1994 GMC Jimmy Review

Never had a better, more dependable SUV

Written by: 94jimmy81 on 03/14/2008

Vehicle

1994 GMC Jimmy 4 Dr SLE 4WD Wagon

Review

My Jimmy has 251,000 miles and I have never done any major engine or tranny work to it. Parts are cheap and it overall has been a pretty easy vehicle to work on. But never had a problem with it, it starts up every morning without a problem. The 4 wheel drive system is awesome too.

Favorite Features

I love the ride (very smooth), but still has the ruggedness to let you know that you can take it off-road whenever you want or need to.

Suggested Improvements

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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4 years w/my Jimmy

Written by: Gal-a-van-tin on 12/06/2005

Vehicle

1994 GMC Jimmy 4 Dr SLE 4WD Wagon

Review

When I bought my Jimmy, it had 68K on it and lots of surface rust. I had that removed and now it needs it again. I like the interior except, would like a movable console between seats for extra space. I bought it for the 4WD feature to feel more secure in bad weather. Also, I wanted to do lots of road trips and camp out of the car. This is great! A twin-size mattress fits in the back comfortably and I can go almost anywhere with it. The engine has been very reliable and my mechanic says I should have no problem getting another 50,000 miles out of it. I have had basic repairs and maintenance, but nothing out of the ordinary, $100- $300/yr. I would change a few things with the design.

Favorite Features

Tinted windows, 4WD (I love the tight turning radius!), cruise control. Comfortable seats (good lumbar support). Interior lights. Extra plug for cell phone. Full-size spare tire is great (no 'donut' for me).

Suggested Improvements

Rear windows that go all the way down. Better rear visibility (spare tire in the way). Rear wiper connected to bottom of window. Removable center console. Cup holders in back seat. Air bags. Heater & A/C for back seat. Better gas mileage. I get up to 23 highway, but only 18 MPG, city.

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The Jimmy!

Written by: India on 03/28/2005

Vehicle

1994 GMC Jimmy 4 Dr SLE Wagon

Review

I bought my Jimmy used in January of 2004 as a result of having my car stolen. Although I was not thrilled about the exterior, (I wanted a more femine looking car since I am a girl) I was excited about the leather interior. After buying the Jimmy, I had to replace the front brakes and the fuel injection pump all for the price of $900. Since then I haven't had any problems. My friends and I take lots of road trips (college students, of course) and we always look forward to taking the Jimmy because of the comfortable ride. And believe it or not, my friends with newer cars actually prefer my car beause they feel it is roomier, more comfortable, and they feel safer!

Favorite Features

The leather interior, the Vortec engine, folding rear seats, sunglasses console, and the cruise control

Suggested Improvements

The interior (except the seats, they're perfect) and the boxey exterior

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Worst car I ever owned!

Written by: aurinia on 10/28/2004

Vehicle

1994 GMC Jimmy 4 Dr SLE 4WD Wagon

Review

Maybe mine was just a lemon, I don't know. Bought it used in '02 w/ 68K on it, body in great shape, no rust, ran great. That didn't last long, tho! W/in the 1 1/2 years I owned it, here's a list of what I had to have replaced: entire front axle, brakes (2x), U- joint, fuel pump, fuel tank, A/C, various motors and belts, entire exhaust system and tires. Oh, & the ABS went out and almost killed me twice; nothing like hitting the brake pedal and feeling it NOT MOVE (its especially nice when you have a 4yr old in the car)! At 90K, in the space of a week, the 4WD went out as did the transmission, and the drivers door started coming off the hinges. Had it towed to the dealership to trade it in.

Favorite Features

Physically, the truck was a tank. I was hit by both a deer and a car going about 40mph, and all it did both times was put about a foot-long dent in the fender vs. dead deer and $2K in damage to the other car. And fantastic in the snow!

Suggested Improvements

Do I really need to say anymore? Just read above!

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Great car, expensive maintenance

Written by: Chance's End on 09/26/2004

Vehicle

1994 GMC Jimmy 4 Dr SLT 4WD Wagon

Review

I purchased this car because I consistantly need to haul a truckload of music equipment to gigs. So though the car's less-than-stellar MPG rating is a downfall, it comes with the territory (I get between 17-20 mpg). The one major gripe I have is that at 75k miles, the ball joints needed to be replaced - not something to cough at. Evidently, this is common on GMC/Chevy SUVs of this vintage. But besides the high maintenance bill last month, it's definitely one of the most comfortable and fun cars to drive.

Favorite Features

Leather interior makes the car comfortable. The center storage box, overhead light/kleenex/sunglass/garage opener console, and the rearview mirror lights make me wonder why all autos don't have them. The way the back seat folds down makes converting between hauling and passengers very easy!

Suggested Improvements

My maintenance person says that GMC and Chevy still have some areas to improve in regards to poor durability of parts (such as ball joints). The lack of a tachometer was disappointing, at first. As always, fuel efficiency could be better. But overall I cannot complain.

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