High mileage rigs?

[91Trooper]

Hello i became a member today so please let me know if this is not allowed or not in the right spot and i will try to move it, i do not want to do anything wrong on here.

But i am curious if anybody feels that at a certain point a vehicle is getting too high in miles to trust. For example my rig is a 1991 isuzu trooper with the 2.8 v6 and 5 speed manual, auto hubs and sits on american racing wheels and 31s. We bought it from our friend with 126000 miles i now have 317XXX on it but the only thing needing changed due to a break down has been the clutch twice.

 

[CR-Venturer]

Kind of depends on the rig, I would say. Some rigs will go and go, others begin to get dodgy at certain mileage marks.

My CRV is over 311k, but I've seen an example f irst hand with over 500k and still running like a top. The B20Z motor is known to commonly go over 400k with no major issues if it's taken care of. If you do some digging on your particular rig, you'll probably be able to piece together a good idea about at what point it's reaching the end of its life.

 

[91Trooper]

Kind of depends on the rig, I would say. Some rigs will go and go, others begin to get dodgy at certain mileage marks.

My CRV is over 311k, but I've seen an example f irst hand with over 500k and still running like a top. The B20Z motor is known to commonly go over 400k with no major issues if it's taken care of. If you do some digging on your particular rig, you'll probably be able to piece together a good idea about at what point it's reaching the end of its life.

Thank you i just did a search and found that the gm 2.8 lasts forever in the s10 so my hopes are high lol

 

[Stoked]

Mileage doesn't concern me. What I worry about is availability of parts to fix it when something quits. I bought my 91 Land Cruiser with 215k on it (has 230k now), and it runs great. But I know many of the parts for the 3FE are no longer available. I know that it's something that will have to be addressed when I start taking longer trips with it.

I say don't let the mileage worry you as long as you know what the common failure issues are and have a plan to deal with them when them come up. Plus, you get bonus cool points for a vintage rig that you don't see on the road too often.

 

[JDGreens]

I don't know if you would consider 235k high mileage, 91 xj. But over the past 4 yrs. I have gone through 75% of the vehicle upgrading and fixing it up. I'm just as confident in it then I would be in something newer (2010 or brand new no matter what the brand). I do have to say it isn't the most luxurious, but I still would rather run with it. (It's paid for too)

 

[CR-Venturer]

Another thing is to keep up on maintenance; any engine will obviously last longer if it's kept in good condition through regular fluid and filter changes, replacing spark plugs and belts when they get long in the tooth etc.

 

[Anak]

As others have said, it all depends on the vehicle. Miles themselves are not a problem.

I have 180K on my XJ, and there are plenty of those out there over 300K and still going strong.

I have 300K on my Cummins, and those are known to go a million miles and keep on ticking (or rattling as the case may be).

But I wouldn't want to go racking up the miles on a Yugo.

Some things are built well, others not so much.

Instead of cranking up the stereo to mask the occasional noise, pay attention to your vehicle and you will be less likely to get unpleasant surprises. Issues caught early tend to keep breakdowns at bay.

 

[Chadlyb]

Been around cars and bought and sold many over the years. Especially classic vehicles. I've worked for dealers and you couldn't pay me to drive many of the new rigs that were coming out . Shotty design, bad motor and tranny combos, crap parts, etc...list goes on. Mileage to me is just reliability ground work. Eventually everything is going to need something. How much are you willing to pay to replace it? I plan on driving The Black Pearl until the motor begs to be ripped out and replaced by the 2.8 liter diesel Cummins motor. I look forward to driving the miles to get there and the miles after. I've driven many many vehicles but loved only a few. My Toyota Tacoma is hands down a sexy beast . 139k and counting. Just love miles.

