Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

Topvaux · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 14:23 Post subject: Am I really completely barking??

OK - I have a very smart and clean '95 (N) Bighorn Lotus 3.1 TD Auto 5dr 7 seater in black over platinum gold with all the toys and she's done 85,000 miles (not kms).

I am looking at a '99 (T) Trooper Citation 3.0 TD Manual 5dr 5 seater which has done fewer miles. It's up-to-date with the recalls.

I love my old 3.1 which I bought for towing heavy (3 tonne) loads long (250 miles) distances. The auto is ideal for that because I fitted cruise control so if I set it at 56mph she'll keep on hauling up hill and down dale, shifting up and down as required, all day long.

I'm not towing such heavy stuff any more and anyway I only tow light (1½ - 2 tonnes) stuff occasionally these days.

I have got rid of my regular road car now so I only have the Isuzu for my everyday driving. I am a bit fed up with an average fuel consumption of about 24 mpg (27 absolute best on a long motorway trip) with an absolute maximum of 60 mph (on GPS - 64 mph indicated). She's a bit coarse and unrefined (truck-like?) and she's not exactly lively, although she cruises reasonably quietly!

I do wish she had ABS - I've had the odd near one in the wet when cadence braking has saved my embarrassment!

I wonder if the 3.0 will give me better mpg, better performance, better refinement, better ride and handling?

Am I being completely daft even considering going from "bulletproof" 3.1 to "fragile" 3.0?

The one thing which is swaying me a bit is that I reckon I can sell my 3.1 for at least as much as I have to pay for the 3.0 - and I'll be getting a truck 4 years the younger.......

Come on....... hit me with it! - what do you think??

(PS - I might want to keep my aftermarket wheels with my nice tyres: does anyone know what the wheel size and specs are of the later model with the wider track? I particularly wonder what is the standard offset of the rim and the standard tyre size?)

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:::Matski::: · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 14:41 Post subject:

I hear the 3.0 gives better performance, couldn't comment on MPG but I would have thought it would be better, especially as it's a manual.

The parts prices may be an issue??? but is the 3.1 at the age when things start to go wrong?

But some times it's better the devil you know.

Clear as mud I know Confused

Topvaux · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 14:49 Post subject:

I haven't had much trouble with the 3.1: the aircon compressor went west, but I got a 2nd hand one for £70. My turbo's shaft bearings (rollers - well unusual!) have gone noisy (whines like a landing spaceship for about 10 seconds after shut-down!) and I had to pay just £26 for another turbo off eebuygum!! I replaced all the dampers as a matter of course when I bought it, but I got a set of 4 for about £70.

The local Isuzu Dealer reckons I want to change my medication for even considering the swap - but then maybe he only sees the duff ones. (He has 6 with blown engines in his yard right now, though!)

Chris B · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 15:06 Post subject:

Personally I find the 3.0DT great for towing, i get around 30mpg+ on a run and around 25mpg pottering around & towing heavy loads. As for the reliability ... my first 3.0DT was a right pig, so far this one is great. I tend to have the opinion any car can/will let you down! My previous motor was a 2.5 20VC Volvo 850 ... and it had loads of problems including letting me down in France Evil or Very Mad

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Isuzu Rodeo Denver Max LE | 265/65R18 BF Goodrich AT LTM No.60

Topvaux · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 16:41 Post subject:

Thanks guys.

I see nobody's warned me off......... YET!

Chris B · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 17:06 Post subject:

Isuzu seem to have sorted things out ... most people who are still having problems seem to be from the "had problems, didnt have a clue, got it sorted, then found the club" club (does that make sense?)
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Isuzu Rodeo Denver Max LE | 265/65R18 BF Goodrich AT LTM No.60

Webby · ***** Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 536 Location: Suffolk

Hi,
If you were to do a search on here you would probably find that Chris and i say the same thing every time...so this time i will try something different. Yes it's great, but it's not a car. Mine is heavily loaded all the time, generally seem to be in a rush so i only get about 20-23mpg. Tows well, i spend quite alot of time towing and i hardly notice the difference with or without the trailer.
As for the power, well am sure you will be able to tell the difference, and am sure it's worth having. At the end of the day it really depends on you. Yes my engine did go wrong but it has not been a bit of bother since it has been repaired.
Probably worth trying out several different 3.0td's then you would have a good idea that the one you are looking at is in good condition, engine wise. Just to put your mind at rest more than anything else.
In terms of the wheels and tyres, standard fit is 245/70R16, with a 7" rim on approx. 40mm backspacing. I run 265/75R16 on mine on 8 spoke wheels, these are centre nave and when looking from above the edge of the tread is covered by the wheelarch. So they are legal!
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Isuzu Trooper SWB 3.0DT Commercial

Topvaux · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 19:21 Post subject:

Interesting, thanks Webby.

