Faults:
The gas tank bit the dust the first day I had it, and anything over 18 gallons causes the vehicle to reek of gasoline inside and out. Anything over 19.5 gallons will run out of the car, and can actually cause the gas pump to keep pumping gas well over the capacity of the tank. Personally, I think it likes stickin' it to the man.
The third or forth week I had it, I closed the tailgate up with the spare tire, and was treated to a very untimely demise of my back window, as it went to pieces. Poor Blazer got confused -- all it wanted to do was keep up with Broncos.
At 163,000 miles the ZR2 suspension collapsed, causing the vehicle to drop a good two inches. It's since been replaced, but with all the lowered cars in my area, I think that my Blazer was jealous and just wanted to fit in.
Intake manifold blew at 169,000 while I was accelerating onto the highway. Luckily, this vehicle is equipped with a "Check Gauges" light, which alerted me as it heated up quickly, and gave me time to pull over, thus avoiding a considerably more expensive repair on the truck. I think it was its way of forcing me to do a coolant flush.
Gas gauge has always been a little off since I purchased the vehicle, and at 172,999 it finally crapped out -- dropping from 1/4 of a tank to empty and shutting off the vehicle while I was doing 65 on the freeway -- currently, if I fill the vehicle with my standard 18 gallons of gas, I'll go about 100 miles before it's on E again. Mileage counting has, however, helped me improve upon my math.
As I reached 173,400 the steering wheel lock and shift-interlock on the transmission have decided they are sick, and only show up to work occasionally. My vehicle now starts without a key, shifts gears without the brake pedal being pressed, and the steering wheel no longer locks. Good news -- I can't go from D to R while moving, so my safety is one of it's concerns.
General Comments:
Despite the sometimes costly, and potentially eye-opening problems I've had with my Blazer, I feel as if it's a good vehicle overall. Unless I do something stupid, it always starts right up. The 4x4 cuts through the snow like a hot knife through butter, and the back seats ability to go completely flat makes me an asset to anyone who needs help moving.
As far as the interior goes, my biggest complaint with the vehicle is the cabin. It is probably the cheapest vehicular interior I have ever seen -- made entirely of cruddy looking plastic which no amount of Armour-All can make nice looking. The constant squeaking and rattling is enough to drive me up the wall, and the very common problem of a squeaky back tire has made me scream in fits of rage while driving before.
All in all, however, the seats are fairly comfortable, and everything is within reaching range. The center covered storage is super handy, along with all the spare little nooks, crannies, and cubby spaces it has all around. Rear passengers have never complained of a lack of space, and everyone thinks that it's "the perfect height" to step right in to. If subs are your thing, the back offers an abundance of space for such a device, and the speakers are easily accessible and quickly changed for the audiophile out there.
From a driving standpoint, the pickup is excellent. The rear-wheel drive makes me a contender in light-to-light races, and I get no greater pleasure then when I'm leaving a little Honda in the dust. The steering is so-so -- and the turn radius is utterly awful considering its fairly small size. Blind spots are in abundance with this car, as they worried about styling the interior before considering the safety of the passengers -- and in the first two days of owning it I was almost in three accidents, so blind-spot mirrors are a must.
At the end of the day, the 1997 two door Chevy Blazer LS is a vehicle which I would not recommend purchasing. As much as I like its appearance, inclement weather capacity, and overall dependability -- the huge repairs, minor annoyances, and "DID THAT JUST REALLY FREAKIN' HAPPEN!?" moments (such as a tailgate shattering), far outweigh anything it can bring to the table. Throw in poor gas mileage, and insurance rates, which are sure to jump due to the 4x4, SUV nature of the vehicle, and it is going to be a guaranteed money pit in a year or less.
20th Apr 2015, 02:20
Depending on the miles on your Blazer, not everything will last forever. Ball joints will last MUCH longer if they are lubed, along with the rest of the steering joints at every oil change. These vehicles are terrific, but no one ever bothers with the routine maintenance. Why blame GM?