 

[Dilldog]

I ran an older Isuzu (1980 4x4 pickup with a 4speed and 1.8L) for 500K, 230K on the engine, and 450K on the trans. Honestly the era of Trooper you have is a super solid rig. I forget which trans they run with the 2.8L V-6 if its BW T5 or the Aisin MUA5 (the tell is if the transfer case is an obviously separate unit its a T5, if it looks like the transmission just has a drop down for the front then its the Aisin gear box), but either way they are both solid gear boxes especially when run behind low power engines and with lots of gear reduction (the Isuzu 8.6" rear on that guy should have 4.56 gears, unless it came with the factory "snowflake" wheels, then it should have 4.77s). As far as the engine, the GM 60* V6s are solid engines, especially the 2.8. They dont make a lot of power but they just keep going. If youre not loosing more than 1 quart of oil per oil change I would trust that engine at that millage. If you do burn a lot of oil, they are easy to get factory rebuilds and dont cost that much. If youre looking for simple longevity I would fight the urge to swap in one of the newer GM 60*s like the 3.1 or 3.4, which would be bolt ins but not as long lived as the 2.8.

 

[Autism Family Travels]

I don't mind high mile rigs, the issue up here is RUST. the red scurge. There are many rigs that could go on and on drivetrain wise, that are dust in the body and chassis department. Finding a good older rig here is hard to do.

 

[CR-Venturer]

I don't mind high mile rigs, the issue up here is RUST. the red scurge. There are many rigs that could go on and on drivetrain wise, that are dust in the body and chassis department. Finding a good older rig here is hard to do.

Very true. It's a bit less of an issue in BC generally, I guess because of the climate, but for sure it's an issue. Apparently Toyota discontinued the Land Cruiser 70 series in Canada due to rust issues :(. Rather than act to fix the rust issues by properly coating the underbodies of the vehicles, they just concluded that the LC70 was too rust prone for Canada lol boo urns!

 

[7mmremmag]

I don't mind high mile rigs, the issue up here is RUST. the red scurge. There are many rigs that could go on and on drivetrain wise, that are dust in the body and chassis department. Finding a good older rig here is hard to do.

Fighting that issue now with my F150. Original owner towed a small fifth wheel camper with it, when sold yanked the hitch and put in a plastic bedliner without covering the raw, unpainted bolt holes for the hitch, which then rotted the bed floor out under the bedliner.

It was a good excuse to fab up a bed/roof rack combo though.

 

[MA_Trooper]

Hello i became a member today so please let me know if this is not allowed or not in the right spot and i will try to move it, i do not want to do anything wrong on here.

But i am curious if anybody feels that at a certain point a vehicle is getting too high in miles to trust. For example my rig is a 1991 isuzu trooper with the 2.8 v6 and 5 speed manual, auto hubs and sits on american racing wheels and 31s. We bought it from our friend with 126000 miles i now have 317XXX on it but the only thing needing changed due to a break down has been the clutch twice.

I hear ya there. I have a 2002 trooper with 150k. That said, everyone on planetisuzu.com says "keep dumping oil in it and it will keep going" lol. Not a comforting thought. But so far that's been true. not a single engine issue, and now that I found the source of my transmission issues that's been solid too. Helps that it was a Texas truck so there was 0 corrosion until last winter.

 

[91Trooper]

I ran an older Isuzu (1980 4x4 pickup with a 4speed and 1.8L) for 500K, 230K on the engine, and 450K on the trans. Honestly the era of Trooper you have is a super solid rig. I forget which trans they run with the 2.8L V-6 if its BW T5 or the Aisin MUA5 (the tell is if the transfer case is an obviously separate unit its a T5, if it looks like the transmission just has a drop down for the front then its the Aisin gear box), but either way they are both solid gear boxes especially when run behind low power engines and with lots of gear reduction (the Isuzu 8.6" rear on that guy should have 4.56 gears, unless it came with the factory "snowflake" wheels, then it should have 4.77s). As far as the engine, the GM 60* V6s are solid engines, especially the 2.8. They dont make a lot of power but they just keep going. If youre not loosing more than 1 quart of oil per oil change I would trust that engine at that millage. If you do burn a lot of oil, they are easy to get factory rebuilds and dont cost that much. If youre looking for simple longevity I would fight the urge to swap in one of the newer GM 60*s like the 3.1 or 3.4, which would be bolt ins but not as long lived as the 2.8.

