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Isuzu Trooper

14142444647233

Comments

  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    The "Severe Conditions" (which your towing falls under) maintenance schedule for tranny fluid replacement interval is 20,000 miles.

    This is as compared with the regular maintenance schedule which doesn't list a recommended tranny fluid swap at all...
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    when bragging on my ISUZU dealer's service department. Get a load of this. You'all have been hearing me "whine" about the rear diffy in my 97' "whining" or "singing", for some time now. I took it in a week or so back, to have the work done, after they called me saying the parts had arrived. I left it with them on Saturday afternoon and the "service writer" assured me they would get on it 1st thing Monday morning. I had to go out of town on business for the 1st half of the week, so I made arrangements for a ride back to the dealer to pick it up on my way home (about another 75 miles away). I had full confidence they would take care of things, so I didn't bother to call them until Wednesday afternoon late, as I'm on my way back home about to pass through Little Rock. I call the service department...ring ring... and ask if the 97' Trooper for Smart is ready to be picked up. "Uh sir, we don't have a 97' Trooper here for maintenance, when did you bring it in"? Last Saturday, I replied. "Last Saturday?, let me check". Silence for about 5 minutes....."Uh Mr. Smart, I'm sorry but the guy that was here and took your service ticket failed to tell us about it being here". What?? You haven't done anything to it yet? "No sir, I'm sorry, but I WILL get someone right on it and we'll have it ready for you tomorrow evening". Wait a minute, you told me it would take 2 maybe 3 days to do the work the 1st time we talked, now you say it can be done in 1 day? I don't want a RUSH job here, I want a QUALITY job done. I can wait another day or two if necessary, but I want it done right! "I understand Mr. Smart". "We won't rush through and sacrifice quality"."I'll have a couple guys stay over late tonight to get started on it, and we might have it ready for you late tomorrow". I got a phone call late the next afternoon, and sure enough it wasn't ready. Whew, I thought maybe they are taking time to do it right after all. I got another call late the next afternoon and they assured me it was ready to pick up. OK, that little maintenance job (rear end ring and pinion and 4 rotors machined) only took 7 days. Not bad for a dealer! When I got to the dealer (a little over an hour's drive away), I went to the service counter and asked to pick up my Trooper. "Huh, Trooper for who"? Smart, the name is Smart. "I don't see a ticket here for Smart". Let me check with the service writer. Gone for about 5 minutes... she returns; "I'm sorry Mr. Smart, they haven't finished typing up all the paperwork yet, it'll be a few minutes". OK, they close the service dept. in about 45 minutes, can't be too much longer. Shortly they come out with my ticket and a basket full of apologies. Yeah, yeah, whatever, am I free to go now? Yes sir! Just stop at the clerk's office and sign the papers. I looked at the BALANCE DUE and I can't believe my eyes! $00.00 Wow, imagine that, all this maintenance time and I don't have to pay a dime? "That's right sir, you're free to go". Maybe there is a silver lining around every cloud after all. I'll give you the rest of the story, later. Happy Trooping ;->
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Did they give you a freebie as a way of making things right for taking so long? Was it covered under warranty (extended, powertrain, etc.)? Did they make a mistake? Was it a TSB and the dealer decided to pick up the tab?
  • cobbocobbo Member Posts: 34
    Well, after 12k miles, I figured it's time for a quickie update...after all them miles, I've come to a conclusion on a number of things...one, I love my Troop....two, it doesn't matter what grade gasoline I put in, I still get 14/15 in the city and 15/17 on long distance trips (I blame my lead foot)...three, the Troop tops out at 110mph on flat roads if you fold the mirrors in (which is good enough the beat a mustang convertible by 1mph)...four, the 3k between oil changes passes quickly...five, even at high speeds the Troop is more quiet than my old JGC...six, women need a step stool to get in the back seat when wearing skirts...seven, I don't own such a stool. *grin*

    Hope ya'll are having a good week....-Cobbo
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    That's it? Daym. I've hit 115, and onlybacked off cause there was a curve coming up. I'll have to test again when I go to NC next week. Speaking of which check out http://isuzu-suvs.com/events for Planet Isuzu Camping and off-road trip next weekend.


    -mike

  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    you crazy...unforntunately both NC trips have not been good timing for me. I hope to make one in the spring.
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    I plan on going to Uwharrie Dec8-Dec9. I will be camping with kids others with me might bring more 4x4s. If anyone from Edmunds Isuzu Club shows up that will be great.
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    to answer the question about the cost being $0.00, all the work was covered under the powertrain warranty which extends to 60,000 miles on the 97' model. Somehow they covered the machining of the rotors under the powertrain warranty as well. I didn't ask questions, gladly accepted the gratuity.

    Now about the repair. As I got the Troop back, I immediately took it for a test drive to see what the results were. I told my wife I wasn't taking it home until it was fixed, no matter how long it takes. We hopped in and started backing out of the parking spot to head for the freeway. As I was backing up, I thought I heard a noise and felt a vibration coming from the rear of the vehicle. I didn't really focus on it, thought it might be gravel under the tires on the pavement or something like that. Anyway, we headed for the freeway just a couple blocks away, and quickly found ourselves cruising along at 75 mph. I asked my wife, "do you hear that"? Hear what, she replied. That, that...quiet, silence, just the wind blowing!! Wow, what a difference! No more "whine" from the rear diffy! It was GREAT to just hear a little tire noise and the wind blowing by the windshield. I accelerated on up to about 80-85 mph and it was smooth as silk. Aaaaah that is nice. Got back to the dealership, closed the paperwork just as the service department was closing, and prepared to head home. I went out to the service writer and told him to pass along to the mechanic my appreciation for a, "job well done". "Looks like you guys did it right, I said". "Please let the mechanic know I appreciate it". He grinned from ear to ear. He may not get too many pleased customers coming back to thank him. As we exited the parking lot, I thought I heard that sound again and felt some vibration?? Maybe gravel on the pavement again. We stopped and got a bite to eat and as we prepared to leave when exiting the parking spot, there it was again...that noise and vibration. Whoa, this can't be happening! I don't think I'm imagining this. We decide to take in a movie before going home and after the movie is over and I'm backing out of the parking spot, you guessed it, there it goes again! By now the dealers closed, so we head home (75 miles away). The drive home is bittersweet. I'm loving the quiet, smooth drive, but I've got a bad feeling something just ain't right in that diffy. The next day after backing out of the garage and turning on to the main street, there's that noise again. Turns out, every time I make a change in direction of travel and especially a sharp turn at a intersection, I get the same vibration and noise. I decided to call the dealer and let him know what is happening and get his opinion on it. In the mean time, I've decided they didn't put LSD oil in the thing and the plates are sticking together or something. I stopped by my parts jobber and picked up a tube of LSD treatment that goes with rear end lube. Called the dealer service dept., they say bring it back, we'll take a look at it. "Did they put LSD oil in it"?, I asked. 5 minutes of silence. Yeah, the mechanic said he put the correct lube in there. Oh great, I can easily do without my Troop another week, sure....hmmm maybe not. I told him I would have to schedule an appointment later in the week. I pulled the Trooper in the garage at home and proceeded to pull the rear diffy level check plug. Stuck my little finger in to check the level, and lo and behold its filled right up to the plug. I opened my LSD treatment and squirted it in and re-inserted the plug. Wait a minute, look at that! Right there by the plug is a label that says "USE ONLY LSD OIL". I didn't see that before, and it's obvious now it had been covered with dirt and grime, but now it's standing out there just like new. Hmmmm. Backed out of the garage, turned to get on the street, (*&%@#$ still vibrating. Drove a few miles, took a couple changes of direction, back and forth, sharp turns, still vibrating. But, it doesn't seem to be as evident. Over the course of a couple days the vibrations completely quit. Those jerks didn't put the proper oil in or left the LSD treatment out! End of mystery. Happy Trooping again!! ;-/
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'll pass the word on uwharrie in Dec. In 2 weeks we are heading down again. http://isuzu-suvs.com/events


    -mike

  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    is a great example of why I have very little faith in the ability of the "professional" mechanics or shops to do a job right.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I don't have much of an option, as I'm not real handy. I searched around and found some good places. My dealer upstate is especially good cause they aren't real busy, and they also service Porsche, Alfa, MB, Range Rover, Audi and Ferrari. :)

    -mike
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I've never seen an Isuzu franchise at the same dealership/complex with high-end brands such as those you mentioned. I'm sure they try to give their Isuzu customers the same great service, or at least a scaled-down version of it, that they give to their other customers.

    As for you not being handy, you can easily do the main fluid changes (front/rear diffy, engine, TOD, ATF) with nearly zero mechanical skill. I am living proof. If you can locate the drain and fill plugs, and know how to use a wrench, you are ready to go.
  • abbigailabbigail Member Posts: 3
    Interested in the 2001 S Series Trooper. Given an 'out the door' price of $22,992.13 today. No trade-in. Includes $1,300.00 for a sunroof (locally installed). Any room for negotiating?
  • abbigailabbigail Member Posts: 3
    Forgot to mention.......2WD not 4WD.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Does this price include any sales tax? Which state? What is the state sales tax rate? Is this an automatic or a manual transmission? The automatic is an option in the ballpark of $1,300 MSRP if I remember correctly.

    Excluding the aftermarket moonroof, you're talking apx $21,700 for a 2WD Trooper. You might do a little better, but if this includes tax it doesn't sound too bad. E.g. if that price includes 6% sales tax, the vehicle price is apx $20,500. If you really want to get into the nitty gritty numbers, then go to Edmund's, Carpoint, or some other site and find the dealer invoice, holdback, etc. and figure out exactly how much profit the dealer is making.

    Re: the moonroof, is the dealer charging you $1,300 for it? Have you called the moonroof shop to get a price quote from them directly? $1,300 for an aftermarket moonroof sounds awfully steep unless it's top quality and a huge size like the factory Trooper moonroof.

    Even if you can't get the dealer much lower, look around and consider what other SUVs you could get for $20-21k. There's no comparison-- the Trooper is way more vehicle (quality, features, size, power, etc.) than anything else NEAR this price point. If you can work a dealer to the bone on the price, then it becomes even more of a steal than it already is.
  • abbigailabbigail Member Posts: 3
    That includes sales tax, new tags, everything. Base price quoted was $20,855.00, $1,300.00 for moonroof and the remaining $830.00 or so is for tax, title, tags, etc.

    Automatic transmission. The moonroof is a good size......completely guaranteed for as long as own car. Not a necessity...but nice to have.

    I agree with you about the value for $20K - $21K. I've looked at Jetta Wagon, Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, everything else under the sun. Need something dependable that I can put sample chairs in the back and drive all over the state.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    there is probably $500-1,000 left on the table. The question is, is the dealer willing to give it up? And are you willing to work hard enough to get down to the dealer's bare-bones price?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    With the 10/120 warranty, AND TOD and the Roof, that is a great price that includes tax. I'd take it and run, personally.

    -mike
  • zutrooperzutrooper Member Posts: 66
    Just bought a 2001 a few weeks ago. $19800 is the best price I saw on a S model 2wd w/ auto. Add 1000 for 4wd. I'd say you've got a great price if tax and addons are included. Otherwise, Id say don't go above $20400 +ttl. mark P
  • ez_jez_j Member Posts: 8
    Greetings, all.

    After much research, test driving, and deliberation, I decided to pick up a 2001 Trooper S 4WD this past weekend.

    I've never owned an SUV before, which makes me the exception in Colorado, it seems. Up until September 1st of this year, I was the happy owner of a 1993 Honda Civic. Say what you will about their size and power, Honda certainly makes a reliable, economic car, which is exactly what I needed at the time as a recent college grad.

    But tragedy struck in the wee hours of September 1st. I had my car (and a 2000 Kawasaki motorcycle) parked beneath a carport at my apartment complex. Some drunkard came home at about 3AM and parked his car under the same carport, leaving a lit cigar inside. The cigar ignited his car, which ignited the carport roof, which in turn burned the 36 vehicles parked beneath the carport to the bare metal. Including my vehicles.

