Very reliable under harsh weather conditions.
Good ground clearance, especially if you live in a town (specifically Springfield, MO) whose road engineers are less than competent.
I'm using the original clutch, and at 77K miles it is going strong.
I also like the 2.8 liter 5-speed V6 engine; good fuel economy and great pulling possibility for its size.

Request bucket seats; you'll thank yourself during long trips.
Has a tendency to leak fluids (mine leaks anti-freeze).
Check for flaking areas on the paint; I know of 5 other S-10/Blazer owners (myself included) who needed to get a totally new paint job.

I paid about 8000 dollars in 1995, and other than the above mentioned problems, it has been very faithful to me. I've once hauled 4 layers of bricks in the bed, and have had no problems going up hills on the highway (although, I'd highly recommend using fuel injector cleaners every now and again to help during aging). Having a manual transmission also makes accelerating and driving through hard road conditions a lot easier and amuch more fun than automatics.
Considering this truck is about 9 years old at the writing of this review, all I can say is take care of this truck, and it will take care of you.

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GMC Sonoma - almost identical, except for different decals

I bought my 93 S-10 a few months ago. I have no complaints on reliability, power is fair with the 2.8, but performance modifications are on the way, good mileage, very reliable

The only problem I have had is with the heater core, from about 90-93 they have a bad setup and they eat heater cores faster than tires

93 was the last year for this body style on the S-10's. I feel this is a good truck and I see little room to complain.

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99 S-10 2.2 I4 piece of junk motor. It is reliable and very fuel efficient, but extremely under powered. A K&N air filter helps dramatically with this truck.

Inexpensive, reliable, good mileage

Poor traction & braking in bad weather

I owned a 95 LS for about three and a half years. It was the basic 2.2 litre/5 spd./2WD model. The truck was extremely reliable, had great range, looked half-way decent and was comfortable for a small truck. Stop/Go performance was barely adequate (the rear wheel only ABS is a joke), but the real problem was that the handling and braking became downright dangerous in bad weather. Even sandbags in back didn't bring it anywhere near what I would consider safe in snowy/icy conditions. Otherwise, definitely recommended for the money.

Undercover 4.3 liter V6. The GMC S15 upgrade model has a great suspension and comes with excellent tires. The clutch has never been replaced- it's got over 120K on it and seems to be going strong.

The 2.8 liter motors are not for men- they are for pussycats.
The bumpers are junk.

I love this truck! I never want another one. The motor is awesome, gets fair gas mileage, and the truck attracts no attention (that's a plus for me). My boss is always asking me what kind of suspension it has. "It's stock!", I answer.

I also have the longbed model which will hold motorcycles with the gate closed. I've hauled two 400+ lb bikes up hills and was still easily able to exceed the speed limit (but of course I wouldn't break the law).

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Toyota- not as much power and disposable chassis.
S10 2.8 liter motor- very WEAK!

ITS ONLY GOOD USE IS TO BE MY CUPHOLDER WHEN IM DRINKING BEER WITH THE NEIGHBORS.

EVERYTHING, THIS IS THE MOST GOD-AWFUL TRUCK THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN. COME ON, WHY SPEND ALL THIS MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT JUST COMPLETELY BLOWS. EXCEPT FOR THE FACT OF IT BEING THE MOST BAAAAAAAAAAAD A$$$$$$$$$$$$ CUPHOLDRE THAT IVE EVER SEEN.

NO, ESPECIALLY IF ITS A FIVE SPEED. THEY ARE EASILY BLOWN AWAY BY OTHER TRUCKS, EVEN THE GMC VERSION WILL WALK THIS CAR WITH A 4 CYLINDER.

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NOTHING SUCKS THIS BAD

Well first I got my truck from the company that I worked for. It used to be a work truck, so they used it quite a bit. I bought it from them for $1!!! So that saved me alot of money. It was really worth about $650 but I only needed about $200 to get it to run. Ever since then I have had nothing really major happen to it. The 4-cyl engine (2.5) seems to have alot of power. The truck doesn't have any power steering but it still handles very well and has no trouble cornering. Gas mileage is average, and the ride is smooth. It has alot of "pick-up and go" and has been really dependable. I have 168,000 miles on it and she is still going strong. There is no body damage, except a little rust in the bed, and the inside is very clean and spacious. It has more room than anyother small pickup truck that I have been in. It is a great ride.

It isn't 4-Wheel drive, and there is a mixture of standard and metric nut and bolt sizes on the truck. Sometimes you have to search for the right size. Why can't they be either metric or standard? Also the 4-cyl engines are too loud and cannot be dogged alot when the miles are up. Also when the oil needs to be changed, you will know it. You don't have as much power. But that is to be expected.

I would recommend it. Every teenager's first car should be a truck, not a car. It will teach you responsibility, and is very fun to drive. Also the truck is built like a rock, she is unstoppable it seems.

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Compared to a Yugo, it is a Cadillac. It is alot more spacious than a Ford Ranger, and even alot of smaller cars. It can leave most standard Mustangs in the dust. Remember it isn't the machine, it's the driver. It also handles off road than most two-wheelers that I have seen. The rear-end is limited slip and depending on the tires, has better traction than most smaller trucks.

It has comfy seats......

Where do I start? 1.(stock)Rides lower than my ma's VW 2.Sound like I kick a can when I close the door 3.Get used to your parts store, I replaced brakes(one piston was sticking), clutch, tires, U-joint, Windshield Washer motor, MOTOR MOUNT, mirrors(cracked in 25 degree weather), fog lights rusted through(5 yrs old???Chevy quality), Rust on door and front fender...Etc.

