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Isuzu Trooper

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Comments

  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    If you are on Long island then I think Paisan is your man. I am sure he will be posting to your question any time now!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Conway got a decent deal in LI on an LS w/moonroof. You won't find an Anniversary Edition w/factory Moonroof since the factory doesn't make em. If you want the best deal in the NY area, contact Mark Jerrick @ Staten Island Subaru/Isuzu @ 718-979-9595. He'll give you an honest out the door price w/o any BS, whatever he quotes you is the price you'll pay. I can get the # of a decent dealer in LI if you don't want to travel out to Staten Island for it. The SI dealer will have to most likely order it, but it's worth the wait.

    -mike
  • tistevetisteve Member Posts: 142
    Just an update on Trooper prices here in SE VA. I have three different dealers offering an '01 Trooper S 4x4 w/auto for $19,990 plus $550 dest charge and some have $350 processing fee. So, under $21,000 not including TT&L. Note though that you can't get any of the special financing from Isuzu at these prices. Dealer said to add $4,000 to the price in order to use the Isuzu financing.
    My wife and I are days away from grabbing one, just need to find the color we want and finalize her company car allowance to see if we can swing it. Test drove another one last night. What a nice, solid feeling truck. With all the standard features this truck comes with, I'm amazed it isn't selling well. They also sell Suzuki's and Mazda Tributes at same dealership. Those vehicles cost a few grand more and don't have half the standard features. And nowhere near the same interior room.
    By the way, he said the Axiom wasn't moving like they had hoped, only about two a month.
    Paisan, a few posts back you mentioned doing the Rancho shock and OME springs for less than $450 (I think). Was that for the shocks and the springs? Did you install yourself? I've done an add-a-leaf on a Suzuki I used to own, would you recommend this as a DIY job for a somewhat capable person, or is it a shop job?
    Thanks everyone for all the great Trooper info, hope to be one of you soon!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I don't think it's that hard, but I bought the springs for like $120 and the shocks for $50 something each. So that's about $320 + $150 for my local shop to install them for me. Handles much better and rides great too. The OMEs helped with a 5000lb trailer I towed recently.

    -mike
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    Here's a link for the shocks w/free shipping.

    http://www.4wheelparts.com/product2.asp?imseqn=132&occlass=RANSHOCKS&cat=SK


    Here's one for the springs

    http://www.tennesseeoffroad.com/


    Others may have it cheaper, but here's a starting point....Good Luck!

  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    paisan,

    Did your OME springs add some lift to the rear of your Trooper? How much?
    Did you need to crank the front spring bars to match? How much?

    I have 2 year old Tokico shocks on my 1995 Trooper now. Should I get the Rancho9000 shocks with it? Would OME shocks be a better match to the springs?

    I want to stay as close to original height as possible so my Trooper and its permanent roof rack (3x Thule bars on Overlander brackets adds 2.5 inches to overall height) can fit into parking garages. I went with 255/70/16 tires instead of 265/75/16 tires also for the height reason, plus MPG in town.

    I have been thinking about getting the OME springs for a while now, and I want to be able to give very specific instructions to my mechanic (http://www.creechimport.com in Raleigh NC they are great with Troopers and less expensive than a dealer)

