Chevy S10 Owner Reviews

barlitz

I've got a 00 ZR2 and I really like the truck,had Fords before never had a problem with them either,just liked the ZR2 looks and you can go almost anywhere you want with it.Check out www.zr2.com its a very informative sight and there's no [non-permissible content removed] crap owners there either.

nmchop

I wanted to chime in with my experience since I've benefitted from so many people's experiences on other boards when considering vehicles.

I bought a 1998 as described above with the 3rd door. It's been a good vehicle, right now with 29,000 miles on it and month until I turn it in. The only thing I would change (and plan to change) is to get a V-6 engine. The 4 cylinder is ok with auto transmission, but I want a little more power. MY gas mileage has been about 19-20 in town and 24-25 on the highway except one trip to Phoenix where I only got 20 on the highway. Not bad all in all.

As for service problems...When i first got the truck, when i'd accelerate at highway speed, i'd get a noise much like a kid who has put a baseball card in his spokes of his bicycle. I took it in, it took them a couple of days to figure it out. They had to call the factory as it turned out to be a very rare problem. It seems there was a hole the size of a pinhead in the coolant system and that was the noise. No damage, just an irritating noise. They took care of it. At about 20,000 miles, it just wouldn't start one morning. Turned out the battery died, easy repair after getting it towed. I've gone through shock absorbers like crazy, but I attribute that to bad NM roads in town. At about 25,000 miles, while getting scheduled transmission serviced, they found a very slow rear transmission seal leak and had to replace the BIG belt (can't remember what it's called). It was a $70 belt. So my $49 transmission service did end up costing $179 with the labor on the belt added in. That was the only "unforseen" thing that happened, all other work was under warranty (shocks, cooling system, battery).

I've enjoyed the truck, I find it comfortable, enjoy the ride and as I've looked around to my next vehicle have found I'm having trouble finding something I like as much. So I'm considering getting a V-6 S-10 as that's about the only thing I'd change in my truck (and maybe get power windows). I may get a Blazer as well as they are basically S-10's with a V-6 and I've found this truck to be pretty good. Still haven't decided. This is my first truck and my only ride and i've enjoyed the versatility of owning a small truck. Felt like the ride of the truck was as comfortable as a sedan which has been a surprising bonus. I liked Dakota's as well, but no 3rd door (i love the 3rd door).

Complaints: GM uses too much cheap plastic on the interior of the cab. When it's warm, the plastic under my driving column is a symphony of plastic crackling noises. I took it in early and had them try to fix it, they failed. I later put in a CD changer and the stereo shop said there were 3 loose screws (makes me wonder if the techs at the dealership even checked the "rattling" dash). Even after they tightened those for me at the stereo shop, i still got the plastic creaking noises but not as bad and i guess I've adapted or tune them out now. They bothered me a lot the first 5 months or so. Seems to be worst in the summer.

A/C is great, Heater is awesome, Like riding high, i'm kind of the Road haha. So that's my review of my S-10 experience. I liked it enough to defintely consider another one or get the Blazer. That decision waits one more month (also considering an Olds Intrigue if I go back to a car, which I doubt i'll do). The Edmunds review of the S-10 said the 3rd doors tend to rattle. Mine has not rattled at all in the 3 years I've had it, even on broken road. I think maybe they could've put better tires on it but i didn't change them out. So overall, no major complaints, enjoyed the vehicle, but you'd hope your first 30,000 miles would be pretty trouble free.

Thanks for listening, hope this assists somebody that stubles across it like so many vehicle reviews i've read.

jim4444

I think you'll like the V6, make sure you get posi and think about replacing the factory tires, the V6 has alot more power than the 4 cyl.

I have a '99 reg cab and they get decent mileage, rated at 22 highway I get that in all around driving, higher on long trips (mostly highway).

stephenjohn99

I was looking at getting and 95 model S-10 from a local person selling it. But I do no know if it is a good deal. The truck has 116,000 miles on it, extended cab, 4 cyl automatic. The exterior looks very good. the asking price is 3500 with room to flex. I just want to know if it is worth it, or if 116,000 miles is too much for an S-10? I don't want to end up spending more for repairs than I did for the truck.

nubira1

Does anyone know where I can get a nice set of carpeted floor mats for my truck that fit? The dealer wants $110 for the logo mats. I don't need the logo, just nice mats that fit.

