Isuzu Trooper, opinions?

[Nostril Cheese]

I have an opportunity to pick up a 1990 Isuzu Trooper 4 x 4 with a 5 speed for basically nothing. I figured the guys in here would know something about these. It needs a little work, but nothing major.

Opinions on these trucks? Experiences?

[Jim Bremner]

I had a '86 and a '90. They eat brakes and clutches like they're girl scout cookies. hard to work on, If you do remove the drive shaft mark a line down the two shafts so that they will balance. good slow work horses. kinda miss the,. I think you could stuff a LS1 motor in them.

[Dottore]

My father had one for a while. It was loud and rough, was hugely underpowered and rattled like a Lada. It was a very crude approximation of a modern SUV.

I thought it was bloody awful.

[Nostril Cheese]

So is it worth $500?

[fastfredracing]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

So is it worth $500?

At the scrapyard.

[EarlyPorsche]

Yeah they are worht 500. Couple months of fun and then see where youre at.

[bkreigsr]

Most of the one's I've seen have stripped/galled lug nuts and studs. Check to see that all the wheels have the required nuts, and are in working order. - it's a safety thing. The problem was that the studs were fine threaded. Bill K

[jkarolyi]

Not the best quality vehicle...there's a reason Isuzu packed up and left a few years back.

That said...for $500 it's hard to go wrong. Drive it until it breaks and turn it in for $300 to the steel scrap man.

[biosurfer1]

My parents had one growing up. Lost the transmission and had a complete engine swap all under warranty. My dad says the day he sold that is still one of the most money saving days of his life.

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by Dottore

My father had one for a while. It was loud and rough, was hugely underpowered and rattled like a Lada. It was a very crude approximation of a modern SUV.

I thought it was bloody awful.

Ditto. I bought one brand new in maybe 1988 with the Isuzu 4 banger. It was sort of cool, because it was different and there weren't many around. Towed a tent-camper with it a few times The external locking hubs were a major PITA. Had a propensity for cracked heads too. But this may all be useless information since it is now 20 years later. Maybe they've aged well

[kimlangley7]

I had a 89 Trooper [4-cylinder] and it served me well... no major complaints - I serviced it regular and never let me down - took the family cross country in it [VA >> COLO].. I still have the factory manual and a chiltons > if you get it PM me and I'll work a good deal for you

[azasadny]

It's an "orphaned" product. Where would you get parts for it?

[LWJ]

I almost died in an Isuzu. Design contributed to the accident. I won't get in one.

[Scooter]

I currently have a '91 V6 automatic. I bought it two and a half years ago with the thought that if it lasts 3 months then it was worth the $1,600 I paid. In the two plus years, I have replaced the battery, alternator, brakes and muffler. It is exactly as described...a Trooper. Hauls anything and just keeps running. I don't need ours anymore, so it will be sold soon, but I would buy it all over again for a beater hauling truck if I needed one.

[Rusty Heap]

I've had 3 Isuzu Rodeos, great rigs but yeah the 'Zoo brand like all others, has its quirks.


your answers will be found here, one of the best (only?) Isuzu forums on the web:

Pretty active website and lots of good tips, sorta the Pelican board of Zoo-land.


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