Here's how Isuzu in America was loved in the 80s, but nearly forgotten today

[@chrispontani6059]

Joe Isuzu was one of the best advertising campaigns of the 80’s.

[@david.mcmahan]

At the mention of Isuzu, I always think of those ads.

[@chrisjohnson3912]

So so good... absolutely hilarious ads

[@frankchan4272]

Your lying 😂

[@deeacosta2734]

He was the man. Hope he’s doing well.

[@damonwade9476]

Yes he was👍💯

[@williamludlow3788]

I purchase an Isuzu Tropper in 1992. I still have this SUV today, 30 years later.

[@gmf8171]

I like how when they show the "bullet" flying it's actually the entire cartridge lmao

[@elfpimp1]

Haha, yeah, I noticed that too.. 🤣

[@bigzeke7431]

Also holding the target in front of his face when the 'bullet' hits lmao

[@elfpimp1]

@@bigzeke7431 right?!?! 🤣

[@RickTrajan]

That's probably what all those uninformed animators used as reference for a fired bullet.

[@famousbowl9926]

No it's not. Looks like the bullet used on Kennedy..

[@Oonagh72]

When GM buys in “…you know how this will end.” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🤣😂

[@Henry_Jones]

Yep leave it to gm to ruin a good thing. They were a sinking ship for decades and shoulda never been bailed out. If it wasnt for the uaw the dems woulda let them sink.

[@jsembler1]

Great line!

[@adambutler1513]

@@Henry_Jones def agreed. too bad they didn't have someone like fiat did to help out Chrysler cause their much better off now. or at least be like Ford and be independent lol

[@mervynstent1578]

Luckily Isuzu didn’t end up like Saab 💀

[@glennso47]

@@adambutler1513 I don’t think Chrysler is better off now. Fiats are among the least reliable cars on earth. Chrysler quality has taken a nosedive in the past few years.

[@Gizmo42Rodeo]

I'm still rockin my '99 Rodeo. Lots of us Isuzu enthusiasts still around. Including Joe Isuzu himself. David Leisure is a member of our group.

[@mikethemike6406]

The zoo?

[@TheEdward12358]

Nice my bro got 2001 rodeo with 3.1 TD and dammmmm she fast pulls boxes for 18 wheelers really ez and best part she came out gold paint :)

[@doctorfeinstone6524]

That's awesome

[@geoffc376]

About 5 years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. David Leisure. We spoke for nearly 45 minutes, and I must say that he's a very kind, charming and funny man. He even gave me an autographed photo. Thank you sir!

[@guidomirabel4011]

Isuzu deserves more love!! ❤️

[@mervynstent1578]

Australia loves there Isuzu DMAX Utes

[@kobayashiharuno]

Isuzu thrives a lot here in the Philippines with their Utility vans, trucks, SUV and Pick up trucks. and of course, their unkillable diesel engines.

[@IsuzuItaliaUfficiale]

🙏🏻

[@erikbunty2016]

They were ahead of their time to a degree, they were the first automaker in the US to do away with cars and focus on SUVs, like the Trooper, Rodeo (Honda Passport), Amigo, Axiom, and Ascender (Chevy Trailblazer), and the Hombre pickup (Chevy S10). Who knew, many years later, other car companies, such as the Big 3, would do this?

[@vicksanchez6376]

Apparently Isuzu is getting some love from Mazda since they partner with them to produce the new b-series pickup

[@nextup1864]

I owned a 1978 Ford Pinto. 2.3L 4 cylinder. 2-door hatchback. I bought the car when I turned 16 and drove it thru high school and college. That car was awesome. I had more fun with that car.

[@michaelb.42112]

I drove an Isuzu P'up all through the 90's. What a great truck.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Loved my Isuzu trooper. Very tough off road.

[@brandonanderson254]

Love your vids

[@bobbyratliff3349]

I had an 86 that had almost 500,000 miles when the rear end went out wish I had fixed it now it was a beast

[@BernardoBerndsen]

I was an Isuzu tech in a past life - that was the only vehicle they made that was worth anything and great off roader for the cost!

