Isuzu trooper 3.0

deise toffee

This has probably been posted before but need fresh answers.Wanting to change my 4x4.Have a 1999 Toyota landcruiser that needs replacing.Looking at a 2003 trooper executive model.Are these jeeps as bad as people make out?Can be bought cheaply, but is that because they are rubbish?

TrailerBob

You get what you pay for at that age. The 3.0 Isuzu is not nearly as good as the older 3.1 unit. Plagued with issues in their early days. I'd imagine one that's lasted this long would be ok, as its probably had any problems sorted. Decent tow vehicle, and look the part, but Ive driven a couple, and they just don't feel as capable as the Toyota for me. Look at the numbers available in that age range, there's a reason the LC outlives almost anything else.

bazz26

I'd look at something like another Landcruiser or a Pajaro instead if it were me.

Mf310

Have one myself this past year. 2004 3.0 great jeep to tow and very comfortable drive.

JohnBoy26

deise toffee wrote: »

This has probably been posted before but need fresh answers.Wanting to change my 4x4.Have a 1999 Toyota landcruiser that needs replacing.Looking at a 2003 trooper executive model.Are these jeeps as bad as people make out?Can be bought cheaply, but is that because they are rubbish?

They aren't a patch on a landcruiser and can end up breaking your wallet if they start to give problems.

Pay a bit more and buy a lancruiser is what i'd do.

ELM327

You'll resent anything other than a landcruiser if you replace it with something else
If you need a 4x4, Landcruisers are the best in their field.

What's your budget?
Nissan Patrols aren't bad if slow, cheaper than Landcruisers but rare as not a huge seller new.

jippo nolan

Had a Izuzu 3:0l 2000 I bought in 2005,
Broke my heart , constantly in main dealers with engine issues. Would stop dead in traffic from fuel starvation.
Paid €17000 & got €3000 on trade in two years later. Biggest piece of s;:Re I ever had.
Beware!

deise toffee

Augeo wrote: »

What's your budget?
Nissan Patrols aren't bad if slow, cheaper than Landcruisers but rare as not a huge seller new.

They are a good jeep too but very few available now it seems.

deise toffee

Augeo wrote: »

What's your budget?
Nissan Patrols aren't bad if slow, cheaper than Landcruisers but rare as not a huge seller new.

The thing is I don't want to spend to much as jeep will do a lot of field work.No point in dogging a new landcruiser.Probably 4k

deise toffee

jippo nolan wrote: »

Had a Izuzu 3:0l 2000 I bought in 2005,
Broke my heart , constantly in main dealers with engine issues. Would stop dead in traffic from fuel starvation.
Paid €17000 & got €3000 on trade in two years later. Biggest piece of s;:Re I ever had.
Beware!

Yes heard a lot of horror stories like that.I must be a glutton for punishment.Surely there is the odd good trooper out there though.

deise toffee

ELM327 wrote: »

You'll resent anything other than a landcruiser if you replace it with something else
If you need a 4x4, Landcruisers are the best in their field.

Definitely agree with you there, but looking for a jeep that will be going through fields being roughly treated,don't want to spend big money.No point in dogging a new landcruiser.Even the older landcruisers are big money to buy...

deise toffee

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

They aren't a patch on a landcruiser and can end up breaking your wallet if they start to give problems.

Pay a bit more and buy a lancruiser is what i'd do.

Probably sound advice ðŸ‘

deise toffee

Mf310 wrote: »

Have one myself this past year. 2004 3.0 great jeep to tow and very comfortable drive.

Did you have any problems with turbo, injectors or the usual problems that most of them gave?

JohnBoy26

deise toffee wrote: »

Yes heard a lot of horror stories like that.I must be a glutton for punishment.Surely there is the odd good trooper out there though.

Someone I know bought a brand new one back in 00 and still has it to this day. This jeep has a lot of hard work done with no major problems in 18 years but that is the only person I know who had no problems with them.

I know a dozen others who had one at some point and all were bank breakers with issues.

The landcruiser just holds up much better and is easier to live with. It's also a better jeep to drive in my experience.

