Isuzu Trooper Lifespan?

[lloyd3]

Just picked up a 2002 Trooper with almost 200K miles on it. A one-owner car, my shooting buddy (a now 81-year old) had pampered and garaged it for the last 15 of it's 18 years.  His grandkids didn't want it so...I gave him $1500 for it and drove it home.



Shockingly clean and unmolested for a 4x4 out here. Absolutely everything works flawlessly. It will pinch-hit for my now-defunct Montero until spring arrives.  My question....how far dare I push the timing belt on this unit. At 100k miles it's overdue to be  replaced but... I'm niggling on the added expense for such a high-miles vehicle. 

Opinions?

[DownZero]

Pay a little now or a LOT later plus a tow bill. Your choice.

[WMopar71]

There should be a lot left in that. Didn't Honda re-badge these as Passports?

[Aero426]

There should be a lot left in that. Didn't Honda re-badge these as Passports?

The Isuzu Rodeo was rebadged as a Honda Passport.   

[lloyd3]

That's right. The Troopers were rebadged as Acuras. Can't remember the name they used. Earlier Troopers (pre-'96)  weren't that great, but the last iteration was pretty decent. This will be our third unit. The last one we had (another '02) we gave to my wife's father to use on the Canadian border about 8 years ago. It's still in use up there, pulling docks and launching boats.

[odcics2]

The grandkids were wise to pass.     

Are there other things that were neglected??   

[A383Wing]

the 5 speed manual transmissions were very weak....input bearings failed often, along with the other internal bearings....we replaced many of them over the years

Bryan

[lloyd3]

Went through the brakes and suspension (needed new back brakes and shocks) yesterday, and accordingly some better all-terrain tires and the timing belt a few weeks before. This old Trooper has been very well cared for and is surprisingly solid, even at 197k.  Barring an accident or even teenage abuse, it should just keep on going now for quite a while. Parts have been very cheap on Rock Auto (probably because many seem to be on closeout now) so perhaps that window is closing (?). But really... having a very sound 4X4 for well under $3K is getting pretty tough to do anymore. Still waiting on plates and a title from the county folks (they told me almost 2 months ago now to carry copies of everything I turned in for registration to show law enforcement if I was ever stopped, nothing yet). Because of COVID, you know, the Department of Motor Vehicles can't seem to get much done. Oh well...

[69rtse4spd]

Nice, can the D. M. V. get stuff done on a good day, lol.

[lloyd3]

Get this, I waited the proscribed time and called DMW again. They knew nothing, of course, so I ponied up another credit card payment and drove down there. I parked at the curb and called, as directed, and my new plates, title and registration were trotted out to me in very short order. Got me to thinking...did they ever actually mail them to me in the first place? COVID has been an excuse for all sorts of perfidy, was this yet another example?