I purchased my 1987 Suzuki Samurai secondhand w/ 19,000 miles in 1989. The reason for my purchase was that I wanted an inexpensive,reliable vehicle that was fun to drive. Samurais design dated back to the 1970s all over the world, but came to America in 1986. They've earned a reputation of being rugged, dependable vehicles in the most remote parts of the world

Mine was a light blue metallic JX model with white soft top,tachometer,digital clock,sport seats,a Pioneer stereo, and A/C. Air conditioning in a soft top? Yes, FACTORY air conditioning.

The truck was fun to drive only with the top off. There was only 62 hp coming out of a 1.3 litre motor. I think it's the same motor used in the Suzuki Swift and Geo Metros. If you own one of those cars, imagine them with four wheel drive and you'll get an idea of what kind of power we're talking about. It felt so underpowered that you couldn't even feel the loss of power with the A/C on. I must admit, Suzuki made an excellent A/C system for the Samurai. Maybe other car companies should make them that good.

The interior was spartan, eventhough mine was loaded. The backseat was small, but two people did fit snug back there.
The seats weren't very comfortable either, but that's not what they were designed for. Part of the reason the seats weren't comfortable was that the ride was so bad. It was jarring on even the smallest bumps.Handling wasn't great either, but if you drive it like the SUV it is and not a car, it should be suitable for you.

I drove my Samurai a few times to San Diego from Anaheim, California, and let me tell you; The top speed floored in 5th gear was only 73 MPH- meaning no reserved power for passing. Fuel range was another issue. I only drove about 170 miles between fill ups. Granted, the gas tank was small and the design of the Samurai is aerodynamically-challenged, but other owners told me that they were getting between 150-170 miles also. EPA, rethink your mileage ratings on this one!!!!

The irony in it is that I purchased a Jeep Wrangler after giving the Samurai to my brother. The Wrangler was a lot more powerful and bigger, yet it had the same ride and comfort problems as the Samurai. The worst part was that the Jeep was brand new and was plagued with problems (a common thing for a Wrangler). The Samurai gave me no problems until 74,000 miles when the engine ceased on a ski trip. I had the oil changed the day before at the Suzuki dealer and the tech apparently didn't tighten the oil pan drain plug. Suzuki replaced the motor free of charge. They gave me the newer motor-which only had 66hp, but my top speed was up to 80MPH.

My brother bought it at 82,000 miles and now has close to 200,000 miles on the Samurai. Besides maintenance my brother had to replace the clutch, alternator, and carburetor- each only once. My Jeep was in such bad shape, I got rid of it at 52,000 miles. I had typical Wrangler problems. One owner told me, "That's part of owning a Wrangler." I watched it go and my brother still rolling along in my old Samurai. If that's not enough to give you an idea of how reliable it is,nothing will.

Samurais are crude,tiny 4-wheel drives that ride like they have no suspensions. It was great to own when I was a teen and through my first couple of years of college, but I wouldn't own one now. However if you go offroading and like the idea of a no-frills truck with tricky on-road handling and STIFF ride, then this maybe for you.
Amount Paid (US$): 5500
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1987
Model and Options: JX,Soft Top,A/C,Rear Seat,