The AC on our current Trooper, a '98, is sufficient for Michigan summers (can be 90 degrees and humid). However, it's not as strong as the AC in our former Trooper, a '96. With the 96 Trooper, the AC seemed colder, and because of that we didn't need to run the fan as high. Both Troopers had deeply tinted windows. The '96 was white, which probably helped. Our '98 is Red Rock Mica (dark red/burgundy.)
I really don't know how folks can improve their AC performance. It's not surprising that folks in Florida and Arizona find the AC inadequate.
We hang out at least 1x a week. So he knows he can call me up to give out test drives They barely sell any Isuzus at the dealer and the only used cars they keep are camrys, the rest go to whole-salers. So suffice to say there are no new or used troopers to be had around there at all. I'm happy to let people test it out just so they realize how good they are.
I found the following off the Jackeroo World website you provided. Sounds like a good deal - are they really useful:
Genuine Venetian blinds for rear windows of all Holden Jackaroo models from 92 on: Part Type & Description New Price Our Price You save: . Black painted steel $330.00 approx $44.00 per set of 4 $286.00 approx
I too have a 97' Trooper that had a rearend whine. You can look at past posts on this board where I've talked about it. I did the same as you, I changed the fluids and hoped it would improve. It didn't. If you put your hand on the rear differential after a fairly long drive, you'll notice its pretty hot to the touch. The gear mesh and lash isn't set properly. I purchased my Trooper with about 51000 miles on it. Noticed the whine on the 1000 mile drive home after buying it. I put up with it for several months since it wasn't noticable until about 50 mph, and I was making a lot of short trips at speeds less than that. Anyway, prior to the drive train warranty expiring at 60000 miles, I took it to the dealer and they had to change out the ring and pinion gears. Mine has a LSD and it looks pretty involved per the repair manual. I don't know what the cost was since it was warranty work, but I would bet it was around $500-700. All I know is it's much better to drive the interstate without having to listen to all that whine coming from the rear end.
THANK YOU for the reply, I've gathered a little more info and it sounds like I have no business attempting this myself, thanks again for responding, this doesn't seem to be a popular subject.
I have a 2000 S model and am noticing rust bubbling under the black paint on the wiper arms. Does anyone else notice this? Would this be covered under warranty?
I have a dark red LS. First summer I had it I had to park outside, mainly in the sun. Took half of the 30 minute drive home to start getting cooled down. Next summer I had enough time in on this job to start parking in the parking garage. Shaded..no heat buildup. Comfortable and only kicks up on high fan for a minute with the 'auto' setting on. So, my take is perfectly fine unless it sits in the sun and gets HOT.
Only other comment is that on extended trips the person on the sunny side (with all the glass) might get a little warm or the shady side get a little cool, but overall it is okay. Also, it seems that the non-freon (r-134?) works as well as the old r-12 at cruising RPMs, but is not as good at idle such as you would get in traffic.
I have seen the advertisement, but I have never seen the blinds on any Jackaroo here. I expect they will be an internal fitment and would probably look good. And hey at $44 AUS, that'd be something like $25 US plus shipping.
I have the maximum legal tint all round the vehicle. Also with the third row seats folded up, there would be minimum benefit from having these blinds on the rear side windows. Which leaves the rear windows. And as my wife drives Monty during the week more than I do, I just know she will complain about visibility out the rear. So while it's good value, for me it's probably not useful.
Nonetheless, a lot of talk about how the A/C is less than perfect out the back of the car. It could be useful for others.
Has anyone had any experience with Cooper Discoverer A/T or H/T tires, on a Trooper (or Jackaroo, or Bighorn, or Monterey)? I'm currently running BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A and will be ready for replacement within the next 8000-10000 kms. I'd really like something that rides a bit softer and quieter, and still has all-terrain capabilities, and long tread life. (I know .... I want the world!) I've been told that the Coopers fit my requirements, and the $$$'s are right, but I haven't been able to find anyone who has experience with them under an Isuzu.
Have also thought about Pirelli Scorpion A/T's, and am open to further suggestions.
