[shibujp]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Congrats! Which dealer? When is the delivery?
--

Indus. Sometime next week i suppose. They said registration formalities take 5-7 working days.

Thanks for the pics. I feel that the chrome grille looks better in dark colors than the lighter ones.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Touringlawyer]

I drive the soft top Petrol Thar AT, been about 1.5 Years and 18000 Kms.

Test drove the Jimny AT yesterday as I intend to buy it too.

Except for the lack of sheer power that the Thar has, and which Jimny lacks (smaller engine), which resulted in Jimny struggling to push beyond 80 Kms / Hour speed easily, I don't have any complaints with the Jimny. None at all really. Even on the speed part, I don't think the smaller engine with lower power output should be a deal breaker, because really how often do we need to cruise at over 100 speeds anyways. Thats just my opinion.

In fact, some clear advantages that Jimny has over the Thar, as I could see and experience in the test drive itself, are shared below:

1. Jimny's 5 Door setup, with a comparatively lower height, makes it much more family usable. I travel mostly alone with my dogs in the Thar, but even then I have felt the need for a 5 door vehicle.

2. The boot space of Jimny is much better than the beyond-ridiculous boot space of the Thar. Thar barely has the boot space for 1 person luggage really (I am serious!!)

3. The complete Metal body in Jimny definitely gives a much better sense of safety in case of a roll-over or even otherwise. Though my Thar has a soft-top but even the Hard top Thar has a hard plastic top.

4. Jimny has 6 airbags (Front, Side and Curtain) as opposed to Thar's front airbags only. Again, a huge positive in my opinion in favour of Jimny.

5. My Petrol Thar currently gives me fuel efficiency of about 9-9.5 kms / litre (prior to the 10000 Kms first service, I was getting more in the range of 8-8.5 Kms / litre), and I am hoping Jimny's should have a clear difference of 1-2 Kms. Let's see how this goes.

Do I love my soft-top Thar, ABSOLUTELY!
But will I buy the Jimny, ABSOLUTELY! More so for my old baby (my dog) who has difficulty getting to the Thar back seat, and I travel a lot with them.

I intend to keep both the Thar and the Jimny, and use the Thar more as an open top vehicle for the "wind in the hair" feeling (I hardly have much left though) and for the highway runs.

As the vehicles age, will share more comparisons, especially the off-roadability part. Hoping to have the Jimny soon in the garage.

[gargville]

Originally Posted by Samurai

It will require a really torquey engine or very different gear ratio to start in 2nd gear. If I am not wrong, among passenger cars below 50L, only Gurkha is usually started in 2nd gear.

Duster AWD is also one of those cars that is recommended to start in 2nd gear.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I have never experienced such a gearbox, but based on comments here, RPMs and the resultant behaviour of the drivetrain should change depending on the position of the OD switch.

Why should OD switch change the behaviour? OD switch simply enables or disables the 4th gear. This is how it is in old cars with OD. All the old Maruti 4 speed boxes had it, Brezza, Ciaz etc....This is how it's implemented everywhere. It's simply a switch to enable or disable the highest gear.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Why should OD switch change the behaviour? OD switch simply enables or disables the 4th gear.

Based on the OD position, I only assume that ECU will let the RPMs stay higher in a particular gear. As I mentioned, no experience with this thing but given the comments of ease of overtaking/ spirited feel etc,.

It looks like I will have to drive a Jimny today

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Based on OD position, I am only assuming that ECU will let the RPMs stay higher in a particular gear. As I mentioned, no experience with this thing but given the comments of ease of overtaking/ spirited feel, it does happen that way.

It looks, like I will have to drive a Jimny today

The ease of overtaking is cause the box downshifts from the tall 4th to 3rd. The gearbox and engine isn't that advanced to work like a sports mode. This is no G wagon, just looks like a mini one.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

The gearbox and engine isn't that advanced to work like a sports mode.

I have doubts, two things that can make this work: ECU can keep the car at higher RPMs than usual or a change in Throttle response. In either case, users will have a different experience.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Based on the OD position, I only assume that ECU will let the RPMs stay higher in a particular gear. As I mentioned, no experience with this thing but given the comments of ease of overtaking/ spirited feel etc,.

