Isuzu Trooper

paisan · April 2002

8.3" is the min. ground clearance of the Trooper.

I haven't measure it yet with the new tires on mine.

Also on indy suspension vehicles that min. ground clearance # will change as the springs sag, on a sold axle vehcile that # is static.

Just like the Outback has more clearance than a Ford Explorer doesn't mean that it necessarily truely has more ground clearance.

-mike

arktrooper1 · April 2002

although i think the Sorrento will be a good cantidate for replacing a Trooper, i do much prefer the Trooper's boxy/practical look...but...the Sorrento looks to be the best bet yet for a replacement, swoopy or not...interesting thing...i cant tell you how many comments ive gotten from women who tell me they love my Trooper!...never thought of it having that much appeal to women, but maybe they find its ruggedness sexy!...who knows!...LOL!...Dave

paisan · April 2002

Right now I really like the Honda Element for boxyness, that and the Safari AWD. No off-road ability in them but lots of utility.

-mike

seanreid · April 2002

I really overlooked the Trooper in my search for a new SUV this past month. I had my heart set on a 1997 Land Cruiser (they're a bargain in the low 20's) but with the amount of driving I do, the gas mileage is just too low. Then, after driving all kinds of SUVs, I decided that a Toyota 4Runner would be my best bet because it met the following wish list:

1. Bulletproof reliability long term
2. 19 - 20 mpg on the highway using regular gas
3. A center differential
4. Towing capacity of 5000 lbs.
5. A reasonably powerful engine
6. A body on frame design with a good ground clearance for driving off road (which I do)
7. A power rear window which, in combination with a sunroof, creates a quasi-convertible
8. A small enough body to be maneuverable in tight quarters
9. Seating for 4/5

Now the 4-runner is a little cramped but my real issue with it has been headroom. I have a very tall trunk and love sunroofs. (I'm a professional motorcyclist and like to be as un-enclosed as possible when I'm driving). There are some ways around the 4runner headroom issue but none of them is simple.

The other option would be a Yukon but the gas mileage isn't great and its more mass than I need right now. I had a 1999 Suburban which was a great truck overall but much bigger than I need for my current uses. We've also owned (or still own) various other 4WD/AWDs including the old Subaru GL and the newer Legacy, a Toyota Previa SC AWD, a Toyota Rav-4, a Jimmy, etc.

So...the Trooper. First of all I hadn't realized how reliable this truck is until I started researching. From my list it matches with 1,3,4,5,6,8 and 9. If I can get 18mpg from it on highways and backroads, that would be close to the 4runner mpg. The rear window doesn't open like the runner but I do love that giant sunroof.

I drove a 2001 "S" for about an hour today (highway, backroads, steep and rough dirt roads) and it reminded me of the Land Cruiser more than any other vehicle has. The greenhouse is so tall and the whole rig feels solid and spacious. It also has character. The TOD system worked well on the dirt roads except that there were times when I wished it was feeding more power to the front wheels - but overall it was good. Some questions:

On dirt and mixed gravel, the rear end came around too easily even with very moderate speed and gentle throttle. Either the rear end is light (I hope not) or the stock tires are awful in the dirt (they might have been Duellers?). I suspect the tires and would love feedback. To be specific: driving up a steep hill of packed dirt and gravel at about 30 mph under light throttle (with TOD on and giving the rear wheels most of the power), the rear end easily lost traction over bumps and slid to the side. Tires?

Next...the dreaded roll-over issue. I'm willing to concede that CU may have pushed that truck too hard in its testing but the debate does still give me a pause. Now I've owned and driven several SUVs as well as our one-ton van and I'm aware that they're not sports cars. That said, some are a lot tippier than others. Being as honest as you can be folks, what has your experience been with the Trooper and stability?
I know that many have refuted the CU tests as BS and that the jury found them to have misrepresented some of the facts but...is there an issue here at all beyond the limitations all SUVs have? Anecdotes and comparisons to the Yukon/Cruiser/4Runner welcome. I'd love to have a chance to drive a Trooper with outriggers on a track to answer this for myself...

To the best of my knowledge, LS models from 1998 -2002 would be about the same truck. Any years to avoid or seek out? Given the depreciation hit these trucks unfortunately take, it seems that a used one is the best deal. Any thoughts?

