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Chevy Tracker

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Comments

  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    sounds to me like you have the best of both worlds. Your wife obviously likes the tracker because you bought it. Women usually dont care about brute power or huge spaces. You have the Pathfinder that gives you everything you wanted. Same situation here at my house. I like the looks and knew about the low power (6). The tracker I traded in was a 4 cylinder. AS far as resale....with a 1500 - 2500 cash rebate plus the GM discount plus the GM Card we dont have very much invested in them anyway, right. Enjoy the Pathfinder.
    Nick
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    After some thought on the matter I think you may be right, in your case. If one is 6'2 or better you would have to slide the seat 4 or 5 inches farther back than I do. Witch would put your shoulder right on the post. My shoulder sits right at the rear of the window in front of the post, giving me a little more room.
    Nick
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Having test drove a Tracker, I don't agree it's grossly under powered. Compares well other 4 cyl cute-utes. It's fine for day to day driving and it's not meant for towing or drag racing. It's all about utility and economy. With gas at 77 cents a liter here, it's a viable option these days.
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    Good point...Tracker is relatively very economical on fuel in comparison to my Pathfinder.

    Tracker even offers 2-3" more headroom than Pathfinder as well!

    I tried to improve engine responsiveness by installing a K&N air filter, Bosch platinum 4-point spark plugs and synthetic oil...seems to keep the engine feeling new if nuthin else!
  • sasquatch_2000sasquatch_2000 Member Posts: 800
    dindak "...it's not meant for towing or drag racing. It's all about utility and economy"

    I thought towing was a BIG PART of UTILITY!!!!
    ???????

    ballfire8888 "I tried to improve engine responsiveness by installing a K&N air filter, Bosch platinum 4-point spark plugs and synthetic oil..."

    I can't see how this would hurt, but I wouldn't go and do it until maybe 25,000-30,000 miles are on it, otherwise I doubt it does much other than burn money.
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    I have already done those things...my wife's Tracker has 50,000 km (30,000 miles) on it.

    It is worth the trouble and expense.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Ya... I guess hauling is part of utility. I don't think anyone believes they can tow much with a 2L engine. Most of the people driving these things seem to be hockey moms and young single 20-30 year olds.
  • houstonman3houstonman3 Member Posts: 8
    20-21 miles per gallon highway, 18-19 city. Will do 90 MPH with no noise or vibration and is stable, smooth, and quiet. Ride is a bit choppy, but comfortable. Is a great value, RWD, built of a frame, full body cladding, luggage rack, mag wheel, V-6, PS, PB, PW, Autotrans, running boards, and drive out around $19,000. An't no Honda or Toyota can come close to price and value.
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    It states on my Indiana title to my 01 LT that it is a van. Not a truck. not a SUV.
    It's a Van. I wonder how other states call it. Here in indiana you can put car plates
    or truck plates on a van. If you put truck plates on, they cant stop you for not wearing
    seat belts. If you put car plates on your van they can stop you for seat belt violation.
    It's your decision when you plate your van. Screwy aint it!
    Nick
  • savethetreezsavethetreez Member Posts: 1
    I am very seriously looking into buying a 1996 tracker, 4WD, 4dr, 78k miles on it and selling for 6k. I was just curious if any one had any clue if this is a good deal or not, or do I need lots more info to make a good assumption? I also heard a lot about how bad their stability is, anyone have any clue what the stats are on that? A reply asap would be great!
    Tiffany
  • zeke707zeke707 Member Posts: 74
    We have a Suzuki Vitara 2 dr soft top which I understand is the same as the Chevy Tracker 2 dr with the exception of cosmetics and options such as the radio, etc. One other item I believe is the Suzuki has a larger tire size. We have about 6000 miles on the suv now and get 23 mpg in town and 25 highway. We have an automatic and this vehicle handles 75mph with ease. Last winter the heater worked very well here in Nebraska. The a/c will be tested this year.

    So far our impression of the Suzuki is good. We also own a Jeep Grand Cherokee purchased in 1993 so our evaluation of the Suzuki is based in part with that in mind.
  • woody72woody72 Member Posts: 73
    I also compared the Vitara and Tracker and although the tire and wheel size is different (Vitara a 16" wheel, Tracker a 15" wheel), the outside diameter of the tire is the same, hence no clearance difference or travel distance per tire revolution.

    To savethetrez: If the 96 is a manual tranny, I'd contact www.cami.ca (the manufacturer of Suzuki/Tracker) and ask if this year is included in their admitted problems with the manual trans, if so beware (read back a few posts), if not sounds good. As far as stability, if you are looking for a fast sports car look elsewhere, drive carefully and you will be fine.
  • zeke707zeke707 Member Posts: 74
    Thanks for the Cami web address! (cami.ca) I tried filling out the "Glove Box" survey, but the survey only allows Chevy Tracker VIN numbers.
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    where are all you Tracker posters???
    My wife let me drive hers again today and Im still impressed with its smoothness. I bought a new Impala for myself and a new LT tracker for her. Around town the tracker is smoother and takes the bumps and potholes and expansion cracks better than the Impala. Its the 6 cylinder. Under-powered for sure, like most 4 wheel drives, but around town and bad-weather it does just fine. I love it more every time I drive it.

    Nick
  • dawnie279dawnie279 Member Posts: 1
    Hello all! I was wondering if anyone has experienced what I have. I have a 99 Tracker 4 cylinder hard top. I bought it new and have had no problems until about six months ago. When I run the engine cold and apply the brake, I get this humming sensation that makes the brake shudder a bit under my foot and makes the whole car vibrate. I went to the car dealer & they said there was nothing wrong; I went to Merlin's & they adjusted my brake pads a bit. Of course that didn't solve it, in fact it's gotten a bit worse. Now the humming has gotten louder and you can visibly see the car shaking when it's doing this. It only seems to happen when I'm first running my car, so by the time I get it to a dealer's it's not doing anything & they tend to think I'm overexaggerating the problem. I'm getting worried because I'm nearing 36,000 miles (I travel a lot) and my warranty is going to end soon. I've kept the maintenance up on the car so I don't think it's because of something I've forgotten to get done. Has anyone else experienced this? Or have any suggestions for me? I'm taking the car in next week to get the ignition switch replaced (my key won't turn half the time for some reason) and I'd like to be able to have them look at SOMETHING to figure out what's wrong. I love how this has begun right around the time my warranty ends. Any advice would help. Thanx!!
  • trifivenomadtrifivenomad Member Posts: 19
    How do mean "humming". Is it like the vibration caused by the ABS operating or more like warped rotors?

    ABS vibration feels like you're standing on a blender full of crushed ice and tequila.

    Warped rotors feel like you drank the crushed ice & tequila and you're standing on a washing machine, with an unbalanced load of clothes on spin cycle.

    Get some tequila, ice and a blender while doing the laundry, and compare.

    Hope that helps.
  • megasuvownermegasuvowner Member Posts: 64
    I think chevy should also get a larger version of the tracked based on the SUZUKI XL7 because i feel that more people will buy a chevy rather than a suzuki even though they are the same car, and that is whats happening with the Viatura/Tracker
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    I'm sorry to hear that even the LT Tracker is underpowered...how may HP is this 6 cyl engine? My wife has the 1999 2.0L with 127 HP...talk about underpowered! Luckily for me, I'm now driving the 01 Pathfinder with 240 HP...what a fine ride!

