Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Comments
I think 70K is timing belt and water pump time too, you may want to check to see if you can get that worked into the deal.
BTW, stats so far:
Highway mpg: ave. 19.6 MPG
Local short trips: ave. 17.4 MPG
Oil usage: a bit less than a 1/2 quart in 1800 miles using Mobil 1 10W-30
Thanks,
Sean
'99 Trooper
I agree that we all should closely monitor oil consumption and keep our fingers crossed that our Troopers don't suddenly develop a thirst for the stuff. However, your statement isn't entirely accurate.
At 38K my 3.5L '01 LS has never burned the first drop of oil, even though I'm into the throttle most of the time. And I recall posts to this board from other Trooper owners with similar "zero oil usage."
Granted, oil consumption is common in Troopers, but it certainly isn't univeral.
Thanks,
Sean
90% no trailer, 1-2 adults, 1 or 2 kids, paved and dirt roads
10% trailering 1200 - 2500 lbs. with 1-2 adults, paved backroads, some highway
Off-road...not much in last two years
Does it make sense to try the standard shocks with the OEM springs? SBCooke, isn't this what you had?
Thanks,
Sean
mbednorz Feb 13, 2003 10:39am
Steve, Host
Cheers,
Sean
Thanks for all the good posts, advice, etc over the years. I have merely been an on and off contributor but always read the posts at least 2 or 3 times a week. Probably still will.
Good luck!
Bob
Did you run an ad? Cant blame you for keeping the Altima. 27 mpg is a dream in a Trooper, lucky to get 1/2 that around town.
The improvements were, less nose dive at stops, better recovery around corners, potholes don't hit as hard (I assume because the wheel responds downward faster), better handling all around and best of all, being able to pound over sand dunes for hours with little or no fade.
In my opinion the springs will add additional load capacity, and I have/am considering them because I would like less sag when loaded up, however I don't want to make the truck that much taller. So I went with Shocks alone and they were a great improvement on and offroad.
Oil...My 1999 burns very little, actually really only a tiny bit on long highway trips. Perhaps "most if not all" was slightly overstating it, but even those of us lucky enough to not have an issue still need to check it once and a while.
-mike
I was hoping you'd jump in. Are the 912s the lighter springs? If they settle in to about 1/2" above stock, does that mean the front torsion bars do not need to be adjusted? Or did you adjust them and then re-adjust them? I'll also call ARB today.
Thanks,
Sean
I was hoping you'd jump in. Are the 912s the lighter springs? If they settle in to about 1/2" above stock, does that mean the front torsion bars do not need to be adjusted? Or did you adjust them and then re-adjust them? I'll also call ARB today.
Thanks,
Sean
Thanks as always for the advice,
Cheers,
Sean
My post was incorrect earlier...I got the same as you did, N65/N15 it has been a few years. As a matter of fact from rocky-road also.
I don't think you will need the springs unless you carry a lot of gear. Only the once a year when I load up the roof rack box carrier, bikes and fill the back up to the ceiling with gear, cases, etc. do I ride low enough to warrant the upgrade. I might try airbags in the springs for the trip? I worry mostly about the height, I have already raised it about 1/2" with my 265/70s and not interested in a skyjacker, just capable truck.
Some people have reported that the stocks sag, another reason for the upgrade. I have not experienced that.
-mike
I can't afford a plow,
If something major goes wrong,
I'll be singing this song,
I'm out of warranty now!
Passed 120K today....Everyone keep their fingers crossed! 2000 "S" will be 4 years old the end of this month. Cheers to all.
I bought this as an item on my bill of sale at purchase directly from the dealership. Any thoughts on Isuzu's responsibilty here? I just found this out today and did not have a copy of the warranty with me at work to find out more info. Dealer sent me a letter with a number to call as well as a website: www.nwig.com
I don't yet know if this is an issue with a few dealerships that sold policies from this company or if it is a corporate wide issue. My policy is a Star Guard Premier policy serviced by Independent Warranty Management Corporation.
Makes me wonder about the remaining 52,000 miles or 6 years left on my ISUZU power train warranty. Who might honor that if ISUZU pulls out?
Bill
Many dealerships will disappear, I'm sure, but Isuzu, as a corporation, may have already turned the corner to profitability. I can't imagine that they'll just give up the U.S. market when they have great products in other countries. They should never have believed the GM line.
