I was thinking about buying a 2003 Chevy S-10 ZR2 pickup I ran into. It has 88K and the body is in good shape. Anyone familiar with these? It has a 4.3 liter automatic. Just thinking of something for hunting and daily driving. Pro's and con's?

I'd look high & low for the same year Tacoma......

5 speed......3.4L....4x4......diff loc.......

wouldn't have an auto in a small huntin' truck.....

but yes....I do have an '02 2500HD Chev 6.0L gas w/auto

The 4.3 is a proven powerplant. Lots of parts still available and the ZR2 isn't a bad looking truck

I had an S-10 long enough to put 160000 mi on it. Literally, all I did was change the oil, brakes and tires and a sealed bearing on the front of the accessory drive plate.

I have a 2000 S10 LS ext cab w/ 3rd door, 4x4, 4.3 L V6, automatic, tilt, cruise & AM/FM w/ single CD with ~75k miles. Bought it 13 years ago w/ 32k miles. Windows are crank and door locks are keyed rather than remote. Only 2 real complaints I have about it are that the mpg isn't all that great (14 mpg in town and about 20 +/- on longer trips) and the 3rd door opener is plastic and I have replaced it 3 times . . . last time I found one online made from aluminum, MUCH better. If you are planning on doing serious off-roading look for a mid-70s Bronco or a Jeep CJ. Beyond that, mine is solid and has done what I need it to do.

I had one for awhile. Constant money pit. Spent more time fixing it than driving it. The only thing on the whole truck worth a plugged nickel is the engine, the rest is absolute junk. A Ford Ranger is ONE HELLUVALOT BETTER TRUCK. Wouldn't take another S-10 if somebody gave it to me.

I got as good or better mileage in my 1500 Z71 than my buddy did in his 6 cylinder S-10. I could tow and haul a hell of a lot more plus I had more room for passengers.

An uncle of mine has a 2000 model with 60 to 70k miles on it. Its a pretty nice little truck. Off the top of my head, he has had to replace the AC compressor, a power window motor, the door latch same as Otter, and some kind of electrical issue with the odometer. No powertrain issues at all. Just age related stuff that starts hitting at around 15 years which you have to be prepared for.

The biggest con I have with it is the back seat is really not a seat but a storage area....but its a truck with jump seats. I've tried to get him to sell it to me with no luck. Tells me people ask him to sell it all the time.

I'm not using it for serious off-roading. It would be just a daily driver and occasional hunting and fishing vehicle. And I told myself years ago I wouldn't own another manual transmission. An auto is just "easy".

I never thought those S-10's aged(mechanically) very well.
I'd cast a wider net.

I just traded a 2003 zr2 in. No major mechanical issues, the body was rusting real bad. If it wasn't for that I would have kept it.

Same here. Upper ball joints (3times) alternator, mirror falling off, etc. Engine gone under 50K miles. ANYTHING is better.

Got a 188,000 on the wifes '99 S-10 Blazer 4x4, been a great truck and been just about every where from FL sand & swapmp to NM high desert and did everything asked of it.

Just junked a '99 BlaZeR2 with 288,000 miles. I did serious off-roading in Colorado and Moab, Utah. I fixed stuff, 'cause I broke stuff. Loved it and wish I still had it. Check out ZR2usa.com

I have around 170,000 miles on mine.

The only real problems were the left side front wheel bearing (knew that buying it) and the intake manifold gasket. Factory were plastic gaskets which eventually crack and must be replaced.

Strangely enough, I'm not using any oil between changes yet, and the oil is always a good color.

Josh

Seems like they got poor mileage.

Poor for a small pickup anyway.

I do like the looks of them though.

I wish we could get a diesel Hilux in the states.

The poor fuel economy they tend to get would be enough for me to look elsewhere. Parts at least should be fairly cheap and plentiful.

I looked hard at one a while back. Honestly, the mileage issue did not bother me much. My daily drivers consist of a 460 and an 8.1. I am firmly in the high single digits to low teens in mileage.

I wanted something cheap and small that I could zip into town with when the pager goes off. I figured it out that Ambulance and Fire meetings, runs, and trainings cost me 600 bucks a year in gas.

Back to the mileage issue I know, but really I wanted something that would not break me if I blew it up some winter's night responding to town.

The newer s-10's were too expensive for that purpose. More expensive than a decent 90's full size.

Considering the motor is pretty big for a v-6, it doesn't get horrible mileage. When I was the vehicle manager at an engineering company, we had a 81 Chevy work truck with a 4.3. I worked there for 9 years and literally ZERO issues with it. At all...with anything.