[@nickmurphy4209]

It can go anywhere from the West Bank to Naples Florida and look at home in both.

[@zaceryhammond1144]

1.2 m subs not verified your fucking up sir

[@JasonFlorida]

That takes me back to 1999 to 2003 when I was a Finance Manager at an automall type dealership that one of the lines was Isuzu and those Axioms were pretty popular and looked really great. The trooper had there own little following but looked outdated and I remember a 60 minutes type of report showing how easily those Troopers flipped over and that put a big hurting on sales. That vehicross was really outlandish at the time with extreme styling and a very expensive price we hardly sold any. I do remember a manager bought one and we all thought he was crazy! I grew up in the 80s and sure remember those Joe Isuzu ads, that was a wild advertising campaign that aired a lot and was extremely funny and different for the era. I appreciate this upload! Thank you!

[@calbob750]

The Trooper was one of the several vehicles that Consumer Reports hooked up with the outriggers for rollover testing that failed. You are right about the Vehicross. It scared away buyers in my opinion.

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

The Vehicross was a limited production sort of race homologation truck, made for off roading. It also was a base for a lot of technology that Isuzu was starting to make for the growing SUV market. A friend has one, it's pretty interesting and honestly amazing on trails, pretty quick off the line, too.

[@tghidsgn]

CR was found to have greatly exaggerated claims about Isuzus rolling over, but Isuzu were not awarded damages other than attorney's fees: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Trooper#Rollover_controversy CR's smear campaign was enough to put the final nail in the coffin, though.

[@davidherbst]

@@tghidsgn The CR report came out a year before the refresh in 1998. With the huge incentives put on them to clear out the last model year inventory, Trooper sales were essentially unaffected. It had become a low-volume flagship in the US, anyway (hence Isuzu’s inability to demonstrate damages to the jury). Isuzu was only selling about 20k a year in the US by the late 90’s having shifted volume sales to the Rodeo. It’s exit after 2002 had nothing to do with that report and everything to do with economics. High inflation in Japan sucked all the profit out of it. There was more money to be made selling badge-engineered GMs. It was a sad end to a good product line.

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

@@tghidsgn CR seems to have that problem, and funny thing is if Toyota was rebadging them to have an infill product, you just know CR would endlessly gush on about it's superior performance and reliability, and that it's the safest and best driving truck in it's class. When the corrola and NUMMI Nova were literally built on the same assembly line with the same vendors supplying parts, CR judged the corrola as perfect, but the Nova was substandard and far less reliable, when they were literally the same car.

[@sokay2laugh512]

I still have my 99 Amigo. I love that rig. People try to buy it from me when I’m parking.

[@TheEdward12358]

I feel you my 1990 green isuzu pick up truck with my 2.4 Turbodiesel...everywhere I go they try to buy it am like noooooo

[@donaldmiller9130]

I absolutely loved my 1989 Isuzu Trooper LS four-door. It was my first truck and 4WD: 2.6 liter four-cylinder with a wonderful long-throw manual shifter. Slow, but fun to rev and drive. It quickly displaced my BMW 320i, because I'm 6'5" and I could stretch-out while it took me on unforgettable off-road adventures from California to Colorado. It slowly succumbed to indifferent dealer service abilities. I finally sold it with nearly a quarter-million miles -- replaced by a much more reliable 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser (rare full-time FWD manual model), which I plan to keep forever! RIP, Little Trooper....

[@TheEdward12358]

Aww you should keep the trooper bro

[@damieg82]

I'm from the Caribbean and Isuzu is still very much a presence on the roads, and not only with commercial vehicles. Their D-Max pickup and MUX sport utility are family favourites. And their pickups are so good, Mazda has partnered with them for the replacement Mazda BT50, which previously was a partnership/sibling of the Ford Ranger.

[@johnd8892]

Same story in Australia.

[@itsPikachu]

Same in 🇵🇷

[@LivinfreeinTennessee]

I had several isuzu troopers, they were under powered but when you're offroad in 4 low they are great. Lots of cargo space and very dependable. Very capable vehicle.

