Unusual Tow Vehicle

rjstractor wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:
Easy show me a F450 with better fuel economy , costs $20,000, has a better turning circle a better payload and cheaper parts than the Isuzu

These really are not an apples to apples comparison, primarily since Australian and US markets are very different. It's funny though Robert that you seem to think that the Isuzu N-series don't exist in the US. They do, they are very commonly in light construction, landscaping and delivery applications. They certainly can't be had new for $20K, that might buy one five years old. A gas engine (GM 6.0 V8) is standard, and it actually outperforms the diesel although gas mileage is horrible (both thanks to 5.37 RA gearing) and engine life is shorter. A diesel NPR is going to cost close to an F450. The N-series has great maneuverability, payload and visibility but next to no crash protection. The F series is longer, heavier and more comfortable and offers vastly superior performance under load, which is to be expected since its diesel engine is much larger and more powerful than that of the Isuzu. Parts and service for the Ford in the US are both cheaper and more available. This may not be the case where you are from, like I said before, different markets.

Thank you for posting this. I tried to tell him that N-series Isuzus are common here and they are actually cheaper over here, but he went off the deep end so I gave up.

Here, F450/550's and 4500/5500's are a better options for the reasons you state. Yes, they use a little more fuel then the Isuzu, but they do cost less and the parts for them are readily available. Not only that, but our diesel's are much more powerful and allow you to tow much closer to our rated speed limits here than the 4 cylinder 5.2L found in the Isuzu.

I have driven more than a handful of these Isuzu N-series diesels at work. They are considerably down in power compared to the Amercian trucks and you can forget about doing our highways speed limit up even the slightest of hill when loaded. For Australia, I can understand a vehicle like this since fuel is much more expensive. Over here, this thing does not live up to most American's standards in power, and we have a lot cheaper fuel costs so we can afford to sacrifice some fuel mileage for more power.