Runs Forever, Difficult to Work On
Bought for $1500 from a garage at around 180k miles. Needed a new alternator at time of purchase, which was installed before I came to pick it up. Have since had front brake discs resurfaced, brake lights replaced, and new headlight assemblies installed. Currently at 215k and engine is in perfect health. With a service or two I could see it reaching the half-million mark. It's a good thing the 6-cylinder LS is nigh bulletproof, because it's like playing autopart tetris when you have to go under the hood. To get the deep slope in the front profile, GM had to pack everything tight and awkward. The fusebox hangs over the battery by a prop bar, both of which have to be unbolted and moved to get access to the terminals. The gear linkage has to travel at a weird angle that will strain and eventually break the connector if you shift into specific forward gears too often, especially 1st. (Firsthand lesson. Repaired with baling wire.) Aside from a slow leak in the rack & pinion that causes occasional groaning in the power steering, the only issues are with the electronics. Sensor in the fuel pump is defunct so the fuel guage only ever says 100% full or "omg you're running on fumes". A faulty sensor in one wheel hub also makes the ABS warning lamp stay on. The parts and labor to fix these would cost as much or more than what I paid for the whole vehicle. (Mechanics hate working on this thing as much as I do.) Instead I just pour in an extra bottle of PSF every few months and make a point to keep the tank topped up every couple trips.
A solid, reliable car.
I bought this car in 2010 with 96,000 miles. Here we are 9 years later and it just passed 335,000 miles and still running solid. Its life has been a mix of multiple trips several states away, a few winters of severe cold and snow, several years of a 100+ mile daily commute, and mostly being parked outdoors. It has carried 7 passengers on one day, and been packed full of tools the next. It has never had a major engine or transmission issue....no rust or structural issues either. I've been told to get rid of it for a newer car, and sometimes a new car sounds nice. But at this point I want to see how long I can hold on to this one. It hasn't let me down yet!
Most reliable car I have ever owned
Since the vehicle has turned 250k miles we have taken it from MN to NJ twice, OK and MT. I run synthetic high mileage oil which I change when the onboard system tells me to. And except for a sensor here or external device there I have had nothing serious go wrong since I bought it used in 2013 with 135k miles. The body has encountered major rust from MN winter's but the under carriage is still strong. My wife says she going to bury it in the back yard or use it for her own tombstone. As of right right now it has 358k miles and still looking to go a long time yet.