[@danimal0921]

JOE ISUZU WAS THE MAN!!!!! And, at the age of 19 in 1980, I bought a 1979 LUV 4X4 long bed and absolutely LUVed that little thing!!!

[@DNRailworks]

I absolutely LOVED my Rodeo, I had a 96, easiest engine I ever worked on and it ran to 412k miles until I traded it like a dumbass. The Rodeo is still pretty bullet proof if its taken care of. Isuzu actually still sells new parts for them.

[@mdf3530]

I loved the Joe Isuzu commercials

[@Bacnow]

If the Amigo had stayed in production with incremental improvements, it would be a worldwide sensation!

[@TheEdward12358]

Good times for me as a kid ..my dad still has 1988 isuzu pickup truck and best part it's still there ...with upgrades to TD and 4x4 :) and she still going strong :)

[@spannersautoandcomputerser1649]

Currently have a 1990 Trooper and it is still going very strong!! Just did the timing belt and water pump so I am certain it will go a long time more. Currently 237000 miles

[@TheCRTman]

I still see a Roadeo driving around every so often. They were everywhere as a kid

[@jimmyblues59m76]

We had a 1990 Isuzu Trooper 4 cylinder, purchased new, and drove it for almost 20 years before trading it in on a Subaru Outback. Really loved that truck!

[@patrickzadd5215]

We had a 1990 Trooper…… 4-cylinder it was underpowered….. but, super reliable! I miss that truck!

[@tezlaactual6582]

I still have my Isuzu amigo and I love it

[@leekisselburg8013]

In the early 90s, I owned a 1989 Impulse. Loved that car and it's handling capabilities... Wish I had it back!!!

[@tdwz1652]

i had an isuzu space cab, i loved that truck

[@6ettinold]

I remember looking at a few Troopers here in the UK. Every single one suffered with terminal corrosion. Always found the lack of rustproofing odd given that they were intended for off-road use.

[@georgebull-mclean3333]

They were intended for off road use for as long as the 3 year finance plan.

[@lukeskywalker1840]

I had an Isuzu pickup made in 1988. It was a four-wheel drive model. It was tough as nails and seemed to thrive on neglect. It was a great truck. I wish I still had it.

[@blackhawk7r221]

Our dealership carried Isuzu right up until they pulled out of the American market. It was vary much the budget alternative to all the other manufacturer brands we sold. Their quality was on par with Nissan, but not up to a Honda or Toyota. In 1990, the little base model Q16 pickups were EVERYWHERE. For $3995 it was a tremendous deal.

[@salvadortorres3956]

Because of Joe Isuzu I bought my first ever new car a 2000 Isuzu Rodeo i still have it 20+ years with only 149,000 miles, great SUV.

[@theogantenbein7870]

I just bought an Isuzu Amigo this year (which was marketed as an Opel Frontera Sport here in Germany) as a toy. It’s a fun car and surprisingly well made. A nice change from the aircooled Volkswagens I usually spend my spare time with 😋.

[@phillipstankey8881]

I had an Isuzu Amigo with the half soft top in the mid to late 90's. LOVED that lttle truck...

[@luismanuelvrf]

I was a kid in the late 80´s early 90´s (almost 38 now) and lived in Paraguay back then. All Isuzu cars as the Gemini, Aska (rebadged Chevrolet Cavalier) KB and Trooper were very popular there, and were a serious competitor for bigger Japanese brands. This success was so big that this is the only country in all Americas where the brand has survived uninterruped (as car brand of course) with the D-Max and MU-X available. Tariffs were a big issue in most Latin American countries at the time, which limited success. Thanks for all the information shared in your video!

[@Deadeye-sj3qc]

I still have a 1993 trooper and run it as a daily driver. It's awesome over snow

[@Sanpedranoazul]

Great review! Here in Latin America Isuzus are well-known pick ups and suvs of high reliability; I personally was a big fan of the Amigo so it was sad to see it gone

[@RafaelPernia]

The Trooper was the "Caribe". A Classic in Venezuela. More recently, the Luv D-Max pick up truck was very good

[@Sanpedranoazul]

@@RafaelPernia was there a diesel variant?