    Thank You
    boxTrooper
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    Those looking for GREAT prices on Troopers should check out Ebay. They have some 2000 and 2001 models occasionally with low miles, priced way below $20000. I believe there is one or two posted right now!!
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    ...will add about 1.5 inches to your Trooper, a little less if you carry a lot of heavy stuff around all the time...
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Mine so far with the hitch, rear bar, and my usual load of tools and stuff gives me about a 1" lift after about 10K miles. I cranked the front bars 4 turns and it sits slightly higher in the rear compared to the front. I went with the rancho 9000 shocks because they were gas and were adjustable. The OME shocks are nice, but I don't think they give you the range that the ranchos do. Normal driving I leave em on 3/3 or 2/2 when I put a trailer on I go to 3/5+ for offroading I go with 5/5.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    The best price I found for the OME shocks was $65 each. N65 front, N15 rear. The N15's were back-ordered and some came in from Australia at the end of June. I ordered from rocky-road.com. I have had problems with shipping, they got my address wrong. UPS corrected the address, my lights came in, but the shocks are still MIA, so I can't give any performance results.
  • oziroooziroo Member Posts: 2
    Hi. I own a 1998 3.5l V6 SE Jackaroo (Trooper), manual. I sometimes get clutch shudder in first gear if I don't give it enough revs as I let the clutch out, and especially when wet weather is around. Is this normal? Also can anyone point me to a retailer for workshop manuals for these vehicles. Thanks
  • lrmet2lrmet2 Member Posts: 12
    I'm glad I found this discussion group. What great input everyone has put on here.
    I'm going to replace my 1991 Explorer this year, 139K miles on it. I tow a boat in the summer, around 2400 lbs, but trip is 250 miles one way, 4 hours and sometimes we don't stop. I'm looking for the best towing (read most reliable) SUV. I was convinced I needed a V8 engine for power but the V8s come with bigger transmissions. I'm amazed at how little trannies are covered when you buy a car. It's allways the engine. As consumers we have to take the manufacturers word for what the vehicle will tow. That's why this message board is so important. The Toyota Sequoia was my first choice but it's too big so now I'm scaling down. The Montero and trooper are my leading vehicles. After seeing the high ratings on the Trooper's tranny, I'm very attracted to it.

    Okay my question -
    I found a used 2000 Trooper S with 16K miles on it. Price is $17,200. The used car dealer states the warranty is 3 year 36K/5 year 60K.
    I haven't priced out new yet. I will be putting a hitch on it and stiffer shocks since I did on my Explorer for towing.

    This is at a small used car dealership in town and I'm considering spending more money on new in case the car was abused or a rental or a repaired wreck. He also has 3 Montero's for $22,800, which I was considering but since reading this discussion group the Trooper sounds like the way to go.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I would buy new. You can get a fairly loaded trooper for anywhere between 22k-24k depending on your moxy. Then you would also have the new warranty. They are also giving out great financing deals on new vehicles.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The new ones come with 3/50K BTB Warranty, and 10/120K Powertrain. Which means that the precious Tranny is covered for 10 year and 120K miles! I tow on a semi-regular basis my boat weighing about 3Klbs with my trooper 250 miles from NYC to the Adirondack Mts. upstate NY. The Trooper at near stock is a great vehicle for towing such a load. I generally tow in the overdrive mode of the tranny with the cruise control on 72. No overheating, braking, or other associated problems. I've also towed it about 2hrs north through twisty mt. roads w/o a problem as well. 2 Weeks ago I towed a 5200lb car trailer from NYC to the Adirondacks. Due to U-haul's poorly designed trailer there was excessive tounge weight which made the back go down on the trooper, but with the OME springs and Rancho 9000 shocks it never bottomed out. Towed it up with A/C, TOD(awd) engaged and cruise control @ 72mph, got 11.5mpg for the 250mile trip, never had a problem getting started or maintaining speeds. The other nice thing on the 00 and 01 Trooper Transmissions is that they have "Grade Logic" which means that if you are on a downhill and let off the accelerator pedal, it will downshift to apply engine braking, especially when towing. I like the Montero also, but they are considerably more expensive than an equivilently equipped Trooper, and the rear IRS isn't the best for towing. Also if the TOD(awd) is important to you, on the Montero you need to buy the Limited trim package in order to get a 4wd system that can be engaged on dry pavement. With that you are required to get leather, and other items you may not want to pay for. On the Trooper you can (and do) get TOD on S (base), LS (loaded except for leather) and Limited (Loaded with leather). Currently the LS model is selling with the rebates for around $27K.

