Isuzu Trooper

tntmyth

If the new Ascender is all GM, then I will be buying well kept, pre-owned 2002 Troopers for years to come, or else moving to the Montero or 4Runner. Maybe even a Landcruiser if I can afford one.

bluedevils

radman, we'll all be driving CLASSICS, not orphans!

I hope our financial circumstances will permit us to add a 2002 Trooper to our fleet next year at this time. The markdowns will likely be bigger than ever.

paisan

I'll bet they produce almost zero 2002 models of the trooper, knowing that they'll need to markem down due to the new release

-mike

bsmart1

OOOps. Hit the wrong button.....anyone on this board driven the FORD Escape baby SUV?? I was talking to an owner last night about the one I saw at the filling station. They were VERY proud of their Escape. Had it since January and just LOVE it! I noted it's size being a bit small, but not a bad looking rig. The rear seat will seat 3 adults without too much discomfort. The surprising thing to me was the mileage the owner said they were getting. What would you guess it would get on the highway?? Come on now take a guess. You might be surprised to hear twenty six miles per gallon. That's what they said. I was impressed with that number. We're not talking a KIA with a tiny 4 cylinder engine. This rig has a small V6, but I'm not sure of the displacement. Anyone got a testimonial for an Escape ???

paisan

Let's see

6+ safety related recalls.
FWD based Uni-body
Horrible AWD system
FORD quality

That 24mpg may have been the FWD version. It's basically a mini-van cute ute. Not anywhere in the same class as the Trooper. I'd drive a bike before taking a jacked up Contour.

-mike

jimmyp1

gpm5

I thought about the Escape/Tribute when 1st purchasing the trooper and also looked at the rodeo. Actually the escape/tribute wasn't out yet when I made my decision. The escape is FWD and not on a truck frame. It had alot of PR but lacks in rear cargo space and reliability. See the posts on it. The tranny was a big problem--being taken from the 4-cyl.

Too bad about the trooper. I am amazed that Isuzu came out with the Axiom instead of a new trooper. The Axiom doesn't have the room or utility that I want--and the sales are worse than the trooper sales. I really wonder where Isuzu's head is in terms of the SUV market.

tkevinblanc

Isuzu's head is up GM's derriere. Sigh.

Isuzu should have made the Axiom more car like and kept making the Trooper, but I'll bet it was a GM call. It's cheaper to just produce one (mediocre, bottom-line-conscious) SUV and badge it a million ways.

GM should have opened a U.S. assembly plant for the Trooper and kept making it, and rebadged it as a Buick, which would have probably widened it's appeal.

Oh, well. Another one bites the dust. At least Jeep seems to be trying to do the right thing with the untested-and-funky-looking but-seemingly-well-designed Liberty. Oh, wait, Jeep isn't American anymore, is it...

bluedevils

It's probably the best small SUV on the market. Lots of room, strong V6 engine, good design inside and out, good fuel economy.

Would I spend my money on one? Not when I can get a comparably equipped Trooper for anywhere from $0-2,000 more. And the quality/recall issues still make me nervous about how well this truck would hold up over the long haul.

The Escape is not intended to be a rugged, go-offroad beast. If you take it for what it is, it's very good. And it beats the crap out of the competition (RAV4, CR-V, Grand Vitara) in almost every area. The V6 is a 3.0 liter Duratec producing 200 or 201 HP and about the same number of ft-lbs torque. It's peppy and fuel efficient.

C'mon paisan, cut it some slack!

boxtrooper

bluedevils forgot the Subaru in comparison to the Escape. Soon the horizontal opposed 212hp Subaru engine will be available in the Forester to beat the Escape in power. Subaru is considered tops for quality longevity and fuel economy.
..
Some people I know tell me it is un-American to buy a non-US made vehicle. I think considering only American brands is un-American, since all Americans benefit from the competition. What do you think?

troop2shos

What is "Buy American" anymore in today's world market? Is it buying a Big 3 product that's made in Canada, one that is assembled in the States from components made overseas, a foreign owned company who has manufacturing facilities in the U.S. supporting the local economies, buying an import which is owned by a domestic manufacturer / holding company or vice versa, etc..........? If a "true" import is purchased stateside, the selling dealer, their employees, & OEM domestic agencies are still supported including those who may benefit from the tax revenues.