[@maraujo1984]

@@Sanpedranoazul no, no Diésel variant

[@maraujo1984]

@@RafaelPernia por su puesto! Dos generaciones de Isuzu Trooper se vendieron allá como Caribe 442; pero la tercera ya sí era Isuzu Rodeo y no fue muy popular que digamos

[@RafaelPernia]

@@Sanpedranoazul not in Venezuela... our gasoline was and still is almost free.

[@davidparnell5743]

I owned a few Isuzu Troopers and I loved them! They could go almost anywhere!

[@mrpoohbearlvr]

Loved my Storm wagon. Had that unique green/blue color like on here ! Great car,wish I never sold it.

[@erikkison]

Those cars bring many great memories. Too bad they don’t sell anymore.

[@boomer005]

I absolutely LOVE your Chanel!!! Don't stop the videos Brother. There is a Ton of Cars out there for you to do Vids on! Keep it going!!!

[@lassestutzki9898]

Gretings from Germany , i own a Isuzu Trooper from 1989 with a 2.8 Turbo Diesel engine, and its one of the best offroad vehicle in my opinion.

[@monkmchorning]

My '89 Trooper suited my purposes very well, moderate commuting on weekdays and hauling climbers and skiers to trailheads on weekends. Its failure (or mine) was finding a competent mechanic to maintain it.

[@TheEdward12358]

Its wz to maintain if you know what your doing

[@williambone7724]

Loved that Isuzu Amigo/Rodeo Sport!

[@chrisbullard5901]

I got to drive an Isuzu NPR box truck occasionally for work years ago. That cab over design with all that visibility made it one of the most fun vehicles I’ve ever driven.

[@mychemicalbromance97]

I love it. Where I work, all our trucks are Isuzu, apparently we’ve ordered some freightliners now too but are standard cab trucks, dunno whether my location will end up with any but I love driving the cab overs.

[@AAA-nq6bo]

I bought a brand new 1989 Isuzu Trooper II. I was the only vehicle on the road during the Great Halloween Snow storm in MN. Just an amazing SUV that would out perform anything in the snow. Amazing 4 x 4 and could go through any amount of snow in MN. Best 4 x 4 I’ve ever owned and I’ve had a lot.

[@johnnymason3265]

The 1998-2002 Isuzu Trooper is definitely on my bucket list! It got full-time 4WD and that made it great! I used to have a 1987 Chevrolet Spectrum (built by Isuzu)! Still wish it hadn't broke down! Would be driving it today!

[@noahwebb6179]

I have a 2000 trooper and that thing is great. I just replaced the engine and she still runs like new!

[@AFluffyMobius]

Weirdly enough, in my teenage years i wanted a Trooper so bad. A 2001 Trooper Anniversary Edition in that beautiful Polar White Perl monotone color and the Nakamichi stereo with the 12-spoke wheels. ugh, still looks good today imo.

[@emilianoperezdominguez8642]

THE SPECTRUM IS A FORGOTTEN CAR AND WAS SOLD ONLY IN NORTH AMERICA, NOT IN MEXICO

[@johnnymason3265]

@@emilianoperezdominguez8642 It's a shame the Spectrum wasn't sold in Mexico! It would have sold well there!

[@emilianoperezdominguez8642]

But the LUV was sold in mexico

[@highwayman1218]

Wasnt a big Isuzu fan honestly.... But always a big fan of seeing these old 80s vehicles and commercials! The stuff youd never see these days, "I cant say Chevrolet." Joe Isuzu, haha. Such great stuff early on with those commercials. 👍👍

[@Flipnred78]

I was the proud owner of a brand new blue 1992 amigo back in the day. They were kinda cool….good times

[@oneolddog8809]

Loved my trooper! Handed down to my youngest son. It was blue and silver.

[@AgentDustal]

My first car was an 89 Impulse Turbo. It was super fun and very futuristic in it's day!

[@luisvilla799]

Trooper and amigo kick ass awesome vehicles

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Isuzu marketed so good that I can still remember the Amigo commercial song and all of the Joe Isuzu ads! That was a fun video!

