1990 Isuzu Trooper

Look for rust. I have a 1989 Trooper II (virtually identical) and it's a sound vehicle. 200K miles is no big deal on those. The 4 cyl engine is a workhorse that will last for ever.

I'd stay away from the V6-auto combination.

--Kamus

The price looks right to me. Kind regards, Erik-Jan

Why? Is it the same V6 used in 1998+ year models?

IIRC, the 1989 vintage v6 was a GM engine and tranny. The reliability was less than the 4 cyl.+manual, and repair costs were astronomical.

The only problem that I know of on the 4 cyl. was the cracked heads, which is a (relatively) easy fix. That went away sometime in the 1989 model year.

--Kamus

I can't speak for Peter, but I believe that the 1990 V6 is a GM 2.8L (basically the same as an S-10 pickup or Chevy Cavalier). Isuzu used the FWD block (Cavalier) in a RWD configuration. I am not aware of any particular problems with the auto trans in these vehicles, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The V6 is not as powerful as you might hope. On the bright side, if the engine dies on you, you can get a GM 3.4L V6 from a Lumina Z34 and it's as close to a drop-in engine swap as you're likely to find.

Those engines are very durable. Not very powerful, but they last a long time. I've seen them with well over 200K and running strong and read recently of a guy who put over 375K on the same motor (2.8L V6) in an S-10 pickup.

Not exactly a steal at $2200, but for $1900 you'd have $300 to spend on maintenance that is likely to be needed before too long. After all, at 190K and nearly 15 years old, it's going to need something before too long--just like any other vehicle of similar age/mileage would.

HTH, Tom G

I had a 1989 Isuzu Trooper LS. Still kicking me for selling it. Mine was the 4 cylinder and you MUST keep the valves adjusted. Recommended adjustment is every 15k miles. Also, the 4 cylinders tended to burn some oil, so you needed to check the oil every 1k miles or so.

Other than that, they are rock solid vehicles with tons of character and fun to drive.

$2200 seems a bit high with that many miles, but not too bad. As others have said, double-check for rust. Typical spots include at the bottom of the rear doors (if the drain holes were not cleaned regularly), around the bottom seal of the rear side windows, at the bottom of the fenders behind the front wheels, and on the quarter panels. Also check the frame for rust.

I've owned four pre-1992 Troopers, including two 1991 V6/Auto Troopers (still have one), and have had no problems with the V6 engine. I can't see how it would be more expensive than the four-cylinder to repair, as it's a standard GM engine and easy to get parts for. I also owned two four-cylinder Troopers, and parts for them were expensive.

A local dealer recently had a 1991 V6/Auto Trooper with 75,000 original miles on eBay (very little rust), and it went for $2600. I really should have bought it!

Brian W.