1987 Suzuki Samurai Tintop Fantastic Condition on 2040-cars

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VIN: JS3JC51V9H4129721 Year: 1987
Number of Cylinders: 4
Make: Suzuki
Model: Samurai
Trim: JX SE Sport Utility 2-Door
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
Drive Type: 4WD
Options: Sunroof, 4-Wheel Drive, CD Player
Mileage: 123,612
Exterior Color: Orange
Interior Color: Gray

Condition: Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ... 

 1987 Suzuki Samurai Tintop - fantastic condition inside and out.

Up for sale is my 1987 Suzuki Samurai - needs absolutely nothing, fantastic daily driver with great fuel mileage.  More about this vehicle:

COSMETICS: 

Exterior:  I purchased this Suzuki Samurai two years ago.  It had just been professionally repainted - and these guys were good.  3 stage paint - Ford "orange" color - same colors as commonly used on Mustangs or the Baja Bronco in the early 1970's.  The color is perfect if you want something that grabs attention (I get thumbs up everywhere I go), or if you are an Oklahoma, Illinois, Bronco, Clemson, Gator (etc) sports fan.  The exterior paint is really smooth and nearly flawless.  I think the pictures speak for themselves here.  The only thing I would have done differently (and I am particular) is to remove the rear window glass before painting.  If you look very carefully, you can see just a bit of over-spray in just a few places on the gasket.  Very, VERY minor and I tried to represent this in a photo.  The exterior paint is amazing, and really turns heads!  This Samurai has a 100% rust free body and a 100% rust free frame/floor pans.  I took close up pictures so you can see for yourself just how amazing the condition is.  The bottoms of the doors are like new.  The rocker panels are pictured and as you can see, they too are nearly perfect.  The wheel wells were all sprayed with a stone guard paint, and are 100% rust free and in showroom condition.  Brand new shocks installed last summer, and they received several coats of Ford "blue" paint and then cleared before they were installed.  The undercarriage and body on this vehicle look like they belong on a 4-5 month old vehicle.  For myself, this Samurai has always been winterized and not driven after November.  They salt the roads excessively in Illinois, and I just couldn't bring myself to drive this vehicle in the salt.  So the Suzuki is my daily driver from Spring to Fall, and the 1978 Ford Bronco takes me through the winter months.  As you can see this Suzuki has a custom made front bumper which was really well done.  The front and rear bumper received a Line-X or Herculiner like treatment and they look very cool.  Custom front turn signals are tucked in on the bumper and KC fog lights (fully functional) were also installed.  The mirrors were apparently faded and painted with a "fusion" plastic paint.  They looked great for the first year, but a high-pressure car wash caused some of the paint to come off the mirror backs.  These could easily be replaced (new mirrors cost $10) or resprayed.  The windows are tinted all the way around, and again, this was a professional job.  No bubbles or jagged cuts.  The exterior of this car is a 9.5/10 in my opinion.  It looks amazing.

Interior:  What I really appreciated about the repaint is that the interior of the vehicle was meticulously done. Everything inside looks exactly as it should - not a hint of previous color (which was a metalic teal), and all the trim pieces, headliner brackets, etc. were painted out and look fantastic.  If I hadn't told you that this isn't the original paint color, you would have never known.  The guys were thorough and did a terrific job.  The interior of the Suzuki is in *almost* perfect condition.  Brand new carpet, and the entire floor pan received a Line-X like (not sure what name brand) treatment before the carpet kit was installed.  The dash looks great, and the door panels are in fantastic condition.  The rear bench seat is original and also very good.  The two front seats are by far the least attractive attribute of the Suzuki - and for being 25 years old they are in amazingly good condition.  The passenger seat is actually pretty good - the seams have started to open in a few places.  It looks like someone attempted a little repair - did a pretty good job, but the seams are still separating.  As you would expect, the drivers seat is a bit worse.  The vinyl on the side of the seat (by the lever) is cracked and the seams on this seat too are separating.  You can see all this in the photos.  They certainly aren't bad, but given how nice the rest of the car is, they stand out to me, so I wanted to let you know.  This Suzuki has a few other nice features - the original Suzuki Samurai speaker boxes in the rear, and the storage tray by the front passenger.  I do have a center console that I can send with the vehicle if you want it.  It is in fair condition, so I usually only put it in when I know I'll be taking coffee with me to work.  The headliner is brand new and in perfect condition.  The shift knob is a B&N and I don't like the style of it - plus it is a little loose and tends to vibrate at higher speeds.  The radio is garbage and should be replaced although it works.  I have a brand new Sony radio (CD, MP3) that I bought for it when I bought the car.  I'll send it with at the Buy-It-Now price, otherwise it is going in my Bronco.

