Should Chevy Bring the K5 Back?

Its been 10 years since production of the K5 Stopped. Maybe it can come back and Have some jeep like features like a total hard top, or special off road packages. Maybe it would lead to Two door avalanches, or Two door denalis. Vote what you think. This will also be posted in the C/K forums.

You know, GM dropped the K5 name 10 years ago but continued making the 2 door fullsize trucks, they were simply 2 door tahoes. And yes, I would love for them to come back.

yea i know, production continued to 99, during which they made silverado/sport/z71 models which were the old blazer colors like victory red (see sig) and newer tahoe colors.

no thanks

w/out a doubt! YES! Anyone who loves to offroad should want this truck back

One thing I hate is no Blazer's anymore.

Only ripoff trailblazers with an insane pricetag.

Thinking about getting a 2002 trailblazer for the wife.. what do you guys think about them? should i, should not? either that or Jeep grand cherokee

Thinking about getting a 2002 trailblazer for the wife.. what do you guys think about them? should i, should not? either that or Jeep grand cherokee

Wow! This is a big question, and when you look at spending 20 grand or more, you need to take several things into consideration.

First, this is a Blazer forum (the TrailBlazer is a totally different vehicle, but don't fret) and you're probably going to get people to tell you that a Chevy is a better vehicle any day of the week (it is, but that doesn't answer your question).

Second, you need to take what you're expecting from the vehicle into consideration. Ask yourself these questions, a) how long am I going to keep the vehicle, b) where is the vehicle going to go, c) how many people need to fit comfortably and LASTLY (always lastly) d) how much do I want to spend?

Both these vehicles have inline 6-cyl. engines (Jeep ~190 hp, Chevy 275) and both should get you around 16-18 mpg. Both have four doors and things like keyless entry and automatic tranny standard.

Here are some of the differences.

a) If you're planning on keeping the vehicle for a long time, I would suggest the TrailBlazer. General Motors Trucks normally have better resale values than that of Chrysler Vehicles, but with the massive rebates that Chevy has right now, they're killing themselves in the resale market. The Chevy is a 150,000 mile vehicle easy... the Jeep has a 50/50 shot of having serious tranny and rear end problems after 70k miles. So if you're just gonna keep it for two or three years before you sell it again, go with the Jeep.

b) The Jeep sits on more of an off-road style frame. While it's roughly as equal in stiffness, it is more bouncy on the highway than the TrailBlazer, notice the springier seat coils in the Jeep, that's to compensate for the suspension, while the TrailBlazer has stiffer seats that are better on the posterior for long stays, and a better on-road suspension . The TrailBlazer will have a much better ride on the highway and realistically shouldn't be taken off road anyway.

c) Both vehicles allow 5 passenger seating, but we all know that it'd be better just for four. The TrailBlazer EXT however does have a longer wheelbase and a third row seat with more headroom than a Tahoe or an Expedition. Like all good things, the EXT option is more expensive.

d) General Motors and specifically Chevrolet vehicles are normally on the lower side of the price scale. However if you're looking at the used market, the Jeep is probably a less expensive vehicle. This is due to all of those things mentioned earlier. I sell Chevy Trucks for a living and I drive a 2000 Grand Cherokee. Why, you ask... $255 a month is what I'm paying for the Grand Cherokee, but it's nearing 70k miles and it's starting to show it's age. At 70k on the TrailBlazer you wouldn't have even changed the spark plugs yet.

If you have any more questions, just ask
aaron_harper@email.com

-Villain

K5 was an awesome truck. loved my 85 with a 4" lift and monster mudder tires and other add ons and so did somebody else--- as they stole it from me and stripped it clean---doors, headliner and everything else. So now I have a 94 S-10 4 door with 199,900 miles and a not even broken in 2003 tahoe and a 97 grand am gt(wife's car)---gotta be a gm vehicle to park in my driveway.

they should bring back that BOXED style BLAZeR BACK at least for 1 YEAR a 2006 S-10 BLaZer and made of STEEL not like this new cars no and days all fragil that's y i'm BLAZER ALL the way

Mine isn't a box style and is made of steel.