[@loetzcollector466]

I lived through this ad campaign as a young man. I think most people had a very favorable view of the advertising campaign, even if not the cars themselves

[@frozenrobert5735]

Great channel & video! My 2nd car (as a college student in 1990's) was an Isuzu I-Mark. Quirky, fun, and sporty -- I loved mashing the gas pedal & watching the turbo boost needle slam -- finishing with an exciting & inevitable turbo whoosh! Loved that car, super reliable too. Isuzu America = another tragic GM love-child. Thanks 4 the memories...

[@michaelstanley8418]

It's only the Isuzu engine in my van & truck that impresses me with it's capabilities. I think the Isuzu Duramax is the Heartbeat of the best Diesel Vehicles in the World! Thank You My Old Car for making and sharing this video. Isuzu is so deserving for the input of technology they have contributed in the Auto Industry.

[@1satisfiedmind]

Heheheh! I owned a '91 Trooper, and that thing was Bulletproof. Spent 10 years testing its limits on mountain trails. 10 years and 270k, it finally died. I bought a 2002, and by 84k I had rebuilt the transmission twice...first time at 72k. That thing ended my love affair w Isuzu post '90's Isuzu's. I flirted w the VihiCross, and almost bought one, used, but the day I was to go test drive a used one, the owner called me to tell me it broke down and the part was unavailable anywhere in the states at the time. I'd buy a 1st Gen Trooper again, if I could find one.

[@geoffmooregm]

Your 02 must have had an Automatic. They used the 4L30E behind that V6. There was no hope of survival. They should have used the 4L60E.

[@HockeyGoon939]

Didn't IH use an Isuzu diesel in their Scout?

[@geoffmooregm]

@@HockeyGoon939 IH used Nissan diesels. S-10's (Not the LUV) did use an Isuzu diesel for a short time. Ford used a Perkins and Mitsubishi diesel in the Ranger. All were very rare and made 100hp or less. However, fuel economy was pretty damn good.

[@HockeyGoon939]

@@geoffmooregm At that time the base 4 cylinder gas engines didn't make a 100 hp either.

[@geoffmooregm]

@@HockeyGoon939 I know, could you imagine trying to merge at 70mph with freeway traffic today? Your foot is on the floor but the speedo is barely rising. 🤣

[@mychemicalbromance97]

Hey I drive new Isuzus every day! The new Isuzu trucks even have funky bus seat fabric. Tbh, without GM’s mismanagement, Isuzu’s truck and SUV bias would have set them up perfectly for today’s market.

[@mfitzy100]

I remember they were everywhere in Ireland too- especially the Gemini, Aska and Trooper diesels. A few D Max’s is all now even though they’re fairly popular with builders and farmers

[@zacharyleger2292]

I own and drive a 1993 Isuzu rodeo daily. It runs great!

[@BrianVonClick]

This was wonderful. Thank you. Had many fond memories in my inherited 1984 Isuzu P’up longbed with dealer installed camper shell. Slow as molasses, but thrifty on gas and was a rolling tool box. Then I had the opportunity to purchase a near pristine 1991 Trooper 5 speed 4x4 so I got that to cash in on wishing the pickup had 4wd. The motor seized up on my way back home one day; and at the time I just didn’t have the time or money to have it fixed or to give it a heart transplant. So sad… it was unlike anything I’ve ever driven before. A greenhouse only comparable (in my experience) to a 1998 Land Rover Discovery I had in high school. THIN DOOR PANELS (no air bags if I recall) and LOTS OF GLASS. Oh how the times have changed.

[@MarcG7424]

Joe Isuzu was hilarious and marketing genius you may not have bought their cars but you could not forget their commercials

[@cj92akl]

Here in New Zealand, we pronounced the name of the Holden Rodeo ute the same as the fancy shopping street in Beverly Hills: Ro-DÉO.

[@mowerplus]

We had a 91 Trooper and a 2001 Trooper, they were great trucks.