If the vehicle satisfies your criteria for function, purpose, style & value.......buy it. At least, we still have the freedom to choose - creating the competition for your $$$'s.

tidester

troop,

What is "Buy American" anymore in today's world market?

Excellent question!

tidester
Host
SUVs

paisan

My buddy owns a contour. It's POS. Week 1 it had the glove box constantly falling down, he's gone through a ton of visits for all kinds of stuff to the dealer. His is also one of the last years it was made, so it wasn't growing pains. Ford quality just is horrible. On paper it may look better than a CRV, but I'd take honda quality (and I can't stand honda) over a ford anyday. Also as mentioned above, I'd take a forester over an Escape anyday. Far superior quality, handling, and a true AWD system.

-mike

kjmcgirl

I waited anxiously for the Escape to come out last spring. Had a blue one all picked out. Then I drove it along with everyother SUV in the $20-30k range this summer (new explorer, axiom, rodeo, pathfinder, forerunner, old blazer, and the highlander). Very dissapointed. Looks great, but bad visibility, V6 feels rough, seats very uncomfortable and cheap looking. Even the listed the mileage is no where close to reality, check in on some of the "Escape Club's" forums, very few people getting anywhere close to the 18/24 advertised.

I bought my Trooper S in June, excellent vehicle!! my only complaint is I bought it before I found out about the $4k dealer kickback. DOh!!! my fault.

Sure wish I could get the Huge sunroof installed aftermarket too, anyone done this?

-Kevin

paisan

Welcome to the crew. Be sure to check out http://isuzu-suvs.com for valuable info.

I'm sure you can get an aftermarket large roof since it's structurally setup for it.

-mike

stever

Here's another blurb on the Ascender:

"The Ascender's introduction marks the end of the Trooper, an Isuzu stalwart that dates back to 1984."

Dayton Daily News

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

paisan

That article is soo funny. Isuzu is a bunch of idiots. They quoted him as saying "it's going to be better equipped than the trooper" I guess if you think that cheap GM plastic and onstar is better than the HUGE Trooper moonroof (largest of any SUV), Power retractable mirrors (first in the idustry back in '92), auto-4wd that bangs in the front axle only after the rear is slipping v. TOD which puts power to both axles all the time, then yes, it will be better equipped than the current trooper, but the headroom will be less, as well as the features. Blatant lies! ARRRRRGGGGG

-mike

schulhof

It is now ready to go another 95k miles with no problems.

This year Trooper maintnenance ran me $2k:

Front brakes: $275
90k mile service and rear brakes: $800
Shocks: $320
Tires: $350
Mud gaurd replacement: $135
Other oil changes: $200

The good news is it is paid for so I do not have payments at same time. The truck is
awesome though. I love it. Looks like clear sailing up to 120k miles when it is likely
water pump, timing belt, etc.

Troop on!

sbcooke

Will the ascender have the GM AutoTrac System? That system is a borg and warner, not TOD, but possibly similar?

troop2shos

From MotorTrend:

http://www.motortrend.com/news/stories/011105tr.html

Guess GM believes those moisture sensitive wipers & One-Star are a necessity as well "in this bold new vehicle"......evolution in progress....to be like the rest! / ?

paisan

It's auto-4wd. Basically it sucks. It's 100% rwd until the rear wheels are spinning, then it bangs in the front axle. It's not proactive at all, and thus only will help you if you are stuck in a rut, not on the road, like 90% of the vehicles we drive are used. TOD is far superior.

I love the quote from the isuzu rep "the ascendor will have better features and more features than the outgoing trooper" Seems like the largest Moonroof in any SUV produced is going away, power retractable mirrors that were introduced in '92 are gone, Pro-active AWD is going away, ground clearance and angles of aproach and departure are going away, boxy useful storage area gone for a space age curvy one, skid plates will be optional instead of std. as well as LSD or locker only optional, and seats that are on the floor will all make the trooper have a great future. Not to mention the cheesy knobs and fixtures.



