Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Tracker represents not just one but two failed makes in the U.S. That doesn’t make it anything but an orphan, so we’ll need to decide if the price is right to adopt this basic little buggy.
When the Studebaker ended automobile production in the mid-1960s, it closed the book on over a century of being at the forefront of America’s transportation industry. What started as a humble effort by two brothers to open a blacksmith shop and wagon-making enterprise became one of the country’s earliest automakers and eventually one of the industry’s most lamentable losses.
The 1963 Studebaker Avanti R2 we looked at last Friday is a glimpse of what could have been had Studebaker’s finances and its competition not been so egregious. A half-finished project with good mechanicals (and a blower!) but iffy paint and electrics, the Avanti proved an interesting proposition at its $19,500 asking price. Ultimately, that allure worked well in the Avanti’s favor, earning the car a solid 60% ‘Nice Price’ win.
You’ll be the death of me
As we noted, Studebaker is no longer with us. Forties were poured at the curb for that marque long ago. Similarly, the 1993 Geo Tracker soft top we have on the docket today is the remnant of another dead brand. In fact, it represents, in one form or another, three separate brands, of which two no longer sell cars here in the U.S.
Initially, the Tracker was sold under the Geo brand, a conglomeration of cars and small trucks made by various Asian manufacturers, bundled together by General Motors as the company’s own island of misfit toys. Save for the badging, the exact same model was concurrently sold by Suzuki dealers as the Sidekick, and both models were built on the same production line at GM Canada’s CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Eventually, GM realized that GEO was not the best idea, shuttering the brand and moving several of its models, including the Tracker, to the Chevrolet lineup in the late 1990s. Suzuki also found trouble in its fortunes in the North American market, eventually rolling up the rugs and closing down its automotive operations in 2012.
In happier, more generous times, car buyers had their choice of Tracker or Sidekick, depending on which dealer was closer to home.
Staying on track
Both the Tracker and the Sidekick were available in 4WD, riding on a stout, capable ladder-frame chassis and featuring a two-speed transfer case for rock-crawling duties. Beginning in 1992, both could also be bought in a simpler, more fuel-efficient RWD form. That is kind of the worst of both worlds, as they suffered the same punishing truck-like ride as their 4WD brethren, but lacked almost all of their off-road prowess.
Regardless of that demerit, keeping this Tracker on the road should prove fun enough, especially when the weather is nice, thanks to the collapsible top, making for fun-in-the-sun motoring. There’s not much to go wrong with it either, as it’s all very basic. It comes with a five-speed manual behind its 88-horsepower 1.6-liter four, as well as manual crank windows in the doors and a big ol’ piece of plastic staring out of the dash where the A/C button would be if it were a fancy enough vehicle to have that comfort.
According to the ad, this 143,000-mile Tracker has undergone significant work under the hood. Included in that work was a new timing belt and top end of the engine, along with new fluids and filters. A replacement windshield, new muffler, and an old-school tune-up round out the Tracker’s glow-up.
What a waste
This truck also looks very basic on the outside. The refrigerator-white paint and top make it look dull as dishwater, but are spruced up by a set of aftermarket alloys mounted with what look to be up-sized tires. Speaking of awkward proportions, the spare tire, mounted to the side-swinging rear door, is comically large for the truck.
Another bit of an unfashionable faux pas, this Tracker suffered a sizable dent in the off-side front fender, the result of an unfortunate encounter with what the ad describes as a Waste Management truck. The ad doesn’t give any word on whether an insurance claim has been submitted over the incident, or if the Tracker is being sold in as-is condition with the dent, leaving it up to the next owner to deal with.
On the plus side, the ad claims the truck to be rust-free and “One of the cleanest Trackers on the market right now.” The interior is clean, although there is a discrepancy between the upholstery on the front buckets and the back bench. There’s something embroidered on the headrests of the buckets that can’t quite be made out, but further indicates that they might not be the truck’s originals. Regardless, they are clean, as is the truck’s title.
Basic bucks
Being so basic means there’s not a lot going on with this Tracker, which is both a bonus and a rub. Aside from top-down motoring and easy parking owing to its old-school small size, that means it really shouldn’t come with a too-big price. At $4,500, we’ll now have to determine whether it is, in fact, right-priced. Keep in mind all the work under the hood, and whether that is countered by the dumb dent in the fender, and having to deal with the trash truck company to get that fixed.
What do you think? Is this basic beach buggy worth $4,500, dent and all? Or is that too much for too little?
You decide!
Wenatchee, Washington Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Fauxshizzle for the hookup!
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