"MoCamino" (mocamino)
03/01/2018 at 13:15 • Filed to: None
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"MoCamino" (mocamino)
03/01/2018 at 13:15 • Filed to: None | 0
| 11 |
I have a co-worker in need of a 4x4 family hauler. He is fighting the age-old battle of “take on a car payment and get a newer, nicer vehicle (and a car payment) or buy an older one with cash, drive it until the wheels fall off, rinse, repeat”. He is capable of some repairs on his own, but with two kids and another on the way needs something at least somewhat reliable.
He found this Trailblazer near him, and it’s easily in his cash-payment zone. He’s asked my opinion on it, but I don’t know a ton about Trailblazers. Assuming there are no glaring issues, is it a good deal? Or is it a ticking time bomb?
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Logansteno: Bought a VW?
> MoCamino
03/01/2018 at 13:34 |
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Outside of the not so great interior materials and build quality, they aren’t awful trucks. The VVT actuator can sometimes crap the bed and the 4L60 is well, a 4L60.
Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
> Logansteno: Bought a VW?
03/01/2018 at 13:36 |
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Accurate. For what it’s worth, they make great highway cruisers and the stock Atlas puts them through the quarter in the low 15’s, so it’s no slouch.
Future next gen S2000 owner
> MoCamino
03/01/2018 at 13:39 |
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My family enjoys them. Sister-in-law bought the Envoy, my mom liked it so much she bought a Trailblazer that my sister liked so much she bought one.
The one my mom drove crapped the bed at around 150-175K miles. To be fair, my parents don’t really do “maintenance” until something breaks and affects the way the vehicle drives. CELs don’t matter until it doesn’t run right.
Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> MoCamino
03/01/2018 at 13:40 |
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I’ve heard good things, I think if I were to get one I’d get the badge engineered 9-7, I think the exterior on that has aged particularly well. However a TB in good condition is not bad either.
Quadradeuce
> MoCamino
03/01/2018 at 14:06 |
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We have the Saab version of this with the V8. It’s a dirt simple platform, sort of like a pickup truck. Easy to work on, parts are plentiful and cheap, and it should run forever. I still see a ton of these on the road, which speaks to their reliability more than anything. As with all GM cars, the interior is the weak point, but who cares on a cash budget cruiser?
HOWEVER, I would shy away from buying a $2600 car unless you plan to work on it yourself. Paying a mechanic to keep one of these up will probably be a money loser compared to something more expensive with less miles. I have no doubt there is some deferred maintenance on this car, so be prepared for some upfront wrenching.
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> Quadradeuce
03/01/2018 at 16:22 |
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The transfer case can be an issue if the fluid hasn’t been changed, or if the clutch motor gives out. But the fluid change is easy and the motor can be swapped out quickly as well, but the AC delco motors are $200-$300.
Otherwise, yeah, the platform is relatively simple. And most parts are less expensive. But plan on replacing suspension bits and pieces with that mileage.
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> MoCamino
03/01/2018 at 16:25 |
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Offer them $1500 and see what happens. They will need to put some money in it, but simple to fix. And I’ve seen a couple at that mileage still going strong.
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Quadradeuce
> merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
03/01/2018 at 16:30 |
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Yeah, lower control arm bushings for sure.
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> Quadradeuce
03/01/2018 at 21:11 |
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Yeah, and for the cost, might as well just do the full arm with new ball joints. A lot less struggle, and you have to pull the arms out anyway to replace bushings. Hub assemblies as well. But this are less than $100 a corner for good quality ones.
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Quadradeuce
> merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
03/02/2018 at 09:30 |
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And I found once you have the arms out, replace every other wear item at the same time. It’s cheap enough, and you already have it taken apart.
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> Quadradeuce
03/02/2018 at 12:02 |
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Exactly. Once you’re breaking the ball joints loose for something, might as well do as much as you can afford, you’re going to pay $50-90 to get it aligned afterwards anyway, tie rod ends are cheap, sway bar end links are pocket change, especially ordering through rockauto. You can get premium parts for the cheapo local parts store price. And if you work the shipping right, you can save on that as well. Definitely my go to.
We had a 2003 or 4 gmc envoy donated with roughly 150k miles and a pile of repair paperwork, but it still needed Front lowers and sway bar links and bushings. All sorts of rattling up front. But that’s pretty common stuff for us to replace. That platform is dead simple to work on. But it’s good to have air tools and a pneumatic hammer, and a good metabo with a fresh cutting disc works wonders for the end links. A little sparky sparky and the old ones are off :).