Author Topic: Trooper (Read 927 times)

Rod WMG · « **on:** August 05, 2003, 11:12:07 AM »

I thought I might post this to see if anyone else drives one of these.

I never owned a rice burner before, but last spring, I took one of the no down/no interest offers and bought a 4WD Isuzu Trooper. I'm very pleasantly surprised at how much I like it.

Its styling is different from the older, more boxy ones. The four wheel drive is very good in both ranges over a 1 1/2 mile in 45 minutes road I have to go to to get to a favorite camp spot.

The negatives I see so far are: 1) not enough storage, as in glove boxes, etc.; 2) gas mileage is just what the EPA says or a mile or two less (15-19); 3) leg room is a little cramped; 4) the dealer has to check the trans fluid; 5) (and most serious) it needs a couple of inches more ground clearance for the backcountry.

All-in-all, a good vehicle. Too bad they have been apparently discontinued.

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2003, 02:22:33 AM »

Can't say I ever drove one but I was seriously considering buying one back when they were "boxy". I like the old boxy look. I didn't because at the time the 4 cylinder engine they were putting in it was said to be too under powered for quick accelleration on to the highway, a must for survival around here. The 6 they were using was American made and did not have a very good reputation. I think sticking anything designed for one vehicle into another is a bad idea.

The ground clearance thing is just more of this marketing off road vehicles to soccer moms and doing a end run around sleazy TV lawyers when bubba tries to drive his mercad-lexis-rover SUV along a 60 degree incline.

My wife got a loaner of a Subaru Forrester and I was saying I liked it but it had too low a ground clearance. She told me that it has a higher one than the Ford Explorer.

Rod WMG · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2003, 01:29:16 PM »

I test drove a boxy one many years ago and was pretty impressed. I'm not real big on looks in this kind of veeHICKLE if the performance I want is there. The salesman wouldn't say anything but, "What would you give for this vehicle?" I told him he'd have to put a price and I'd tell him if it was okay. He wouldn't, so I left.

The info I have from somewhere on this one is that the whole thing except for the trans is all Japanese, including the 3.5 v-6. The trans is very smooth--hope it holds up. The power is there if I don't putz around. I think the computer senses how you drive and adjusts for it. I have to get on it now and then to keep the response up.

As I say, all-in-all I'm very pleased.

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2003, 01:33:27 AM »

Yeah, I believe they started putting their own 6 in it when they switched to the new style.

Car dealers. Don't get me started. When I traded in my Nissan truck with 250K miles on it these butt heads told me I had to go back to some finance person where he and the saleman tried to tag team me into getting financing through them after I told them I had to go to my bank. They just couldn't believe anyone was going to pay cash. That's not bragging, I had 14 years to pay off the old truck and to put whatever I saved in payments into the bank after that. They kept saying "Whatever terms they're giving you we can do better!". I finally told them that if I didn't get to go to the bank before it closed there wasn't going to be any sale.

While I was waiting to pick up my new truck, a herd of salesmen was gathered around my old one. They couldn't believe how many miles I had on it and how long I kept it. I looked at them and told them, "That should tell you something about how enjoyable my last dealing with a salesman was."

Rod WMG · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2003, 11:37:31 AM »

Quote

"That should tell you something about how enjoyable my last dealing with a salesman was."

:-D Jack,

I love it! I've met one or two car salesmen I wouldn't mind having a cuppa coffee with, but most are justication for their reputation.

We were able to pay cash for one car, but that doesn't happen very often. My pickup is a 1980, which reveals something about my buying habits.

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2003, 01:37:55 AM »

Well, I too don't want to tar all car salesmen with the same brush. I will say that the two who my wife dealt with when she bought her Subaru Outback were okay. But I've had far more bad dealings than good ones with these people. One in particular I wouldn't brake for.

As to hanging on to vehicles, that is the best thing you can do economically speaking. Do all the periodic maintenance and drive them into the ground.