xtremechevy01

Has anyone experienced any problems with the Xtreme pickups? On mine the body seems to be twisting in two different directions....and when I stop, I feel this sliding motion from underneath the truck. Its really weird. Its a "sliding back" motion with a "thud" feel to it (I cant hear anything..just feel it) and then its done. So I took it back to the dealership I bought it from (I bought it 2 months ago) and they decided, after 20 minutes of pure confusion, that the sliding motion was from the bafold in the gas tank. So they looked at it and come to find out, there is no bafold in the tank....then they changed their answer, now the reason for the motion was because there wasn't a bafold, its just fuel sloshing around that your feeling they say. I don't think thats the problem... its been getting more frequent lately and I notice the body is twisting I said. The bed is now further apart from the cab on the passenger side, the vailiance on the front bumper has moved 1/2" toward the passenger tire but is still flush on the drivers side,the hood has moved forward a little on the drivers side but its even on the passenger side and the last thing is the tailgate...I can move it from side to side about an inch... plus up and down...a little too much play there I think. they tell me all S-10 pickups are that way, which is a bunch of crap...I traded in my 99' S-10 for the Xtreme and it never got like this. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be wrong?? The people at the dealership treat me as if I were insane, and if I have to keep dealing with these people Im gonna be.

jim4444

$110 is too much, you can get them for a lot less. Try a set of catch all's for about half that price and year round protection.

hwcoach

I have the opportunity at work to purchase a 1994 S-10, extended cab that has everything "except power locks and windows" with a 4cyl engine. Total mileage 42,000 with 48 left on the extended warranty. Due to the death of the owner, the son would like to avoid advertising and going through the hassle of selling it and offered it to me for $6K.

Does that sound like a good buy?

Also -- not having had the chance to look at it yet (or other S-10s), does the extended cab come with additional seats, or is it storage space only.

Thanks,

milanj

I had a 91 S10 which at 37,000 miles failed inspection due to ball joints being worn. It was the first time at this mechanic, so I figured he was trying to rip me off. Sure enough, a mechanic I trust said the same thing. Replaced them and sure enough, at 75,000 miles they failed again. This was expensive (about $500 - $600 per incident). Reason given was that there were no grease fittings so you couldn't prevent premature failure. Now I have a 97 S10, and sure enough, at 39,000 miles the ball joints were bad. Supposedly, theses ball joints have grease fittings. This time the dealer inspected it. They were replaced for free since I have an extended warranty. Why is this?? I certainly don't beat the truck in any way. Any body have any ideas on how to avoid having them replaced again at 78,000???

wally00

Does anyone know the reasoning behind the xtreme not be able to be used for towing. I'm in the process of buying a jet ski (>1000lbs) and I know it would be more than capable. The problem is i'm stuck in a lease for the next 2 years, any suggestions?? thanks

madridjoe

Both my 89 S-15 and my 95 Sonoma have fitttings on the ball joints, so that seems strange that your 91 did not. Anyhow, I sold the 89 with 120K and the original ball joints, still have the 95 with 70K and have not had any problems with the joints on that yet either, so I guess I'm not much help. Maybe someone else will have more information on this.

parrotfish3

The extreme package has a roll pan vs. a rear face bar type bumper, perhaps you could look into adding an A/M hitch, or swapping extreme rear bumper for step bumper.

newton75

I bought my 95 s-10 4.3L/standard cab/short bed about a year and a half ago for about $6000. I've been very happy with it & feel like I got a good deal. It's got about 112,000 miles and it's running strong. A couple of issues that I would check before buying would be to see if the previous owners have had to replace the intake manifold gasket yet (almost guaranteed to blow at around 100,000 to 110,000 miles on the 4.3L engine - it's about a $500 dollar repair), and see if they've had any problems with the EGR valve (Chevy is notorious for having EGR valves that clog - not as expensive to fix, but a pain to clean out when the engine starts acting up). My gut reaction to the two offers is that stephenjohn99 is getting a pretty darn good deal. Hwcoach might want to see if there's any room to negotiate - I paid the same for a newer truck with a bigger engine (granted there were more miles).

rob129

I have 1998 zr-2 S-10 (4wd) 65,000 miles.Trans. started shifting hard from 1st to 2nd after driving for 35 miles or so. I took it to a MC dealer to check it out. They put a diagnostic deal on it and it said tarns. problem.(exactly what I told them) I was told they changed a celonoid and was going to do a test drive to see if it had solved the problem. Told me to come back tomorrow (may 11). Anybody taking any bets? Two years ago with 35,000 miles ,same problem. Guess what, it was the valve body I. had 1000 miles then left on warranty luckily. Now ,no warranty,same problem. I called M assistance number and told them it was probably the same problem. They called the GMC dealership and then told me that if it was the same problem they would give me a generous discount on the repairs.After seeing this website for the 1st time I see I am not the only with this problem!!! Stay tuned for part two.(by the way,I showed them the receipt from the 1st repair).

milanj

I have a 97 LS that I just had fixed for the exact same problem. (See Chevy S10 problems link).I have 54,000 miles so my repair was covered by my extended warranty. My repair was the valve body also, so I agree with your bet. Mine's been fixed for about 3 weeks now and I have not had the problem re-occur. If your's isn't under warranty, please post the repair price. I'd like to know what it is if this happens again.

double_seven

I have a 2000 Chevy s-10 ZR2. I've noticed recently that while driving with the air selector turned to "Off" and all the way to "Cold" heat pours into the cabin onto my feet. It has to be the most miserable problem to drive any distance with that I can think of. I brought my truck in and Chevy claims that the truck is designed to allow airflow into the cabin even when the selector is off. This is understandable but fiery hot air?

Just wondering if anyone has had similar problems and can offer some solution (or if you'd like to complain like me, that'd be fine too).

wally00

Thanks Parrotfish, I'll check into both those options for my xtreme

rob129

Check #465 for part 1 of this story. GMC dealor where truck is being repaired ordered a valve or some type of plug which is suppose to relieve pressure and allow trans.to shift normal from 1st to 2nd.Part is on back order and should be in next week?It is a part in the valve body,not the whole valve body. No transmission removal is required. Mechanic said 2-3 hours to replace?? Stay tuned for part 3. To milanj; I will let you know the cost of repairs.

caddyshack

I've got a '96 S-10, extended cab, 4x4. LS package (buckets, console, upgraded interior), 5-speed manual, manual transfer case lever, V6. I bought it new in Dec. '96 as a leftover on the local lot. Window sticker just shy of $22,000, I got it for $18,500.

It's been a good truck. Consistent 21mpg each time I check. I drive it a lot off road, rocky terrain in eastern California, Nevada and Death Valley. The truck has currently 97,200+ miles.

Troubles have been few. 18,000 - cracked water pump housing (warranty). 34,000 -leaking top seal on transmission (warranty). Now, the AC is gone. Estimate is $1,500 to replace compressor. Anyone else had their AC go south?

I replaced stock Goodyear RTS ("really thin spare") at 19,000 for BFGs, now on 3rd set of tires. No flats since switching to BFG. Factory serpentine belt replaced at 70,000. Factory shocks replaced at 85,000. Front brakes just replaced three weeks ago, factory set wore just fine and was not critcal yet (I use the transmission to aid in braking on the road and transfer case in low range off road to control truck's speed). I requested mechanic to do rear brakes also, but they called and said I had at least two more years left on them. Can't complain.

I was a bit leary of buying another Chevy, as I've had two one lemon Chevy truck (Silverado 1981) and a lemon Chevy car (1980 Citation). I'm more of a Ford man (350,000+ trouble free miles on a '70 F-100 4x4; 285,000 trouble free miles on a '87 Tempo; 202,000 trouble free miles on a '88 Taurus [my daughter still drives it]) , but I hate those pushbutton transfer case activation switches, the Ranger and large trucks did not have available manual activation when I was looking for a new truck. Everyone I know that has the electronic activators (all brands) have had troubles with them.

I'm putting the truck into the shop soon for a thorough check up on hoses, belt, drive line and repair the AC. Big 3,000 mile trip this summer, mostly 4x4. Love it!

gaston3

I am looking at a 2001 S10 4x4, not the zr2, just a regular ls model, with 3.73 gears and 4 speed auto. It is rated at 15/18 for mileage. Can anyone tell me if this is as good as it gets, or what type of gas mileage you are getting with one.

Thanks!

spacecadet

I have a 97' S-10 with V6,4 wheel drive,3.42 gears and the 4speed w/o.d. Before I modified it I pulled about 14/19 if I was easy on the pedal, just runnin' regular 87octane. After a 3" exhaust and a performance intake I pulled about 18/26.
The truck has alot of power but Chevy makes every thing too damm restrictive to see any decent mileage.
If you do get the truck best of wishes, I had mine for about 3 years now and had no problems,(bought it used with 12K on it)-----I keep up with the daily maintenance and have 40,000 miles on it. Anyway check out www.truckperformance.com they have some really cool stuff.

