I haven't watched the video yet but this is my Bravada. My wife and and I had the little smart car featured on here with the Buick horns. My wife grew up in Australia and didn't drive much since they have good public transportation. She moved to the USA and had to learn to drive on the other side of the road and in slick conditions. I wanted something that was more robust than today's cheaply made junk but most importantly, stuff I can work on. I also wanted something with some automation in the 4wd sector so that my wife doesn't have to think about turning it off and on. Since we bought this out of Kingfisher, OK, with Car Wizard's permission we dropped it off and drove the Smart Car home. We like our old GM products with my wife driving our 1989 Buick 100 miles daily. For the money, we are getting something so much better than if we had a bought a modern AWD product loaded up with all the electronic malarkey. This suits our wallet and our driving style just fine and we don't regret investing money into something that will continue to outlast modern vehicles. Car Wizard shot us an estimate and we agreed to it. I asked him if he'd like to do a video on it and I didn't care if he bashed it and here we are. We are so pleased to have Omega working on it. I'll go watch the video now. Follow up: Couldn't be happier with the assessment. New tires will be put on in time for winter and it's our intention to just use it in the winter, but frequently have the underbody sprayed to keep the rust in check. This was a one-owner Bravada owned by an old hippie lady who liked special brownies. We are glad to be the new care-takers of this classic GM product.
These are great midsize suv, I have the next generation platform the gmt360 and it's just as nice though slightly less user friendly for repairs. Honestly a good buy even with the issues they have, parts are common, though Bravada specific parts are getting snatched up they are available. Y'all enjoy it as long as possible! Almost makes me miss my white 03 blazer.
I think you made a very wise choice and your logic is sound; better to go with something from that era than most of the over-priced and less reliable new options. For keeping the headlights clear, I would recommend some Meguiar's PlastX; it's a compound that has a deoxydizing formula, and is pretty cheap too as well as available just about everyone. Only downside is once the lights start doing that, you have to polish them out 2 to 4 times a year because the plastic's UV protection is used up. Hope we see (occasional, but) years worth of updates on this from the Wizard.
Awesome post. I think the same way. If you like and trust your vehicle, why change. It shows you are a fan of older 90's and early 2000's cars which are simple, which we drives (and aren't driving us) and simply functional. Cheers.
My first car was the one year only design 1980 oldsmobile cutlass supreme. Sadly I didn't know much about cars back then and it had some small issues we couldn't get fixed so I sold it for $1000. I've looked for another one off and on every since and hardly ever find a 1980 for sale. They are so cool because it was the only year with 2 headlights on each side but the flat grille instead of the slant grill that started in 1981 and 1 headlight in 1979 and previous.
I'm right smack dab in the rust belt so I drove about 6.5 hours straight south to get to where there is less to no salt used. A little old lady owned this Bravada so it's got a lot of life left in it. I'm not really partial to the Bravada, but for what we needed, this little ute checked off all our boxes. It will outlast just about anything made today. Our 1989 Buick keeps on running and you don't see them on the road much any more. Any car can be fixed and if it's a platform that is known to be reliable, it's worth fixing. Still cheaper than buying new.
I have a 2002 Blazer. Bought it with 153K miles back in 2018. Fast forward to 2024. Now has 228K miles. I paid more for repairs, but runs like a top. Is it worth it? For these SUV's, yes it is worth it.
*if* you can get another 60k out it. Anything GM from the 80's or 90's wasn't the best vehicle new. At 25 yrs old they likely will nickel and dime, or even dollar and hundred bill you into it-not-being-worth-it territory. The very fact that the transmission failed at just 120k miles speaks for this.
For what it’s worth, I also misunderstood that you would not work on American regular cars. I was happy to hear that I misunderstood because regular car videos are the most relevant, approachable, and engaging for me. Thanks for the great content Wizard!
Car Wizard, i just watched the Buick video. Your words were with the exception of Hoovie, you will no longer be accepting domestic cars abd you're booked out 3-4 months with exotic and foreign cars but I get it
My best buddie who passed away few years ago. Bought one of these same exact color. I remember going to dealership with him to pick it up. Good times. Miss him and that car
Sorry to hear about your buddy. You'll get to see him again so don't forget that! When I drove this Bravada from Kingfisher, OK to Newton, KS via backroads it would sway side to side a little bit (thus the shot swaybar bushings) but it felt heavy...like a little road tank. I think it'll be a great winter wagon for my wife to get around in.
I was in the retail business for a long time. I learned one irrefutable fact. No one is indispensable. When your employee gave you an ultimatum, rather than change your business model to satisfy him, you should have refused. Guys like that are prima donnas. You gave in, he still walked. Did he give you 2 weeks? I hope so. Lesson learned.
Ah yes everyone is replaceable....thanks boomer....we have known this for a while. What about life is short, he doesn't want to work on junk cars....so he found something else....both views are admirable....and you chose the "prima donna" route....good for you, you must be fun at parties.
@swissmrkc this guy got what he wanted. His boss bowed to his demands. He still quit. Talented guy, I've watched him work on all sorts of cars. Brilliant diagnostition. Helps his buddies out, shop owner allowed him access to shop after hours. Tough to replace a guy like that.
@swissmrkc what's with the 'boomer' crack; I don't go around slamming Millennials aside from them getting on in age 😊, nor I pull that same crap with Gen Z nor Gen X, let alone any other cohort
My brother-in-law runs an independent garage that has been in his family since 1938. The business is about 70% European vehicles but they will work on any vehicle. Many of his long-term clients own both an import and a domestic so he has no problem servicing and repairing either because money is money and it keeps his shop and mechanics busy and the money coming in and it keeps his customers loyal.
The thing is, the foreign only shops are pretty common. Why? Better revenue and less competition. There are many places that can work on domestic cars, and while Omega is a large shop, they still have limited space and human resources. If they accept everything, then foreign cars have to wait longer. If they have the business it is better to specialize in that situation. The mechanic in question? I would work with him and simply assign him work on foreign cars only. But him demanding that no domestic equipment be allowed into the shop? That's just plain unacceptable. Adios amigo~ Great video!
Definitely. Back when I had a Saab I took it to a guy who specialized in them and obscure European cars. He was doing just fine while the shop next door took care of the regular stuff.
I had a 2001 Chevy Astro van with the 4.3 liter, Car Wizard is right, those old 4.3 votec engines are truly a reliable engine . That van had over 327,000 miles, and was still running when we sold it. The body was rusting out. It certainly wasn't a horsepower monster, but it just was a good durable engine. It's a shame they don't make them anymore.
I've called them them the Dinosaur 4.3 as opposed to the LS derived 4.3. Horsepower was the highest and the most the could come up with is 200 hp. My dad had a 1992 C1500 with it and I inherited a 2003 GMC Sierra with it. Nice engine and easy to work with. Always like AC Delco Iridium spark plugs on the Sierra when I had it.
@@richardmullins9299 I like it when my engines outlast the vehicle. Then I can always pull the engine and repower an old VW bus with it or sell it while scrapping the old rusted carcass.
I have worked with these type of guys before. They are a bit too smart for their own good. I bet he wont last at the place he went too either cause there will be something he doesn't like about it too and leave at some point.
I would say goodbye so long my business are you paying the wages the taxes rent etc etc , no okay when you do own your shop then you decided what cars you want in but when the days the shop is quiet no jobs coming in then what ,
I know it’s probably just a slip of the tongue, but they only come with V6 is and what was interesting about the Bravada was that instead of having four-wheel-drive it had all-wheel-drive which made it different than the blazer and the Jimmy that came in four-wheel-drive
A friend ended up with a Bravada just like this one, when an uncle died. They guy had different size tires and all at different ages, i.e. worn down at different levels on each corner. Suffice it to say, every tire was replaced all at once so they were even and the right size. The AWD system would not have been pleased with the different sized tires, it was advised this get straightened out right away before any damage or extra wear on the AWD system was done. I'm guessing if it was a 4 wheel dive system like the Jimmy, this would have been less of a concern, being you only engage 4WD occasionally for snow and mud etc.
@@marcusdamberger Different sized tires are very hard on your differential. Here you've got 2, and that feedback to the computer in the transfer case is a recipe for disaster.
Yes, when they were new they were very expensive considering what they are. Today the only reason they might cost more than a Blazer or Jimmy is because they're more likely to have low mileage for the age. I bought mine 5 years ago, a one owner with 90K.
I have two older vehicles which are well-maintained and paid off. A repair of $600 is like one monthly payment on a new car. I've replaced other items in the past few years, so I know which parts are good. Why swap that for a used car that has problems I know nothing about? Paying $3,000 isn't cheap but if you like your vehicle, it's worth it.
I trust older stuff more than newer. Crawl under a new vehicle and you'll see such thin metal you know within a few salty winters you'll have to junk it. All the screens and electronics makes them a NO for me. Can't work on it so I won't own it. I like mechanical simplicity with a little bit of safety thrown in the mix.