-mike

gpm5

It looks nice from the outside although I haven't been in one. I drove a 2001 suburban, it turned out, in in a heavy downpour. The autotrac seemed to work okay. It kicked in and was not very noticable. I thought I read where the TOD unit was being put on the new FORD exploder. Maybe Isuzu will introduce the GBX into production. Now that's a real all purpose truck, although its looks will not win any awards. They should make the rims smaller though.

paisan

My bet is they'll be totally GM clones within 5 years and maybe out of business in 10.

-mike

paisan

Hey guys come and chat.

-mike

gpm5

Do you think they'll be giving up on the rodeo and amigo as well? That is too bad. I have already turned to toyota and have the toyota sequoia. It is not the type of offroad truck that the trooper is but has appeal in terms of utility and space for the family as well as a good all-wheel drive system (same as the Land Cruiser). Toyotas are good trucks. Nevertheless, I plan on keepin my '99 trooper for a long time.

paisan

It wasn't meant to be an offroad vehicle IMHO. It's basically to take on the burbans and Excursions. The Toyota off-road vehicles are th PUs, 4=runner and TLC. But like you said, I'm gonna keep the 00 Trooper til the wheels fall off.

-mike

sbcooke

I don't think Isuzu is going out of business, yet. It is just not carrying the trooper in the US, at least that is what I infer. They will probably still be making it for the other markets around the world. I believe Isuzu is the world's largest truck manufacturer? Correct me if I am wrong.

Their personal vehicle business has been hurting, but I think the Trooper is still popular in other countries. Who knows, maybe it will be coming back in a couple of years?

paisan

I meant SUV/pass car market, especially in the US. I don't see their Diesel Engine Business going under nor their med-duty truck business. But Isuzu in the US as we know it is on the downturn.

-mike

sdc2

I have read that the Sequoia was targeted for the Expedition market, FWIW.

paisan

Basically to take on the domestic full-sized 7 passenger trucks. It's too curvy for my liking. GPM owns one IIRC.

-mike

saxonii

Not to repeat what might have been posted before but, it seems that what is even more unamerican is to buy foreign cars that are made in third world countries yet sell for premium here. I do not mind paying 25K for a car that was made in Japan/Europe where the standard of living is similar to ours, the price of labor is relatively high and consequently a part of the cost goes to the guys who put the car together. However, I will not support companies that make cars in Mexico (for example) like WV, and Nissan where workers get 4 dollars an hour if not less and then the company ties to sell that car for a premium here. Who is pocketing the difference? The Mexican worker gets very little, the consumer pays the same price as if the car was manufactured in Germany or US, and the company is the one that keeps all that extra $$$$
cheating the workers, the consumer and keeping a hefty difference for themselves. Very unamerican and unethical. Just my 2 cents.

gpm5

Many people that have owned suburbans are switching to the sequoia. It's a little less cargo space but the middle seat space is much more comfortable and IMO spacious. It has better versatility in seating positions and getting to the back seat is much easier. It drives great on the long 10 hr hauls with the kids and is a nimble in town truck as well. What I've done is added the cargo carrier on the hitch when loading down heavy on a trip. That's easier and more aerodynamic than the roof. Had it off road in some dirt fields down by the CT river in VT and it did fine. I wouldn't want to do any heavy rock crawling with it.

tidester

saxonii,

Amazing, isn't it!

tidester
Host
SUVs

paisan

Thanks for trolling around here. Personally I'm a capitalist. I'll give my money to whoever produces the best most reliable product, be it mexicans, americans, japanese, or russians.

