Reported problems with Samurai
I'm shopping for a Suzuki Samurai as a toad. Are there any common problems that I should be looking for? My preference is manual transmission and 4WD, fully enclosed (no canvas).
Forum Discussion
I'm not real familiar with the Samurai, but look for and expect problems that typically plague a 30+ year old vehicle. The Samurai got a really bad rap from Consumer Reports that killed it- let's take a narrow, short wheelbase utility vehicle with leaf springs all around, bolt a 300 lb. outrigger to each side, drive it like it's a sports coupe and scream like a mashed cat when it tips over.
IMO a clean Samurai would make a sweet toad. Underpowered and relatively crude but with better off-road capability than almost anything on the market today except for a Jeep Wrangler. The other Suzukis mentioned are newer and much nicer on-road vehicles but IMO lack the simplicity and ruggedness of the Samurai. It all boils down to what your needs and wants are.
IMO a clean Samurai would make a sweet toad. Underpowered and relatively crude but with better off-road capability than almost anything on the market today except for a Jeep Wrangler. The other Suzukis mentioned are newer and much nicer on-road vehicles but IMO lack the simplicity and ruggedness of the Samurai. It all boils down to what your needs and wants are.
