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Quality Of S10 Trucks

Mr. GunzMr. Gunz Member Posts: 1,621 ✭✭✭
edited October 2008 in General Discussion
I know this isnt the forum but i figured you guys would know...there is a chevy S10 truck for sale dont know the price yet from a dealer up here in PA...it has a 109000 miles on it and its a '99...how many good miles do you think are still on it...it was always takin good care of. Any ideas??

Comments

  • GuvamintCheeseGuvamintCheese Member Posts: 38,932
    edited November -1
  • catpealer111catpealer111 Member Posts: 10,695
    edited November -1
    My personal opinion, the Chevy S-10 is a poor choice if you're looking for a small truck. My experience with them is that all their engines are only good for is making noise not power, and the ones I've driven didn't get any better millage than a full size truck.
  • KEVD18KEVD18 Member Posts: 15,037
    edited November -1
    properly maintained, you can get many many more miles out of it. i know a guy that got just short of 500k out of one. for the first three hundred, he babied it. the last two, well that was mostly luck and duct tape.

    it probably isnt worth more than 3,000 bucks if the body is in exceptional condition. of course, every ding and scratch and cigarette burn in the upholstery is going to drag that down.

    how do you know it was always taken care of? did you do the work yourself or witness it being done? was the routine maintenance done on time and by a reputable mechanic who actually did all the things he charged for or one of the 10sec oil change places that tell you they got all the lube points but when you look there is still road grime on the nipples?

    bottom line is you cant trust anybody when it comes to a used car. while the person telling you everything is hunky dorey may be speaking the truth as they see it, they might have been lied to every three months or three thousand miles.....
  • Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    Depends on the motor, but I worked on cars for 6 years, and worked on a lot of these. I even owned a 94 for a year. My opinion is that they are relatively poorly designed and made with poor materials.

    I had a lot of engine jobs in them. Most people opted to have us install a small block in them instead of rebuilding the 4 or 6 cylinder they came with.



    They also rust out badly from poor body metal.
  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    I've had two.
    a '98 and a '99.

    I used the '98 like a truck and it never let me down...

    BUT
    They were anemic in the power department and didn't seem really all that truck-y.

    They looked cool though.

    My brother has a comparable Ranger and it's a nasty-looking little beater that he just can't kill.

    THAT BEING SAID..

    I'd trade either of 'em for the POS Dakota I'm now stuck with.
  • ruger41ruger41 Member Posts: 14,646 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Also check to see if the motor mounts are not worn out if you buy it--these years are notorious for premature wear which in turn cracks the headpipe to the exhaust from the torquing of the motor. I sell at least 2 or 3 new headpipes a month[:0]
  • elkoholicelkoholic Member Posts: 5,130
    edited November -1
    My 98 has 176K miles and it runs great. The vortec v6 is a great little engine but as others have said it does not have much low end power. My gas mileage is good for a 4x4 at just over 20mpg on the highway.
  • Sig220_Ruger77Sig220_Ruger77 Member Posts: 12,748 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I loved my little 2000 Chevy S10 Blazer. I bought it when my Lumina died on me. Had 136,000 on it when I got it and I drove it to 171,000 before I got rid of it this year. Was very dependable, okay on gas and great in the snow. I really would have liked to keep it, but when I got the new vehicle I couldn't afford the insurance and upkeep of both of them.

    My dad had a 1991 Chevy S10(I think it was the first year with the 4.3L in it) and he drove it back and fourth to work, etc. for years. Thing had 302,000 miles on it before the odometer quite working. Was probably a good thing though because the WI winters were starting to take a toll on the fenders and suspension.

