Isuzu DMax Pick-up “Made in Thailand”
Thought I might share a few observations about my 9 month old Isuzu pick-up truck. It is an SLX 3.0 Liter 4 Door, with manual transmission, airbags and ABS. I also ordered the leather interior, so I wouldn’t need to worry as much about stains from the kids. Pictures are available in my Photo Gallery at http://www.apichet.com/gallery2/main.php
Basically, I really enjoy driving this pick-up truck and would highly recommend it to anyone who would like economical, reliable, and safe daily transportation. It is suitable for a family of four, though fortunately we also have a 7 seat Chevrolet Zafira (a rebadged Thai built Opel) which Sopha uses to take the kids to school, and we use when we need to carry more people in relative comfort.
I had a Carryboy fiberglass deck lid installed on the truck bed, which provides a clean, aerodynamic appearance for daily driving, and can be raised electrically for carrying large items or to provide a covered seating area for taking the extended family on an outing. This lockable deck lid is wonderful for shopping trips, effectively converting the truck bed into a large trunk. The truck still looks like a pick-up truck, but functionally it delivers all of the convenience attributes of a 4 door sedan.
Unlike conventional pick-up trucks, the short bed 4 door seems to have a good front / rear balance. I would never begin to claim that the truck approaches the classic 50/50 weight balance of some sport cars, but the rear axle does have good loading and never seems light or lacking in traction.
My biggest disappointment in the truck was the performance of the suspension. On unimproved country roads or on uneven pavement at highway speeds, the shock absorbers seemed to be quite lacking in damping action, especially on rebound. Also, any large bump which tended to raise only one side of the rear axle would cause the truck to steer in the direction of the bump.
Installing a set of Gabriel G-Force 9 valve shock absorbers front and rear solved the suspension performance problems. If you are driving an Isuzu DMax, I would highly recommend upgrading the shocks with a set of Gabriels. I also installed a shock absorbing track bar on the rear axle, which combined with the new shocks has completely tamed the rear axle. The truck tracks in a straight line over all terrain, and is a complete pleasure to drive. Ride comfort is certainly comparable to our Chevrolet Zafira, not quite as soft as the Honda Accord 3.0L, but definitely better handling than the Accord. The taller seating position, large side view mirrors, and comfortable steering wheel position and controls provides a pleasant driving experience even on those long 8 hour drives to Udon Thani (12 hours if one is dumb enough to try the drive just before the New Years holiday).
The stereo / CD player is OK, but certainly would never satisfy a true audiophile. Of course, one must have realistic expectations, as this is an economical truck and not a luxury sedan. When my cash flow permits (which unfortunately might not be anytime soon), I plan to install sound damping insulation on the floors, cab walls, roof, and in the doors, along with a decent head unit, speakers, and amplifier. The truck has a standard Double Din dash opening, so I have the option of installing either standard Din or Double Din head units. The truck is certainly not noisy at highway speeds, and sound from the diesel engine can be barely distinguished from normal highway noise when running at cruising speed. However, the truck is not as quiet as a decent sedan, and some sound damping insulation should really help quiet the cab.
I have always liked driving diesels, and the Isuzu is no exception. The 3.0 liter Commonrail has loads of torque, and is fun to drive with the manual 5 speed transmission. Passing is quick and easy in 5th gear, and I rarely find a need do downshift. I get between 12.5 and 14.5 km / liter (29.5 to 34 miles / gallon) depending on type of driving. This truck is also sold as the Chevrolet Colorado (with slightly different body accents and trim).
These wonderful Thai built trucks are not available in the USA, but Chevrolet is now building a near identical Colorado in the USA. I don’t know how faithfully Chevrolet has executed this Isuzu designed truck in the USA, but I do know that they are not offering the Isuzu diesel engines. Such a shame, as the 2.5 liter and 3.0 liter engines are proven highly reliable and fuel efficient. Isuzu builds 16 million engines per year for many vehicle manufacturers. Too bad the US consumers are not offered a reliable, powerful, and fuel efficient engine option for their medium sized trucks and SUV’s.
There has been a rumour that Thai built trucks may soon be exported to the USA. Hope you folks get to experience some of these wonderful Thai built vehicles in the near future.
Frank T.