[834] The Alternative?

I've been dreaming up of things I would do to my theoretical dream car, any classic Volkswagen Beetle (meaning either regular Beetle or the Super Beetle). Yes I've been daydreaming a lot about it, but honestly there's an alternative vehicle I could do my theory crafting on -- my dad's Suzuki Samurai.

It's old, rusted, and needs work done. It could also be something I could work on with my dad instead of a classic Beetle. So what's the difference, why don't I focus on that?

They both have just two doors. The rear seats are both a bit tight. I guess I could do my research on the Samurai. I've seen some DIY things to do on it from youtube.

My biggest concerns with the Samurai would be stability and ride quality.

I don't know if it's available in the internet but during the Samurai's run there was an article in a magazine about it failing the moose test. Basically that means it tipped over when doing relatively high speed slaloms. Of course you could counter this with the following arguments: a) the Samurai wasn't build for speed, and b) if you drive carefully enough it won't happen.

If I do decide to take the Samurai on long trips how safe would it be when we get to the highway? I won't be surprised if we could hit maybe 70 kph to 80 kph since my dad told me it was capable of going at that speed when he brought it to Lucena from here in Manila.

The ride quality is my second concern because unlike the Beetle, the Samurai is a legit off-roader with high ground clearance. I was able to ride in it a few times and sitting in the front is okay, it's sitting at the rear that's concerning. It is a bumpy ride. I don't know if there are ways to improve ride quality.

To be honest I've also been talking to my dad about what we can do to the Samurai. We haven't done anything yet since we don't really have too much funds to buy the mods I want and we're not really sure what the plans are for the Samurai. We might end up selling it or something.

Out.

[781] Vehicle Improvements

Three years ago my dad purchased a used Suzuki Samurai to replace our trusty 1993 Toyota Lite Ace. Just recently he (finally) convinced to stop daydreaming about owning and modifying a classic Volkswagen Beetle and instead help him out with the Samurai.

Well, here we go. We haven't started on anything... yet. I did show him a few youtube videos of some problem areas for the Suzuki Samurai, most notably the shifter. I won't be surprised if the alignment bolt for the shifter is already broken, similar to the video. This will probably the very first thing my dad and I will try to address with the Samurai, finances, time, and resources willing.

After that if we're crazy enough we'll probably try to find a way to tackle the electrical wiring of the Samurai. None of us are electricians though, and I do not know any reliable automotive electrician, but I do agree with my dad that the wiring harness should either be restored or replaced.

After that we'll probably need to find new seat belts for the front seats. I think they still work but they're so old the plastic is about ready to crumble.

Writing about the Samurai and what improvements we can do to it brings me back to our 2001 Toyota Rav4, aka my daily driver.

My driver and I have noticed that all four wheels leak air fast. We fill it with 32 psi on a Saturday and come Monday some wheels have 28 psi and others have 30 psi. I've even had an experience where one tire became totally deflated. When we had it sent to be vulcanized there were no punctures, but they did notice that air was leaking from the rim so they put some sealant on it.

This means that we'll have to have the rims fixed. I do notice that the paint on the rims are mostly chipped. I won't be surprised if that is the reason why air is leaking out faster than what is normal.

Aside from the rims, the Rav also needs a new stereo unit. This isn't much of a problem since we have a spare head unit here that we can probably have installed to replace the current head unit.

Finally, one last thing I'd like done on the Rav4 is to have the steering wheel leather wrapped. The current state of the steering wheel is very old and crumbling. My hands literally get dirty whenever I drive it, because the material of the steering wheel is turning to dust.

Yeah, so many things my dad and I would like to have done to the car, but resources aren't readily available. Hopefully my dad and I get to sort things out so we can have the cars back up to our standards.

Out.

My Thoughts on my Dad's New (Old) 1995 Suzuki Samurai

My dad recently purchased a used 1995 Suzuki Samurai. He's planning to replace our 1993 Toyota Lite Ace with it, since the Lite Ace can't really be used to travel to my folks' small farm.

So I come home and this is what welcomes me.

So what is the Suzuki Samurai? According to Wikipedia, the Samurai is actually a second generation Suzuki Jimny. It also says that the Samurai was involved in a controversy about it being prone to rollovers. I do remember hearing about that in high school. Since the internet wasn't that common during that time, I had no way to verify how true this was.


I haven't gotten around to driving it, so I'll just give you a quick review of my initial thoughts on this 1995 Suzuki Samurai.