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat- _code=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=02219251
So, with very little pricing difference, I went with the GMC. I was planning on purchasing an extended factory warranty anyway so the Isuzu longer warranty does not mean as much.
Found the sales figures and YTD - May 2004 Isuzu has sold 11,928 vs. 11,680 in 2003 (Rodeo, Axiom & Ascender). So, they are kind of holding their own right now...but 7736 of these were Rodeo's this year. Ascenders have increased to 2591 vs. 1573 last year. BUT they will have to sell quite a few of the 5 passenger models to make up for the loss of the Rodeo later this year (actually there will probably be enough Rodeos in distribution to help most of this year). Next year will probably be the make or break year for them in the US.
Bill
I've been really happy with that gas mileage. I'm not sure if its unusual but, given the cost of gas now, I drive about 65-70 mph on the highway and don't drive it very aggressively otherwise. There are no "cities" so to speak, here in SE VT so my local driving consists of things like dirt roads, rural roads into small towns, a little traffic in larger towns, a bit of idling here and there but little heavy traffic. I run 87 octane.
The same driving with my '02 Avalanche (great vehicle) gave about 16 mpg on the highway and 14-15 mpg locally. So, it's a noticeable improvement. My main vehicle, this time of year, is a 2000 BMW K1200LT motorcycle that has about 68,000 miles on it. Even ridden agressively, it gets about 45 mpg which I've especially appreciated this summer.
Cheers,
Sean
From here on down is my opinion only.
Let's face it: the Ascender is not an Isuzu and it's not a progeny of the Trooper. It was a mind boggling mistake for Isuzu to badge YET ANOTHER version of that trouble ridden Chevy/GMC/Buick truck and offer a yet longer warranty on it.
Isuzu needs to do what Suburu has done, only in heavier vehicles. Find a nitch that will sell in the future (high mileage diesels and direct injection gas engines, maybe?) and keep manufacturing high quality SUVs in a number of sizes. They can be full framed, uni-framed, or uni-body - the public has shown they don't really care, and that's good.
I'm willing to bet they could have sold twice as many Troopers as they did Ascenders, even though the platform is aging. It's still far, far better than the Ascender platform, IMHO. A few small changes (a better back door arrangement, a rear seat Entertainment system, and maybe a clever set of third row seats - just two) and they could have ridden this pony until they had good new offerings.
-mike
I believe in a free market it amounts to two things: a good product and reasonable marketing. I don't think you need great marketing if you have a good product, but you can kill a good product with terrible marketing (Apple computer, for instance).
Isuzu, the corporation, is officially profitable this quarter. If they find a niche, I think they can come back. The U.S. market is too profitable to ignore. They have products in other countries that would sell here now. They can do good design when they try (witness the Colorado).
"They" say to be careful not to touch the new light with your fingers since the oil from your skin could ruin the bulb, something to be careful of.
Sylvania makes some nice extra bright (I think SilverStar) bulbs for $20 each that fit the Trooper, some improvement over stock.
They have no vision, and no products that people want. How on earth can they sell it???? Even the "new" trooper coming out in '06, what will differentiate it from all the other SUVs on the market?
IMHO their only chance is to go full bore on trucks and diesels and DI. They need a Diesel Rodeo to take on the Diesel Liberty at $2-4K LESS than the cost of the Liberty. They need a Full size truck with Diesel to beat down the 1500 series PUs and The Titan and Tundra. A DIESEL Mid-size SUV and Full-size SUV to take on the Yukons/Burbans, etc.
Short of that? What's the compelling reason to buy a truck made in Thailand?
-mike
They appear to be positioning themselves to take advantage of their knowledge of clean diesel technology. They have to shed the GM anchor around their neck to go forward. It has been IMHO a terrible burden for Isuzu to be linked with GM.
I'd like to see them do what they do best. Diesel. They are arguably the premiere name in diesel engines worldwide. But what is their diesel presence in USA? Nothing for passenger car and trucks.
Remember, The Isuzu Trooper was perhaps the first mass-produced foreign SUV to hit the US. That was their niche and they did well.
Kevin is right on, they need a new niche, diesel seems like the obvious.
Subaru...who I love, has been extremely sucessfull building upon their AWD strengths. They now command the field and others do their best to keep up.