I've gone through the first 1000 or so posts and it seems that the only maintenance issue seems to be some oil usage. Even brake pads seems to last on these trucks. Did I miss something or are they really that trouble-free? I'd like to put 100,000 ++ on my next SUV.

Thanks,

Sean Reid
Rockingham, Vermont

sbcooke · April 2002

Gas mileage won't be great. I get 14 mpg most of the time in my 99 S. I do short trips, usually under 10 miles. I have gotten 18 on the highway, but not the norm, on highway trips, including round town and back, I usually average 15-16.

I think the rear kicks out because it gets a lot more power first, with the right throttle input the TOD can pull you out of a corner. If you floor it, you can do donuts. I haven't had issue with traction with TOD, but have played around and can pop the end out if you want. Light is not how I think of this truck.

Rollover...I don't think so. I don't corner it hard, but have made emergency maneuvers and had no issue. However it does drive like a truck with some body roll. Most of the roll is due to the suspension that is designed for maximum wheel travel while off-roading. Some of us have added shocks and a few aftermarket products to stiffen the more highway biased suspension, which adds a lot of value.

Seating is good. The rear seat is much bigger and comfortable than the 4runner in my opinion. I also really like a lot of the interior. Not super-luxurious, but the durable plastics don't break and are very functional.

I really like mine. The only dislike of mine is the amount of road noise on the highway, not terrible, but enough so that you have to turn up the radio, and then you cannot heat the person in the back seat.

paisan · April 2002

I'll address some of the issues for you:

o Rollover...

If you drive it like a sports car, you'll roll it. With that said, I've driven my very very hard and done some whacky manuvers and never felt like it was going to roll. I've since upgraded the suspension inexpensively: 5-way Adjustable shocks, coil springs, poly bushings on the sway bars, pirellis scorpion ATs (a few sizes larger) and it handles better now.

o Milage...

I get 14-18 depenging on the terrain (hills, highway, etc) but it doesn't sip fuel

o Dirt Road...

See the shocks, and springs above, they will help with this, punching the gas harder in TOD helps a lot, by transferring the power to the front and pulling you around dirt turns.

o Moonroof...

My favorite feature, largest of ANY Suv sold with stock moonroofs.

o Big windows...

Almost a tour-bus like ride and view, friends jokingly call mine the Greyhound Bus. Mine is quiet even on the highway and I have almost 40K miles, still as tight as day 1.

oTowing...
Regularly tow a 3500lb boat trailer and a 5300lb car-trailer, handles both well the 5300lb trailer doesn't let me get quite the acceleration that I normally have but it is more than adequet even in the mts.

Check out http://isuzu-suvs.com for pics of my trooper and http://isuzu-suvs.com/events for tons of pics of off-roading Troopers.

-mike

PS: I've taken mine AIRBORNE (with video on my website to prove it) and still didn't roll it!

schulhof · April 2002

Sean,
I have posted here before several times, so you may have seen some of my Trooper opinion already.

I have a '96 Trooper S PEP currently at 104,000 miles. It is my wifes daily kid hauler, summertime Boat tower, and 4WD insurance policy when we go up to the mountians in winter.

1. Bulletproof reliability long term

So far fantastic reliability. The most reliable, cheapest to run vehicle I have ever owned was a '93 Nissan PU. I ran it for about 100k on essentially nothing but oil changes. It never let me down. The Trooper has never let me down, but does recieve maintenance "by the book" which aint cheap. But nothing has failed, except a transfer case seal at 97k miles ($300).

2. 19 - 20 mpg on the highway using regular gas

My lead foot wife gets 14-15 Mpg around town. If I drive it I get closer to 16. Have gotten 18 on trips.

3. A center differential

4. Towing capacity of 5000 lbs.

I don't know about that. I tow my approx. 3000lb 18" boat through the CA/AZ desert with the air on at 65 Mph and pass trucks with ease. Nothing but a hitch and electrical added.

5. A reasonably powerful engine

Depends on your definition of reasonable. Mine is only maybe 215 hp? My other two cars are underpowered too though, so it feels pretty strong in comparison

6. A body on frame design with a good ground clearance for driving off road (which I do)

7. A power rear window which, in combination with a sunroof, creates a quasi-convertible

I love the 60-40 split.

8. A small enough body to be maneuverable in tight quarters.

It really drives nicely for its size.

9. Seating for 4/5

As much rear seat legroom as an S Class!

