350

[Johnyluv5]

Hello, I am very new to the forum. I will be turning 16 this fall and I have found a k10 that my father and I will be going to look at. We found it through a friend of my dad. Apparently it is an 85 or an 86 k10 with a 350. It is an Automatic unfortunately. It is dark blue, I am not sure if it is a long bed, short bed, or a stepside. It has about 60,000 miles on it, and it is rust free. My questions are, What kind of fuel milage can I expect ( the reason I posted this in the engine area), and would you recomend this for a sixteen year old. I would be driving 1 mile to high school, 4 miles to our shop, and about 20-25 miles to go to work. Im not expecting any thing great as far as mileage goes, but can I expect about 12-13 in the city and 15-16 on the highway?

 

[philjafo]

Fuel mileage will vary based on driving habits. Those years should have a 700r4 automatic so overdrive is good. One mile trip to school is going to hurt the mileage, for a trip like that your starting accelerating then stopping. The three things that are worst for mpg. If you did nothing but that run repeatedly, expect to get 2-3 mpg. Steady cruising at about 50-55 is where your going to see the best mpg. If mpg is your biggest concern get a scooter those things get great mileage.

 

[Johnyluv5]

I understand what you are saying, and it does make since, but The truck will mostly be driven to the shop, friend's houses, trails, hunting, work, etc. I do generly try to keep my foot out of it just for the fact of why beat on the truck if it is not necessary. The truck will be kept in decent condition (presuming I can keep it away from salt as much as possible) as I enjoy the older trucks, and doing maintenance. And lets just say my dad is more than qualified to help... The fuel mileage may be the deal killer for me. It might just be a deal I can't pass up, you know what I am saying?

 

[foamypirate]

I don't think you'd see as low as 2-3mpg...My brother-in-law still got 8mpg with short around town trips (1-2 miles tops), and that was with a 454, and a 3 speed auto on 35s. I doubt you'd get that low. More realistic would be 9-12mpg in the city.

 

[Johnyluv5]

Okay, that sounds a tad bit more reasonable. and that is closer to what I hoped. I think I could live with that. Thanks. It probably has a lot to do with the condition of the truck. If it is as good as the seller says it is it should get way better than 2-3 mpg.

 

[philjafo]

Yeah that 2-3 would be worst case. I once had a jeep grand Cherokee with a 318 in it and it had a display that would show instant or avg mpg. Idle not moving instant mpg is 0, accelerating could get as low as 2-3, and cruising was usually around 17. It all averaged out to 13-14. Decent mpg out of a truck isn't impossible, but like I said depends a lot on your driving habits.

 

[Johnyluv5]

Okay, that answers my mpg question, now how about my other question, would you recommend something like this for somebody my age? and just some more general questions (no longer pertaining to engines) do these do well in the snow at stock height, and are there any other known problems with these trucks?

 

[philjafo]

A classic is good for anyone, has nothing to do with age. Take good care of it and keep up on the maintenance and you'll have a great truck for a very long time. Ask a few old farts if they wish they still had their first truck. For the common issues, the early 700r4 transmissions have a bad reputation, but they can easily be upgraded when they are rebuilt. They didn't change much on the squarebody for 15 years (longer wth the k5 and suburban) because it worked well.

 

[Johnyluv5]

Thanks to all who commented, You have taken away any doubt I had about these older trucks. I look forward to a purchase and the relationship that I will have (presuming it is what the seller says it is) of not only my first vehicle/truck, but my first k10.