Let's start off with the good points. First of all, it's a very analog car. It's not as high tech as my Rav4. Why is this good? Well, I'm guessing it means it isn't that hard to find problems with the car. Also, I'm hoping a simple car means less minor things to eventually break down. No power windows means no chance of needing to replace the power window motor.

It's taller than my Rav4, but narrower too. Also, more pronounced fender flares.

Next, let us look at the size. From the photo above you can see it is taller than the Rav4, but it is considerably narrower. It has (according to Wikipedia) a length of about 4,010mm, width of around 1,535mm, and a height of roughly 1,840mm. Compare the width of 1,525mm versus my Rav's 1,735mm and you can see how this Samurai will fit a lot better in today's parking spaces.

You switch it from the front wheels.

Then there's also the four-wheel drive. You can switch the car to four-wheel drive when needed, though I still don't know yet how to do this. This feature is very handy when dad does bring this to their farm, specially when the rainy season hits.

Finally there's the Samurai's looks and practicality. It's so simple, so analog, that I cannot help but like it. Also, my dad tell me you can remove the white roof and convert it to a pick-up. The front windshield can fold down. It's a very practical ride. I just don't know yet if you can remove the roof and fold the window, but the feature is there.

Not everything is great about the Samurai. There are some issues my Dad and I have seen. For example, the reverse light turns on when you step on the brakes, but it doesn't when you put it in reverse. There's also a small issue of the low-beam / high-beam not functioning as indicated. According to my dad it's on high-beam when the switch is on low, and low beam when switched to high.

There's also an issue with the engine or the alternator. Whenever I turned on the headlights or the fog lamps, the engine would sound strained. I'm hoping if you upgrade the alternator this issue would be fixed.

Another possible concern for me is spare parts. While it isn't as high tech as today's cars, I have no idea how available spare parts are for this car. I also don't know if you can still get OEM parts or replacement parts, plus how reliable those spare parts are.

The Samurai has manual transmission and no power steering. Yes, this is a con for me. I've gotten babied by the Rav4, who has power steering and an automatic transmission. While this may not be an issue on paved roads, I don't know how hard it will be to steer the Samurai in rough, muddy roads.

Now that I've said my pros and cons, it's time for me to discuss what mods I would do to this Samurai if I had the funds and if this was mine. Let's start with the interior.

This is the interior.

I'd probably have the front seats either replaced or re-upholstered. I do know that this is a utilitarian vehicle, but I'd still want to try and make the passengers comfortable. The rear bench seats I would probably replace with a more modern, 60:40 rear folding seats that can fit inside the Samurai.

The cockpit.

As for the cockpit, I'd replace the steering wheel with an aftermarket steering wheel. The pedals would be replaced with newer pedals, and I'd probably have a professional remove the dashboard to clean the inside and replace the bulbs. Maybe even put in new gauges if possible. I'd also put in new floor mats.

I'd also try to upgrade the sound system. I'd upgrade the head unit, the speakers, and maybe add some tweeters. Just because it's a utilitarian car, it doesn't mean you can't have good sounds. Actually the Samurai's current stereo is already pretty modern, so I'd probably just upgrade the speakers.

The wipers seem too short for me.

I'd replace the front and rear windshield wipers with Bosch Aero Twins. Yes, I am very specific with the brand and model of wiper. I have the same wipers on my Rav4 and I am very happy with their performance in the rain.

As for rims, I'd replace them if it the four-wheel drive switch will fit through the center hole. I'd go for something a bit more unique to make the Samurai a bit more personal.

I'd replace the brake lines, brake rotors, brake pads, drum brakes, and drum shoes. It is very important to be able to stop a vehicle, so I'd make sure my brakes are 100% okay.

Finally, I'd make sure all the mechanical and electrical components are in good condition. I'd replace all fluids with new fluids, and maybe even try to clean the engine with an engine flush. Basically I'd make sure everything is as reliable as possible.

Would I trade my Rav4 for this Suzuki Samurai?

Funny story, when I was in high school my folks were considering getting a Suzuki Samurai as our secondary car that would eventually be passed on to me. They decided to get a Mazda 323 Familia (that turned out to be a lemon, but that's another story) because of the rollover rumors. And now, nearly twenty years later, we finally get a Suzuki Samurai. The circle is complete.

So there you have it. My thoughts on the Suzuki Samurai. It's so simple that I like it. It's so practical that I seem impressed. And it's so ready for mods I wish I had one myself. However, would I trade my Rav4 for a similar Suzuki Samurai and cash to modify it? No. Would I get a Suzuki Samurai as a secondary car to the Rav4? If I had the money, yes.

Out.