I'm wondering whether the degree to which people seem to be windy of them is unjustified or whether they are more bother/risk than they are worth.

I haven't time to try them out - I am off to buy it Thursday and it's a few hundred miles away so I'll take a trailer and either buy it or leave it. I hadn't intended to buy anything this soon but the opportunity presents itself now, so.......

Thanks for the info on the wheels.

Any more views?

Would you swap a '95 3.1 for a '99 3.0 for no money given the choice?

:::Matski::: · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 19:43 Post subject:

You should have started a vote!

On paper you would have to swap (if it was a swap and the recall work was done)

But you can buy a newer car and the gearbox goes the next week!

I suppose I would still take the 3.0 though.

markymoan · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 19:50 Post subject:

Poll added Wink

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Topvaux · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 20:41 Post subject:

D'OH! Of course - a poll! Thanks for the suggestion and your observations, Matsky, and thanks for adding the poll, Marky.

Vote away - please! But do write your opinions on the thread, too, if you wouldn't mind.....

markymoan · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 21:18 Post subject:

I voted yes, you are getting a car thats 4yrs newer and the 3.0 isnt the monster its made out to be, if the campagne work has been done and it drives right then it gets the thumbs up in the moany house Smile

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Topvaux · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 19:12 Post subject:

Well........ 85% of the vote was for me to go ahead and buy the '99 Citation. Thanks for your encouragement!

I set off yesterday on the 200 mile trip to Gateshead from Norfolk with a transporter trailer on the back of my '95 Bighorn Auto. I rang the man as I was leaving at 09:15 to say I'd be with him at 2:00pm and to his obvious surprise I actually arrived at his front door at 1:57 - three minutes early! I have my GPS navigation program pretty well adjusted to the Bighorn's performance!

Well, I found the car looking good in its metallic red and with an unblemished interior. Close scrutiny showed up a small rust patch on the tailgate below the window frame, scratches on the spare wheel cover, slight rusting of the seams between the wheel arches and sills inside the rear door shuts and some slightly peeling grey paint on the front bumper - all-in-all not too bad really: certainly not a dog, anyway.

All the electrical equipment passed muster except the nearside mirror not folding or unfolding which is a nuisance because I have to fold them to get into my garage. Unsurprisingly, the aerial mast is pretty mangled.....!

A good shufty around under the bonnet revealed nothing untoward (including a normal oil level Wink

) so I fired it up. It started with no problem and I left it idling for 10 minutes or so while I carried on browsing. After the long idle I revved it up and the exhaust was clear.

I took it for a longish drive and everything felt OK and performed well - except for the dampers being shot! Must be a weakness in Troopers because each one I've had I've put new dampers on; thankfully they are extremely cheap. The only other irregularity was the "Check Engine" light coming on................. Shocked

I found the light comes on when tootling at low speed on light throttle but extinguishes immediately the throttle is opened - even just a tad - and it doesn't come on when there is even just a slight load on the engine: cruising at 40+ mph, for instance.

The engine behaves perfectly well otherwise so I made the decision that whatever the light is responding to is hopefully nothing too dire....

The service book is 100% with every service on time or within 1000 miles at worst (interesting to see each service coming up at regular intervals until it obviously was off the road for a while, presumably after a blow-up, because the service interval was a good bit extended yet the mileage covered was only just over 2,000!)

I had checked with my local dealer who'd said it was up-to-date with recall work - so I grasped the nettle and bought it! I must admit , I did consider loading the Bighorn on the trailer and driving the Trooper home but chickened out!

Anyway - I may yet rue the day I did it, but at the moment I am quite pleased with my 3,750 quid bargain. I took it in to Norwich today and, apart from the blinking engine management light, all's still well.....

All I've got to do now is polish up and hoover out the Bighorn and vindicate my judgement by getting my money back........

Here's a bad photo of the two together - and I must admit that side-by-side it looks like a fair swap to me. (I think I'll swap the wheels - I prefer the 5-spokes)

(Fingers crossed!)

Webby · ***** Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 536 Location: Suffolk

They both look good. I hope you have got yourself a bargin.
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Isuzu Trooper SWB 3.0DT Commercial

markymoan · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 19:23 Post subject:

Yup they do look good, i also agree with the 5 spoke alloys Very Happy

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