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Personally I had a good experience with the local dealers. BUT due to poor sales performance of the Isuzu brand I can see dealers becoming aggressive.
Initial quality is just that. My guess is there is not much seperation from the top to the bottom.
I have to smile though---My trooper is a quality rig, and the poor sales and JDP IQ rankings have created a great price.
True quality takes years and miles to evaluate.
I've never found any details about JD Power's survey results. Like steve_host, the most info I've seen, which is never very much, is in their press releases.
I'm confused - how could Trooper be rated for anything in 2003 since Trooper's final model year was '02?
-mike
I think the Toyota LandCruiser of a few years back like the one my brother has, is extremely good quality, but he paid almost three times as much to buy his new as I did to buy mine new. He says he will keep his LandCruiser a minimum of 15 years and expects no trouble. He gets worse MPG than I do making it that much more expensive. And as a general rule Toyota dealers are just about the worst there are.
My guess is that these JD Power reviews are available for a price.
Typo on the 2003. What I got shows rankings on 2002 model years. Oops.
Some other facts about these IQ reviews:
"Every year JD Power asks 50000 new vehicle buyers about problems in the first 90 days, then ranks nameplates by the average number of problems per vehicle"
"The best models average 1/2 defect per vehicle, the worst almost 3 per vehicle"
I'm serious about fighting chance, a guy here at the office is buying a Jeep Liberty and has 5 semi-local dealers in a bidding war for his business. I had 4 dealers out bid one another for my business. No floor salesmen either, only fleet and sales managers.
---I just got off the phone with Fighting Chance, they got the information from JD P's annual report - available at the library for free!
BTW - they told me that JD Power sent them a stern letter with a notice to stop reprinting their reports.
I own a '99...yea I should have waited to buy the '2000....
struck me as kind of funny. Since the '99 and '00 Troopers are basically the same engine wise, feature wise, etc. the added warranty coverage was a marketing ploy to try and move some of the Troopers from dealer lots. The quality remains the same, I'm sure that you won't have the type of problems a Ford/GM/Chrysler truck owner will have... you should be able to get way past the 50,000 mile mark with no problems and at least to 100,000 for the tranny (assuming you keep up the maintenance and don't jump your truck like Paisan!).
There is a thread on 4X4Wire.com where owners are listing their mileage and any major work done on their Troopers. Go check it out and I think you'll pocket that extra money you may have laid out for the extended warranty.
Also, I found Westin chrome tube steps for $229. Anyone know of a better deal?
My next ?? is does this vehicle depreciate that much normally?? Have ther been any significant repair prob... I cn read loads of stats online but I would much rather tlk to consumers to get the REAL picture....Any info that you have would be appreciated...Thanks...really need to let them know by Monday...
tidester, host
I would be leery of a repo, for all the reasons elucidated by flyinlow.
As for the warranty issue, it might be a good idea to consider buying a used vehicle and an aftermarket extended warranty. You don't have to have a vehicle fixed at the dealer that way. And I expect that parts will be available for quite a while.
Isuzu needs to do something innovative (like Nissan did a few years ago when they were on the ropes) to stay in business. Supercharged diesels, fuel cells, something. They make realiable products (recently just quirky ones, but reliable). The Rodeo is an excellent size platform for a 4 cyl TD that would accelerate like a gasoline powered vehicle, but get 30 on the highway... and have tons of grunt for off roading. Maybe if GM gets lost, they can do it. Maybe.
One topic that deserves some discussion is the future of Isuzu. With huge amounts of debt and slumping sales it will take a miracle to stay put in the US market. With ALL automakers facing depressed future earnings, small players like Isuzu are in trouble. What does this mean for warranty maintenance of our vehicles? Resale value? forgetaboutit!
One positive...used troopers will be cheap cheap cheap.
Your thoughts?
If you look at Toyota and Nissan with their big 4WD's, the Landcruiser and Patrol, they are big sellers everywhere else in the world. In Australia, you will pay higher than market averages for a Toyota Landcruiser and they are always in the top 5 sellers for 4WD's. Why? Because of very effective marketing. People have a perception that they are high quality and they market an image of being able to go anywhere you want, at any time.
In Australia, Isuzu-GM Aust and lately Holden have simply not done enough to push the Jackaroo/Monterey. I mean, they have had more rally success in Australia than any other 4WD and they don't push the point. Talk about missing a golden opportunity!
Mitsubishi keeps pushing the Paris-Dakar success, and their 4WD outsells the Holden line as a result. They actually don't have anything else to push.
Isuzu's problem to my way of thinking has always been a perception issue brought on by really poor marketing. You gotta spend money to make money!
It won't be long before Isuzu will only be represented by their trucks in Australia (figure this one ... number 1 truck make in Australia!). I just hope Holden finds or develops a decent alternative to the Jackaroo/Monterey and eventually the Frontera.
-mike
sorry, couldn't resist....
