I had an S-10 (’91) and currently drive a Sierra (2000).
Sometimes I miss the economy and nimbleness of the S-10, but you can’t beat the utility of a FS truck. Mine’s the extended cab with the half doors, which for my purposes is just fine. 4wd was a must.
I have the 5.3 (gas). Its a nice engine, and overall I’ve been very happy with the truck. I bought it used and it was a company truck for a mining concern. High mileage, but well-maintained.
The Chevy/GMC trucks have come a long way, and the new ones sound even better. Somewhere there’s a recent thread on GMs new 4.5liter no-intake-manifold diesel. That looks like a really well-designed engine - something that might be worth waiting for if you’re in the market for new.
Sometimes I wish I had gotten a diesel, but 90% of the time gas is just fine for me, and since I live in the city, finding a diesel station can sometimes be problemmatic. If you really use the truck hard, or tow frequently, diesel’s the way to go.
I also have a 1500 Silverado extended cab with the 5.3 engine. I bought that truck for the wife (that’s what she wanted). The S10 was my first truck. Bought it back in 95 and I really liked that truck. But hickory trees can be a bit rough on trucks. So, now I’m in the market. The only guidance from the wife is that it must be a crew cab and must be a 4x4 and not a Dodge. Other than that, I can buy about anything I want.
I bought a 22 foot boat last summer and the mileage for the Silverado drops about 50% pulling that thing. And, there’s a few hills between here and the lake. I do have about a 70 mile one way commute and the new truck will be the one we drive.
I realize I don’t really need a diesel but this will be my ‘retirement truck’. Probably the last big truck I’ll buy. I’m really trying to justify what I want rather than what I need.