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Yeah...that sounds like our engine: suitable for maybe a lawnmower, but not much more.
My dad had a 90's S-10 4WD with a V6, and it's power was ok. Not great, but ok. Anyway, one day the starter motor quit. My brother tried to remove it, to repair it, and couldn't...because there was just so much "stuff" in the way. Chassis frame, wires, hoses, you name it...everything in the way...couldn't get at it. Finally, in desperation, he yanked the entire engine out to get to the starter...
Which leads to this suggestion of mine: "Engineers who design cars should be required to work in the mechanics shop for a year, on the same products". If they did that, then they might just change their mind on a few of their screwball design ideas..."
Bud
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deez Nuttz
I think they do that on purpose....so you will have to bring it to the dealer...so they can charge you out the wallet for it. IMO they're trying to do away with the ability of the backyard mechanic to work on his own car to save money. Same reason they don't build stuff to last these days....it's how they make money....it's a win-win situation....for them....not for you.
Or, it could just be that GM designers had their heads up theirasses. Like putting the hydraulic clutch mechanism INSIDE the bell housing!
Most of the 80's models were cancer buckets. Every one I've came across had swiss cheese beds and other assorted rust issues. And they weren't all northern salt belt trucks either.
I think they finally got it right in the 90's sometime.
Also keep in mind not all GM products are junk, yes maybe some of their FWD cars were crap, maybe the LUV (not even a real Chevy) was junk, some S-10's slipped past the radar (mine has almost 200k and still runs like a top) but I still see a lot of pre 1970's Chevy trucks running around. I can't recall the last time I saw a 1970's Toyota truck still in service.
LUV's were much better than the S-10. Isuzu was a low buck work horse.
If only that were true. The Luvs were also rot buckets right off the show room floor. They did have good engines that they actually did use in the S-10 for a few years but that's about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deepcynic
I love some old GM's and the Vette is the best 'almost' supercar for the money. But OP was considering recent 4xs not ancient ones.
You do know that the idea here is to answer questions posed in the OP, right?
Umm...yeah....did you bother to see who the OP of this thread is....?
I was actually looking more into an "ancient" truck.
I have a very good friend whom bought an S-10 brand new in the late nineties. He still has it and it has just under 200,000 miles on it with no problems. I know one person whom owned a Ranger and he was happy with it as well. I do not remember what year it was, how many miles he had on it or if he was the original owner, I just remember him being really happy with it. I do know that he had the six cylinder version and he said that is the only way he would buy it. I have known people with the eighties small Toyota pick up and remember them being happy with them as well. I do not see you going wrong with any of these trucks if you get one that was well maintained.
The only thing I would suggest staying away from are the Chrysler trucks. I have known people who have owned them and they definitely do suffer from transmission problems more than others.
I just remembered something I have read in Toyota forums about the cars and trucks from the eighties. I have read that they used recycled sheet metal for the body panels which are for some reason very susceptible to rust even without chips in the paint. I part out a lot of old cars; mostly 60's and 70's cars as well as certain models from the early to mid 80's. I had questioned an owner of a pristine early eighties Toyota car as to whether or not there is a demand for parts and if they get good money for any. He told me the same thing about the sheet metal. He said there is a large demand for good fenders, quarter panels, etc. but said it is really hard to find any with no rot. I suppose that back then Toyota was not the power house of a company it is today so perhaps they were cheap about things such as body panels to keep cost down?
I'm thinking of getting a small 4WD pick up to beat around with off road, thru snow, etc. and am not sure what to get.
Originally I was considering a late 90's-early 2000's S-10 with a V6, but then I got to wondering how good are the 4 cylinder 4WD trucks? For instance an '85 Toyota or Mazda?
Same answer, Toyota hands down. Mine is a 2000 rust free. I guess I focused on the 90's to 2000's... I stand corrected.
I am just wondering why you asked if you already know so much.
Every Toyota owner that I know or have ever known has really liked them.
As to the LUVs, apparently you live in the rust belt, around here they last forever. A local garage owner has used two of them for over 20 years. In my job I have driven virtually every kind of truck you can name, the LUVs were better than the S-10s, Dodges were the worst.
I would agree, get yourself a Toyota tacoma or earlier but be prepared to pay. They really hold their value. Nissan hardbody's are also good trucks. these are the late 80's to early 90's models. They are even harder to find though because Nissan did not sell as many as Toyota did.
Agreed...I had a little Nissan Hardbody 4x4 and it never failed me ( I would def look for a v6 tho because the 4cyl is a dog on any type of incline). One thing I really appreciated about that truck was that it didn't have all the plastic on the exterior that you find everywhere on trucks nowadays. It was tough, I beat that thing for 8 years and it just never stopped. The only downside I can think of was a rather small fuel tank considering the gas consumption was nothing to brag about.
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