1987 Suzuki Samurai JX review from North America
"Great in 4 wheel, but not in the commute"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Replaced the front and rear seals.
New clutch and flywheel.
New valve cover gasket.
New vinyl top.
Both front seat needed seat covers.
Transmission leaked and needed fluid bi-weekly.
Engine leaked and burned oil needing a quart every other fuel fill up.
General comments?
When it snowed, the Samurai was great. When I needed to park in tight spots, the Samurai was great. The rest of the time, it was not as fun as I hope. There were way too many mechanical problems that kept popping up. The engine had little power, especially on the highway. Unless you are a little man, this vehicle is only a summer ride. When I had to roll the windows up, I was cramped.
However, I only paid $600 for the Samurai, and put about that much into it over the 2 years I had it. If I had the time to rebuild the engine and up the performance, it would have been a much better ride.
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| 1986 - Samurai 1. 4L In-Line 4 cylinder An excellent and eceletic car, highly recommended to the budget off-roader |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 4 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 110000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 150000 miles |
| Previous car | Dodge Dart |
| Date of Entry | 2nd December, 2003 |