I need some advice. I'm thinking about trading this guy my carmaro(I'm asking 1900 in the paper, expecting about 1500-1650) plus $2000 for a 95s10. Extended cab, 5 speed, L4. The only thing is it's got 170K miles. Apparently they are almost exclusivly highway miles, driving from OKC to texas and back. I wants to sell it cuz he's doesn't want to make payments. What do you think? It strikes me as a good buy. But a 170k on a 7 year old car. They ARE HW miles however. Should I be that concerned if it's had routine maintence? Thanks ~Arnold

 

It could be a good deal if the truck is in good shape. I've got a 2000 with the L4 5-speed, and I love it (except the engine). The one thing you need to consider is that that engine is undersized for the truck. Crusing on the freeway around 80 you'll be turning approx 3600 rpm. The speed limiter (on mine at least) is at 93 mph, and thats just over 4000 rpm.
IMO, thats really cranking rpms for extended periods of time. I'll be pleased if the engine in my truck is in good shape after 100k miles. Just something to keep in mind. FIY I get 30mpg on the freeway with a bed cover. Used 2.2 engines are readily available if it needs to be replaced, check the forums at s-series.org, guys take em out of relatively new trucks to put in v8s. Or you could do the v8 swap yourself, it's not that hard, I just finished up one in an 83 s-10 blazer.

 

It sounds like a good deal, but regardless of the type of miles 170k is still alot.

I'd take a good look at the brakes & suspension first. And just how much do you expect to get out of the engine?

 

It's been about 5 yrs. since I bought a car that had less than 100K miles on it. Now my wife on the other hand.........

I don't mind high milage cars/trucks. They are just as vunerable to failure than a vehicle that only has 50K miles.

I had a 1994 S-10 that had 148K miles on it when I bought it. I bought it for $2600. It had nothing in it except a seat, gas pedal, brake pedal steering wheel, etc. Base model. I just sold it a few months ago with 184K miles on it, for (drum roll please) $3000...... HE HE!!!!

All I ever had to do was tires, shocks, front rotor bearings, and tune it up. It ran great.

I did a few other things to it to make it 'mine'. Like 87 Monte SS wheels, $400 paint job, and a bed liner.

I just sold my wife's 95 Monte Carlo that had only 40K miles on it. About 2K miles ago, it blew the intake gasket. It had about 1/2 gal. of coolant in the oral pan. I know the bearings are shot, or damn near it. We had to drive about 40 miles to get it home. I fixed it myself which only cost me about $100. But if I would have had someone else do it, they quoted me $800-1200!!!!! But I didn't replace the bearings and such. Just the intake gaskets.

Anyway, we bought a 96 Lumina Minivan with 102K miles on it. But I know that the engine will do well. It has for 102K miles now. If it's gone this far, then it's gotta have a few thousand left in it.

My car has 175K miles on it the only thing I've had to do to it is brakes, shocks, tires, and an alt. All the other stuff in my sig I chose to do.

Granted, you do increase your risk by buying a vehicle with that high of milage, but not as much as you think. Would you rather buy that truck with that many miles on it or a 76 Buick Electra, Duece and a Quater with that many miles? The endurance of engines since about 89-91 are awsome.

AJ

 

I bought my 92 RS with 151K on it, it now has 180K on it, i romp it a lot, the guy before me paid cash for it and 92, only owner, did routine maintanance on it, and i continued, ive replaced shocks and struts, a few sensors, and it still runs like a rock, its all about how good the person took care of it in my opinion, my topaz only lasted like 140K, but i changed the oil in it every 10K miles

 

HEY I ANSWERED THIS AND NOW IT IS GONE!!!!....oh i posted that on saturday....whoops.

 

my friend has a 1989 S10 Base modle with the L4 and 5 speed(what tans is it,, i have heard the V8 T5). It has 150,000 and runs stong, he beats the thing ALL THE TIME and it look slike the previous owner did the same, Not sure about oil changes, my firnd did his 4 months ago.(I do mine every 3000 or 3 months, but then again my car is not a beater car.

 

There is nothing wrong with a high mileage engine if it spent most of it's life crusing on the highway. With the engine, the big thing is to check the oil consumption and the engine's compression. But high mileage vehicles can also have other things (like motor mounts, tranny mounts, shocks, springs, etc) that can also need replacing which can add up really fast. But if the motor is fine and the rest of the suspension checks out, you could get a lot more miles. You just don't want it to turn into a "money pit".