    Cheerios
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    It's too bad the V6 is not available in Canada. The 4 cyl is not underpowered for around town. It's only bad for passing or towing. Personally, I think the 4 banger will be a big bonus when gas spikes this summer.
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    The 6cyl is 155 hp. We had a '99 4cyl like your wife. My wife liked the 4cyl just fine but ol' nick wanted something with a little more power. Power being 0-60 times. Not many stumps to pull here in central indiana :) and they just said on the news the other day that they had just paved the last 'state road' in indiana. So nearely all of our roads are paved around here. Not wanting to go 28- 35,000 bucks on on the #2 vehicle(been there and done that several times already) I went the cheap route. I would loved to have the new chevy trailblaser with the 270 hp engine. But 'what the hey!'. This is my wifes ride. I got my own toys I play with :*)
    Enjoy that Pathfinder. Its a great truck.

    Nick
  • jasper_28jasper_28 Member Posts: 1
    I live in southern Minnesota, which has some bitter-cold winters. Does anyone have a sense of how the Geo tracker soft-top would do in this climate in terms of heat retention? Does the heater crank out enough heat to keep up with the cold outside?

    Any other problems with Tracker soft-tops?

    I am looking at probably a '97 or so Tracker.

    Thanks VERY MUCH for any help!
  • zeke707zeke707 Member Posts: 74
    We have a 2000 Suzuki Vitara soft-top and used it through last winter here in Nebraska. We were very pleased with the heater performance. We had many cold windy days and the heater warmed the cab up quickly. In fact we did not run the heater with the heat control to the max....it was too hot!

    We also have a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee which has a good heater but doesn't warm the vehicle as quickly.

    Other soft-top items to be aware of include:

    Care must be taken when cleaning the vinyl windows for they will scratch if rubbed with a dry cloth.

    Make sure the top attachs securely to the vehicle at all points of contact and all zippers function. It is not advisable to clean your vehicle using a commerical power wash because of spray entering the interior in the soft-top area. My user manual states this fact although I have not attempted this...others may comment on their experiences.
  • dangbwidangbwi Member Posts: 35
    A friend uses air conditioner foam insulation tucked between the body and top on his Tracker to stay warm in northern Wisconsin. I use the foam on my half cab Samurai and it works great.
    Dan
  • dangbwidangbwi Member Posts: 35
    What kind of real world mpg can I expect from the 2001 Chev Tracker with the 4 cyl and 4 door. I drive about 97% on the highway at 65 mph. Is the sticker correct at 25 mpg highway or the reviews correct that call even the 4 cyl a gas guzzler?
    TIA,
    Dan
  • zeke707zeke707 Member Posts: 74
    My 2000 Suzuki 2dr 4 cyl 2.0 litre automatic gets 23 city 25 highway.
  • dangbwidangbwi Member Posts: 35
    Thanks for the info Zeke.
    Dan

    1988.5 Suzuki Samurai
    Petroworks GRS2 transfer case for 100:1 low range and 18% lower high range
    1987 5 spd tranny for lower 5th gear
    metro seats
    Soft top half cab
    Warn 9000 winch
    custom receiver bumpers
    25 mpg highway
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    I think the 205/15 m&s tires on my 99 4dr 4cyl recommended 30lbs pressure. Cant remember for sure. First thing I noticed about the 01 LT 6cyl was its soft, smooth ride. I just found out why. The recommended press for the Goodyear 215/15 m&s on the LT is 26lbs. Seems ford & firestone tire had a lot to say about the 26lbs on the ford Explorer regarding rollover. Im not worried tho,since I hardly ever leave town, or travel on the enterstate with the Tracker. That extra 4lbs really makes a big difference in the overall ride.
    I've averaged 20-21 mpg the last couple of tanks. All in-town driving. Not too shaggy for a 4 wheel drive.

    Nick
  • techbecktechbeck Member Posts: 2
    I recently got into an accident where i rearended a car with my front left bumper going 15-20mph....my question is is this enuff force to break both engine mounts and the transmission mount?

    I have a 2000 chevy tracker.

    Also is there anyplace online where i can view specific things about chevy trackers?

    thanx for the assistance
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    Hey gang,

    I have a friend with a 1998 Tracker, and the shop just told him he needs a new transmission. They said they could put in a used one for $1700, which sounds awfully steep to me.