My dad had a 99 Sonoma 4x4 extra cab PU, almost identical under the hood and undercarriage. He said those oil hoses to the remote filter were notorious leakers, but that remote filter location made oil changes so much easier.
I used to build those at the Moraine, Ohio GM assembly plant. I may have put the front axle in that truck! I did that or front spring install on the 2wd versions of the GMT 330. It was one of the first jobs after the frames entered the factory from the railyard.
I worked at chevy/0lds dealer at the turn of this century. These and blazers were my pay check every week. There were so many of these and blazers on the road.
I have a 2002 GMC Sonoma with 242k miles with the 4.3L. Love that truck and have been driving it for 10 years. It’s needed some work over the years, but it’s easy to work on and parts are cheap/readily available at any auto parts store. Really the only major issues I have had is the intake manifold gasket, injectors, and fuel pump. All of which needed replaced around 200k.
I know that timing cover gasket is integrated with the oil pan gasket, so changing it is really a nasty job. The GM shop book calls for disconnecting the engine mounts and raising the engine enough to lower the pan so the gasket can be removed. Some shops remove the engine from the car to work on it. Despite this these are still good reliable cars. I have a 2000 S10 Blazer with 352K miles and it keeps going. It has a few problems but it's still cheaper than buying new. I'm keeping it.
That's what I heard as well. In a country where lots of whiners tell me 'We don't make anything here anymore'! Then I watch them climb into their Land Rover or whatever, as I'm scratching my head. Part of the fun of watching this channel WAS? the variety of cars and issues presented
Yeah gotta serve those domestics..and the blinker fluid and rad cap r and r will jack up the price in labor and cost ditto hoses and hose clamps...10. Bucks apiece😅😅
As long as you worry about work that's worth doing, you'll be A-OK, Wizard. I LOVE all your list videos. Buy this not that. Good used car vs bad used car...You're top dog.
Definitely worth it if the vehicle is in otherwise nice condition. If it costs that much more to buy the devil you don't know, why bother chancing it. Just fix your nice ride and enjoy it for many more years.
Any old vehicle that needs to be brought back to the specs, 3K is nothing. The thing is, there are mechanics out here that'd tell you to replace the vehicle when there's a expense like a transmission. Like, of course, it needs to be repair. it's a twenty year old vehicle.
I bought a 96 Chevy blazer of which I leased, with the v6 vortex engine. My mom drove it to Detroit MI. Needlessly to say, she fell in love with it. She loved the color (metallic purple) talked about how easy it was to get in and out, not to mention that, that lil truck got some power. She had a fairly new Malibu. I'm a Chevy man til the day I die, and she loved Chevrolet also. Well, guess what? Yep I traded cars with her, about a week later I traded the Malibu in for a brand new Tahoe. Never had a major problem with neither one of them. My father told me, when I was young that if I by a car, a Chevy is a good car. Low maintenance easy to maintain, good on gas and cheap. Best advice he gave me. I've had every Chevy truck/van available.
It's straight with next to no rust. 4.3's don't get the best mileage, but they're fairly bulletproof and the difference in mileage versus buying something that would get slightly better for the same form factor would probably take more years than the replacement would last. I'd put the money into it, for modern stuff it might cost that just for a taillight assembly (they decided to have it all sealed so when it fails you're buying a new one or maybe using heat to open it and swap the LEDs if you have the expertise). I like old stuff anyway, my local daily is a 94 hard body Tracker I picked up with under 93k miles last year that had just been completely redone by the owner of the dealership as a toy before they decided they wanted a Taco instead and sold it up me for a loss.
Can't go wrong with older stuff. Working on my grandpa's 1973 Suburban at the moment. Doesn't look like much, but it will be my heavy hauler and no electronics to fail or computer screens to blank out. Just good old simple mechanics. Taking backroads into Newton, KS from the south, I drove by many small towns with plenty of old squarebodies still being driven. We got it figured out here in the stix. :)
I have a 1994 Jimmy with almost 100,000 miles. Had to replace the same oil lines (oil filter was moved adjacent to the front driver wheel well). Other than that and standard maintenance, it's still going strong. BTW, in life and business you are allowed a level of self determination, which sometimes (or often times) means making U-turns.👍
I don't watch the channel much, but never saw the videos people reference and had no idea. I asked Dave if he'd like to look it over and film it and he agreed. Must have had a change of heart.
My 98 S10 ZR2 went to 176,000 miles without having to change the problematic intake manifold gasket or central point injector....Decided to sell it and buy a 2020 ZR2 Colorado....I'm thinking my Colorado won't make it to 150,000 miles to tell the truth. GM built the BEST vehicles in that era....Glad your back to working on vehicles "relatable" to the average viewer👍
If you want a good vehicle that will last you a long time, those old Buicks from the 90s and early 2000s was the pinnacle of success. After that, they started making stuff so cheap. Crawl under one sometime and look at how stuff is built. In the salt of Nebraska, it just won't hold up. I watch the Just Rolled In youtube channel and people have rusted frames right and left. Years ago, our bodies rusted but seldom the frames. Now to meet fuel economy regs, they are making them so light and cheap they turn to powder and you get to pay for it. All that computer junk in them is nothing but a distraction to keep you from seeing how cheap they are built underneath. It's shocking.
Never understood the value of the vehicle argument. Who cares? - assuming it's not rusting away and held together with hope and duct tape. Even if the car is worth a buck, how much are you going to spend on a down payment, monthly installments, interest, lose on depreciation since resale value is so important, and still have repair bills for that new/new to you vehicle? All comes down to what the vehicle is, of course, and parts availability, but it's pretty nearly always cheaper to repair than replace a vehicle.
You're spot on. My wife and I did the math. We compared depreciation from new vehicles to insuring brand new stuff plus the annual tags. Financially for us, buying a new car is just asinine. We can get a better deal with our money across the board by going this route. I can do much of the work myself once we get it home. Tags are under 40 bucks a year and insurance will be a couple hundred bucks a year. It leaves a lot on the table to put towards repairs and maintenance. If people would take a minute to understand mechanics and what's really going on under the hood, they'd soon see what a waste of money a new vehicle is. I've never seen a bigger waste of money than what people are spending now. They've got to be ignorant to spend that kind of money on cars and trucks when much better options exist out there in the form of southern USA rust free rides that just need some elbow grease to make them drivable again.
@@custos3249 I keep telling my wife that. I change my oil twice a year, it never sees 3K between changes. Starts every time, I think nothing of taking it for the 150 mile ride to our son's house. Why do I need a car payment.
Glad to see you are adapting / recognising your (employee) skill sets .. it's a valuable (and tough self learning) exercise in how to keep your business doing it's thing and more importantly doing it profitably
Tbh one of the reasons why I became a mechanic and work on my own cars since 2013, is due to the absurd costs of labor, as if parts weren't already absurd as is.
@@SuperDirk1965 I'm millennial but always had gasoline running through my veins because of my father, and motorcycles. I'm not in a physical condition to ride motorcycles anymore but I still love wrenching on my daily.
You work on what you want. I'm glad to see this ol' girl still on the road after 25 ish years ( built in 1999 probably ) and for me, 3K wouldn't even touch labor cost on a modern vehicle, so it makes it worth it.
Good video. This almost makes me miss my 1995 S-15 GMC Jimmy with the 4.3L Vortec. Only issue I had in 180,000 miles was the stupid central port fuel injector. If I recall, this version was all wheel drive. I gave it up when driving down the interstate at 65 MPH and my 4WD actuator suddenly slipped into 4Lo.
I'm reading quite a few comments regarding Grimes. Remember folks, there's two sides to every story. Don't assume anything until you hear from both sides, otherwise you're just speculating. I doubt we'll hear from Grimes on his version, I believe he mentions in the comments here he just wants to move on. Fair enough. You have to admit Grimes was one heckuva diagnostic genius and i miss watching him here. I wish him the best.
My first car was an Oldsmobile. A '76 Olds Cutlass S that I bought for $400 in 1988 from my neighbor who'd bought it new in '76. The A/C still worked. 🙂 It really was the perfect first car for teenage me in the 1980s.
Except for the engine and body updates, it's still basically my 1985 S-15 Jimmy, except mine was 2-door rearwheel drive with a 2.8 L V-6 and a 4-speed manual.
That car ‘s engine doesn’t have direct injection or variable valve timing. It’s a simple engine that if maintained properly will last a long time with no expensive repairs. If it were mine I’d keep it.
"... Here is our venerable 4.3L V6..." I love how I said the exact same line, at the exact same time, out loud, in the exact same pacing that you used, to describe what was under the hood 😂😂
I remember years ago when I worked in the garage years ago I used to wrench on a bunch of these. They were using the remote oil filter on the blazers/jimmys/bravadas of the early 90s.
I had 3 Oldsmobiles growing up; two Cutlass coupes ('78 & '81) and an '81 Omega. They were great cars. My father especially liked them. He borrowed my 78 Cutlass and the Omega and drove them more than his own GMC 3/4 truck! Sadly they're all gone - Pops too. Time marches on. RIP Oldsmobile and Dad.
