Alas, the Isuzu, we knew it well.

[JeffinNZ]

It's official. The Bighorn is 'kaput'. No compression on two cylinders. Not worth fixing. Look out landfill, here it comes.

Could do without this to be honest but that's motoring for you. After all, the first three letters of DIESEL spell DIE.

I owe, I owe, it's off car shopping we go.

[Mk42gunner]

Yeah, I have never been too enthused about KIA (Killed In Action) either.

Robert

[Sweetpea]

Yeah, I have never been too enthused about KIA (Killed In Action) either.

Robert

I thought KIA was Korean Imitation Automobile...

[Driver man]

Pull it down,might just be a head gasket.

[MaryB]

When I deer hunted with the group we has an Isuzu for the field truck. Beat the heck out of that thing driving on plowed fields to get back to stands. Buried it in mud to the frame, yanked out with a tractor, dents who cared it never left the farm. Doors quit closing right so we took them off and tossed them on the scrap metal pile.

[JeffinNZ]

Pull it down,might just be a head gasket.

I wish. No, not just a head gasket. [sigh]

[oneokie]

You drove it too much when it was new.

[FISH4BUGS]

Get another diesel. My 1987 daily driver Mercedes 300d has 377,000 miles on it and does not burn or leak a drop of oil. I would change the fluids front to back and take it to California and back tomorrow....coast to coast and back.
My license plate?
DZLFUEL

[bhn22]

Find a tested, used engine.

[jcwit]

Yeah, I have never been too enthused about KIA (Killed In Action) either.

Robert

Hey now, My wife has a KIA 2003, with over 100,000 miles on it, no rust, runs like a top, and gets 40 + MPG.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I know nothing about KIA engines but the body work is first class. The various body panels have much less gap between the various sections than any car I have owned. We have an IZUZU and the gap between the hood and the rubber front piece {whatever you call it] is 3/8s of an inch and between it and the fender is 1/4 inch. On all the KIAs I have seen it is no more than 1/8 of an inch. I also think they have much better jobs. I have friends who own them and they love 'em.

[popper]

Imported to the states as the Chevy 'love' truck. SIL had the LS coupe, only one she could afford from the dealer(guess why). Thought I would kill myself trying to change the clutch out. One piece housing, 3 pc drive shaft and NO room to work, in her driveway. Said no to fixing her kids Subaru when he wore the clutch out. I think the KIA/Hyundai (Korean version of GM) running gear is mostly Mitsubishi. They buy designs from others. Worked with a guy that got the first Hyundai imported - Korean version of a Yugo (Fiat from Yugoslavia).

[freebullet]

I feel yer pain. Had to let go of my beloved Subaru turd wagon earlier this summer. I drove it for seven years and with every repair I did including the cost of the ugly little bugger I wound up with 50$ in it after selling it to the scrappers. All wheel drive five speed wagon that gets 30+ mpg will be missed. Had 300k when it drove away. Fortunately I have spare junkers sittin around to get me by.

[dagger dog]

Yugo, you may not go !

Try installing a clutch on a mid 80's Trooper, trans cross member welded to the frame, one piece trans and bell housing, you can remove the, shift levers, transfer case, drive shafts, and then if your lucky pull it back far enough to remove the pressure plate and disc, and this is on a rack with a transmission jack .

Isuzu book flat rate time was a whopping 2.5 hrs., a 4 hour minimum IF every thing goes your way.

I lost more money repairing Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, and their GM, Chrysler clones, than any other Asian import on the market.
When I worked at the dealer level you had to put up with all their low production cost BS that even a factory trained mechanic lost money on trying to beat their flat rate manual and warranty repairs.

They are finally getting their act together now that they have found out if you can't service them for a reasonable price, the public won't buy them.

Their first batch from the late 70's to mid 80's were like BIC lighters, you drove 'em 'till they were out of gas then bought a new one.

popper,
I worked at a Subaru dealer, the standard by the book procedure for replacing a clutch was pull the engine, you could get the engine out faster than you could pull the transaxle !

[redneckdan]

Yup, done a couple Subaru jobs for friends. I found the trailing arm retaining bolts to be a particular pain.

Jen and I just bought a 2014 forester.

Not too big a fan of the gen4 body style but I like the 32mpg on the highway and the six speed manual. Had to special order because the dealer did not have a single manual transmission on the whole lot. All have that CVT unit. Seems to do okay but there have been a few failures and it is not repairable, costs $9k if it happens out of warranty. No thanks, I can rebuild a gear box myself if it came down to it.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/2A5B3CB9-B44C-44D6-AA18-E99D63DE42FD-2933-000007376A331709_zpsefa2b5fa.jpg

[starmac]

If yugo's would have had 4 doors, we would have called them wegos. lol

[merlin101]

Hey now, My wife has a KIA 2003, with over 100,000 miles on it, no rust, runs like a top, and gets 40 + MPG.

OH, So your the one.

[JeffinNZ]

Bought a new vehicle yesterday. 2006 Honda Accord stationwagon. Very nice vehicle that will serve us well for many years. My mechanic recommended Toyota first, Honda second. No a SUV so no more swanning around in the back country but such is life.