8th Aug 2006, 01:06

I purchased my 1997 GMC Safari SLT in Feb. 2000 used at 75,000 Km. It has the captain buckets for driver and mid section.

OK I’ll give you the blower motor, catalytic converter, and some other odds and ends needed to be replaced, but, after about 12 – 15 trips from Toronto,Canada to Florida and various other states plus the fact I drive FAST (well as fast as the Safari lets me at 160km/h), the governor kicks in and it dies.

The only time it has ever let me down is because I have left the lights on and needed a quick boost, but it has never left me on the side of any road. It now has 325,000 Km, it still runs like a charm and I’m having a hard time parting with it.

I just (last week Aug. 2006) purchased another used Safari, but it is an SLE, still 4WD, but the seats suck, so I’m having the seats from the 97 moved to my new/used 2003. I searched for an STL, but could not find any for sale.

In 2000 I also purchased a Safari SLE 2WD for my wife; it’s been 6.5 years and the only part we replaced as of yet is the alternator.

I love the Vortec 4.3 – not sure why GM is putting the 4.2 in the Envoys, but the 4.3 blows less gas than the 4.3, go figure. Why would GM take such a long lasting vehicle off the market???

If it was not for the body giving out, I would be keeping my (buddy) Safari SLT, but sa-la-vi (c'est la vie). As both the Safaris sit in the driveway awaiting the seat exchange, I wonder if, when the scrap guy comes, I will shed a tear. Thank you for letting me post a goodbye to an old friend.