Test Drove a 98 S-10 and a 2003 Tiburon Today!
Hey guys! It's me, Ranger_X from Abcars! Someone is already named rangerx here though so it wouldn't let me sign up under my normal name :madred: that's so wierd, I signed up on automotive forums a while ago, they have almost 30,000 members and my username was'nt taken there! Anyway, on with the summaries!
After I tested a 98 Ranger ext cab 4L last week, I needed to test a 4.3 S-10.
Found a beautiful one today. 98 4.3L ext cab V package.
I was extremely impressed with this truck!!! The 4.3 is so damn torquey! With the V package, which lowers the truck from the factory (actually sat lower than my 3/4 dropped ranger) the thing handled soooo well, though the steering tugged a lot more than the ranger, and I didn't find it was as tight as the 98... more stable around the turns though, and firm but really pleasent ride, felt better than the ranger. The package also adds LSD as well as nice little other features. There were so many little unexpected things that were nice, like you were able to turn off the airbag, there was a shift light and the radio keeps playing till you open the door. And i have to say, the 4.3 sounded and felt a lot better than the 4L. I've never felt the new 4L SOHC (207HP V6 on 00+ rangers) but as far as the 98s go, the S-10 wins hands down with the engine. I also felt the seats and overall interior was much nicer on the S-10 (especially the gages)
Now for the bashing- The shifter felt so incredibly cheap! I dreaded each shift with it! And the clutch was pure crap, it grabbed so quickly and it was way too stiff (you may remember me complaining about the stiff clutch in the ranger, this was much worse) What's with only having one jump seat? with the buckets, that means this S-10 will carry only as many passengers as my reg cab ranger, while the 98 ranger i tested will haul 5 people if needed! The windows were not tinted in either truck, but the cab of the s-10 was darker. And the biggest problem though by far was the feeling of the whole drive train mated to the throttle and shifter. The gas pedal was way too sensetive, I just could not drive the thing smoothly, so this truck would take a TON of adjusting, it'd be nice in auto tranny though.
Both trucks were about equal pricing. The ranger was $17 500, but had 100,000 km, and the S-10 was $18 500, but only had 60,000 km.
Overall, I'd have a really hard time deciding. I'm considering selling my truck and buying either of these two. I'm leaning more to the ranger though because it is kind of unfair comparing an XLT to a V package (I'm sure the ranger will handle just as well with a couple grand into suspension) and the ranger comes with a tonneau cover and rangers just feel more solid and I know they're more reliable. The S-10 is a better value when looked at on the surface though, and there is a larger and cheaper aftermarket. I just wish you could combine that 4.3 vortec with the rest of the ranger!
Oh yah, I tested a 2003 hyundai tiburon just for fun today too. I was really impressed by it. The clutch, shifter, veiwpoint (not slung low like lots of sports cars) and steering worked perfectly with me, and it had quite a bit of zip for a base model (140HP 4cyl, 0-60 in about 8.3) Lots of value for the buck too! If anyone is looking into an entry level sports car, don't overlook this! It's a very nice ride! Other good points: cheap options (the one i drove had tons of options and was only 2 grand off the 22,000 base price), 2 way sunroof, very comfortable seats in either leather or cloth (i thought the cloth was actually more comfortable) nice looking interior, very nice looking exterior IMO (they've done a good job stealing external features from other companies). The only complaint i had was the center console was annoying and obstructive for me when i was shifting, and the sunroof is only supposed to be a one-touch, but i needed to hold down on it the entire time, the salesman seemed a little embaressed with that. Only thing now is to wait for the reliability reports to come out. Why didn't i test the V6? Well they only had one V6 there and it wasn't the GS-R, so it was basically the same thing as the 4 cyl with the santa fe engine in it. I thought I'd get a feel for the more practical car, i know from road tests that the V6 only shaves off maybe 1/2 a second for 0-60 time, there's basically NO aftermarket for the V6 either. I would stick with the base model for sure cause there's just way more value.
Quote
LOL, j/k, thanks.
You could MAYBE free up 10-15 HP/Tq with 500 bucks, as well, they aren't the most reliable of engines so chances are your engine was not at stock rating. I drove my friend's 89 2 door blazer and the engine felt nothing like the current 4.3. Unless you have major mods into them, the pre-96 TBI 4.3s are pretty gutless pigs (especially in a blazer) I'd take the ford OHV 4L over one anyday.
:
