Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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-mike
-mike
-mike
Thanks,
Sean
In fact, if I could find a way to pitch the passenger seat up in the front, I'd do it. My wife has the same "falling off the seat" feeling.
Also, have found that * sometimes * when I stop and then lift my foot off the brake, hear/feel strange sound, like the brakes are sticking - but am not sure. I only have 22k on my Trooper.
Suggestions? Or just a quirk of Isuzu's?
I did some more research in my spare time, just for fun (I find it relaxing) and came up with this based on comments (from owners) that I've read on various web sites. The summary info. will be up soon at: http://wwww.motorcycletours.com/mctours/trooper.htm
Is cleaning the EGR valve enough to reduce the oil consumption problem?
Thanks,
Sean
Sean
"Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher".
Other posts have lead me to believe that excessive use of premium fuel will lead to carbon build up.
There are two bolts at the base of the passenger seat which holds it to the floor. I made 2 spacer bars about 3-6" long and about 1" wide(I forget exactly) and used my drill press to drill holes for the two attaching bolts in each bar. This small spacer bar will raise the seat to whatever height you need. I first set the driver seat to a comfortable height, then used the driver seat measurements to set the height of the passenger seat. This modification has made a big difference. Of course the spacer bar has to be thick and strong enough to hold the seat firmly in case of an accident. Don't try this modification if you are not handy with tools and have no clue about what you are doing. It might help to check with an expert.
BTW, some think that name-brand gasoline is better than the El-Cheapo brands - there was a program on TV that all gasoline with the same octane is the same.
On to the purchase, this 1998 Trooper appears to have no rust but appears that it might have been 'bumped' in the front as the front bumper cover seems poorly fitted, the fog lights not set in the cover properly, and some very minor peeling paint. In fact, it appears that the front cover is badly misaligned or perhaps pushed inward about an inch - I note this because of the way the bumper cover aligns with the fender flares. In addition, I note that when I press in on both front fenders that they tend to give in more than on my undamaged 1999 Trooper. Perhaps this is something that can be corrected inexpensively??????
This poorly done frontal repair along with that the CD player is missing showing a hole in dash and a lot of scratches on the tire cover makes me want to rate this Trooper only GOOD instead of EXCELLENT for valuation in Kelley Blue Book. The rest of the body is visually excellent with glossy near perfect paint.
The engine has been cleaned and the serpentine belt looks good - so it must have been replaced. There are no service records so I don't know what has been serviced on this Trooper.
The following are the negatives about this 1998 Trooper:
- mismatched tires all are 245's but the 2 front match, but the rear have another two brands.
- brakes work but parking brake handle does not pull up like on my 1999
- no floor mats nor cargo roll up cover
- CD player missing
- no wheel lock, no remote controls
- windshield has a minor chip like a rock hit it
- no service history
Kelly Blue Book with Good rating has the Trade-In value at $4,675.
Edmunds has Tradein=$4,310, Private Party=$5,585, Dealer Retail=$7,050.
The asking price for this 1998 Luxury Trooper is $7,900 and they said they will take less. Its at a dealership and they want me to make an opening offer. Should I go fer it or skip it? If I should go for it, what opening offer?
I know my 1999 Trooper when I select TOD, there is a subtle steering tightness but is this a sure-fire way. Its summertime here and I don't think the dealership will be happy if I take it too a muddy field.
-mike
..
I have had once in a long time experience with pinging under just certian conditions like coming off from heavy acceleration up a hill pulling a trailer. I had to listen close to hear it. When this happens I put in a bottle of the fuel injector cleaner. I use the Valvoline brand and the type that calls for once in 12000 miles use. This seems to help, but it is not a significant problem.
..
If I were more concerned about lowest possible operating cost I would use the 87 Octane too.
..
I don't want the pistons slapped around like the are when pinging happens, I am concerned about getting maximum miles (goal: > 300000) on the Trooper, so for me a little higher octane and a close ear for pinging is part of longevity.
2. 3.2L / 5 Spd / 4WD
3. 135,000
4. burns 1qt per 3000-5000 mi.
5. replaced clutch (its 2nd) and starter in 2003.
6. total cost: $2300.
plenty of coolant in radiator. (overflow tank is about halfway btwn MIN and MAX)
have i got a problem or is this normal temperature regulation by the controls?
[oil pressure and battery guages fluctuate alot, w/in a certain range. which took me awhile to get used to but i've learned is quite normal.]
Cheers,
Sean
..
1995 Trooper-S 5-speed 4x4 $22K new, sold to salvage even though it still operated fine after being rear ended so hard the $6000+ per use air bags went off (Volvo that rear ended me looked like a tree fell on the roof, back of Trooper slight wrinkle thanks to hitch - Trooper crumple zones are in the other car!). Occational ticking, no oil use, ticking remedied every time with clean oil.
..
2001 Trooper 5-speed $13.8K used with 30K miles on it. Well taken care of by previous owner. 1st time I have limited slip rear diff and it make a big difference on snow. No oil use, 21mpg if I can keep it down to 65-70 mph. 16-17mpg around town typically 340 miles on 19.5 gallons. I have 255/70/16 revo tires saved from the 1995.
