'97 Blazer
Oh... I wish it was a Bravada... at least the front axle in those things is in some sort of demand. Nothing on that Blazer is worth saving.
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Story: I've owned 3 other S10s, all 2wd, 4 cyl, 5 speed, pickups. All fantastic vehicles and tough as nails. I thought I "knew S10s pretty well" so I brought this one home from a co-worker who drove it to the point that one of the rear tires dismounted from the rim. Paid $400 with a target of $1k for a running, driving, safely operating 4x4 and he drove it to my house. I knew it didn't have rear brakes and he had been driving it like that for at least a year. That was all I really knew. It ran awesome (still does run awesome). I have 4 studded snow tires, mounted on S10 wheels, so that part of the plan was what sold it. 4x4 on studs on all corners? Sign me up.
Well, turns out 4x4 S10 Blazers are nightmare boxes and some of the most poorly engineered vehicles on the planet. As soon as it hit the driveway it started leaking fuel. Mouse knows this part of the story with where GM ran all five(!!!) fuel, evap, and brake lines. They all failed. All of the rear brake lines failed. Front not too far behind. Lots of fun screwing with that... still not entirely done screwing with that... Cheap, but annoying.
Then pulled the dipstick. Completely dry. Never noticed a puddle under it at work..? Poured more than 4 quarts back in it before it read full. As it sat in my driveway the puddle developed. They run a remote oil filter and the soft lines fail. It appears to be a massive nightmare to service. There are soft lines up to an oil cooler in the rad too and are for sure not going to be a good time. I haven't even been able to see them yet.
And the rear suspension is about to fall out of it, literally (shackles)... and the rear end is probably trashed from what looked like a failed wheel seal... and it takes on water like the Titanic because the roof seals failed, and... and... It's garbage.
BUT... I'm only asking the thing for like 10,000 miles, tops, made all in 10-15 mile increments. I just want to keep the Escort and my Jeep out the snow with the plan being the Jeep becomes a restoration project before too long and the Blazer and the Escort get me through the next 3-5 years until the other daily driver plan comes together.
Right now, excluding the brand new "summer" tires I bought it for that can go on any car, I'm on the razor's edge of the $1k if nothing else goes wrong. I'm thinking it's going to be more like $2k and I bet I could get a way nicer Blazer (not that I'd buy a second one) with far fewer of these issues.
Anyhow... It's getting pressure washed tomorrow so I can at least find the freaking oil leaks for sure and get the thing wheeled into the shop before someone complains about the oil spill in the rented driveway. And life being full of the odd twists that tend to happen, and completely against all odds, I have somehow become a very, very small social media "influencer" and have accepted free de-greaser to use on the thing and they're asking where their video is (nicely). So... I need to get that done because I made a commitment and because I just need to get it done.
Anyhow.. It's a garbage box.