The CU Rollover is a bunch of BS. On occasion I throw it around on off ramps/on ramps, it responds predictably. I have nice Edelbrock shocks and Kumho tires which make it ride nicely. It has never scared me in the least. It is a truck though, not a BMW X5!

I highly recommend the Trooper over the 4Runner. Now, mind you, either of these vehicles is based on 10 year old technology, not cutting edge. But the Trooper rocks!

I will truely be sad when I trade it in. I might trade it in/sell it at 120k, the water pump and timing belt will be expensive and a 6 year old Trooper with 120k miles is only worth about $5k.

We'll see.

Get the Trooper.

mkaye · April 2002

Some or a lot of it may be the tires. The Bridgestones that come as stock are very bad IMHO. That's the first thing that goes. Upgrading to a better set of all-terrains does a lot for overall traction. Plus, driving around with the TOD on doesn't really affect mileage and dramatically improves wet traction.

Get the Trooper, you'll love it.

There is a difference between the 4Runner's part-time 4wd system and the TOD in the Trooper. The 4Runner has a locked center-diff. only that doesn't allow usage on dry surfaces, unlike the TOD. The Trooper before 97, IIRC (I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong), came with both an automatic trans and the part-time system like the 4Runner. Otherwise you get the TOD and an automatic in newer years. With the TOD, you still get the locked center-diff in low-range 4WD.

paisan · April 2002

To be technically accurite, the 4-runner does have a system that can be left on in the dry as of 01 or 02 IIRC. It isn't as good as TOD IMHO but it isn't as bad as the PT systems out there.

-mike

mkaye · April 2002

Who would have thunk it. It's been a while since I looked at the 4Runner, but it does have a multi-mode 4wd with locking center-differential. Interesting.

At 6'4", room is an interesting topic. Trooper is most comfortable for me. True seating for 5 with plenty of shoulder room and head-room. Do the front seats in the 4Runner still lay close to the floor requiring a legs-straight-out position instead of the Trooper's more correct and true "seated" with knees bent positioning? And the rear seats with the knees "up" because the floor is too-close to the seat bottom?

stever · April 2002

Off-topic, but I thought some of you would get a kick out of this link.

Next thing you know, CR will start taking Isuzu ads.

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

seanreid · April 2002

Thanks very much for all the feedback so far. Just wanted to address one misunderstanding.

Regarding the 4-runner system...

In 1999 and 2000 the limited model 4runners came with an optional center differential which, if I recall, uses a viscous coupling to determine the power split between the front and rear wheels. With this option, the truck can be used in 2WD, 4WD(center diff locked) or AWD. I've owned several part-time 4WDs as well as AWDs. I find that the big advantage of AWD is the ability to leave the system engaged on mixed pavemment surfaces - dry turning to ice turning to snow turning to dry, etc. I also find that a paved road in the rain does not have enough slip to use P/T 4 wd in. The 1999 and 2000 runners can also be had with a locking rear diff.

In 2001, Toyota introduced a system on the 4Runner which is shared with the newer 100 series Land Cruiser and the Seq...(can't seem to spell this morning). With this system, the front and rear diffs are open, if I recall correctly. The vehicle skid control/traction control system will selectively brake any individual wheel as needed.
This also seems to eliminate the need for a locking diff. With an open diff, one would expect the wheel without traction to spin while the opposite wheel gets little or no power. The VSC/TC system, however, effectively fools the open diff by braking the spinning wheel (only) and thus tricking the open diff into sending power to the opposite wheel. It's a darn clever system and seems to work very well according to all reports I've heard.

None of that technology, alas, solves my headroom challenges with the 4-runner. So, getting back to the Trooper. I have a lot more expertise with two wheels than four but I do drive a lot of dirt roads under all kinds of conditions. This is my best guess about what is happening with the Trooper on an uphill dirt road: The TOD senses that the rear wheels have been loaded (given that the truck is headed uphill and its effective cg has shifted rearward) and thus sends most of the power to the rear wheels. When the rear end chatters over a bumpy surface, the stock tires aren't grabbing very well when they return to earth and are getting 85% of the power without having much grip on the road. So, the truck rear end kicks out. I'm hoping this is just a tire issue (and of course tires can make a huge difference). To be sure, the rear end on the Trooper I drove yesterday came out much too easily with the stock tires.

Appreciate the thoughts and feedback, please keep it coming.

