Isuzu Trooper

paisan

I'm not sure if you are located in a snow zone or not, but I know I get out of balance issues when i get snow packed in the rims. If that is the case, just kick the rims a few times to loosen the snow/ice pack. If not, you may have knocked a weight off a wheel and thus is out of balance. You can try posting a message in the Isuzu Owner's area of the Edmund's site, since there are more people there than here.

-mike

sdc2

Resale values are way down for many SUVs, I think supply has finally caught up with demand. One year ago I only got $12K for my 97 Blazer with 55K miles on trade, and the Blazer cost me more new than the Trooper did.

It doesn't pay to trade any vehicle in the first few years.

gpm5

Ooffroad mud also sticks in the rims.

gberry

for those who've replaced the shocks/swaybars/bushings/coils/etc, I was curious if this affects the Isuzu 120K/10year warranty? If it isn't a problem, do these aftermarket products have to be installed by an Isuzu dealer to maintain warranty rights?

paisan

Basically they can only deny a warranty claim if your aftermarket product is the direct cause of your failure. Shocks, springs, tires, wipers, brakes are all wear and tear items, and therfore since they aren't covered under the warranty, aren't subject to Isuzu only service or else they would have to provide them for free. For instance, if you replaced the sway bars, and then tried to make a claim that the bracket that holds the sway bar broke, they would have a valid point that it wasn't stock.

-mike

theduck

Okay. I have a way to build a usable "third seat" for about $80. If you're worried about absolute, total safety, read no further. However, if you ever wished you had a third seat for a pinch, and one that doesn't look bad, read on. First, cut a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood to fit in the cargo area. You can use the rubber cargo mat as a template. Then cut slits in the plywood for the four cargo hold-down hooks to stick up through the plywood. Then you'll need something to slip through the cargo hooks -- I use steel screw clamps from the hardware store. They look like ovals with a nut on one of the sections that unscrews down to leave a small gap. Anyway once you secure that plywood on those four cargo hooks, you can bolt just about anything to the plywood and it'll stay reasonably secure. In my case I used two "boat seats" -- small bucket seats I actually got in the sporting goods section of a K-Mart for $25 each. I built a 2X4 base for each seat and bolted everything to the plywood. For seatbelts, I just used replacement belt sets from Pep Boys, once again bolted through the plywood and using big fender washers that come with the belts. Now... was this crash-tested by some eggheads in a laboratory? No. But for $80 you get a third-seat set-up you can use once in a while. By the way, the boat seats are grey, I painted the plywood grey to match, and everything matches my '99 Trooper's grey interior. Unless they stop and study it, no one notices it's a homemade rig.

bfree2

I just purchased a 98 trooper s with 41,000 miles for $14,600. It is in excellent condition but is fairly basic, no cd, no tod, no sunroof. It does have tinted glass and fog lights. Does this sound like a pretty good deal? I have been looking for a while and have not seen many in this price range with the low mileage. I know you can buy one new for $22k or so but it is out of my budget. Let me know your thoughts.

grichardson

I just ran across a 1998 Trooper with 31k miles,performance pkg, 4X4 OD, auto, 6 ad disc leader,sunroof and excellent condition. They are asking $18,500. Is this a pretty good deal? let me know what you think.

Thanks,

paisan

Yeah that sounds decent, you might want to swing over to the Owners Club area of Edmunds Town hall, and post your question there, we have quite a few knowledgeable Trooper owners over there!

-mike

gberry

Since Isuzu Troopers bodies seem to suffer terrible crash damage when hit from behind, I can't imagine putting one's loved ones in the 3rd seat! Maybe the reason the 3rd seat option isn't available in the US is safety-related?

paisan

Rear crash data indicates that it's an expensive repair, but the inside of the car is not damaged by it. Basically it's expensive because the rear door and roof get damaged when the tire is even slightly pushed in by backing into a pole. Never in those 5mph crashes do they claim that they are dangerous, just expensive. Any truck with a rear mounted tire that backs into a pole will have high costing damage.