[@m3trooper]

I had a '93 Isuzu Trooper LS from "98 to '05. Put nearly 200k on it. Bullet proof vehicle, and wish I still had that rig.

[@stratcat4450]

I don't recall ever seeing any ads on tv for Isuzus. I did buy my wife a brand new amigo and the quality was excellent. I was driving a jeep Cherokee at the time which I loved for the shift on the fly 4x4. the amigo was actually better on heavy snow an ice. After about 60k the jeep was a constant repair problem even though I care for my vehicles well. The little amigo never broke and was still trouble free when we finally sold it.

[@kilohotel6750]

I still love the VehiCross. Would love to find one in decent shape, but wonder how hard it would be to find parts for now.

[@joshlewis5486]

One drives by my work every day

[@angrygerman3286]

I got a 99 vehiCross and love it.. it's my daily driver...

[@Snocone333]

it shares most of the parts with the rodeo, if im not horribly wrong, and ive had pretty good luck on parts with my 95 rodeo in the 4 years ive owned it.

[@Low760]

None left in Australia either, they used to be common

[@angrygerman3286]

The only problem is to find body parts like bumpers and such ...look in junkyards..

[@bigmonmagoomba9634]

Had a Japanese-made Isuzu pickup in the ‘80s. Best vehicle I ever owned. Still have a ‘96 pu that runs great.

[@pleasesteponmepaulsimon5689]

I have a rodeo and that darn thing ain't so pretty after what the past owner did (ran into a pole head on) it works like a charm, great on gas, reliable and sturdy. Love that little bastard 💛

[@kristensorensen2219]

My 1990 Geo Storm is my used baby. 92k miles and it still gets complements for its looks. 35mpg hiway.

[@briannavarrete49]

Love your videos. I would love to see a future Oldsmobile Aurora video

[@alvinuselton912]

Still very entertained. Bringing back memories always liked the joe izuzu commercials they were always funny never got old

[@fragezeichenkanal]

I live in germany, and the first time I saw an Isuzu was during my time abroad in Malta. Back in germany I started working at a gasstation and there, I could spot about 1 or 2 Isuzus annualy.

[@kd7alt]

I love my 1988 Isuzu Trooper. 2.6l I have 317k miles and still going.

[@padroooo]

A brand with many faces. I remember the Chevy LUV and owned three Opel Kadett's.

[@hazard4349]

Dang that's sick! I got a manta

[@jmorris023]

Had two V6 Rodeos, one first gen and one second. Both were excellent quality. Always wanted that 80s Impulse Turbo.

[@supralapsarian]

3:39 “That’s OK, kid. I can’t say ‘Chevoray.’” 🤣 Can you imagine that pitch being presented in a board room today, let alone on TV? You would be crucified!

[@nomadcowatbk]

they why does TBS still run a Christmas Story for 24hrs on xmas? Fa Ra Ra

[@travieso2278]

I had an Isuzu Trooper II. Best suv for adventure. It was incredible and got me out of mud pits, and all kinds of trails. I threw Tahiti’s in it and camping gear and just went wherever. Then the engine blew, put in work to rebuild a new one and had many more adventures in it until one day.... while driving fast on a hill in the mountains and hit loose gravel on a hilly road and rolled it. It was a real sad day. In the end, I sold the whole thing to someone who wanted the engine, but I said you gotta take the whole thing (crushes body). And they brought their trailer and hauled it off back in 2003. $400 dollars later I put it towards a Jeep Cherokee and continued on my adventures.

[@BastardX13]

"Kids, put the tire back on!" We NEED these strong parents again. Good stuff!

[@obsidian00]

Kids back then were just built differently! 🤣

[@tays8306]

I knew a guy in high-school in 2000 that had an i-mark. Man that car could haul for a 4 cyl. Handled itself really well in the corners.

[@BamZoom]

I loved my Axiom. Nothing looked like it. The direct injection V6 was powerful but very thirsty.

[@brenspin]

I had a direct injection 04 Axiom also. I think the economy was equal to or slightly better than most of its direct competitors, and the 04 direct injection engine was supposed to be a bit more fuel efficient than the 02/03 Axioms while offering more power & torque. But yeah, the Axiom was thirstier than cars of course.