So many you tubers don't do everyday cars anymore and it's sad. I really appreciate you doing cars from time to time the average person owns. Today's economy alot of people are keeping their older vehicles and so many shops say they won't work on them. I have a beautiful 1990 Astro conversion rust free from Florida with lower miles and sadly today's generation doesn't know the older cars. I enjoy your show and really wished alot more You Tubers worked on normal cars that most Americans own.Great Job on the Brevada always loved them.
I've always liked Oldsmobile as well Wizard. My first car was the newly restyled 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL 2Dr. It was gunmetal gray with a red velour interior. I never had one problem with that car and it was just over 100k miles. I only had to replace the brakes and a couple calipers. Great car ... Good times!!!!
I’m back I knew u would come back around for us common people that just miss old USA cars and like to see them still going this is why I didn’t unsubscribe
How about the Saab 9-7? It was a nameplate-engineered version of the GMC Envoy/Chevy Trailblazer…except Saab made GM relocate the ignition switch to the center console.
I just spent $2400 redoing many things on my 2003 Dodge Durango SLT. From new dual exhaust, new tires to new radiator, electric fans, transmission solenoids , pressure regulators. AC repair. New hoses , belts, water pump, brakes, wheel bearings and master cylinder brake booster combo. Because it has great styling. Solid built on truck frame. Will outlast any 40 to 100k SUV or Truck I could get new. I get comments all the time about how nice it is and how great it looks. I have people trying to buy it from me all the time. What would that leave me with? buying an overpriced new one and having a massive payment with many years to pay. No Thanks
Well done man. My wife and I view our rides entirely on mechanical principles. We don't care about looks because looks are misleading. Our little town only has 2 dealerships - Ford and GM and anything else is in Lincoln, Omaha, and KC. 3 of our local private shops shut down due to the owners retiring. If your vehicle needs emergency service, it's cheaper to have it towed to a local servicing dealer than the hour to Lincoln. Many boxes were checked off for us on our Bravada. It fits what we were prioritizing.
Man I miss my 2001 dodge durango, I live in the north east so sadly it rotted away . If I could find a clean one no rust I would jump on it in a heart beat
I first learned how to drive on a 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 98 in July 1984. I quickly learned how to ease on the brakes and to gently nurse the gas. Oldsmobiles are legendary!
Well the other thing that’s worth putting 3 grand into it is you aren’t making payments on a new vehicle, for the next few years. (If that was their other choice)
Yep! I bought a 2001 Chevy Blazer 4door 4x4 last year. (103k miles). I did spend about $3000 in repairs to get it perfect. Only $6000 into this thing, but now she is ready for a cross country road trip.
Have an older Honda Rubicon ATV that back in ‘19 I also put more than it was worth removing the engine, replacing the infamous hydrostatic trans, cam, timing chains, oil pump, many other parts. Biggest DIY mechanical project I’d tackled. In almost 5 years now of like new reliability now it has evened out and was money well spent vs if I had went out and spent the $10K at the time for a new one. Satisfying every time I ride the the thing that I saved it from scrap, it works perfectly, and I know it inside and out
2 місяці тому+4
To me a reliable vehicle is worth more than it's book value.
Thank you for sharing this Oldsmobile Bravada,. It was interesting to see and see Car Wuard discuss this model. As an Oldsmobile owner, I say thank you. I own a 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight and a 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado. The owner has a good vehicle. I have said if I were to buy an suv, I would buy a 2002 and up Bravada. I like the looks of that generation. I liked the early ones from the 1990s that had digital gauges as an option.
As a rule I avoid digital gauges because of the threat of electronic failures. The more mechanical the more I like it, but I have to compromise somewhere. Godo on you for owning the Oldsmobile 98 and Toronado...both great GM vehicles. Keep 'em rolling! You'll never find better...
@@LazloNQ I understand. Thank you for your response. I had analog gauges go put before. That was mechamical. Most new cars have digital gauges in 2024. I never was a fan of analog gauges. That is just me. I am doing my best to keep them rolling.
I would really love to have another one of these. I had a 1994 and a 1992. Love the first gens the best. Still had the full time AWD. Such cool rigs with Smartrac. I use to offraod the hell out of mine. Always thought a V8 swap with the AWD would be pretty cool.
The Bravada was driven to California and back and more than likely on old or low transmission fluid. With good fluid and conservative driving, it won't be an issue.
Probably a 4l60. When i was a mechanic i used to work on a ton of the s10 versions. The Magic number was usually around 160k where the transmissions would go out, maybe the awd put a bit more strain on it. I’ve always had great luck with the 700r4 transmissions.
I have a 2000 Explorer bought for 5000 in 2011still have it. I have spent close to 10,000 dollars on it. That's 13 years I have owed it. It is set up with left gas and right brake. Had a stoke in 2009 so that's why its that way it is.. Don't need a new car, I know what condition the vehicle is in, I hope that it will be my daily drive till I don't drive anymore. Love your channel watch every day you have a new episode.
Good call taking domestic cars and trucks back! The mechanic who quit needs to face reality that most people drive domestic cars and trucks. His lost, your gain.
@@oonwing If you specialize, you can limit your tool buys and get really good at the makes you do. It is hard to have all the software for everything as well as special tools.
I didn’t understand what Wizard indicated, his decision to not take domestics previously was because the prior tech didn’t wanna service domestics anymore?
A local workmate of mine who retired drives the twin to this Bravada and he absolutely loves his. It was partly inspiration from him that lead us to seek one out. The interior is in pretty good shape except the plastic grill in the dash is busted up and the little flaps covering the mirrors are broken so they fall off and the lights next to the mirrors stay on. I'm just going to pop out the bulbs if Dave hasn't done it already. Plastic.....argh!
Tip When replacing tail shaft seals always ensure that there isn’t a bearing that needs replacement too. Also check the sealing surface for damage from wear.
Imagine casually telling the CEO/owner/boss that if he brings in common, good paying contracts that you'll leave for no legit reason. Id expect to be fired for that.
Not sure if you're in the car business but if you don't know mechanics don't need the shop the shop needs us. We are in such high demand I could walk out of my job today and have a new one tomorrow probably getting paid more. Not to mention I've worked at almost 10 different shops now and I've met maybe one or two techs on Grimes level... any technician that good is making the company bank so they're gonna get special treatment.
@@evelynsahoe8896there’s a lot more to the story than you’ll see on video. My intent was to leave quietly without drama for my own personal reasons, not the cars I worked on.
@@GrimesGarage Quite a few good mechanics have been quitting ''Wizard''. I guess something is going at this place, or with this boss. Oh well, it's life...
I have a 2000 Bravada. Drove it from Washington state to Indiana 2 years ago when I moved here. Loaded to the gills. It is a good runner. Also has a rebuilt transmission, lol.
Awesome! I watch your channel mainly because 1) I believe you are the best mechanic I see online (or at the very least on par with Car Ninja and Scotty Kilmer) and 2) I am a GM truck enthusiast and I look forward to these type of vehicles on your channel.
@@SilentServiceCode Go look at his channel and you’ll see that he is a good mechanic and he does all types of mechanical work so stop being a hater. I trust Scotty way more then Wizard.
I took my wife's beloved 2012 Chevy Cruze to my local shop recently because of a coolant leak. Our mechanic found the leaky hose right away. I told him the car is 12 years old and super reliable. This is Miami and summer is here. Replace them all, including the thermostat and its housing. I'm a firm believer is preventive maintenance.
I don't know much about the Cruze and how it would handle repeated Nebraska winters, but I'll tell you when it comes to vehicles, maintain them and take care of them. It's good economy to do so.
Right on man....we priced Toyota, Lexus, and other modern products...in our opinion they are all overpriced heaps. The problem I have is the metal used underneath is so thin to start with and in Nebraska winters, in just a few years your vehicles is unsafe to have on the road. We don't care about mileage in this case...just reliable wheels for my wife to do a 100 mile daily trip in inclement conditions. The rest of the time it will be parked in the garage and fired up occasionally to keep it limber.
I had this exact one. Bought for 3200 in 2008 with 100,000. Blew a valve the first week(my fault). Fixed and had the car for another 12 years. Went on a lot of camping and road trips. Awesome in the snow. Last couple years had shuttering issues. Needed 2500 to pass inspection. Sold to a friend for 250 and it died a few months later😢 also had a 97 blue blazer!
I like these S-10 SUV's. My 1999 Chevy Blazer still has original, shocks, headlight bulbs, and drive train. Everything still functions and I still take on long trips. It has 170000 miles.
I had a 1994 GMC JIMMY 4 door 4x4, when I sold it it had 292,043 on the odometer, engine ran great I did full synthetic oil changes every 4-5k miles, replaced the transmission at 265000 miles, I sold it with bad rear gears and the driver door stopped opening, other than that it was a cool rig.
