92 s10 for low cost pickup?

[Nate]

Hey,

I'm considering buying a small pickup to drive through the winters, and haul misc items with. I need something rugged, with low running costs. By that, I mean good fuel ecomomy, cheap parts, and easy to fix if it needs work.

I found a 92 s10, 2wd, 5 speed, with a 2.8 for $500. It needs a clutch (kit costs under $100, flywheel turning is $35, and its not a hard job)

It has 5 years on a rebuilt engine. The body's in good shape (ex cab, short box), for being a 92, it's been well kept. No damage, good glass, cab corners have some rust, but nothing to be overly concerned with.

I'm wondering if it would be a decent choice for a winter beater/ light duty hauler.
Does anyone have any experience with a 1st generation s10, especially in snow country?
Anything better out there for a simple, basic, cheap pickup?

Tks
~Nate

[TX76513]

I don't think you will find anything better for the price you have. $500 is a cheap ride and nothing wrong with a S10.

[BobK]

Figure on having to load it down to go anywhere in snow. Back ends are real light on them. That said, they are decent little trucks.

[PaulC]

In a perfect world, I would prefer the 4.3 but tough to go wrong for $500. Ditto about weight in the back, and be sure the rear tires are a/t or dedicated snows.

[Hatterasguy]

2wd trucks can be tough in the winter, put some weight in the bed and make sure you have some knobby tires out back.

[Nate]

I thought the 4.3's were known for lousy fuel mileage, breaking crankshafts, and the spider injector nightmare failure... Could be wrong, but, seem to remember issues with them.

I understand the 2.8 will be fairly gutless, but I'm hoping for 20+mpg intown unloaded, 25+ on the highway unloaded... Or is that over enthusiastic?

I'll find a set of decent tires for it, and a set of air shocks (Apparently the trucks are known to sag horribly with more then 300lbs in the bed)

With any luck, I should get pictures and a better description by tomorrow.

~Nate

[TylerH860]

Originally Posted by PaulC

In a perfect world, I would prefer the 4.3 but tough to go wrong for $500. Ditto about weight in the back, and be sure the rear tires are a/t or dedicated snows.

Agreed, the 4.3 is a much better engine. I'd be wanting to know who and how deep they went on the engine rebuild of that 2.8. Of course $500 is not much of a gamble...

Take a good long look underneath at the frame too. The body can look really good while the frame has little more strength than toothpicks. There's some funny Toyota pickup pictures out there.

[Hatterasguy]

My 4.3 has been great, I get 17ish around town and about 20 on the highway. Granted that truck is older but it should do around 20 combined, its smaller and lighter than mine, plus it has a manual.

The 4.3 is like the 617 of gas motors, you can't hurt them. I have seen many go 300k miles with 10k-15k oil changes.

[Nate]

I know it was done at a shop, and the person doesnt seem mechanically inclined... Sounds like it's been under the same owner for at least 10 years, and taken care of fairly well. I bet it got taken care of decently, but either way, $500 isnt much at all.

~Nate

[tbomachines]

Both the 4.3 and 2.8 are good engines. The 4.3 is essentially a chevy 350 with 2 cylinders chopped off, the 2.8 is one of the 60* V6 series, somewhere around 110-120hp depending on the year.

[KAdams4458]

I had a '91 with a 2.8 and a 5-speed for a while when I lived in Missouri. They do pretty well in snow if you toss between 200 and 300 pounds in the bed right over the rear wheels, and keep some decent tires on them. I used to use some of those sand tubes, and held them right over the wheels with a simple 2X4 frame that wedged in place. (Otherwise the bags were all over the place as you drove around.)

For what it's worth, the 2.8 is the motor known to occasionally break cranks. I'd buy another one today with that motor for $500, bad clutch, or not. They're good little trucks.

[SirNik84]

I've never wanted a small American truck... but then I got a house and then I needed a truck, and then I spent $500 on this

Similar situation to your truck, It had the exhaust manifold bolts broke off in the head, the transmission was mis-shifting, the front end needed a rebuild and it needed a tune up. all that cost me about $600... but even $1100 for a truck is a steal.

Honestly its been a really good truck so far... its been with me almost a year, and I drive it everyday, giving me the opportunity to overhaul my SD.

I would tell ya $500 plus parts plus some labor and you'll be happy with your beater truck also!

[mgburg]

Look at my sig...that S-10 runs in your back yard...maybe when you get out of the sandbox, we'll get together up at the Wander Inn. I'll show you what to watch out for and what to keep an eye on.

BTW: The S-10 is a 4WD, 4.3 auto, no PW, short-cab. I'm on the 3rd tranny (they're good for about 150K only, both 2 & 4WD), mine averages about 17-18mpg, w/a 2.8, you should get much better. Still have the first engine in it and she's still running strong...still chirpping the shoes...

Treat 'em right and keep them properly lubed, you'll get lots of good miles out of 'em. Treat 'em raw and they'll leave on the side of the road...every time...

[The Clk Man]

My former helper at my shop had a 93 S-10 and we r4an through fields and even hit a telephone pole and the old S-10 kept on running Hope this helps.

[Skid Row Joe]

My Mom and Dad had an '87 S10 Blazer 2.8 V6, 2WD, Posi-Traction with AT/PS/PB/AC bought new in Fall of '86. Had it undercoated.

Listed for I think $17K or so.. Sold Summer '96 with 16K or so garaged miles for $6,500.00.

Neighbor bought it - used to see it for years rusting out worse and worse.