will cause you more problems over time than it will provide. A better choice is to swap the motor/engine to one from a Swift or a Vitara. Engine swap kits are available I you care to look for them. 4th - The vacuum controlled hubs will fail due to leaks. The dashboard will tell you you’re in 4x4H/4x4L - but you aren’t. (And you will discover the failing vacuum controlled hubs when you need them the most!) Solution: get manual hubs from APIO or Warn. Manual hubs will never fail you. 5th - Get radial arms protectors. The radial arms assembly points to the frame are very weak. Expect to dent them whenever on rocky terrain. They are way to low and protectors will give you peace of mind. 6th - The Gen3 is made for no more than 30 kg’s of load. Do not exceed that number. I am dead serious on this topic no matter the suspension you have. The 8 points (2x4) points of your roof isn’t made for any cargo heavier that the 30 kg’s. - On June 13 last year I got delivery of a manual Gen4. Yes, it is better than the Gen3. It’s a modern Jimny, with the pore man’s version of a @diff-locker”, ie the AllGrip system. The All-Grip is better than open diff’s, but true diff-lockers are still better. That’s why I at the end of July will order a rear diff-locker from Kaiser in Brazil. In December I’ll order a front one. All things said, the Jimny is a remarkable, one of a kind, little off-roader. No matter which one you get, you will have an experience no other 4x4 will provide you. If interested. watch Pacaya Overland / Why Jimny at KZbin for more of my thoughts.

[@2ndGearLow]

Hi Boris, you clearly know the Jimnys well! Thanks for leaving your detailed comments, very helpful. We're sure looking forward to working on and getting to know the inside-and-outs of the Jimny

[@BorisEkner]

@@2ndGearLow You’re welcome. I’ll answer any questions you might have to the best of my knowledge. In the comments below someone mention the ‘Jimny Wobble’. That is a true thing, and scary as F to experience. In most cases the wobble comes from a suspension “upgrade”. Solutions are a steering damper, and/or off-set radial arm bushings, or to downgrade the after market suspension. (To my knowledge only Jimny’s with too much of a lifted suspension experience the wobble.) You guys appears to be happy chaps. Looking forward to your next video.

[@2ndGearLow]

Thanks Boris, we'll definitely be taking a look at the suspension steering components, particularly old worn out bushes etc., and the swivel hubs are looking pretty average too, which could be contributing to that wobble. Appreciate your support!

[@danielsimmons959]

Awesome vid, lots of great laughs

[@2ndGearLow]

Thanks Dan!

[@astol87]

This vid and channel is definitely gonna blow up soon. 5k subs by end of the year easy

[@2ndGearLow]

Thanks Brad, appreciate the support!

[@cryoine7194]

for your wing mirror check your mirror switch first for continuity

[@colleen9038]

That was a fantastic ASPW impersonation 🤣

[@2ndGearLow]

Thanks Colleen 😂

[@kyliiieeeeee]

The Jimny wobble! Also fuel looks like you’ve used none and then all of a sudden the pin just drops. Mines a headache, you can fix that next 😂

[@2ndGearLow]

Hi Kylie, thanks so much for watching! We're glad we're not the only ones, sort of... We're planning some videos on fixing these issues in the not too distant future, stay tuned!

[@raynerg1824]

Christ on a bike that's cheap!!!!

[@2ndGearLow]

You know it