Looking to buy a K5
 

My 97 Blazer just got totaled. I've been looking at buying a k5 now. Always wanted one, and now I think is the time. There is a 1990 on Craigslist I am going to look at soon. Is there anything I should look out for?

rust is really the biggest issue with them tailgates like to rust shut and floors disappear , also the frame is prone to cracking by the steering gear box. all depends on how much you spend on how picky you want to be, these trucks are so easy to work on and parts are very interchangeable though out the years

I live in California so I don't really expect rust to be a huge problem but I will look out for those parts. This one is $3000 and says it has a new engine and rebuilt tranny with 15,000 miles on them. And living in West Oakland I don't want anything that looks really good, just runs really good. I am not picky on looks at all. Thanks for the input

Make sure all fluids look good and there are no major leaks. Make sure the engine doesn't smoke when you first start it cold. Obviously you don't have to worry about rust because you're in CA. It should fire up quickly and run smooth. Make sure tranny shifts good. Don't buy a truck that's all hacked up (lift kit installed incorrectly, hacked up radio wiring, etc.)

Can you tell where to look for the gear box so I can check the frame there?

Well it turns out they are going to pay to have my 97 fixed. Pretty surprised. Thanks for the help though.