I run 275-70-16 Pirelli Scorpion ATs on mine and they are real nice. So far nice and quiet but provide good grip. I really want those 3rd row of seats!
For those who recall my engine oil cooler fiasco; The new oil filter has functioned flawlessly. Derale (the manufacturer of the oil cooler) was sort-of aware that the filter might leak. A technical advisor told me to write him a letter and he would take care of my trouble. We'll see.
A/C: I live just north of Atlanta, Ga. We have the "light silver" Trooper, 1999 model. We have tinted the windows all the way around. This provided substantial improvement in perceptive AC performance. Even so, the AC has performed relatively well. Of course, it is ran full blast (non-recirc, if the outside air is cooler than the inside air due to sun exposure) for a few minutes, then it normally maintains at the first or second speed setting after the cabin has cooled down.
Tires: My Trooper approached 48k just a couple of weeks ago. I decided to go ahead and purchase Michelin XC LT4 tires (the Sears derivative of Michelin LTX M/S). We are running size P265/70/16. So far, so good. They have a 60k warranty.
3rd seats: I looked into one of those websites that Sawas provided. It was an Australian company that recycled/dismantled Troopers. I have not called, but they indicate on their website that they will not ship out of Australia and will not respond to emails unless they have an Australian address or a ".com.au" extension for the email address. Sawas, have you contacted this company before? Do you have any idea what these people charge for the third seat and its brackets. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
It's wise to do what you can to help your vehicle cool down the interior. If you parked in the sun all day, open the doors and let the heat escape for a couple minutes. Those kinds of things help quite a bit, but sometimes people aren't willing to take the time and would rather just blame the vehicle for being unable to cool 120 degree air to 72 degrees in 4 minutes or less.
I'm not flaming anybody specific here, just making a general observation.
Just a thought fellas! If it's only freight that's holding Jackeroo World from sending overseas, then there is no reason why they should not sell to you if you're paying for it (right?). If he gets to obstinate about it, then it might be easier to go to a specialist japanese parts importer in the US, and ask if they will source what you need. Basically, the list is -
1. Left and right seat, with mounting hardware. 2. Floor attachment point 3. Seat belts (do know what the laws in the US are when it comes to this) 4. Replacement side trims to house the seat belt reels. You may be able to cut your existing trim. 5. Grab handles with hooks for attaching the seat to, when folded up.
I don't understand why this isn't available in the US. All the mid size (that's what we call the class of vehicle the Jackaroo is in) have it as either standard or an option.
What I'll do if I can borrow someone's digital camera, is get a few photos of the seat arrangement in the rear of my car, both in the folded up position and the "seated" position and send thru to paisan. It's probably best if it goes up in www.isuzu-suvs.com for all to see rather than loading it up on the bulletin board.
That would probably be a very subjective, dealer-specific call. You might get your dealer to replace/fix under warranty, and you might not. I would approach it with the standard "it shouldn't do that after 2 years" because it really shouldn't!
For those who recall my engine oil cooler fiasco; The new oil filter has functioned flawlessly. Derale (the manufacturer of the oil cooler) was sort-of aware that the filter might leak. A technical advisor told me to write him a letter and he would take care of my trouble. We'll see.
A/C: I live just north of Atlanta, Ga. We have the "light silver" Trooper, 1999 model. We have tinted the windows all the way around. This provided substantial improvement in perceptive AC performance. Even so, the AC has performed relatively well. Of course, it is ran full blast (non-recirc, if the outside air is cooler than the inside air due to sun exposure) for a few minutes, then it normally maintains at the first or second speed setting after the cabin has cooled down.
Tires: My Trooper approached 48k just a couple of weeks ago. I decided to go ahead and purchase Michelin XC LT4 tires (the Sears derivative of Michelin LTX M/S). We are running size P265/70/16. So far, so good. They have a 60k warranty.