Love the old GM products from that era they were certainly on par with Toyota reliability wise. One of the things I want to get for myself soon is a 4x4 old Blazer from that era.
Similar to what @LazloNQ said, i do not want, like, or desire pay for the new cars of today. I did something similar, and just purchased a 2013 Lexus GS350. Has one of the most reliable drivetrains ever made and is a good looking, luxurious, reliable, and NOT boring vehicle...where I could pay cash out of pocket and be happy. While it was not a one owner vehicle, it was always serviced at the Lexus dealer and is mechanically perfect and up-to-date on all services. Also got a pre-purchase inspection...well worth it. Interior is almost perfect (98% like new) and exterior has a couple of dings and scratches which I fixed and is about 95% back to looking new...last thing is a tiny crack in the front bumper which i will repair next week. Lastly, it was not local to me and I did have to travel 8 hours to get it, but it was worth it.
Well said man. We gotta quit being victims with our vehicles and start buying smarter. Going with the Lexus was smart. There is a whole lot of crap being produced out there and I hate seeing people get fleeced like they are. They seem to enjoy being fleeced as a result of their ignorance. Not me. Smart fiscal decisions helped my wife and I pay off a house in 9 years. It's all about the fiscal discipline and not always have to have new in the world of vehicles. If dealing with older vehicles, playing the Texas, New Mexico, Arizona card is what it's all about. Tons of rust free rides they are scrapped over mechanical issues but cherry salt free bodies.
I loved my 96 Jimmy. It was such a cool little SUV. Its pretty tightly packed under the hood and not super easy to work on but doable. Good thing it didnt need much work.
I'm old enough to remember the Olds tag line "this is not your father's Oldsmobile" I had a Delta 88 that you could fix by yourself without a zillion dollar scan tool and 100 years of automotive experience. Yeah they were Detroit lead sleds & got terrible gas mileage but when we went on road trips nobody wanted or could all pile into their Datsun B210! Kudos to the Wizard for showing us the remaining Oldsmobile dinosaurs; nostalgia does have a place on his channel.💯👍
The best ever Bravada review was from RCR. Scathing and hilarious. He would never spend 3k on a Bravada fix. But on classifeds I see really nice ones for 10k now.
I've seen that video and had a good laugh out of it. When you view things through the eyes of practicality and longevity, you can put up with a lot of shortcuts in other areas. I would have liked it better if the front end had a solid axle as well. Don't care about doing a slalom on the way work. Mechanical simplicity is what it's about for me. I'd drive a model T to work if I owned one. Doesn't get much simpler than that.
@41 seconds in the Buick LeSabre video he did say: "Except for Hoovie from Hoovie's Garage, talking about the general public, Omega will no longer be working on Domestic Cars and Trucks." Nothing wrong with changing your mind back to fixing Domestic if you want to. But this is the line in the video. Perhaps Wizard could have explained it a little better in this video. Because I'm confused what's said now, vs. the LeSabre video.
And now they're doing domestic cars once more. That's the Wizard's prerogative. If he wants to he can say that come tommorrow he's only repair pink cars. And the next day orange ones.
he 1000% did lmao think he just feels dumb cause he made that decision trying to keep Grimes happy and he left anyways so he's tryna act like it never happened.
Not sure which mechanic of yours said that. From what I recall of the ones who do come on camera, they all looks like awesome guys. I would have assumed it would be a none issue given the fact you have so many lifts. If the mechanic is highly skilled on exotics and doesn't want to do lower end domestic... should be fine given your popularity and high demand. In the end it all comes down to teamwork and positive work environment for everyone. I wish you and the gang of awesome media creators all the best and keep the awesome videos coming :) (Hoping for another Car Trek in the near future)
@@SilentServiceCodeodd he's having zero issues at his new employer... Makes ya think maybe this isn't actually how it went down but someone is trying to save face...
We used to drive used cars but have switched to leasing luxury cars every three years to keep them in full factory warranty. Our latest has one year left on an extended warranty and then we dump it. It’s a 2020 black label pluggable Lincoln Aviator with 500 HP, 600 FT of torque 4 WD and every option available. It has given us 30 mpg hwy at 80 mph across the country in every weather condition. I just like driving it around town for months on end burning a tank of gas every 2-3 months if we don’t go on long trips. A hybrid system runs your car at 1/3 rd the cost of a regular ICE.
I have 2 '03 Bravadas. I love them, over 350k miles. Not without its issues (on the 3rd transmission), but hey still better than a new car. I'll drive it into the ground.
My dad is an Olds guy. I too am an Olds guy - shame we lost so many to the cash for clunkers scheme. Some truly great cars. Just something unique about driving an Oldsmobile.
I haven't watched the video yet but this is my Bravada. My wife and and I had the little smart car featured on here with the Buick horns. My wife grew up in Australia and didn't drive much since they have good public transportation. She moved to the USA and had to learn to drive on the other side of the road and in slick conditions. I wanted something that was more robust than today's cheaply made junk but most importantly, stuff I can work on. I also wanted something with some automation in the 4wd sector so that my wife doesn't have to think about turning it off and on. Since we bought this out of Kingfisher, OK, with Car Wizard's permission we dropped it off and drove the Smart Car home. We like our old GM products with my wife driving our 1989 Buick 100 miles daily. For the money, we are getting something so much better than if we had a bought a modern AWD product loaded up with all the electronic malarkey. This suits our wallet and our driving style just fine and we don't regret investing money into something that will continue to outlast modern vehicles. Car Wizard shot us an estimate and we agreed to it. I asked him if he'd like to do a video on it and I didn't care if he bashed it and here we are. We are so pleased to have Omega working on it. I'll go watch the video now. Follow up: Couldn't be happier with the assessment. New tires will be put on in time for winter and it's our intention to just use it in the winter, but frequently have the underbody sprayed to keep the rust in check. This was a one-owner Bravada owned by an old hippie lady who liked special brownies. We are glad to be the new care-takers of this classic GM product.
Best way to think, good for the wallet and good for the environment keeping a car in the road as long as possible 🎉🎉
These are great midsize suv, I have the next generation platform the gmt360 and it's just as nice though slightly less user friendly for repairs. Honestly a good buy even with the issues they have, parts are common, though Bravada specific parts are getting snatched up they are available. Y'all enjoy it as long as possible! Almost makes me miss my white 03 blazer.
I think you made a very wise choice and your logic is sound; better to go with something from that era than most of the over-priced and less reliable new options. For keeping the headlights clear, I would recommend some Meguiar's PlastX; it's a compound that has a deoxydizing formula, and is pretty cheap too as well as available just about everyone. Only downside is once the lights start doing that, you have to polish them out 2 to 4 times a year because the plastic's UV protection is used up. Hope we see (occasional, but) years worth of updates on this from the Wizard.
I hope it lasts forever!
Awesome post. I think the same way. If you like and trust your vehicle, why change. It shows you are a fan of older 90's and early 2000's cars which are simple, which we drives (and aren't driving us) and simply functional.
Cheers.
I miss Pontiac a lot more than Oldsmobile, but I remember when the Cutlass Supreme was one of the most desirable cars to own.
It was the best selling car in America in 1976-77
My first car was the one year only design 1980 oldsmobile cutlass supreme. Sadly I didn't know much about cars back then and it had some small issues we couldn't get fixed so I sold it for $1000. I've looked for another one off and on every since and hardly ever find a 1980 for sale. They are so cool because it was the only year with 2 headlights on each side but the flat grille instead of the slant grill that started in 1981 and 1 headlight in 1979 and previous.
My 1st car '72 Cutlass supreme
In our area, if the body is solid and interior is in great shape, at today's prices, $3,000 is a bargain to get another 60,000 miles out of it.
I'm right smack dab in the rust belt so I drove about 6.5 hours straight south to get to where there is less to no salt used. A little old lady owned this Bravada so it's got a lot of life left in it. I'm not really partial to the Bravada, but for what we needed, this little ute checked off all our boxes. It will outlast just about anything made today. Our 1989 Buick keeps on running and you don't see them on the road much any more. Any car can be fixed and if it's a platform that is known to be reliable, it's worth fixing. Still cheaper than buying new.
@@LazloNQhey there, looks like you & I are car cousins because I own an ‘89 Olds Eighty Eight coupe which I drive daily :)
@@LazloNQ what is ute?
I have a 2002 Blazer. Bought it with 153K miles back in 2018. Fast forward to 2024. Now has 228K miles. I paid more for repairs, but runs like a top. Is it worth it? For these SUV's, yes it is worth it.
*if* you can get another 60k out it. Anything GM from the 80's or 90's wasn't the best vehicle new. At 25 yrs old they likely will nickel and dime, or even dollar and hundred bill you into it-not-being-worth-it territory. The very fact that the transmission failed at just 120k miles speaks for this.
For what it’s worth, I also misunderstood that you would not work on American regular cars. I was happy to hear that I misunderstood because regular car videos are the most relevant, approachable, and engaging for me. Thanks for the great content Wizard!
That's what he said or led us to believe.
You didn't misunderstand -- he said no domestics, which would EXCLUDE the olds bravada in today's video. The wiz changed his mind I guess.
@@newman5924Grimes didn’t want to work on domestics, but he has left…so policy has changed again now Junior Mint is back.
He also said no to older cars once but then kept rolling out videos.
Car Wizard, i just watched the Buick video. Your words were with the exception of Hoovie, you will no longer be accepting domestic cars abd you're booked out 3-4 months with exotic and foreign cars but I get it
My best buddie who passed away few years ago. Bought one of these same exact color. I remember going to dealership with him to pick it up. Good times. Miss him and that car
Sorry to hear about your buddy. You'll get to see him again so don't forget that! When I drove this Bravada from Kingfisher, OK to Newton, KS via backroads it would sway side to side a little bit (thus the shot swaybar bushings) but it felt heavy...like a little road tank. I think it'll be a great winter wagon for my wife to get around in.
I was in the retail business for a long time. I learned one irrefutable fact. No one is indispensable. When your employee gave you an ultimatum, rather than change your business model to satisfy him, you should have refused. Guys like that are prima donnas. You gave in, he still walked. Did he give you 2 weeks? I hope so. Lesson learned.
Ah yes everyone is replaceable....thanks boomer....we have known this for a while. What about life is short, he doesn't want to work on junk cars....so he found something else....both views are admirable....and you chose the "prima donna" route....good for you, you must be fun at parties.
@swissmrkc this guy got what he wanted. His boss bowed to his demands. He still quit. Talented guy, I've watched him work on all sorts of cars. Brilliant diagnostition. Helps his buddies out, shop owner allowed him access to shop after hours. Tough to replace a guy like that.
@swissmrkc what's with the 'boomer' crack; I don't go around slamming Millennials aside from them getting on in age 😊, nor I pull that same crap with Gen Z nor Gen X, let alone any other cohort
Pre-cisely.
LMAO, the decision to lose a lot of viewers I mean stop working on older American cars was because an employee gave the owner an ultimatum?!? Simp
My brother-in-law runs an independent garage that has been in his family since 1938.
The business is about 70% European vehicles but they will work on any vehicle.
Many of his long-term clients own both an import and a domestic so he has no problem servicing and repairing either because money is money and it keeps his shop and mechanics busy and the money coming in and it keeps his customers loyal.
The thing is, the foreign only shops are pretty common. Why? Better revenue and less competition. There are many places that can work on domestic cars, and while Omega is a large shop, they still have limited space and human resources. If they accept everything, then foreign cars have to wait longer. If they have the business it is better to specialize in that situation.
The mechanic in question? I would work with him and simply assign him work on foreign cars only. But him demanding that no domestic equipment be allowed into the shop? That's just plain unacceptable. Adios amigo~
Great video!
Definitely. Back when I had a Saab I took it to a guy who specialized in them and obscure European cars. He was doing just fine while the shop next door took care of the regular stuff.
Ehhhh, the story is a wee bit embellished. I mean I do own and personally maintain domestic cars. 🙃
I had a 2001 Chevy Astro van with the 4.3 liter, Car Wizard is right, those old 4.3 votec engines are truly a reliable engine .
That van had over 327,000 miles, and was still running when we sold it. The body was rusting out.
It certainly wasn't a horsepower monster, but it just was a good durable engine. It's a shame they don't make them anymore.
I've called them them the Dinosaur 4.3 as opposed to the LS derived 4.3. Horsepower was the highest and the most the could come up with is 200 hp. My dad had a 1992 C1500 with it and I inherited a 2003 GMC Sierra with it. Nice engine and easy to work with. Always like AC Delco Iridium spark plugs on the Sierra when I had it.
@@richardmullins9299 I like it when my engines outlast the vehicle. Then I can always pull the engine and repower an old VW bus with it or sell it while scrapping the old rusted carcass.
24mpg is nice
Mechanic tells you that if you keeping bringing in this stuff he will quit. So you stop bringing in those cars and he quite anyway.
Grimes did Wizard dirty
I have worked with these type of guys before. They are a bit too smart for their own good. I bet he wont last at the place he went too either cause there will be something he doesn't like about it too and leave at some point.
I would say goodbye so long my business are you paying the wages the taxes rent etc etc , no okay when you do own your shop then you decided what cars you want in but when the days the shop is quiet no jobs coming in then what ,
@@petrosaguilar8916totally possible. Specialty mechanics definitely get a higher pay rate.
@@442olds7 but if that is the case, he might as well fly solo. Guy knows his stuff.
I know it’s probably just a slip of the tongue, but they only come with V6 is and what was interesting about the Bravada was that instead of having four-wheel-drive it had all-wheel-drive which made it different than the blazer and the Jimmy that came in four-wheel-drive
A friend ended up with a Bravada just like this one, when an uncle died. They guy had different size tires and all at different ages, i.e. worn down at different levels on each corner. Suffice it to say, every tire was replaced all at once so they were even and the right size. The AWD system would not have been pleased with the different sized tires, it was advised this get straightened out right away before any damage or extra wear on the AWD system was done. I'm guessing if it was a 4 wheel dive system like the Jimmy, this would have been less of a concern, being you only engage 4WD occasionally for snow and mud etc.
@@marcusdamberger Different sized tires are very hard on your differential. Here you've got 2, and that feedback to the computer in the transfer case is a recipe for disaster.
The Regular Car Reviews video on the Bravada was so brutal. And funny
Yes, when they were new they were very expensive considering what they are. Today the only reason they might cost more than a Blazer or Jimmy is because they're more likely to have low mileage for the age. I bought mine 5 years ago, a one owner with 90K.
Stated it was the WORST car he'd ever reviewed.
I remember wizard saying in a previous video that he was so swamped that they were not going to work on anymore American cars except for hoovies.
I think he was referring to the old American cars…. Classic or borderline classics due to lack of parts or due to the cost of parts
I have two older vehicles which are well-maintained and paid off. A repair of $600 is like one monthly payment on a new car. I've replaced other items in the past few years, so I know which parts are good. Why swap that for a used car that has problems I know nothing about? Paying $3,000 isn't cheap but if you like your vehicle, it's worth it.
I trust older stuff more than newer. Crawl under a new vehicle and you'll see such thin metal you know within a few salty winters you'll have to junk it. All the screens and electronics makes them a NO for me. Can't work on it so I won't own it. I like mechanical simplicity with a little bit of safety thrown in the mix.
My dad had a 99 Sonoma 4x4 extra cab PU, almost identical under the hood and undercarriage. He said those oil hoses to the remote filter were notorious leakers, but that remote filter location made oil changes so much easier.
I used to build those at the Moraine, Ohio GM assembly plant. I may have put the front axle in that truck! I did that or front spring install on the 2wd versions of the GMT 330. It was one of the first jobs after the frames entered the factory from the railyard.
I worked at chevy/0lds dealer at the turn of this century. These and blazers were my pay check every week. There were so many of these and blazers on the road.
Im betting you could R and R a timing cover on one in under 4 hours.
@@stevenreynolds2327 yes lol there was a way around pulling diff.
I have a 2002 GMC Sonoma with 242k miles with the 4.3L. Love that truck and have been driving it for 10 years. It’s needed some work over the years, but it’s easy to work on and parts are cheap/readily available at any auto parts store. Really the only major issues I have had is the intake manifold gasket, injectors, and fuel pump. All of which needed replaced around 200k.
I know that timing cover gasket is integrated with the oil pan gasket, so changing it is really a nasty job. The GM shop book calls for disconnecting the engine mounts and raising the engine enough to lower the pan so the gasket can be removed. Some shops remove the engine from the car to work on it. Despite this these are still good reliable cars. I have a 2000 S10 Blazer with 352K miles and it keeps going. It has a few problems but it's still cheaper than buying new. I'm keeping it.
@@therealbarnekkid yes, mine I replaced the motor mounts at the same time.
"....except for Hoovie from Hoovie's Garage, we will no longer be working on domestic cars and trucks."
thats what I remembered
The car wizard runs a business. He has to make decisions that are smart, not by the heart.
That's what I heard as well. In a country where lots of whiners tell me 'We don't make anything here anymore'! Then I watch them climb into their Land Rover or whatever, as I'm scratching my head. Part of the fun of watching this channel WAS? the variety of cars and issues presented
Yeah gotta serve those domestics..and the blinker fluid and rad cap r and r will jack up the price in labor and cost ditto hoses and hose clamps...10. Bucks apiece😅😅
He changed his mind on this because the mechanic that wanted that policy is no longer there.
I wish we could have had an interior view from Mrs. Wizard. It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen a Bravada in a long time.
Yeah, what’s up with that? I have never seen one of these interiors.😢
IIRC It's just a cheap, crappy GM Blazer interior with leather and fake wood.
@@PeugeotRocket That may be true but I still would have like to have seen it just for nostalgia sake
There are still "special" brownies in the glove box. Mr. Wizard didn't want to get raided by the narcs.
