Need Trooper info/advice

I'm looking to purchase a vehicle to replace my '98 not-so-grand Voyager so I can pull my boat (and not have to worry about what's going to break this week). We drove a '95 Trooper at a local dealer yesterday, and it seems to fit the bill. Unfortunately, they seem to be quite proud of this particular one, since they were looking for about $1800 more than it's worth, according to Edmunds.com.

I haven't owned an Isuzu before, but the reviews I've read about the Trooper make it sound pretty solid. Is there anything in particular I should be careful of? I would be looking for something in the mid '90s or older, due to the price. I do the majority of my own work - in a pinch, I'll take it to a shop, as was the case when our Chrysler transmission exploded.

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron and Aimee Ness
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I have an 01 trooper, and have found out other than doing minor things, oil changes, ect. it's pretty much a dealer repair truck. It's a leased vechile that is up in a year, when the lease is up, its Gone.

Reply to
Bernie

I don't know how suitable the Trooper is for towing; it's a short wheelbase, tall vehicle. I would not want to tow anything heavy with it. (Nothing against the Trooper itself; I've hauled a 4,000# boat in and out of the water with it. Just the geometry may not be suitable for high-speed towing.)

Regardless, I wouldn't pay $1800 over what Edmunds says. Find another dealer. There's lots of old Troopers around.

--Kamus

Reply to
Kamus of Kadizhar

Could you elaborate on that a bit? What kinds of things have you had (or would you have) the dealer repair? I'm just finishing a clutch replacement/timing belt/water pump project on my '88 MR2. I've done work of similar magnitude on other cars (mainly VWs). Should I expect to need to do significant work on it? From all the reviews I've seen, I didn't think there would be much to do on it.

Thanks for the input.

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron and Aimee Ness

I'm definitely moving on to better dealers/individuals. Incidentally, I stopped by today to see if they would come down $1800 (I really knew they wouldn't), and it was sold. Someone got screwed. I think in the future, I'll use that dealer to determine what I want, because they're huge and have a decent selection, if you don't mind driving all over town to their various lots. Then I'll go somewhere else, find a similar vehicle, and pay what it's worth.

The boat isn't really a big deal; it's a 16' fiberglas bass boat with a 55 hp Johnson outboard. Too much for the minivan to handle (especially considering that it couldn't even pull its own weight around!), but I wouldn't expect it to be too bad to pull. I think I'll probably just go for it, since it really seems to be the best thing on the market for what I need it to do. I just won't be able to run triple digits with the boat in tow, right?

Thanks for the input.

Aar>

Reply to
Aaron and Aimee Ness

I recently (last month) bought a 95 Trooper S w/24,500 miles on it.

5spd, A/C, cruise, tilt, power windows & locks, power heated mirrors, highway gears and alloy wheels. I paid more than Edmunds thought I should, but not $1800 more. With such low mileage, I just couldn't pass it up.

The 3.2L V6 in the 95 is prone to a valve tick. The 'resolution' from Isuzu is Mobil1 0W30 synthetic oil. The auto trans doesn't have a dipstick (odd, eh?). Depending on your locale, they are prone to frame rust that will inevitably spread to the body if not addressed. It's an all aluminum engine, for better or worse, and you can strip some threads if you aren't careful. Spark plugs require anti-sieze.

There's a bunch of Trooper nuts at the following forums:

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(forum link at upper left)
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(Isuzu specific stuff about 2/3 down the page) Dealer parts are EXPENSIVE. Mine had a hole in the exhaust flex joint. Dealer wanted nearly $1000 for the part. Local shop welded in a new joint for less than $90.

Isuzu option codes & VIN decoder can be found here:

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(very handy)

For hauling a boat, I'd suggest finding one with a limited slip differential. The option code is G80. Option codes are on a plate on the passenger side of the firewall, under the hood. Mine also has a 'big radiator' option which would be nice for towing. The LS version is where it's at if you have the patience...

Another thing:

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= best $20 you'll ever spend as a used car shopper, IMO. I found several vehicles that seemed like excellent deals only to find out that they had been in serious accidents or had salvage titles.

HTH, Tom G

Reply to
Tom Gibson

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