Sean Reid
Rockingham, Vermont

paisan · April 2002

That loosing traction while on a bumpy road is due to the poor shocks used on the trooper. They are hydrolic ones that usually go bad in the first 10K miles. When I changed mine out at 10K they looked and felt like hell. Put in a set of Rancho 9000s and that jump while on a bumpy road fixed itself.

-mike

seanreid · April 2002

Well now, that's an interesting thought. It fits the symptoms as I only saw this behavior when the rear end chattered over rougher road. Better shocks certainly would glue it to the road better so maybe Rancho 9000s all around might be the answer. Thanks Mike. Any feedback on this from other folks who have swapped the shocks?

Sean Reid
Rockingham, Vermont

bluedevils · April 2002

Congrats on considering the Trooper. It's easy to see that you're an educated consumer, and the Trooper really is an educated consumer's choice. I like the 4Runner too, but the Trooper is better in some areas that are important to me (value, passenger room, cargo room, etc.)

Overall, it sounds like the Trooper is a great fit for your criteria and needs.

We have a 98 Trooper w/63,xxx miles. Bought from Isuzu dealer at 1 year old and 7k miles. It was a corporate Isuzu vehicle. Apparently, Isuzu auctions these year-old Troopers at Isuzu dealer-only auctions, and then dealers sell them for $8-10k below original MSRP, which is approximately $1-3k below the price a smart buyer could get on a brand new one.

This is a great way to get a nearly new Trooper for a less-than-new price. Also, Isuzu considered that we had bought a new Trooper: since the 'original' owner was Isuzu USA, the vehicle had never been titled. I'm not sure, but the 10yr/120k powertrain warranty might still be in effect if you went this route.

Previously, we had a 96 Trooper for a year. Bought used at 27k miles, was totaled at 50k miles. Was very sad to see it go. While we had it, it lived up to the high Trooper reliability standards.

To hit the items on your list about which I have experience/opinion:
1. Bulletproof reliability long term - agree. Our 98 has had very few repairs. We did have a (cracked?) head gasket problem just before the 60k powertrain warranty expired. I think that one is fairly common for the newer 3.5L Troopers (3.5L started in '98, but you already knew that). Also a couple other minor hardware issues: e.g. in-dash CD changer was replaced (a fairly common problem, I think), my mom broke the right rear interior door handle
and it wouldn't open, etc. As for routine maintenance, I've minimized those costs by 1) ignoring what I feel are the unimportant dealer 'checks' that comprise the majority of the scheduled maintenance; 2) doing some stuff myself (mostly fluid changes); and 3) having other things (e.g. tire rotations) done at non-dealer shops.

2. 19 - 20 mpg on the highway using regular gas - our 98 is rated 15 mpg city, 19 highway. Our fuel economy has been better than many folks on this board. Overall we get around 16.5 mpg. That is about 70% city, 30% highway driving. Our highway mileage is 18-19 mpg at an average speed between 70 and 75 mph. Based on our experience, if you drove 60 mph, you'd probably get 20 mpg. At 65, probably 19-19.5. At 70, 18.5-19. At 75, 17.5-18.5. Above 75 mph-- ask paisan, because my wife and I don't drive our Trooper that fast!

3. A center differential

4. Towing capacity of 5000 lbs.

5. A reasonably powerful engine - to me, the 215 hp 3.5L V6 is quite peppy. We don't use the Power transmission mode because I think the truck is peppy enough without it.

6. A body on frame design with a good ground clearance for driving off road (which I do)

7. A power rear window which, in combination with a sunroof, creates a quasi-convertible

8. A small enough body to be maneuverable in tight quarters

9. Seating for 4/5 - the passenger room is unmatched in anything smaller than the Expedition/Tahoe class, in my opinion. The rear seat is just huge. Many folks who try out the Trooper complain about the seats being too firm, but the smart consumer knows that "too firm" on the test drive often translates into "great support" over the long haul,
while "nice and soft" translates into "insufficient support."

Rollover
I'm a Consumer Reports fan and longtime subscriber. But the Trooper rollover issue is total bunk. It's a truck, it's tall, and it will tip over if you drive it recklessly. It may even tip more easily than a Pathfinder, Blazer, or other shorter wider SUV. But in everyday driving, our stock 98 Troop and our previous 96 Troop feel solid and steady.

