My ‘New’ Used Isuzu MU Wizard

They say people chose vehicles according to their personality so my choice to buy a banged up 1996 Isuzu MU Wizard (UCS69GW) could have been a reflection of my need to fix/repair things.

The Isuzu MU Wizard I bought.

I had actually been eyeing a Toyota Hilux Surf (KZN130) on a Japanese used car website for a while. However, I was unable to get the money in time before it was taken. So when I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a used 4WD Isuzu Wizard, I jumped at it.

The vehicle has personality traits like dings, scratches and bumps all over. The power windows don’t work, the tyres are bold, the back seat doors don’t work, the parking/emergency brake cables are broken, the front seats are stuck, the interior is dirty, the CV axle needs replacing and a whole bunch of other issues. However, I felt drawn to the vehicle as soon as I heard the engine start.

It has a lot of personality traits but the 3.1 diesel engine growls like a beast.

I bought the vehicle from a Pilipino named Dario for K10, 000 (US$2, 600) and I believe it would cost around the same to get it in tiptop condition. This is not bad considering importing the same vehicle would cost approximately 3 times more - this particular model is a bit expensive.

Now, I’m sure some of you would be asking why I bought this when I could have gotten something better online directly from Japan. Well, I did consider that but the particular model and body style is quite rare nowadays.

The 4JG2 diesel engine is the same as that used in the Isuzu Trooper /Bighorn. However, the body type is sets it apart.

Anyway, I’ve have decided that it will become my project to repair the vehicle and I will start today by replacing the tyres. I have a contact at Dunlop who has organised a discount for me. According to his calculations, I can get a set of 5 new 245/70R16 tyres for less than K2000 (US$530).

For the most part, I will be doing the repairs myself. However, in situations when I am unable then I will be seeking the help of professionals.

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Interior Cleaning – Driver’s Seat

So I’ve started cleaning the interior beginning with the driver’s seat. The seats have collected dust over the years and I frankly not healthy for use. The interior is very dirty and will require a lot of cleaning. Anyway, I have started with the driver’s seat and I’m working my way around. I had initially wanted to have it vacuumed but after seeing this video I decided to give it a try. The seats are not in spectacular condition, but I have gotten rid of the dust and it is much better than it was. I also had to clean the bottom slider so the seat would move freely. It had hardened dirt could hardly move. I clean it using a carb cleaner which was a mistake. It turns out carb cleaner has paint thinner and stripped some of the paint. Driver's seat is much cleaner now. This was easily fixed with a bit of sandpapering and a coat of paint. I plan to have all the seats cleaned by the end of the week. Unfortunately, I have just met another obstacle – a dead battery.

Ball Joints and Wheel Bearings Replaced

So after a long hiatus we have finally started some work on our Isuzu MU Wizard. The first thing we did was replace the ball joints. The ball joints had reached the point where it would fall off any time. It would squeak whenever I hit a hump/bump or turned a corner. This led to me grounding the Wizard for almost 6 months. I know its a long time but I was caught up with work that there was very little time during the day to work on the SUV. Fortunately, I'm starting 2021 with catching up with the vehicle's maintenance. Last week we replaced all the ball joints and outer wheel bearings. All parts were sourced from Pacific Engineering in Port Moresby. The ball joints did not require special tools - ball joint puller, etc - but it did require some elbow grease and breaker bar. While the ball joints were out, we also decided to check the wheel bearings - and yes - they were also kaput. We ended up replacing them as well. We have also identified that the tie rod...

The Cost of Replacing Ball Joints and Wheel Bearings

In my last post I shared about replacing the ball joints and outer wheel bearings for the Isuzu MU Wziard. However, I forgot to give a run down on the costs. In this post, I share how much it cost me to get the job done - especially the parts. The main cost associated with this was the parts. I sourced all the parts from Pacific Engineering & Repairs Ltd; they have lowest prices in town (IMO) - and no they are not sponsoring this post. So here is a run down. The ball joints cost the most at K352.00 (US$80) for bother right and left. Then the bearings came at K77 (US$18) for both sides, and I also had to get some grease at K27.50 (US$7). I also had to spend around K50 (US$12) for food, drinks etc so in total I spent around K506.50 (US$117). Mind you, this is just an estimate because labor basically free. Anyways, I just thought I'd share that with you. Lukim yu!

Bernard's Isuzu MU Wizard Journey

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