(OT for landrover fans) Isuzu Trooper thoughts and views

Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
thread.

TIA

Richard

Richard Savage vaguely muttered something like ...
> Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
> thread.

Bro-in-law had one for the farm, very thirsty, good power, but not torquey
enough I thought. Struggled on the hills a bit (Near Crich, Derbyshire),
especially when towing. Absolutely drank petrol when towing, more so than
an equivalent Landrover of _any_ variety, something like 12 to the gallon,
which was worse than my S3 on a bad day ...

They're cheap to buy and insure though, and do seem to take knocks quite
well and handle rough treatment, providing you don't mind not having any
re-sale value when you want to get rid.


--
Paul ...

(8(|) Homer Rules !!!

"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this thread.
>
> TIA
>
> Richard

Had one for six months & it was a cracking car, much better built than the RRC I have just bought. Non
full time 4wd is a bit crap. The 3.2 tdi I had did 23-29mpg (auto box) & had well enough power. It is a
very well made vehicle, but has a few flaws. One of the flaws I didn't like was the wet weather behaviour
(it's a 2wd most of the time) Very 3 series BMW back end (yeah, I thought that too!) with serious lack of
front end bite. I was not a fan of the split rear door (not exactly the end of the world) but it was a
pain. I hated the spare parts prices! They are just ****ing stupid. You want a new alloy wheel centre cap
(I expected a tenner for a Jap car) It was £79, yes £79 ****ing Nora.

I loved it to bits & mine was mint to be fair, but the parts are just silly! £23 for a 'Trooper' badge,
you could get the rear springs for a RRC for that!

Nige

Nige wrote:

>Had one for six months & it was a cracking car, much better built than the RRC I have just bought. Non
>full time 4wd is a bit crap. The 3.2 tdi I had did 23-29mpg (auto box) & had well enough power. It is a
>very well made vehicle, but has a few flaws. One of the flaws I didn't like was the wet weather behaviour
>(it's a 2wd most of the time) Very 3 series BMW back end (yeah, I thought that too!) with serious lack of
>front end bite. I was not a fan of the split rear door (not exactly the end of the world) but it was a
>pain. I hated the spare parts prices! They are just ****ing stupid. You want a new alloy wheel centre cap
>(I expected a tenner for a Jap car) It was £79, yes £79 ****ing Nora.
>
>I loved it to bits & mine was mint to be fair, but the parts are just silly! £23 for a 'Trooper' badge,
>you could get the rear springs for a RRC for that!
>
>Nige
>
>
>
>

Hi Nige,

mmm I thought Jap bit were dear but really! Having said that, isn't the
Vauxhall Montery their badge-engineered Trooper, i.e. sharesd
many/some/none of the bits? As to the slippy rear end; I manged to 360
my RRC on a wet road once (at 30mph!). I'd gladly trade the stupid drop
down tailgate for a split rear door of any sort!

And the follow on for your reply to the Power Steering thread:

Thanks Nige,

To be honest I've had enough of the X factor that my RRC possesses. I
know that the Trooper will have the J factor (bland 'does what it says
on the tin' of a Jap motor), but I really want a machine that isn't
falling apart at an increasing rate with space, towing power, a proper
back door and enough height to be above the run-of-the-mill cages (but
less than 6'2'' high) that stops and starts when I want it to do so.
The height restriction rules out Discos and Defender.

The fact that my friend has done half of the mileage of his Trooper and
he is only the third owner makes me more inclined to buy his vehicle
rather than look for a lower mileage but more expensive option.
Unfortunately his is manual but having had to replace the autobox on the
RRC I'm tempted by the hope that a manual box is more hardwearing that
an autobox. What do you think? And is the Trooper under 6'2'' high?

Rgds Richard

Re the fuel consumption (Paul); I'm only looking at the TDi and anything
after a 3.5 Efi will seem frugal (apart from a Jenson)

Do you seriosly expect me to be sensible ? I am partisan. I am a Coventrian
and whether you like it or not Rover when twas still a bicycle started
here. Used to live in view of the original Rover works.

The yanks have there Harleys, but a Vincent Black Shadow never, even Marlon
Brando in the Wild one rode a Triumph.

The Zero was a fine airoplane but it werent no Sopwith Camel


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes


"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
> thread.
>
> TIA
>
> Richard

I think you have put your finger on it, the price of Jap spares is
ridiculos.


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes




"Nige" <nigel.inceNO****[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
thread.

>
> Had one for six months & it was a cracking car, much better built than the
RRC I have just bought. Non
> full time 4wd is a bit crap. The 3.2 tdi I had did 23-29mpg (auto box) &
had well enough power. It is a
> very well made vehicle, but has a few flaws. One of the flaws I didn't
like was the wet weather behaviour
> (it's a 2wd most of the time) Very 3 series BMW back end (yeah, I thought
that too!) with serious lack of
> front end bite. I was not a fan of the split rear door (not exactly the
end of the world) but it was a
> pain. I hated the spare parts prices! They are just ****ing stupid. You
want a new alloy wheel centre cap
> (I expected a tenner for a Jap car) It was £79, yes £79 ****ing Nora.
>
> I loved it to bits & mine was mint to be fair, but the parts are just
silly! £23 for a 'Trooper' badge,
> you could get the rear springs for a RRC for that!
>
> Nige
>
>

"Larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>I think you have put your finger on it, the price of Jap spares is
> ridiculos.
>
>
> --
> Larry
> Series 3 rust and holes

Not all of 'em, but some are just having feckin' laugh. New gear lever inc overdive button a stunning
£368 !!!!!

Got ojne from a scrapyard for £15!!

Nige

"Larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> The Zero was a fine airoplane but it werent no Sopwith Camel

Nope, the wings cost £15,000 even then!

"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
> thread.

The turbo bearings failed at about 50000m. on my daughter's P reg Monterey.

Nobody would consider "re-engineering" it as they are known to be weak so a
new one from a factor (stock item!) cost her £400.

Otherwise completely reliable (although it isn't off-road very often).

Fred

Fred wrote:

>"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>
>>Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
>>thread.
>>
>>
>
>The turbo bearings failed at about 50000m. on my daughter's P reg Monterey.
>
>Nobody would consider "re-engineering" it as they are known to be weak so a
>new one from a factor (stock item!) cost her £400.
>
>Otherwise completely reliable (although it isn't off-road very often).
>
>Fred
>
>
>
>
Hi Fred,

Sounds perfect - my RRC's off-road experiences are limited to muddy
fields and campsites. Another contributor refers to it having less than
wonderful wet weather handling - any views?

£400 for a new turbo sounds quite reasonable. My SAAB 95 has a problem
with crankcase ventilation which, if not addressed, can wreck the turbo
bearings and lead to engine destruction!

Thanks

Richard

"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Fred wrote:
>
> >"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >
> >
> >>Anyone with (sensible) comments about the above, could you reply to this
> >>thread.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >The turbo bearings failed at about 50000m. on my daughter's P reg
Monterey.
> >
> >Nobody would consider "re-engineering" it as they are known to be weak so
a
> >new one from a factor (stock item!) cost her £400.
> >
> >Otherwise completely reliable (although it isn't off-road very often).
> >
> >Fred
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Hi Fred,
>
> Sounds perfect - my RRC's off-road experiences are limited to muddy
> fields and campsites. Another contributor refers to it having less than
> wonderful wet weather handling - any views?
>
> £400 for a new turbo sounds quite reasonable. My SAAB 95 has a problem
> with crankcase ventilation which, if not addressed, can wreck the turbo
> bearings and lead to engine destruction!
>
> Thanks
>
> Richard

I had a 2.8 TDI Trooper SWB and it was a great motor but the price of parts
are just horrendous!
I ran mine for three years though and the only items I replaced apart from
the normal servicing items were the tyres!
I found mine very reliable.

"Richard Savage" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Fred,
>
> Sounds perfect - my RRC's off-road experiences are limited to muddy
> fields and campsites. Another contributor refers to it having less than
> wonderful wet weather handling - any views?
>
> £400 for a new turbo sounds quite reasonable. My SAAB 95 has a problem
> with crankcase ventilation which, if not addressed, can wreck the turbo
> bearings and lead to engine destruction!
>
> Thanks
>
> Richard

Hi Richard,

My daughter has never mentioned anything to me about poor handling in wet
weather so I can't really comment except in general terms that tyres can
make a tremendous difference.

Here's my experience, but first, just to bring this thread slightly back "on
topic"... I sold my 1973 Series III in 1979 and bought my first Daihatsu
Fortrak. At the same time I also bought an extra set of original equipment
(Fortrak Pickup) "fairly knobbly" tyres and rims from the dealer. The tread
pattern was virtually identical to the design I had always run on my Land
Rover (can't for the life of me remember what they were!).

These knobblies were so bad on wet roads that I just had to take them off
after a couple of weeks because they had absolutely no grip. They were
nothing short of being dangerous. It completely defeated my idea of buying
some narrower "grippy" tyres for the winter.

After refitting the standard wide Bridgestones I never had any more
problems.

Obviously the dealer, a genuinely knowledgeable and decent chap (as far as
dealers go), knew that he dare not sell the pickups with those tyres on them
and I can just see him saying to customers "I'll do you a good deal on these
nice rims with the wide tyres - they'll make the motor look great!" Muggins
of course did the deal in reverse "These wide tyres'll be useless in the
snow - do us a good deal on those knobblies."

Sorry for the lengthy rant.

Fred

Fred wrote:

>Hi Richard,
>
>My daughter has never mentioned anything to me about poor handling in wet
>weather so I can't really comment except in general terms that tyres can
>make a tremendous difference.
>
>Here's my experience, but first, just to bring this thread slightly back "on
>topic"... I sold my 1973 Series III in 1979 and bought my first Daihatsu
>Fortrak. At the same time I also bought an extra set of original equipment
>(Fortrak Pickup) "fairly knobbly" tyres and rims from the dealer. The tread
>pattern was virtually identical to the design I had always run on my Land
>Rover (can't for the life of me remember what they were!).
>
>These knobblies were so bad on wet roads that I just had to take them off
>after a couple of weeks because they had absolutely no grip. They were
>nothing short of being dangerous. It completely defeated my idea of buying
>some narrower "grippy" tyres for the winter.
>
>After refitting the standard wide Bridgestones I never had any more
>problems.
>
>Obviously the dealer, a genuinely knowledgeable and decent chap (as far as
>dealers go), knew that he dare not sell the pickups with those tyres on them
>and I can just see him saying to customers "I'll do you a good deal on these
>nice rims with the wide tyres - they'll make the motor look great!" Muggins
>of course did the deal in reverse "These wide tyres'll be useless in the
>snow - do us a good deal on those knobblies."
>
>Sorry for the lengthy rant.
>
>Fred
>
>
>

Hi Fred,

Rant on all you wish (didn't actually sound too ranting to my ears!) Apart from people saying that the spares are dear, I haven't been able to find much info from past or current owners - even alt.autos.isuzu is completely silent (but it has collected only 36 posts in the last week!).

Apart from the risks inherent in buying any 10 year old vehicle with 117,000 miles on the clock from a friend and finding someone to service it I can't see any good reason not to buy the Trooper. Bye bye 3.5 V8i <sigh>

Richard