Jimny Soft Top

[kenmud]

Hi I fancy a Jimny soft top, currently own JLX (3rd one). I am thinking of swopping my JLX one in for a soft top, are they ok to be left out in all weathers i.e. frost, heavy rain, do they leak? or will it be ok, advantages and disadvantages would be great. I want to feel the wind on my nearly bald head!!!!!! :) (ken from doncaster)

[jimny gary]

Hi Ken, I have a 54 reg jimny 02 soft top, not bad in the sunny weather, noisy in rain  and traffic. Quality of the roof is appalling, just recieved my third one on warranty, they look great but the press studs just arnt up to the job. also if you want to get in the 'boot' forget it. Ive bought a removable hardtop for mine, best of both worlds. If your looking at a new Jimny then the hardtop is the only option, the soft top has the old engine, dash, gearbox etc, hardtop is lots faster and more economical. but yes , its fun when greenlaning in the summer with the roof off !

Gary

www.laneriders.com

[kenmud]

Hi, cheers thanks for the advice, my wife was ADAMANT that she didnt want one, it was me!!!!! so looks like she was right and I was wrong!!!! wont be able to live this one down though, going to go for a VVT as they look pretty good, fancy one in silver as I have a JLX Grove Green great jeep, so probally gonna go for the VVT model in silver, wife is keen on that as well, thanks again.

[LandRoger]

Hey  Ken, how many SOBS is that vvt gonna be,

[jimny gary]

they be around 7750 sobs if you screw the dealer into the ground!

[kenmud]

ill get one when its time for them to meet their sales target

[jimny gary]

start here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-SUZUKI-JIMNY-HARD-TOP-4x4_W0QQitemZ4568229480QQcategoryZ18283QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 thats colin appleyards, he wants more for alloys, metallic etc. but use that figure to get your dealer down, i got my soft top last september from www.randles-suzuki.co.uk  for 7750, and near the end of september may be the best time , end of the first month of 55 reg.
 I did ring all uk dealers and some would match the price i paid , but in the end i had to go to the dealers five times to take money, insurance etc all on different occasions so nearest was best for me.

Gary

[kenmud]

tell me more about hood clips and hard top in plastic or monsoon roofs you never no o2 at   7000  at the mo

[jimny gary]

all the prestuds on my roof rusted together in the first two months, when i took the roof off one day i couldnt get it back on. took from december till two weeks ago to get the right roof, they got me a cheap plastic one first whereas mines a canvas afair with it being the 02 model. Ive now greased all the presstuds and the fixings on the body.
I found a hardtop on ebay for £300, fiddly thing to fit, takes an hour and a half to fit or remove, and needs two people for most of that. the hardtops brilliant, proper rear door, heated rear window etc. I tend to leave the front canvas roof on and have the rear hardtop on for winter as if theres a sunny day its nice to peel the front roof back. Suzukis price for the hardtop is £845 plus vat, you may find a dealer with one in stock that they cant sell - Randles in Newcastle-under-lyme have one and offered that to me at 'cost' but didnt tell me the actual price, think its been in the way for a while. The new jimny soft top is on its way with VVT apparently, dealers dont know when they'll get them, but seem keen to get rid of the models same as mine for pennies. Might be able to get a good deal on an 02 soft top and a genuine hardtop.Pics of mine with my hardtop on on my website - see below.
Gary
www.laneriders.com

[jimny gary]

i did hear that monsoon roofs are £400........ lot of cash.

[viccarbri]

Hi Ken, I have a 54 reg jimny 02 soft top, not bad in the sunny weather, noisy in rain  and traffic. Quality of the roof is appalling, just recieved my third one on warranty, they look great but the press studs just arnt up to the job. also if you want to get in the 'boot' forget it. Ive bought a removable hardtop for mine, best of both worlds. If your looking at a new Jimny then the hardtop is the only option, the soft top has the old engine, dash, gearbox etc, hardtop is lots faster and more economical. but yes , its fun when greenlaning in the summer with the roof off !

Gary

www.laneriders.com

hi there, i was interested to read your comment on the suzuki jimny soft top as i am in a battle with suzuki myself at the moment because of problems with mine.
since buying it new in march i have had 8 press studs break and am now on my 2nd roof and have had a further press stud break this weekend. its been an absolute nightmare. just wondered if you have heard of anyone else experiencing this, i am trying to get together as much evidence as possible to back me up.
would appreciate any info
 thanks
           vicky

[jimny gary]

ive had my latest roof on for a fortnight, one of the clips has broken already on the first time i used it, one is in the wrong place altogether, ive greased them all because i didnt think i'd have much chance of getting another roof out of them. I'm going to use a local trim shop who specialise in soft tops to replace the press studs as and when they break, igive up with suzuki

gary

[kenmud]

thanks gary vvt is for me cant be doing with all that roof stuff thanks a lot mate nice to see somone knows is stuff saved me a few sobbbs let you no how i get on thanks mate ken of doncaster

[jimny gary]

you just need a 4" lift kit, ARB winch bumper, 9500lb winch..........

[viccarbri]

ive had my latest roof on for a fortnight, one of the clips has broken already on the first time i used it, one is in the wrong place altogether, ive greased them all because i didnt think i'd have much chance of getting another roof out of them. I'm going to use a local trim shop who specialise in soft tops to replace the press studs as and when they break, igive up with suzuki

gary

have you found them much help, they just told me to keep having them repaired under warranty. thats ok until the warranty runs out and then it will cost me a fortune. they tried to say it was the way i undo the press studs, abit of a joke really.
i have been intouch with trading standards and am in the process of trying to get a refund for the car, they arent making it easy though. its a shame because i love the car, but just dont want the hassle.
                               vicky

[jimny gary]

I'd get the roof and the body presstuds replaced either under warranty or by a trim shop specialising in soft tops, then lightly grease both the body and hood presstuds. I also have a hardtop for the winter which helps a lot.
Its a sad fact but soft tops only really last 2 years or so if you take them off quite often, my old samurai had a new Bestop soft top and after a year that was showing signs of wear and was much better quality than the suzuki original.

How olds your jimny?

Gary

[viccarbri]

I'd get the roof and the body presstuds replaced either under warranty or by a trim shop specialising in soft tops, then lightly grease both the body and hood presstuds. I also have a hardtop for the winter which helps a lot.
Its a sad fact but soft tops only really last 2 years or so if you take them off quite often, my old samurai had a new Bestop soft top and after a year that was showing signs of wear and was much better quality than the suzuki original.

How olds your jimny?

Gary

its 5 months old, but the problems started after only 2 weeks. sadly it has really put me off, i paid £10,599 for it, my inheritence after losing my mum, which makes it worse.
                         vicky

[jimny gary]

my problems started about the same time. I'd go see a local trim shop and see if they can fit some better quality presstuds. Ive waited near a year for a proper roof and had to drive round for 5 months with a horrible shiny PVC roof that they ordered by mistake. Monsoon do a decent roof, about £400 but you may not have the same problems as long as the presstuds on the body are changed at the same time (theyre on 3 strips bolted onto the body). Get some grease on any new presstuds to stop them rusting though.

Gary