They could never bring the k5 back, and if they did, it would be horrible because none of us could probably afford it (probably $50k like a hummer). I think the true sprit of the k5 rests in its cheapness and being able to buy one for $2000, thrash it, then resell it again for $2000. It's funny because people pour thousands of dollars into those things to make them totally sweet, but they're still k5s and usually only sell for a couple grand. But then again most owners don't spend the cash to "show" their k5s. I say "show" those rusty rockers!

You gotta Admit that the boxed style blazer and the Caprice are the strongest cars :-) chevy's really done it :-) i'm prond to be a Blazer Owner :-)

You gotta Admit that the boxed style blazer and the Caprice are the strongest cars :-) chevy's really done it :-) i'm prond to be a Blazer Owner :-)

Full size you mean? Or the box S-10 Blazer is better?

s-10 it powerful i can ONLY IMAGE A FULL SIZE blazer ANOTER POLL :-) do u perfered Boxed style blazer or bubbled

To be honest, I have owned both, the second gen is much more refined.

Still didn`t understand-does he want to know about the s-10 k5 or back to the monster sized k5`s? The s-10 is frankly an old platform as we all know the had the same platform from 85 to now -the trailblazer is the wife`s station wagon. Ah but the old monster k5 with a 350 sitting up on mudders-there must be 5 within a 2 blocks of me all worth under 2k but irreplaceable up in these coalminning mountains of PA. Only thing better to bust rocks up here is a late eighties Toyota pickup or 4runner on nice big tires with a small lift and 22r motor. Why couldn`t the s-10 blazers have a solid 4 wheel drive system to lock in some serious power to the ground. My vote-is no because the H2 is better and and as nugget mention would be in the same price range. So get a old one and slap on the putty and poprivet some beer cans /change some fluids and headout down the road to some loud music ignoring the squeaks /air noises/and boat like steering till she breaks down and sell her to the next guy to do it again. Long live the old K5 putty masters.

Holy crap hecksterz you only live 20 mins away from me.I am gonna have to watch myself when i head to class in tamaqua. I was gonna buy a K5 with a 454 bb and numerous other things but could not afford insurance.It was only 2k at the time.Thing was built for speed and mud,most likely bad combo.For a minute there i thought you were gonna say Troys up in Dornsife.YOu ever been there?That guy has acres of rigs.I must have saw like 15 Dodge ramchargers and sitting next to them were like 15 K5s. This is nuts but they should bring back the blazer i rather it to be boxy as i dont like driving the 2001, it has tons of power but the sight lines on the 2 door our horrible.Whoever came up with the triangle window and big bar down through on slant needs their head examined as you can not see for shat to park pull out.Whats up with real high headrests in rear that you can not see out rear window?Man i cannot wait for 3 weeks when by that time all 5.7 bugs and stuff is in done and im back on road.

Yea bring it back . I had a 77 model for 7 years . Tough skinned go anywhere beater . Could look down and see daylight in 7 directions thru the floor boards from the driver seat . full time 4x4 built 350 and big tires . Rob

Maybe this will give every Blazer Fan a warm feeling. Works 4 me
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6737/picture201234iz.jpg

I am thinking more along the lines of this

http://www.gohumvee.com/images/readersrigs/robintheresa/white%20knight.JPG


http://www.clayharrison.com/truck/pics/waterfall-scan-300.jpg


http://4wheeldrive.about.com/library/uc/ucgraphics/rlivingston80%20k5%20mud%20pit%2010.jpg

http://austin.tx4wd.org/images/Micah's_K5.jpg

i hope to get a HUMVE in a few years when the gov starts surplusing them . Girlbear should get one for some serious off road mudding 5 feet deep . Rob

I'd love to see it happen, just don't think it would be the same old familiar friend...

It wouldn't it would be made of plastic and would be all computer controlled.

