Loving the Jimny lifestyle

When Andrew Tarr drove past his Suzuki dealer and saw the Jimny, he fell in love. Two years later the compact off-roader has become ‘part of the family’ and an important part of his life.

Hailing from Paraparaumu on the Kāpiti Coast just north of Wellington, Andrew has always been an adventurous sort. So when he started researching a new vehicle he knew he wanted something he could use off-road and for travelling around NZ.

Driving past HMC Kāpiti he saw a Jimny and knew he had to try it. “I fell in love with it as soon as I drove it,” says Andrew. “I’m picky and wanted to be sure so I asked if I could have it for the night. I spent a bit of time in the Jimny, checked it would fit in the garage and all that sort of stuff. Next morning I came back and said ‘Where do I sign?’”

Andrew’s particularly enthusiastic about Jimny’s reliability and value for money. “Jimny is a good, small, reliable vehicle and you know if you do manage to break something, it’s not going be a huge cost,” he says. “Suzuki offer great support with parts and service. Plus Jimnys are easy to maintain and fix – which is important if you’re doing serious off-roading.”

Being part of the Kāpiti Family 4WD Club has been a life-changer for Andrew and his son. “We get out, go exploring and have BBQs in the bush. It’s great for my son and I to spend time together,” says Andrew. “It’s opened up a whole lot of opportunities and new people to meet.”

According to Andrew driving the Jimny takes him back to when he was younger; “With manual transmission and off-road suspension it feels like you’re really connected to the road. It drives differently to a normal car – it’s more like a little truck. It gives me a lot of nostalgia even though you have all the modern stuff.”

After two years the novelty still hasn’t worn off. Andrew’s always excited for his next Jimny adventure. “This is my daily driver to and from work. Then on the weekends I use it for off-roading, towing trailers, towing boats – all sorts of crazy stuff,” he says.

Over the next year Andrew hopes to take the Jimny camping and do some overlanding in the South Island.

“I don’t ever see myself selling it,” he says. “Other cars are just cars but this one is FUN. You can’t drive a Jimny without a smile on your face. It’s just awesome!”

Andrew’s Jimny is a Sierra Manual in Kinetic Yellow with ALLGRIP PRO, low ratio 4WD and Dual Sensor Brake Support. He’s added a few adventurous accessories including bull-bars, a roof-rack, custom snorkel, and chunkier tyres for more serious off-roading.

If you’re interested in 4WD adventures, contact the Kapiti Family 4WD Club at kapitifamily4wd@outlook.com or find a club in your local area by looking on Facebook.