3rd seats: I looked into one of those websites that Sawas provided. It was an Australian company that recycled/dismantled Troopers. I have not called, but they indicate on their website that they will not ship out of Australia and will not respond to emails unless they have an Australian address or a ".com.au" extension for the email address. Sawas, have you contacted this company before? Do you have any idea what these people charge for the third seat and its brackets. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
I have had 265/75 Pirelli Scorpions for about 15K miles now. They are doing fine, though a little noisier than stock (which I expected). They had fantastic traction at Moab last May, but I don't know if that was because the tires were pretty new, or just normal for the Moab "slickrock" (which is as far from slick as you can get). We'll see this May if there is any change at ZuZoo V. Not seeing any unusual wear or anything. Great snow traction.
Bottom line is I am happy with them, once I finally got them balanced right. Hard to beat at $93 each from Sears on sale...
I'm prompted by sdc2's comment about the Michelin's being $93 each.
Down here, in 245/70R16 size, a Cooper A/T or H/T is $245 ea, a Bridgestone Dueler A/T is $185 ea, a BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A is about $230 ea. Don't know about the Michelins or Pirellis, but at a guess, about $200 ea.
Now you know why I'm keen on good tread life!
As an aside, My Monterey cost me $50,000 AUD new ... without leather. That does include about $3,000 in extras. But I do get 7 seats !!!
Your stuff is relatively cheap. $50K Aussie is like $25K US! I'm suprised the Coopers are so expensive, they are on the cheaper end of our spectrum over here.
It might look cheap. But salaries aren't quite parity.
Generally, if a job gets paid say $50k USD per annum, then in Australia it will also be $50k AUD (or roughly $25k USD). It's not true for everything of course.
Therefore, the real cost is nearly but not quite double that of the US.
Coopers are marketed as a premium tyre over here. The warranties offered support that too.
I have a 99 Ltd and I have bubbling rust under the wiper arm as well!!! I'm going to take it to the dealer and see if I can get it replaced. If 3 of us in this group are having this problem, then it IS a problem with manufacturing..
I'll have to look at our '98 Trooper closely, but I haven't noticed this problem yet. Of course, it's now out of warranty, so I'll probably just leave it if the problem exists.
I ordered my hitch yesterday from JCWhitney. $99 seemed like a good deal. The closest I could get to that price locally was $168 for a Valley hitch. I heard to stay away from Valley so i went with the class III hidden hitch instead.
Is the install pretty easy? It is 100% bolt on right?
I can't for the life of me get mine to clear the windows entirely at any speed over, say 35 mph. They just leave a lot of water on the window, usually in my line of sight. I thought my wipers were just old, but replaced them, and same deal. Any ideas?
I have the same problem and I think it is due to the redirected air flow over the bug guard I put on. Do you have a bug guard? Mine was fine until the guard went on but afterwards I noticed the crappy wiper performance. Mine is fine up to say 40mph but if you go any faster the wiper performance becomes worse and worse.
but also suspected an airflow problem in general. I really don't want to put those wipers with the "wings" on them on the car. I think they are just gimmicks and primarily used by boy racers for looks. Dunno what the solution is. If anybody comes up with a fix (wasn't that you with the window screen spline fix for the windnoise, keepontroopin? A problem I have not had, btw) I'd certainly be willing to try it.
On our 98 Trooper, the front wipers generally clear rain well up to 70 mph or so. Above those vehicle speeds, the clearance becomes more spotty/streaky.
For our 98, I've found that the winter blades do a cleaner and more consistent job than the 'regular' blades.
My real gripe is with the rear wiper. Ours has always done a terrible job. I'd say it clears about 25% of the area that it covers. I've taken it to a dealer once and they installed a new spring or something. Didn't help. Currently I'm running a 16" winter blade (the spec is 15") but that is no better than a standard-size regular blade.
My '95 does an OK job on the front. At higher speeds the wipers will start to bounce though. I think it's more a product of the SUV having an almost vertical front windshield. I have had the same problem with wipers skipping on several cars too though. The rear has always worked flawlessly for me. Also, the front windshield wiper arms haven't bubbled at all. There are approximately three small (less than one mm wide and less than half a centimeter long) spots on the arms that have either flaked or been scratched though.
$99 is a good price for the Hidden Hitch hitch - that's the 2" receiver hitch? I thought I did really well at $125 - but I didn't pay shipping, so maybe I didn't do so bad.
