Samurai as Daily Driver?

[tombodad]

Hey guys-
Thinking of picking up a cheap, fuel efficient DD that is fun for around town, and can get out and play a bit. I really like the gen1 Montero's, but the fuel mileage of a samurai is almost double (I know they're gutless, but that's fine)

Who has one for DD duties, and how is it?

 

[mhiscox]

Hey guys-
Thinking of picking up a cheap, fuel efficient DD that is fun for around town, and can get out and play a bit. I really like the gen1 Montero's, but the fuel mileage of a samurai is almost double (I know they're gutless, but that's fine)

Who has one for DD duties, and how is it?

Terrible with the stock suspension, but much more tolerable once I got the Old Man Emu suspension added. Still kind of a cartoon car, though, and it feels somewhat cramped to me and I'm just 5'11". Noisy, as you might expect, and the twenty-plus-year-old technology shows.

It would depend a lot on the daily drive. Not sure I'd want to joust with the Freightliners and 70 mph traffic during a long-commute on a heavily-travelled freeway, but if the speeds are low and the distance short, have at it.

FWIW, the Sami does, of course, get better MPGs than a big SUV, but we're not talking Jetta diesel numbers. I average about 20 in metro area driving, no small part of which is that a Sami's engine is wound pretty tight at highway speeds.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Hey guys-
Thinking of picking up a cheap, fuel efficient DD that is fun for around town, and can get out and play a bit. I really like the gen1 Montero's, but the fuel mileage of a samurai is almost double (I know they're gutless, but that's fine)

Who has one for DD duties, and how is it?

I get 19-20mpg's out of my Cherokee. (my daily driver, camping rig, 4wd workhorse around my our property, etc)

I do that with a good heater, great stereo, fairly quiet cabin, great turning radius and fairly renowned safety features specific to the cherokee's unibody construction. Lots of "got tagged by a pickup/tractor/suv/honda/etc" over on naxja where the owner pops the door open and walks over to the shoulder to lament their rig"

I'd have no issues buying cherokees for all my kids when they're ready to drive.

Oh, and I got mine for $2000.00 with very low miles for the year (1992)


No direct knowledge of driving a sammy, but I did drive a miata for about a month when my previous jeep was stolen. Very creepy feeling when you're used to driving a larger car. I don't think I'd ever drive something that small again. And this is with a completely accident free driving history for about 15 years. I'd think a sammy would feel the same unless it was built to the hilt with a cage, 5 points, etc. (Maybe thats what you intend, if so, I'd say have at it!)

 

[Warn Industries]

If you want to stick with Suzuki, you could always go to a Sidekick/Vitara/Geo Tracker, too. Not quite Spartan and a bit more comfortable on the highway.

 

[Backroad Explorer]

I love my DD TinTop Samurai. Definetly not the fastest thing in the barn but fun to drive a goes just about anywhere I like to go. I get between 17 & 20 mph depending on my right shoe. Thats with 30X9.5X15 KM2's and 6.5 to 1 transfercase gears. About 3600 rpm at 65 mph.

 

[tombodad]

This would be primarily around my town, maybe occasional highway jaunts, but only like 10 miles at a time. I would still keep my frontier, and we use my wife's highlander for long trips. My thought is a samurai would be fun and practical for around town to work, etc.

 

[efuentes]

Had one for a couple of years, it was a great little take anywhere 4x4, it even made it across Copper Canyon once , the best use I got out of it was the fact that it was my teenagers first car, they just loved it

 

[NapaBavarian]

I have a friend with a daily driver Sammi, he works it going about 20-25 miles one way to work and pulling a little harbor freight 3.5' x 4' trailer, it isn't fast, but it gets the job done, all back roads and one steep grade.

If you really want fuel economy look into the VW diesel convertion kit from Acme Adaptors, $600 in adaptor kit + a VW diesel or turbo diesel engine, as close to canada as you are perhaps you can locate a 1.9l turbo to have power and 40+ mpg

 

[mogwildRW1]

I have a friend with a daily driver Sammi, he works it going about 20-25 miles one way to work and pulling a little harbor freight 3.5' x 4' trailer, it isn't fast, but it gets the job done, all back roads and one steep grade.

If you really want fuel economy look into the VW diesel convertion kit from Acme Adaptors, $600 in adaptor kit + a VW diesel or turbo diesel engine, as close to canada as you are perhaps you can locate a 1.9l turbo to have power and 40+ mpg

You guy's don't have the 1.9l down there?

If I can add, I used to have a 1991 Chevrolet Tracker, 2door, I used it as a DD for a few years, it was great except in the winter, the wheel base was just to close to the width, and it liked to do 360's on icy highways, once you've don't a 360 @ 100km/h, you've done it all in a tracker (I know its not a sammy, but its close enough)

My wife had a 4 door, longer wheelbase, it was much more stable on the highway. You still had to plan 5km (sorry, Canadian, everything is in km) ahead to pass and take a good run at it to pass a rig and trailer on the highway.

