I can speak directly about the brand new Trailblazers, because I drive one at work. Total joke of a vehicle as far as off road goes.

Sure, so far (they are nearly brand new) we haven't had near the problems the previous 2000/2001 Blazers we used to drive, had. Everything from doors falling off, electric failures, suspension failures and transfer case failures. But the funny thing is the old Blazers had about three times the ground clearance, and they were slammed to the ground as it was.

I'm dead serious, the new Trailblazers have WAAAYYYYY less ground clearance than my wife's 2003 Subaru Forester. It's a complete joke off road and I have to drive it on some really muddy, rocky roads. I literally can't drive on roads than an old 2WD toyota pick up could. Even with 4WD, because it gets high centered on pebbles.

Other than that, it's an OK vehicle, but geeezzz, if anyone actually pays what we paid for these things, i seriously feel sorry for them.

Cost about 28K but look, feel and drive like they are worth about 16K. I think that right there in a nutshell sums up GM's problem.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Ok, let me clarify my stance on Trailblazers.

1. I am not a fan of GM products. I work as a tech at a GM shop, so I see a lot of them.

2. Trailblazers were not designed as a serious off-road vehicle. You can tell just by looking at them.

3. Being a GM tech at a GM shop (and a busy one at that) I can tell you from a first hand, mechanics point of view that those are vehicles that, when used for their designed purpose, have demonstrated a very high degree of build quality.

4. they most certainly are overpriced (by about $10,000). I wouldn't buy one.

I really like the Z71 Colorado with 4 doors and a short bed, but those are overpriced too.

We do get Colorados in as well, and they appear to be of a similar build quality to the Trailblazer, the only big difference being that the Colorado 4x4 appears to be much better suited to off-road use and the folks bringing theirs in for service appear to be using their trucks at least in the dirt. Again, no problems that I've seen.

The Colorado is also overpriced by about $10,000 as far as I am concerned.

I live in Kalifornia, and most of the people in my area are putting 50-70 thousand miles on their vehicles in a year. It's not at all uncommon to see a trailblazer comein with over 200,000 miles on the odometer. I've seen 0 problems that appear to be "normal". A few trannys, but that is to be expected. I've never seen the head off a Trailblazer, or even the oil pan. I've never seen our shop replace an engine in one either. No axles, no huge electrical problems (wierd, they are GMs after all), and the only time I've ever seen a door problem was when the wind caught one and forced it open further than it wanted to go. Somehow GM glued the hinges to the body. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> The replacements get bolted, but the body shop does that.

The 6.0l SS is 2 wheel drive. It's way expensive too.

Clay

Well, like I said, we're having less problems with the new Trailblazers than the old Blazers, but we've only got a few thousand miles on them. I'm not sure what happened to our old Blazer's door, but like you said, the hinge was glued on, which is the strangest design I've seen and it busted and the door was hanging off of one hinge. They put bolts in to fix it like you said, but it still never worked quite right after that.

Maybe I'm just too picky and bias. I have to admit, I'd probably never like a GM vehicle, no matter how reliable it turned out to be.

Strange thing is I'm not quite familier with the body styles and designs, but our Trailblazers are brand new 2005 models with the 5 cylinder engine, but they look a lot different than the current model Chevy has up on the website today.

Are you sure your TBs have the 5? I though that they only came with the 6 or the V-8?? As for problems I've seen My moms boss had the 4wd control die on his Envoy(same thing diff badging) otherwise nothing to terrible. As for my sentiments on GM they are good for business( mechanic business that is) but I won't drive one again. To many little things that keep coming back and things that just aren't thought out like they should be.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Damn I gotta get some of that!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Ahem....I mean thats pretty funny!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

Well, I thought it was the 5 cylinder. Maybe it's the 6. It just doesn't feel like 291 h.p. though. It feels more like about 200 h.p. It says Trailblazer LS on the back tailgate. We just got two brand new ones last summer.

The one saving grace is that it does have a rear limited slip, which has saved me in the mud a few times in light mud.

The H3 and Colarado/Canyon have the 5 cyl, not sure bout' the TB. If I was going to buy a new SUV I would realy consider the H3 mainly for the fact that you can actualy order it w/a manual 5spd. Thats very unusual for a new domestic SUV and would make it somewhat fun offroad. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I've never seen a Trailblazer wiht a 5cyl motor. I'm not about to say that one soesn't exist, though.

I actually like what I've seen of the H3s, except for the lack of a 3rd row.

We just had an H2 limo in the shop the other day. It was 34 feet long <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

The aproach and departure angles were great, but the breakover angle sucks. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Clay

I was folowing an H3 today and was totally amazed at how low the rear axle shock mounts where. They must of been
6"-8" lower then the bottom of the axle. Just in line to hit a nice size rock....