When our 96 was totaled, a Caddy ran a red light, from my left side. As he came through the intersection around 40-45 mph, I was doing 50-55 mph. I hit the brakes and swerved left, trying to cut in behind him and let him squeak through the intersection just in front of the Trooper. Unfortunately, I still hit the guy (98 Seville). But I had made a quick
swerve at moderately high speed. #1, I wasn't nervous to make this sort of split-second maneuver in the Trooper. #2, in retrospect the vehicle seemed totally fine while doing this. No giant leaning or tippiness.

As others have noted, you can stiffen up the handling with some easy and cheap sway bar bushing mods. I haven't bothered yet because I don't think the handling in our 98 is a problem.

If you want the Torque on Demand system, be aware of this: it requires automatic transmission. Also, in the 98 model year, it required the Performance Package. Starting in '99, all auto trans Troopers came standard with TOD (until the 2WD Troopers were rolled out-- in 2000 model year?).

There are other minor equipment differences from year to year. If these things are important to you, let us know and we'll tell you what was standard, what was optional, and when.

sbcooke · April 2002

If you buy one, and go off-roading, definitely upgrade the shocks. The truck is fairly affordable, so a $250 shock upgrade isn't too bad. It really improves the off-road handling. I put OME's on, could not be more satisfied with their performance so far. Better shocks also reduces some on road annoyances, nose dive in hard braking, reduces pothole thud, keeps it flatter in back to back turns, and more!

paisan · April 2002

MY98: TOD on S Performance and Luxury w/AT
MY99: TOD on all AT vehicles
MY00: TOD on all AT vehicles w/4wd, also added grade logic on ATs
MY01: TOD on all AT vehicles w/4wd, also added grade logic on ATs
MY02: TOD on all AT vehicles w/4wd except "S" models, also added grade logic on ATs

-mike

sbcooke · April 2002

I checked out my MDX manual last night. It is very interesting regarding the rear differential. It says to avoid spinning the front wheels if ever stuck (obviously there isn't a true 50/50 split because the fronts seem to get the lion share of power) because you can damage the VTM system. It also says that never get towed by anything other than a flatbed, having 2 wheels turning without the others will damge the 4wd system. So maybe its true AWD with the fronts and the rears never really being disengaged?

paisan · April 2002

at 19mph it cuts the rears out completely unless there is slippage on the MDX. Also on a side note, make sure to read the maintenance interval for those 3 diffys I believe it is something like every 8K miles!

All cars that are in the "awd" class carry the "do not tow with 2 wheels on the ground" warning.

-mike

sbcooke · April 2002

Yes the differentials is something like 8K, however the oil change interval is 7500. So I will be saving $60 on oil changes to cover the $100 differential fluids. oh well.

paisan · April 2002

That is what all cars post like '95 recommend for oil changes. Even our troopers have a 7500mile oil change interval IIRC, maybe 5K.

$100 for the diffys is not bad! Figured they'd be like $80/each.

-mike

paisan · April 2002

I'm having an Installfest at my place May 4th! And just recently bought an electric impact wrench from sears!

-mike

bstone3 · April 2002

Before we bought our 2001 Trooper LS TOD I too looked at 4 Runners - test drove a bunch of them and almost bought - but what always stopped me was its size - I had owned three Tahoes before. Then I drove the dreaded roll-me-over Tropper - what a shock - this thing is nice - its:
- bigger volume - and green house affect - sun roof heaven`
- has 4 whell disc brakes - no rear drums here
- rear seat backs recline
- if you flip the rear seats forward to make more storage room you don't have to remove the head rests
- bigger engine 210 hp vs 186
- better seats - front seats have just the right amount of side bolster - not too much
- powered driver and front passenger seats
- heated seats - heated mirrors
- 6 disc in dash stereo - good sounding too
- 10 yr/120 kmile warranty
- $8K discount off of MRP
- and almost forgot - the blimmy thing down shifts automatically when going down hill

- what it don't have is a luggage rack - but you can add one
- cup holders suck but they work for most occassions
- no transmission dip stick - I don't like this - I lost a transmission once that blew out fluid.
- stick on some gas shocks and the poly sway bar bushings and the thing handles like a gem.

and best of all - you will never see a 2003 Trooper - you will be styling forever.

Get the Trooper - be one of the guys on this board

boxtrooper · April 2002

I think the Trooper is 80% good as new after only 120K miles. It will still be rattle free and perform as new. So unless you need to change to a different type of vehicle, save your money and put in the next timing belt, a new set of tires, and take it to a body shop for a new car prep. New car prep $125 to $200 is a really nice way for your Trooper to feel new again. Do the new car prep right before you go shopping for a new car, you will end up keeping your Trooper. Or do ther new car prep as a pre-sale value adder then get $8000 for that almost new 120K mile Trooper

sbcooke · April 2002

mine? I was going to have it done at a shop I like down here. I have heard springs can be real dangerous if you make a mistake. As far as timing I am not sure. I still have to order the springs. I am looking at maybe early June.

paisan · April 2002

The springs are probably the easiest part of it. I heard the hardest part is getting the front shocks off if you are doing them. Otherwise you lift the rear, unbolt the shocks from the rear one at a time let the axle fall and the springs just fall out. put the new ones in, drop the truck, bolt on the shock, repeat on other side.

Although a shop would probably install it pretty cheap for yah.

-mike

sbcooke · April 2002

Springs and tires this year.

paisan · April 2002

Cool, go for the OME springs and 275-70-16 Pirellis!

Not that I'm biased or anything. hee hee

I'm gonna get an ARB for mine eventually, but probably going to buy an SVX first.

-mike

seanreid · April 2002

Wow, thanks for the thorough responses bluedevils, paisan and others. The Trooper would be my personal car and also serve as a backup chase vehicle on the motorcycle tours (pavement) that I run for a living. (Our primary chase vehicle is a one-ton conversion van). So the Trooper would sometimes carry luggage and tow 1000-2600 lbs. and sometimes (in the evenings) taxi people to and from restaurants. For that latter job, I'm intrigued by the idea of getting my hands on those (non-USA spec) folding third row seats. Two or three smaller ladies could certainly fit there for a short drive to a restaurant.

The 2003 4Runner is likely to also fit my needs to a tee (taller greenhouse, more space, third row seat, etc.) but it won't be out until September and I'd like to get something sooner.
I wonder if I shouldn't just find a Trooper for $15,000 and drive it all summer. Then in September I could keep it or go for the new Runner. Maybe I'll join the gang that's fallen in love with these Troopers and then will drive it into the ground at 250,000 miles. I do also like the character the vehicle has, it's definitely a bit out of the mainstream and I enjoy cars and bikes that have a personality. Looks like a 1998 or 1999 would be my best bet (gotta have that giant sunroof).

Thanks

paisan · April 2002

I'd try to get an 00 or newer just because you get the cool auto-temp climate control, grade-logic tranny, and drive-by-wire system.

You probably can find an 00 for around 15K if you look hard. Definitely keep us in the loop!

-mike

paisan · April 2002

As my buddy says "The moonroof for the Husky Man!"

-mike

seanreid · April 2002

I suppose it's time to put the 1998 RAV-4L up for sale and go a Trooper huntin'. I'm inclined to just get one and see how it goes. All the time I was driving it yesterday, I kept saying to myself "What a cool truck...".

And that sunroof....heck, a year ago I even thought about getting a Jeep Wrangler (which is not in the running) just to have a 4WD convertible. A massive sunroof is a good substitute.

Cheers,

Sean

paisan · April 2002

Drive a Trooper for a week, and you'll never drive anything else. I think that is pretty accurite. I know I'm hooked.

-mike

keepontroopin · April 2002

I have been a Trooper man since 1986!!! We bought our first Trooper in 86 and then traded it in for an Amigo when we hit 120,000 miles. I had the Amigo until 1994 and traded it in for a Trooper. The Amigo had 106,000 miles on it and I traded it in because it had been broken into three times (damn soft tops). The 94 Trooper was an incredible vehicle. It went everywhere and anywhere. I sold the 94 for a 2000 S model in 2000. The 94 Trooper had 165,000 miles on it and still ran like it did the day I picked it up. Hell I thought I was going to cry when I sold it. I have almost 50K on the 2000 Trooper now and once again the vehicle continues to impress me.

Go with the Trooper. You definately won't regret it!!!

beer47 · April 2002

Paisan,

What brand/model of shock would you reccommend for someone who does NYC/Philly driving with alot of interstate thrown in? I do not off-road but I do pile up the miles.

bluedevils · April 2002

as paisan says, you can probably find a 2000 Trooper for those $$. However, it likely won't have the moonroof. If you want a loaded Limited model, you could probably find a 98 or 99 with fairly low miles for $15k.