Steve, Host
-mike
In 1999 we purchased 2 new vehicles: 1999 Trooper and 1999 Toyota - both because I thought these were high-quality vehicles. The Toyota has a very high perceived quality rating but my Trooper seems much more solid and trouble free than even the Toyota. The Toyota has had trouble with the sliding doors, electric windows, and oil sludge worries. The Trooper has only had routine maintenace.
I think Isuzu America should be putting on TV owner testimonials describing their experiences. Their Marketing should focus on the fun aspects of the Trooper by showing commercials of the activities in group events like in NC and other parts of the world, and commercials about Trooper-oriented user groups with fun loving people. Would help tremendously by putting an 'Australian' identity like Suburau has done.
-mike
1. Trooper on the outer banks of N.C. with me fishing in the surf.
2. Trooper going up logging trails in the N.C. mountains (love that first gear).
3. Trooper hauling sailboats which I restored.
4. Trooper hauling loads of nautical gear to repair boats.
5. Trooper hauling my kayaks.
6. Trooper hauling my dogs.
7. Trooper pulling logs which I cut down to clear land.
8. Trooper full of family members on vacation.
9. Trooper being serviced by owner (so easy).
10. Trooper safely stored in the barn during storms.
Philip
2. My son wanting an Isuzu Trooper or Rodeo as his first car.
3. A camera pan of the parking lot at my sons high school showing the number of Isuzu Rodeos there.
4. How solid my Trooper feels after about 50k miles.
-mike
The Rodeo and Axiom were not flops, saleswise they sucked, but performancewise and reliabilitywise they can't be beat.
-mike
Attracting new customers these days will be hard. MOST automakers face tough times ahead. Small guys with a one trick pony (SUVs) like Isuzu will certainly struggle.
My $.02 - they should downsize, focus their efforts on building rugged 4x4s. While everyone else moves twards the SMV with standard DVD screen for rear passengers, Isuzu will capture the attention of people like me.
Isuzu should be to 4x4s what Lexus is to luxery cars. I think the assender moves Isuzu in the wrong direction.
-mike
Its not a huge strech to believe Isuzu could be the poor mans Land Rover. Fire Joe Isuzu and spend his salary on a African Isuzu safari commercial.
Ahhhhh wishful thinking!!!!
http://www.holden.com.au///images/gallery/imagegallery/jack8/Jack5_640x480.jpg
If a product is truly superior (NOT knocking Isuzu here!!) then I would think "marketing" is irrelevant. As the adage goes "Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door."
tidester, host
There is a perception in Australia, among the SMV crowd, that Land Rover products are superior to anything else. The products themselves are probably the least reliable 4WD on the market. Electrical failures, diff failures, oil leaks, body rattles, etc, etc. If you can get from A to B in one, you've done well. Why do they sell, despite these issues? Because the marketing makes them appealling! Do some deeper research and you wouldn't go near one.
Incidentally, the most reliable ever Range Rover sold in Australia is the 1972 model. These are still sought after by many 4WD enthusiasts. They were knockdown kits assembled in Australia and powered by an ISUZU DIESEL engine! Yep. We are talking about 30yr old vehicles and engines that are still going strong. I think that simple fact, speaks volumes.
People purchase with emotion not usually rational thinking. Wal Mart is known to be cheap, period. KMart lost market share because the market no longer knew what they stood for (among poor customer service, etc...). Wal Mart emotion is "I'm so happy with all this cheap stuff." Bloomingdale's emotion is "can you get me a Cobb salad while I'm shopping and spending my oodles of money?" Marketing defines, or rather differentiates the product in the marketplace. Isuzu didn't get the message out.
People buy Land Rover because of the reputation and the styling matches the reputation as well as the marketing angle. Isuzu just didn't catch the right blend of styling/marketing to excite the majority of customer's attention. Part of it is the herd mentality. Explorer MUST be good because so many people buy it. So, many people buy it.
Lemming's also prescribe to the 'herd mentality.' Personally, I don't want to be a Lemming.
I just know that I enjoy driving my Trooper. I enjoy it's off-road ability. I enjoy the size and maneuverability, I enjoy the relative level of engine power. I enjoy the overall ride (with the modifications I've made). I plan keeping my Trooper until it recycles itself. Keep the Trooper name alive, keep contributing to this forum!
Maybe people don't want "true" SUVs but want the image of one? Marketing at work perhaps?
Steve, Host
That was my (and other's) suggestion, but your counterpart Tidester suggested that marketing is irrelevant.
"If a product is truly superior (NOT knocking Isuzu here!!) then I would think "marketing" is irrelevant. As the adage goes "Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door."
tidester, host "
On the other hand, it's rather fun having a unique ride.
Steve, Host
Think of it this way. If there were a tool that you could use in your work that truly could increase your productivity by 100% and the product were not advertised, you can bet that word of its existence would spread far and wide in very short order. It would succeed in the marketplace!
The best marketing is a superior product. Products that fail often do so because they are not really distinguished from the crowd of mediocre products.
I also agree that mediocre products can succeed in the marketplace - through marketing! This is the real reason so much expense is devoted to marketing - most products are run of the mill and the only distinction (if you can call it that) among them is the marketing.
tidester, host