-mike

bluedevils

bfree2-- your '98 Trooper for $14,600 sounds like a good price, assuming the vehicle was clean and well-maintained. I've got about 40k miles on my '98, which has Performance Package (about a $1,500 MSRP option, IIRC), and if I sold it today I'd be hoping to get about $17k-18k for it.

grichardson-- $18,500 sounds like a decent price, but no steal. You said "6 ad disc leader" - do you mean "6 CD disc changer"? With Performance Package and moonroof (presumably the huge factory one), that's a decent price. You might try for 18,000 but anything lower than that and you'd really be getting a great deal.

bluedevils

Excellent post. I'll probably never do this, but it seems like a pretty quick & dirty way to increase seating capacity.

hkyles1

I'm thoroughly happy with my 2000 Trooper but for one exception. I am used to driving cars with rack and pinion steering and the front-end drift of the trooper is a bit disconcerting. Does anyone know of an effective way to tighten up the steering?

gal

gpm5

You should not have drift, roaming to the side, or pulling with acceleration. Some have experienced that (previous posts) due to a problem with alignment etc. In terms of the overall steering on this truck, you do have to turn the steering wheel more than a small coup or sporty car.

troopernewbie

I agree that you shouldn't be experiencing drift in a fairly new vehicle. As a fellow sports car enthusiast I can tell you that the steering ratio of the Trooper is probably slower than you are used to. In other words for any given steering wheel input the wheels turn less. We have a 2000 Audi A4 Quattro as well as the Trooper and it takes a while to adjust when moving from one to another. After driving the A4 for a while the Trooper steering feels like it's operated by rubber bands! I don't know how long you've had the Trooper, but I've gotten used to ours with time.

Also, check your tire pressure. When I bought our used Trooper the tires all had around 22 pounds in them. It handled much better once the pressures were brought up to spec.

mchips

My wife and I are expecting our first child and want to get her a vehicle that 1) Will be safe for an infant (to ride in, not to drive) and 2) will be reliable.
We had an 86' Trooper in Hawaii that was a blast but reliability was a major down side.
My wife enjoys the ride height of the Trooper and other SUV, so we are leaning that direction.
I also noticed a number of posts in this group regarding the cost of repair for rear end damage. The spare tire cover was cited as one of the costliest culprits. Does anybody have any experiences with the spare tire that is not in the hard side cover?
Finally, we are looking at a vehicle at Carmax. It is a 97 AS with remote 12 disc DC changer. No sunroof(too bad), but looked nice. 42K miles. Anybody have any experience dealing with Carmax?
After reviewing the Edmunds info, the $16,500 they are asking doesn't seem like a bad deal. We are in Chicano, so I imagine prices are a bit higher.
Thanks for any input.

mchips

bluejoker

hey all,

need an opinion on this deal from my local chicago isuzu dealer.

2001 fully loaded trooper for $$28,000 and 4.9% financing.

good, bad??

thanks in advance

paisan

Either way it's a good deal I paid $27,500 for my LS w/moonroof but that was with a $2500 rebate. So $28 sounds good.

-mike

paisan

Great people. We sold my buddy's '95 T-bird to them for $5K, when he got his 2000 Trooper. The most any dealer would give us on trade-in was $3500 for it. I'm not sure how good they are for buying a car from them. Price sounds good for the trooper and it's barely broken in @ 40K miles.

As for the rear collision expense. It's because in the test they back it into a pole, which pushes the tire into the door into the roof. In a real rear-end collision, your back would lift, and the guy behind you would dip, putting you bumper to bumper, not bumper to spare tire.

You might want to post in the Isuzu owners club here in the edmunds town hall. We have a good group over there that is quite knowledgeable.

-mike

troopernewbie

One safety issue with the Trooper is that in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 40MPH offset crash test, the driver dummy showed likely leg injuries. But keep in mind that this particular test crashes the vehicle into an immovable object and only impacts part of the bumper. This is to simulate a head on collision between two cars where one crosses the center line. Here's a link to the test:
http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/00029.htm
And real world data:
http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl_util.htm
In the government crash test the trooper received three stars (out of five). Here's a link to that test:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/cars/125.html

And... Here's a great article on deciphering the crash tests:
http://www.auto.com/links/helpsites/q_testcrash_0325.htm

I think it boils down to the fact that there are so many variables in crashes, you never know what's going to happen. Troopers are above average when it comes to protecting occupants in a crash. The baby, if in the center of the back seat will be well protected (assuming that the car seat is properly installed...but statistics say it won't be!).

You will usually pay a premium buying from Carmax over what you would pay buying from an individual. Plus, you'll have to pay sales tax. Just for reference, I paid $15,500 for my '98 Trooper S with 36K miles from an individual. It had a few easily repaired cosmetic issues and the tires were marginal. I felt like this was a better than average deal for a Trooper.

