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bought a 500 truck

598 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Dougman 
#1 ·
Sorry if this is a bad spot to post but here goes.

It's been awhile sense I've been on the forums as I sold my 98 s10 6 months ago. It needed 4 tires, a windshield, and a brake line blew out on my way to work. At that point I had enough and decided to sell the truck and get a $13,000 loan for a 2010 equinox. Needless to say what a huge mistake! terrible blind spots, terrible steering radius, ugly, and not quite my style. Last week I was driving the equinox to work and the timing chain breaks, valves are somehow bent, milkshake in the oil and I still owe 10k on the car and I'll probably get about half that from the dealer leaving me in a $5,000 hole. About this time I really regret selling my s10 so I decide to search craigslist for a good beater to use as a daily driver and found my new truck. Behold, my new $500 2003 s10 pickup! (man I love it already!)

2003
4.3 motor
197,XXX miles
4x2
2 good snow tires on the back
4 good tires (2 on wheels)

needs a cat, shocks, some body work, a coolant flush and a radio

I'm glad to be back!
 

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#3 ·
I see you have the 3rd door rot. Those are a crappy design. Everyone up north is rotten. Fortunately, there is still a plentiful supply in southern yards. I picked up one for my 98 last fall, from Kentucky for $250, pretty much the going rate once they get up here. After paining it with 3 rattle cans of Dupli-color I installed it. Wasn't going to pay to have it professionally painted for a $600 truck. I then filled the bottom with fogging oil to help the new one last a few years around here. The plan is to oil the inside bottom every 6 months.
They are real easy to replace, just knock out the 4 short pins, then pound them in the new door. They're no where near as heavy as a front door. I also found that if you want the 3rd door latch to last, push in slightly on the door as you lift it. That takes all the stress off that plastic handle. They make a nearly unbreakable aluminum replacement handle, but for the price difference I can learn to push in a bit on the door.
Is your inside mirror still attached and does the seat handle work? Most don't - cheap fixes.
Be careful when you buy the radio if you are planning a stock install. If it is used it will have part of the vin installed by the BCM and you will need a dealer or a Tech2 to do a relearn. Also be aware that anything earlier than 2002.5 won't fit. They're 1-1/2 din yours is a full size double din. Which is nice if you want to put in an aftermarket with a GPS monitor or plan to play DVD's. The double din in my Corvette came with a park/neutral safety wire so I couldn't watch movies while driving. I bypassed that so my passenger could watch a movie.


Here's the Tech2 instructions for a re-learn on 2002.5-2003-2004 Double din radio.
F0: Diagnostics

(vehicle year)

(body style

(make)

(model)

F6: Body and Accessories

Entertainment

F5: Module Setup

F0: Radio

F0: VIN Relearn


The Tech 2 will ask you if you would like to erase the theft data: "select yes"
Shut key off for 60 second and remove Tech 2 from vehicle.
VIN should relearn on start up.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Lots of information here, thank you! Well to start I forgot to mention my 3rd door does not open, it seems the handle does nothing. Maybe the handle is broke inside the door or a push rod came loose. To be honest I have no clue what's in those doors. The interior rear view mirror is mounted where it should be and the lights that are on it work. The seat handle works (I think?)... I can pull it and the seat does fold down but does not recline very far back. As far as the radio goes I plan on getting an after market radio. I am super pumped that it's a double din and not a 1.5 like my old 98 s10 although that probably means I'll be "That Guy" whose radio/sound costs more than the car/truck its self >:)
 
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