In Michigan where I live, almost every town is a “GM Town,” meaning that a significant number of the town’s residents either work (or have worked) for GM or have a family member or friend who works for GM. Although the General doesn’t have quite the sway it once did, a lot of people still buy its products because of these friends and family members (and their employee discounts), but there was a time when you couldn’t turn your head without seeing an S-10 like this one: a 2000 LS Extended Cab. Lease deals at the time were absurdly cheap, and the trucks themselves weren’t too bad either; in fact, you might have owned one yourself (mine was a 2000 Blazer). I spotted this 130,000-mile example on Marketplace in Greenville, Ohio, with an asking price of $3,500. It will probably find a buyer sooner than later for the same reason it did back then: because it’s good, cheap transportation.
The only downside to this S-10 might be its powertrain. Equipped with the “2200” four-cylinder, the power and torque ratings aren’t so bad (120 and 140 lb.-ft., respectively), but it’s unfortunately saddled with the optional (at $1,095!) 4L60-E four-speed automatic, which sucked quite a bit of fun out of what was a peppy-enough little engine. A lot of S-10s had the 2.2, but the ones I’ve driven have mostly been equipped with the five-speed manual, whose gearing in first and second made the most out of what power the four had. The automatics were, sad to say, a little doggy. All is not lost, however, because the seller says that this one has been “well-maintained” and “runs and drives great.” It has a new blower motor and a new set of tires, too.
Aside from a rip in the driver’s seat, the interior is in nice shape as well. Like me, many Barn Finds readers have probably spent quite a few miles looking out over this dashboard and sitting in these long-wearing cloth bucket seats. Chevrolet’s sales materials say that the S-10 buyer’s demographics skewed 80 percent male, mostly single (mid-20s to late-30s), with some college education, and my memories track with those statistics. These days, this would make a nice truck for almost anyone, with power steering, air conditioning, and decent fuel mileage (19 city/25 highway). One quirk about Chevrolets of the early 2000s is that cruise control always seemed to be a part of an expensive option package, and this truck doesn’t appear to have it on the window sticker. It does have the “Survival Pak,” which includes the aforementioned air conditioning, a cool set of alloy wheels, AM/FM radio, and floor mats.
A big problem on S-10s, especially now that they’re 25 years old (yikes!) is rust, especially up here where salt is a fact of life for a third of the year. The seller says, however, that this example has “very little rust” and a solid frame, so somebody has clearly taken good care of it for this last quarter-century. Painted in a ubiquitous color (Light Pewter Metallic), you could live like it’s Y2K again for very little money.
Ugh, 2.2 was an absolute dog & IMO a pile even compared to the Duke. Zero low-end torque. Plus they like to overheat, spin rod bearings & just generally blow up. 4.3 or nothing in these.
I was never a fan of this generation S10 to begin with, hard to improve on the perfection that was the 1st gens. At least the seller is kinda realistic on his ask, of course that’s all relative too. I can remember a time when a guy could score one of these for 5 bills.
BWAHAHAHAHA!! I had an 89 S10 and it was a decent little truck that gave me only a few issues, until a woman ran a stop sign. I replaced it with a 99 S10 ~ 2.2/5spd. that looked just like this one except red/grey instead of pewter/grey. It was an excellent little truck that served me quite well for 14 years and I never had a single complaint about it. It was a better truck than the Gen 1 by far.
Also had a ’99 S10… with the 2.2 and 5 speed… extended cab as this one. Was a fantastic little truck. Economical, comfortable and handled well (for a truck). Light years ahead of the previous generation. Had no problems with it in 10 plus years and 150k miles (other than normal maintenance / wear out items). However, after a decade plus of New England briny winter roads the frame, cab rockers and brake lines were toast… How all my trucks have died.
This brings me back. My FIL bought a brand new 2000 regular cab. With these rims and interior in black. 2.2 and auto. And Aaron is absolutely correct, the auto sucked the fun out of driving it. But it was durable. Unfortunately, Aaron is also correct about the rust. The frame litterally rotted in half. Thats all that stopped that little truck.
I’ve seen this and some other write ups on this family / class, both the SUV and the pickup and am puzzled by the references to dependability and generally positive comments.
I never owned one but quite a few family and friends did, and they had enough problems with them to make me glad not to be a member of the club.
Maybe they didn’t practice preventive maintenance? Oil changes & radiator flush will go a long way toward making a vehicle trouble free.
Just for those wishing this truck had a V6, be advised that x-cabs were notorious for rear axle “tramp” or leaf spring windup on acceleration from a stop. Chevrolet repurchased several of those trucks from our dealership alone. The simple addition of traction bars solved the problem but GM wouldn’t sign off on that fix.
