COFL's Search for Meaning (and an Offroad Vehicle) - 2005 Blazer
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Gonna keep it short. What can Oppo tell me (paging @gmctavish) about 4th Gen blazers? This has less than 100,000 miles, looks great and is around $7,000 canadian. Seems like a sweet spot for an unmodified well cared for, one owner car.
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7k for an S10 blazer? Me thinks that's quite high but in USD that would be around $5k? You have to drive it tho, I am not sure the 1998 GM dynamics will be to your liking.
https://kalispell.craigslist.org/ctd/d/columbia-falls-1999-chevrolet-blazer-ls/7230326210.html
https://kalispell.craigslist.org/ctd/d/columbia-falls-2000-chevrolet-blazer-ls/7230322389.html
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Wow, haven't seen one that clean in awhile.
They are a little underwhelming. 4.3 is thirsty, but reliable. The 4L60E is reliable behind the V6, just make sure that it's been serviced. You'll also want to make sure the transfer case is working properly. These electronic units can get a bit funky.
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If you're looking for a similar vintage offroader, I'd recommend a 4Runner or Jeep Cherokee. Toyota's up by you I'm sure are more expensive (Toyota Tax!) but they are very capable and dependable platforms. Cherokee's are inherently better off-roaders than a Blazer out the box. You'll run into issues with the Blazer that the aftermarket hasn't fully solved or developed cheap like the Jeep or Toyota (i.e. lift kits, upgraded axles, power adders)
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@rctothefuture Those are actually some well made points.
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I had the 4.3 in my old S10. You literally can’t kill that engine. Mine cruised around with hardly any oil in it for a while and wasn’t any worse for the wear. Check for rust! That’s what kills most of these.
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@carsoffortlangley it was what I considered when buying my 4Runner. Spending time trying to find Blazer parts that weren't for a K5 was a real bitch and a half. There is a community out there that love them, of course. I just think if you want to put on some big tires, bullbar, snorkel and maybe a locker, you're better off going with a community that has several options.
It's why I owned several Fiero's and not Fiat X1/9's. No offense to the X1/9, but I can look almost any engine and it's been in a Fiero with a full build guide. I can't say the same for the italian cheese wedge.
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@CarsOfFortLangley As others have said the engine in those are solid, the transmissions less so but there is zero aftermarket parts market for them. They do look pretty good in 2 door too.
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My parents had one of these with no serious issues. Biggest takeaway I remember is that the brakes were underwhelming. I have seen plenty of them lifted on knobby tires in Utah and California.
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I owned a 2002. I liked it, but it ate wheel bearings and ball joints like crazy, maybe our roads are exceptionally bad...
Still, I liked it and after I sold it I did miss it. engine was dead reliable, if a little underwhelming. A Flowmaster 40 series sounds pretty good on one too.
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On the contrary we nuked a 4L60 behind a 4.3. The only thing I've found that really doesn't is the 4.8 V8 due to it's lack of low end torque. I don't see too many of these on the road now, and a lot of that is from the transmission.
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@carsoffortlangley Oh man that takes me back. For several years in high school and college I had a 2000 2 door V6 blazer in blue just like that one but mine was RWD. It was an immense pile of shit, so many electrical issues and the bodies love to rust out just ahead of the rear wheel arches. The turn signal clicker relay in mine was broken so anytime the car was running the clicker was clicking, it drove me insane.
I overheated mine so many times when the plastic radiator tanks cracked and no matter what it kept on trucking. That motor was an absolute champ and never faulted to start no matter how poorly I treated it. The interior was hot trash, but what do you expect from GM of that era really. Oh and the brake lines rusted out at 130,000mi.
Biggest thing I can say if you look at it is check hard for rust or signs of bondo in the rockers and that spot ahead of the rear wheels. Otherwise everything else problematic on these is easy to spot.
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@saigashooter Were you on Kinja? I don't remember you.
That seems like an accurate assessment of the Blazer. Unkillable engine, underwhelming dynamics, and a few cheaply made parts that let the rest of it down.
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@carsoffortlangley The drive-train will last virtually forever. They're total cockroaches. They do like to eat front ball joints, and the 4wd ones are a bit of PITA to wrench on. I'm a big fan of these, and I think it's a good choice.
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@mazda616 Not proud of this, but my 4.3l Blazer regularly went WELL over oil change intervals (LOL, being poor sucks), and never seemed worse for it.
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@whoistheleader I was on Kinja, same name and same avatar. I've been kicking around Oppo since 2010, so really, pre-kinja. I don't post a lot .
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@saigashooter Okay, just wondering as I didn't recognize the name. Welcome to the Hyphen!
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Did they have the ZR2 in Canada? All the other data/recommendations (including rec of other SUVs) is on point.
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The 4.3 is a good engine. Nothing spectacular, but it just does its job and takes quite a lot of abuse.
Can't say I care for the rest of the vehicle around the engine. I'd think you could find one for a lot cheaper, but if it is exceptionally well taken care of on top of the low miles, may not be a bad buy.
Has me wondering how good its successor, the Trailblazer, can do off road. Fairly certain it's a lot of the same where the chassis is a bit of a letdown along with various electrical components, but I really, really like the Atlas 4.2 straight 6. Always thought that was a neat engine, way more modern than the old 4.3 Vortec and way more power, too. But, it is bigger as well. If you were to get into some rough stuff, the older Blazer has better breakover angle for sure with the short wheel base.
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Pretty much is a S-10. Very reliable drivetrain, just the plastics get brittle, broken seat reclining lever, dash bezel cracks, center dash vents and speaker covers disintegrate (although cheap to replace for those 2)
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According to a buddy that had one, if you put open headers on one, it sounds EXACTLY like a Vietnamese river boat.
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@CarsOfFortLangley If you're getting a Blazer/Jimmy for off-roading, only look at ZR2s. Factory lift, Bilsteins, 31s, and rear LSD. Also a wider track, stronger diffs, and bigger/stronger wheel and axle bearings.
$7000 might be a reasonable ask for a very low miles, very clean ZR2, but not a normal one. The one you posted is a $4000 truck at most, unless prices have jumped recently.
There is a Rough Country lift available for non-ZR2s, but it's like $600 plus install....might as well just get a ZR2 and have all the other good stuff too.
Reiterating what others have said - the 4.3 is a bulletproof gem of an engine, I loved mine dearly and I still miss it, even at 313k kms. The 4L60E is not bulletproof. Ones with the factory towing package have a trans cooler that extends the life, if you get one without a trans cooler, it would be a good idea to install one. 5 speed ZR2s are a thing, I've never driven a manual S10 based anything but I know they used a couple different 5 speeds. Probably not the most fun gearbox, but should be stronger than the 4L60E.
90s GM interior crappiness abounds. Rattles, squeaks, the rear view mirror might fall off, the headlight switch will probably overheat, the 4WD switches will probably fail at some point, some of the directions of the power mirrors will probably fail....you get the picture. Oh and the blower motor and blower motor resistor are liable to go. Oh and make sure you replace the fuel filter unless you're sure it's been replaced recently, and expect the fuel pump to fail at some point.
Also they eat ball joints. Oh and if you check one out that sounds like it's running on 5, it's probably the spark plug behind the steering shaft that needs the steering box unbolted in order to replace it.
I think that about covers it. I'll be back if I remember anything else. They're cheap, objectively terrible things, but I love them, and I love the 4.3. I want a ZR2.