-mike

arktrooper1

ive been devoting my efforts to a new job and havent been on in awhile and despite my trying to be positive about the situation, what the optimistic service advisor at the local isuzu dealer told me has turned out to be wishful thinking, it appears...i cant believe that on top of everything else (driving position, features, ground clearance, excellent build quality, super-efficient use of interior room...i could go on and on) that we have to lose the 3.5L engine AND TOD!...for the people whove said that the trailblazer's new six is a good engine...yes, theoreticially im sure it is, but ive seen GM screw things up too many times over the years...they can and have had great ideas that turn into quality nightmares...thats why i quit driving GM many years ago and refuse to buy their vehicles now...and the auto 4WD????...forget it...i sure wish i was in the position to buy a new LS or another S...i would in a heartbeat!...i already check ebay regularly and hope i can find a '95 -'97 model in the next year...at this rate my '00 would have about 45K and i could keep the miles down on it to 10 - 12K a year...its ridiculous but i found myself in traffic the other day thinking about not being able to replace it if it got wrecked...scary thought!.....................another observation...does anyone ever notice how the trooper doesnt seem to get any slack in articles sometimes...for example the trooper is "long in the tooth design" and "dated interior" for example while the discovery is "classic" and although the dicovery does get picked on for being dated in some areas it is generally forgiven for its shortcomings...also a common thing written is that there are other choices in the same (list) price range with V8's, etc. that "represent a better value"...what about the montero, 4 runner and pathfinder as well as a loaded highlander, RX300, MDX and other "non-ute" utes...guess they get some kind of exception for having 6 cyl. engines and they are all over $30K for the most part...i know we all bought our troopers for a lot less but after driving one for over a year now, id pay over $30K to buy another just like mine, let alone an "updated" version...unfortunately that wont be possible...sorry for the whining...just disappointed like the rest of you that such a great vehicle is going away...Dave

paisan

is that we should be able to buy used 2002s for dirt cheap in about 3 or 4 years since re-sale value will be even worse. Gotta look for a bright side of this.

-mike

richdeb

Hey everybody. Can anyone help?
I have a '98 and have owned it for a month. I like it alot. However, between 2200-2500 I get a vibration I can feel in the steering wheel and seat. It does it in neutral, park, and while driving. All the engine/tranny mounts are fine. Any internal balance problems on this engine that anyone knows about? It is of course, the 3.5, and the truck is 4 wheel drive with 39000 on it.
Thanks.
Rich

tkevinblanc

So, I'm ending my second week with my new/used 98 Trooper, which I love.

I think I'm getting about 10 MPG around town, and I drive very, very gently.

Can I hope for better?

vivayo

That sounds a little low. I get 10 MPG towing a 5,000# travel trailer on the highway (55-57MPH) and about 15 MPG in town. Highway driving, running solo, I get 19 MPG at abt 65MPH. Overall avg for the 6,100 miles I have on my '02 LS is 16.4 MPG. I have an Excel spreadsheet set up and enter each and every tank of gas. I try to always use the same gas station and same pump, and I don't "top off", so that I get a consistent full tank measurement. I suspect that you will find that you're getting more than 10 MPG if you check it carefully. However, if your in-town driving is a lot of stop and go, with a lot of time sitting idling, then it could be as low as 10 MPG.
Regards,
Charlie

kjmcgirl

10 mpg is a little low. I have a 2001 4wd S with about 7k miles on it. I get about 15/19 sometimes 14/19. And most of the time I don't accellerate that hard, like I do with a car. I've only seen 19 when doing highway driving like 75mph for 4 hours. I was kind of hoping the EPA fuel economy estimates on the window sticker were conservative, but they were right on the money.

10mpg is still low, might be something to talk a mechanic about???
-Kevin

boxtrooper

I have a 1995 Trooper-S 175Hp 3.2L SOHC that gets 16.7 around town and 19 to 20 on the highway with the whole family of 6 (includes thrid row seat) on board. I get 9.9mpg before and 11.2mpg after DirectHits (Directhits are only engines with spark plug wires) were installed towing 4000# at 70mph.

sdc2

I'm not sure if I can help, but I'll throw in my 2 cents.

Since the vibration happens while you aren't moving, the source is obviously engine related (which of course is why you checked the motor mounts). There haven't been any trends toward that sort of problem with the 3.5L.

One slight possibility I can think of is to make sure the radiator fan clutch is working properly...if the clutch freezes the fan will always be locked up, and could cause a vibration operating at excessive speed, also kills gas mileage.

