Good morning! it’s time for another epic battle between cheap cars, and today, both of those cars come from the same manufacturer. They’re the same price, too. But before we can look at them, we need to find out the results from yesterday’s odd matchup:
The Audi takes the win, by a very narrow margin. Honestly, watching the comments, I had no idea which way this one was going to go. I was surprised to hear a number of you who have experience with this era of VW/Audi rise to the TT’s defense; it kind of sounds like Stockholm syndrome, except since we’re talking about an Audi, I guess it’s actually Ingolstadt syndrome? At any rate, I side with those who picked the Chevy. Better the devil you know, and I know ’80s-90s GM products pretty well.
Remember Suzuki? Yeah, they’re still around, in other parts of the world, selling cool stuff we can’t have. Suzuki sold cars in the US from the mid-1980s until 2012, when it ended not with a bang but a whimper, selling a handful of rebadged Daewoos before pulling the plug. But for a while, especially with GM selling Suzuki-built Geo Metros and Trackers, Suzukis were everywhere. Today we’re looking at two of their greatest hits sold under their own name: the tiny controversy-ravaged 4×4 Samurai, and the Metro-with-an-extra-cylinder Swift. Let’s dig in.
1987 Suzuki Samurai – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.3 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, part-time 4WD
Location: Vader, WA
Odometer reading: 178,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep
I’ll just say it: Consumer Reports did the Suzuki Samurai dirty. In 1987, Suzuki sold twice as many Samurais as new Jeep owner Chrysler sold Wranglers. Then, in 1988, a review in Consumer Reports, that I clearly remember reading, proclaimed the Samurai “unacceptable” because it rolled over too easily in turns. But the test was, if not rigged, certainly stacked against the Samurai. Sales tanked, and Suzuki sued, but it was too late. The writing was on the wall for the Samurai anyway, with new safety regulations rendering it unsellable in the US. It was replaced by the larger, more road-friendly Sidekick, but the Samurai remains the stuff of legends in the off-road crowd.
Ironically, it’s the same attributes that make it a handful to drive on pavement that make it such a great off-roader: live axles at both ends, a short wheelbase and overhangs for the all-important angles, and a narrow track to fit through tight squeezes. It doesn’t have a lot of power, just 63 horsepower from its carbureted 1.3 liter four, but you don’t need power to scramble over rocks; you need gearing and geometry.
This “tin-top” Samurai runs and drives just fine, and its four-wheel-drive system works well. It’s not pretty, but for off-roading you don’t want pretty, despite what you may see on Instagram. It has been laid on its side before; there’s quite a dent above the left rear window. It all adds to the character. Inside, it looks exactly like you’d imagine. The Vise-Grip for a window crank is a nice touch.
Because of their popularity among the off-road crowd, it’s getting hard to find stock Samurais in any condition, for any price. Personally, I’m regretting not picking one up when they were $1500 all over the place. This one will sell for the asking price, I’m sure.
1993 Suzuki Swift GS – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.3 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Enumclaw, WA
Odometer reading: 169,000 miles
Runs/drives? Sure does!
Suzuki’s on-road game was on-point in the 1980s and 90s as well. The Suzuki Cultus, sold in the US as the Chevy Sprint and later the Geo Metro, was a tough, tiny mileage-maker that was more fun to drive than it had any right to be. A 993 cc three-cylinder made about fifty horsepower, but also returned about fifty miles to the gallon. Suzuki sold this car in its own dealerships as the Swift, but added a cylinder and about twenty horses. This is the same basic engine as the Samurai, actually, but with throttle-body fuel injection.
Seventy horsepower isn’t a lot, but in a car that weighs less than a ton, it’s enough for some shenanigans. “Swift” might not be entirely accurate, but compared to a three-cylinder Metro, the Suzuki version is a hot rod. But GM’s Geo dealer network was a lot wider-reaching than Suzuki’s own distribution channel, so Metros were always a lot more common. There was an even hotter twin-cam version of the Swift available, but it’s as rare as hen’s teeth.
This Swift is in good condition, with a very clean interior and flawless bright red paint. I worry a little bit about the paint under the bra on the front, not because I think there’s damage under it, but because I’m worried it might be a different shade of red. The seller says its mechanical condition matches its appearance, and it runs great, with the tires, brakes, battery, and clutch replaced recently. The only issue mentioned is difficulty downshifting into first gear; I imagine the synchro is worn. No matter; double-clutch it, and I’m sure it’s fine.
The Geo Metro is still popular among hypermilers, and they often sell for the same money as this. Personally, I’d rather have the extra power and better handling, and get “only” 40 miles to the gallon. In fact, I’ve missed out on buying a Swift twice now. I did have a Metro, briefly, but it wasn’t the same.
