Good morning! Well, wouldn’t you know it, we came back from 85 degrees right into a snowstorm. That’s got me back in a cheap winter-beater mood, so today we’re staying in that $3-4,000 sweet spot, and looking at a couple of colorful characters that would serve anyone well in crappy weather – as long as they know how to drive a stick.
I generally try to keep the prices of the two competitors somewhat close, but yesterday it just wasn’t possible. I wanted those two cars, and one was ten grand more than the other. Usually what happens in that situation is that the cheaper car wins by a landslide, and that’s exactly what happened here. The Renault Twingo may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s “normal” enough to just hop in and drive without dealing with too much weirdness. And for $4,000 Canadian – what is that, $3,000 US? – it’s an easy sell. The Ami is cool, but for that price, you have to really want it.
Personally, I’d love a chance to drive the Ami, or a 2CV, or even better a Mehari, but I wouldn’t want to own one, I don’t think. The Twingo, on the other hand, I could totally see myself in. And I even like the purple.
Color is an important part of a car’s personality, which is why it’s a shame that so many car buyers choose such boring options. It’s not hard to find the other color options; they’re right there in the back of the brochure, or in the buttons on the online configurator these days. You don’t have to choose white, silver, or gray. Luckily, the original owners of these two braved the more saturated end of the color chart, and chose colors that make them pop. They’re not the most exciting cars in the world, but at least they don’t blend into the background. Let’s check them out.
1995 Chevrolet S-10 LS – $3,991
Engine/drivetrain: 4.3 liter overhead valve V6, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA
Odometer reading: 238,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The second generation of Chevy’s compact S-10 pickup gets a lot of grief, and I’ve never quite understood why. Its bigger sibling, the GMT400, is a legend, but for some reason the GMT325 just doesn’t command the same respect. It has a lot of the same DNA, and in fact this one has the same 4.3 liter V6 and NV3500 five-speed manual as the base model GMT400. It’s a good truck. But for some reason, it has always played second fiddle to the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.
This truck has well over 200,000 miles on it, but I have no doubt it runs strong and pulls hard. I’m a big fan of the 4.3, as you all know. It’s not the smoothest engine ever made, it has a lower redline than a Victrola record, and I guarantee you it leaks oil from somewhere, but it will keep putting out big lazy torque until the end of time. And the NV3500 is strong too, if maybe a little sloppy. It’s being sold at a dealership, so we’ll have to take their word for it when they say “well maintained,” but if you can drive it off with no funny smells or noises, it should be good.
It does have a weak spot, the same one as all GM vehicles of this era: the interior. All that gray plastic was cheesy-looking when Clinton was in office, and it has not aged well since then. This one has it all: scuffs, sun damage, broken pieces, even a missing radio knob. The driver’s seat and door panel show every inch of those 238,000 miles too. But what the hell; it’s a truck. And since it’s an LS model, it has some niceties like power windows and air conditioning.
It’s not as beat-up outside as you might expect a truck this old to be. It has some scuffs and dings, but no major damage, and it even has a nice bed-liner. I’ve always liked the alloy wheels on these, too. And it’s teal, which is a color long overdue for a comeback.
2012 Ford Escape XLS – $2,999
Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter dual overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Zion, IL
Odometer reading: 168,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The partnership between Ford and Mazda created a lot of really good cars. A lot of the heavy lifting was done by Mazda, though; the highly underrated 1991-2002 Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer were based on Mazda’s excellent BG platform, and the Ford Probe was mechanically the same as a GD/GE chassis Mazda 626. The Ford Escape was based on a Mazda platform as well, and Mazda sold its own version: the Tribute. It’s not the best crossover SUV in the world, but it’s pretty damn good.
Mazda also provided the base engine for the Escape and Tribute: the excellent MZR twin-cam four-cylinder, called the Duratec by Ford. This one has the simplest drivetrain available in the Escape, and probably the most robust, a simple five-speed manual driving only the front wheels. You don’t really need all-wheel-drive for most situations anyway; why bother with the maintenance and complexity for just driving around? This one is also being sold by a dealership, so don’t expect any maintenance history. Check it over carefully, or bring a friend along who knows cars.
The interior is nothing special, but it looks like a fairly nice place to be. It’s got all the basic power stuff, windows and locks and whatnot, and a CD player. You kept your CDs, right? It’s in good condition, and it doesn’t look like they Armor-Alled it to death before taking the photos.
It’s an Illinois car, so that cool green paint is a little bit crispy around the edges. The previous generation of Escape and Tribute had some serious issues with subframe rust, but I don’t think these were affected. It’s still a good idea to poke around underneath and make sure it’s not about to break in two. I appreciate the fact that the dealership isn’t trying to hide the rust, though.
One of the things I like about my big green Chevy is the fact that I always know where I parked it. It sticks out like a sore thumb, so there’s none of that “Is it this row? Is it the next row?” nonsense. Between that, and the visibility in traffic, and you could argue that brightly-colored cars are just safer all around. So which one catches your eye: the tough little truck, or the celery-colored crossover?