I agree about “axle tramp” . . My 2001 S-10 Xtreme that I’ve had since new has the bracket for the “hop shock” welded to the top of the passenger side rear axle tube but , minus the frame bracket and shock . . I previously had a 1997 Sonoma with the same ZQ8 sport suspension that DiD have the hop shock .. IT did make a difference . . I guess GM was saving a few bucks on the 2001 . . Sad . .
Well, this just about covers it, BFs has featured every possible vehicle I have ever owned,,almost. I too had this truck, a ’99, I think and I wholeheartedly agree, that motor should be on the end of a chain( boat anchor) I got the truck cheap, natch, and should have noticed the 3 jugs of coolant in the back, indicating a bad head gasket. Ta, ta, da, Mend-Tite to the rescue. Mend-Tite is a wonderful product for sealing coolant leaks. It’s not the old “black pepper”, and actually works. It sealed the leak and drove it for a couple years. Gutless motor aside, I really liked the truck. Rode nice, comfy, great heater, (never did try the a/c),extra cab you could sleep in, eventually, the frame rusted and I shot it. The 4.3 was a much better choice, and I bet everyone that got the 2.2 hated it. The automatic did take some power, but a stick wasn’t much better anyway. Lines too, I replaced every brake, fuel, and transmission cooling lines( on the Ind. pike) that was huge problem. I think there was a class action lawsuit about the lines, somewhere. And yes, you will get the “foreign” schtick again, these were every bit as good as the Asian ones, but a moot point now.
Out west here most had the 4.3 V6. The 4.3 will last forever IF you are religious in your oil changes. I have seen them go over 300K many times. BUT, if you are not religious in your oil changes you are on borrowed time after 60K. The reason? One half of the intake plenum runs (yes,the same area where the “injector snake” lives) very hot because of the location of the EGR valve. Where the other area plenum runs cool because of the Vortec system. This disparity in temperatures will cause condensation. Which combined with “dirty oil” makes sludge. Which then bakes on and then flakes off engine and ends up in the oil pan and then the oil pump pickup screen.Then it’s goodbye engine. If/when you do make it to 100K. Then you have a chance. The intake gasket will be leaking and need to be changed. Make sure you are very careful and gently remove the intake and make sure you spend a couple of hours cleaning the bottom. Then spend at least 3 hours cleaning the valley area. Also, never use a Fram oil filter on a 4.3 where the oil change history is unknown. It will plug so fast with sludge. The oil pressure will be nonexistent. The NON- rusty chassis for these are used quite often for hot rods.
In 1999 GM offered a S10 lease, standard cab, short bed, 2.5 engine,5sp, AC, deluxe interior, am/fm cassette, power doors and windows, remote entry, and aluminum wheels for $99 a month for 36 months, no money down. Sold my son’s 1990 S10 4.3 5 sp with 155k miles for $2700 and pretty much paid for the whole 3 yr lease with him at college. 36k bumper to bumper warranty to boot. Awesome deal, no wonder GMAC went bankrupt in later years.
To the best of my knowledge GMAC Mortgage went belly up. Not the standard “vehicle ” GMAC. Although being in the commercial vehicles selling business. (GMC and ISUZU commercial truck) I have seen first hand stupid decisions by GMAC and have been on the wrong end of some of those stupid decisions. And the stories that have facts backing them up. And lawsuits that kept getting continued because they knew they would lose the suit. It is amazing that GMAC commercial people didn’t lose their jobs. Some criteria they were using for lending decisions in the 2000s were based on “hearsay” and not fact from the 1980s and were still guidelines in the 2010s and teens. IF they had gone to court and gotten their Butts kicked. They may have learned the truth. I ended up leasing over 400 GMC vans through an arm of Ford Motor Credit because GMAC Commercial Credit had their head up you know where.
It never ceases to amaze me the marketing lack of research that happens at GM.
My house and property were in a wild fire. As is standard practice. Your mortgage company is the loss payee. My insurance company sent the claim check to GNAC Mortgage the day that GMAC Mortgage closed their doors. It took years to get sorted out.
LS swap it
BWAHAHAHAHAHA ~ yeah make it a rolling computer. You think you have issues now???
I’m an old man driving a young man’s truck , I’ve been told . . I’m 84 now . . I bought my 2001 Xtreme new in 2001 . . I always liked the looks of the standard cab sport side in black . . I wanted more horsepower but 180 is all I could get . . At my age now , it is adequate . . A few problems over the years but nothing I couldn’t fix myself . .