Isuzu D-Max Problems

The D-Max would be a pretty good choice of vehicle for this task. The three-litre engine is well regarded in the trade and because it’s a little larger (in capacity) than some of its competition, it also has a bit more torque which is great for towing. With a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, it’s also up with the best of them.

As far as fuel consumption goes, you need to bear in mind that even though it’s a four-cylinder diesel engine doing the work, you’re actually asking quite a lot of it when you’re towing a caravan at highway speeds. With that in mind, you can forget about the official combined figure of 7.8 litres per 100km. Bank on at least double that and maybe a bit more, especially if the caravan is a bigger one.

Boy, there’s a big difference between a Toyota CH-R and an Isuzu MU-X, Kathy. Rarely would both those models make it to the same short-list. In any case, the problem you’ll face is that buying any brand-new car involves waving goodbye to a large chunk of its residual value the same day you drive it home for the first time.

Who is advising you to get rid of the Toyota? I’ve seen plenty of V6 Toyotas with more than 300,000km showing and still going strong. And if the mileage does worry you, what about finding a low-kilometre second-hand Aurion and pocketing the many thousands of dollars you’ve saved by not buying a brand-new car? You already know you love the way the Aurion drives (and its reliability is beyond question) it’s big enough for grand-kids and it’ll handle its share of dirt-road action.

If you can’t find an Aurion, a V6 Camry is a good alternative, offering a similar level of interior space, performance and lots of value for money. A later-model example will also have side-curtain air-bags to protect rear-seat passengers. And when the word honesty is used in the context of cars, a Toyota Camry is one of the first mental images to appear.

From experience, vehicles like the D-Max (and many others) are very hard on front wheel bearings. But you’re right, that’s really because the majority of them are all-wheel-drive while yours is rear-drive. So I would imagine wheel-bearing service intervals would be a lot longer than 30,000km.

The problem with four-wheel-drives is that the front wheels are being asked to do an awful lot. As well as steering the vehicle, they also have torque going to them from the engine. Also, since these vehicles tend to be used off-road, the wheels and bearings are routinely dunked in silty or even salty water. That shortens the lifespan of any components. The heavy turbo-diesel engine sitting over the front wheels also adds to wear in these cars, and could be part of the reason for such regular maintenance.

Or, it may simply be that Isuzu has made a blanket decision that all D-Maxes, regardless of driveline, have their wheel bearings repacked every 30,000km. It certainly won’t hurt to have the bearings inspected every 30,000km, but I’d be very surprised if they needed repacking every time. Some of these vehicles also use a sealed-for-life bearing and require replacement rather than repacking.

The difference would be if your vehicle was still under warranty (which, being a 2010 model, it’s not) at which point you’d need to stick with the factory service schedule to keep your warranty intact.

None of the vehicles you’ve listed are exactly low-maintenance units. They all have complex all-wheel-drive drivelines (which will be appreciated when towing a heavy trailer across a wet showground) and they use the latest common-rail diesel technology which is fairly intolerant of poor servicing.

As for a power tailgate on a ute, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. But some of the wagon versions of these vehicles can be optioned with powered tailgates. The catch there is that these vehicles use coil sprung rear axles (as opposed to the leaf-sprung ute versions) so they’re not as adept at towing. The Toyota Fortuner, for instance can’t match the HiLux’s 3.5-tonne limit and makes do with 2800kg; not enough for your requirements. The Ford Everest (based on the Ranger) is a little better at 3000kg, but still trails the Ranger’s 3500kg towing capacity and is right on your self-imposed minimum.

Car-makers tend to like to keep information like this a bit of a secret until the vehicle is officially launched, Michael. And since I can’t even find out when in the next 12 months the new D-Max is due to hit showrooms, it’s a bit tricky to answer your question. Word around the campfire, though, is that the new D-Max will indeed have an electronically locking rear differential, where previous models didn’t even have a limited-slip rear diff. So that’s good news.

Generally, you can’t engage a rear diff lock without engaging four-wheel-drive, but when it comes to what happens with traction-control at that point, the various manufacturers tend to go their own ways. Some will leave the traction-control active with the rear diff locked, others don’t. The former arrangement is generally regarded as the superior system for off-road traction, but it does potentially place more stress on the driveline. But which way Isuzu intends to jump in this regard is still anybody’s guess.

You’re unlikely to find a 2014 or later D-Max for under $20,000. If you do it’s likely to have a lot more than 100,000 km on the clock. If you’re looking for a ute then look for the wear and tear that comes from a work vehicle. Look for worn trim inside, bumps and scrapes outside, oil leaks from the engine and gearbox. Make sure you see a full service history to confirm your chosen vehicle has been properly maintained.

I would suspect there’s a problem with the turbocharger, have a diesel mechanic check it for you.

D-Max models before MY 17 do not have a DPF. The later Euro 5 compliant 4JJ1-TC engine does have a DPF filter.

It’s average, both in terms of price and kilometres travelled, for that model. If it’s been well serviced and is in good condition it would be worth considering.