 

[mhiscox]

This would be primarily around my town, maybe occasional highway jaunts, but only like 10 miles at a time. I would still keep my frontier, and we use my wife's highlander for long trips. My thought is a samurai would be fun and practical for around town to work, etc.

Well, there you go, then. Have at it. No worries if you've got other choices for days when the Samurai is sub-optimal.

Now the problem becomes finding a good one. Because lots of them got seriously molested to optimize them for trail use, finding one that functions well for a trip to the Pizza Hut may cost more than it seems it should. And in your climate, the weathertightness of the hardtop would be a big benefit, but they're more money yet. In fact, you'll likely pay as much or more for a decent Samurai as you would for a Sidekick/Tracker in good condition, and the later is the much more practical vehicle. But the Samurai is both semi-rare and semi-cool, so it gets a surcharge.

Let us know what you find.

 

[REasley]

Comfort is definitely overrated. I am 6'2" and I commute in my Sammy on a daily basis. It will deliver a consistent 29 to 30 mpg. I did mount Dodge Neon seats about 4" further back for leg room, OME springs to soften up the ride and wheel spacers to widen the track for stability. It is slow and noisy, but just turn up the stereo and enjoy the ride.

 

[SRN]

I've used my Samurai as a DD for going on 12 years now. I guess the saying, "know before you go" applies here. As others have mentioned, a Samurai is a no frills vehicle. That's part of the charm though, not much to go wrong and not much to worry about. And yes, they are spartan, but do you really need cup holders?

I will advise that if you are not an aggressive driver, then you either need to become one or look at other vehicles. To get around on the freeway with a Samurai, you've got to be willing to stick your neck out a bit or you'll get crushed pretty quick. Also, the skinny pedel on the right... yeah it goes all the way to floor and stays there. A good running Samurai with someone who has no issues with wrapping it out holds 75-80mph in normal freeway driving no problem. As for around town, you'll be finding 'Samurai size' parking spots all over the place and they are more than peppy enough off the line.

Also I always laugh when people talk about how they are so cramped. I'm 6'3" and it feels spacious in there (of course my summer car is a Miata, so I might have some strange standards). Hell, I've slept in mine on more than one occasion on a rainy night rolling in to camp late and not wanting to set up the tent. Sure, it's no G-Class, but it's big enough for two people and all the gear you'll need for a week in the desert.

Finally, if you want the ultimate testament for using a Samurai as a DD, my Dad drove his for 21 years as his commuter/trail rig! At the age of 61 he finally decided it was time to get something more comfortable and picked up a Cherokee, but he still drive the Samurai on occasion because, "it just goes places the Cherokee can't. Both on and off road."

 

[Mr. D]

I dd one in colorado for several yrs, the only problem I had was keeping the interior warm when the temp. would drop below 40's

 

[tombodad]

I've used my Samurai as a DD for going on 12 years now. I guess the saying, "know before you go" applies here. As others have mentioned, a Samurai is a no frills vehicle. That's part of the charm though, not much to go wrong and not much to worry about. And yes, they are spartan, but do you really need cup holders?

I will advise that if you are not an aggressive driver, then you either need to become one or look at other vehicles. To get around on the freeway with a Samurai, you've got to be willing to stick your neck out a bit or you'll get crushed pretty quick. Also, the skinny pedel on the right... yeah it goes all the way to floor and stays there. A good running Samurai with someone who has no issues with wrapping it out holds 75-80mph in normal freeway driving no problem. As for around town, you'll be finding 'Samurai size' parking spots all over the place and they are more than peppy enough off the line.

Also I always laugh when people talk about how they are so cramped. I'm 6'3" and it feels spacious in there (of course my summer car is a Miata, so I might have some strange standards). Hell, I've slept in mine on more than one occasion on a rainy night rolling in to camp late and not wanting to set up the tent. Sure, it's no G-Class, but it's big enough for two people and all the gear you'll need for a week in the desert.

Finally, if you want the ultimate testament for using a Samurai as a DD, my Dad drove his for 21 years as his commuter/trail rig! At the age of 61 he finally decided it was time to get something more comfortable and picked up a Cherokee, but he still drive the Samurai on occasion because, "it just goes places the Cherokee can't. Both on and off road."

That's it. I'm buying one. If I miss my motorcycle (which I''ll need to sell to clear the finances) more than I like the samurai, it's your guy's faults.

 

[Backroad Explorer]

tombodad good luck on your search for a SAMURAI. My 86 TinTop has a/c for those hot day's here in McCall, Idaho and the Heater works great it has no problem roasting me out in temp's to -10*.

Let us know what you get :victory::victory:

Brian