New to the forums but last summer I purchased my first truck. It's a 99 s10 zr2 with only 102k miles. Had it checked out by a mechanic and said everything checked out great. Very clean. Well long story short I have spent a ton on repairs since then. These repairs include ball joints, alternator, battery, rear brakes, fuel pump, and now I have a leak coming through the skid plate. I really don't know what to do now. I don't have any more money to fix it if it breaks and with my luck with it the intake manifold is the next to go. I've been looking into k5's from the 80's and like them. Specifically '88 to '91 for the TBI. Any advice on what I should do? How do the two compare off road and just in general? I need something reliable to drive daily. Am I better off just hoping my s10 doesn't break again? I'd hate to sell my baby but I'd hate for it to break again and not be able to drive it.
CK5
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S10 transition to K5?
- Thread starter Sizemore
- Start date
drew4x4
1/2 ton status
I've got an 03 S10 ZR2, lifted, and an 80 k5 I'm restomodding... so I'll tell you you will do a lot less suspension work on a solid axle k5 then the s10. i've rebuilt the front end on mine, and replaced the entire clutch. either one is going to need a lot of work engine wise to keep them running and not leaking though.
There's a ton of pros and cons in swapping for a Blazer. I DD'd mine for years and it was a joy. Now I just drive it for fun. They are old trucks and will need work...on something...eventually. But let's say, it's a stock-ish TBI K5 - parts are cheap and plentiful and generally easy to repair yourself with simple tools and the info on this forum. Obviously, as with anything, the more you modify it, the more work it's going to take to get the whole setup working right and keep it maintained. Plus, they are getting more valuable. Not like rare-valuable, but prices are going up and there's always something to be said for driving a cool old iron truck that's not like the rest of these refined commuter vehicles.
That said, in most scenarios it'd be hard to justify it purely financially. It all depends on the condition of the K5 you get, how well it was maintained, or how 'crafty' the previous owner was. Plus gas mileage isn't going to be an improvement.
If I were you,I'd start saving your money and drive the S10 until the next failure. When the time comes, it may be an easier decision.
That said, in most scenarios it'd be hard to justify it purely financially. It all depends on the condition of the K5 you get, how well it was maintained, or how 'crafty' the previous owner was. Plus gas mileage isn't going to be an improvement.
If I were you,I'd start saving your money and drive the S10 until the next failure. When the time comes, it may be an easier decision.
The parts you listed that u needed to repair on the s10 are normal replacement parts in my opinion. You will most likely replace those and more on a 23+ year old vehicle.... Especially if you buy one for cheapish....
I needed an engine after 6 months in mine
I needed an engine after 6 months in mine
The parts you listed that u needed to repair on the s10 are normal replacement parts in my opinion. You will most likely replace those and more on a 23+ year old vehicle.... Especially if you buy one for cheapish....
I needed an engine after 6 months in mine
I second this. If you want something to play with, solid axle swap that s10.
Agreed with both above posts. Its very labor intensive to reliably DD a square body. Keep your 99 and fix what needs to be fixed. Then if you want to offroad it, put a solid axle under it and then you get the best of both worlds.
I think the question really lies on 'how much work you do yourself'.
If you pay for repair work on your vehicle, it comes down to payments. With that your choices are....
A. Buy a new car with a warranty and make monthly payments.
B. Buy an older car and pay for repairs when needed (kinda like making payments, but with this some months you win, some months you lose).
If you have the time/ability/tools to repair and maintain an older vehicle by yourself, your 14 year old S10 will be no more or less expensive to maintain than a 23+ year old truck. It's just buying parts and putting them in when needed. This could be something simple like belts right on up to an engine or trans swap. You have to know what you're doing and why, but you'll win (vs buying a new $30k truck) in the long run. This coming from someone who daily drives a 24 year old car and an even older truck.
If you pay for repair work on your vehicle, it comes down to payments. With that your choices are....
A. Buy a new car with a warranty and make monthly payments.
B. Buy an older car and pay for repairs when needed (kinda like making payments, but with this some months you win, some months you lose).
If you have the time/ability/tools to repair and maintain an older vehicle by yourself, your 14 year old S10 will be no more or less expensive to maintain than a 23+ year old truck. It's just buying parts and putting them in when needed. This could be something simple like belts right on up to an engine or trans swap. You have to know what you're doing and why, but you'll win (vs buying a new $30k truck) in the long run. This coming from someone who daily drives a 24 year old car and an even older truck.
I DD an '84 C10 and my wife DD's an '88 K20 Burb, they are every bit as reliable as a modern vehicle. Keep them maintained and they go for decades.
Unfortunately if you choose to drive an older high mileage vehicle you better be prepared to spend money on repairs and maintenance. As said above the other option is to buy a newer vehicle and make monthly payments on it. If money for repairs is an issue than maybe you should look at cheaper vehicles...even for the same price you could buy a newer and lower mileage car. I completely understand the desire to drive a 4wd truck, but this is also why I drive a Hyundai Elantra to work 90% of the time with my 2500HD and K5 sitting in the garage.
As far as the S-10/ZR2 compared to a K5, even if I tell you that the K5 is more reliable when new you are still dealing with the fact the absolute newest K5 is still 23 years old, and at least 8 years older than your current vehicle. You just can't buy that old of a vehicle and expect to drive it for years with absolutely no repairs or major maintenance items needed.
As far as the S-10/ZR2 compared to a K5, even if I tell you that the K5 is more reliable when new you are still dealing with the fact the absolute newest K5 is still 23 years old, and at least 8 years older than your current vehicle. You just can't buy that old of a vehicle and expect to drive it for years with absolutely no repairs or major maintenance items needed.