    Anybody else had any problems with their Tracker trannies?

    Here's a little history on his...around 28,000 miles, it started acting up. I forget what, exactly, but the dealership fixed it under warranty. Then, around the 50K mark or so, it had to go back, again fixed under warranty. This time they did what they called an "overhaul" which would have run about $750 if it had been out-of-pocket.

    Now, it's got around 77K or so miles on it. Are these things that unreliable that they have to go in for repairs every 25K miles or so?

    His warranty was up at 60K miles, and I'm also wondering if they just tried to nurse the tranny along so that it would get him through the warranty period. Since he's had problems since it was under warranty, and it was never really fixed (getting it to last another 25K miles before breaking again doesn't constitute "fixing" to me!), would he have any recourse with Chevrolet?

    Last time I had to have a tranny rebuilt, it was a '79 Newport, and it was only $650! While that's nothing to reference against, how much more complicated could a Tracker tranny be? It's still a 3-speed automatic, and still RWD.

    Thanks for any info
    -Andre
  • cosmo2cosmo2 Member Posts: 61
    Over the past two years I've averaged 25-26 mpg at 70-75 mph freeway speeds and 29-30mpg at 45-60 mph secondary highway speeds with my '99 Tracker 2.0 liter 4-door with manual transmission. I maintain tire pressure at 28 psi and utilize the cruise control as much as possible. Head winds hurt gas mileage a lot, and tail winds help a lot. Load doesn't seem to effect mpg that much. One slow 150 mile trip over a mountain pass in 4WD through a blizzard resulted in 32 mpg.
  • gene58gene58 Member Posts: 8
    Today I became "intimate" with my 2000 Tracker's 2 Liter engine for the first time-- deciding to do its fourth oil and filter change myself. Why? Well, first off, when I do it, I KNOW how it has been done. (When I removed the filter today, I was able to twist it off with my hand MUCH too easily-- a wonder I had not had a leak since the Chevy dealer's last effort.) Secondly, even though I saved only about $11 over having it done (and I have to take the used oil to the city's deposit center about three miles away), changing it myself is sort of a "guy thing" with me :-)

    Since I weigh 300 pounds, getting under and to the filter was a bit difficult, but not really a big deal. A 17mm socket removes the pan plug which is VERY easy to access, just behind the radiator. I did all this with all four wheels on the ground-- no lift or ramps.

    One other thing-- I was told by the salesman when I bought my 4-Dr, 2 WD-- that my "mileage would improve" after the engine was broken in. Of course I didn't believe him-- but, I now wonder if he may have actually been right. Just got back from driving 453 miles using the AC, and I got 26.14 m.p.g. which is the best it has ever done for me. This is auto-transmission, driving the legal limit, and on 86/87 octane regular unleaded.

    Now at just over 12,000 miles, no problems other than my squeaks, previously discussed and cured with spray lithium grease.
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    My wife has a 1999 2.0 L 4-door Tracker.

    Have any of you guys ever flushed the automatic transmission oil and radiator coolant yourselves? How easy or difficult are these procedures?

    Thanks!
  • sasquatch_2000sasquatch_2000 Member Posts: 800
    Why?

    It is only 2 years old. You should check your dipstick and if it starts to look or smell burnt, then change it. Otherwise, this is not really a maintenance item I would think.

    Heck, I had a 78 Dodge Magnum which I never replaced the transmission fluid on (well, maybe added a little). Never a problem, and this was in the bad old days, before low maintenance was even a buzzword.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I don't know about the newer Trackers, but my friend's '98 is very high maintenance, and they recommend changing the tranny fluid every 15,000 miles. This might have changed with the '99 models, as I believe they have 4-speed automatics.

    My friend's Tracker is at the transmission shop right now, after having rescued it from All Tune. I test drove it the other day, and it does hold the gears too long before shifting, over-revving the engine a bit. Whenever one of my old clunkers did that, it meant it was time to add more transmission fluid. I checked his, though, and it had enough, was clean, and didn't smell burnt. When I described it to the guys at the tranny shop, they said it sounded like it just needed a sensor or something.

    Sasquatch, depending on the engine, your '78 Magnum had either a Torqueflite 727, which is probably the sturdiest transmission ever built, or a 904 or one of its variants, which is the second strongest ;-) They were just sturdy and used heavy components, so they would last and could take the abuse. Also, the Torqueflite has been around since 1957, so they'd been building the things for years.

    New transmissions are much more complicated though, and extrememly expensive to repair. The last time I had to have a Chrysler tranny rebuilt, it was $650, in a '79 Newport. Even though they SAY low maintenance nowadays, they don't always mean it. For instance, I think Chrysler recommends changing the tranny fluid in my Intrepid every 50K miles. It needed it at 30K though.

    -Andre
  • sasquatch_2000sasquatch_2000 Member Posts: 800
    "They don't build them like they used to."

    (P.S. It had a 318. I bought it off my dad when I went to college. I wish he had gotten the T-roofs and Police Package, and I also wish I still had that car. The Lean Burn engine control and rusty rear quarters and trunk did that car in. Probably made 140 HP out of a 318 V8.)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    Hey gang,

    My friend just called me, and said that the transmssion place fixed his Tracker, for $20.00. All Tune and Lube was ready to charge him $1700 to throw in a used tranny, but it turns out all it was was a problem with a linkage cable that needed to be adjusted.

    Needless to say, he's not going back to All Tune any time soon!

    -Andre

    (PS: Sasquatch...sounds like the same setup my Newport had...318 with 135 hp, Lean Burn. Tranny went out at around 230K miles.)
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    Filled the tank today. 23.5 mpg. All in-town driving. '01 LT automatic 6cyl. 2100 miles on the odometer. Should get better with a couple thousand more miles on the odometer.
    Nick
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    filled the tank again today. This time I only got 20.5 mpg. I drove it most of the week myself, so I figure my wife keeps her foot out of the throttle and gets better mpg than I do. :) Havent found anything to complain about yet. That black and silver is a sharp color combo, for sure. Cute little thing :)
    Nick
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    Are you filling with regular or premium gasoline? Do you plan on utilizing synthetic oil? Sounds like you're really enjoying that truck!
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    I let the dealer change the oil and use what ever chevy recomends. I use regular all the time. Yes, I'm happy with the little thing. My wife drives it regularly and I drive it when she has a day off or on vacation. However, when we leave town or go cross country, I take the Impala.

    Nick
  • ckyeungckyeung Member Posts: 9
    Hello, i have learnt so much from this forum. I am currently looking at a 2001 Tracker LT 2WD with ABS and leather. I like the fact that its a rear view drive and my girlfriend and I dont really go off-road. I live in NY and it snows frequently in winter. Any idea how the 2WD tracker performs in snow? If snow tires are necessary, any recommendations and how much would they cost? Thank you very much for your help!!!
  • sasquatch_2000sasquatch_2000 Member Posts: 800
    Here is a good link for chains:


    http://www.4wheelparts.com:80/product2.asp?imseqn=89&occlass=SCCT&cat=TIR


    (watch the wraparound)

  • robyntrobynt Member Posts: 1
    I am shopping for a gentley used car and love the small SUV's. I have found a nice 2000 Tracker but have heard that they may not be as reliable as I need. Please advise!!!! My email address is tuckered1@yahoo.com

