Another reason to keep your Blazer (if you can)
 

If any of you get the Rock Auto email newsletter, you might have seen this. But for those of you who don't, here is a reminder of why it can make good sense to keep or Blazers on the road; Cost!

Now this is for Full-Size SUVs but still, over $60k! Yikes!

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I just don't know how people can afford some of these new vehicles.

New car prices are insane! Much better off buying one a few years old, imo. Just bought a car for my wife, 4 year old Malibu, paid less than 50% of what it stickered for in 2014

With my Blazer pushing 20 y.o. I considered getting a 10 y.o. 4Runner or Xterra but even the prices for those at that age made me balk at buying one!

For a little bit this past summer, when I was having such hell with my fuel system, I halfway seriously started looking at 3rd Gen 4runners on Craigslist. People were wanting $6k+ for a 20 year old truck with 200k+ miles.

Needless to say, I got the Blazer sorted out, and plan to keep it

My 89 S15 Jimmy just rolled 500,000 miles I am the original owner and it is still my daily driver. My backup is my 2000 GMC Jimmy Diamond Edition, AWD/2WD/4WD. Not planning on parting with either one anytime soon barring something catastrophic happening.

I currently maintain 2 of these. An 02 2dr and an 01 4dr. I plan to run these for as long as I live. If one fails beyond repair, I will use it to keep the other one alive. At this point, I'm too old to learn another vehicle the way I know these. There are plenty of them on the road and in the salvage yard. There's still a huge aftermarket available. And the newest one is nearly 14 years old! I can't get on the highway without seeing one every single day. Not to mention these are still good looking trucks, even by today's standards.

Love the thread..... I own a 98 Blazer 4x4, 3 button switch, 4.3 It has 240,000 and some change on the odometer. I have only owned it for about 3 years now but it has been a strong runner, very little problems. I will keep this truck as long as possible. Parts are reasonable, and labor costs at the shop are quite low compared too all these never vehicles out there.

mine was $300 dollars and i drove it home

Almost the same here! $400, and I drove it halfway home, till the bad alternator killed the brand new battery I bought

I paid $450 for mine, but I had to tow it home. Only cost me ten bucks to fix it, though.

Everytime I think about getting rid of the Blazer, I always think two things; 1. Do I want a car payment?, & 2. How the heck do these people afford these sweet, big arse trucks?!

You can actually buy a house in a lot of places for less than the price of a nice diesel pickup.

Paid $425 for my 01 4dr. Guy thought it had jumped timing but it was just bad gas. I've been driving it for a few months now 👍😁.

I think you hit the nail on the head; There are a lot of people who are comfortable with much more debt than I am. Or, they don't look at the total price and instead look only at the payment amount.

Then again, with the age of our Blazers, it does help to know how to turn wrench and hopefully also enjoy doing that. :)

Debt! That's how people have stuff they can't afford! Spending money they don't have, to buy things they don't need, to impress people they don't like.

Y'all ever hear of a dude named Dave Ramsey?

I payed between 1200-1400 cdn for mine... it had 180 000km on it, and nothing wrong. I've put about the same into it, maintenance and a lift kit. And I've taken her to Florida three times, once with a camper, a 3200km road trip through the states, and now to NC(and hopefully back). but I still rather be putting money into her then going into a new ride. And even if I do go get a new ride, itll be a used one!

Don't forget the higher insurance premium a new $60,000+ rig would bring.....

AHHHH... I feel like I got ripped off lol.... I paid $1250.00 for my 98. I must say though, all power with the moon roof, leather interior with heated seats, just 2 tiny tears on the driver seat and not a speck of rust that you can see without crawling under it lol... It needs a good buff and wax job but the paint is still in great shape! Heck, maybe I didn't get ripped off after all??? It did need new tires and an alignment when I first bought it too be honest and the stereo is still factory with 3 blown speakers... Let's be honest, these 4.3 Vortecs are an amazing motor, plenty of power for a truck that size!

You are not alone. I got mine for about $3,800 10 years ago at 90,000 miles. It is an LT with all the options except the ZR2 suspension and sunroof. (I have the overhead console instead.) I did not appreciate the Auto-4WD, the 3.73 gears, the full set of skid-plates as much as I should have when I bought it but I do now!