They should definetly bring the fullsize blazer back!!!
I have a 93 fullsize blazer thats at stock height and stock tire size and it 4 wheels just as good and can go every where my 86 silverado with a 6" lift and 35x12.50 BFG mud terrains can go. And i've pulled two jeeps out of the mud after they got stuck and a ford bronco.
THEY HAVE TO BRING IT BACK.

Thinking about getting a 2002 trailblazer for the wife.. what do you guys think about them? should i, should not? either that or Jeep grand cherokee

Just wanted to chip in here. Best place to look if you're in the market for a new vehicle is www(dot)edmunds(dot)com. They have a great section called True Cost of Ownership (TCO).

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/cto/intro.do

Now here's your 2002 Trailblazer. I chose the loaded model:
True Cost to Own SM (TCO)
About TCO

Summary


True Cost to Own* $40,140 view details
Total Cash Price $16,109 view details
Average Cost per Mile* $0.54 compare similar vehicles
True Cost to Own Ratings**
operating costlo
$

hi
$$$
depreciation costlo
$

hi
$$$


* This is a 5-year estimate (based on 15,000 miles per year).
** Ratings are determined for a specific vehicle category

Based on regional costs for Zip Code:


True Cost to Own


Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 5-yr Total
Depreciation $2,027 $1,778 $1,565 $1,387 $1,244 $8,001
Financing $1,046 $846 $630 $397 $144 $3,063
Insurance $889 $920 $952 $985 $1,019 $4,765
Taxes & Fees $1,294 $113 $102 $91 $82 $1,682
Fuel $2,322 $2,392 $2,464 $2,538 $2,614 $12,330
Maintenance $2,155 $1,178 $1,242 $1,587 $1,522 $7,684
Repairs $311 $453 $527 $612 $712 $2,615

Yearly Totals $10,044 $7,680 $7,482 $7,597 $7,337 $40,140


So you can see over a five year period, between gas, maintenance, depreciation, financing, and everything else that edmunds includes you've spend about $40k to own the truck. I prefer to look at it as the $0.54/mile that it lists.

Now your Cherokee. I chose the special edition w/ 4wd:

True Cost to Own SM (TCO)
About TCO

Summary


True Cost to Own* $40,031 view details
Total Cash Price $15,877 view details
Average Cost per Mile* $0.53 compare similar vehicles
True Cost to Own Ratings**
operating costlo
$

hi
$$$
depreciation costlo
$

hi
$$$


* This is a 5-year estimate (based on 15,000 miles per year).
** Ratings are determined for a specific vehicle category

Based on regional costs for Zip Code:


True Cost to Own


Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 5-yr Total
Depreciation $1,959 $1,719 $1,513 $1,341 $1,203 $7,735
Financing $1,031 $834 $621 $391 $142 $3,019
Insurance $876 $907 $939 $972 $1,006 $4,700
Taxes & Fees $1,276 $112 $101 $91 $82 $1,662
Fuel $2,391 $2,463 $2,537 $2,613 $2,691 $12,695
Maintenance $2,274 $1,000 $1,322 $1,298 $1,806 $7,700
Repairs $300 $437 $507 $590 $686 $2,520

Yearly Totals $10,107 $7,472 $7,540 $7,296 $7,616 $40,031



So essentially the two have almost the same cost.

i hope to get a HUMVE in a few years when the gov starts surplusing them . Girlbear should get one for some serious off road mudding 5 feet deep . Rob

An army buddy of mine, a veteran of the second Gulf War says that the HMMV Turbo Diesels will climb walls up to 6 feet tall! You basically pull up along side of it like you were parallel parking. Turn the wheel towards the wall and put the face of the tire as you turn flat against it. Then, you just hit the gas. The truck produces more than enough torque to not only just push and hold itself up against the wall, but makes that one tire climb! When both tires hit, snap the throttle and the truck scales the wall and if you got a good launch, momentum will carry you over. Now THAT is a truck. ;) He says that the gassers and the "Civilian" models cannot do this. So no reading what I say and trying it out in the real world with your Hummer, or H-2's. :nono: