While our general impression of automotive dealerships is not all that positive in society, I do love finding interesting vehicles for sale at mainstream vendors. This 1988 Suzuki Samurai, for some reason, has appeared on the lot of an outfit that sells RVs and GM products made in the last 10-15 years. However, it’s that motorhome connection that makes me wonder if this Sami was traded in after years of being towed behind a camper that the previous owners swapped for a newer model. It’s listed for sale here on the Avalanche Automotive website and looks to be in original, almost-survivor condition.
The fact that the original spare tire cover, although highly-weathered, is still present tells me this Samurai hasn’t been messed with much since it was purchased new. Since it’s at a small dealer in Colorado, I’m guessing it’s a lifelong resident of the mountainous region, which explains its clean, rust-free sheet metal. A stock Samurai is easy to spot, with its original white soft top, white-painted steel wheels, and the aforementioned spare tire cover which only fits over the tiny stock wheels. Unlike so many other Suzukis modified for off-road use, this one appears to have been left solidly in commuter car condition.
Ah, how wonderful is this interior? Showing only the most gentle signs of use, the Samurai retains its stock cloth bucket seats and gigantic steering wheel with a horn pad big enough to double as a safety feature when your forehead smacks it. The dashboard instrumentation is similar to so many other Japanese 4x4s from the era, with the simple 2 gauge cluster setup sitting right in front of your face. You sit mere inches from the windshield, which is one of my favorites features of riding in the 1989 Isuzu Trooper I’ve restored over the years. Terrifying in a head-on collision but lots of fun up until that moment.
The Suzuki is clean inside and out and the backseat is still in place. Another tell-tale of a life off-road or otherwise being messed with is the back seat getting tossed and forgotten. Some owners remove them for more space while others delete it to haul gear when they go off the beaten path. Regardless, seeing this one with all of its original equipment intact and no signs of heavy modifications makes me believe all the more this was pulled behind an RV for years. I wonder if you got underneath the front bumper if you’d still see the hardware for a tow bar attached. Regardless, these don’t come along all that often in condition like this, so it could be worth a call to the dealer to see what the asking price is.
Ah so, and I realize the line I crossed saying that phrase,,Colorado, eh? Nice place, too bad I’m leaving,,,maybe, this vehicle? Perhaps the all-time worst SUV to come struggling down the pike. Most all are low mileage, because unless they were schlepped behind a motorhme, the motors never lasted long on their own. I had a friend once, bought one new. Oh, it was a cute thing, she was so happy,,,then reality sank in. The motor puked at about 20K, Suzuki replaced it, the 2nd motor didn’t even last that long, and Suzuki refused to replace it. It was about 3 years old, and had already begun to rust profusely, and I bet it’s still sitting behind her barn. They were the poster child for rollovers, and quickly gained a reputation to stay away. Now, my nephew had a Vitara(?) and was a great vehicle, ( except he had to dismantle the entire front end to change a headlight bulb), but like all these humble beginnings, had nothing in common with this. Low mileage Samaris were common.
Those are pretty cool little vehicles. My brother in law had one in the early 2000s and it always reminded me of riding in a Scout. Kind of? I never noticed how close you sit to the windshield until you mentioned that. Yes cool little Zook and it’s like new! I think your into something that it was probably towed behind a motor home by full timers
Had my 1948 Standard Eight for sale in London in 1994 and a guy had a LHD Samurai for sale- we made a deal and he took the Standard and I took the Samurai. Drove it from London to Athens. Day 1 London-Paris on the 4th or 5th train through the newly opened tunnel. Day 2 Paris-Nice. Day 3 Nice-Rome. Day 4 Rome-Bari. Day 5 overnight ferry Bari to Patra and on to Athens. Ran flat out all 5 days at 80 mph and never missed a beat. Used it in Greece for a year. Probably the most reliable and fun car I’ve ever had.
Took one for a test drive when they first came out. Yikes! What a tin can. But, they were super cheap and I’m sure, like the Kia’s and Hyundai’s of that era, folks bought them, thinking they got “such a deal.” Oofta May!