    Jon
  • VinhlongVet71VinhlongVet71 Member Posts: 4,605
    edited November -1
    My work partner has one. I think its an 87 model. It mystifies me that it is still running the way he abuses it. Can't kill it[B)] My observation is that it uses too much gas to be a 4cylinder. I get better gas mileage than he does with my F-150/302.
  • ripley16ripley16 Member Posts: 4,834
    edited November -1
    My Dad still drives his 1987, unknown milage truck. He has a 6 cyl. The interior is crapped out but it still runs great. He has had very little trouble with it.
  • Dakota308Dakota308 Member Posts: 4,162
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cartod
    4


    square root of 4
  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    My 91 4X4 has 97,000 on it and runs as good as ever with the 4.3 V-6 in it.
    No problem pulling the bass boat unless there are a ton of hills..
    Bodys about rusted out but it's still a heck of a winter ride......
    20 MPG +or - with big aggressive tires on it...
  • mrseatlemrseatle Member Posts: 15,467 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    S-10 makes a great Hot-Rod, just insert a 350 and a new stereo.
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    I have the same thing only mine is a 1996 GMC model, V6 vortex engine 140,000 miles and runs like a top..
  • kyplumberkyplumber Member Posts: 11,111
    edited November -1
    I owned a 2.2 95 S-10 it was bullet proof, it had hamster nuts but never a problem and gas mileage was awesome.
  • minitruck83minitruck83 Member Posts: 5,369
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mrseatle
    S-10 makes a great Hot-Rod, just insert a 350 and a new stereo.


    You will be looking for taller gears,and a tranny if it was a 4 cyl or a 2.8.
    (most of them came with 3.73 or 4.10 10- bolt rear differentials.)
    I'm running a 3.42 rear with a 350/350C turbo tranny and it still gears down some from around 50 mph up.
    Been thinking 700R4 or a complete change to a T56 6 speed and going back to the 3.73. (or putting a powerglide/4.11 9" ford(gasp) rear under it and just use it for burning rubber at stop lights to impress the 5.0 pony people) [:D]

    S-10 sheet metal sucks!
    2.8 6's do too.
    imho

    Allen
  • civiliansoldierciviliansoldier Member Posts: 430 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Buy a Ford Ranger. Excellent truck.
  • William81William81 Member Posts: 24,585 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My Dad's first S-10 was sold with 165,000....2nd one 160,000 and his third one has 67,000 and he figures it will be the last truck he will need. All have been 4 bangers.
  • cbxjeffcbxjeff Member Posts: 17,401 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My son has one - I think around a 2000 w/ about 100K - 4 cyl/AT & well taken care of. Nice looking little truck on the outside - the inside looks cheap. Well heck, it is cheap! No real mechanical problems but gets hardly over 20mpg highway. My 07 Silverado 5.3, ext cab, long bed got almost 20mpg going to Omaha last month. City mpg, it would eat me alive! If you get one, buy yourself a kidney support belt. That thing rides like ... well a truck!
    It's too late for me, save yourself.
  • ZebraZebra Member Posts: 5,762
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by elkoholic
    My 98 has 176K miles and it runs great. The vortec v6 is a great little engine but as others have said it does not have much low end power. My gas mileage is good for a 4x4 at just over 20mpg on the highway.


    I agree with elkoholic, the V6 vortec was a good solid little engine and probably only broken in around 60K miles. I've seen them go over 250K and not use a drop of oil.
    If the S10 has a 4 cylinder it probably will need a rebuild around 130K...
  • frog21frog21 Member Posts: 1,745 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Problems with s-10s,GMs junk anti-freeze,intake gaskets,lower ball joints,pittman arm,idler arm, and rear disc brakes.Also check driver's side radiator tank for cracks.
  • breakerdanbreakerdan Member Posts: 364 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Only one I know of had a bad block from this time range
    after only 98K. Stay away from the 4 banger ones
  • catpealer111catpealer111 Member Posts: 10,695
    edited November -1
    I've seen a few 2.8L V-6 S-10s that threw a rod.
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    I had a 1991 with the 2.8L V6 engine and stick shift. For power, it sucked, wouldn't hardly get out of its own way until it really got rolling. However, it did get 27 mpg routinely, and was plenty comfortable.

    Friends have had the same truck and later models with the 4.3L V6, and they ran better than mine, but got no better gas mileage than a full-size truck.
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