-mike
Long time no chat. Do you find the seats in your LS to be comfortable? Is there an adjustable lumbar support? What adjustments are on the drivers and passengers seats?
We never did meet up in the Adirondacks for a drive. Maybe this spring?
Cheers,
Sean
-mike
Also...I've good experience with Bilsteins on my Avalanche. Has anyone tried them on the Trooper?
Thanks as always,
Sean
That seems outstanding. My 1999 Trooper never seems to get anywhere near 21mpg. Mine is an Automatic, perhaps manual transmission is the difference?
On shocks, I went with the Rancho 9000RS adjustables over the Bilsteins for the Trooper to eliminate the harsh edge my wife doesn't like when installed on previous vehicles. Towing was another factor in my purchase of Rancho's.
99 Trooper
Questions:
1) If I give them a check, should I expect the Title at the same time?
2) Today I cranked the Trooper and let it run about 5 minutes and then checked the oil. It was just below the ADD mark. Should oil be checked with the engine warm or cold? I know some of these 3.5L V6's burn a little oil but this one doesn't show any visible smoke. Opinions?
I appreciate all the advice you Trooper experts have provided me and someday we might have my son joining in the crowd. Knowing him, he's gonna want to join in at Uhawarie :-)
-mike
-mike
..
Some Troopers use oil at 1qt/1000 miles or so, so if you find a low oil reading it might indicate that the engine is an oil burner. Oil burning is not a big deal for the engine, but you must keep checking the oil levelfor the rest of its life.
I test drove a 1999 Acura SLX today that I really liked. It has some scratches here and there and needs some work (as below) but basically it drove beautifully, tracked straight, everything worked, leather is good, etc. - felt good. The power leather seats are more comfortable than those in the S model. I'm still not crazy about their shape but they were OK. The truck has about 70,000 miles on it and has that slight uneven idle which suggestes to me that perhaps the intake manifold gasket is on its way out(does that sound right?). There were also the tell-tail oil spill marks (on the engine) of a vehicle that uses oil (and thus needs some added from time to time). I'm thinking that if I bought it, I'd clean the EGR, replace the PCV valve and have that gasket replaced. Does cleaning the EGR make a big difference in oil use? I'd also swap shocks right away because the ones on it are toast.
As I said, it seems solid otherwise and ran/drove very well. The used car dealer offers a 30-day 100% warranty which would give me a month to spot any other problems and have them fixed for free. He's asking $12,900 but if I decide to go for it, I'll start at $10,000 and see what happens.
Any thoughts,
-mike
I test drove a 1999 Acura SLX today that I really liked. It has some scratches here and there and needs some work (as below) but basically it drove beautifully, tracked straight, everything worked, leather is good, etc. - felt good. The power leather seats are more comfortable than those in the S model. I'm still not crazy about their shape but they were OK. The truck has about 70,000 miles on it and has that slight uneven idle which suggestes to me that perhaps the intake manifold gasket is on its way out(does that sound right?). There were also the tell-tail oil spill marks (on the engine) of a vehicle that uses oil (and thus needs some added from time to time). I'm thinking that if I bought it, I'd clean the EGR, replace the PCV valve and have that gasket replaced. Does cleaning the EGR make a big difference in oil use? I'd also swap shocks right away because the ones on it are toast.
As I said, it seems solid otherwise and ran/drove very well. The used car dealer offers a 30-day 100% warranty which would give me a month to spot any other problems and have them fixed for free. He's asking $12,900 but if I decide to go for it, I'll start at $10,000 and see what happens.
Any thoughts,
It's easier with motorcycles - the answer is always Ohlins.
Cheers,
Sean
I'm getting the OMEs on in the next few weeks so I'll give you a report as soon as they are done.
-mike
Mine are the updated 9 setting rs's...we'll see over time.
-mike
After 4 trips to the dealer to get the driveline 'clunk' looked at, it's still there. They don't have a clue yet as to why it does this.
Rancho 9000's adjustable, have been installed for 30K miles and still adjust just fine. No problem turning the adjuster, but I've not been out mudding like paisan. That might be the difference.
Best mileage in the 99' 4WD is about 20mpg hanging in at about 69 mph on the interstate. With the 20+HP resistor in place of the IAT sensor this goes up a bit.
Best mileage in my 01' 2WD was 21 mpg hanging in at about 70-72 mph. This engine is quite a bit stronger feeling than the 99' and much more responsive to the gas pedal. Dealer says this model is 700 lbs lighter than a 4WD model.
Looked at several 01' and 02' Troopers on Ebay for sale. Some listed as LS or LTD have mixed combinations of accessories and appointments. I saw leather seats with manual adjuster knobs instead of power seats. Also say standard door panel inserts vs. wood grain applique. Wheels appeared to be the 5 spoke vs. web mesh style. All appeared to have S model outside mirrors instead of color matched to body color.