    The curious may view the wreckage at the following website run by a friend of mine: http://www.woodrum.org/fire_at_jb's.htm

    The motorcycle was fully insured, but the car, being 8 years old, had liability only. I had thought that, since I had a very safe driving record, I wouldn't need full coverage in case of an accident. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this would happen.

    After a period of mourning, I set about trying to find a new vehicle. I used Edmunds.com as my primary resource, as well as the numerous other car websites and Consumer Reports.

    My main criteria was space and power. I'm 6'6" tall, and as such was interested in a vehicle with better-than-average interior space. (Yes, a Honda Civic is a small car, but it's amazing how you can make yourself fit when you have no car payments.) Originally, I was quite enamored with the VW Passat. Seems everyone thinks this car is just the bees knees: roomy, zippy, ad nauseam.

    So I test drove a 2001 Passat that the local dealership was trying to move at invoice. While I must admit that the dashboard lighting scheme is quite impressive - the purple and red colors resembling something out of "Tron" - I was terribly cramped and uncomfortable in this car, and the performance didn't really float my boat, either. The clincher was when I tried to hit the brakes and discovered that my left foot was resting underneath the brake pedal. That's better than coffee at giving you a thrill, not being able to put your brakes on fully.

    I tried every large vehicle I could get my hands on. I fit quite well in the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Towncar, but I feared that owning one of these might, how shall we say, "hinder" my ability to get a date. I tried a white 1996 Ford Bronco I, but was scared away by the reliability issue and the inevitable OJ Simpson cracks that were sure to come my way.

    Sure, there were the Chevy Suburbans and Ford Expeditions. But talk about expensive!

    Finally, at the suggestion of a frazzled saleswoman who'd had me try every car on the lot for size, I tried the 2001 Trooper. And was impressed. Great interior space, punchy engine (with semi-decent gas mileage), and I even liked the stock radio. I was even more intrigued when I discovered that Joe Isuzu was trying to kick the '01s off the lot by offering the $6,000 incentive.

    So I called every Isuzu dealer in the Denver metro area, checking on prices and selection. (Side point - there's a dealer in town who's literally offering a FREE 2001 KIA with the purchase of any new car. Huh.) Finally, I got ahold of a dealer who had just received a 2001 program Trooper that day.

    I swung by and checked it out. Trooper S, 4WD, 5,000 miles, still well within the factory warranty, ski rack, tinted windows, cargo mat. Test drove just fine. They wanted $21,000 for it. I gave them $19,500. Personally, I think they would've gone lower, but I was still very happy with the price I ended up with.

    To forestall any comments from those out there who could've gotten a better price: please, give me some credit. This is Colorado. Anything with 4WD usually commands a premium. I'm sure that, had I been car shopping in Miami, I could've talked them down to $12,995 and had them throw in a free box of Krispy Kremes, but this is a decent deal for snow country.

    Planned upgrades: bug shield (I'll be trying the reasonably-priced Lund, based on the comments I've read in this forum), CD player, and that's about it.

    One question for the group here: does anyone have any suggestions as to creative ways of locking the spare tire cover? Unfortunately, I live in a neighborhood that has quite a few "problem children" who enjoy stealing anything that isn't bolted down and protected by a pit bull.

    Thanks for listening to my tale of woe-then-happiness. See you on the trails!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Welcome to the crew! Be sure to check out http://isuzu-suvs.com where I have a lot of valuable info. I put the Lund guard on from JC Whitney, it was a snap.


    As for locking down the cover, I'm not sure. I park mine in NYC and never had it walk :)


    -mike

  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    sounds like you stole that Trooper. I just got a new 01' with 2WD and thought I got a good deal, but I believe you topped it! I assume you are talking about a "hard" spare tire cover. I too would be interested in knowing how to lock it on. It'a a pricey unit to replace if it gets damaged or stolen. ISUZU had the foresight to make the soft cover bolt down to the frame, then zip up so it can't be taken if you have a locking wheel bolt. Don't know why they wouldn't give as much consideration to the hard cover which is more expensive. Anyway, welcome to the group as others have said, and congratulations on that "stolen" Trooper!! Happy Trooping!! |->
  • ez_jez_j Member Posts: 8
    Thank you for the welcome!

    paisan: Thanks for the website reference. I had no idea there was so much you could do to these vehicles.

