Are Chevy Blazers reliable vehicles?

[stef]

This question falls into a homesteading category, right?

I've got my eyes on two Chevy Blazers...one a 1988 with 137,800 miles, and the other is a 2003 with 137,000. Obviously both are used, but they're in good shape and before I choose either one I'll take it to my mechanic to do a thorough check-up.


Have you, or do you, own one? If so, what's your opinion on them. Gas miliage is not really an issue for me, as I don't drive far or frequently. (Less than 5,000 miles a year. )

stef

[Gary in ohio]

Which chevy blazer? There was the 1/4 ton version and the larger 1/2 ton, 1500/k1500. Also the early 2 door tahoe's were called blazers

if its not been done, the fuel pump will need to be done very soon. For the fullsize models 200K + isnt an issue if taken care of. My 92 blazer (fullsize) had 280K on it when we sold it. Replaced it with a 4 door version called a tahoe, its has 240K miles and is running fine.

I doubt I would want the smaller blazer, but the fullsize will last a long time.

[Shrek]

Any vehicle is reliable if you have a reliable mechanic. Some vehicles just require larger maintence budgets based on their design.

My 1988 S10 Blazer has been running for me for 9 years now and has 300,000 almost on the body and 60,000 miles on the engine I replaced the scatter one with when I bought the rig.

The most I have spent in normal mechanical maintenance costs on it were the $1800 the first year when my mechanic installed the new engine and $1900 two years ago when he and his son repainted for me.

Other years its varied from $250 to $900 or so to keep it running because anything mechanical requires normally scheduled mechanic time and occasional towing and repair.

I switched to a ford expedition for a four months but after the 3rd coil unit that ran it to my yearly maintenance costs budget for it I sold it and went back to driving my S10 Blazer which stays nicely within its normal maintenance cost budget.

[Curtis B]

We have an 05 trailblazer with 90K we have had for 3 yrs. All that we have had to do to it so far (other than oil and filter changes) is replace the radio and an injector. Some time this year we will need to have the doors remounted, since the epoxy is giving way, that will be 700.00. So far so good with ours.

[ErinP]

I had a '92 Chevy Blazer (S10) that I just loved.
But it only made it to 200K before the engine needed a rebuild...

We traded it off instead.

[stef]

Both vehicles are LS 4x4, 6 cylinder, automatic transmissions...

[radiofish]

One of the vehicles that I drive is a 1986 GMC S-15 Jimmy 4X4 with the 2.8L V-6 engine and a 5 speed manual transmission (GMC's version of the smaller 2 door S-10 Blazer)..

There are some issues with maintenance, such as I always seem to loose hide and blood when wrenching on them due to the tight quarters. Plus mine is 1/2 SAE and 1/2 Metric parts which is frustrating when I need any tools to do work on it.

Otherwise, I really do like my little rural recon vehicle. It drives well, 4 wheels just fine, fits in tight spaces, and gets decent gas milage.

[Tad]

I had a 92 S10 blazer. First motor went at about 75,000 miles, second was getting pretty loud at about 145,000. I did a lot of work to it and wouldn't want another one, it was a pain to work on, very cramped around the engine and such. In the 4x4 model the oil filter is under the air filter behind the head light because it won't fit next to the motor. Then again I don't care for GM products anyways, maybe mine was just the lemon in the bunch. Have a good mechanic give it a run through.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

We had an 88 GMC Jimmy (same thing as the bigger Blazer) that we bought new and we sold it at about 225K miles. We still saw it toodling around town a couple of years after that.
Towed a travel trailer and horse trailer with it as well. It was a V8 engine.

[poischis]

get a Jeep cherokee prior to 2000 (they had a common problem about a head gasket leak) they look good, go anywhere, the 4x4 is really good (if it's a concern), since mpg doesnt bother you, you'll be fine, and the motor(4.0l) is nothing less than bullet proof, 200 000 miles is nothing for them, I have 334 000 km on mine and its in very good health. the price is very comparable.

[calliemoonbeam]

Mine is a 1997 S10 (the smaller Blazer). It's a 4-wheel drive with a tow package. I bought it three years ago, and it's been great. It's at 190,000 miles now and still going strong with mostly just regular oil changes, tune-ups, etc., regular maintenance. The previous owner said it had never needed any major work and my son, who's a mechanic, said he sees no evidence of it. In fact, it still had the original spark plug wires when I bought it, lol! So obviously, they didn't do much maintenance, but it's done great since I've had it.

I do need new shocks now and did have to replace the fuel pump at 170,000 miles, but that's it. It gets about 21 MPG around town, rides well, is very comfortable, has room for five passengers, and has good hauling capabilities, but you'd be amazed what you can haul just by putting the back seat down, lol. Plus mine has a luggage rack on top where I can tie down anything too big to fit in the back. I've been very happy with it and my son, who is a die-hard Ford man, actually said he thought it was a "pretty good truck" - very high praise from him for a GM product, lol. Good luck!

