Louise Limb – contributor

If Monday this week saw me well and truly into my second half century, today was also a significant milestone in my Grand Vitara’s (we hope) long relationship with the open road. As I pootled through Long Preston, a village on the A65 along the stretch from Skipton to Kendal, the numbers on the milometer suddenly changed from 40 something to a tidy 50,000. If my Suzuki had been a horse, I’d have patted it on the neck and given it a carrot.

It had been a good day, not too much chugging and no sliding at all really, even on the wet bits; leftovers from hilltop rain sluicing down into overworked gullies and forming puddles of a depth that can surprise. Ever since I spent a whopping £700 (give or take four pounds) on the beast between Christmas and New Year to cure the sluggishness and a seeming lack of revs, of which a cracked diesel filter housing had been the chief suspect, the Suzuki has continued, determinedly, to behave as if it is in way too high a gear for the speed. I’m lucky if I can maintain third gear when stuck behind ditherers who hate driving and think 40 is a suitable maximum speed; ‘quite fast enough for anyone’ as my dad used to say in his twilight driving years. A teeth-rattling diesel chug is standard, then, on the road, more so when I steer to the left. Off road and in 4 high, the problem evaporates. Hmm, must mention this to Jeepman Phil, when I finally admit defeat and take the Vitara back to him for further tinkering. Or maybe my 4×4 has the menopause…

Hils Everitt – Editor

In this cold weather we’ve experienced – although by the time you read this we are probably in the first flushes of spring, the snowdrops and crocuses are making a valiant effort and the daff shoots are poking their heads above the thawed earth – a car heater is one of those luxuries you just can’t do without.

I admire contribs Toby Savage and Bob Cooke and all those other mad people in their classic Jeeps enjoying the bracing, fresh  air, but give me a good, powerful and effective heater any day.

And that’s another way in which I can sing our long-term Jimny’s praises. Ok, so, yes, it’s a small 4×4 so not so much area to heat up, but boy when you get that little 1.3-litre fired up, the heater’s on full blast at top temp, it really is toasty in no time. So toasty, in fact, that I always end up overdoing it and have to turn it down quickly to avoid a really hot flush.

Nigel Fryatt – contributor

Once the initial shock of the snow had passed, it’s fair to say that we started to really enjoy our Rav4 last month. We spoke last issue about how impressed we are with the Continental ContiCrossContact winter tyres that we have fitted and have no hesitation of once again recommending that every reader considers doing similar. We live on a steep hill, which means that it quickly turns into a set from some disaster movie as the road becomes littered with abandoned vehicles within a few hours of any heavy snowfall.

Louise Limb – contributor

Christmas, that most expensive indulgence; the weather has now merged into a uniform dull, wet, depressing grey murk and the ominously spreading oil leak beneath the engine bay that the tyre fitter thought might be the transfer box – could be why the Grand’s been lumbering about like a farting buffalo – turned out to be precious diesel leaking from an invisible crack in the diesel filter housing.

‘Oh no!’ I heard myself cry, ‘that sounds a bit pricey to fix’. It wasn’t the first plastic item on my car to yield (first the rear door handle and last summer the power valve) and I did wonder if the parts on (evidently not so) ‘Trusty’ were up to the actual business of being used.

Ann Lockley – contributor

Christmas arrived a month late here in Canada but I am not complaining – not one bit! TerraFirma and Rock Island Rovers stepped up to the plate and sent along the promised parts to get my poor stricken Kelsey up and running; without the wobble, I hope.

So my lovely package from Santa included included: Big Bore Expedition Shocks, Heavy Load Front & Rear springs, Rear Spring Dislocation Cones, Rear Top Shock Mount Relocators, poly bushing kit, all from TerraFirma plus all three ball joints and an ignition coil purchased here in Victoria, so how good it will work is anyone’s guess!

Garry Stuart – contributor

Jamie Stuart is my contractor, surfer and snowboarder son. He bought the Freelander in December 2010 after a long search for a good example at the right price. Jamie would have liked a Discovery but wanted as new a vehicle as his budget would allow so he looked at Freelanders instead. He has always been partial to the Solihull brand as he spent much of his youth around Nightingale Farm, Swindon where Michael Hall plies his trade in quality used Land Rovers.

Wayne Mitchelson – contributor

This is my fifth year of Td5 ownership. The drunken eBay purchase has proven to be the best vehicle I have ever owned. My pockets are not deep enough to run a car and a Land Rover, so the 90 needed to be the do-all vehicle. My weekly commute varies massively, the nature of being a freelance. The miles have been creeping up, however, and are now close to 200,000.

I have been a stickler for servicing the mechanicals on the truck and I think this has proved cheap insurance over the years. I had the transfer box replaced a few years ago and replaced it with a Discovery item, giving me a more comfortable cruising speed and much better fuel economy.

Hils Everitt – editor

As you’ll see from our UK adventure on p48 when our brilliant little Jimny took on the mighty 1940s Ford Jeep in glorious Snowdonia, the Suzuki long-termer equipped itself extremely well on the rocky lanes, some of them really quite tricky in places. To receive the nod of approval from Toby, a veteran of off-roader and staunch Land Rover/Jeep fan, is a true accolade for the Jimny.

The Jimny enjoys a superb heritage. I, in fact, learnt to drive off-road years ago in a Suzuki SJ – now that was a top vehicle and you still see them buzzing around off-road driving days, many with lifted suspension, body mods and winches attached. They are superb off-road and the Jimny is not a bad successor.