Get a Tacoma trust me way better, any s10 is a pile of junk

I bought a 99 S-10 blazer w/ 4.3 and AT for Momma in 03 with 63,000 miles. It now has 165,000 miles. I have replaced the fuel pump three times at $600 each. The transfer case did not pull on the front when I bought the rig. It cost about $1800 at the dealership to rebuild it.

It cost me about $600 to rebuild the rear differential and bearings at about 100,000 miles. The rig had never had a trailer hitch on it so towing was not the issue.

I have since replaced the transfer case two more times. I have replaced both front axles twice and the front driveline twice.

The inside front door panels are trash. But all the ones in the wrecking yards are broken as badley, and nobody makes replacement panels.

I have replaced the drivers side window motor at $300. And had to reweld the latch plate on the driver's door.

It averages 15 to 17 mpg depending on how far below the speed limit you are willing to drive.

On a positive note, I have never had to touch the engine or tranny. They seem to be bullet proof. The truck always has lots of power and accelerates well.

Another positive note, my buddy's 02 GMC 2500 HD 4x4 with a 6 liter averages 15 to 17 mpg even when he stays at the posted speed limit.

You will pay a bit more initially for a good Toyota Tacoma. But you will be much happier in the long run.

The Toyota V-6 motors are also notorious gas hogs. But I hear great things about the newer Toyota 2.7 I4. It has been in use in the Tacoma since 1995. I think it is rated at about 150 hp. That's plenty if one is not towing.

No, just no! Look away. I had the 99 Blazer iteration with some upgrades (6 cd stereo, heated leather seats, etc). Nickel and dimed me to death the whole time I had it. Wasn't big enough to haul anything I wanted, gas mileage was about the same as my brothers F150. Not enough ground clearance to drive over a supine gopher with out it scraping the bottom of the transmission. Replaced the front wheel bearing on both sides (right side twice!) and the altenator. Motor developed a good tick about the time I came into enough funds to upgrade to a Silverado. In the end, the only thing I missed was the heated seats.

Kaiser Norton

all you geniuses that are killing 4.3s I imagine you're the kind of fellers that can break a fuggin anvil with a rubber mallet as well. I've put one hell of an unholy beating on a couple 4.3s and they took it in stride.

I've known a couple guys who've owned S-10 ZR2's. The 4.3 is a good motor, but in this truck it delivers terrible mpg. Think 12-14.

I read the whole thread. Who killed a motor?

Exactly what blackheart said, pretty snappy when running, but needs to go to the shop way too often. Four wheel drive engagement system designed by Rube Goldburg

The Japanese seem able to engineer the drama right out of ANYTHING. They make exceptional machines, world class really.

Tacoma for the WIN!

The Japanese had issues with their camshafts breaking in two. Thing is, the media focused on problems of Chevy and Ford at the time because it was politically correct to do so.

Dad was a GM engineer (now retired) during the time, so I had a vested interest in the lopsided media coverage.

Anyone recall the problems Mitsubishi had with brakes? My wife has a 2001 Montero and I was therefore reminded of it as I went through it after the purchase. The brake accumulator was faulty and subject to recall; however, this one had been replaced by the previous owner.

Point is that there are problems with any given vehicle in the race to build cheaper. Whether it's a cheaply made intake gasket or a brake accumulator that leaks nitrogen into the lines... the decision is what you want to deal with, not what won't break.

I personally find Chevy very easy to work on and inexpensive to repair. I don't trust any but myself to do most work on the vehicles above changing the tires and oil changes (and with the tires, I go around with a torque wrench I keep in the back.)

Idaho Shooter, with all respect, I'm sitting here scratching my head at the things gone wrong with your '99 and also with the prices you paid to repair 'em. Unless I'm very out of touch with shop prices (and that could be; I've not worked in that industry for 15 years at least) you were way overcharged for shop time on a couple items looks like.

Jacques, I'm not sure why you opine that the 4x4 system is a Rube Goldberg design. It's basically the same as most other push-button systems in use: You punch a button, an electric shift motor shifts the transfer case, and a solenoid engages to provide engine vacuum to a front axle shift motor to engage the axle.

My 1985 Cherokee had a vacuum actuated front axle. Most vehicles that don't have locking hubs have an electric or vacuum motor to engage the front axle.

My only real complaint is that the security system is so integrated into the computers that there's no overriding it. I prefer separate security systems, but that's just personal preference.

Regards,

Josh

I have a 2003 Chevy S-10. I drove it every day to work for 9 years. It's now been retired to the farm as the designated Hirshwagen. For two months out of the year I use it to pull deer out of the field.

