After purchasing a house recently, as well as working in Detroit where potholes are more common than concrete, I'm starting to think about buying an older S10 for my daily beater. Currently I have a 93 saturn with 145K miles.

I'm checking out craigslist and seeing what's available locally, but I'm thinking I don't want to spend more than $2000. At any rate, I'm leaning towards the 4 banger with a 5 speed. What's the reliability like for these? I know there are a few different 4 cyl engines used, including a 2.2, an Iron Duke, and a newer vortec 2200. I need something that won't leave me stranded in the hood. How many miles are these engines typically good for? What kind of gas mileage can I get out of them? I'm only getting about 26 or 27mpg mixed city and hwy on my saturn with a 5 speed dohc.

Thanks all!

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97 Suzuki GSXF 600
04 Saturn Ion Redline
86 Fiero GT

AIM: phool88fiero

Never had an s10 but know a few folks that do and are happy with them. I think if the price is right it would be a sound investment. My only question is for less than 2K why buy another vehicle that will be older and around the same mileage as what you have? You won't get that better gas mileage, the resale on the saturn will be low, the trk will probably cost more to insure, etc. Why not drive the saturn til it dies (or close to dead} then look for a newer, lower mileage car/trk?

This is just my opinion but 1) buy what you need (daily driver, work trk, van, etc) 2) buy newer and fully loaded 3) low miles 4) cheap (within your budget).

Good luck on trying to find an S10 worth a damn for under $2000. I was lucky 3 years ago when I picked up a 95 S10 4.3L, 150k miles on it for $1700 and it had a salvage title. I just bought my second S10 (99 4.3L with 79,000 miles) for $5000

My 95 S10 lasted 202k before it became too expensive for me to fix a rear leaf spring and wheel. With the 95 I got about 20mpg highway and 15-17mpg city driving.

My 99 gets me 23mpg highway and 20-21mpg city. Both have the 4.3L v6

quote Originally posted by aceman: My 99 gets me 23mpg highway and 20-21mpg city. Both have the 4.3L v6

You must have the 3.08 (or similar) gears. I've got 3.42s in my '01, and typically get ~18 in day to day driving.
I have gotten 23-24 on the highway, but that was a long time ago.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-18-2008).]

quote Originally posted by sostock: Never had an s10 but know a few folks that do and are happy with them. I think if the price is right it would be a sound investment. My only question is for less than 2K why buy another vehicle that will be older and around the same mileage as what you have? You won't get that better gas mileage, the resale on the saturn will be low, the trk will probably cost more to insure, etc. Why not drive the saturn til it dies (or close to dead} then look for a newer, lower mileage car/trk? This is just my opinion but 1) buy what you need (daily driver, work trk, van, etc) 2) buy newer and fully loaded 3) low miles 4) cheap (within your budget).

The thoughts of getting a truck was on the ability to tote stuff around in/on it. I haven't been able to figure out yet how to stuff my motorcycle or a Lazy-Boy into the trunk of the saturn. When I do though, I'll let ya know

Most of what I'm finding is around 140K miles... not sure if that's near the beginning or near the end for these trucks. I'd probably only be looking for it to last for two or three years though.

The 2.2 isn't a bad motor. Early ones have some issues with headgaskets iirc, but they're relatively easy to fix(book time is around 2 hours i think which isn't bad at all). Ultimately almost any 80's and newer car thats taken care of relatively well will last well into the 200000s. My buddy had a 4.3 s10 blazer with 240000 on it when he gave it back to his dad and there wasn't anything wrong with it.

I bought a brand new '95 S-10 back in late '94. It was the base model (rear bumper & radio deletes were the only options!) with the 2.2L & 5-speed......it easily got 35MPG, but was pretty gutless. It is geared very tall, so plan on a leisurely drive to and from work. I remember downshifting from 5th to 3rd to pass someone and the only thing that happened was the RPM's went up. Later 2.2's (2000-2003??) are designed for E-85, so that might be a good thing too (depending on where you live and the availability of E-85).

I sold the truck to my dad in '96 and he drove it until 2002 when he accidently ran off the road out in the boonies and ripped up the undercarriage. It had nearly 300K miles and aside from some transmission/clutch issues (replaced the clutch 3 times and rebuilt the trans once), it was relatively trouble free mechanically.

quote Originally posted by pHoOl: The thoughts of getting a truck was on the ability to tote stuff around in/on it. I haven't been able to figure out yet how to stuff my motorcycle or a Lazy-Boy into the trunk of the saturn. When I do though, I'll let ya know Most of what I'm finding is around 140K miles... not sure if that's near the beginning or near the end for these trucks. I'd probably only be looking for it to last for two or three years though.

Don't want to sound dumb but have your thought about a small trailer? I'm sure you could get a nice 12-16 ft trl for less than 2k. A hitch and wiring set up on your car will run a couple of hundred. Honestly with the price of gas why buy another vehicle? This is what I do when i can't fit something in the back of the explorer, hook up my father-in-laws trailer and hual it. Plus for hauling a bike its a lot lower to the ground.

The other half of it is the ability to go over curbs... but, when I think about it, I'm sure the 93 saturn will take a curb or two once. And I haven't blown out any tires on potholes yet.

The Redline, I went through I think 3 or 4 tires already from potholes. Which, made it more cost effective to buy a beater

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97 Suzuki GSXF 600
04 Saturn Ion Redline
86 Fiero GT

AIM: phool88fiero

quote Originally posted by mrfiero: with the 2.2L & 5-speed......it easily got 35MPG, but was pretty gutless. .

I still own a 94 S10 2.2 / 5-speed stick with 140K miles. The gutless part is correct (especially with an auto trans), but I doubt you will see 35 MPG. I have never broken 30 MPG since I have owned mine. Most of the 2.2's will have piston slap when cold, but it quiets down when warm. Head gasket and timing chain / tensioner issues are common on the 2.2.

quote Originally posted by FrugalFiero: I still own a 94 S10 2.2 / 5-speed stick with 140K miles. The gutless part is correct (especially with an auto trans), but I doubt you will see 35 MPG. I have never broken 30 MPG since I have owned mine. Most of the 2.2's will have piston slap when cold, but it quiets down when warm. Head gasket and timing chain / tensioner issues are common on the 2.2.

Wow! I dont know what to tell you......I broke 30 MPG all the time when I had it, but I did a lot of highway driving too. I'll have to ask my dad what he got with it since he owned it longer and when it had many more miles on it (I had it from 0-15,000 miles or so).

I have a '92 that I bought about 3 years ago for $50. I had to tow it home, a mouse had chewed through the ground wire for the injector. It is a 2.8/5 sp and I average about 24.5 mpg driving back and forth to work. I drove it to Ohio last year and average 25.5 mpg on the road. I have put 40k on it since I bought it and it has been trouble free. Unfortunately it is beginning to succumb to rust - I am going to have to start doing body work soon, but it runs so good and has been trouble free I feel obligated.

I almost forgot...
Check out www.s10forum.com
Lots of good info there. There's a Classifieds section, too.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-19-2008).]

i got my 2000 s10 baja style 2.2 with 5 speed to get better gas mileage than my gt with 3.4. I can tell you that, if you're looking for better gas mileage, look elsewhere. I'm getting about 21-22 on the hwy, and about 20 in the city. Of course i also have fiber glass fenders, 3 inch lift, with 31" BGgoodrich all terrain tires.

It's a good little truck, the only real problem i've had with it was when the pcu went south. its got about 130-140k miles.