[@AFluffyMobius]

@@brenspin Jesus our 02' Axiom could barely eek out 14.5 MPG average. Cant image getting any worse.

[@brenspin]

@@AFluffyMobius Yeah not good. But Ford Explorers, Chevy Blazers, Toyota Forerunners and other competitors of the time did no better. My 04 Axiom with the direct injected engine regularly got 17 mpg with mostly stop-and-go city driving.

[@devildad1620]

I miss Isuzu. I drove a 1993 Rodeo for ten years. Solid and capable off roader. I might still be driving it if it hadn't been totaled.

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

Great vid as usual I could watch this stuff for hours straight!

[@orbitalgolem91]

Owned an '89 I-Mark RS DOHC 16V hatchback from '89 to '01. Great car and so practical. The 1.6L motor was leagues better than expected for less than $10k. Motor and transmission lasted for 235k miles with no major issues. Lotus did fantastic job tuning the suspension - I autocrossed and tracked it. Always had interior rattles and cooling system was underspec'd. The KYB rear shocks needed replacement twice, but the front struts were solid. Rust killed her in the end, but she never let me down. Stayed eclectic and went straight for a Subaru WRX in early '01. That one blew the head gasket at 241k. I-Mark still ran perfectly at the end - miss that little thing.

[@STB-jh7od]

around the 2007 high gas prices, GEOs made a comeback as they got great mileage.

[@MichaelPoage666]

I have a 1996 Rodeo LS, looks just like the one at 9:33, I bought it for $825 nine years ago. I've had to do some work on it, for sure, but it has never been to a professional mechanic since I've owned it. It has about 250,000 miles on it. Even the cruise control and air conditioning work. Isuzu absolutely deserved a better reputation than I remember them having in America.

[@colbybrown4085]

I loved the Amigo’s/Rodeo Sports. ❤️

[@tonycross1839]

My cousin had a Rodeo and that thing was a bullet and wouldn’t die and she drove it hard. I loved that truck!!!

[@markusjuenemann]

The Amigo/Rodeo 1st and 2nd Gen sold like hot cakes as Opels here in Germany. And they were actually good cars. Sometimes you can see them today still on the roads.

[@JTA1961]

But not on the Autobahn 🤪

[@markusjuenemann]

@@JTA1961 Autobahnen are roads, too. Maybe you should have gone to school more often.

[@abdechebar2427]

I have Isuzu d max 2010 2.5 turbo diesel I love it

[@QuantumJ67]

This was a great video. My first new car, at age 18, was a 1986 Isuzu I-Mark. I had that car for almost 10 years. I also had bought a new 1988 Impulse. That car was so luxurious, unique, and beautiful (to my 20 year old mind). I loved that car. I’d love to see deeper dives into both these vehicles. Keep up the great work. Love your vids.

[@stevenwilhite4026]

The Impulse turbo design was so far ahead of its time. I wish I had bought one.

[@Oddman1980]

My wife and I had a 1988 Trooper. It was an amazing SUV, would go anywhere you pointed it, and was comfortable. It also had the worst engine/transmission of any vehicle I've ever owned. Head gaskets were a bi-yearly maintenance item on the 4ZE1 2.6 liter four banger. And this wasn't due to ham-handedness on the part of any mechanic, or overheating, it was just a thing those engines did. In addition to the head gasket issues, there were tons of vacuum hoses that had to be in 100% perfect condition or the fuel injection would just sit crying in the corner instead of metering fuel. The slightest exhaust leak would cause the O2 sensor to give wildly incorrect information, which would cause all sorts of issues with driveability and hard starting. And once you got the engine sorted, the Aisin A340H automatic transmission is going to stop soon. Mine starting slamming violently in and out of overdrive on the highway. The Isuzu forum I frequented when trying to figure out what was wrong would sing praises about how dependable the trooper was, so long as you had a spare transmission and kept up with the head gasket changes. "Reliable" to those guys seemed to mean "Almost as good as a 25 year old Chevy with 300,000 miles."