Gas economy was about 20 MPG. The first year, the A/C controls went bad and required replacement. Just before the warranty expired, the gas pedal broke on I-75 and I spent a day stranded in Richmond KY, while the dealer tried to find a new cable. The differential got water in it right after the warranty expired. I replaced it with a Positrak and felt I was ahead of the game.

In 2006 the driver door broke and had trouble getting the lock mechanism replaced. It blew a head gasket in 2008 and the transmission went in 2009. In 2012 I was driving down I-75 in rush hour traffic and the back wheels almost fell off. Both rear bearings failed.

The anti-lock brake module failed in 2013. The speedometer failed last year. The brake lines failed in 2014 I've had to call the tow truck twice because of trouble with the fuel tank.


. . . and outside of that , everything's been great. Along the way, I've gotten to know the local tow truck driver well, and we're now friends on Facebook.

I don't think anyone's fussing about the 4.3, except for the mileage. They are fussing about the REST of the truck falling apart around the motor.

I looked at S-10s and Colorados, before buying my Frontiers. I didn't like the tinny feel, and the steering felt sloppy (new, on the dealer's lot) and they didn't impress me on build quality in any way at all.

Well lets see what is wrong with the 4x4 engagement system - Button on the dash, wires and fuse to a vacuum can by the headlight, pulls a cable that runs to a linkage under drivers butt, that pulls a lever right below the floor in the middle hump. What could go wrong? All this seems to work well if you don't need 4x4, but when you do need it about half the time it seems like it wont engage. It's pretty easy to get it to engage by hand, even though there is not enough clearance on the S10, you can still reach up in there with you head and shoulder under the truck and pull the little lever by hand. Problem with that is you were probably stuck in snow or mud when you needed 4x4 in the first place. So you take it to the shop and get a new, switch, vacuum can, cable, whatever and drive off with everything working again and it's good as new. You can test it every once in a while to see if it's still working and it is, It won't quit working until you are in the worst place to have to crawl under the truck and engage it by hand again. I finally fixed it myself, after having it done at the shop too many times by cutting a little flap in the carpet and drilling a small hole in the floor so that when the Rube Goldberg system fails I can stick a screwdriver through there and flip the lever over from inside the cab. A factory lever would be too easy to put here, and I get it that suburban ladies like to push buttons, but such an easy fix, and I'm not even an engineer, just a dumb rancher/mason. . .
Now my Ford Exploder push button system had its failings as well, but it is NOT designed anything like the Chevy's. On the Exploder the button turns on electric magnets that lock the hubs, but any amount of dust or grit and the magnets aren't strong enough to fully engage. At least with the Chevy there was a way to get it in by hand on the trail and get out of whatever you were in, albeit your ear may be full of mud or snow, with the Ford you are just screwed. The Ford was an easy fix, when you finally got home you could take the hubs off and clean em really well with some brake cleaner and get all the dust out so the magnets can do their job again and this will work for a year or so (ranch trucks more dirt road than highway but only 4x4 when needed rarely) or until you are in a bind and need it to work now. Best solution to this is when you get tired of cleaning the hubs every year just go buy some after market hubs that you have to get out and lock in with your fingers like the old days ( not an option on the S10 because it don't have hubs, it engages the front drive line) Buttons be damned!!! If an option on either of these was to buy one without the damned button that would be my choice, but it is not an option. 4.3 kicks ass though way snappier than the Ford and never had a problem with it and I have over 200k on it, the rest of the S10 is the problem, it has never made it 6 months that i can recall without needing something fixed. I have never had any problem with the Ford other than the hubs and it has over 200k on it as well.
The Chevy is much more fun to drive, the Ford is much more dependable and cheaper when shop bill is factored in to drive.

If you get the S10 though, find the lever and make the hole in the floor before you need it, because you will someday, and if you are in 8 inches of mud, and nobody is nearby to pull you out, when you do you'll be pissed if you didn't.

If you get a Ford just put aftermarket hubs on before you need to and you'll be set. I can't speak for Toyota or any other 4x4s cause I have no experience with them, but if they have magnets in the hubs, get manual, if the button locks the front drive line like a Chevy, figure out how to bypass it before you need to.

I had a 19something S10 extended cab, 4.3L, 4spd. Did everything I needed it to do, including towing an 18'6" glass boat. I'm sure I did some maintenance, but nothing that jumps out at me.

I've moved on, 1999 5.3L extended cab Z71 Silverado. 2005 5.3L Extended cab Z71 Silverado. 2015 5.3L extended cab 4X4 Silverado. Each full size Silverado got/gets better milage all around and towing than the S10 was getting, and each newer model Silverado got/is getting better milage than the previous.