One other thing is a misfire on one cylinder, causing rough running and vibration.

More serious cause could be a bent crankshaft (ouch$$$). This usually doesn't just happen spontaneously, though.

That's all I can think of right now...good luck!

bsmart1

you better get that baby to the dealer or service department ASAP. Gotta be some kind of O2 sensor problem causing a terribly rich mixture. Maybe internal to the CPU for that truck. Gotta be a fix for it, it's way ourside the normal range for fuel mileage numbers. Happy Trooping!!!!

tkevinblanc

Thanks for the input: I'll check it out. I thought I could get better than I'm getting.

Here's another thought to go along with the poor mileage one.

I've driven other vehicles with automatics, but not a lot. When I take my foot off the brake, the truck moves forward. Briskly. Now, I know to expect some forward motion, but this amount is suprising to me. The idle seems fine, about 750 on the tach. Do others notice the same thing?

tntmyth

I have a 2001 Trooper S. I get about 16 mph average. That includes driving around town and driving to work on the freeway. Out on the freeway, I get about 17-18. But I drive fast out on the open road (80-90 mph). So I probably would do better if I slow down a little.

On another note, something annoying has begun to occur. I notice that I hear a creak or some kind of adjustment sound of the left door when I go over the first solid bump or sizeable dip after I shut the door. This "creaking adjustment" only happens once until I open and shut the door again. I am not sure if it is the hinge or if it is just the door frame adjusting into position after the body takes stress. Kind of annoying since I started to notice it now. I can expect it every time I leave the driveway. I will try some WD-40 or grease on the hinge to see if it stops. Does this happen to anyone else?

richdeb

sdc2:
Thanks for the response.
I also had the fan checked and it was fine.
You are not going to believe this, but a woman pulled in to the parking lot where I work today with another '98. Hers had 43K on it. It did the exact same thing. At 2200-2500 on the tach, there is a noticeable, though not horrible vibration. She said she noticed it when she got the truck new, and it always did it. Any one else want to check their '98's? In park, rev the engine up to about 2200 and listen/feel the engine. Let me know if you feel it.
After today, I am not going to worry.
Re: mileage: I have been getting 14-15 around town. I have an 8 mile commute, no highways. My p-finder got 16, but I'll definitely take the trade-off for the extra room.

boxtrooper

WD40 is not a long term lube. It is very thin oil and washes or dries out. To penetrate a tight space and stay in there longer term try bicycle or motorcycle chain oil. It is very thin going in and thickens quickly to stay there. Some of them are different types to collect less dust for example, so read the label carefully. Chain oil works great for hinges.

boxtrooper

Someone posted here a while back that using "power mode" improved MPG. This makes sense since power mode would make more abrupt shifts that slip the clutches in the transmission less and therefore shift slightly more efficiently.
..
Around town take the auto transmission out of overdrive. This should give you some engine braking so you don't seem to speed up when you let off the gas. It definately makes brakes last longer. Many auto transmissions shift more abruptly in lower gears, slip less and make the shift more efficient. In my opinion taking the engine out of overdrive around town can also improve MPG since in a lower gear the engine RPMs are a bit higher where the engine is more efficient and has more torque.
..
I have overhauled an automatic transmision and discussed them a lot with my GM auto mechinic instructor dad, but my Trooper is a manual. I would like to get TOD in my next Trooper, that would come with an automatic. Drivers of multiple years of automatic Troopers please tell me the diferences you feel in automatic transmissions over the Trooper years.
Thank You
boxtrooper

tkevinblanc

I have a 98: I'll try your rumble test and let you know.

Power mode would improve mileage? Huh. I thought it would make it worse. Maybe I don't understand what power mode is: I thought it would hold the engine in a gear longer, providing more power, but higher revs and therefore lower mileage.

keepontroopin

I have a 2000 S model and mine too makes the vibration from about 2100-2400 rpms. I cannot make it do it in park or neutral though. It only does it under moderate acceleration. I plan on taking it to the dealer sometime in December. It started doing this about 7K miles ago. If I find anything out I will post it here. Also if anyone else fimds something out please post it.