    Thanks!
    Robyn
  • infinia1infinia1 Member Posts: 174
    My mom was recently in the market for a new small suv. her ranger wasn't working anymore now that she has grandkids to haul around. She drove the santa fe (she liked but dealers wouldn't budge on prices), escape (she thought it was ok but waiting list), crv (very pricey), and rav4 (ugly and pricey). then i showed her the tracker. it was way more affordable, plus it had the $1500 rebate. here in wyoming, we were lucky to find a 4cyl 5 spd 4wd with 1sb pkg locally. she was within 1 day of buying it when someone else bought it. so we were on the hunt for the same tracker. using gmbuypower, i found that not 1 dealer in wyoming had a 5 spd tracker! after much looking, we found 1 in nebraska that had all the same options plus cd instead of tape for the same price! she only paid about $16500. that's a great price considering all that the tracker offers. she bought it right away and has been very happy ever since. last week we took it to las vegas (12 hr trip) and it was very comfortable and adequate. we averaged about 26 mpg and that was with lots of wind. she has no regrets; this is a wonderful vehicle for the money!
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    HI Y'ALL

    1999 Chevy Tracker...2.0 L engine

    With 50,000 km (30,000 miles) on the odometer, I did my own engine oil change for the very first time. Recognizing that there is not much financial advantage even with synthetic oil, it does save a lot of time driving to & from the dealer...or so I thought!

    That oil filter was a MAJOR pain. Tough to access from above...impossible from bottom with obstructions. Dealer screwed it on way too tight. I had to deploy the "screwdriver thru the filter" method to get it off! What a mess!

    Anyhow, once the filter was off, the rest of this surgical procedure was dead simple. Drain plug looks like the absolute lowest point of the Tracker.

    I must say doing an oil change on my 2001 Pathfinder is lots easier with clear access to everything.
  • cosmo2cosmo2 Member Posts: 61
    ballfire8888, you did not say what type of filter wrench you tried before resorting to the screwdriver, but I have found the filter on my 1999 2.0 liter to be one of the easiest oil filters to access from the top. I use the channel pliers type filter wrench, and even when the dealer does their psycho-macho-man-only-we-can-do-this-job routine, the filter comes off easily.
  • carl815carl815 Member Posts: 2
    I purchased a 2001 tracker in feb. 2001. it is a 4 door 2.0 liter. auto. loaded, air, criuse, power 4 wd. ect. I must say that I looked at the competitors ford toyota ect. but none would deal as much as chevy did, i got a good deal on it. I do like it. It does very well in the snow in 4wd and also not to bad in 2wd. air conditioning works well stereo cd is nice and the auto trans is nice with the o.d. and power button for holding the shift pattern works well. I have aprox 7,000 miles on it with no problems yet. I have changed the oil twice.. I have always change my veh. oil aprox. every 3,000 with filter. It is a good car for getting around since my wife basically drives it all the time to and from work. I get aprox 25mpg overall right now. The only downside to me is that yes it is small, front seating is good, rear is tight 4 door is the way to go. and it is a little sluggish. the 2.0 4cyl. it is not a power machine. recomend the 6 cyl. roof racks do make wind noise and arm rests would be a plus.. the ride is a little stiff and bumpy at times..handles good on highway an occasional sway from trucks and crosswinds. cargo space could be better. The next one will be a 6cyl. or a step up to the sazuki XL7. Overall I am pleased, and for the price and economy, sometimes you have to give alittle..
  • nick01nick01 Member Posts: 84
    If you havent done so already, take those cross bars on the roof rack and store them in your garage or yard barn. That will eliminate the low droning or drumming noise. Unless you use them every day :) I had the 4 cyl in 99 and got the 6 cyl in 2001. The 4dr LT. It wont give the cameros or mustangs any problems if your into street dragging, but its the perfect little town&country hauler. My wife & I love it. For interstate cruising or cross-country trips I take the other larger car. You can get a center arm rest from the Suzuki dealer. $70 bucks in this area. (Indiana)
    Nick
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    COSMO2 >>> What is a channel pliers type filter wrench and where can I buy one? I did not tighten this oil filter on as tight as the dealer so I'm hoping it will be easier next time.

    NICK01 >>> Do you have to install that $70 center arm rest yourself? Do Chevy dealers sell it also? Is it usable for the front passenger seat? Does it come in colors to match the interior fabric tones?
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