I sold my E21 and kept an S10 Blazer

"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
06/07/2015 at 16:18 • Filed to: None

Now, this might sound like craziness to you guys. I mean really, who sells a lovely, light and agile piece of German engineering so they can keep driving a rattly, high mileage, aging GM product?

In a month, I’ll be moving to where I’ll only have street parking, and i can’t even remotely afford to insure two cars with our rates in BC. This necessitated the sale of one of my vehicles. I could sell the Chevy with 300k that I just bought last year for the purpose of driving to Montreal, or my daily driver, a 1982 BMW 320i which some of you may have seen my posts about.

From a car enthusiasts point of view, it should’ve been straightforward. Keep the fun manual BMW, unload the collection of poorly made decisions and bad build quality with only its fantastic engine as a saving grace. But I found that I simply couldn’t picture not having the Blazer. I’ve put more miles on it than any other vehicle, 17,000kms to be more exact. That’s the most time I’ve had to get attached to a car, and I’ve done a bunch in those 17,000kms. It has taken me to Montreal and back, up a difficult logging road to a cabin with my girlfriend, up a way worse road to go camping with friends and several other small trips over the past year. It’s been used to help three different people move, and been my fallback whenever the BMW wasn’t working. Simply put, my emotional attachment to the Blazer is greater than my driving enjoyment of the BMW. I mean it helped that I got probably twice as much for the E21 than I could’ve for the Blazer, but for the most part, I could picture myself without the BMW, but I couldn’t imagine not having this Chevy. I’m keeping this thing till it dies, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll be any time soon. I bet the original owner never would’ve imagined this thing is not only still working, but being the vessel of many adventures and memories with my girlfriend and friends.

Bottom line, I liked the BMW, but I love my little truck.

back on the Exims just before the new owner took her away.

With the group project E32

Just gonna throw in more pictures from the many excursions with the unending $600 truck

Still, I’m gonna miss the little shark

DISCUSSION (25)

JR1 > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:24

I have a similarly strange love attachment to my 2000 S10. You can just tell it wants to please you and will be a rugged little helper whenever you need it. It was my first vehicle handed down to me and I don’t think I will ever sell it.

Nice Blazer by the way. Most you see have rust everywhere

LongbowMkII > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:25

It wasn’t a wagon, your choice is acceptable.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:25

Noooo :(

gmctavish needs more space > JR1
06/07/2015 at 16:27

That’s the feeling I get from it, even through all the interior rattling and general high-mileage looseness, it just wants to keep going and won’t let me down. It’s the only thing I’ve ever had that’s never failed to start, gets you home every time.

Thanks! There are better ones out there, but probably not for $600

gmctavish needs more space > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
06/07/2015 at 16:29

If it helps, the new owner came from over an hour away to buy it, and was so excited about the car, it’s in good hands

Your boy, BJR > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:30

I'd do the same thing. Except my BMW would be going to a crusher. Like it actually did.

gmctavish needs more space > Your boy, BJR
06/07/2015 at 16:30

Oh :( Too rusty?

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:34

I had an s10 blazer as my first car and thought about buying one again as a DD beater several times

Your boy, BJR > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:37

Yeah but also it was fun crushing a round tail light 2002.

gmctavish needs more space > Your boy, BJR
06/07/2015 at 16:39

That doesn’t sound fun.....

gmctavish needs more space > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
06/07/2015 at 16:40

It’s definitely the most capable beater I know of

JR1 > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 16:41

I’m amazed it is rust free!

Mine left me stranded once but that was because of one stupid faulty wire. Otherwise it has been a loyal worker

gmctavish needs more space > JR1
06/07/2015 at 16:48

It has surface rust on the frame that I should probably sand off and undercoat or something, but the body is totally rust free. Vancouver doesn’t really get its roads salted, thankfully

kanadanmajava1 > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 17:15

Kinja'd!!!

Everything in this picture looks that it could be from Finland. S10 Blazers are even quite common here and same goes for the Thule box. Only the plate and the lack of rear fog light tells that its not from here.

gmctavish needs more space > kanadanmajava1
06/07/2015 at 17:27

Really? That’s so cool, that picture was taken at a lake in the interior of BC. Now I want to go to Finland even more.

I didn’t S10s to be common over there, the Thule is to be expected though haha

shop-teacher > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 20:18

“Simply put, my emotional attachment to the Blazer is greater than my driving enjoyment of the BMW.”

That is well put. I feel the same way about my ‘06 Sierra crew cab. It’s not an old beater yet, but I bought it new and I intend to drive it until the rust eats it away.

gmctavish needs more space > shop-teacher
06/07/2015 at 20:29

Thanks! As much as a car can put a smile on your face with the way it drives, I find that you need to go through stuff with a vehicle to really form a bond with it.

shop-teacher > gmctavish needs more space
06/07/2015 at 21:30

Yes! My truck has taken me faithfully through so many of life’s milestones, from my first teaching job in an unknown town, to marriage, to bringing my kids home from the hospital. It’s the only vehicle of the 10 I’ve owned that I’ve become emotionally attached to.

kanadanmajava1 > gmctavish needs more space
06/08/2015 at 02:40

I guess S10 sold because the were still some loyal Chevrolet customers but many car models weren’t offered as the badge engineered Chevrolet Alero wasn’t able to attract many buyers. The first year models of Trailblazer sold semi well here too but the popularity faded and I’m not sure if the later Trailblazers were even sold. I was looking for an engine from ‘08 or ‘09 Trailblazer but wasn’t even able to find a complete vehicle.

American vehicles used to pretty popular but now most models have pulled away. Jeep is basically the only American brand that you can currently buy from a dealership. Chrysler and Chevrolet are gone from European markets. Cadillac and Corvette have dealerships in Europe but not anymore in Finland. Even Teslas you have to buy from Sweden.

Euro spec Mustang is coming for the next year though.

finn's arm > Your boy, BJR
06/08/2015 at 16:01

WHAT

Your boy, BJR > finn's arm
06/08/2015 at 16:06

Crushed.

Round.

Taillight.

BMW.

2002.

finn's arm > Your boy, BJR
06/08/2015 at 16:45

;_;

How could you

Your boy, BJR > finn's arm
06/08/2015 at 16:58

Easy, loaded it on a trailer, brought it to a scrap yard.

finn's arm > Your boy, BJR
06/08/2015 at 17:36

You monster.

Your boy, BJR > finn's arm
06/08/2015 at 18:09

Meh, it was a pile of junk. I much prefer the 2004 DeVille I have now.