Omg no, opening her mouth is the worst part of these videos and also when they get indefinitely paused and move on to something [anything] else
As long as you worry about work that's worth doing, you'll be A-OK, Wizard. I LOVE all your list videos. Buy this not that. Good used car vs bad used car...You're top dog.
It is, it's every Oldsmobile owners duty to keep it on the road as long as possible, I miss oldsmobile 😢
Same with Pontiac 😊
@@timc9893 any brand that's gone, mercury, Saturn, Saab, I definitely wanna own a car from one of those brands if not multiple haha
@tetriseffect711 what about the sky
@tetriseffect711 almost every Saturn made before 05 was a reliable car, definitely not a piece of shit
@tetriseffect711Saturn was awesome until GM was going bankrupt.
My aunt has one of these and it's still mint condition she takes care of all of her cars like that
$3000.00 is a bargain when you consider what it cost now to replace it with a new vehicle.
You’d have to buy a Bronco, a 4Runner or the like as equivalent new. You’re not getting in one of those for less than $45,000.
It is worth it for $3K
@@stevenbaker5099500$ max
Definitely worth it if the vehicle is in otherwise nice condition. If it costs that much more to buy the devil you don't know, why bother chancing it. Just fix your nice ride and enjoy it for many more years.
Any old vehicle that needs to be brought back to the specs, 3K is nothing. The thing is, there are mechanics out here that'd tell you to replace the vehicle when there's a expense like a transmission. Like, of course, it needs to be repair. it's a twenty year old vehicle.
I bought a 96 Chevy blazer of which I leased, with the v6 vortex engine. My mom drove it to Detroit MI. Needlessly to say, she fell in love with it. She loved the color (metallic purple) talked about how easy it was to get in and out, not to mention that, that lil truck got some power. She had a fairly new Malibu. I'm a Chevy man til the day I die, and she loved Chevrolet also. Well, guess what? Yep I traded cars with her, about a week later I traded the Malibu in for a brand new Tahoe. Never had a major problem with neither one of them. My father told me, when I was young that if I by a car, a Chevy is a good car. Low maintenance easy to maintain, good on gas and cheap. Best advice he gave me. I've had every Chevy truck/van available.
It's straight with next to no rust. 4.3's don't get the best mileage, but they're fairly bulletproof and the difference in mileage versus buying something that would get slightly better for the same form factor would probably take more years than the replacement would last. I'd put the money into it, for modern stuff it might cost that just for a taillight assembly (they decided to have it all sealed so when it fails you're buying a new one or maybe using heat to open it and swap the LEDs if you have the expertise).
I like old stuff anyway, my local daily is a 94 hard body Tracker I picked up with under 93k miles last year that had just been completely redone by the owner of the dealership as a toy before they decided they wanted a Taco instead and sold it up me for a loss.
Can't go wrong with older stuff. Working on my grandpa's 1973 Suburban at the moment. Doesn't look like much, but it will be my heavy hauler and no electronics to fail or computer screens to blank out. Just good old simple mechanics. Taking backroads into Newton, KS from the south, I drove by many small towns with plenty of old squarebodies still being driven. We got it figured out here in the stix. :)
My mechanic in the late 1990s owned a Bravada and raved about it! I always look forward to each of your videos, Car Wizard!
I have a 1994 Jimmy with almost 100,000 miles. Had to replace the same oil lines (oil filter was moved adjacent to the front driver wheel well). Other than that and standard maintenance, it's still going strong.
BTW, in life and business you are allowed a level of self determination, which sometimes (or often times) means making U-turns.👍
I don't watch the channel much, but never saw the videos people reference and had no idea. I asked Dave if he'd like to look it over and film it and he agreed. Must have had a change of heart.
My 98 S10 ZR2 went to 176,000 miles without having to change the problematic intake manifold gasket or central point injector....Decided to sell it and buy a 2020 ZR2 Colorado....I'm thinking my Colorado won't make it to 150,000 miles to tell the truth. GM built the BEST vehicles in that era....Glad your back to working on vehicles "relatable" to the average viewer👍
If you want a good vehicle that will last you a long time, those old Buicks from the 90s and early 2000s was the pinnacle of success. After that, they started making stuff so cheap. Crawl under one sometime and look at how stuff is built. In the salt of Nebraska, it just won't hold up. I watch the Just Rolled In youtube channel and people have rusted frames right and left. Years ago, our bodies rusted but seldom the frames. Now to meet fuel economy regs, they are making them so light and cheap they turn to powder and you get to pay for it. All that computer junk in them is nothing but a distraction to keep you from seeing how cheap they are built underneath. It's shocking.
Most GM models from the 90s into the early 00s weren’t the most reliable but they were inexpensive to keep on the road.
I see far more S10’s and the GMC equivalent than the Colorado models that replaced them.
Omega needs an Olds Omega parts car just because.
Car wizard you are very wise when it comes to comparing whether a car is salvageable or not
Never understood the value of the vehicle argument. Who cares? - assuming it's not rusting away and held together with hope and duct tape. Even if the car is worth a buck, how much are you going to spend on a down payment, monthly installments, interest, lose on depreciation since resale value is so important, and still have repair bills for that new/new to you vehicle? All comes down to what the vehicle is, of course, and parts availability, but it's pretty nearly always cheaper to repair than replace a vehicle.
You're spot on. My wife and I did the math. We compared depreciation from new vehicles to insuring brand new stuff plus the annual tags. Financially for us, buying a new car is just asinine. We can get a better deal with our money across the board by going this route. I can do much of the work myself once we get it home. Tags are under 40 bucks a year and insurance will be a couple hundred bucks a year. It leaves a lot on the table to put towards repairs and maintenance. If people would take a minute to understand mechanics and what's really going on under the hood, they'd soon see what a waste of money a new vehicle is. I've never seen a bigger waste of money than what people are spending now. They've got to be ignorant to spend that kind of money on cars and trucks when much better options exist out there in the form of southern USA rust free rides that just need some elbow grease to make them drivable again.
@@custos3249 I keep telling my wife that. I change my oil twice a year, it never sees 3K between changes. Starts every time, I think nothing of taking it for the 150 mile ride to our son's house. Why do I need a car payment.
Glad to see you are adapting / recognising your (employee) skill sets .. it's a valuable (and tough self learning) exercise in how to keep your business doing it's thing and more importantly doing it profitably
Tbh one of the reasons why I became a mechanic and work on my own cars since 2013, is due to the absurd costs of labor, as if parts weren't already absurd as is.
Not to mention people in US get parts for a fraction of the cost we euro-tards do. Tax upon tax upon tax. Oh and shipping included, that's taxed too.
Same here, since 1987.
Same...mostly because I dont trust mechanics to do the job properly! 😏(And I can do it without all the whining!!)
My Dad always said, if you want it done, just hire somebody to do it. If you want it done right, do it yourself! 😉
@@SuperDirk1965 I'm millennial but always had gasoline running through my veins because of my father, and motorcycles. I'm not in a physical condition to ride motorcycles anymore but I still love wrenching on my daily.
You work on what you want. I'm glad to see this ol' girl still on the road after 25 ish years ( built in 1999 probably ) and for me, 3K wouldn't even touch labor cost on a modern vehicle, so it makes it worth it.
Precisely! You see what I see!
in recent times, I've done $6000 worth of work to my car myself. Costed me a bit under $800. However im mechanically inclined and already have tools
Good video. This almost makes me miss my 1995 S-15 GMC Jimmy with the 4.3L Vortec. Only issue I had in 180,000 miles was the stupid central port fuel injector. If I recall, this version was all wheel drive. I gave it up when driving down the interstate at 65 MPH and my 4WD actuator suddenly slipped into 4Lo.
I'm reading quite a few comments regarding Grimes. Remember folks, there's two sides to every story. Don't assume anything until you hear from both sides, otherwise you're just speculating. I doubt we'll hear from Grimes on his version, I believe he mentions in the comments here he just wants to move on. Fair enough. You have to admit Grimes was one heckuva diagnostic genius and i miss watching him here. I wish him the best.
I mean I own two domestic vehicles currently. 🤷♂️
There are three sides to every story: their side, his side, and the truth.
My first car was an Oldsmobile. A '76 Olds Cutlass S that I bought for $400 in 1988 from my neighbor who'd bought it new in '76. The A/C still worked. 🙂 It really was the perfect first car for teenage me in the 1980s.
Except for the engine and body updates, it's still basically my 1985 S-15 Jimmy, except mine was 2-door rearwheel drive with a 2.8 L V-6 and a 4-speed manual.
Nice to see Wizard going back to basics 👍
That car ‘s engine doesn’t have direct injection or variable valve timing. It’s a simple engine that if maintained properly will last a long time with no expensive repairs. If it were mine I’d keep it.
Which is exactly what we're are doing with it!
