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88 k5 question

6.2/1983

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Oregon
I had an 83 k5 diesel for years but ended up selling it and regrets it to this day!
Finally talked my wife into letting me sell my smaller suv and get another blazer!!
I am looking at a bone stock 88k5 blazer with 86k original miles.

Anything good or bad about the 88?
This time I wanted a few more modern Amenities so I opted for the later year k5.

I am thinking about going and looking at it. They live 2 hours from my house so I hope it’s worth it.

He wants 5800$ for it which I think is a bit pricey however it is in pretty good condition.

Thank you all for any info and advise.
 
I think most will agree that you need to plan on it having 186k or 286k miles, if I recall correctly this one won’t have a 6 digit odometer, check for rust this is the worst part of these trucks, check the floor pan in the corners behind the driver and passenger seats and also in the tail pan where it meets the rear tail gate. Me personally, if everything worked and it was rust free or minimal rust I wouldn’t be ashamed of $5500 but that would have to be running and driving, no corners cut good condition.
 
Yeah the odometer still rolls over so that sucks.

But from the photos it looks really clean good condition, but then again a lot of stuff does in photos lol.

I will Check these spots on it thank you for mentioning them.

88-91 pretty much the same truck? Or were there any major changes?

Thanks guys
 
I'm a cheap bastard, but unless it's in bone stock condition (so many sellers lie that I don't believe a word they say), and everything is in perfect working order, with NO major problems (no dents, accidents, rust, etc) then MAYBE that price isn't stupid.

But I'd be much more inclined to purchase in the $3-4K range if it was in decent to good shape.

Going to be next week, but I'm heading through PDX and Hood River a couple of days if it's out that way and you wanted someone else to look at it.
 
I'm a cheap bastard, but unless it's in bone stock condition (so many sellers lie that I don't believe a word they say), and everything is in perfect working order, with NO major problems (no dents, accidents, rust, etc) then MAYBE that price isn't stupid.

But I'd be much more inclined to purchase in the $3-4K range if it was in decent to good shape.

Going to be next week, but I'm heading through PDX and Hood River a couple of days if it's out that way and you wanted someone else to look at it.

I was thinking this very thing. It would need to be a very nice example, almost PERFECT to fetch that 5k plus price. Depending on market where you live it's more likely a 3000.00 truck. I call that "Fishing for a sucker". There is always someone that will pay your asking price if you wait long enough. The key phrase is OBO or best offer. That sort of indicates that the seller is aware that their price is high...LOL
 
Yeah, I don't think that is a 5K truck.

Just cursory it doesn't look bad, but non-stock hubs, wheels, tailgate is dented up. Really need to climb under it though and look. Engine bay looks clean, but not detailed? Which is a good indicator it hasn't been abused IMO.
 
It has been repainted. Funny they left the molding on the tail gate and removed all the rest. Looks like it has been dolled up to sell. nice dog emblem on the rear aluminum gate panel. All the pictures are too far away to see much. Not any pictures of under carriage or the interior. no rear view mirror. My 2 cents worth.
 
Thank you those were my feelings as well.
I was worried about driving 2 hours to see it if it’s really a trash truck that’s a headache with hidden stuff.
I also noticed the Scott’sdale emblem on the fender there but only in that one spot lol aren’t the emblems usally in more than one place?

Guess I will keep looking.
Thank you guys for the help.
 
I may go and look at that blue one and bring up the issues spotted. Is that not the original paint color then?
Wonder what its real value would be or what would be a close offer.
Thanks for the advise thus far.
I really want to find one but would like to make sure its good.
 
Few more things I don't like...let's see if this pic hotlinks:

00F0F_LXTtbpPKF8_1200x900.jpg


Looks to me like the AIR divert valve(?) is disconnected, and the wire is missing. The orange wires twisted together behind the alternator don't look stock to me, but I can't be sure.

The "new radio" makes me think the wiring and dash have been butchered in the cab. If I'm asking $5800 for a truck this vintage, and I'm appealing to purists (because it's got no other draw and that's the only people who will pay that much) I would have a lot more interior shots to show it off. The only interior shot in there shows that the passenger door trim is broken, and maybe the seats have been recovered? I thought they were seat covers as poorly as they fit, but I notice the door pocket on the passenger side is of the same material. Oh wait. Just noticed the dash trim is missing too, it's black where the silver that is glued on is missing. Door lock knobs are not original interior. Kick panels are butchered for speakers. Drivers seatbelt end is missing, so broken (which is common). Topper window gaskets trim and windshield gasket trim don't match. Looks to me like paint on passenger side is missing/flaked off in quite a few spots.

Exhaust isn't stock, I'm pretty sure it should be 3", that isn't the proper outlet location nor angle, wouldn't be surprised if a cheap exhaust was thrown on, either for sale or because the owner is cheap.

I'm not an expert on every variant of the K5, but "Interior is all original, no tears in seats." is a lie with a non-stock radio, and if those aren't seat covers AFAIK. I've NEVER seen that material used by GM. And my seats, which were pristine on install, haven't seen light since I installed them 15 some years ago (and immediately covered them), are cracked in the vinyl sides, and the material or stitching is failing where your rear goes. Don't forget he/she says there are no dents, but the tailgate is obviously dented. Oh. Also noticed there are non-stock holes in the back of the topper. Since that allows better moisture access to one of the few steel pieces inside the top, I assume that isn't a plus.