[PhilJohnson]

The 88 probably has a 2.8 v-6. Gutless, not as long lived as the 4.3 v6. My parents have had quite a few 4.3 powered vehicles, they all were running fine when they sold them (with over 250k on one and 280K on the other). The transmissions usually have to be rebuilt by 180,000 miles in my experience. I've driven both styles, not a huge fan I must say. Neither one had very good traction (both 4x4s). I remember getting stuck with the 88 in a snow bank. I took my AMC Eagle, drove through the snow bank that the Blazer was stuck in and pushed it out. Both styles seemed tippy to me. I like the Cherokee much better, it handles better, easier to work on, and is better off the pavement. I wouldn't say either style of Blazer is unreliable but there are better SUVs out there.

[Darren]

The 4.3L engines are good for way over 200,000 miles if they're taken care off. A friend ran one to 275,000 before giving it to a granddaughter over a year ago. It is still running. It never used a drop of oil between changes. They used synthetic after they bought it with about 60K. That was a 92 S15.

I've got a 91 S10 with the same engine.I bought it about two years ago. It's close to 200K. I recently bought a 1987 Chevy R10 pickup with the same engine and about 90,000 original miles. I changed the water pump for the first time on the truck. Rust will kill the truck way before the engine dies. The 4.3L is a great engine with reasonable care. Some of the S10s and S15s have a remote mounted engine oil filter. Keep an eye on the two hoses. Some of the spark plugs are defintely not fun to change.

The 4x4s are somewhat like any other 4x4. If you run the right tires they'll go anywhere I need to go and that includes through some pretty deep mudholes.

Around 93 GM changed the fuel system which uses a spyder. That has caused problems for some owners.

[ErinP]

Originally Posted by Darren

The 4.3L engines are good for way over 200,000 miles if they're taken care off. A friend ran one to 275,000 before giving it to a granddaughter over a year ago. It is still running. It never used a drop of oil between changes. They used synthetic after they bought it with about 60K. That was a 92 S15.

Not necessarily. That's exactly what mine was. We got it at 100K and drove it to 180K. It got regular maintenance but there was no way that motor was going to make it to 200K.

Also, like Phil mentioned, I thought it was pretty tippy, too. It was a good enough car while we had it (and I really liked it, too) but I've definitely driven better...

[Wis Bang 2]

Aft er my father moved up from a 1988 2.8L S-10 pickup to a 93 T-15 Jimmy w/ the 4.3L, he said to me 'I'm not impressed'...

After he passed I bought it from Mom & took it to 190K. I called it the Money pit....

BTW the early 4.3 was introduced to the S-10 Blazer in 88...it didn't have balance shafts lime my 93 did...

[Cornhusker]

We have a 75 Blazer, and it's a tank.
Rough, tough, and will go about anywhere.
A friend had a S-10 but it was down more than it was up. To be fair, it was a piece of crap when he bought it.
I've known some that were well maintained and are still going strong.
Like any vehicle, it depends on how it's treated, climate, environment, etc.

[roachhill]

If I were going to buy another S10 Blazer it wouldn't be a '92. That was a transition year and the throttle body tends to make the car a bit of a dog and offers poor mileage. If it were possible to find one that was in good shape, had low miles and a carb I think I'd jump on it. It's a good size car, rides better and gets better traction then my Jeep.

[Darren]

I'm not sure what folks mean by the small GM SUVs being tippy. Here in WV I can put my S10 around curves at speeds many won't try and that's with aggressive mud tires not road tires. That means I have less tread on the road. I have no problem doing at least ten miles or sometimes twenty miles over the recommended speed through the curves. I've never had the truck get out of hand.

To get onto the farm I have to cross a creek and climb the bank on the other side. Four high always works although there have been times I've forgotten and crossed in 2WD and never noticed until I got up to the house. Nor have I had problems climbing the hills offroad to haul tools around the place. As another poster wrote, the miles you get out of the engine on a used vehicle depends on how well it was cared for before you buy it. As far as I know the engine doesn't have any designed in problems.

Just check the spyder on post 92 vehicles. If it leaks fuel into the engine you can dilute the oil. Check the hoses to the oil filter. You don't want those spewing your engine oil out on the road. With fuel injection, you're stuck with an in tank fuel pump. Don't empty the tank completely out or you will shorten the life of the pump. Then you or a mechanic get to pull the fuel. tank to replace the pump.

[perry b]

I have a 2008 Trailblazer, 4.3 v6 with 57,000 miles. Wifes ride. She is well pleased with it.

[fixer1958]

Originally Posted by perry b

I have a 2008 Trailblazer, 4.3 v6 with 57,000 miles. Wifes ride. She is well pleased with it.

You might want to open the hood and look at the engine.
It's a 4.2 inline 6cyl.
Big difference.
Good vehicles though.