My mom had a 98 Bravada when i was a little kid, i always love seeing these still on the road
"... Here is our venerable 4.3L V6..." I love how I said the exact same line, at the exact same time, out loud, in the exact same pacing that you used, to describe what was under the hood 😂😂
I remember years ago when I worked in the garage years ago I used to wrench on a bunch of these. They were using the remote oil filter on the blazers/jimmys/bravadas of the early 90s.
I had 3 Oldsmobiles growing up; two Cutlass coupes ('78 & '81) and an '81 Omega. They were great cars. My father especially liked them. He borrowed my 78 Cutlass and the Omega and drove them more than his own GMC 3/4 truck! Sadly they're all gone - Pops too. Time marches on. RIP Oldsmobile and Dad.
One of the best UA-cam videos ever created was about this vehicle … iykyk
@@spiceykibbles1901 RCR?
Indeed, "The worst Car I've ever Driven, Bravada" RCR ua-cam.com/video/8UA-zQSkZIc/v-deo.htmlsi=XKItkVwKXfmKkHO6
@@rickc303 yes sir
Thanks for having the bravada on your channel
Oldmobile is exotic now. I like it.
Come on, 6k for such a car?
Red and white interior looks great.
So many you tubers don't do everyday cars anymore and it's sad. I really appreciate you doing cars from time to time the average person owns. Today's economy alot of people are keeping their older vehicles and so many shops say they won't work on them. I have a beautiful 1990 Astro conversion rust free from Florida with lower miles and sadly today's generation doesn't know the older cars. I enjoy your show and really wished alot more You Tubers worked on normal cars that most Americans own.Great Job on the Brevada always loved them.
You have to be ready to pivot with anything in life/business
I've always liked Oldsmobile as well Wizard. My first car was the newly restyled 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL 2Dr. It was gunmetal gray with a red velour interior. I never had one problem with that car and it was just over 100k miles. I only had to replace the brakes and a couple calipers. Great car ... Good times!!!!
The heydays of 'badge engineering'.
I’m back I knew u would come back around for us common people that just miss old USA cars and like to see them still going this is why I didn’t unsubscribe
How about the Saab 9-7? It was a nameplate-engineered version of the GMC Envoy/Chevy Trailblazer…except Saab made GM relocate the ignition switch to the center console.
I've had a 9-7X 5.3 since 2017. Great cars.
So thats Whats underneath them....
I flipped (sold) one of these about a year ago; same year, same color (but with black interior). I loved it. Always liked these.
I just spent $2400 redoing many things on my 2003 Dodge Durango SLT. From new dual exhaust, new tires to new radiator, electric fans, transmission solenoids , pressure regulators. AC repair. New hoses , belts, water pump, brakes, wheel bearings and master cylinder brake booster combo. Because it has great styling. Solid built on truck frame. Will outlast any 40 to 100k SUV or Truck I could get new. I get comments all the time about how nice it is and how great it looks. I have people trying to buy it from me all the time. What would that leave me with? buying an overpriced new one and having a massive payment with many years to pay. No Thanks
Well done man. My wife and I view our rides entirely on mechanical principles. We don't care about looks because looks are misleading. Our little town only has 2 dealerships - Ford and GM and anything else is in Lincoln, Omaha, and KC. 3 of our local private shops shut down due to the owners retiring. If your vehicle needs emergency service, it's cheaper to have it towed to a local servicing dealer than the hour to Lincoln. Many boxes were checked off for us on our Bravada. It fits what we were prioritizing.
I also like the first 2 generations of Durangos.
The weak point is the OHC V8. If it had a 318, that would be bullet proof.
Man I miss my 2001 dodge durango, I live in the north east so sadly it rotted away . If I could find a clean one no rust I would jump on it in a heart beat
I first learned how to drive on a 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 98 in July 1984. I quickly learned how to ease on the brakes and to gently nurse the gas. Oldsmobiles are legendary!
Well the other thing that’s worth putting 3 grand into it is you aren’t making payments on a new vehicle, for the next few years. (If that was their other choice)
Yep! I bought a 2001 Chevy Blazer 4door 4x4 last year. (103k miles). I did spend about $3000 in repairs to get it perfect. Only $6000 into this thing, but now she is ready for a cross country road trip.
As an Olds fan there is absolutely no limit to fix one up and keep it going
That's great! Happy you are broadening the net again!
Have an older Honda Rubicon ATV that back in ‘19 I also put more than it was worth removing the engine, replacing the infamous hydrostatic trans, cam, timing chains, oil pump, many other parts. Biggest DIY mechanical project I’d tackled.
In almost 5 years now of like new reliability now it has evened out and was money well spent vs if I had went out and spent the $10K at the time for a new one.
Satisfying every time I ride the the thing that I saved it from scrap, it works perfectly, and I know it inside and out
To me a reliable vehicle is worth more than it's book value.
You hit the nail on the head. I'll still be driving this long after people have scrapped what they are buying today.
Thank you for sharing this Oldsmobile Bravada,. It was interesting to see and see Car Wuard discuss this model. As an Oldsmobile owner, I say thank you. I own a 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight and a 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado. The owner has a good vehicle. I have said if I were to buy an suv, I would buy a 2002 and up Bravada. I like the looks of that generation. I liked the early ones from the 1990s that had digital gauges as an option.
As a rule I avoid digital gauges because of the threat of electronic failures. The more mechanical the more I like it, but I have to compromise somewhere. Godo on you for owning the Oldsmobile 98 and Toronado...both great GM vehicles. Keep 'em rolling! You'll never find better...
@@LazloNQ I understand. Thank you for your response. I had analog gauges go put before. That was mechamical. Most new cars have digital gauges in 2024. I never was a fan of analog gauges. That is just me. I am doing my best to keep them rolling.
I didn't know that Grimes doesn't like working on American cars. Interesting, considering he's owned many TBirds including at this particular moment.
Worked on several this week in fact... Never told me he refused to work on domestic 🤷🏻♂️
I would really love to have another one of these. I had a 1994 and a 1992. Love the first gens the best. Still had the full time AWD. Such cool rigs with Smartrac. I use to offraod the hell out of mine. Always thought a V8 swap with the AWD would be pretty cool.
120K and it's already on it's second transmission? This truck is NOT good for 250K-350K miles.
The Bravada was driven to California and back and more than likely on old or low transmission fluid. With good fluid and conservative driving, it won't be an issue.
Probably a 4l60. When i was a mechanic i used to work on a ton of the s10 versions. The Magic number was usually around 160k where the transmissions would go out, maybe the awd put a bit more strain on it. I’ve always had great luck with the 700r4 transmissions.
I have a 2000 Explorer bought for 5000 in 2011still have it. I have spent close to 10,000 dollars on it. That's 13 years I have owed it. It is set up with left gas and right brake. Had a stoke in 2009 so that's why its that way it is.. Don't need a new car, I know what condition the vehicle is in, I hope that it will be my daily drive till I don't drive anymore. Love your channel watch every day you have a new episode.
Good call taking domestic cars and trucks back! The mechanic who quit needs to face reality that most people drive domestic cars and trucks. His lost, your gain.
Tesla is domestic.
How could you give up on your BREAD AND BUTTER...i don't get it....
@@oonwing If you specialize, you can limit your tool buys and get really good at the makes you do. It is hard to have all the software for everything as well as special tools.
I'm enjoying these vids on older domestic cars 👍🏻
I didn’t understand what Wizard indicated, his decision to not take domestics previously was because the prior tech didn’t wanna service domestics anymore?
A local workmate of mine who retired drives the twin to this Bravada and he absolutely loves his. It was partly inspiration from him that lead us to seek one out. The interior is in pretty good shape except the plastic grill in the dash is busted up and the little flaps covering the mirrors are broken so they fall off and the lights next to the mirrors stay on. I'm just going to pop out the bulbs if Dave hasn't done it already. Plastic.....argh!
Wow the shop is really empty. Hoovie must have paid! Vacation time!
Got a lot of big projects done lately.
Tip
When replacing tail shaft seals always ensure that there isn’t a bearing that needs replacement too.
Also check the sealing surface for damage from wear.
Imagine casually telling the CEO/owner/boss that if he brings in common, good paying contracts that you'll leave for no legit reason. Id expect to be fired for that.
Not sure if you're in the car business but if you don't know mechanics don't need the shop the shop needs us. We are in such high demand I could walk out of my job today and have a new one tomorrow probably getting paid more. Not to mention I've worked at almost 10 different shops now and I've met maybe one or two techs on Grimes level... any technician that good is making the company bank so they're gonna get special treatment.
@@evelynsahoe8896there’s a lot more to the story than you’ll see on video. My intent was to leave quietly without drama for my own personal reasons, not the cars I worked on.
@@GrimesGarage Quite a few good mechanics have been quitting ''Wizard''. I guess something is going at this place, or with this boss. Oh well, it's life...
@@alexandrecouture2462 that it is. My reasons for leaving differ vastly from what’s presented but I prefer to remain neutral and let things be. 🤷♂️
@@alexandrecouture2462that’s just the life of a mechanic. Good ol’ saying “my tool box has wheels for a reason”.