The installation is 100% bolt on my '98. The hardest part was getting the old bolts out. Read the not-so-terrific installation instructions carefully, especially about what to bolt up first. If you are on your back under the truck, be careful not to drop the hitch on your chest - or worse, head - if the bolt doesn't catch (ouch). Another person for five minutes would turn a one hour job into a 20 minute job.
I had to lubricate the base of my wiper - where the arm pivots on the base - because the wiper wouldn't clear the windshield. The spring couldn't overcome the resistance of the pivot without some WD40. It made a huge improvement to water-clearing capability.
I also thought I noticed that the base might be cast aluminum. It had that kind of whitish buildup at the pivot that says "aluminum corrosion". If I'm right, the dis-similar metal situation could be causing corrosion on the less-noble steel, too.
I had mine replaced (the arm) after the first salty weather last year. It clears ok now, before my next service I'm gonna replace the blade and make sure it's still working.
Haven't posted here in a while, but wanted to give an update. The board here, way back in October 1999 helped convince me and my wife to buy the Trooper and save roughly $7500 along the way...
We have only 31k miles on truck and have taken it from IL to NJ (15 hours each way), MN (7 hours each way) and Windsor Ont (5 hours each way) with no complaints. We've changed the oil every 3000 miles or so and had no engine problems or strange noises (except from our sons in the back seat)...
Since we bought it, we added another son. So, if you are looking for a family truck, this one works fine. It can even fit three car seats in back. And there is an aftermarket 3rd seat available that bolts into the cargo area.
Several people have mentioned the wipers and AC, so let me give my 2 cents...
Wipers- we use RainX Treatment and make sure we wipe off the road dirt from our wipers when we get gas. No problem with the rain or sleet causing problems with the view. Despite a lot of salt over the past two winters, we have no bubbling or cracking of wiper arms.
AC- Our Trooper S is Black with no additional tint for the windows. When it is in the sun for even a short period the inside is very, very hot. As was suggested earlier, we open all the doors and give the car a minute or two to circulate the air. The AC is okay up front, but we have to point the vents up to get enough cool air to the kids in back.
Overall, very happy with this truck and I am thinking of getting another for my use...
My Monterey is upto 43000 kilometres and is now 30 months old. Oil is changed every 5000kms or 3 months (whatever comes first), even though the service programme says 10000kms or 6 months. I use Mobil S which is mineral/synthetic blend rated at 15W-50.
I've never had problems with the wipers. It still has the original blades installed too. I do use Rain-X as well, but generally only on longer trips.
The car is Foxfire Red (the dark red mica) and it does get hot parked in the sun. It is tinted though, all round. Usually ok within a few minutes of the a/c being started.
Very, very, happy with it. Though it's fuel consumption gave me palpitations early on. I'm used to it now.
I'd really like to get a second one. My wife does the bulk of the driving in the Monterey. Probably a Jackaroo SE (similar to the Trooper S). However it would have the magnificent 3.0l Turbo Diesel and 5 speed manual transmission. 30% less fuel usage than the V6, and not that much slower. Torque though is huge, 330Nm at only 2000rpm and one of the flattest torque curves you'll ever see. This is compared to the V6 with 310Nm at 3500 rpm.
I've noted that a few of you have gone to 265/70 tires instead of the standard 245/70. However, what was the effect on things like acceleration, overall power, fuel consumption, etc?
Changing to a large diameter tire will affect all this as it changes the cars overall gearing. So I'm curious to find out whether any other vehicle dynamics deteriorated as a result.
I noticed some loss in acceleration, but nothing noticable. I can still get up to speed w/o a problem even towing a 5500lb car-trailer. Fuel consumption is about the same (bad)
My handling inproved a lot with the 275 v. 245 footprint, also off-roading it gives me a slight lift to go along with my OME rear springs and cranked front torsion bars.
I might wimp out on the bigger tires too. But only because road regulations prevent me wandering out of the manufacturer specified sizes. And then the spare tire cover won't fit, etc, etc.