    -mike
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    I have a 99 perf. pkg. "Cream White" color code #752. I'm looking into getting the 2000/2001 colored door ding protectors for my 99. Mine are black and they're oxidizing (turning Grayish). I think they changed the color to Aspen White in 2000, but can't confirm that. If anyone has a 2000/2001 Aspen White LS, can you check the paint code located on the placard on the firewall to see if it says color/int 752. Oh by the way, they're put on w/double faced tape and cost @$50 per side, in case anyone wants to put them on the "S" model.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    IIRC in 2000 they added Moonmist Grey and changed the white to Alpine White. Can't confirm though.

    -mike
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    The only source of shop manuals I know of is Helm, Inc. They are online. These are the same manuals the mechanics use, so are very complete, though they do assume a certain level of competence - for example, the directions for spark plug replacement say "remove plugs" - No detail on such simple tasks.
  • lrmet2lrmet2 Member Posts: 12
    The tranny is covered for 120K miles?!? I would be very surprised! That would seal the deal. I'll be checking that out with a dealer here in Minneapolis.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The entire drivetrain: 4wd unit, Tranny, Engine, rear diffy, front diffy, etc. are all covered under the 10/120K warranty!

    -mike
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    On your question about new or used, I would go with the used Trooper you mentioned. If it has only 16000 miles on it, you still have most of its warranty available to you. With the reliability of the Trooper as mentioned repeatedly on this website, I would have no reservations about getting a Trooper with that low mileage. I would pocket the $4K - $6K between this and a new Trooper and use it for upgrades on the suspension you mentioned. That kind of money could also purchase you an extended warranty if you were really concerned about it. Sounds to me like a very reasonable price for a 2000 with that mileage. If you look on Ebay, they want these kind of prices for considerable higher mileage units. I don't know about you but money talks for me, when it comes to vehicles. It would take a lot of financing magic to save that kind of loot. If you have any questions about the vehicle, press the dealer to give you the previous owners phone# so you can ask any questions and ease your mind. They may have had a specific reason for letting it go so soon.
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    Thanks for the ideas about locating the overheating problem with my 97' Trooper. There were several suggestion made and the 2nd one turned out to be the culprit. I had changed the T-stat earlier this week without improvement. Yesterday I got my replacement radiator fan clutch assembly in. It took about an hour or so to pull the old fan unit out and install the new clutch unit. Amazingly I didn't even have to pull the fan shroud out of the way to get the fan out. It cleared the hoses and everything quite easily. Troopers running cool as a cucumber now!! Now to find that rattle on the front drivers side, under the chassis.
    Happier Trooping !! :->
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    Congrats on fixing your overheating problem, a few questions. How many miles on your 97, are you the original owner, how much was the fan clutch and did you get it from St.Charles. Thanks in advance.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    cool beans! or maybe cool trooper. I am glad to hear it went so smooth.
  • cwmosercwmoser Member Posts: 227
    When you come to North Carolina for the Uharrie event, gasoline prices are low. Here in Winston-Salem, NC I just tanked up today at $1.15/gallon.

    I remember around the first of June when I was in Florida, I paid as high as $1.80/gallon.

    Tank up that Trooper in North Carolina -- heck maybe gasoline will soon be under $1.00. North Carolina does have higher gasoline taxes than Georgia and South Carolina and it just might be close the $1.00 there.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Cool. I should get a bigger tank!

    -mike
  • erinsquarederinsquared Member Posts: 178
    When comparing the trooper to other SUV's with a V-8, take a look at their hp to weight ratio. Trooper has a 215hp v-6, 235 ft-lbs torque, and a 4.10 axle, but "only" about 4600 lbs (4wd) to pull. Definitely no sports car, but also no slouch. Some larger SUV's with a v-8 haul around 500+ lbs of vehicle weight which gives them an equivalent tow rating.
  • centralcentral Member Posts: 51
    My sales brochures list cream white for 1999 and alpine white for 2000 if that helps.