You never know what you have until it’s gone, and I don’t think we in the US really appreciated what we had with Suzuki. These were fun, efficient, well-made, reliable cars with just enough flair and style to make them stand out from the sea of Hondas and Toyotas. We’ve got two different flavors to choose from – same price, same engine size, close to the same mileage. Which one suits you better?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
If you’ve ever driven or ridden in a Samurai, the Swift is the clear choice. I’ve been in a lot of cheap cars but the Samurai is the closest thing to driving a cracker tin on wheels I’ve ever experienced.
Am I the only one who was taught never to do this? Start in 1st, never use it again unless you’re at a stop.
Yeah, I was also confused. I certainly don’t downshift into first ever- I glide to the stop in neutral and then engage first while at a standstill. If the light turns green before I get to the stop bar, I’ll grab 2nd all day.
Agree on this topic, except if you end up in slow, creeping traffic where you are still barely rolling and can slip easily back into 1st without a spike in revs (more akin to a double clutch maneuver 2nd-N-1st).
I’ve ridden with people who did it. It’s maddening.
Agreed, I can’t think of a reason in normal driving to have to get into 1st gear except when the car is stopped. Many transmissions don’t even have a synchronized 1st gear because the use case is just so rare it wasn’t worth it (which incidentally makes it harder to get into 1st when moving without grinding or double-clutching).
From my experience, it is often difficult to shift manual transmission vehicles into first while you are still moving. I’m not sure this vehicle is broken or it is an issue of the owner not shifting it correctly.
This is all good and well unless you have under 100 HP and need those RPM’s to avoid stalling around town. Plus WTF, even my 68 Camaro with a plain old 4 speed has synchro’s in first.
I learned to drive manual in an 88 hp Ford Escort, and you can absolutely crawl around in second gear, just like in any stick shift vehicle.
As others have alluded to, the Swift indeed has no first gear synchro. This is fine because you can basically crawl in second gear in this carp
My Sti on the other hand, definitely needs to be downshifting to first as 2nd is just too tall.
Maybe going down an icy incline, but other than that never.
Team hatchback, as it’s a form factor I’ve always liked, and there are too few of them around these days.
That’s the nicest, cleanest looking Swift I’ve ever seen. Easy choice. I’ve driven a Metro and it was actually a pretty fun car to fling around. I wouldn’t use it for road trips, but it would be a nice around town car. No one keeps a cheap economy car looking that good unless they actually cared about it.
The end of the world is coming and I need something that can get me far from the madding crowd. Drive it til it drops then hike the rest of the way My mantra: Cheap jeep, cheap jeep, cheap jeep.
Nah you’ll have to stop for gas too soon with the samurai. Swift can get you further without stopping so it’ll be better for running away from it all, even if it is stuck on the roads
After 10 minutes in the Samurai, the end of the world won’t seem like a bad alternative
They don’t call them “live” axles for nothing. It’s a close contest between my old CJ-5 and my Samurai as to which tried hardest to kill me on the highway (the Samurai), but point it at dirt and all is forgiven. Paraphrasing Dirty Harry, “A man’s just got to know his car’s limitations.”
there is a reason why they call it the death wobble.
Too much rust on the Samurai.
My thoughts, too. Leaky sunroof likely means rusted floors. (i can’t tell if that’s mud or rust on the driver’s floor) Plus, i’d like to see if there’s rust on the frame.
Its mud not rust! Only rust on the whole car is in the back under the tail light :). This is my car. I made an account just to talk to you steve.
Theres hardly any rust on it. Frame is perfect floor pans are perfect. Little bit of rust on the body near the tail light
The move would really be to buy them both. Forced to pick, gimme that little Swift. I owned a ’98 CHEVY Metro for a couple years. I paid $140 for it with 266k miles on it. I rallycrossed it for two years, ran a Gambler 500-Illinois in it, and generally beat the balls out of it untill it drove itself into the junkyard rod knocking and pushing oil back though the filler cap. All that fun for two years, and I had less than $500 into that car including repairs. Man I miss that car! It was way more fun than anything with 58hp had any right to be. On lose surfaces, it had lift off oversteer for days.
This Swift would be even more fun with all that extra power. I’m not surprised the synchros are going. That is a weak point of these. In mine once you shifted into second, you couldn’t get back to first unless you came to a full and complete stop. Once in a while I could get it into 1st by double clutching, but usually not. This one would be worth a trans rebuild though. Mine was a rusty beat up pile.
I had a Samurai, and of the 46 different vehicles I have owned, I still think of it as possibly the most fun vehicles I have owned. Oh to be young and 17 again… But i voted against it, as that thing is just completely hammered.
Its not completely hammered. In fact it could use a bit more hammering and it will be straight again
I choose the Left hand drive Jimny 🙂
$3500 for a Samurai with a fatally compromised structure, making it unsafe for off-roading?
Truly, we are in the absolute worst timeline.
Seriously. Do not even think about that Samurai. On the hardtop, everything around the glass is crash structure. It does not have the soft top’s rollbar. And it would’ve failed crash testing because there’s no meat, just thin sheet. If it ends up on it’s roof or the side with moderate force, the occupants will be severely injured at best. More likely killed when the whole top half folds. (No, a bolt-in rollbar is not sufficient. You’d have to weld to the rails and reinforce the floor and rails on the horizontal plane.)