It looks like I will have to drive a Jimny today

A general reply to multiple posts here.

Ease of overtaking can only be achieved if the vehicle is carrying that momentum. You will have to knock off the OD button and there is no Sports mode. It does not kick-down like the Thar does. That instant near-linear power delivery is not there in the Jimny. It is no sports car. It does not have those ‘legs’ and top end that the Thar has. This Jimny can be driven on highways at a nice comfortable pace while chatting and having discussions with your co passengers and listening to some music. It is not meant to play speed demon games with faster vehicles.

Contrary to some of the earlier speculative posts here, the AT is definitely a better choice for novices to go off road, because it will simply not stall, unlike the manual, which might. Stalling when inside a slush pit or while crawling up a steep rutted mud track isn’t much fun, because of potentially getting well and truly stuck or experiencing frightening roll-back.

In the hands of an experienced driver the MT can be used as a good tool both off-road and on road. Particularly through judicious use of the gears, one can eke out the best from the Jimny. Row through the gears as needed as I said. It’s a lot like the Gypsy that way. Portions of the steep hairpin bends of the Sigur ghats in the Gypsy, can be done in third if carrying enough momentum because the Gypsy is a light vehicle, but you have to bring it to second very often to bring the revs up and keep up the momentum especially on those inclines. While it is possible to do many hairpins in second gear again if carrying the momentum, it is dangerous because one absolutely has to hold one’s line through the bend and the inner curve track around those bends is very steep. One cannot break the line because one never knows what’s coming down the other side. Plus that’s not good driving practice unless it is a one way uphill or downhill road.

And when taking these bends, many a time, in my Gypsy, I note that it is easy to experience a bit of wheel spin and squeal due to loss of traction, especially in the inner rear wheel, if one has taken the curve very tightly. Also because of my Nylon cross ply tyres which accentuate this. This is why in my own experience and hearty recommendation, best keep away from unnecessary heroics and slow down nicely and use first gear to take some of those hairpins.

All in all, drive the Jimny the way it is to be driven. Use perspective. Use common sense and respect the laws of physics. And you’ll have a blast in it.

Don’t be unfair and judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, because then you’re bound to be disappointed in its inevitable failure to meet your expectations.

[purohitanuj]

Originally Posted by Touringlawyer

5. My Petrol Thar currently gives me fuel efficiency of about 9-9.5 kms / litre (prior to the 10000 Kms first service, I was getting more in the range of 8-8.5 Kms / litre), and I am hoping Jimny's should have a clear difference of 1-2 Kms. Let's see how this goes.
.

I have driven to Saach pass recently and Jimny has given me 15-16 KM/L on highways (Driving at 90-110 and maintaining average speeds of 75-80km/hr). On normal hill section, it gave me 12-13km/L and on steep sections like Saach Pass to and fro, it gave me 10KM/L. All of these were computed tankfull method. The MID understates than the actual efficiency. You can easily add 1-2KM/L on whats seen on the MID.



Actual was 15.5L/min


300+ Kms Average Speed.

[prashant316]

Originally Posted by purohitanuj

I have driven to Saach pass recently and Jimny has given me 15-16 KM/L on highways (Driving at 90-110 and maintaining average speeds of 75-80km/hr). On normal hill section, it gave me 12-13km/L and on steep sections like Saach Pass to and fro, it gave me 10KM/L. All of these were computed tankfull method. The MID understates than the actual efficiency. You can easily add 1-2KM/L on whats seen on the MID.

Attachment 2468706

Actual was 15.5L/min

Attachment 2468707
300+ Kms Average Speed.

I think the mileage will increase post 10000 kms, it has always done with my cars.

Is yours the Alpha? Asking because hoping to understand impressions of the headlights and fog lamps in the mountains at night.

[vinair]

On the 4-speed transmission, as I drive a Ciaz with the same gearbox, this is how the slots work:

D - Sequential gear changes, you can feel a slight head nod when the gears/clutch packs are engaged and disengaged and observe the engine RPM varying

L - Locks to first gear and the engine RPM remains high, I use this extensively while coming downhill as it provides some amount of engine braking. Again, you still need to have your foot on the brakes as and when required (not as effective as a manual slotted into first).

