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Wednesdav. July 13, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Samurai sales drop after safety report
By Michael Shunk
Kansan staff writer
Once one of the hottest-selling vehicles in the country, the Suzuki Samurai, has lost popularity in this area because of a recent report that declared the vehicle unsafe.
An investigation conducted by Consumers Union, a consumer-advocate organization, and published in Consumer Reports magazine concluded that the Samurai, a small jeep-type utility vehicle, was prone to tip over at relatively low speeds during typical emergency maneuvers.
A Samurai was tested against three similar vehicles, which did not tip during the tests. Those results were published in the July issue of Consumer Reports.
"In our judgment, the Suzuki Samurai is so likely to roll over during a maneuver that could be demanded of any car at any time that it is unfit for its intended use," the report said. "We therefore judge it Not Acceptable."
The reverberations of this article have been felt by area Suuku dealers since the late 1980s.
"Our sales are way off from where they were before," said Paul Nielsen, general manager of Olathe Suzuki. "But it was worse after the last month."
He said he could not provide exact sales figures.
Nielsen said that the Consumers Union investigation was just one of many reports done on the Samurai by
automotive and consumer publications. He said that the other reports found the Samurai safe.
"There is a lot of other data indicating that it is a very safe vehicle," he said.
He cited information from a report by the highway Traffic Administration.
"Twenty-eight accident-related fatalities have occurred in the vehicle since their first year," he said. "Sixty-seven percent of those drivers were drinking, and 87 percent were not wearing seat belts."
Ken Duff, sales manager of Dick Smith Ford in Kansas City, Mo., said that Samurai sales have dropped in Kansas City as well.
"Any time a car gets bad press like that, it won't sell as well," he said. "It's too bad though, because it's a great vehicle."
Duff did note, however, that since the initial drop, Samurai sales have started to climb again at his dealership. Duff also could not provide exact sales figures.
exactly saves lives.
"If you do a little research on them, you will find out that the people that own them absolutely love 'em,' he said. "I haven't had any complaints on the ones we've sold."
One local Samurai owner, Lance Flory of Lawrence, said the reports did make him skeptical of the vehicle's safety.
"I just put on the brakes a little soon around those turns," he said.
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In other action, the commission approved a site plan for a drive-through restaurant on the northeast corner of 23rd Street and Naismith Drive and changed a city ordinance to prohibit skateboarding on Massachusetts Street.
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The champ said he's sure someone could top his rendition of hen and rooster calls, "But they won't come on stage because they are too chicken."
Gail Korn, a member of the chicken show committee, said the event originated in 1980 when the Wayne Regional Arts Council thought of having an arts show.
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The commission also approved a site plan for construction of an apart-
WAYNE, Neb. — Joel Vavra successfully defended his title as National Cluck Off Grand Champion at the Wayne Chicken Show and said other squawkers were "too chicken" to get up on stage.
The same site plan was approved in 1986 but expired one year later when the fraternity did not proceed with the addition.
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Vavra, of Crete, Neb, swept the rooster-crowing category and then won the Cluck Off for the second year in a row Saturday at the eighth annual "tongue-in-beak" tribute to
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