A seller like this appears to be typical craigslist scum IMO. I'm being harsh, but I think most of us on here that have used craigslist for awhile are absolutely sick of people misrepresenting what they have, in an effort to A) get you to show up to look at it and B) pay way more than you should. The other side of the coin COULD be that this person has no idea what they are really talking about, and are misrepresenting out of ignorance.

This truck isn't HORRIBLE, but it's nowhere near $5800 the more I look at it. And I just quit, I didn't pour over every pic with a fine toothed comb, I'm sure there is more. No undercarriage shot nor cluster shot (89,000 miles? Do you not want to show where the numerals don't line up because it's actually 189,000?) makes me think it's worse the deeper you dig.

If these are the only problems, I don't know what the market will bear nowadays, but 10 years ago I paid $2500 for an '87 K5 that is in better condition than that. To be generous, and again assuming NOTHING else is wrong, I'd say maybe $3500 in todays market? WAG, but if someone wants a stock truck it's going to take a lot of time to get it back to a really nice condition, and if not, the price is just way too high for a "decent" old truck that really has nothing going for it.
 
Thank you. I will pass on it for sure then.
I miss my 8.2 it was a fun rig.
 
I may go and look at that blue one and bring up the issues spotted. Is that not the original paint color then?
Wonder what its real value would be or what would be a close offer.
Thanks for the advise thus far.
I really want to find one but would like to make sure its good.
Looks like rust on the quarter panels above the wheel wells. Mine had the same rust. I lately bindi mine and painted over just like this guy. Same with the front of the rear wheel wells by the doors. Everything else looks ok. Look at the buyers guide at the top of the garage posts if it’s still a sticky post and copy off that checklist and take it with you. I’d say it’s a 3-3500 dollar truck if that’s the only rust in it. The 88-91 were one of the best years coming with efi and a lot of good stock options.
 
I am not seeing it. Am i just being blind? That would be a great thing to have.
 
1988 should be a serpentine belt setup, not v belt combo. Alternator and Ac changed sides. Grill is correct for 1985 to 1988.
 
Few more things I don't like...let's see if this pic hotlinks:

00F0F_LXTtbpPKF8_1200x900.jpg


Looks to me like the AIR divert valve(?) is disconnected, and the wire is missing. The orange wires twisted together behind the alternator don't look stock to me, but I can't be sure.

The "new radio" makes me think the wiring and dash have been butchered in the cab. If I'm asking $5800 for a truck this vintage, and I'm appealing to purists (because it's got no other draw and that's the only people who will pay that much) I would have a lot more interior shots to show it off. The only interior shot in there shows that the passenger door trim is broken, and maybe the seats have been recovered? I thought they were seat covers as poorly as they fit, but I notice the door pocket on the passenger side is of the same material. Oh wait. Just noticed the dash trim is missing too, it's black where the silver that is glued on is missing. Door lock knobs are not original interior. Kick panels are butchered for speakers. Drivers seatbelt end is missing, so broken (which is common). Topper window gaskets trim and windshield gasket trim don't match. Looks to me like paint on passenger side is missing/flaked off in quite a few spots.

Exhaust isn't stock, I'm pretty sure it should be 3", that isn't the proper outlet location nor angle, wouldn't be surprised if a cheap exhaust was thrown on, either for sale or because the owner is cheap.

I'm not an expert on every variant of the K5, but "Interior is all original, no tears in seats." is a lie with a non-stock radio, and if those aren't seat covers AFAIK. I've NEVER seen that material used by GM. And my seats, which were pristine on install, haven't seen light since I installed them 15 some years ago (and immediately covered them), are cracked in the vinyl sides, and the material or stitching is failing where your rear goes. Don't forget he/she says there are no dents, but the tailgate is obviously dented. Oh. Also noticed there are non-stock holes in the back of the topper. Since that allows better moisture access to one of the few steel pieces inside the top, I assume that isn't a plus.

A seller like this appears to be typical craigslist scum IMO. I'm being harsh, but I think most of us on here that have used craigslist for awhile are absolutely sick of people misrepresenting what they have, in an effort to A) get you to show up to look at it and B) pay way more than you should. The other side of the coin COULD be that this person has no idea what they are really talking about, and are misrepresenting out of ignorance.

This truck isn't HORRIBLE, but it's nowhere near $5800 the more I look at it. And I just quit, I didn't pour over every pic with a fine toothed comb, I'm sure there is more. No undercarriage shot nor cluster shot (89,000 miles? Do you not want to show where the numerals don't line up because it's actually 189,000?) makes me think it's worse the deeper you dig.

If these are the only problems, I don't know what the market will bear nowadays, but 10 years ago I paid $2500 for an '87 K5 that is in better condition than that. To be generous, and again assuming NOTHING else is wrong, I'd say maybe $3500 in todays market? WAG, but if someone wants a stock truck it's going to take a lot of time to get it back to a really nice condition, and if not, the price is just way too high for a "decent" old truck that really has nothing going for it.
The holes on the back of the topp are for the wind deflector that is missing.
 

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