MECHANICS & OPERATION:

Engine, Transmission & Drivetrain: This is the original 1.3 liter (4 cylinder) engine, and it runs strong.  I had the compression checked when I purchased it, and all the readings were right in the factory specs.  The Suzuki shifts in and out of all gears (5 speed + reverse) easily with no grinding/forcing.  It obviously does not have synchro-mesh, but downshifting is not a problem at all.  I was told the clutch was new when I bought it, but there was no paperwork to confirm that.  The locking front hubs are stiff, but do turn and lock.  I've only engaged the four wheel drive a few times (when I bought it) because I never drive in the winter/snow and this car is WAY too nice to take off-road.   However, once turned the four wheel drive functions just as it should.  All new fluids in the vehicle as of last summer.  Also, in June of last year I had the water pump and timing belt changed.  I had a leak on the rear main and I had them take care of that too.  Believe it or not, this Suzuki does not drip one drop of ANYTHING anywhere.  A brand new Interstate (8 year) battery was added in January 2012.  I also changed the Carb out in favor of a manual choke Weber - I did this because the carburetors that came stock on ANY late model 1980 vehicles weren't too good.  That was when the emmission control standards were pretty new and manufacturers were trying to figure out how to meet the requirements.  This led to some overly complicated (and prone to issues) carburetors.  So, this Weber set-up is about as SIMPLE and RELIABLE as you can find.  Yes, this has a *manual* choke (think lawn mower here), but is easy to operate and increased fuel economy by a few MPG's. 

Suspension, Tires, & Brakes:  When I bought the Suzuki it had a 4" lift kit installed and had some sweet mudbogging tires on it.  They set it up like this for looks (not taken off-road), and the thing looked like a Tonka truck on steriods.  As cool as it looked, those lift springs are so harsh I almost lost a filling driving it on city road.  So, I replaced these with OEM springs (with teflon inserts - later model Suzuki) and brand new shock absorbers.  I also replaced the pitman arm (since they had a drop pitman installed due to the lift) and the front steering stabilizer.  As I mentioned earlier, I meticulously painted these before installation because I can't stand looking under to see rusty shocks!  They look sweet.  While it is still a short wheelbase car, the ride is much better and thanks to the new sway bars it has very responsive handling.  The wheels and the tires were new in 2011 and have only 1,2XX miles on them - they are 99%.  The tires are Yokahama Geolanders (185) and they are terrific tires - quiet, but excellent wet traction.  They were a good pick.  The wheels aren't anything fancy - 15x8 ProComps, but they look nice enough.  In a world without scarce funds, I would put some American Racing alloy rims on this, but... I have not done anything with the brakes at all, and as far as I know they are 50% plus.  The vehicle stops on a dime, does not veer, and makes no unusual squeaks or squeals when stopping. 

SUMMARY:  If you are looking at this car, you probably know what you are looking for/at.  These vehicles are very simple and reliable.  Easy to work on and cheap to maintain.  That, coupled with the good fuel mileage (23-26 in town) is why I bought it.  They are small cars - Just over 11' long and 5' wide.  The short wheel base keeps it from riding like a luxury vehicle, but is what gives it an amazing off-road capability.  This is the tin-top model which is somewhat more rare than the (leaky) convertibles that you might see on E-bay.  There is no AC in this vehicle, and unless you live in the desert you don't want that.  The size of the engine in these cars makes running AC rather challenging.  This car is ready to go - to the best of my knowledge it needs nothing and I think you would be hard pressed to find one in nicer condition.  I am only selling because my kids are getting bigger and yes, the car is small.  Getting all three loaded up (with their backpacks and school projects) is getting to be more challenging.  If you are looking for a car that is reliable, fuel efficient, fun to drive and gets looks and compliments everywhere it goes, this is it.  If you use the Buy-It-Now option, I will throw in the new Sony radio ($150)  AND the BRAND NEW Schrockworks Rock Sliders ($300) I got last summer but never installed.  I've got the Buy-It-Now priced where I think this like new Samurai should sell, but the reserve is somewhat lower.  I'm not desperate to sell the vehicle, but would like to make some space in my garage for new toys.

Payment & Shipping:  There is a $200 non-refundable deposit (to cover my e-bay fees) due immediately upon auction closing.  PayPal accepted.  The balance to be paid with cashiers check OR through PayPal, but you will need to add 3% to the final sale price to offset the fees PayPal charges if you choose that option.  I will work with any shipping company you select, but all shipping costs are paid by the buyer.  You are welcome to pick-up locally and drive it home.  I'd take this to California, no hesitation or concern about it "making it".  If you pick up and trailer it, you are responsible for loading and securing it.  The title is CLEAR and IN HAND, and will be mailed (Express w/ signature) once payment is complete.  I can garage the Suzuki for a few weeks if it helps you arrange shipping/schedule pick-up, but I expect final payment within 10 days of auction ending.  If there are any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.  THANKS!