I'm gonna be in the market for an affordable SUV. I'm seeing Troopers go for as little as $4000-5000 for 60,000 miles. But, I'm unfamiliar with Troopers. I know the 98 and 99 come standard with 4x4 and a more powerful engine than any previous years, but how does the Trooper fair with the Rodeo? Is it better built? More reliable? Better reviews? Do they all come with transmission dipsticks?

Troopers are a great used vehicle value IMHO. Reliability compared to Rodeo is similar. Definitely more room in a Trooper though, 90 cu. ft. cargo volume vs. 88 for a Durango of the same era.

Personally I would get a 97 over a 98+, but some of my reasons have to do with the hubs and transfer case and adaptability for off-road modification <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

Many, if not most of the major components in a Trooper are the same as the Rodeo. The biggest mechanical differences are the rear axle (the Trooper uses an Isuzu 12-bolt and the Rodeo uses a Dana 44) and the steering, with the Rodeo using a rack and pinion and the Trooper using a recirculating ball.

The horsepower to weight ratio definitely favors the Rodeo, which is you make the assumption that the two are driven identically, then some Rodeo components will be less stressed than the Trooper.

They both use the same transmission, engine, and front axle.

just be sure to ask him if he ever ran it low on oil... troopers are japanese and rodeos are american.

In final assembly perhaps, but the engine, trans, and transfer case are the same for both, so mechanically there's no real difference.

James

Actually, the later model (98+) troopers have different engines (3.5liter), transmissions (drive by wire w/ grade sensing down shift) transfer cases (torque on demand), and rear axles than the 92-97s. These models share very few mechanicals withe the rodeo.

the 3.5 engine is related to the Rodeo's 3.2 - it's basically a bored-over 3.2. The TCs and the rear axles are different. The auto tranny and the front axle are the same.

Close cousin of the Rodeo, 2002-2003 Axiom used Trooper's engine and Trooper's TOD, with Rodeos axles. 2004 Axiom and some 2004 Rodeos introduced new DI engine.

The auto tranny is a different variant of the 4l30e. If you ever drive a later model trooper, you'll feel the difference. They use a gradient down shift feature. IMO, this feature may be one of the reasons that new modesl seem to have more tranny failures.