    As far as locking the hard spare tire cover to the vehicle, ah well. Perhaps I'm stressing too much over something that may not even be an issue. But, when you've had a $1,000 stereo and 48 CDs stolen from your car while it sat in the parking lot directly beneath your window, then lose another $1,000 system two years later in a fire (and another 24 CDs), you tend to get a little gun-shy.

    (In case anyone is wondering at the wisdom of having that expensive of a system in one's car, all I can say is, it helps you take your mind off the fact that it takes 10 minutes to get from 0 to 60 in an older Civic.)

    JB
  • atltrooper1atltrooper1 Member Posts: 11
    Sorry about the fire... anytime motorcycles are lost it's a sad day. Congarats on the Trooper! I have 99 and love it. What I have considered and may still do is to store the hard cover and get the vinyl cover from an earlier model (not worth stealing). My main motivation for doing this would be that spare tire style bike racks will fit over the vinyl cover and work well... Just a thought.
    Chris L.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    If anyone is interested I have an extra LS rim for 00->02

    -mike
  • sdavitosdavito Member Posts: 71
    My tire cover was stolen off the dealers lot before I purchased my 2000 Trooper new. I actually consider myself lucky to have this happen, and learn from it - while somebody else pays for it.

    I have the solution as how to secure the hard cover to the truck.

    1st go buy 2 brass master locks - the mid size ones.

    2nd get a drill that is just a bit larger Ø than the shank of the lock.

    3rd go to the bottom of the wheel cover while it is mounted on the truck (Spare tire also installed) and have a 2nd person squeeze close the gap as much as possible while you drill a hole about 3/8 of a inch from where the gap in the hard cover is, and about 3/8 from the rear of the hard cover. Do this on each side of the cover (total of two times). You will be drilling through the outer shell and through the black plastic on the back. The 3/8 inch from the edge is a estimate, you will need to adjust this based on the size of the locks that you purchase.

    The time to complete this job should be 5 - 10 min. It works very well. I cannot see the locks unless I crouch down and specifically look for them. Keep the key in your glove box.

    Remember, locks are for honest people, but for about $5.00 this will be a big deterrent.

    Late,

    David
  • cwmosercwmoser Member Posts: 227
    Those pictures show a lot of melted plastic on vehicles. And the way the vinyl siding on the apartments melted too sure did indicate that it was a hot fire.

    Makes me wonder about my brush pile being close to my workshop building - which is covered in vinyl siding :-(
  • DReynoldsDReynolds Member Posts: 17
    a 1995 Trooper LS. 4Wheel ABS, premium wheels. 70,000 miles. The only problem the owner says is that he replaced the exhaust. The vehicle looks to be in very good condition. I haven't driven it yet, but plan to in a day or so. He's asking 11 grand. Sounds kinda high for this vehicle. Anybody know what a fair price might be for a good to excellent example? The only extra option appears to be the 4 wheel ABS. Thanks.
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    According to the http://www.nadaguides.com/

    low is $9300, high is $11500

    according to the http://www.kbb.com/

    low is $8700, high is $10800
  • breakorbreakor Member Posts: 398
    Glad to hear the drilling method worked for you. I briefly looked at doing something like that but guessed, apparently wrongly based on your experience, that maybe the cover would tend to crack through over time.

    Instead I just zipped on a thick nylon cable tie through the existing lock mechanism. While this won't phase a real thief it should deter an opportunistic vandal who doesn't have a knife or wire cutter to get the tie off.
  • ez_jez_j Member Posts: 8
    I'll give those suggestions (locks & zip ties) some serious consideration. Thanks for the input!

    The "opportunistic vandal" is the prime type of miscreant we have in my neighborhood. Case in point - when my motorcycle was new and still had the paper tag, someone walked by one evening and just ripped it off, which cost me an extra trip to the DMV.

