i currently have a 2001 grand am with either a tranny problem and or a torque converter problem. i'm looking at a 2000 blazer with a 75k rebuilt engine, but no rebuilt trans. the body and apparently trans has 190k on it and there's some play on the half shaft at idle in park. i don't want to go from one tranny problem to the next, so would it be safe to buy the blazer?
why do so many blazers have engine trouble and need rebuilt engines?

 

Because its a Chevy. HAHA I just bought a '99 off my brother inlaw. He pulled the trans and lost interest. I put a new trans in it and the motor is hammering. Pulled it out today and putting a newer one in now. 65K mile out of an '05.

 

so would you say it's a bad idea to get a blazer with a 190k trans? lol. under the circumstances of no extra money to fix it

 

With any used vehicle, you run a much more likely risk of buying a lemon. These trucks are very good trucks in terms of reliability, but they must be maintained. Poor maintenance will cause poor reliability in just about any make/model of vehicle.

As far as a 190k mile vehicle being good or bad.. That would depend on how it is cared for. These trucks can go well over 200k miles with regular maintenance.

 

Id' test drive one first, see if ya like it

 

I just bought a 96 with 118K on it, was obvious that normal maintenance had been neglected for a long time. After new plugs, cap, rotor, wires, air filter, cleaned throttle body, cleaned MAF sensor, and Idle air solenoid, replaced TPS sensor, replaced cat coverter and down stream O2 sensor and serviced tranny (fluid/filter), it now runs great.

When pulled plugs, they were obviously very old, but was happy to see no hint of oil fouling, so engine internals are tight. Tranny now shifts crisp as well where it was sluggish before. Since tranny service was neglected, will likely service tranny again in a couple months to replace filter that is likely picking up junk from previous lack of filtering capability.

Since you are in Michigan (I am in NW Ohio) pay attention to condition of brake and fuel lines from mid section back along frame rail, around fuel tank, and around front wheel wells.

That will be my next big project as they are rusted pretty bad.

All in all, we are very pleased with it's condition and how it operates, paid $3800 and about $300 in maintenance items so far (all labor myself).