[@mikethemike6406]

The cylinder heads were improved on the 4ZE1 and as long as you maintain your cooling system, head gaskets are never an issue, the manual MUA5 transmission is tough and lasts forever. The itec is admittedly a nightmare and with a weber conversion this whole mess is history. I got rid of the itec and installed a weber carb and the 2.6 is rock solid without fuel injection and the computer. 320K on my 89 so far.

[@Oddman1980]

@@mikethemike6406 I decided to get rid of mine and purchase a vehicle that didn't need constant work and modification just to keep it alive. I had a friend with an old AMF Harley that was more reliable.

[@perfectsplit5515]

Interesting that you had reliability issues with an Isuzu, since I had bad reliability issues with the 1-year old used ‘86 Impulse my parents bought for me and my sister when we were in high school in ‘87 (with no jobs!) The first few years of driving it were okay and it was a beautiful car to show off to my high schoolmates. However, little by little, things would fall apart as time went on. It already had a broken air conditioner vent when we got it. The hinges for the rear trunk cover joint later broke. The door compartment hinges broke. The tab that keeps the gas tank lid closed broke. A part that holds the window opening mechanism broke. The power window would not open as a result (meaning it would fail inspection!). And worst of all, the fuel lines got clogged, cutting off the engine while driving! It required major repairs. After that bad experience, I decided that long-term reliability would be the most important criteria when choosing a car. My first new car became the ‘95 Honda Prelude.

[@mikethemike6406]

@@perfectsplit5515 My Isuzu Troopers are 36 and 33 years old an as reliable as can be. Sorry you guys had issues.

[@donaldleider7382]

I had a 1987 Isuzu Trooper and a 1989 Isuzu Space Cab pickup, manual transmissions, got over300,000 miles out of each of them! Wish they still made them!

[@chuckschilling9113]

I have owned 3 Troopers, and still have 2 of them. Would love to see an episode focusing on the Trooper.

[@alanreynolds2287]

I had a 1991 Isuzu Spacecab pickup. I loved that truck!

[@theall-seeingpie8887]

I still have an 88 spacecab

[@rockharvey5787]

My dad drove a trooper growing up. I’d love to get my hands on one of those to restore!

[@braydenhulsey8421]

Good luck on finding one. If I were you I would check bring a trailer and Facebook marketplace. If you want a second gen you will have a fairly easy time getting one, but if you are looking for a first gen you are going to have to be very competitive. Personally I've only ever seen , 3 first gen troopers ever go up for sale, one of them being my own. Best of luck and I hope you find what your looking for

[@norm1815]

I started my 25 years Automotive sales career with Isuzu at Fountain Auto Mall in Orlando....I PERSONALLY told the ISUZU VP of Marketing and Advertising that He was FUCKING UP by dropping Joe Isuzu.....I was proven correct 2 years later.

[@joeshmoe8952]

This guy was the game show host on the bundy’s. When Al & Peg pretend to be Steve & Marcy to get on the game show.

[@thehumblee.w.8370]

I knew I recognize that guy from somewhere 😅 thanks!

[@edgaryuquilima7191]

I had an 98 isuzu rodeo and boy...loved that s.o.b. lol. I got it for about 7 years before it completely broke down. Was not a bad vehicle.

[@kippaseo8027]

Although just a little kid in the 1980s I loved Joe isuzu! One of the cars you showed but didn't mention mention was the izuzu stylus. That aside I think this was another awesome video and this has definitely become one of my favorite Everett car channels. The other day I actually saw a 3 cylinder dihatsu charade! Now that was a neat little car

[@68404]

Daihatsu was a brilliant little company who made interesting vehicles. Too bad Toyota bought a large chunk of it and killed it outside of Japan.

[@perfectsplit5515]

Joe Isuzu was definitely one of the great TV commercial characters.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

There was a high-performance rally sport turbocharged version of the Stylus (really the third Gen I-Mark/Gemini) that was All wheel drive and Four-wheel-steering.

[@daughterman]

"You can trust me!" - said Joe Isuzu in the ads from 1980's ;)