The patrol in 3.0 also wasn't a bad jeep but always felt underpowered to me and also liked to drink diesel, not that any jeep will be economical but these were harder on juice than a landcruiser.

punisher5112

Honestly worst 4x4 I've ever driven or owned and have had many.

Their engine and all it's components are extremely difficult to work on and the recall they done a few years back to try and get rid of the embarrassing flaws and gave a huge discount to get a dmax.

She'd loads were scrapped.

Great towing but everything else is an extreme let down.

Reliable eh no not at all.

colm_mcm

If you can stretch to another decent Land Cruiser then that’s the way to go, failing that I’d be looking at a Pajero automatic. They just don’t feel as good as a Land Cruiser though but obviously if the budget is tight you might get a better Pajero for the money.

I think ploughing more money into your 99 would make way more sense than buying a 03 Trooper for the same money.

JohnBoy26

colm_mcm wrote: »

If you can stretch to another decent Land Cruiser then that’s the way to go, failing that I’d be looking at a Pajero automatic. They just don’t feel as good as a Land Cruiser though but obviously if the budget is tight you might get a better Pajero for the money.

I think ploughing more money into your 99 would make way more sense than buying a 03 Trooper for the same money.

They don't feel as good because they are not as good. They are less powerful in reality, less economical, less refined and not near as well put together.

I know they have a bigger engine than the cruiser but it doesn't translate in real world performance.

I know someone who went from a land cruiser to a pajaro and they were back in a landcruiser within 6 months.

colm_mcm

I know, sure I had a Shogun myself years ago, and while it was just fine, I’d have preferred a Cruiser or even a Hilux Surf! I used to sell Land Cruisers and get a lot of Pajeros as trade ins, they were just in a different league that wasn’t immediately apparent.

The Trooper was the daddy back in the early 90s though.

punisher5112

I've heard a few horror stories of the cruiser engine blowing. Happened a few I know.

Great 4x4 though. Nice place to be.

JohnBoy26

colm_mcm wrote: »

I know, sure I had a Shogun myself years ago, and while it was just fine, I’d have preferred a Cruiser or even a Hilux Surf! I used to sell Land Cruisers and get a lot of Pajeros as trade ins, they were just in a different league that wasn’t immediately apparent.

The Trooper was the daddy back in the early 90s though.

The old trooper had a good engine though and was a decent jeep. The newer trooper would of been grand too only for the engine.

JohnBoy26

punisher5112 wrote: »

I've heard a few horror stories of the cruiser engine blowing. Happened a few I know.

Great 4x4 though. Nice place to be.

That was down to the injector seals which when they failed caused sludge in the oil which eventually ends up blocking the oil pickup. Toyota rectified this on later jeeps and the fix can be applied to older ones easily enough.

It's a minor problem that can turn into a bigger problem if the work isn't carried out.

deise toffee

colm_mcm wrote: »

If you can stretch to another decent Land Cruiser then that’s the way to go, failing that I’d be looking at a Pajero automatic. They just don’t feel as good as a Land Cruiser though but obviously if the budget is tight you might get a better Pajero for the money.

I think ploughing more money into your 99 would make way more sense than buying a 03 Trooper for the same money.

You might be right! It needs a replacement front axle as diff is f*****.Could probably pick up 2nd hand axle for€600-700 labour then to fit it maybe €400.She'd be back on the road fora grand.Everything else is good in her, perfect engine, good clutch.

JohnBoy26

deise toffee wrote: »

You might be right! It needs a replacement front axle as diff is f*****.Could probably pick up 2nd hand axle for€600-700 labour then to fit it maybe €400.She'd be back on the road fora grand.Everything else is good in her, perfect engine, good clutch.

Get it repaired if all else is good. €1100 isn't big money in the grand scheme of things.

deise toffee

colm_mcm wrote: »

If you can stretch to another decent Land Cruiser then that’s the way to go, failing that I’d be looking at a Pajero automatic. They just don’t feel as good as a Land Cruiser though but obviously if the budget is tight you might get a better Pajero for the money.

I think ploughing more money into your 99 would make way more sense than buying a 03 Trooper for the same money.

Had a 1992 pajero 2.5,put about 4 clutches into it over a few years, also no pulling power.Replaced it with a landcruiser which I had for 8 years, never had to replace clutch and some jeep to pull.