Isuzu might have similar success with diesel engine trucks and SUVs.
2006 is a pivotal year for Isuzu USA no doubt about it.
BTW - Has anyone seen the new H4 turbo Subaru Outback? Sweeeeeeet.
i'm having difficulty replacing the rear wiper blade on my 2001 trooper. i tried the "exact fit" trico brand from pep-boys but the spare wheel is in the way & there is not enough clearance for me to get it in. the oem one has a wide opening to make removal easy without having to fold out the wiper. do i have to go to the dealership to get a new blade or can i find another brand? thanks...
Regards,
Tom
I don't know what niche they can carve out but it's not going to be easy.
-mike
..
I think Isuzu can do two things: 1.) bring back genuine Izusu "Lotus cars" and SUVs with DI gas and diesels. 2.) offer other manufacturers the opportunity to use an Isuzu diesel engine in their vehicles, imagine the happy envirnmentalist soccer moms getting 40mpg in their 8 passenger minivans which would proudly bear the marking "Isuzu Diesel Inside". The trick to the second part is to require the "Isuzu Inside" label so the owners can point to it when they bragg about the trouble free high mpg they get.
..
Long term Isuzu can be primarily an engine company and use the engine's reputation along with Lotus and OME suspensions' reputations to sell the Isuzu vehicles. SUV and car sales never need to be on par with Toyota or Honda for Isuzu to be a great success.
..
I would rather my vehicle stood out in a parking lot than to become the generic. I think part of what has made the Trooper awesome is the low volume which has avoided attracting a swarm of "penny pinching engineers" who calculate out that the vehicle that lasts longer than the warrantee is a waste of manufacturing dollars. I think periodic major downturns in quality of American cars over the years has been in large part due to penny pinchers calculating "cost effective warrantee return rates using cheaped out materials" winning out over common sense and proper engineering. It is a cycle where the pinchers dominate untill a design is destroyed then a new design comes out, builds momentum and then gets in the sights of the pinchers etc... So when a new model comes out get not the first model year and not after the 4th model year when the model in in serious decline, somewhere between will be the sweet spot for quality.
-mike
Got home Monday and pulled the coil off that boot. Hooked up the compressor with the adapter in the air hose. Placed the adapter down in the center hole of the boot until sealed. Hit the switch on the compressor and in about 2 seconds there was a satisfying 'POP' as the air pressure released the boot and raised it up about 1/2".
Makes me wonder if the mechanics use a trick like this to speed up the process and avoid damaging this $100+ part?
So, even if you have to go down and buy a cheap compressor, do it and never fear changing plugs again. (I did get some anti-seize for the plug threads and dielectric grease for the boot to plug connection)
Bill
I haven't had much luck with wiper replacements. I changed them on two of my Corollas and the new ones had always been a nightmare, much worse than the factory ones.
BTW, Is there a time interval on the spark plugs or should I just change them once I hit 30K in, say, 2 or 3 more years.
bill
I don't know what it is like where the rest of you live, but here in the Winston-Salem, NC area there are very very few Troopers for sale. Most times none, presently in the local newspaper there is only a 1997 LS for sale for $7900.
I found my sons 1998 Luxury Trooper on a used car lot - ask price was $7995, offered $6K, got it for $6250 with 5 minutes of haggling over the telephone. Thought I might could have done better, but extremely satisfied with the price.
Advice now I think is if you purchase an Isuzu, its best to keep it for a long time - it will last a long time, maybe longer than even you want it to last :-)
Carl
www.isuzu.8k.com
there was a time when the trooper was known to have a problem with handling corners...that it tipped/rolled over easy. Is that still the case ?
When was it improved, if it had the corrective fixes ? What year is safe to buy, what are the years with problems.? thanks
I have a '00 Trooper lifted by 2" and 1" on the wheels, I've been known to drive it pretty crazy and never came close to rolling it. Of course if you drive it like a vette, then yes it will flip.
-mike
As will almost any truck-based SUV, right Mike?
As will almost any truck-based SUV, right Mike?
Absolutely!
-mike
..
If you must read consumer reports, just read it at the book store and leave it on the shelf, do not buy it. And remember anything you read in CR is there first for CR's own agenda, telling the truth is way less important to CR than the sales of its magazines.