The comment about poor handling is interesting. In Oz, the Jackaroo is fitted with gas pressurised shocks and is considered one of the sharpest steering SUVs on the market. The ride is also quite firm. It is specifically calibrated for the Australian market.
I understand the US get a suspension setup that is aimed at providing a softer ride. This could be the reason for the poor handling.
When Ford first released the Explorer in Australia back in 96/97, there was a lot of hype about it being the biggest selling SUV in the world. But it failed to get market share purely because of its suspension. It is lucky if it sells 100 units/month here. The Jackaroo sells 300-400/month. Landcruiser about 900-1000/month.
Also when the Holden Frontera (Isuzu Rodeo) was released here, the biggest problem again was the suspension. It is now fitted with an "Australianised" suspension which has transformed it totally. Same story with the Suburban ... actually that did so badly it's no longer sold here. Fantastic tow vehicle though.
It's a fairly typical story for USA sourced SUVs.
Sorry guys. But hey, you can get the best of our gear through ARB as well. And I'm considering Rancho RS9000s on mine, or Bilsteins.
We get hydrolic crap shocks over here. I upgraded mine with poly bushings on the sway bars, rear Old Man Emu springs from down under, and Rancho 9000 shocks. Later this year I'll get Sway Away Torsion bars for the front and that should stifen things up nicely.
Interesting that you Aussies get the suspension setup I would want. I would definitely like to know what they are using for spring rates and shocks for the Aussie market - any chance of somebody down under finding that out for us? Maybe they are using Old Man Emu stuff :-)
Comments
I really don't know how folks can improve their AC performance. It's not surprising that folks in Florida and Arizona find the AC inadequate.
-mike
Genuine Venetian blinds for rear windows of all Holden Jackaroo models from 92 on:
Part Type & Description
New Price Our Price You save:
.
Black painted steel $330.00 approx $44.00
per set
of 4 $286.00 approx
-mike
Happy Trooping!!
safe travels
-mike
Only other comment is that on extended trips the person on the sunny side (with all the glass) might get a little warm or the shady side get a little cool, but overall it is okay. Also, it seems that the non-freon (r-134?) works as well as the old r-12 at cruising RPMs, but is not as good at idle such as you would get in traffic.
I have seen the advertisement, but I have never seen the blinds on any Jackaroo here. I expect they will be an internal fitment and would probably look good. And hey at $44 AUS, that'd be something like $25 US plus shipping.
I have the maximum legal tint all round the vehicle. Also with the third row seats folded up, there would be minimum benefit from having these blinds on the rear side windows. Which leaves the rear windows. And as my wife drives Monty during the week more than I do, I just know she will complain about visibility out the rear. So while it's good value, for me it's probably not useful.
Nonetheless, a lot of talk about how the A/C is less than perfect out the back of the car. It could be useful for others.
Regards,
S a v v a s.
Has anyone had any experience with Cooper Discoverer A/T or H/T tires, on a Trooper (or Jackaroo, or Bighorn, or Monterey)? I'm currently running BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A and will be ready for replacement within the next 8000-10000 kms. I'd really like something that rides a bit softer and quieter, and still has all-terrain capabilities, and long tread life. (I know .... I want the world!) I've been told that the Coopers fit my requirements, and the $$$'s are right, but I haven't been able to find anyone who has experience with them under an Isuzu.
Have also thought about Pirelli Scorpion A/T's, and am open to further suggestions.
Any ideas guys?
Regards,
s a v v a s
-mike
A/C: I live just north of Atlanta, Ga. We have the "light silver" Trooper, 1999 model. We have tinted the windows all the way around. This provided substantial improvement in perceptive AC performance. Even so, the AC has performed relatively well. Of course, it is ran full blast (non-recirc, if the outside air is cooler than the inside air due to sun exposure) for a few minutes, then it normally maintains at the first or second speed setting after the cabin has cooled down.
Tires: My Trooper approached 48k just a couple of weeks ago. I decided to go ahead and purchase Michelin XC LT4 tires (the Sears derivative of Michelin LTX M/S). We are running size P265/70/16. So far, so good. They have a 60k warranty.
