'Lil 4x4 Crew Cabs: S-10 vs Sporttrac

[dabird]

Hi all,

I would really like your thoughts on the pros and cons of both vehicles. Would like your opinion and experience as far as reliability, usability, toughness, known problems to watch out for and any thing else you think might be helpful.

I sold my 00 F150 xcab due to it being too much truck for what I need.

Now looking at an 02 Chevy S10 crew cab 4x4 4.3 V6 automatic with 98k miles and an 01 Ford Sporttrac 4x4 4.0 V6 automatic with 117k miles.

Both are in good shape and appear to be well maintained. I will use for hauling 1-2 bikes, hauling stuff for the yard and house and occasional light trailer towing.

I could see giving the S10 the ZR2 treatment down the road and make it look much cooler.

I would maybe body lift the sporttrac at some point and put bigger tires on it.

I am also thinking about a Nissan Frontier with a manual (or S10 or Sporttrac) but am having a hard time locating very many to choose from.

Thanks for your input!

[dabird]

oh yeah, price:

S10 $8500 asking price dealer

Sporttrac $7850 asking price private seller

thanks

[dabird]

Can anyone let me know if they think these prices are OK or if they think a better price can be had?

Thanks

[ClayKann]

I may be wrong but i think the s10 has more of a bed then the sporttrac i would go with the s10 the look cool and plus its 4x4 put a lift on it and some big meaty tires and pimp it!

[rustyknife]

boy fitting 2 bikes in either sounds like a serious stretch

[dabird]

Thanks ClayKann

Yes the s10 bed is slightly larger and I hear the 4.3 engine is 'bullet proof' although I don't hear anything bad about the 4.0 in the ford either. I think the MPG is about the same. GM auto transmissions typically hold up better than Ford's as well.

By the way, both trucks are push-button or turn dial 4x4.

Thanks

[dabird]

They fit but it is tight and the tailgate has to be down to do it. I had to have the gate down on my f150 to fit 2 bikes but could get 1 in with the gate closed.

Even 1 bike in either of these small trucks requires the gate to be down.

I am trading off more accesable cab space and hopefully better mileage and can always tow a small trailer if the bikes get too tight.

Any thoughts on the Nissan, I think it has the smallest bed of all 3 (not looking at the extended beds)?

Thanks

[auronius123]

Even 1 bike in either of these small trucks requires the gate to be down.

That isn't true. In my s10 my bike fits quite nicely diagonally with the tailgate up. One thing I would recommend is going older than an 02 and saving some money. There's nothing fancy about an s10, ZR2 or not. If you're going to spend 8500 I'd find a tacoma or something nicer. S10's haven't really changed past 95 a whole ton, it's been basically the same minus the newest facelift of the past few years.

The 4.3 is fairly bulletproof but it's also fairly boring in my opinion. I get about 16mpg in my 94 with an auto trans, so don't expect awesome gas mileage unless going for the 4banger (please don't subject yourself to the torture of a 2.2 in an s10, just don't) and even then you'll only see maybe 20mpg. The 2.2 will afford you the luxury of being able to knit a sweater and read the dictionary 5 times over before you get to a shaky 60mph if you are so inclined ?

Overall they're solid trucks and reliable but for 8500 I'd go for a toyota unless you're absolutely dead set on an S10 for some reason. I'd also recommend a 5 speed if you are capable of driving one, and if you aren't, buy a 5 speed anyways and learn, you'll thank yourself haha.

EDIT- I wasn't sure where you lived in kansas, but here is an autotrader listing of trucks in a 200 mile radius from topeka.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?num_records=25&search_lang=en&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&search_type=used&distance=200&address=66601&marketZipError=false&style_flag=1&make=TOYOTA&model=TACOMA&make2=TOYOTA&model2=T100&make3=NISSAN&model3=FRONTI&start_year=1981&end_year=2009&min_price=&max_price=8500&transmission=&engine=&drive=&doors=&fuel=&max_mileage=&color=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&keywords_display=&sort_type=priceDESC&body_code=0&certified=&advanced=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&showZipError=n&default_sort=priceDESC&awsp=false&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&systime=

Good luck and I hope this helped even a little!