JME

Yep, the Chevy dealers repair prices are exhorbitant. This was the newest car Momma had ever had. And I made the mistake of taking it to the dealership for repairs for a few years.

Oh, did I mention the replacement fuel tank, because the original developed a hole in the top. How about having to repair the wire harness because it was installed from the factory in a manner which allowed it to get against the exhaust manifold and melt.

Or the pressure relief valve in the fuel injection system because it started running rich. And the emissions control issues, caused by I don't even remember what, but it cost another $350 at the dealership to repair.

I have a stack of receipts on that Blazer about two inches thick.

I had two friends with the same rig, different year models. They also had a bunch of problems with their's, Although none to the extent of mine.

My fuel pump issues really pissed me off. I had a new lifetime warranty fuel pump installed at the dealership. A couple years later, the car started frequently stalling in the middle of the street on hot summer days.

I took it to a good certified mechanic's shop which diagnosed low fuel pressure.

I took it back to the dealership, where they stated 'The fuel pump tests within factory tolerence" and they refused to honor the warrenty.

I took it back to the aforementioned mechanic's shop. They replaced the fuel pump on my dime, and it has never stalled again.


GMC builds some great full size trucks. I have a 95 K2500 w/ 5.7. It is a wonderful vehicle. My buddy's 02 k2500 is great. He also owns two Canyons w/ the inline five. They work well as his family's cars.

But run away from the 90's to early 2000's S-10 as fast as you can.

A half ton k-10 with a 5.3 or 5.7 will be much more dependable and get the same fuel economy.

Yep, same with fuel pump, and same with wiring harness, also air conditioner pump, and both cvjs on front, pretty consistent, one thing after another. Truck was very rarely taken to back country serious hunting or fishing trails--too high of odds of having to hike out! But it has seen more than its share of gravel, often washboard, Wyoming back roads.

bought a 2000 Blazer back in December. knew it needed some work. But for 2600...couldn't pass it up.

I have replaced both spring shackles, rear brakes and rotors, front brakes and rotors and a universal in the rear driveshaft

It now has 118000 miles on it....16000 since I bought it. Good truck.


Ain't no flies on the S-10....if you know how to fix them.

The 4.3 is my favorite domestic V-6. It's probably not a Toyota level example of engineering, but it's worlds better than the 2.8 that was put in a some S-10's years ago.

Sincerely, I wish you much luck with the next 65,000 miles.

I have a 95 with a 2.2 (?) 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual transmission. It has survived one fender bender, 2 collisions with deer, an ice storm under a pine tree, and 3 sons who drove it from age 16 to 18. It now has 200K and neither the engine nor the transmission have been opened up. Pretty good truck I'd say.

Speaking of the Tacoma, which is starting to show up in numbers here in NM, I notice that Nissan is now advertising a new US-made pickup with a Cummins engine. Thoughts?

BYW, one of my buddies just bought a new Tacoma to replace his Chevy Silverado crew cab that started making valve noises at around 120,000 miles. He had the Tacoma for about 3 weeks when it was stolen from his wife at gunpoint in their driveway neat the Univ. of NM in Albuquerque. It was later found trashed and he bought another new Tacoma.

I'm sorry I didn't get back here sooner. Come October we lost my father-in-law unexpectedly and my wife had to have major surgery. Not much time for much else.

I think you and I agree on the essentials. What's different are our expectations.

I'd never take an S-Blazer on the trail without extensive modification. The system is built around snowy roads.

When I was into offroading heavily, I had a 1976 CJ5 that had locking hubs and a tricked out 304 V8.

I can't imagine doing much serious offroading with a semi-floating front axle and chain-driven transfer case, regardless of how it switched into 4wd.

I'm just fine with using it for the snow and such. In fact, my Bravada had full-time 4wd or AWD, no low range, locking rear axle from the factory, and not many moving parts to the system. It was wonderful in light mud (unimproved roads to fishing holes when raining) and snow.

I'd kinda' like anther Jeep with manual hubs, though...

Josh

I had a 2000 I drove for 12 years. Good truck. 4.3 is a great engine, basically the old 350 block minus two cylinders.

DF

The 4.3 is an awesome engine. I've had a few trucks with it and all did great on MPG and had plenty of power. The ZR2'S are nice little trucks. Should be great as a daily driver, or hunting rig. You should probably get about 23 mpg too...

I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, 4.0-V6, A/T, 4x4; big enough to be comfortable, but still small enough to get around reasonably well.

I have friends who have had Chevy 4.3s . No real problem with them but I have to agree with the posters who recommend Toyota. I have an 09 that has had 1 rear leaf spring break (later recall) 1 headlight bulb , and just this week replaced the U joints in the driveshaft. Not bad at all for almost 190k . Nothing else has been done to the truck.