3rd seats: I looked into one of those websites that Sawas provided. It was an Australian company that recycled/dismantled Troopers. I have not called, but they indicate on their website that they will not ship out of Australia and will not respond to emails unless they have an Australian address or a ".com.au" extension for the email address. Sawas, have you contacted this company before? Do you have any idea what these people charge for the third seat and its brackets. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
So far I am still loving my Trooper.
I'm not flaming anybody specific here, just making a general observation.
1. Left and right seat, with mounting hardware.
2. Floor attachment point
3. Seat belts (do know what the laws in the US are when it comes to this)
4. Replacement side trims to house the seat belt reels. You may be able to cut your existing trim.
5. Grab handles with hooks for attaching the seat to, when folded up.
I don't understand why this isn't available in the US. All the mid size (that's what we call the class of vehicle the Jackaroo is in) have it as either standard or an option.
What I'll do if I can borrow someone's digital camera, is get a few photos of the seat arrangement in the rear of my car, both in the folded up position and the "seated" position and send thru to paisan. It's probably best if it goes up in www.isuzu-suvs.com for all to see rather than loading it up on the bulletin board.
Regards,
S a v v a s
A/C: I live just north of Atlanta, Ga. We have the "light silver" Trooper, 1999 model. We have tinted the windows all the way around. This provided substantial improvement in perceptive AC performance. Even so, the AC has performed relatively well. Of course, it is ran full blast (non-recirc, if the outside air is cooler than the inside air due to sun exposure) for a few minutes, then it normally maintains at the first or second speed setting after the cabin has cooled down.
Tires: My Trooper approached 48k just a couple of weeks ago. I decided to go ahead and purchase Michelin XC LT4 tires (the Sears derivative of Michelin LTX M/S). We are running size P265/70/16. So far, so good. They have a 60k warranty.
3rd seats: I looked into one of those websites that Sawas provided. It was an Australian company that recycled/dismantled Troopers. I have not called, but they indicate on their website that they will not ship out of Australia and will not respond to emails unless they have an Australian address or a ".com.au" extension for the email address. Sawas, have you contacted this company before? Do you have any idea what these people charge for the third seat and its brackets. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
So far I am still loving my Trooper.
-mike
Bottom line is I am happy with them, once I finally got them balanced right. Hard to beat at $93 each from Sears on sale...
Down here, in 245/70R16 size, a Cooper A/T or H/T is $245 ea, a Bridgestone Dueler A/T is $185 ea, a BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A is about $230 ea. Don't know about the Michelins or Pirellis, but at a guess, about $200 ea.
Now you know why I'm keen on good tread life!
As an aside, My Monterey cost me $50,000 AUD new ... without leather. That does include about $3,000 in extras. But I do get 7 seats !!!
-mike
Generally, if a job gets paid say $50k USD per annum, then in Australia it will also be $50k AUD (or roughly $25k USD). It's not true for everything of course.
Therefore, the real cost is nearly but not quite double that of the US.
Coopers are marketed as a premium tyre over here. The warranties offered support that too.
The biggest problem with shipping from Aus is the price. For an nudge bar is costs almost as much to ship it as it does to buy it!
-mike
Now that I know it is a "global" problem, might tell the dealer to fix it.
Is the install pretty easy? It is 100% bolt on right?
-mike
Jim
Jim
For our 98, I've found that the winter blades do a cleaner and more consistent job than the 'regular' blades.
My real gripe is with the rear wiper. Ours has always done a terrible job. I'd say it clears about 25% of the area that it covers. I've taken it to a dealer once and they installed a new spring or something. Didn't help. Currently I'm running a 16" winter blade (the spec is 15") but that is no better than a standard-size regular blade.
The installation is 100% bolt on my '98. The hardest part was getting the old bolts out. Read the not-so-terrific installation instructions carefully, especially about what to bolt up first. If you are on your back under the truck, be careful not to drop the hitch on your chest - or worse, head - if the bolt doesn't catch (ouch). Another person for five minutes would turn a one hour job into a 20 minute job.