I have a 2000 Bravada. Drove it from Washington state to Indiana 2 years ago when I moved here. Loaded to the gills. It is a good runner. Also has a rebuilt transmission, lol.
Awesome! I watch your channel mainly because 1) I believe you are the best mechanic I see online (or at the very least on par with Car Ninja and Scotty Kilmer) and 2) I am a GM truck enthusiast and I look forward to these type of vehicles on your channel.
"Scotty Kilmer" and "best mechanic" are words that should be very far apart
@@SilentServiceCode There is nothing wrong with Scotty.
@@Nousername9-b1n sure just don't call him a mechanic or competent
@@SilentServiceCode Go look at his channel and you’ll see that he is a good mechanic and he does all types of mechanical work so stop being a hater. I trust Scotty way more then Wizard.
@@Nousername9-b1n Do you drive a 1996 Celica
I took my wife's beloved 2012 Chevy Cruze to my local shop recently because of a coolant leak. Our mechanic found the leaky hose right away. I told him the car is 12 years old and super reliable. This is Miami and summer is here. Replace them all, including the thermostat and its housing. I'm a firm believer is preventive maintenance.
I don't know much about the Cruze and how it would handle repeated Nebraska winters, but I'll tell you when it comes to vehicles, maintain them and take care of them. It's good economy to do so.
I agree.
yes it is worth it. a person would pay 20.000$ or more for newer car.
Right on man....we priced Toyota, Lexus, and other modern products...in our opinion they are all overpriced heaps. The problem I have is the metal used underneath is so thin to start with and in Nebraska winters, in just a few years your vehicles is unsafe to have on the road. We don't care about mileage in this case...just reliable wheels for my wife to do a 100 mile daily trip in inclement conditions. The rest of the time it will be parked in the garage and fired up occasionally to keep it limber.
I had this exact one. Bought for 3200 in 2008 with 100,000. Blew a valve the first week(my fault). Fixed and had the car for another 12 years. Went on a lot of camping and road trips. Awesome in the snow. Last couple years had shuttering issues. Needed 2500 to pass inspection. Sold to a friend for 250 and it died a few months later😢 also had a 97 blue blazer!
I called in to get my caddilica worked on and I was told you no longer work on domistic cars
calling him back and point them to this video. report what they say. Hope he didn't tell us in the video and we never find out
I like these S-10 SUV's. My 1999 Chevy Blazer still has original, shocks, headlight bulbs, and drive train. Everything still functions and I still take on long trips. It has 170000 miles.
Oldsmobiles count as exotic now.
Maybe since it's 24 years old it's considered a domestic antique. :)
I had a 1994 GMC JIMMY 4 door 4x4, when I sold it it had 292,043 on the odometer, engine ran great I did full synthetic oil changes every 4-5k miles, replaced the transmission at 265000 miles, I sold it with bad rear gears and the driver door stopped opening, other than that it was a cool rig.
Love the old GM products from that era they were certainly on par with Toyota reliability wise. One of the things I want to get for myself soon is a 4x4 old Blazer from that era.
Similar to what @LazloNQ said, i do not want, like, or desire pay for the new cars of today. I did something similar, and just purchased a 2013 Lexus GS350. Has one of the most reliable drivetrains ever made and is a good looking, luxurious, reliable, and NOT boring vehicle...where I could pay cash out of pocket and be happy. While it was not a one owner vehicle, it was always serviced at the Lexus dealer and is mechanically perfect and up-to-date on all services. Also got a pre-purchase inspection...well worth it.
Interior is almost perfect (98% like new) and exterior has a couple of dings and scratches which I fixed and is about 95% back to looking new...last thing is a tiny crack in the front bumper which i will repair next week. Lastly, it was not local to me and I did have to travel 8 hours to get it, but it was worth it.
Well said man. We gotta quit being victims with our vehicles and start buying smarter. Going with the Lexus was smart. There is a whole lot of crap being produced out there and I hate seeing people get fleeced like they are. They seem to enjoy being fleeced as a result of their ignorance. Not me. Smart fiscal decisions helped my wife and I pay off a house in 9 years. It's all about the fiscal discipline and not always have to have new in the world of vehicles. If dealing with older vehicles, playing the Texas, New Mexico, Arizona card is what it's all about. Tons of rust free rides they are scrapped over mechanical issues but cherry salt free bodies.
What the hell????? I thought Omega was sticking to "high end" foreign automobile service????
He never said that . The Mandela effect 😂
@@madmike2624 he absolutely did say that, at the start of the Buick LeSabre video, which also happened to be the last of his videos many of us watched
What is the Mandela effect?@@oliverdelgado6952
@@rickc303he says whatever generates views.
I loved my 96 Jimmy. It was such a cool little SUV. Its pretty tightly packed under the hood and not super easy to work on but doable. Good thing it didnt need much work.
Agreed it's a little tight under there but nothing like these modern FWD cars. Holy smokes!
I'm old enough to remember the Olds tag line "this is not your father's Oldsmobile" I had a Delta 88 that you could fix by yourself without a zillion dollar scan tool and 100 years of automotive experience. Yeah they were Detroit lead sleds & got terrible gas mileage but when we went on road trips nobody wanted or could all pile into their Datsun B210! Kudos to the Wizard for showing us the remaining Oldsmobile dinosaurs; nostalgia does have a place on his channel.💯👍
The best ever Bravada review was from RCR. Scathing and hilarious. He would never spend 3k on a Bravada fix. But on classifeds I see really nice ones for 10k now.
I've seen that video and had a good laugh out of it. When you view things through the eyes of practicality and longevity, you can put up with a lot of shortcuts in other areas. I would have liked it better if the front end had a solid axle as well. Don't care about doing a slalom on the way work. Mechanical simplicity is what it's about for me. I'd drive a model T to work if I owned one. Doesn't get much simpler than that.
Mr. Wizard, thank you for your common sense approach in explaining to the consumer planning to purchase older reasonable mileage domestic vehicles.
im not going to rewatch the video but i swear he said no more domestics unless it was an already established good customer.
Maybe that's it! I paid my Smart Car bill no protest!
@41 seconds in the Buick LeSabre video he did say: "Except for Hoovie from Hoovie's Garage, talking about the general public, Omega will no longer be working on Domestic Cars and Trucks." Nothing wrong with changing your mind back to fixing Domestic if you want to. But this is the line in the video. Perhaps Wizard could have explained it a little better in this video. Because I'm confused what's said now, vs. the LeSabre video.
And now they're doing domestic cars once more. That's the Wizard's prerogative. If he wants to he can say that come tommorrow he's only repair pink cars. And the next day orange ones.
he 1000% did lmao think he just feels dumb cause he made that decision trying to keep Grimes happy and he left anyways so he's tryna act like it never happened.
@@drewstone-z1d he absolutely did, and lost a lot of viewers as a result of pursuing the dream of exotics
Not sure which mechanic of yours said that. From what I recall of the ones who do come on camera, they all looks like awesome guys. I would have assumed it would be a none issue given the fact you have so many lifts. If the mechanic is highly skilled on exotics and doesn't want to do lower end domestic... should be fine given your popularity and high demand. In the end it all comes down to teamwork and positive work environment for everyone. I wish you and the gang of awesome media creators all the best and keep the awesome videos coming :)
(Hoping for another Car Trek in the near future)
It was Jake's friend that started working there and started being all douchey
@@SilentServiceCodeodd he's having zero issues at his new employer... Makes ya think maybe this isn't actually how it went down but someone is trying to save face...
@@SilentServiceCodecommanding a healthy work environment is far from douchey my guy
@@GrimesGarageI'm gonna guess the work environment at Omega isn't so healthy
10 years ago I could buy these at auction for less than $3,000.
I love a vehicle that nobody wants. You get them cheaper!
We used to drive used cars but have switched to leasing luxury cars every three years to keep them in full factory warranty. Our latest has one year left on an extended warranty and then we dump it. It’s a 2020 black label pluggable Lincoln Aviator with 500 HP, 600 FT of torque 4 WD and every option available. It has given us 30 mpg hwy at 80 mph across the country in every weather condition. I just like driving it around town for months on end burning a tank of gas every 2-3 months if we don’t go on long trips. A hybrid system runs your car at 1/3 rd the cost of a regular ICE.
Meat's back on the menu, thanks to Junior Mint
I have 2 '03 Bravadas. I love them, over 350k miles. Not without its issues (on the 3rd transmission), but hey still better than a new car. I'll drive it into the ground.
add a turbo and this thing is a syclone/typhoon.
@@bendino9016 No.
My dad is an Olds guy. I too am an Olds guy - shame we lost so many to the cash for clunkers scheme. Some truly great cars. Just something unique about driving an Oldsmobile.
$150 an hour is high, especially for Kansas.
Wtf....thats lambo mechanic money overheden... who also does volkswagen....
It's actually roughly the average.