The '97 Trooper still had the 3.2 L engine. If you get a '98 or newer you get the 3.5 L engine with a pretty good increase in torque and HP. If you find the top of the line '98 or any '99 or newer Trooper the transmission will be the nifty Torque on Demand (TOD) system which lets you operate around town in 4x4 mode. With a '98 S or older the system is for part time use (ie in mud, snow, heavy rain) only. If you have the time to spend shopping you should be able to find a newer truck from an individual for the same or less than what your "out the door" price will be from Carmax. If you do buy from an individual, run the VIN through carfax.com. I've passed on many cars because of odometer fraud revealed through carfax.

Sorry for the length of this reply, but I recently faced all the issues you asked about. The Trooper is a very reliable vehicle. What sold me on the Trooper more than anything was the enthusiasm the owners have for this truck. Short of Porsches, I've never seen so many people who are so happy with their decision to purchase a particular make and model. By the way, our nine month hated our Pathfinder, but loves riding in the Trooper!

paisan

I believe someone in the owner's area posted that he was selling his (cause he needed a sequioa sized SUV) it might be worth it to check his out if the logistics aren't too difficult.

At least you know you are getting it from someone who cared about it.

-mike

hallard_etocks

I have a 98 Trooper that uses a quart of oil every 1000 miles---it has 42500 on it, and has had regular oil service every 3000. The dealer in KC claims this is normal---have any of you heard this or experienced this? Email me at hallard_etocks@hotmail.com

paisan

All manufacturers claim 1q/1000 miles is normal due to manufacturing tolerances. I've been burning about 1 quart per 1600-2000 miles in my 2000 Trooper LS w/ 16K miles on it since june.

-mike

bfree2

Just and FYI, there is a dealer here in Portland that is clearing out their remaining 2000 trooper S models. They had 6 of them (as of today) and they are selling for $19,999. I would have bought one myself but just got into a 98 troop. This is an unbelievable price though, should have waited - almost $10k off msrp!!!! If you want more info email me at eanreves@hotmail.com.

sahara111

My understanding of the cheap Troopers in Portland is that they are used 2000 models with 10,000 miles, give-or-take, on them. However, this still sounds like a reasonable deal; just be sure to run the VIN number and get the vehicle history. These might be rental vehicles which could make a difference to some buyers.

Oil: my '99 has 28000 on it now, and only uses a little bit of oil. I believe I add maybe 1/3 of a quart in about 3000-4000 miles of driving. I am using Mobil 1 10w-30 and have been since about 6000 miles. I would feel something is really wrong if I had to add a quart every 1000 miles - I've never had any vehicle that burned that much. One suggestion, if you aren't already, is to switch from conventional oil to at least a semi-synthetic and then see if your consumption goes down.

In the case of my '92 Toyota LC, I ran conventional oil until about 50,000 miles, then switched to Valvoline Dura-Blend semi-synthetic and my usage decreased. More recently I began using Mobil 1 full synthetic in it (after testing in the Trooper first!!) and my usage once again has decreased and now I only add about a half-quart every 4000 miles or so. The LC now has over 140,000 miles on it.

bluedevils

There has been some good discussion recently on the Maintenance & Repair topic in the Isuzu Owner's Club.

I'm running 5W30 synthetic blend (alternating between Castrol Syntec Blend and Valvoline Durablend)in my Trooper. I started with synthetic blend as soon as I got my '98 Trooper (it had 7k miles on it), so I can't compare the consumption rates between regular and synthetic blend oil. My Trooper burns about 1 quart every 2000-2500 miles or so.

bluedevils

These might be Isuzu 'corporate service/fleet vehicles.' If so, there probably isn't anything to worry about. My understanding is that Isuzu uses vehicles at its southern California U.S. headquarters, and the vehicles are auctioned at Isuzu dealer-only auctions when the vehicles reach about one year of age. I'm in Michigan, and a salesperson at one of our local dealers explained to me that his dealership purchases quite a few of these vehicles. The Internet sales managers at the dealership in Maryland, where I bought my '98 Trooper, explained it about the same way. It seems that some Isuzu dealers buy a lot of these Troopers at auction and other dealers don't seem to buy them at all.

The price of about $20k for a brand-new Trooper is not too good to be true. For the last 2-3 model years it seems that certain dealerships still holding Troopers very late in the year have marked them down to $19,999. Those were usually 4wd Troopers with manual transmission. It wouldn't surprise me if you could get a 2000 2WD Trooper for even less.