Personally, the improvements in the 2000+ Troopers aren't extremely important to me, so I'd say anything from '98 and up would be fine.

Beware that factory moonroof-equipped Troopers don't grow on trees. My sense is that Isuzu sells far more base S models than LS (aka Performance Package in earlier editions) or Limited (aka Luxury Package) models, and the factory moonroof isn't available on the plain S models.

For a 3rd row seat, try www.littlepassengerseats.com. This is a more readily available, though less functional, alternative to the non-U.S. factory third row seat.

sbcooke · April 2002

There was an article in the WSJ today about the european community possibly barring bull bars. You never know...if it crosses the atlantic you may be out...better hurry :-)

paisan · April 2002

ARB: This isn't the socialist states of Europe! Hee hee, they'd have an easier time hiking taxes than elminating bars, everyone has em here right down to the senators!

3rd row for Sean: He needs to carry luggage and just needs the 3rd row to run workers to dinner/hotel etc. So my guess is that he'd really want the fold-up OEM ones. I really need to look into this deeper and see if we can procure some from outside the US.

shocks for Beer: I live in NYC and love my Rancho 9000s. I feel they are well worth it even if you don't off-road. 99% of my driving is on-road and I keep them dialed in @ 4 in the front and 3 in the rear out of 5+ settings. When my dad drives it I crank it down to about 3f 2r and this gives it a nice smooth ride. For towing I do 4/5+ and offroading 5+/5+ If it was going to be 100% on-road I'd probably go for the very expensive Bilstiens but not sure if they are worth the extra $$$$. The Ranchos are buy 3 get one free right now I think.

-mike

tidester · April 2002

It's nice to know that NBC and GM have kissed and made up after the NBC fireworks display. I guess this means I can finally end my boycott of NBC.

Can anyone tell me if Huntley and Brinkley are still together? ;-)

tidester
Host
SUVs

gtroop · April 2002

I have found a place in Australia that can sell me everything for AU$770 plus shipping. Catch is I need someone on the ground there to do the foot work and the shipping...

paisan · April 2002

That is cheap! Does it include the mounting brackets and floor bracket?

-mike

cknott · April 2002

I have been investigating third seats lately. Outside of potentially getting the OEM 3rd seat, www.littlepassengerseats.com does have a double folding 3rd seat with shoulder belts for $850 delivered. The seat folds against the 2nd row seat when cargo capacity is needed. This is possibly a better alternative than the OEM, because this seat can also be completely removed in less than a minute. They sent me fabric samples which appeared to be reasonably close to my factory cloth.

Can anyone vouch for littlepassengerseat products? Has anyone purchased from them?

If we could get a mass buy going, I would coordinate the activities and see if we could get the price down. Throw some input in and let me know.

Chad

paisan · April 2002

I would be interested for sure. Last time I looked at their site it did not have that option! Cool beans. I'll have to visit this afternoon and see what they look like. Someone on here has their seats and said they were great.

-mike

seanreid · April 2002

Well now, that news about the fold-n-store third row seat is great. I had looked into the little passengers seat for the 4Runner but the design didn't work well for me. When the Trooper is being used as a chase vehicle it needs to haul luggage during the day and people in the evening. That's why the Landcruiser style seats in the Trooper seemed perfect but this new design from little passengers would work great. With the Suburban, we used to fold the third row seat and tip it into the passenger foot well which held it up against the 2nd row seat backs.

That said, I'm interested in getting the real deal if the Australia plan can work out. Any Aussies on this list? There were a bunch on the LC list.

These forums are too much fun, how does anybody get any work done?

sean

seanreid · April 2002

I think I need to get a Trooper first to put them in.

gtroop · April 2002

99tropper · April 2002

Hi,
I have a 99 Trooper and can not insert any cd's
into the the In-Dash changer. Has anyone else experinced this problem?

zutrooper · April 2002

FYI, 4wheelparts.com has rancho 9000s on buy3 get 1 free plus free shipping. You can get a s set for $225 delivered!

gtroop · April 2002

The seats alone are AU$660 with the brackets going for AU$110. Shipping?

That fold up seat for little passengers doesn't have head restraints IIRC, they aren't even optional.

paisan · April 2002

Hmm so let's see $770AU + ~$700Aus shipping + 2.5% US Customs should come out to around ~$800. The question is do the seats from aus come with the seat belts? Molding for the seatbelts to go into the D pillar?

-mike

Isuzu Trooper

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