redly_one

I recently got my first look at the 02 Trailblazer, which was pretty damn sweet. Is there any news about the S-10 being revamped soon? It would be a nice lead to follow

rob129

Part 3,Check message's #465&#469.Got truck back from GMC dealership here in town Fri.6/1/01.Service adviser said to drive and see if it is ok.I have to drive to K.C.Missouri (270)miles Sunday and then drive home Friday. Should know if problem has been corrected by end of next week? Service advisor said about $500.00 in parts so far. Don't know about labor? Stay tuned for Part 4, hopefully the end!!!!!!!!!!!

gaston3

Well since they gave me such a good deal on the 2001 I decided to get it. Can you give me an idea as to how much you spent you your 3" exhaust and performance intake (as well as what kind) you put on your truck?

rdmini

I've recently found an '88 S10 in my area. I'm looking for a truck specifically, don't know what kind, just to play around with. The truck that i found was an S10 extended cab, the interior is in excellent shape, but the exterior is rusted in the usual areas around the fenders, the rocker panels, and the bottom of the trunk. This is not my biggest problem as i can fix that easily. The problem is the 4.3L V6 has 245,000km on it. How much longer will it last? What are common problems that occur with a motor with this many km's on it? Is the truck worth buying for $850.00? I know that's not a lot but i've got other places to put my money and besides i'm already restoring another car, so there isn't that much money to be thrown into the vehicle. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

rdmini

Another question for anyone who would like to answer, how much can a 2WD '88 S10 with the 4.3L V6 and the trailer hitch built into the bumper tow? I'm looking for it to tow an 18' boat. Any replies are appreciated.

Thanks

joe3891

Automobile Mag. note

CHEVROLET will call its new pickup the Colorado.The truck,which replaces the aged S10, is slated for launch in the first quarter of 2002.A companion model will supplant the GMC Sonoma.
Looks like at about 2005 it will be safe to buy one.

edk6

I have a 93 S-10 Blazer that I originally purchased brand new. It's the 4.3L "W" motor that's on its way out after only 110,000 miles. After just replacing the water pump, intake manifold and the precious fuel injector, the local dealer and another trusted mechanic inform me that the main bearing is knocking and it's time for either a new motor or new vehicle. Talk about a disappoinment! For a vehicle that was mostly dealer maintained with regular tune-ups and oil changes and never saw "off road" terrain. Anyone else experience this with this motor? I've been reading a lot of the other articles here and yes, ball-joint replacements....I'm there twice over. Oh, and I've replaced 3 alternators on this too.
A big hats off to the guy with the 410K miles on that vehicle. I guess some of us get lucky. I certainly expected more out of my Blazer, I don't think I'll be purchasing another one.

tkos

This may seem like a stupid question but I'll ask anyway. I am looking into a 2001 S-10. Looking at dealer stock on Edmunds.com I was surprised to see the limited stock of 4wd extended cabs. It's obvious there is a decent price difference between 2 and 4wd. I am assuming this is the reason for the limited offering compared to it's 2wd counterpart. I am trying to decide if the 4wd is worth the money. I live in the Northeast and have owned front wheel or four wheel drive my whole life. Is the 2wd as bad in the snow as I have heard? Can anyone lend any insight?

Thanks

milanj

I have a 97 S10 and would not do without 4WD. The truck is very light and won't go very well if at all in a decent snow. I even use it in the rain to try and maintain good traction.

I think you would be sorry living in the Northeast with a 2WD S10

tkos

Thanks for the input, that's what I thought. Judging by the dealer stock around here, I thought maybe I was missing something! Well I guess I am...I finding that the price of the S-10 4wd extended cab is about the same as a 4wd 2-dr Blazer. Now I'm debating the additional covered cargo space vs the utilitarian use of the pickup. I imagine I'm not alone. I guess that answers the question of why stock is so lean on the S-10.

Thanks again!

jauto98

hello all... I have a 1997 GMC Sonoma regular cab, short bed with the 2.2 liter engine with automatic. Currently I have about 30,000 miles on it and have noticed my tires (uniroyal tiger paws) are wearing pretty significantly. I have done several alignments and the truck goes straight. Wondering if anyone could suggest a good replacement tire that will handle well in both wet and dry conditions....thanks

joe3891

I would go with Michelin,probabaly x's.
I own a 99 Sonoma with 20,000 and the Uniroyal tires look new,I rotate every 8,000 and can't figure out what your problem might be.Gravel roads maybe?

corvette

I agree with joe3891 - I prefer Michelin tires (the Uniroyals tend to squeal a lot during parking maneuvers). That said, when our truck had 90,000 miles on it, one of the tires was destroyed courtesy of a large piece of scrap metal in the road. We went ahead and replaced all four tires with the same Uniroyals for under $300. The dealer said that if it weren't for the damage, the tires would have easily gone 100,000 miles. The truck now has ~142,000 miles on it, and the tires are still in great shape after 50,000 miles. Can't imagine why they would wear out in 30k, unless you haul a lot of heavy loads.

