Faults:

Trim is flimsy. Door and seat handles break, grille fades from black to white plastic, seats get too soft.

The front shocks went at 30,000 miles.

It started to become unreliable as soon as the warranty was up.

The leaf springs sag.

The U joints went at 65,000 miles.

The door mirrors wore out and started to flop and bounce so badly on the highway that I couldn't see anything, and GM wanted $300 each for replacements.

The flexible foil pipe between the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe tore and needed to be replaced at 80,000 miles and cost $250 in parts and $250 in labor - it looks like the foil pipe on a household dryer which costs $10 and that's probably why it tore.

Now at 85,000 miles my father spends an average of $250 a month maintaining it. He'd dump it, but the resale value is very low and it's nice to have a truck around.

The engine is underpowered, not particularly efficient, outdated even for 1997 and generally lacking on the highway or when hauling loads.

The interior is too small and I'm only 5'11".

General Comments:

This was my first car, a gift to me while I was in college. I wanted a used Japanese coupe like an Integra which would have been less money, but my family wanted a new car because it would have a warranty.

It would have been cheaper to buy the used Japanese car, which would probably still be running strongly with twice as many miles.

It's good looking, has a nice interior, is OK around town and has not rusted at all. I realize it was a cheap truck, but compared to a similar Toyota or Nissan it is underpowered and unreliable.

Faults:

It's not heating up very well right now and a mechanic suggested flushing the system in case of a clog before I suspect that it's the heater core. The thermostat was recently replaced, so I doubt it was that.

General Comments:

I bought this truck from my brother-in-law who bought it new. He never replaced anything, but the tires! It's still running awesome at 128k and has no weaknesses.

It handles as well as a small pickup can and is unstoppable in MN snow (with sandbags in the back, of course).

The seats are more comfortable for me than anything I've driven or owned; I'm 6'4" and much of my height is upper body making me slouch horribly in most cars.

The paint is as glossy as most 1-year old cars, since my brother-in-law waxed it incessantly, and I keep it polished with Meguiars. Blinding!!!

Every mechanic I've talked to has said this engine/tranny combination is very rugged and will last a long time. Never mind the lemon reports... stuff happens!

Faults:

This pickup has had various small issues, none of which drastically affected drive-ability or reliability.

The wiper motor was recalled and replaced. Now they work wonderfully.

The gas gage doesn't work.

I have replaced the alternator once and the battery twice.

I changed out the plugs and wires myself, as well as the fuel filter, brakes and rotors.

Interior is like new aside from minor seat wear.

Stock tires (Tiger Paw) were worthless. I have much better performance (braking, turning, traction) with a more aggressive tread pattern by Good Year.

General Comments:

I have put this truck through the ringer and it has survived with flying colors. It has taken a beating and has never let me down (within reasonable means).

I've wrecked it once and had no after-effects.

I have taken this 2-wheel drive 4 cylinder off road and to remote locations and it has handled the dry terrain wonderfully. It's pretty scary on ice.

I have hauled it's weight in dirt, lumber, and personal belongings on numerous occasions.

The truck has it's share of squeaks, but is a solid contender.

The engine is weak and it climbs hills like a turtle, but there's always a lower gear to utilize. It tops out at only 92 but it's no sports car.

It gets about 20 mpg and is fairly comfortable to drive.

I long for a bigger engine, but I would highly recommend this model to anyone who needs a light-duty pickup for low cost. I only paid 10 grand new.