I'm new to Suzuki's, although I learned how to drive a manual trans in a Samurai when I was 12. I recently got interested in the tin top Samurai's and considering buying one.

What are the most common things to look for or that go bad on the Samurais. I would like to have an idea of what to look out for before I make any calls or purchase.

Thanks

well, you came to the right place!  Well, I love the samurai, i think that the sammy is the VW bug of four wheel drives.  Keep in mind that these little cars are almost classics. Mine is 24 years old.  I would like to know what you really want to do with it.  bash and bag wheeling, a restoration, a nice daily driver? 

I see you are from california, so what your should look for is a little different that most other states.  First get a car that passes smog it you want to drive it on the road.  Japanese cars made in the mid 80s have very complicated carbs and smog components.  it is common to have to rebuild the 25 year old carbs.  It would be nice to find one that runs good.  Californians dont have the option of any aftermarket legal carb swaps. rebuilt carbs are not cheap.

The second thing that I have found is that is common with these older cars is noisy transmissions.  if its noisy, it will need rebuilding.  Parts are about 125 bucks.

Just remember that these are getting old and some work will have to be done.  Parts are cheap and available, this website is a great resource for helping you get it good order. You can also modernize your samurai with smog legal swaps as I have done. also check the classified as it is common to see a rig that has already been gone through.

let us know what you want in a samurai so we can help ya out.

Thanks, Ill listen to the tranny. One that I'm looking at, if its still available, is smoged so I assume it doesn't have carb issues.

I own a Toyota Tacoma now, its my DD, work, go to the snow and occasionally wheeling truck. Its a good truck, but the samurai with its small size, solid axles and offroad capability seems like it could be fun.

I'm not looking for a major project, I would like to find one that's in decent shape,not banged up and rusty,and runs good. Of coarse a good price too. I'm thinking spoa lift, maybe a max. of 32" tire, I'm not sure what it takes to fit that. I'm sure it would need gearing, I really would like to have it streetable, including freeway, and still be very capable offroad.

Sounds good, a spring over with some tcase gears should do the trick for a decent dual sport. In case your not familiar, a t-case gear change also reduces the high range also.

It's kinda hard to find a value on these, they do seem to be getting more expensive though. What would be a good or fair price for a stock hard top,relatively low miles, no rust and not banged up?

Also, I've noticed that there are some bolt on spoa lifts, these interest me because I don't weld and don't have any friends that do. Having someone install a weld on kit would be out of my budget. Would a bolt on spoa from maybe rocky road be a waste of money and only be for looks, or will it flex and perform as well as a weld on kit? I havnt seen any good pictures of these insatalled but I could see it being a little more limited in shock placement and maybe have a little less clearance directly under the leafs from the bolts.

My favorite SPOA kit is the one from Sky Manufacturing, it's simple and has the wrap around shackles.  I would pay someone to weld them on rather then go with a full bolt on kit.  If you plan on keeping your rig pretty simple you might want to just go with a 2.5" set of leaf springs from OME.  It gives you enough room to squeeze some 29-30" tires underneath the rig and a softer ride then stock.

As for pricing, it really depends on your area.  I tend to browse around craigslist and see what they are going for.  I have seen nice ones between 2-3K up in the Washington state area.

I'll ditto drone637.  I did a sky springover kit for a buddy of mine,  It fit 31s perfectly. W also welded on the perches.   a good price here in calli for a clean sammy is about 2500-3000 for a stocker.

Well, the one stock hard top I was going to look at and was really hoping was as good as the owner made it seem has a sketchy carfax. He makes it sound perfect,under 100,000mi. ,no problems mechanically and doesn't leak a drop from anywhere, also the body is just about perfect and no rust. It does look really clean at least in the pictures Ive seen.

 The report shows it received a salvaged title in 1991. The guy was upfront about the salvaged title but his story isn't jiving with the dates on carfax, I'm afraid his story on why it has the salvaged title might be false. It also had multiple failed emissions over the years, gross polluter, but the problems may have been fixed. Some of the other info like milage and how many owners didn't go with what he claims either. If the milage wasn't messed with and the odo has just rolled over I'm thinking it might have close to 190,000 mi.

It might still be a clean rust free vehicle like he says but I would have to see for myself and its 3 hours away. So, not being able to rely on the owners info and from what Ive seen on the carfax maybe I should pass. Or I could offer him a lower amount.

There is another clean, low milage Samurai that sounds good and is only 10min. away that I might go look at but its a soft top and I'm really wanting a tin top.

Personally, i would wait for a tin top if thats what you want. The bad part is that it seems that most of them are up north. Most california ones are soft tops. 

In regards to salvage. Insurance co value salvage cars at half value of like cars.  So that would  give u some barganing power.  That car might be a nice car.  But if you don't trust the guy, dont buy.  Just my opinion

A really nice looking tin-top just showed up on the Seattle Craigslist. 

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/2064364472.html

Tempted to go after it, even though I'm saving money for a trailer and have no need for it...

A really nice looking tin-top just showed up on the Seattle Craigslist.  

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/2064364472.html

Tempted to go after it, even though I'm saving money for a trailer and have no need for it...

Looks like that ones salvaged too? Isn't that what branded title means? I guess that's not a bad price though. I did some searching on craigslist too, Cali,Arizona and Washington. Prices are all over the board, I saw a stock one here in Cali,original paint with about 156,000mi asking $5000 then one that looks to be in similar condition in AZ for $2700 with under 80,000 mi.. Another here that's non oped for $1000. Theres built ones in the $5,000+ range and other built ones in the $2000's without alot of difference that I can tell.

The soft top one that I thought about looking at might be gone already, the ad is gone. Looked clean with only 68,000 mi. for $2500.The salvaged tin top that I was interested in at first was $3400 now down to $2900. Heres the ad, I probably wont drive up to look at it because I don't trust the guys info but Ill be bummed if someone on here gets it and it turns out to be perfect  :'( . http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/2063802757.html . Do these only have 5 digit odometers? He claims around 80,000 mi. but the report shows over 90,000 in 1994, and then 55,000 in 1999  .

it looks nice inside and out. Too bad the there are holes in the story.  Why dont you call him and ask him about the info that you know. see what he says....

it looks nice inside and out. Too bad the there are holes in the story.  Why dont you call him and ask him about the info that you know. see what he says....

Maybe I will do that. I did it the other way around, got his story then did the check.

That is an interesting paint job, very blue. 

Hunt around for a while, the right rig will show up eventually. 

That is an interesting paint job, very blue.  

Hunt around for a while, the right rig will show up eventually.  

Yeah that color is pretty flashy, not really my style, I tried to picture it lifted with 31's, maybe some armor. I don't know, paint the roof white. He says its really close to what the factory color was.

This is the one that got me interested, before this I didn't know there was a Samurai hard top. I like the color and even kinda like the graphic.http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161988&highlight=Suzuki+samurai