1986 Isuzu Trooper

Summary:

Best car I ever owned that has multiple uses

Faults:

Head gasket went bad after 50k on the 2nd motor. 2nd motor put in at 150k by previous owner.

Tranny seal has a leak.

Driver winshield wiper arm stopped working (it wasn't the motor, just a little plastic piece that holds arm to motor).

General Comments:

This thing has been driven hard...off road and on the road. I've taken it up steep sand dunes and mountains. I've towed 2200 lbs over 300+ miles many a time. That's right, with a 2.4 litre engine!!

Most 4x4 you can get for your money. Extremely overlooked by the 4x4 community. They are cheap and cheap to fix when they break...if they ever break!

Trooper is what it is...a trooper. My last car was a 90 Nissan 300zx. That thing cost me $1,500+ every time it went to the shop. The trooper is a simple vehicle. You can do the repairs yourself.

I get road noise in mine because of my oversized off-road tires. If you're not going to be offroad much, stick with a good SUV tire.

Hope I've convinced some that this is a darn tough truck and also the #1 4x4 of choice in S. America. Why? Because it's affordable and can really stand the beating it takes with the beat up roads and trails.

Passengers love to ride in it. It's like going on a safari!

Plenty of cargo room. Back seat folds down and then over for additional room.

A full size air mattress fits perfectly into the back with seat folded forward. The wife and I have camped many a time right in the back of the trooper!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th October, 2002

1986 Isuzu Trooper LS 2.3

Summary:

A great utility vehicle

Faults:

On the third battery.

Third set of tires.

Fuel pump.

Fuel filter.

Timing belt.

Exhaust gasket.

One set of brakes.

Blower motor for heat and air.

Left front automatic locking hub.

Drivers seat material worn out.

Drivers side rear body trim fell off, looking for replacement.

General Comments:

I bought this truck new and if I had known then what I know now I would have bought two and put one away for future use. I have liked this truck so much that I have the original window sticker and all sales brochures that are relative. Every receipt for any work including oil changes are kept in a folder in the truck. This thing pulls so well in LOW four wheel drive that it has pulled out 1 ton dullys that have been stuck on Florida's beaches. I can go to the mountains of NC and only fill the gas tank once (521 miles). It is no high performance vehicle in the speed department, but that's not what it was intended to do. I will keep it alive until it is a point of no return, then find a nice burial site for it so I can visit. Do I like this truck. You Bet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th August, 2002

7th Oct 2007, 18:43

I know a guy that had one of those trucks. They are the Energizer bunny of trucks. It must have been pretty for those guys in the 1 ton dullys to be pulled out by a little Isuzu, though.

8th Oct 2007, 16:31

I know a guy that had one of those trucks. They are the Energizer Bunny of trucks. It must have been pretty for those guys in the 1 ton duallies to be pulled out by a little Isuzu, though.

13th Dec 2010, 12:45

I had one as well and still miss it to this day.

I've also used it countless times as a recovery vehicle. I pulled a K-5 blazer out of a river (it's left front wheel was in the river bed!), several cars out of snow banks, and a Nissan pickup towing a fishing boat up and out of a stream it was crossing; the driver couldn't pull the boat across the stream with the bed of the truck loaded with camping gear. My truck did it with four adults and a full days' worth of hiking/picnic supplies inside.

Best truck I ever owned, hands down. I'm looking for another one.