*help* on d-max

pump

hi lads im thinking of buying a isuzu

2006 - d max 3.0 diesel

this a good buy? what they like on diesel?

would be my first 4x4 am driving a '07 1.8L petrol civic sport now and with bad weather and my location thinking of buying a a 4x4.


thanks for the help

Eric Cartman

Thats the older model so some of this info may be a little off but still

I get about 30mpg average in my 3.0 auto , youd get 33 out of the manual, great powerful engine and really reliable , very few problems with d-max's

the suspension on the older ones is supposed to be a bit bouncy but shocks and leaves can be changed, I find the new one a pleasure to drive.

plenty of 06 cobras about in auto with the leather and the lot on them , I think the cloth seats of the new and old ones look muck but thats my taste.

Ive 8500km up on mine and not a foot wrong on it , a mate has an 06 one with about 220,000km up on his and nothing needed doing bar normal service parts

if its been well looked after it will go for ages and I think their a grand pickup, lots of options for back covers, hard wearing and reliabl

edit : dont buy one with 20" alloys and low profile tyres on it , they make the handling awful and youll feel every bump , a decent set of 16s or 18s with decent tyres will be nice and comfy to drive on

pump

thanks eric for all the info

pump

thanks eric for all the info.

THE LINK WALSH

E Cartman is spot on about the 20 inch wheels,an absolute disaster dont buy one fitted with them under any circumstances,ive driven six or seven different Dmaxs for around 15000kms over the past seven Years or so and can confirm them to be a decent trouble free machine,apart from an odd starter very little is sold for them in the aftersales market.

Id question that 33mpg figure though,25 might be more like it,dont buy an Auto unless your a big fan of Auto,manuals will be a lot more plentiful secondhand in any case,watch out for the lid covers on the back,the one that can fold up to the height of the roof is a troublesome yoke with too many moving parts,a Mountain top lid or a canopy would be a better option,they updated the spec in early 06 to change to a chunkier type front grille and lower cut front bumper,lighter coloured seats,different alloys and a slightly different dash,as they were improving the suspension all the time getting the newer type should be your aim.

The current model came out in the middle of 2007 with a commonrail engine(that doesnt give trouble),its a better machine much quieter,more powerful and a bit more comfortable to drive and with cruise control aswell,this would be the ideal one to buy but might be out of your pricerange,you wont go wrong with the earlier ones either.

Pkiernan

+1 on the wheels.

Better off with smaller diameter wheels and more rubber on a 4x4 (unless you are a rapper/crack dealer).

Jack C

Somobody please correct me but is the 3.0l Isuzu engine not a heap.

Eric Cartman

Jack C wrote: »

Somobody please correct me but is the 3.0l Isuzu engine not a heap.

that was the 3.0 in the trooper (Engine 4JX1) which gave trouble , the D-Max now uses the 3.0 4JJ1 TC for pre 2007 and TCX for 2007 to now , much more reliable engine, no real problems noticed

THE LINK WALSH

Eric Cartman wrote: »

that was the 3.0 in the trooper (Engine 4JX1) which gave trouble , the D-Max now uses the 3.0 4JJ1 TC for pre 2007 and TCX for 2007 to now , much more reliable engine, no real problems noticed

No problems whatsoever,a great unit ya wont be getting any trouble with injectors/turbos/EGR Valves etc in one of these units,as reliable as any 3.1 engine ever was.

gcuan

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Ive 8500km up on mine and not a foot wrong on it , a mate has an 06 one with about 220,000km up on his and nothing needed doing bar normal service parts

if its been well looked after it will go for ages and I think their a grand pickup, lots of options for back covers, hard wearing and reliabl

Eric, how do you and your mate find them for towing, or do you do much towing?

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the D-Max now uses the 3.0 4JJ1 TC for pre 2007 and TCX for 2007 to now

Would I be right in saying yours has the TCX and your mate has the 4JJ1 TC?
Do you find much difference in power?

Very interested in your comments as I am looking to do something this week if there's a deal to be done.

Eric Cartman

gcuan wrote: »

Eric, how do you and your mate find them for towing, or do you do much towing?



Would I be right in saying yours has the TCX and your mate has the 4JJ1 TC?
Do you find much difference in power?

Very interested in your comments as I am looking to do something this week if there's a deal to be done.

the acceleration is a fair bit quicker with the variable geometry turbo in the tcx , between the turbo and the 30bhp extra you do feel it, although a TC with a remap may come close (havent driven a remapped one) , never asked him about towing as I dont tow a lot so I cant really give you a review but ive heard good things and not too bad on fuel while towing apparently , I had a 750kg single axle 6x4 trailer on her once for going to the dump, probably weighed 500-600kg in total and i was getting somewhere between 23 and 26mpg doing 80km/h , for the sake of resale and interior build , if you can get a post facelift (late 07 onwards) one it is nicer to be in and doesnt look as cheap as the older one

gcuan

Eric, many thanks for the info.

Eric Cartman wrote: »

that was the 3.0 in the trooper (Engine 4JX1) which gave trouble , the D-Max now uses the 3.0 4JJ1 TC for pre 2007 and TCX for 2007 to now , much more reliable engine, no real problems noticed

Are you sure about the engine codes above?
I spoke to Isuzu today and they tell me that pre 07 was 4JH1-TC and post 07 is 4JJ1-TC

4JJ1-TC being quieter, more powerful etc.
Thanks again.

Eric Cartman

gcuan wrote: »

Eric, many thanks for the info.



Are you sure about the engine codes above?
I spoke to Isuzu today and they tell me that pre 07 was 4JH1-TC and post 07 is 4JJ1-TC

4JJ1-TC being quieter, more powerful etc.
Thanks again.

4JH1 was a left over from the TFS (pre 2003) and was only put in thai built d-maxs until mid 2004 afaik , the 4JJ1-TC has been used since until 2008 when the TCX was fitted

gcuan

Eric, thanks again.
Some of the garages didnt seem too aware that there was an engine change but we got there eventually thanks to the info on here.

She is going well so far.