I also thought I noticed that the base might be cast aluminum. It had that kind of whitish buildup at the pivot that says "aluminum corrosion". If I'm right, the dis-similar metal situation could be causing corrosion on the less-noble steel, too.
-mike
We have only 31k miles on truck and have taken it from IL to NJ (15 hours each way), MN (7 hours each way) and Windsor Ont (5 hours each way) with no complaints. We've changed the oil every 3000 miles or so and had no engine problems or strange noises (except from our sons in the back seat)...
Since we bought it, we added another son. So, if you are looking for a family truck, this one works fine. It can even fit three car seats in back. And there is an aftermarket 3rd seat available that bolts into the cargo area.
Several people have mentioned the wipers and AC, so let me give my 2 cents...
Wipers- we use RainX Treatment and make sure we wipe off the road dirt from our wipers when we get gas. No problem with the rain or sleet causing problems with the view. Despite a lot of salt over the past two winters, we have no bubbling or cracking of wiper arms.
AC- Our Trooper S is Black with no additional tint for the windows. When it is in the sun for even a short period the inside is very, very hot. As was suggested earlier, we open all the doors and give the car a minute or two to circulate the air. The AC is okay up front, but we have to point the vents up to get enough cool air to the kids in back.
Overall, very happy with this truck and I am thinking of getting another for my use...
I've never had problems with the wipers. It still has the original blades installed too. I do use Rain-X as well, but generally only on longer trips.
The car is Foxfire Red (the dark red mica) and it does get hot parked in the sun. It is tinted though, all round. Usually ok within a few minutes of the a/c being started.
Very, very, happy with it. Though it's fuel consumption gave me palpitations early on. I'm used to it now.
I'd really like to get a second one. My wife does the bulk of the driving in the Monterey. Probably a Jackaroo SE (similar to the Trooper S). However it would have the magnificent 3.0l Turbo Diesel and 5 speed manual transmission. 30% less fuel usage than the V6, and not that much slower. Torque though is huge, 330Nm at only 2000rpm and one of the flattest torque curves you'll ever see. This is compared to the V6 with 310Nm at 3500 rpm.
The boss-lady has other ideas!
I've noted that a few of you have gone to 265/70 tires instead of the standard 245/70. However, what was the effect on things like acceleration, overall power, fuel consumption, etc?
Changing to a large diameter tire will affect all this as it changes the cars overall gearing. So I'm curious to find out whether any other vehicle dynamics deteriorated as a result.
Regards,
S a v v a s
-mike
To me, maintaining the factory size tire was more important than cosmetic factors such as a bigger tire filling out the wheel well, etc.
I don't really think about the Trooper's handling. It handles poorly, but I'm used to it. I wasn't willing to switch to larger tires.
I should do the sway bar bushings upgrade, but I haven't bothered because it would be hard for me to pick out the right parts at the hardware store.
-mike
I might wimp out on the bigger tires too. But only because road regulations prevent me wandering out of the manufacturer specified sizes. And then the spare tire cover won't fit, etc, etc.
The comment about poor handling is interesting. In Oz, the Jackaroo is fitted with gas pressurised shocks and is considered one of the sharpest steering SUVs on the market. The ride is also quite firm. It is specifically calibrated for the Australian market.
I understand the US get a suspension setup that is aimed at providing a softer ride. This could be the reason for the poor handling.
When Ford first released the Explorer in Australia back in 96/97, there was a lot of hype about it being the biggest selling SUV in the world. But it failed to get market share purely because of its suspension. It is lucky if it sells 100 units/month here. The Jackaroo sells 300-400/month. Landcruiser about 900-1000/month.
Also when the Holden Frontera (Isuzu Rodeo) was released here, the biggest problem again was the suspension. It is now fitted with an "Australianised" suspension which has transformed it totally. Same story with the Suburban ... actually that did so badly it's no longer sold here. Fantastic tow vehicle though.
It's a fairly typical story for USA sourced SUVs.
Sorry guys. But hey, you can get the best of our gear through ARB as well. And I'm considering Rancho RS9000s on mine, or Bilsteins.
S a v v a s
-mike
-mike