and today i have mostly been...

[DaiRees]

Dang jimny failed it's mot epically today. A fair bit of welding needed
Time for another 406 me thinks.....

Oh dear! My Suzuki was the sole reason I learned to weld! But I had the luxury of being able to strip it down in the garage and jack the body right off the chassis to repair all the boby mountings. Guessing you're not going to be so fortunate?

[OllieNZ]

Dang jimny failed it's mot epically today. A fair bit of welding needed
Time for another 406 me thinks.....

Oh dear! My Suzuki was the sole reason I learned to weld! But I had the luxury of being able to strip it down in the garage and jack the body right off the chassis to repair all the boby mountings. Guessing you're not going to be so fortunate?

Unfortunately not, it's to tall to fit in the garage. It's both front corners under the headlights and the inner sills.
Going to look at a cheap 1.4hdi 206 this morning to tie me over for now....
I'd love to have Kelv's estate but it's a bit far away from me unfortunately.

[OllieNZ]

206 was a pos, so I'm now the "proud" owner of a 110hdi C5

[DaiRees]

What year is the C5? I do like the later ones.

What happens to the Jimny now then? Doesn't sound like a great deal of welding to me. I'm guessing the bits near the headlights are within 30cm of the front body mounts, and inner sills are a pretty standard repair.

[OllieNZ]

What year is the C5? I do like the later ones.

What happens to the Jimny now then? Doesn't sound like a great deal of welding to me. I'm guessing the bits near the headlights are within 30cm of the front body mounts, and inner sills are a pretty standard repair.

A 2003 with 100k for £700, unfortunately ugly as sin but it's growing on me. Really roomy, floats along the road, 110hdi and I don't have to look at it while I'm driving it ;). I still haven't figured out wtf the suspension ride height adjustment is for but it seems to work.

Unfortunately the jimny's not as straight forward as it sounds, the rotten bits are all lap joints where several panels meet. All areas within 30cm of a body mount. The front corners will be the easiest, just need to make a patch to cover everything and weld around the edges. The sills look like a nightmare at best. Once it's repaired I'll sell it on, I've not really had the chance to use it properly since I bought it.

[Doggy]

I don't have to look at it while I'm driving it

Feel your pain - I've been telling myself the same thing about various potential post-406 alternatives.......

Not working so far.

[Welly]

Ollie that's a shame about the little Jimmy, would be useful in the OMG snow chaos we're getting this year

So easy to say but I thought you simply* grind the crumbly bits back to good bits and slap on a new 'plate'. Appreciate the thing is off the road in the meantime but would be a shame to punt it on after the work you've already put in?

[steve_earwig]

Wot Welly said Although I appreciate the use of the word "simply*"

I've never welded a car out in the street, me sir? No sir, not never

[PeterN]

I haven't done any welding on modern cars, the metal is to thin for my skills but I have generally found if a car needs welding its about time for a new one, especially 406s. I have two which I bought in the last year, both '51 plates and both estates, one GLX and one LX, neither has any rust apart from the regulation bit along the front edge of the bonnet but I have found if you open the bonnet when you first get the car and squirt a liberal amount of oil in the recess the rust doesn't get any worse.

There are still some cheap 406's around if you look for them, I paid £400 and £350 for mine respectively and they are both in pretty good nick, one had 11 months MOT, half a tank of diesel and a new clutch, I believe by the feel of it the other one has a new clutch as well, the only thing wrong with it was a non functioning rear wiper, now fixed.

I bought a C5 as a replacement for 15 years of XMs, rather disappointed with it though, it has nearly the space of the XM but not nearly such a good ride, it does have its redeeming features but I prefer the 406 for its handling and reliability.

Peter

[DaiRees]

I have generally found if a car needs welding its about time for a new one

Slightly different with the Jimny though, they've got a "traditional" chassis which Suzuki protect very well, I've never seen a rusty one. The body is a different matter, prone to a bit of rust but as it's not integral to the structure and strength of the car you only really need to worry about it if the rot is within 30cm of the body or seatbelt mounting points. Unfortunately, Ollie's rust is near some of the body mounts, but if you have the time and ability, it can be repaired.

[PeterN]

Sorry, I thought he was talking about a 406, obviously didn't read it properly .

Peter

[OllieNZ]

Thanks guys,
This is from under one of the headlights.....


I would have liked another 406 and there were a couple locally but way overpriced for the mileage and condition. Unfortunately I needed a car quickly and on a very limited budget.

Peter can you shed any light on what the suspension levels actually do? The handbook that was included is for the newer version of the C5

[PeterN]

I think there are basically 3 pre set levels, the display should show a picture of the car and the maximum advised speed.

Peter

[OllieNZ]

I think there are basically 3 pre set levels, the display should show a picture of the car and the maximum advised speed.

Peter

Thanks Peter,
I seem to have 4 levels, 1 below, 2 above and normal. The speed thing makes sense, given how it was behaving.
Do you know if there is a way of getting it to display mpg, etc? I think mine may be the most basic model.

[PeterN]

I think that might be right, I don't have mine now so can't check. I think mine had a fuel computer, can't remember the model but it had dual zone heating.

Peter