In the early 90’s, Isuzu found a winning combination when it introduced the Isuzu Trooper. This was a mid-sized truck, tough and sturdy, with great off-road capabilities. It was an immediate success because of its boxy styling and rugged ability to handle any road conditions.
Unfortunately, the Trooper never did improve, and as the competition caught up to it, and then passed it, the Trooper became a middle-of-the-pack alternative, and then it slipped from prominence altogether.
Competition was provided by the Ford Explorer, the General Motors trucks, and the Toyota Sequoia, all better options with many more positives than the Trooper. The final year for the Trooper was 2002, and it now remains a viable option for a second vehicle, but nothing more.
The original Trooper was powered by a four-cylinder engine that would never win a road race but was more than adequate off-road. That engine was updated to a 3.5-liter DOHC V6 that gave 215 horsepower. It was paired with an automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. Added to that was the best warranty in the business at 10-years and 120,000 mile powertrain protection. For an off-roader these were generous additions.
Standard features included heated cloth seats, 16-inch alloy wheels and a standard six-CD changer. You could move up to the Limited Edition and pick up a sunroof, leather interior, and a two-tone paint scheme. However, as the years went by the options and standard features appeared rather bland compared to the competition.
It was in safety that the Trooper truly fell short. It was rated the lowest of any in its class, and the average repair bill for a fender-bender was $11,000. Not exactly encouraging news!
Having said all that, if you have the opportunity to pick up a Trooper from the early 90’s, and you can get it at a good price, it will serve you well for your fishing and hunting trips. It will definitely get you where you want to do with a minimum of fuss.
As you might expect, replacement parts for a used Trooper are not that expensive, but still, your best bet is to stop by All Import Auto Parts, or another local salvage yard, and grab up all the replacement parts that you need. There is no reason to buy new aftermarket parts when the Trooper is made so well. Used parts will serve you just fine and you will save money in the bargain.