Although in theory the 3/4 V8 4.3 makes a swap to a 5.3 or even Vortec 5.7 simpler, I still cannot fathom trying to live with the 4.3. it always feel like the trucks are dragging and anchor and getting terrible fuel economy. I still feel like they should have put the 3.8 RWD engine from the same era F-Body in those things, and then the Atlas straight six in the 2000 and up trucks. including the top level S10’s.
The square body Escapes were decent for me. Though I never drove a FWD – Manual 4 cylinder, but I feel like it would be a more effective daily with covered storage box and room for 4.
The 4.3 is a dog in the full-size trucks, but it’s actually pretty great in an S10 (I have one in my ’96 Sonoma). The gas mileage sucks (I’ve gotten better in full-size V8 trucks), but the power and torque are great for a truck that size. I’ve even used the Sonoma to flat-tow my Ranger 56 miles when the timing belt broke on that old 2.5 Lima engine (tensioner failed and took belt out).
I agree they should’ve used the Atlas in the S10 and Colorado. Especially since they went on to make 4 and 5-cylinder versions of it.
They should’ve also installed the Atlas in base Silverados and even RWD sedans like the Commodore-based shit, the CTS, and the Camaro.
If I were to buy an S10, I’d want the 2.2L or perhaps import a diesel from South America.
I know some of the early atlas engines had some issue with Valves or something, but I certainly would have considered the 300HP straight six over the 3.6 bent six, I definitely would have like to see the Atlas with a turbsky or two in the RS versions of Camaro’s too.
S-10 today. There a few old teal Rangers and Tacomas (and pre-Tacomas) and one late model Jeep Renegade in my stomping grounds and they are invariably driven by older men and usually in good to excellent exterior condition. Must be something about teal that inspires a regular car wash.
Tough choice, but I chose the Chev because I have experience in those as work trucks. They’re tough, but still civilized on the highway. And yeah, that 4.3 is basically the Chevy version of the storied 3800 motor, with bulletproof pushrods and plenty of cheap parts availability.
That dealer in Zion is all over Craigslist like a rash, and some of their cars are not exactly palatable. I’d make extra-sure the paperwork is in order.
…that 4.3 is basically the Chevy version of the storied 3800 motor,
It is literally a Small Block Chevy minus two cylinders, plus a balance shaft.
Yup, did they do a split-pin crank like the 3800? Sure helps a 90-degree V6.
Yes.
Some math stuff: 4.3L = 262.5 c.i. , which is 3/4 of 350 cubes. The 4.3 and 350 also have identical bore and stroke.
I bought a V6 S-10 in 2011 for $4600 CAD, and I don’t regret it one bit. Easy decision on this one.
One of the great things about a truck this size is the bed height. I can lift a plate compactor on my own into it, because I only have to go up a few feet. Loading bikes into it is a breeze(and a 6 foot bed means you don’t have to hang the front end over the tailgate). I can fit 4 bikes standing up in the back, with a cap and lock it. It drives more like a car than a truck.
12 winters in Chicagoland says you want to get the Escape up on a lift before signing on. Otherwise they’re both solid rigs, conceptually.
S10 because I’m in no way ready to own a CUV—though, for winter beater duty, I would have voted CUV if it had been 4wd.
As we’ve been getting mostly ice, I took yesterday off and played on the border of WV in my beater Subaru in a bit of snow. It really did me a world of good even if most of it was 2nd gear with only a few lbs of boost 🙂
I love the color and look of the Escape, but as soon as I saw it’s from Illinois and there’s already rust popping through on the tailgate, I voted for the S-10. The rust you can see is only a hint of the rust you can’t.
I miss green and teal car colors.
S-10 for me, though I wish it were a regular cab (and that sweet almost-maroone color) because then it would be almost exactly the spec I want for an LS-swap.
The Escape isn’t a bad car, as I owned one for a while for commuting and it did fine, but that thing is infinitely more rusty underneath if the tailgate is looking that bad – while the previous generation was worse about rust, this gen was hardly immune. Hard pass.
Regular cab? You must have short legs.
I don’t, but I have spent decades driving Jeeps, so being a bit crampt isn’t a big deal to me.
I genuinely want the S10. The color is great, it is in very nice condition, and it has the right number of pedals. This truck will go up in value if you treat it well. I want to challenge Mark to a duel for implying this truck is a winter beater. It is a vehicle for connoisseurs of fine machines.
I have nothing against the Escape, but these vehicles aren’t even in the same league.
Based on the pricing for S10/Sonomas within 200 miles of me, this is a damn good price if it is in as good of shape as it looks to be. I just saw some real junk wanting strong money, and if it isn’t junk, it might be north of $10k for a 25 year old compact truck.
A number of the “nice” S10/Sonomas are also the newer ones where “crew cab/short box” became the standard setup, which is not what I’d want. I want a truck bed that can hold stuff.