    Re: hot fire. It was amazingly hot. When the sound of car alarms and minor explosions (like a bowling ball being dropped into an empty dumpster - came from breaking windows, bursting tires, and rupturing gas tanks) woke me up at 3:45 AM that morning, the fire had just barely started and hadn't spread to my vehicle quite yet. I thought I could run out quick and at least move my car, but when I got within about 50 feet, the heat drove me back. Took the firefighters a good hour+ to put it out, and they told us the nearby apartments came dangerously close to combusting.

    I have a whole new respect for fire these days. And full-coverage insurance.

    JB
  • zutrooperzutrooper Member Posts: 66
    Guys: Its funny to hear all this talk about locking the sapre tire cover. When I bought my 2001, I specifically chose model w/o hard cover. Dealer had one tha had old vinyl style I chose that one. Just seemed more trooper like. Mark P
  • zutrooperzutrooper Member Posts: 66
    I wouldn't pay over $9500 for a '95 LS. I've got a '95 s that I'm trying to sell. Currecnt price is $6500. I don't hink options would drive true price more than $9500. $11k seems way high!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    That's funny as all get-up. You do realize that you got ripped off, right?

    All Troopers from '98->'02 have the hard covers std. Your dealer just took that and sold it in his parts bin, and put on a cheap vinyl cover!

    -mike
  • katgrekatgre Member Posts: 8
    Driving back to Indy from Ohio noticed a nice clean '01 Trooper. Mileage 6614 listed for $22,900 talked salesperson down to $19,500. is this a good price? I've been wanting a Trooper for the last year or so. I've test driven the Montero Sport toooooo trucky and the Jeep Chkey didn't like the ride either. The Trooper seems to have the best ride! Any suggestions?

    Also, does anyone have suggestions for financing with ok credit. I got a approved for $15,000 with E-Loan pretty high interest 16.9 but this is my first car and still continuing to fix my credit and I don't want a co-signer.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    It depends on how bad your credit is, but 16.9% nowadays is absolutely horrible. You should be able to do better, much better.
  • katgrekatgre Member Posts: 8
    I pulled my report in May score was 576. I fixed a few things but I assume it's not showing up because 16.9% is high. Does anyone know anything about E-Loan? I've read a few post some good/some bad. E-Loan approved me for $15k. this would have me making a down payment of $4500. My worse case scenario would be to accept the 16.9% for 1 year and then re-finance because I think I'm getting a good price for a TROOPER.

    Also I found 2000 ISUZU TROOPER S 4WD
    WHITE and BEIGE w/ GRAY int. 6 CYLINDER 15,200mi. AUTODual Air Bags, Power Windows, Power Locks, Cruise, A/C, Cassette, Tilt, Alloy Wheels, ABS listed @$16,495. My concern with buying a pre-owned TROOPER is will the 10/120,000 be voided since it the truck is used.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yes the 10/120 is not transferrable except to immediate family.

    -mike
  • DReynoldsDReynolds Member Posts: 17
    I went to both links and also here at Edmunds. I'm assuming you were quoting retail prices, since both KBB and Edmunds were lower for private party pricing. I was interested in private party pricing. Their pricing was closer to each other than the NADA. NADA was higher, and only listed retail. Zutrooper, thank you too. I think you're right about the pricing.
    Seems to me that 9K would be more in line. In fact, for an excellent example KBB's price was 9K and change, so I think 11k is high.

    In any event I appreciate the info. I'll keep you all posted if I decide to buy, and give details.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Edmunds True Market Value will give you a "private party" sales figure and can be adjusted for your area, SUV color, etc. (click the Customized Appraisal button). Good luck.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • ez_jez_j Member Posts: 8
    The 16.9% interest rate you were quoted via E-loan is too high. I would definitely check elsewhere, especially your own bank or credit union.

    I received my financing through E-loan, with a rate of 6.89%, and this was almost a month ago, before the most recent interest rate cuts. Good luck!
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    If you don't mind playing the game, you could take a cash advance or pay off the loan via a credit card with a low-APR offer. Credit card companies are desperate to get new customers, so even with shaky credit you should be able to swing a new card with an APR below 7 or 8% for 6-12 months. This wouldn't be a bad option.

