Again Pleased With An S-10

The other day, I signed the paperwork on my second late-model Chevy S-10. My first one was a sharp-looking '96 four-banger with the 5-speed,
black, with a gold pinstripe and the LS package. Among other things, I put 7,000 miles on this terrific little truck in the space of 3 weeks. I dogged this faithful pickup; I have in the past tended to be rather mean to my vehicles (including my oily, grimy, beautiful 1978 Kawasaki KZ400 - she was destroyed, last June). This Chevy met an end which I hope can serve as a warning to other owners of regular-cab S-10s: she bought it
in the rain. My pickup - like so many pickups - loved to misbehave in the rain. And on one rainy day, late in March, I spun my poor little truck and bent her in half. She was a sweet truck even after her demise, for she held her value well, and I lost very little in the ensuing transaction with the insurance company. This Chevy took me over half this country several times, and I will always remember her fondly.
The truck I have now is incredibly attractive. Cherry Red, pinstriped, this little Chevy is again an LS with a 5-speed (the only way I'll have them) and the 2.2 four, but with an extended cab. My latest acquisition is a '98, and you know what that means. Yes, she has those absolutely beautiful swirling factory alloys, and the latest grill design.
The wheels are the sort of thing one loves on first seeing them...like this latest S-10's design. The grille has grown on me; one friend noted it looks more truck-like than the older grills. Those old grilles were attractive, though. The interior ergonomics are unbelievably nice for a pickup. The dash is quite well laid-out, with a very pleasing appearance.
The seats are comfortable and supportive. The old LS interior was nice. This LS interior is simply dreamy, for a pickup. Perhaps the sound system
could stand a little tweaking; a CD-changer will probably be installed, along with a decent equalizer.
I was surprised when I looked under the hood and viewed the powerplant, for the first time. Whereas the other truck had the inexact by
nature throttle body, the new mill has runners. Very nice; real fuel injection. The older engine did its job nicely, but the improvement in these latest fours is noticeable. Of course, the mileage in these manual-shifted fours is something to be appreciated. (I went to Dallas, Texas from Baltimore, Maryland, and then back to Baltimore - about 3,000 miles -
with $112 worth of fuel. Not too shabby...)
Aesthetically, my newest S-10 receives nothing but raves. This is only
natural: I believe this design of the S-10 will be remembered as one of history's most attractive pickups, easily ranking up there with the '53-'56 F-100s, the mid-sixties Chevies, and the A-model Fords. Such pretty trucks. These days, I simply cannot understand why anyone would buy
a Ford truck when they could have a Chevy. How many of you are with me, on
this? I would recommend an S-10 to anyone. They come in all manners of configurations, with differing powerplants and drivelines; certainly there is one for you. And they look so sharp...