Date Miles part replaced.
10-16-88 43,500 New Battery.
03-05-89 55,200 up/low radiator hoses.
04-26-89 59,000 4 new tires.
04-02-90 70,408 New Battery, pro rated.
04-11-90 70,800 New clutch plate assy.
06-06-90 72,000 Tie rods all and rear shocks.
09-18-90 77,446 rear brakes plus wheel cyl rebuild.
11-30-91 99,085 Rear brakes, new drums, new wheel cylinders.
05-05-92 106,000 Replace Dist. cap, rotor and signal controller/amplifier.
09-10-92 111,272 Std. 5 speed transmission rebuilt includes new clutch assy.
03-01-93 122,200 Fan clutch.
03-24-93 119,000 4 new ATX Firestone tires as were originals.
03-29-93 122,100
Radiator cap 15lb.
10-23-93 128,109 Front disc brakes. Turn Rotors.
04-29-94 132,800 Radiator. Install Heavy duty radiator with additional cooling cores.
04-29-94 132,800 Water pump and heater hoses.
08-14-94 137,000 New alternator (rebuilt).
10-01-94 138,266 Battery new champion silver 750 series.
11-13-95 139,500 headlights (2) each.
04-22-95 144,628 Distributor cap, rotor, and control module amplifier.
06-12-95 146,149 Battery Delco 750.
07-31-95 147,607 Steering coupler.
09-18-95 149,468 Alternator (rebuilt)
03-21-96 158,000 Replaced rear hatch lock.
03-26-96 158,000 New roof liner.
05-05-96 159,000 Rear brakes and drums.
08-26-96 161,468 Front shocks.
08-20-97 171, 213 Handle for emergency brake.
06-07-98 175,000 New two-tone paint job same as original by MAACO - 4 year warranty.
06-02-98 177,732 Gabriel lifetime heavy duty front shocks.
01-07-99 183,763 Alternator (rebuilt).
03-22-99 185,551 Starter (rebuilt).
07-06-99 188,053 In/Out tie rods and idler arm.
08-31-99 189,329 Front brakes. Resurface rotors.
05-09-00 194,314 4 new passenger tires. Truck tires now too noisy and not necessary.
08-26-00 196,299 A/C compressor and all related parts for air conditioning.
09-07-00 196,454 Clutch slave cylinder and turn clutch face.
12-21-01 207,768 New rear brakes and turn drums.
02-08-02 208,972 Battery.
05-11-02 211, 573 Replace muffler and tail pipes assy from rear of catalytic converter.
02-12-03 218,433 Distributor cap, rotor and control amplifier.
02-12-03 218,433 Fuel pump Relay.
In the first 5 years, the electric door locks assembly had to be replaced on both sides of the vehicle. The 10th year, the motor in the drivers door had to be replaced. These items are not shown in the list. Currently, it appears that the fuel pump assembly is bad and will need to be replaced. This could be very expensive as it is mounted inside the gas tank.
It would seem unfair of me to say anything really bad. Parts go bad and that is the game in the auto industry. You create jobs by making parts that last for a brief period. Else, all parts would be gold plated with a lifetime warranty and there would be no parts support in the field. This vehicle is in Florida most of it's life. It seems to be hard on batteries as the air conditioning system is used 9 months of the year on "high speed." To quote prices would not seem practical. For the most part, air conditioning and transmission work are very expensive. Automotive magazine has pointed out that those two items are real profit makers for the shop owners. I did most of my own work except for the AC and transmission. The vehicle had regular 4,000 mile oil changes. Belts all replaced every 40,000 miles in sets. Average life of a basic radiator with a 50/50 mix is 7 years tops. 5-speed transmission 100,000 if you treat her nice. Clutch, 75,000 miles. I always use 3rd party repair. The dealer is a last resort and then I never trust them to think for me. They replace, not fix parts. We call them a parts jockey in the electronics industry. This S-10 Blazer, 2-door V6 2.8 liter throttle-body injection vehicle has done it's job and then some.
You are having much better luck than I did with my 86 blazer. I had to replace the transmission, put in a short block, replace the vaccum switch for 4WD, combat rust and fight a bad oil pump ontop of the stuff you mentioned until I finally threw in the towel and give it to charity. I'd never buy a blazer again.
I had a Chevy S10 1986 Blazer from new and I hated it for most of time I had it (12 years). The S10 engine was completely powerless nearly needing all of the first three gears to cross a city intersection. I was told by mechanics that sure it was bad, but I should see the others. They said the Chevy S10 was the best of the 80's SUV's.
I agree with the review. I've owned a 1985 S15 (GMC) Pickup with the 4 cylinder, TBI, and the 4 speed transmission, no A/C. That thing was a monster, I don't very much like to admit this, but one night while driving home here in Phoenix, there was a lot of construction on the road that day, so it was dirt filled and such.. well a coyote jumped infront of me, and I swirved, and the truck hit a wall going about 45.
No damage, at all. THe paint was slightly scratched, but no real damage. It was amazing, I just backed out, knocked on the people's door, gave them my info, and headed home.
It eventually died when the timing belt went (Crappy maintence on me), and the valves went under with it. Wasn't worth repairing.. SO!
I did what any normal person would do, I bought a 1985 S10 Blazer with the 2.8l V6 (Carb'd, hazzah! Easy to fix). 4x4, etc etc, it's a real blast. It's a mild mannered vehicle on the road, not enough to burn out or any such nonsense, but enough to move ya from point a to b, and c and d :) It's a comfy ride, and adults fit nicely in the back. Also, off road its rather capable for a stock vehicle.. enough to get me to school more than a few days when it had been raining and the roads were clogged, which meant off road time. (My school has 1 main road to it, and a whole lot of desert around it). All in all, I completly recommend it.
Now be honest with yourself, its almost 20 years old.. it will require replaced parts. So don't get into it unless you plan to be replacing and fixing (IE Learning how a truck works), but its OK.. because GM offers as a package from GM Goodwrench, a conversion kit to the 3.4l Camaro v6 (a nice option), for about 1800$
Good times.
Daniel.
I'd like to know how you crashed straight into a wall at 45 mph and had no damage. New cars get tested at 25 and 30 and get beat to pulps from simulated crashes, yet a truck hits a wall (or house, not sure) at 45 and gets nothing. Doesn't make sense to me. :/
@Chevy Blazers, get the full size with a small block V8. Most of the S10's are not very well put together in my opinion.
I have an '86 Blazer equipped with the sport package and all I can say is that it is a great truck. I had the engine replaced just before the truck turned 100,000 miles, and the transmission rebuilt at around 115,000. however this is just normal wear and tear. I have to be carefull when I shift into 4 wheel because the release button doesn't fully stop the shifter from going into neutrel. But it gets great millage for an SUV. It sits high enough that I can see over little cars, yet it's small enough to fit in a compact parking space. These are great trucks to have.
Chevy s10 blazers are nown to be very underpowered with bad trannies as most chevy's have bad transmissions until you get them replaced, but strong ass engines and just regular wear and tear on a almost 20 year old vehicle. but to the 2nd comment up from me this is very possible for the guy to hit a wall going 40 and nit have very much damage because I got hit by a lady going 50 mph on the back of my mazda truck and it did almost no damage at all she just slid off and hit the guard rail, but the reason new cars damage so easily is because they're made to and the engines and trannies are made to drop out instead of coming straight through whil older cars have more steel and more chances of the engine coming through and smashing your legs so before you make comments you should first know what you're talking about.
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