LUVTruck.com

I recently sold my diesel rabbit pickup and realize now that little bugger had me spoiled. Small, tough, simple, and great fuel economy (52mpg hwy speed w/ a leaky tank). It's time to get back in a pickup with some personality and after looking at a Datsun and an old Toyota Hilux, I'm finally leaning toward a LUV. I can be pretty thick-skulled mechanically, but I'm looking to learn a thing or two, and it looks like I've come to the right place. Hoping to get close to 40mpg and be able to haul a bike or two, maybe a camper top, and a dog - that, I've concluded, is about all I need out of life. Looking forward to exploring the boards a little more!

welcome! 40 mpg? only with modifications and LOTS of weight reduction. I've used my truck to haul my bike around, but the camper top is def out of the question unless you are prepared to do some fabrication and modification work to the suspension. these trucks weren't meant to haul more than 800 lbs or so. (safely that is. i've hauled the better part of 1300lbs at one time)

the dog? definitely doable! welcome to the site!

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I had a diesel Rabbit (sedan). In September of 1983 I decided I needed a small pickup (diesel, of course). I drove the VW Pickup and it had all the things I did NOT like about my Rabbit. I went across the street and drove a Mazda B2000 diesel pickup, and it felt more like a truck, but much like driving a tin can. Then I went next door and drove the Isuzu P'up (which was, at that time, same as the LUV). I bought one the next day and it's still my daily driver. I've gotten as high as 37.something mpg in town, and once I got 40 on the road. But I average around 35 in day-to-day home-to-work rat race driving.

If you want a diesel LUV, you should expand your search to include the Isuzu P'up. The diesel LUV was only sold for two years ('81-'82), but the P'up was sold through 1987 (although VERY few diesels were imported after '86). There were also some diesel S10 pickups with the same engine from (I think) '83-'86--but these were always uncommon and are now VERY rare.

I don't know where you are in Kentucky, but I think there may have been a diesel P'up offered in the Middle Tennessee area recently, but I'm not sure. They're much more common in the Pacific NW states.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com