Buy it if you are interested on working on a P.O.S. that chevy couldn't even use the same bolts (standard/metric) to assemble. I haven't ever seen other trucks that rust out at 5 yrs old.. This wasn't just on my truck either..A friend of mine had one that the Whole body was rusting, He since had the whole thing sand-blasted and so far it hasnt came back.......Nice spending 6000-10000 on a paint job for a 5 yr old truck

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`98 Dodge Dakota=Real truck. Buy a S-10 if you want a car-like truck that you like to fix often.

In my opinion, the S-10 has always been one tough little versatile truck. I had an '87 model with the 'Iron Duke' 4 cylinder and 4 spd manual that went over 300,000 miles as a work truck before I 'retired' her to a friend as a parts vehicle. Hopefully I'll get the same length of service from this one! I love the fuel injected 4.3 Vortech engine. It's a time proven motor that gives her plenty of guts, especially when mated to the five speed manual and locking diff rear. Upgrade her with a few after market performance options, and you easily have yourself one smokin' little mini- truck! The overall lines of the truck's cab and cargo box are nice and asthetically balanced. Not too aggressive, yet not too wimpy either. The interior is basic, (My truck has power nothing! Yes, I must manually roll my windows up and down! So call me a caveman!) but doesnt look as cheap as one would expect given this age of plastic useage. The stock bucket seats (A 'must have' with the 5-speed) are very comfortable. They fit the bill quite nicely and in my opinion, don't look cheap! Take a look at the bucket seats in a Ford Ranger or a Jeep Wrangler and perhaps you'll agree. Even the 60/40 split bench seat that usually adorns her interior (Cloth cover, not vinyl) is sharp looking and comfortable. The bed/cargo area is more than ample for average jobs and her towing capacity is satisfactory given her size and powerplant. I must admit that I have 'pushed the envelope' with her more than a few times. At times I have grossly overloaded the bed's cargo weight capacity. I've also pulled just a 'wee' bit more than the tow hitch should safely handle. Through it all, she strained but did not complain! Like I said, she's a tough little thing!

The first thing I noticed was that the factory paint job (Onyx black) seemed a bit weak in spots. This was most noticeable inside the engine bay / radiator support area and in sections of the cargo boxe's interior and underside. Secondly, I don't understand why Chevy doesn't install wheel well 'shields' in the rear tire housings. I have seen them on other pick-ups. The addition of these would be a God send! Whenever I drive through gravel or kick up road rocks, it sounds like a chorus of cimbles! Not too mention what that's doing to the exposed metal of the cargo boxe's underside! Thirdly, the lack of any 'kick gaurds' along the lower part of the interior door jam does nothing to improve the life span of the bare painted surface. (I installed aftermarket guards for protection). I too agree with the statements made concerning the factory installed Uniroyal 'Tiger paws'. They are just plain miserable during wet driving conditions. One last thing, the center console (I have the 5spd manual) is just way too big for the truck's interior. Even with the extended cab, I find that it cramps up the interior too much for my taste. It interferes with shifting, and the dual cup holder / storage box sticks up too high between the seats. A few minutes with a 10mm socket wrench, and a bit of rug restoration gave me the elbow room I needed to 'row the boat' and be free!

I must remind you that this review is based on my experiences with the 2wd model only, but overall I would say that the S-10 offers quite a bit for the buck. With power, usefullness and good looks, she should appeal to both age groups. Given the sport and mini-truck craze that is so popular as of late, younger buyers will find that she's a sharp looker when dressed up with the latest ground effects and other aftermarket sport options. As mentioned before, add on some performance goodies, and she'll run hard and fast. The older buyers will, (or should) like the fact that they can still purchase a decent, reliable, no nonsense, American made truck, for a good price.

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I have driven both 4 and 6 cylinder models of the venerable Ford Ranger pick-up and found them to be underpowered. While they are well made trucks structurally, their slightly higher cost with less drivetrain performance is to me, unacceptible. I have also driven the various Dodge Dakota models. They have excellent power, a nice ride, and good looks, but again the price factor versus the performance/utility use, in my opinion, makes them inferior to the Bow Tie product.

Reliable -- I have been fortunate, but then again I do make sure it gets two tune-ups a year and an oil change about every every 25 -30,000 miles. I think that has been the key to it's success.

Not very powerful... going up long hills can be an annoying struggle. Also, it's top speed is only 85 mph and gas milage could be better. Although it still maintains a good 16 -17 mpg after 14 years and new S-10's only get about that from what I've heard

This has been an extremely reliable vehicle for me. I bought it used in 1996 and aside from repairs and maintainence not unexpected for a vehicle of that age (brake repair, heater repair, etc...) it has given me no further problems, even after an accident I was in that left it "totalled". (I had it fixed anyway) I'm still driving it today and have no complaints, and don't forsee any problems any time soon. Runs very smoothly and has never left me stranded. I doubt as if I will ever be fortunate enough to own a better vehicle than this one.

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a good, solid engine and drivetrain, plenty of power for such a small truck

just about everything. It sometimes feels like the entire truck is going to fall apart on you while you're driving. The build quality is absolutely horrible; the rockers are rusted through at 100,000 km.

My mother bought it fo me in 1995. I've been looking for an excuse to send it to the wreckers, ie-wait fo it to breath its last, which can't be far away. The engine is second to none in overall reliability but the same can't be said for the rest of the vehicle. The body is biodegradable and the interior is just plain ugly. It must be said though that the stereo isn't bad, if you've only got tapes. It is relatively cheap to insure and repair. Probably a good first vehicle if you're looking for a cheap way to get around. An excellent "baggin' wagon". It definitely isn't meant to be a long term investment.

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