[dabird]

thanks auronius,

that is what I needed to hear and also appreciate the auto trader search!

I actually prefer the manual transmission but am having a harder time finding one in a crew cab, small truck. There are more nissans with them but they are few and far between. I have ridden in several toyotas and driven a few and I just don't care for the sitting position in them. It is clearly a personal nag of mine be/c I feel like i'm sitting too close to the floor.

I thought the mileage would be better. that is too bad.

[auronius123]

It's all good, we all prefer different things haha. I have heard word that there is a serious, serious frame rust issue with toyota tacomas from about 95 to 2000 that toyota is supposedly planning to remedy by buying back the trucks for well above blue-book or allowing dealers to give you a massive incentive to buy a new toyota, so maybe if you wanna snag up a particularly rusty tacoma for cheap you could end up on a good side of this deal ?

[Chickenhauler]

boy fitting 2 bikes in either sounds like a serious stretch

Shouldn't be too bad-riding partner of mine and I used to throw a KLX650 and a DRZ400 in the back of his step side Ranger w/4 banger and AT.

You wanna talk about a "truck" in name and appearance only......?

[dabird]

Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention that the yota crew cabs that i have come across are priced higher than my budget allows for. i've heard nothing but good things about yotas...but for that frame rust issue but at least yota is stepping up and buying the trucks back. i have a hard time seeing gm or ford doing that without some kind of huge class-action deal that only makes the lawyers rich and gives a meaningless rebate to owners/victims toward the puchase of a new truck (what a slap in the face!).

thanks again.

[KDXtreme200]

My next door neighbor has a crew cab S-10 and hes very happy with it. Its a really nice looking truck and i'd bet money that two bikes will fit in the back. The 4.3 V6 is a very reliable motor from what i've heard. My Uncle used to have a Crew Cab S-10 and he loved it as well.

[dabird]

thank you KDXtreme200.

I am getting a lot of feedback from a sporttrac site that the ford is priced way too high.

Any other thougts on the s10 price point? It is at a small dealer - do you think he will come down quite a bit?

thanks

[Veccster]

Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention that the yota crew cabs that i have come across are priced higher than my budget allows for. i've heard nothing but good things about yotas...but for that frame rust issue but at least yota is stepping up and buying the trucks back. i have a hard time seeing gm or ford doing that without some kind of huge class-action deal that only makes the lawyers rich and gives a meaningless rebate to owners/victims toward the puchase of a new truck (what a slap in the face!).

thanks again.

I can't offer much reason but I would look at the S10 over the Sporttrak. Less miles and more experience I guess.

Keep your eyes out for a used Yota. I am trading my 05 extended for an 08 double and know full well that they have a hefty price tag. It will also last you a damn long time. That makes up for the higher price.

2 bikes will fit fine in the back of any of those choices. Tailgates are rated for much more weight than the rear wheels of two DB's can apply.

[kxracer987]

My parents have a sport trac. It has been great. I think it has 88k miles with no problems. You can fit 2 bikes or a 4-wheeler in the back with the tailgate down. I have a pic with one bike in the back if you want me to throw it up (didn't take a pic with the 4-wheeler, or with the kx250 and ttr230, sorry). If the bike is more than 1" longer than a 2000 kx250, you may run into problems. The crew cab s10's don't have a very big box either though. Overall, both me and my parents are extremely happy with the sport trac. The 4.0 is pretty quick, and it will tow a decent load. Oh, the 4.0 has only netted 16-18 mpg for us. A lot of people report higher with the 4.0, so maybe it is our gearing. On the bright side, gas mileage drops only a small amount with an atv in the back and 2-3 bikes on a trailer behind it.?

[YZfreak426f]

we've had 3 bikes in the back of my friends 96 2wd s10 as well as my other friends isuzu pup with no problems. the bikes were a 00 yz426, 99 cr250, and a 96 cr250, although the s10 had more bed room the isuzu seemed to handle the weight better

[Smacaroni]

My girlfriend's father has an S10, the thing is beat up, patched up and ugly, but it's still going.

I think two bikes would fit in the bed. Unfortunately, I don't know if it's a four or six. I do know it's a standard.