jauto98

don't know what the deal is. I always rotate my tires every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, or when it doesn't feel like the truck is going straight. According to a trusted mechanic, he claims the tires on the sonoma aren't worth anything. He also said they aren't considered truck tires and gave me reasons why they were wearing down. He said I only had 5-10k miles until they need to be replaced, so I have a while to go. There has been a lot of road construction in my area, though there are a lot of freshly paved roads I travel on too. So I don't know what the deal is. When my truck had 15,000 - 20,000, they seemed like new but about 25k, they started to wear out quick. I also live in the south, so maybe the heat may have something to do with it. I was thinking about getting some Bridgestone Duelers, they seem great. Any comments???

spacecadet

Sorry it took so long to respond I've been busy. K&N was the parts I've used. At the time I got an unbelievable deal for them, It cost me a little over $600 for the whole set. You can look at "TruckPerformance.com" for the parts. That is the site I order from. It's easy to order from and they have reputable service. But I must warn you, Installing the whole package took a full day with common tools (hand tools,impact gun/air compressor and a small welder) and having the rear of truck on jack stands. Unless your mechanically inclined and have a variety of tools about, I wouldn,t suggest doing this type of job yourself. I had a backache for a couple of days. It does come with the self satisfaction feeling and bragging rights that you did it yourself..

barlitz

I've got a 00 ZR2,I ordered the Borla cat back along with the volant air flow kit from truckperformance.com, installed them myself there is a noticable difference with the exhaust and air kit, and my gas milage has gone up considerably. So far no problems what so ever with truck,I've got the 3.73 gears trucks got some good acceleration too. Right now truckperformance is having a good sale, also try www.consumerworld.com and punch in car parts in the coupon finder, they'll come up with some good online coupons for www,carparts.com

cajun626

I want to replace my factory radio with a cd player. Does the front of the dash have to be removed in order to remove the radio? Will I need a kit for the connections and/or faceplate?

ddavis001

How does one adjust this 3rd door? Also, how can I tighten the door panels (mainly, the drivers side)? It seems to be rattling more and more.

I like My GMC Sonoma with the ZQ8 package, but I'm not really in the mood to mess with the dealership, right now.

Thanks.

rob129

Check messages 465,469,474: I have had my truck back for over a month and have had no problems with the shifting from 1st to 2nd.GMC dealership where device was done replaced a valve and then drilled out. Although warranty had expired they said it should still be covered and I haven't heard from them since. Hopefully I won't.

tonysracing

I read this article, which mentions that the next generation S-10 will be built by Isuzu.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/BUSINESS/03/16/q.mateja.chevy/

Apparently GM is going to partner to design it's smaller vehicles.

Tony

joe3891

What valve was replaced,what did they drill out and where?

jim4444

What about the GM built S10 with all new inline engines?

kjrinnc

Even though we hear many horror stories in this forum, heres some good news. Ive owned a 1990 s-10 blazer with the 4.3 engine. 9 years and 213,000 miles later and ABSOLUTELY NO MAJOR REPAIRS, she is still trucking. (no pun intended). She has towed a boat for the last 5 years and has never had more than a water pump, one battery and one alternator. Thats it. Changeing the oil every 3000 miles does wonders. Any other good news out there?

jim4444

A guy at work has a '90 S10 4.3 TBI only burned half a quart of oil in 125,000 miles.

Hopefully the new I'6's will be as reliable!

cwo4

I've just purchased a 2001 GMC Sonoma SLS. Got all the goodies I wanted, 5 speed (real trucks have to be shifted) AC, AM/FM/CD, bucket seats etc. Rebates were the deciding factor, $3000 off sticker plus what the dealer chipped in. Really happy. I hope Edmunds is wrong in their "spotty build quality" statement in the review. The also panned the Toyota ECHO. I love that little car. I'll be reading other owner comments. If anyone knows of a Chevy S-10/ GMC Sonoma page similar to the www.fordranger.com page, please let me know.

96flea

Chevrolet! What it really stands for: Constantly Having Every Vehicle Recalled Over Lousy Engineering Technology!

joe3891

I see the gov has finally forced Ford to recall about a zillion defective ignition switches that Ford said are ok,Ford thinks it normal for their vehicles to quit going down the road at any time.They all have their problems.

barlitz

check out www.ZR2.com there is a lot of good reading over there with some links to other Chevy sites.

cwo4