    How do you plan to remove the old guards? That 3M tape sure seems very sticky and I would be concerned that maybe some of the paint would also come off. I have never tried to remove such tape so I am not claiming you will have problems only that it seems like you could.

    Additional FWIW I have found that black plastic/rubber guards must never be waxed and that some of the preservative chemical solutions cause such greying. You might try stripping any wax and/or a different rubber/plastic treatment chemical before resorting to the replacement route.
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    I was checking out the molding last week and figured I could probably use one of those plastic putty knifes to get it started, then get out the hair dryer and heat up the (metal part) of the door to get the rest off. I dont want that stuff sticking to the door, can make for a long day. Maybe I'll try some of that Mothers plastic polish for plastic tailight lenses before hand.
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    My 97' Trooper has 55000 miles on it. It's a Limited with all the bells and whistles. I am the 2nd owner, going on 6 months now. It has been a very good car to this point, I have had several post's about it going back to about #1255 or so. I did check with St. Charles about the fan clutch assembly which they priced at $147 to me. I decided to check locally with the used parts jobbers. The best quote I got for a guaranteed unit was $60 plus tax. I decided to go this route, since I like to save money everywhere I can. I did an inspection of the unit and it looked healthier than the unit on my truck. In particularly, the heat sensitive coil looked to be in almost new condition. On my original unit, it appeared to be very rusty, like road salt spray had gotten to it. That's likely why it quit working. I have an 88' Trooper and the fan clutch assembly has never had a problem on it, so these things should last forever if not abused. Hope this answers any concerns you have. Happy Trooping!! :)
  • cwmosercwmoser Member Posts: 227
    Recently I saw a late model Trooper that had wipers on the headlamps and appeared to be a higher model Trooper. What year did Isuzu offer headlamp wipers?

    Also, was there a Dakar edition - my spelling could be wrong here?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Came on the '92-'97 and non-US troopers.

    Yes there was a Dakkar one, back in '9x

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Nice keith. I'll have to check it out! :)

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I updated http://isuzu-suvs.com with lots of links in the gallery.


    -mike

  • jahnoth1jahnoth1 Member Posts: 5
    I am the proud owner of a sweet new dragon green Trooper LS with sunroof! Thanks to all for your insight and advice during my decision making process. Such dedicated and delighted customers certainly had an impact on me.

    A few questions:
    1) how much does the “power” mode affect gas mileage. The trooper is definitely quicker in city driving with it engaged.
    2) Since I live in the a very snowy/muddy area, my shoes are often caked in crud. Is there anywhere I can get some winter floor mats, the kind that hold a ton of water, that fit perfectly in the trooper. I know advance auto parts, etc. sell some one size all varieties. Any input would be appreciated.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I have great mats that hold a ton of water, I'll check the brand when i go out to my truck. I never leave the powermode engaged, sometimes I use it when I am in the mts or getting on the highway.

    -mike
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    JAHNOTH1 - I use Power Mode 24/7, I'm getting @17 MPG, 80% HWY @75 MPH. I started using it this way about 8 months ago. It really works well in stop and go traffic. Also, I usually run the TOD every weekend just to keep things lubricated, kind of like running your A/C in the winter to keep the seals from drying out and cracking...Happy troopin!

    BSMART1 - Thanks for the info. I was just curious as to what to expect in the future, cost and such. I got into a rut since 94 (good economy) and didn't keep any vehicle past 60K, but this one's a keeper 250K+ Thanks.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I run my TOD 24/7 except when I'm on the highway in light to no traffic and good dry weather conditions. I'd hate to skid or loose control in 2wd and then say to myself "had I had the TOD engaged, this might not have happened"

    -mike
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    Kind of funny you mention that. One morning last winter, on the way to work (one of the 5 days it rains here in San Diego) it was 5:00 a.m., dark, raining pretty hard w/standing water on the freeway. I hit a 20 ft. long 2 lane wide x 1" deep puddle at 60 mph. and hydroplaned the whole way. It went straight, but the steering wheel went loose, if ya know what i mean. My heart rate went to a minimum of 140 bpm. After that, Anytime there's water, TOD is on! I don't know what I was thinking that morning, guess I was in Subaru mode.
  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    I have a set of Mats that I really like and they hold a gallon of water. I am not sure of the name, but I bought them at Sam's Club. I am actually going to Sam's Club tonight so I will get the name of the ones I have. By the way which part of the country are you in? I am in Pittsburgh, PA!!!!!!!!!