At $20k used, that might be a decent price but only if the vehicle has some options on it. I bought my '98 Troop with Performance Package (basically the same as the current LS model) for $21,000 when it was 1 year old & had 7,000 miles on it. I estimated that the same truck brand new would have cost me about $24,000. So I saved about 3 grand by taking a truck with 7,000 miles on it. Worth it, in my book.

troopernewbie

I'd run a carfax on any used vehicle before purchasing. The guy I bought my Trooper from was told it was a "corporate" vehicle when he bought it with 8000 miles. However, carfax revealed it was really a rental vehicle in Colorado. I didn't figure 8K as a rental was too bad. It was a good bargaining point.

The dealers here in Phoenix usually have a lot of the former rentals as the Isuzu auction is nearby in Las Vegas.

paisan

I also believe you retain the 3/50K warranty and 10/120K warranty on the corporate vehicles. That alone is worth $1000-$1500 if you bought it from Isuzu on your own.

-mike

dcasey3

I am considering the purchase of a 1996 Trooper LS with 50,226mi, with sun roof. Very good to excellent condition. Dealer wants $13,907.00 cash
down from $14,995.00. Is that too much?? Have concerns about safety, especially rollovers expressed by a certain consumer group? Any advice? Are newer models better or recommended? Should I consider an Explorer instead? Don't know what to do in Pennsylvania???

Thanks,
Confused in Pa.

troopernewbie

All SUVs have a greater potential to roll than a passenger car. However, despite previous bad press the Trooper NOT more likely to roll than any other SUV. Here's an article about the topic:

http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/anderson/rollover.html

See my post #371 above for more information on Trooper safety.

Is the price you mentioned before tax, tag, title, and other fees? If not I'll assume you'll pay around $15,500 or more out the door for a 96. For just a little more money you should be able to find a newer model from an individual and save the sales tax. Sometimes it's worth paying a little more for the convenience of using a dealer (especially for a car in mint condition), but you have to make that decision. I highy suggest using carfax.com to have any used vehicle checked out. It can save big head-aches for the little money it costs.

Please, please, please check out the Edmund's board titled "Perpetual Ford Explorer Woes II" before seriously considering an Explorer! There are about 450 messages on this board and over 500 on the archived board. I think all the Trooper owners appreciate their trucks more just by visiting these boards!

troopernewbie

The Trooper is not a very common vehicle. Therefore, it may take a while to track down what you're looking for. One thing to consider is searching beyond PA. I just checked the Auto Trader web site and there's a '98 Trooper with 38K miles for $13,600 at a dealer near Chicago.

For a few hundred in airfare and a 7-12 hour drive back (depending where you are in PA) you could have a much newer Trooper.

mpel

I have a '99 Trooper S with 20K (bought it with 10K). Isuzu says I will get 15 or 16 mpg in town and 19 or 20 on the highway. I've been keeping track religiously and am finding I get UNDER 13 mpg in town (about 17-18 on the highway)!!!. I drive conservatively with no jackrabbit starts and hear about people getting 18ish mpg in town in their Troopers?! What gives? Anyone? Anyone?

paisan

is correct. Don't forget that the figures are optimum, on premium fuel, etc. etc. Unloaded, 1/2 tank of gas.

In mixed city and highway I get 14-15 and all highway @ 77mph i get 16mpg
I've gotten 18-19 if I do 55mph.

-mike

sdc2

I have a 99 Trooper, and I don't think I've ever reached 19 mpg. The highest I have done is a little over 18 on the highway. I usually get around 15 in town.

mpel

I would be tickled to get 15 mpg in town. Do you drive a certain way or 'baby' your Trooper when accelerating? Someone said that a spark plug, like the Bosch Plus-4, will increase fuel efficiency. Anyone put those in?

sdavito

My 2000 I Trooper with 3k miles, gets 15+ MPG around town. Needless to say, I'm very happy about this.

The strange part is that I drive 2 miles each way to work (2 round trips a day) & once a day (3 miles) to the gym. The engine is cold for a big part of these miles. Most engines get the worst mileage when cold. I live where the traffic is absolutely terrible & I have a lead foot. I estimated before I purchased the Trooper that I would realize 12-13 MPG at best.

I live in Florida (VERY Flat), & reliativly warm. I wonder if this could make a difference?

David

paisan

I got great milage, after that it dropped (I think cause I got a lead foot) I'm sure the flat warm climate helps. If the milage is the only problem I have with the Trooper, I consider that a fair swap...

-mike

sdc2

I don't know that Florida contributes to good mileage, I live in Minnesota which, while almost as flat, certainly isn't as warm.