The only thing that shrek wannabe has “escaped “is the final trip of its sad life to the junkyard where it belongs.Be careful on the ride there as the brake and gas lines are rusted so badly that slamming on the brakes would result in the brake pedal going to the floor with no stopping.
There’s no “escaping “that the very usable truck with the 4.3 is the winner today.
S-10, because truck.
I’ll take the Escape as long as the rear towers aren’t Swiss cheese.
I’ve been told by many that so long as a unibody’s strut towers are good, you’re good to go. The rest is just hanging.
Truck for me. And man do I miss that ‘90s teal.
I need a truck and not another Mazda CUV, so S-10 for me. But I’m gonna talk them way down from almost $4k for a 30 y.o. compact truck with just 1 year’s worth of driving from a quarter million miles on it.
I’m in the same camp as you. The S-10 should last forever – rust is what kills them. As I already have an older AWD winter SUV, this will be used for truck stuff. I would probably die with it still in my possession.
There are stories of S10s blowing their engines…but those are pretty rare and either are due to excessive abuse or oil consumption problems….
I would NOT BE Surprised if at least a couple of examples have hit a million miles…..or even more than that.
If they were both Washington vehicles, I might pick the Escape. But the rust we see is the proverbial tip of the iceberg, so I think the S10 is the safe pick here.
S-10 all day. My family had an S-10 that was owned by six of us. Whenever someone needed a free-ish ride they’d go retrieve it from underneath the pecan tree. It always worked with minimal effort.
The Escape is a great buy. I’d rather that than the old Lexus I’m currently driving, but it is crusty and we already have two crossovers. One of which is crusty. The truck wins today (as it usually does for me).
I like the boxy little Escapes. They drive pretty well and have decent load space.
No beefs about S-10s, either. Both cars having U-Shift-It transmissions helps, too.
Roads get salt in winter around here, but I’d still probably want to hunt down a replacement rear gate from a boneyard, assuming the rot hadn’t progressed beyond that. Otherwise, it looks nice and clean, as if someone had treated it fairly well.
Heck, if this had shown up when I was looking to replace a Toyota Tacoma with terminal Frame Rot, I probably would have bought it.
Ess-cah-pay, spelled just like Escape.
The Shrek-colored (or Elphaba if you want) Ford is newer, safer, has fewer miles, the Mazda engine is darn near unkillable, the color is fun, and the cabin isn’t a bad place to be. These are pleasantly plucky vehicles. Yes, they’re prone to rust in the rear quarters, but if caught early and treated correctly it’s able to be resolved.
S-10s are cramped, collapse like a wet paper tube in an accident, the rubber has to be wildly deteriorated at this point, and while that V6 is decently reliable, I suspect the Escape is probably putting down more actual power to the ground at this point. Plus at that mileage it may not have much time left in its current state. Lastly, those ergonomics are making my eye twitch, and the shift handle looks like a knuckle-buster against the dash. Nope.
S-10 because it’s almost the perfect pickup. Not too big, does most everything that a normal person needs a pickup to do, and is reliable/simple to own. Love to have this one in 4WD, but it’s fine as is.
I have no use for a truck, and I do not share the affinity for teal, but the Escape is an even more terrible color and has rust, and replacing that tailgate and matching the paint would be more than the cost….so the S-10 wins by default.
You’ll possibly have to replace most of the rubber in that S-10 though. With that mileage the engine may need a thorough going-over if not rebuild/replacement, though. The truck doesn’t win the value proposition today.
Neither of these meet any value proposition or use case. These are both vehicles that should be junked.
Without seeing the underside of the Escape I wouldn’t yet put it in the junk pile.
The S-10 could still be a serviceable farm truck or show truck, but I wouldn’t necessarily want it in modern highway traffic, let alone a collision.
The Ford is a perfectly fine buy, and it’s relatively close to me, but we already have an Escape in the fleet, so we’ll take the S-10. It’d be nice to have a useful lil truck on hand, and the five-speed will ease some of my misgivings about a rear-wheel-drive truck in the Snow Belt.
I’m sure I’m going to be deluged by commenters with stories of “how it wasn’t that bad” putting 500 lb of sandbags in their bed just to get out of their driveway when it snowed, but RWD trucks are not good in winter no matter what they say. At least in places that really get winter.
I’m not overjoyed that the Escape is FWD only, but if the stated mission is winter beater, it’s the only choice.
I’ve been rocking 2wd pickups through Chicago winters for 25 years now. They are fine. I don’t even bother with sandbags or winter tires. Good tires and a locking rear end, send it.
BUT, I will concede that the Chicago area does not have hills. If I lived in a hilly area, that would change things.
The 4.3 is a good engine. S-10 just for that and the utility of a cheap truck.
I voted the S10 seems to be much better shape and these were decently reliable and cheap to work on. Side note didn’t even know you could get that gen escape with a stick.