Good to know, i dont know what wheels came on it our friend already had the american racing wheels, i might need to see if the vin code tells me or maybe a tag on the diffs Im confident now after reading yalls responses in her, i have done tune-ups and im only burning about 1/2 quart every 3k which is the interval i change the oil and filters at. And i have been replaceing parts here and there as far as suspension and steering but nothing has left me stranded except the clutch which is why my main concern was the powertrain (but not anymore after listening to yall lol). Thank you all for the insight im happy to see that mileage is just a number.

 

[91Trooper]

I hear ya there. I have a 2002 trooper with 150k. That said, everyone on planetisuzu says "keep dumping oil in it and it will keep going" lol. Not a comforting thought. But so far that's been true. not a single engine issue, and now that I found the source of my transmission issues that's been solid too. Helps that it was a Texas truck so there was 0 corrosion until last winter.

I loved my 1999 trooper i just sold it because of the oil issue, it had 160XXX on it but with my driving which was highway to and from work it was 1 quart every tank which was way to much for me lol but i miss the 3.5 power compared to my 2.8 lol

 

[smritte]

Looks like everyone addressed the driveline issues pretty well. For me the issues with an older rig is everything else. Yeah, the motor and trans seals harden with age and leak, the power steering wears out, my issues are the weather stripping, seat parts window regulators, grill, headlight buckets...... Mine is a 96 and these are becoming scarce. Ive been going around and replacing things as I can afford them. In five years most of it will be gone.

Scott

 

[91Trooper]

Looks like everyone addressed the driveline issues pretty well. For me the issues with an older rig is everything else. Yeah, the motor and trans seals harden with age and leak, the power steering wears out, my issues are the weather stripping, seat parts window regulators, grill, headlight buckets...... Mine is a 96 and these are becoming scarce. Ive been going around and replacing things as I can afford them. In five years most of it will be gone.

Scott

I know what you mean i bought a complete 1989 trooper just for parts lol same color and interior and drivetrain

 

[CR-Venturer]

I know what you mean i bought a complete 1989 trooper just for parts lol same color and interior and drivetrain

I almost bought an Isuzu Trooper before I bought my CR-V, but unfortunately it was a V8, and since I have a 144km daily round trip commute, I would have gone broke driving it lol If it had been a v6, I for sure would have bought it if it was in good condition, as they were only asking $1850 Canuck bucks. I have to daily drive my rig, so a V8 is out of the question for me.

 

[MA_Trooper]

I almost bought an Isuzu Trooper before I bought my CR-V, but unfortunately it was a V8, and since I have a 144km daily round trip commute, I would have gone broke driving it lol If it had been a v6, I for sure would have bought it if it was in good condition, as they were only asking $1850 Canuck bucks. I have to daily drive my rig, so a V8 is out of the question for me.

Must have been a V8 swap. I've only seen a couple of those. Not easy to do. But the end result is pretty cool. I have plans to import the 3.2 turbo diesel that should be in this trooper when the engine with 5 spd manual when the current ones finally gives out. I don't know when that will be. And I am definitely not trusting it like I used to. So I get where the OP is coming from. I think it all comes down to how comfortable we are with the repairs we have done and also with anything we may need to do on trail.

 

[91Trooper]

I almost bought an Isuzu Trooper before I bought my CR-V, but unfortunately it was a V8, and since I have a 144km daily round trip commute, I would have gone broke driving it lol If it had been a v6, I for sure would have bought it if it was in good condition, as they were only asking $1850 Canuck bucks. I have to daily drive my rig, so a V8 is out of the question for me.

I get about 10 mpg on highway with my 2.8 v6