Anyone know about Isuzu Troopers?
Discussion
Not sure if this is in the right section but here goes..
My girlfriend is looking for a 4x4 to pull a horsebox. Budget is £2k, and the Isuzu Trooper has come to the top of the pile - particularly the 3 door version as it is a little less cumbersome than the variant with a full complement of doors, and importantly is of the appropriate weight to tow. They seem popular with the horsey-set, and farmers across the country can't possibly be wrong...
Not the sort of vehicle that would get a second glance from me, so I'm a bit out of my depth. Looks like a decent amount of car for the money - but does anyone know what to look out for on these in terms of key big hitting service items to be aware of? Obviously FSH would be a big bonus, and although buying on condition I would prefer something without intergalactic mileage (so around the 75k miles mark)
Also, although it hurts me to do it, I'm figuring diesel for torquey towing ability over the V6 petrol?
Cheers in advance.
My girlfriend is looking for a 4x4 to pull a horsebox. Budget is £2k, and the Isuzu Trooper has come to the top of the pile - particularly the 3 door version as it is a little less cumbersome than the variant with a full complement of doors, and importantly is of the appropriate weight to tow. They seem popular with the horsey-set, and farmers across the country can't possibly be wrong...
Not the sort of vehicle that would get a second glance from me, so I'm a bit out of my depth. Looks like a decent amount of car for the money - but does anyone know what to look out for on these in terms of key big hitting service items to be aware of? Obviously FSH would be a big bonus, and although buying on condition I would prefer something without intergalactic mileage (so around the 75k miles mark)
Also, although it hurts me to do it, I'm figuring diesel for torquey towing ability over the V6 petrol?
Cheers in advance.
I had a 94 LWB, at that age they have the apparently more relaiable, fix it with a hammer 3.1 engine instead of the more complicated and fragile (apparently) 3.0 Caterpillar diesel engine.
Mine had an auto box as it was an import and it was far from the smoothest for changes would look for a manual if I was having another.
sying that it did a round trip from Milton Keynes to S.W coast of Scotland and back in a 36 hour window without missing a beat until 14 miles from home when a blow out cought me off guard at 0.9 leptons in the middle lane, A nice set of alloys with some M+S tyres quickly followed
All in all they will do a decent job pulling around a horse box and they do have the Japanese reliability and dont suffer from tin worm like a Landrover. You may find a few Landcruisers in budget that may be even better still.
Pics for the sake of it
How I bought it
My Bighorn by Jamie Firman, on Flickr
After addition of roof bars and M+S Tyres in some natural habitat
DSCF8012 by Jamie Firman, on Flickr
Mine had an auto box as it was an import and it was far from the smoothest for changes would look for a manual if I was having another.
sying that it did a round trip from Milton Keynes to S.W coast of Scotland and back in a 36 hour window without missing a beat until 14 miles from home when a blow out cought me off guard at 0.9 leptons in the middle lane, A nice set of alloys with some M+S tyres quickly followed
All in all they will do a decent job pulling around a horse box and they do have the Japanese reliability and dont suffer from tin worm like a Landrover. You may find a few Landcruisers in budget that may be even better still.
Pics for the sake of it
How I bought it
My Bighorn by Jamie Firman, on Flickr
After addition of roof bars and M+S Tyres in some natural habitat
DSCF8012 by Jamie Firman, on Flickr
ker of a job. Decent utility vehicle. I looked at Troopers as a more economical alternative to my Landy. Short answer, dont buy one. Yes they are big and sturdy but are shockingly thirsty (~20mpg).
If you want to do heavy towibng, get a 3 litre diesel Daihatsu Fourtrak. 30mpg, unkillable mechanicals and group 8 insurance to boot
If you want to do heavy towibng, get a 3 litre diesel Daihatsu Fourtrak. 30mpg, unkillable mechanicals and group 8 insurance to boot
They are tough basic things ideal for towing.
If your close to the limits check the load plates as they do vary with the year.
I have a TF (which is basically a pick up version of the Trooper) mine is a 3.1 and following advice from the forum I fitted a Frontera intercooler and tweeked the fuelling which made a huge difference to it's power.
It pulls this:
Which is close to 4 tons but slows to 50 up the hills.
If your close to the limits check the load plates as they do vary with the year.
I have a TF (which is basically a pick up version of the Trooper) mine is a 3.1 and following advice from the forum I fitted a Frontera intercooler and tweeked the fuelling which made a huge difference to it's power.
It pulls this:
Which is close to 4 tons but slows to 50 up the hills.
Just a generic 4x4 in the Japanese 90's mould. I've serviced a couple and they're ok but no Toyota - parts are villainously expensive from memory and some bits are quite hard to get hold of on the later models - not hideous though - as for driving ive only ever test driven customers cars round the block - typically agricultural and I doubt they'll ever be seen as a "drivers car"
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