    Yes, the 10yr/120k mile warranty is not valid for the second owner (unless family), but you still have the 3yr/50k bumper-to-bumper protection and 5yr/60k mile powertrain.
  • bsmart1bsmart1 Member Posts: 377
    that Trooper. Have you checked with PeopleFirst.com?? They have been very good in the cases I'm aware of and are very quick to answer questions etc. I would expect them to be honest with you and get you as good an interest rate as anyone could. The other idea by bluedevils, about using a low interest rate credit card, is a good option as well. If you get that introductory rate for as long as 6 months, it will suit your needs quite well. It's a bit more complicated going from one financing group and shifting to another later, but if it saves you money, its the right thing to do.

    I do have a question about the 2 Troopers you mentioned. From what you described, it sounds to me like both of them are pre-owned vehicles, and as such would be warrantied the same. They are practically new, with low miles and a low probability of serious problems. One thing of note, the 2000 has had a recall on programming of the ECU, due to "check engine" light coming on. All else being equal, its just a matter of which year model your prefer and what you can swing financially. 16.9% is ridiculous in todays market. 6%-8% would be more realistic. Happy Trooping!! ;->
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Also the 01 has an extra cooling fan on the front over the A/C Condenser. This may be a factor depending on where you live.

    -mike
  • gadkins1gadkins1 Member Posts: 29
    I just had a terrible experience with a new Suzuki XL7 that broke down on the way home from the dealership. Paisan recommended that I try a Trooper. Any info you can give me on the advantages of the Trooper will be greatly appreciated. In the little I have read today, it sounds like the interior room is a big selling point. Does the Trooper have third row seating available? The only knock I have heard is a disconcerting roll when cornering. Just how bad is it? Thanks in advance for any info. God bless all.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    In '98 they widened the track by 60mm and they don't roll now at all. :) 3rd Row seating is available from 3rd parties. Check out http://isuzu-suvs.com in the vendors section for little 3rd row seats for more info. The TOD is also awsome on the Troopers :)


    -mike

  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    It's possible that a Trooper you're considering with < 10k miles is actually an Isuzu corporate service vehicle (used at Isuzu corporate HQ in southern California). If so, then you would probably get the original 10yr/120k mile warranty. Isuzu auctions these vehicles periodically at Isuzu dealer-only auctions, and the dealers sell them off their lots. The dealer does not title the vehicle, so whoever buys the Trooper from the dealer is considered the original owner as far as Isuzu is concerned.

    I bought a '98 Trooper a couple years ago in this fashion. I received the new-owner survey from Isuzu, along with a letter-- 'congratulations on the purchase of a NEW Isuzu Trooper...'
  • gadkins1gadkins1 Member Posts: 29
    I just returned from the dealer. He didn't have any Trooper S's. He had only one top of the line Trooper (I'm not sure of the model) at $30K. Any idea where I can find a 2001 Trooper S in New Jersey or Eastern Pennsylvania?
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    I have the third seat from LittlePassengerSeats.com it is built very strong. So strong that LittlePassengerSeats will buy it back from you when your kids grow out of it and reapholster it for the next customer. It bolts on to the floor using long backing plates. The seat can be removed by taking out four bolts from inside the Trooper under the seat. There is enough room under the seat to get your hands and a wrench under it. The seat I have does not fold. I ordered it with three seat belts and three kids up to (they claim up to 5 foot eight) can sit side by side making my Trooper able to carry 8 people. Options are available for shoulder belts and head rests even leather. I ordered it in a gray to match my Troopers other seats. The kids love to sit back there. It would not be very comfortable for very long rides because the kids over 4 feet six inches tall cannot strech out. But my kids will sit there for a few hours. I let my 4 year old ride back there without a car seat or booster since the seat fits her very nicely, she can strech out. Two baby seats would fit back there but I keep baby seats in the middle row. I installed it rear facing. It can be installed forward facing but I did not want the kids sitting against the back door in case I get rear ended. I have a "covered" storage space between the middle and rear facing back row of seats that is easy to access by folding down one side of the middle row seats.
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