Go chevy,

Depending on the mileage, I think 1250 isnt that bad. But then again, that's about the lowest price any used vehicle, that's worth buying in ontario, is priced around there... come this summer I'll be looking for an s10 or sonoma for the wifey, and I'm looking to be paying around 2000-2500 for something with little to no rust, with below 200k on it, and no mechanical work.

I'm gonna try and talk her into coming down south to find something because the prices are worth it. will only have to swap the speedometer to canadian when we get back with it...

She is my everyday driver back and forth too work. Well, now that it is cold where I live my wife takes it from me because she likes the heated seat lol! Oh well, what's the old saying, "happy wife happy life" lol!!!

The mileage... The odometer reads 240,thousand and some change... I doubt the motor in it now is original, but who knows? I am sure I could track VIN #s but I am older now and it is not worth the time lol!

240k ain't that much, really. I've got over 350k on my original engine. The 4.3 is a good engine, and can last awhile with minimal maintenance

Good point, I just might check it out and see if the motor is original after all... I know the Tranny is not, I bought a used one at a salvage yard for $300 bucks this past summer. It came out of a S10 4x4... Another reason for all of us too keep these trucks, almost everything is interchangeable between Blazers, Jimmys and the S10s and Sonoma pickups...

Around 312xxx km on mine now, about 197xxx miles... came back home great after another road trip to the states... shes a keeper lol. Tows the camper, canoe and hasn't disappointed me on a road trip yet, other then when the driveshaft went. But I was glad that it happend in the states, save me TONS of money, and a shop did the work.

edit:
forgot to mention that body(minus drivers door), engine and trany is original. But I do have the door, just need to put a window motor in it. But everything else has been touched. Will also be doing a black interior swap at some point. Carpet and all. But gotta wait for the wifey to have her s10.

Might as well add the my current drivers door was an s10 4dr crew cab. Originally dark blue, many coats of white lol.

I have $1200 in my Xtreme, it has a little grill and hood damage, not very noticeable. Or I got used to it.

I think about the monthly payments on the new SUV's and pick ups. For two or three monthly payments , you can own a nice Blazer or Jimmy. Even if you have to make some repairs or buy a set of tires, you are ahead. Then add on the cost of insurance and taxes of a new SUV. You are way ahead of the guy with a shiny new Tahoe. Those new trucks come with 20 to 22 inch tires. Price a set of those when you think about buying the latest SUV. Yes, I have heard of Dave Ramsey. One of his signature lines refers to the BMW in the drive vs getting out of debt. He could also say a Escalade, Navigator, or Denali.

"The payed off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of success!"

Love me some Dave Ramsey

I thought Tyler Durden said that... :icon_denk:

Score 1 for the "little truck that could" lol!!! A guy in town slid into a ditch with his big bad Ram 4x4 crewcab... I simply stopped and asked him if he needed me too pull him out and he said with a big grin, "that little suv won't be able too, but thanks anyway"... Well, I am here too tell you "this little suv" pulled him out :) He was amazed, asking all kind of questions, motor size, tranny, gears ect... I just shook his hand and smiled and said, "she's the little truck that can".....

Yep. I was able to pay off my 15 year mortgage. Now to live as if I have not and save the difference. What will help is to keep the old cars running! :)

Man, that's awesome! Congrats! We're on BS4-6 currently. I want to start paying down the house, but gotta start a college fund for my daughter first.

Man, now I wanna watch fight club again! Lol

Hmmm, odd..... Not one single hoot? Holler? Ok, if we as proud owners don't want any "attaboy, good job, way too represent the club lol"...... Just kidding folks, these are truly powerful little machines!!! And many times they are truly underestimated at what they can do. My wife works with the guys wife I pulled out of that ditch and he wants too know if the Blazer might be for sale... He wants something "tiny, but strong for her too drive" LOLLLLL...... Time for me too "shake that tail feather" : ) Dang, if I had a posse like the wild west, lookout lol...

Good job pulling out the ram, too bad he couldnt dodge the ditch....

I almost got stuck today, decided to throw it in 4lo, and the turd decided not to work!

did a little rocking and she got herself out... really gotta fix my 4x4... shes a 2x4 right now:icon_violin:

Yep, I impressed a guy the last day of hunting season who was driving a 1/2 ton Dodge crew-cab. We both got stuck a bit turning around at a gated road in the woods that had a 6"-8" of fresh snow on top of some places with ice underneath. It reinforced that they are tough and nimble little trucks.

Haha...it took me a second but I got it.

Lol thought it was a good pun...