    Welcome to the Trooper family. I am sure you are going to love your new Trooper.

    Keep on Troopin'
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    You have a subaru too?

    Hmm, I see a trend here. A lot of Isuzu/Subaru owners out there.

    -mike
  • jahnoth1jahnoth1 Member Posts: 5
    I am located in Rochester, NY - the lake effect snow capitol of the world. I also do a lot of traveling to snowy places, hiking with my dog, etc. Good floor mats are a must - my old cherokee had genuine Jeep mats that fit like a glove and could hold a gallon of water. I am definitely interested in the brand of floor mats you use.

    As fas as the Trooper goes - it is awesome. I did a lot of test driving the past few months, trailblazer (too low - could see out), liberty, xterra, rodeo, etc. Trooper beats them all hands down. For under $28K I got an LS with sun roof and no complaints hopefully for years to come.
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    Mike: what I meant was, with a Subaru you don't have to engage the AWD, as you know, it does it by itself. However, I was checking out the Penny Saver last week, someone had a 92 Legacy wagon w/70k miles and original owner XLNT cond for 6k. This weeks comes out today, if it's still listed I'm going to check it out. You know Subies better than me, was this a good year? What about the price? Without knowing specifics, I say lowball for $4500.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yeah I'd offer 4500. Since you are in CA you don't have to worry about rust, which was the only downfall on those cars. '92 Legacy was a great car, a bit larger than the 2nd gen '96-'99 models. They have a 2.2l engine or 2.2l turbo. If it's a 2.2l turbo, it's well worth it. 70K miles is barely broken in. My XT6 has a 2.7l H6 engine and it's got 79k miles still runs great w/o problems (other than my auto-xing it and I killed the air-suspension) If you get some more details on it I could tell you more info if you need.

    -mike
  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    Hey all. The family and i are going on Vacation soon and I am realizing that I need more space than the Trooper can provide me. I want to get a roof top cargo box from either Yakima or Thule. Do any of you have any suggestions on where to get them Cheap Cheap Cheap?????
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I'd start my price shopping at REI.com and then google.com it from there. Then I'd ask a local dealer what kind of deal they can make for you.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Isuzu dealers don't sell racks or boxes.


    First you'd need a roof rack, thn you'd need to get one of thos boxes. Check on http://isuzu-suvs.com in the vendors section. You might be better off with a rear platform on a trailer hitch.


    -mike

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Sorry, I was thinking of cap/canopy stores and other aftermarket "dealers". I got my Yak Racks at a truck canopy "store".

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    I have a Yak rack and want to add a cargo box to it. Excuse me for not pointing out the obvious. It seems everyone else had no problem understanding me. Just kidding :o)!!!!!!!!!

    No seriously these things are hard to find. It seems like everyone in the Pittsburgh area is out of them.
  • buckeye74buckeye74 Member Posts: 4
    I HAVE A 2000 2 WHEEL DRIVE TROOPER S. I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND DID NOT OPT FOR THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I AM RELOCATING TO OHIO AND THINK I NEED 4 WHEEL DRIVE. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW 2 WHEEL DRIVE TROOPERS ARE IN THE SNOW. A 2001 4X4 S WILL COST ME 4000.00 MORE AS I PRICED A USED WITH 9500 MILES AS MY 2000 S HAS 8600 MILES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    outdoorsports.com. This is where I purchased my rack, they had good prices. I don't know about cargo boxes, but I think they should have some.
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