# Purchasing Isuzu NPR. Advice before inspecting?



## Raymond S. (Jan 8, 2008)

Hey guys. I posted this over on lawnsite but thought I'd throw it up here to see if anyone on here can chime in. I'll be converting this to a mowing rig to eliminate a truck and trailer setup. Price is $5k. Seems very reasonable even if something catastrophic occurs and I have to sink a new motor into the truck.

2000
Diesel
176" wheelbase
20' Supreme box
*250k* miles
Recent new tires and brakes
Original owner with all maintenance records.

It was used to deliver furniture. Appears to be in really good shape from the pictures. He bought a 99, and 2 2000s new. Used them, serviced them, etc. Just bought 3 2013s. He said they're in great shape, run excellent, etc. Just wondering what to look for when we go check it out. Any particular signs of potential problems? I assume a fluid check is in order obviously. 
Thanks for the help.


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## hickslawns (Dec 18, 2004)

Front ends are a pain in the butt. Has a king pin suspension. Need to jack them up to grease. Not a big deal really, but many people skip this step bringing on early failures. Our biggest issue is the local dealer we have to deal with. They are terrible and the next closest shops are over an hour away. Make sure you have a dealer to work on them. My regular mechanic doesn't have the Snap On scan tool and the local dealer won't work with him either. Other "big truck" dealers will let him slide in and hook to their scanner if it is an oddball vehicle. They are nice trucks though.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 8, 2008)

Ended up purchasing the truck. Currently selling off the box to build a landscape bed. Owner had a folder with probably $20k or more in maintenance work over the last 12 years. Most recently the ball joints in the kingpin suspension (if that's what they're called.) Truck runs good. Trans seems to shift hard but he said its always been that way. The guy is a straight shooter and very honest about the little quirks that were wrong and what got fixed and why. Anxious to get it ready for summertime. If anyone is looking for a 20ft box let me know, $2k.


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

Any idea if Isuzu uses better quality steel for their NPRs than they used on passenger vehicles? My wife's Rodeo has rot far worse than my Buick that's three times as old, and Isuzu is refusing all of the rot recalls that they've put out. I was just reading NHTSA consumer complaints and we're not the only ones...

Anyway you might want to de-rust and undercoat it.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 8, 2008)

No idea. Surprisingly it is in good shape underneath as compared to one of my pickups of the same year. There's not a whole lot to rust other than the frame and spring hangers, etc. Maybe just less crevices for the rust to take hold. Doors are perfect, bumper was rusty but sandblasted and painted that.


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