2 - Stays in gear 2 and does not upshift. Yes, you can also move the vehicle from a complete standstill in 2 (believe first gear is selected automatically depending on the engine load and shifts to 2 and stays locked).

OD - Remains 'On' always. Unless it's absolutely necessary for it to be switched 'Off'. Switching off the OD button on the gear stalk drops a gear and you are now in gear 3. I use this for overtaking as the OD is really tall and slamming the accelerator for the gearbox to drop a gear takes a few milliseconds and this could be crucial when you want to overtake a vehicle quickly. Switching off the OD (by pressing the button), ensures instant gear drop and the engine is back into the powerband for a quick overtake.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

A general reply to multiple posts here

People who have different expectations have long gone from this thread. We understand what this vehicle is capable of and what limitations can be when compared with other types.

The points, I was trying to ask were related to the implementation of position 2 which I assumed was the same as on my LC-200 Now, if someone tries to relate this with OD or sports behaviour, I can't help.

Starting in the second is the age-old way, your dad may be more versed probably.

Regarding the OD, it will be interesting if someone can find out RPMs in OD "Off" and then "On" position in 3rd gear (I don't know if it's even possible to keep manually in 3rd on such gearbox at all) or how to measure "Throttle response", perhaps an enquiry to the manufacturer can clear this. I know it (throttle response) works on 200 in sports and sports + mode. Maybe, someone taking a test drive of Jimny and understanding this can try.

I am not 100% convinced that OD mode just restricts the gear to 3rd and nothing else. But I will like to find out.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Starting in the second is the age-old way, your dad may be more versed probably.

This is a very low torque motor, so it wont start in 2nd given its a very underpowered engine. Age old way of starting in 2nd is still detrimental for the clutch. Now you don't need to start in 2 as the car has ESP on slippery surfaces.

Like all AT boxes in this segment (not comparable to LC200), the 2 means the car will use the lowest 2 gears like an auto box but only 2 gears. It will never upshift to 3.

This is the same in Fortuner when you select the gear and it basically means you are selecting the max gear allowed. In the 6 speed fortuner if you select 4 from the gear lever by using the +/- it doesn't mean manual mode but means it is max gear allowed:

The Fortuner's S-mode is very funny. Actually, it's not an S mode at all. Remember the D2 / D3 / D4 positions on older ATs which denote the max gear you are allowing it to shift up to? That's exactly what the Fortuner AT does in 'S' mode. As an example, move the lever to S and you'll see S4 on the instrument cluster chosen by default. This doesn't mean that the current gear is no.4. Rather, that's the topmost gear that the AT will drive in. It will remain between 1 - 4. You can similarly choose to restrict the AT to 3rd; drive at 4,500 rpm all day long and the box won't upshift. This is unlike proper 'S' modes which move up the shift points and give the gearbox a more aggressive nature. No such thing here, Sport mode doesn’t necessarily result in a lower gear for every situation. The problem is, the layman won't realise this. He'll select 'S' mode thinking it's quicker and see 120 kph at higher revvs in 4th (as S4 is chosen by default). Many people won't even know what they are supposed to do for easier cruising. Only an enthusiast will manually shift up to S5.

[purohitanuj]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I am not 100% convinced that OD mode just restricts the gear to 3rd and nothing else. But I will like to find out.

OD Off in D results into 1,2 & 3 and not just 3.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

the 2 means the car will use the lowest 2 gears like an auto box but only 2 gears. It will never upshift to 3.

Why are we repeating the same answer so many times

In the 6 speed fortuner if you select 4 from the gear lever by using the +/- it doesn't mean manual mode but means it is max gear allowed:

It's the same in LC too, maybe Toyota way. No one is comparing this to LC or anything else. I have a simple query which was answered long back.

I am looking at something else as...

I am not 100% convinced that OD mode just restricts the gear to 3rd and nothing else. But I will like to find out.

Originally Posted by purohitanuj

OD Off in D results into 1,2 & 3 and not just 3.

Restricts - I meant- max 3. I imply that it cannot be just restricting the top gear to 3rd. There should be some other parameters like throttle response or RPMs in the same gear- are my assumptions are not correct.