Now, the Swift… $3500 for an example this mint is actually very reasonable. But the hotshit setup is not the 1.3 twincam. That gets you a lukewarm hatch, to be certain. It doesn’t take much with cars this light. But no, an example this nice deserves the full treatment.
Start with the G16B 1.6L, SOHC, 16 valve, MPFI, DIS wasted spark. 96HP, 103ft/lbs of torque. With an actually good 5 speed manual. Oh, and you can swipe it from a Tracker. You’re welcome, Internet.
But no, we’re not stopping there. Mild port and polish on the intake and a modern catalyst, and you’re up to 100HP and 110ft/lbs. From there? Set of H&R springs, Konis, H&R camber bolts, better wheels and tires, and you’re off to terrorize your local autocross with the shitbox that could.
While you are right, overall, if we could post the GIF of the orange pumpkin saying “WRONG” at the debate he failed miserably, I would. The Sidekick is perfect in every way.
Agreed. Samurai for me. Either one would loose a fight with a modern vehicle, structural compromise or not.
HA the body being dented doesnt compromise the structure of the vehicle. Body on frame. And to say it makes it un fit for offroading doesnt even make sense
Summer of ’91 I sold cars in between junior and senior year of college at a Honda dealer, which also sold Suzukis. We had one of the twin cam Swift GTi’s in stock, and one day a guy comes in to test drive it. Dude takes us out absolutely hammering it, passing people via turn lanes, speeding at least 25mph over the limit in town. Second most scared I’ve ever been in a car. We come back and says, “yeah I’ll give you a call” and I never heard from or was able to contact the guy again.
So yeah, the twin cam at least is an absolute screamer and this body style has aged very well.
I had a friend who bought an ’87 Samurai brand new, as his only vehicle. That thing would take all the abuse. It doesn’t look like it from here, but those things are built like tanks. You couldn’t hurt it. He hit somebody with it and repaired and repainted it all himself despite not having any idea what he was doing, and sold it. Which he still regrets to this day.
As far as today’s showdown goes, I’m tempted by the tin top Samurai just for nostalgia, but man that’s rougher than I wanna go for that price. Swift it is.
We didn’t deserve Suzuki and we’re worse off now that they’re gone from our shores.
I’m too old to be a Swifty, I’ll take the Samurai.
As much as the Swift looks to be in excellent shape, I am a person who spends as much time in the mountains as possible, so I went with the pre-wrecked Samurai. One in that condition would, unfortunately, go for double the asking in places like the Rockies – regardless of whether the rust is just superficial surface oxidation or so extensive that even David would blush looking at it.
Suzuki Samurai- They see me rollin’. They hatin’.
The Swift takes the win for me today. The Samurai is way too beat up to stand a chance here.
The Samurai has that rollover dent 🙁
So I voted for the Swift
I was gonna vote Team Samurai just from the title, but then I saw how sweet that little Swift looked and I couldn’t resist.
I love Samurais and there’s actually a well cared for example in my neighborhood. But in this case I have to go with the Swift. That Samurai looks like something you’d find sitting in David Tracy’s yard…which isn’t a bad thing for the right buyer, but for me? I don’t have a ton of use for a 4 wheel drive rust bucket.
But a hatchback? All day errday. I’m a city boy for now (might not be forever, after more than 30 years of it it’s wearing on me a bit) and hatchbacks just work perfectly for what I need my cars to do. Although driving stick through my commute would be migraine inducing, the Swift would make for a perfect driving a slow car fast situation. I could beat the shit out of it every single day and still get crazy good fuel economy.
Then I could haul all my guitars and amp in it no problem and manage to park it in the most congested parts of town. It’s certainly not exciting, but it’ll do.
Just take both. I chose the Sami though.
I’m sad… I’d love to have a Samurai, but this one’s been beaten on pretty hard and I prefer the soft-tops over the tin-tops any day. So, hooning the Swift it is…
Swift: zippy, fun to drive, economical.
Samurai: hard-riding, noisy, neglected.
Not sure either is worth $3.5K, but other than that, it’s not even a choice in my book.
I’m a big fan of Suzuki’s and would genuinely love to own both. But I’ll take the Swift this time for it’s relatively remarkable condition.
I’m taking the Swift as the Samurai has been beat to hell. Plus, I bet it’s got a ton of rust under it
There is no rust under this sweet gem of a rig my friend
If there EVER was a case for “why not both?”, this is it. You cover practically every possible need for a vehicle. Get a small trailer, and you’ve got the truck base covered as well.
But because we HAVE TO vote, I voted Samurai…
I have always really wanted a Samurai, but it looks like the mythos has outgrown the value. That’s not a $3500 vehicle, even if someone is willing to pay it.
36 year old Suzuki selling for half of its original asking price?
Inflation, how does it f’ing work?
I think magnets are involved somehow?
I think you mean magnates.