Ok, so my wife blew the motor in my daily driver car.  I'm looking at instead of buying another car on my 3k budget, putting that money into my 130,000 mile Sammy.  Does anyone here truly drive 20+ thousand miles per year in their sammy as I would be and still recommend it?!  I'd probly have to buy a fresh engine (there goes 1-2k) and then suspension and gears with the remaining $1,000.  Or do ya think I'd be better of selling my 88 for $2,000 and take that and the other $3,000 in my budget and buy one already done for $5k???  What to do???  Thanks for any and all advice.

Chip

If you spend your money to rebuild it you'll know exactly what you got and have it the way you want it. If you buy something else you have to hope there truthfull on what exactly has been done. Just my opinion.

What sort of driving do you do on a daily basis?

Is there a problem with the current engine? Like low power or burning oil etc? 130k is pretty low mileage for the g series engines. They're known to go 200k+ & sometimes a LOT more than that w/out a rebuild. Check the engine over well, compression test etc... good chance you don't need an engine. AKA if it ain't broke don't fix it. If the engine does need replacement I'd seriously consider a 1.6l swap anyway.
x2 on what kind of driving? If it's all highway well, the 1.3 & Sammy's & even Trackicks aren't exactly known to be highway cruisers.
I'd look more into upgrades that improve the ride, like OME springs or cj/ruf or yj spring swaps & a good set of comfy seats.

M2c,
Fuzz

X3 on your commuting requirements.  With the kind of mileage you're talking and the price of gas these days you have to consider operating cost too.

I have a 16v in my DD Sami (stock gearing). 

At 55 I get 22-26 MPG

At 75 I get 18-19 MPG

I drive my Sami 10K to 12K a year. Its all backroads to and from work and I rarely exceed 50.  I especially enjoy running top down & doors off in the summer.  The "fun factor" is priceless.

Thanks for all the replies guys.  90% of my driving is highway to and from work, with about 50% of that being interstate (70mph speed limit).  Even though my sammy won't do 70! Ha.  It does burn a little oil and leaks more, I'd say I put a quart in every 500 miles or so.  It smokes a little bit at start up and then that's it.  But when I do offroad I'm pretty hard on it.  I do a LOT of hunting and take it pretty much anywhere I can take it.  Hell I had three does tied to the hood of it this year hauling em out of the fields!  My biggest complaint is the ride, and then the lack of power.... I know, I know, I knew they were gutless, I just want to be able to actually hold 55 mph in a good headwind or up a hill!! 

I take it your wife gets the other vehicle and you will be driving the Sammi. I love drivin my Sammi but wouldn't want to drive it daily on the highway and definately not the interstate. Once in a while in the summer with the top off, well sure.

Mine is a great fun driver and I drive it daily (less than 5 mi). But you can get something pretty nice with a few more creature comforts, a lil better milage, and a nicer ride for the $$$ your talking about spending.

Maybe not the most popular opinion on a Zuk Forum but just being honest....

I second that...Tux...J
Just a thought. Why not replace the engine in your wife's car???...Boxcar...

Man, I love that idea Boxcar..... that would mean I could put an LS1 in my Sammi.... Lotsa thought...busted knukles... and a fair amount of dough... but wouldn't the end result if done rite be a fun lil excursion into the unknown... Just sayin.... 

Man, I love that idea Boxcar..... that would mean I could put an LS1 in my Sammi.... Lotsa thought...busted knukles... and a fair amount of dough... but wouldn't the end result if done rite be a fun lil excursion into the unknown... Just sayin.... 

I'm sure your light enough it won't break axles. 

A lot of us recommend the Tracker option just because it had more creature comforts.  But an SJ can be made into a nice cruiser with the right upgrades.