Hyster puts 4.3 v6 Chevy motors in many forklifts. We get between twenty and thirty thousand hours on that motor! When oil is changed at regular intervals, and basic maintenance is done. As far as the s10 body and drive train I have no other input outside of the motor.

I had a 91 5sp and the little 2.8 v6.

Ran about 60-70k on it before I totaled it. Mechanically it was solid. No issues.

I have owned two S10's a two wheel drive pick-up with a stick and a Blazer with AT, both had the 4.3L engine. The PU was trouble free, the Blazer had problems with the intake manifold gasket leaking. This lit the check engine light, a couple trips back to the dealer and they had issued a service buletin and fixed it for good and it was no further problem.

Look for a used Ford Ranger, I see at least a 10:1 ratio of Rangers still running around then I do S10's. I don't think the S10's were bad at all actually but Ford must have done something right with the Rangers. I hope they re-introduce them

Have had 4 S-10 Blazers and 1 S-10 pickup. The first Blazer, a 1985, had the 2.8 and went 285,000 and was still running when I sold it. The rest had the 4.3 and ran trouble free for at least 190,000, wife's current one has 187,000 on it and still going strong, BTW all have been 4x4's.

i put 240,000 miles on a 4.3 in a van and i now have a colorado inline 5 with 168,000 miles . motors have been great.

Isn't the 4.3 basically a 350 less two cylinders?

Any Taco prior to 2003 you meant.

My son has a 2006 I cannot even begin to tell you how many things have failed on that POS.

Rust Recall
Leaf spring recall
seatbelt recall

Front engine seal(problematic ) 1200 to fix
Both Front Wheel Bearings 650 per wheel
Clutch and my son knows how to drive a Clutch correctly
Truck has 106k on it and I have spent probably 5k on it since he bought it

Truck is maintained immaculately and I use oem filters and synthetic in it, beyond all Factory scheduled maintenance.

I bought a 2009 Double CAb

constantly out of alignment
rear wheel bearing
leaking valve cover gaskets

sold it with 75k


I bought a 2014 Double CAb NEW

Constantly out of alignment


See a pattern here?




My brother had a 2003 and he replaced the front axles and both front wheel bearings , he retired it at 225k . THat was the only issue he had with his.

They are not the quality they once were, not even close.

All but 1 GM product I've owned seemed to fall apart around the motor and trans. Brakes, alts, and tons of rattles, stripped fasteners and loose door panels.

The 2.8 was referred to as the "disposable" engine and for good reasons. Definitely no 4.3 litre...

If they did, they need to put the duratec in them like what the Edge and escape has...... My 09 escape puts out 240 hp and the edge somewhere around 265.... A ranger with that engine would be pretty bad azzed...

The ZR2 with the 4.3 is a pretty good truck. Given what you are going to use it to do and if the price is right just buy it.

My S10 was a good truck. It had its problems from time to time but nothing so expensive or so terrible that we were broke or stranded. The door handles were crap though.

The ones from the 80s were real POSs.....

couple family members owned them... real disposable jalopies... 2.8 was junk from day one..the 85 my brother had, had a 5 speed manual... first two gears were made of plastic evidently.. trans went under warranty and the dealership asked if he wanted the first two gear replaced under warranty with the same plastic ones, or he could get steel ones for another $50.. I advised him to spend the $50!

+1 ! ... Toyota sells diesel passenger vehicles in almost every country that they do business, except, the U.S. No idea why. IMO, a diesel Hilux would sell like hot cakes in the U.S. But, they seem to have no interest...

I've heard folks bitch them before but my little truck did pretty well. Not much power, but no issues either. But then 70k ain't much in the way of miles.

I also had a 93 Ranger with the little 4 banger. Between the two, I wish I still had the Ranger.

Those 2.8 motors had bad rear main seals. It was part of routine maintenance on my S10 Blazer.

Do not start them at 30 below if one is blocking in your wife's car unless plugged in for 2 hours prior. Oh, it will start. And 10 seconds later you will owe it a new motor.

Don't ask... Just the neighbor's POS , so it was only money.

I had an 83 blazer and it had the 2.8. It's the only motor I've ever ran a rod thorough the side of the block with. Mabye I don't drive enough....

This is an old thread and I passed on the S-10.

I had a 2WD '85 S10 with the 2.8 and a 4speed manual transmission. Honestly, I did nothing but routine maintenance on the rig. I sold it with over 300K on the odometer. Still original clutch AFAIK. 'Twas a very good little rig.