The Baja California Travel & Living Webzine

All Old Troopers End up in Baja

The Isuzu Trooper may have started the SUV rage, nothing dominates the Baja Off-road scene like the stalwart Trooper!

I happened to notice in the last few weeks of driving Baja Sur, that is seemed every fifth car on the road seemed to be an Isuzu Trooper. Running the full gambit of years, colors and condition, these trucks, some of them up to 20 years old, still are making their mark on the less dependable roads of Baja.

On the same day that a real moldy oldie, chopped up to be a pick-up style rumbled past me in Cabo I witnessed another of about the same vintage with new paint, a drop kit and under-glow neon.

The Trooper has a tough all-terrain suspension, stretch-out interior and pack-it-all versatility - to take you, a crew and your gear to the farthest reaches of your atlas, if not your imagination. The body shape makes the cargo area much more usable than many newer models.

The Isuzu Trooper has been around more than 20 years. The Trooper was designed to compete with the Land Rover in durability in third world countries as a serious work truck LONG before the term SUV became synonymous with Urban Guerilla Vehicles. The first Troopers entered the United States in 1984.

Pictures really don't matter when it comes to the Trooper. It wasn't the looks that made it memorable, it was the fact that it was legendary.
The Trooper was nicknamed "The Brick" for it's boxy design, heavy weight and top-heavy stature.

It was issued in a very limited number of colors, black, white, brown and red. Today you can find them cruising Baja in just about any color and state of repair.

More than 85 years ago the predecessor to Isuzu Motors Limited built Japan's first truck. The thought behind the Isuzu Trooper are simple. Toughness isn't talk, it's proven in the sands of the playas and the rock slopes of the Sierra here in Baja.

They didn't build it to commute, I wouldn't call it a joy to drive, you know your driving a truck. They didn't outfit it merely to transport antiques home from the flea market. Built on a ladder frame it is heavy and durable. And they didn't design it to make a fashion statement. Fancy molded sheet metal is not to be found on a Trooper.

Often times there is a few days of down time when your old stand-by has a bad day in the shop.

The Trooper's 'boxy' shape, high degree of wind resistance, and smaller engine provide slower acceleration but higher fuel economy than most other trucks in this class. All the same, this car rocked.

These cars usually market for around $2500-$4500 dollars US. Parts are readily available from junkyards, because it seems as many of them are still on the road, many have already 'passed on'. New parts are starting to become scarce according to the local parts dealer. But, he says, they will be around bustin' through the tough roads of Baja for years to come.

Additional Resources

OFFSITE:
Isuzu Troopers Owner's Guild
Used Car Pricin g Guide 1992-2002