Actually, engines like colder, denser air anyway. That's why drag/race cars have those hood scoops, so they aren't sucking in warm air from the engine compartment.

I don't really baby my Trooper; I tend to drive in the upper 25% of traffic speed, but I don't floor it to get there. I try to follow Jackie Stewart's recommendation that "a good driver is a smooth driver" - which is probably why my brakes last as long as they do.

sdc2

If you compare Trooper fuel economy to its closest competitors in size, such as Durango, you will find they don't do any better, and most do worse. :-)

bluedevils

My fuel economy has always been 5-10% worse in cold (about 35 degrees or colder) weather. Here in Michigan, I see about 1.5 MPG better with my 98 Trooper during the spring/summer/fall than I do in winter. I experienced the same thing with my 96 Trooper and have seen the same basic situation with other vehicles I've driven such as a 98 Mitsu Galant, 96 Merc Mystique, and 95 Ford Contour.

bluedevils

troopernewbie makes a good point. Generally I would steer away from buying a rental vehicle, but a Trooper with only 8,000 miles on it isn't likely to have suffered much abuse. I do know that my Trooper was a corporate vehicle. The vehicle had never been titled and even though it had 7,000 miles and was a year old when I bought it, the info I received in the mail thanked me for purchasing a "new" Isuzu Trooper.

viktoria_r

the dealer that we bought from (Jim M'lady, Crystal Lake, IL - Chicago suburbs) now advertises that he has 50 (!) 2000 troopers on the lot, starting at $17,999. I think they were rental cars, I dot think so many troopers could have all been company vehicles.
If considering buying, do yourself a favor and buy carfax.com reports (2mo unlimited - $20), and run VIN of every car you're interested in through carfax. It will tell you whether it was a rental or not.

expduck

I have a 99 Trooper Performance Package and I am almost at 15k i. I was told by the dealer to change the AT fluid at 22k does anyone know how to do this without going to the dealer. I was told they were the only one's who could do it? Is this true?

paisan

I believe the manual says under severe conditions to change it ever 30K miles. You can get it done @ any Oil Change type place.

-mike

bobforman

I've found a 2001 Trooper with Gold package for$30,000. It was driven by the dealership owner and has 1700 miles. Is this this reasonable? Also, I'm curious if any of you compared the 2001 Pathfinder or 1998+ Land cruiser with the Trooper?

paisan

Bob, you might want to swing over to the Isuzu Owner's club forum here on Edmunds Town Hall. If you post over there, you might find some good answers.

The Pathfinder can't be compared to the Trooper. It's much smaller, less (usable torque and hp), less luxury items, less warranty, less reliablility. The Land cruiser is a nice vehicle, but you are going to pay top $ for it and it won't be new. 1700 miles is barely broken in on a Trooper. The price is decent, especially cause the 2001s don't have a rebate yet. If you wait a few months, you'll see that a $2500-$3000 rebate will likely become available on the Trooper.

Here are some of the features that the Trooper has that are likely not found on the pathfinder:

Power Folding Mirrors, captains chairs, 50,000mile bumper to bumper warranty, 10/120K powertrain warranty, selectable full-time 4wd, grade-logic transmission, rear LSD, Skid-plates, HUGE Moonroof, rear seat reclining, in-glass antenna, power passenger seat, auto-matic temp control, 4 wheel discs?, 4 wheel Abs?, and a multitude of other little things that make the Trooper a joy to drive. I have had mine since June 10, 2000, I've put on 16K miles and still love going outside and taking it for a spin!

-mike

ilit

Bob,

I own a 99 Trooper which basically is same as 00 and 01.
You should take test drive both Pathfinder and Trooper and make decisiion yourself.
In my opinion, I'll buy Pathfinder. Following are Pathfinder's advantages over Trooper. It has a superior dealership network with far better customer services. I disagree that Pathfinder is less reliable than Trooper. It has an equal or more powerful engine. It's aerodynamic shape yield less crosswind disturbance. It bounce and sway less. It has a roof rack. Just name a few.

Check out these Edmunds Trooper's Owners Websites where many people worship Trooper for their comments, complaints (such as burning 1 quart of oil every 1000 mi., vibrating side mirrors, whinning TOD, clinking tranmission, etc...) and their wish list for a Trooper.

A Trooper may cost a little less, but after you get it and if you want to change sway bars, bushings, shocks, tires, or add roof racks, it'll be a lot more expensive!!!

I didn't buy a Pathfinder because it didn't come with the big 3.5l then.

Good luck Bob,