thinking of getting a small blazer.   so are they a good vehicle?  what are the common issues with them?  

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/5187257563.html

I had an s10 blazer zr 2 for a couple years.  Pretty awesome off road.  I also spent an enormous amount of time and money on it.  Cooling systems are weak.  Suspension is weak (even had to get rear springs rearched).  You may encounter fuel pump and gauge issues, transmission Sun shell failure, limited slip axle failure, front axle engagement failures, heater system failure, wheel bearing failures, door hinge failure, and possibly some I forgot.  I put like four alternators on it, in twenty thousand miles.  What I listed were the most common issues I remembered.  Fuel spider and intake gaskets too. I also had to do oil cooler lines.  

It usually did very well off road.  Did anything a wrangler could, including emptying your pockets.

Typical GM stuff...The 4.3 is the best thing that ever came out of GM. Excellent motor. Sounds legit, If he accepts 2k, Doooo eeet.

Listen for a fuel pump whine.

Bought a one owner, low milage for its age, 1990 S10 Blazer for the oldest son this summer. Great first car, lots of power in the v6 4.3 for its size and stops good.
Nothing is expensive to work on and is simple to find parts. He has been doing brakes, oil change, suspension, etc. under supervision and has a better understanding of vehicles.

I would get another for his younger brother if I could. Good little suv.

This one was $1100, so could not pass it up.

Depends

A early TBI 2wd is as simple and easy to fix as they come

A later CPI 4.3 or worse yet a 4x4 is of the devil.

Expect lots of coolant issues and yearly ball joint replacement.  A 4x4 s series is one vehicle I will NEVER own again. There's literally NOTHING on one that's an easy repair. I personally wouldn't touch the pos you linked to with a 20' pole. The only way I'd take a chance on it was if it was $500 with the understanding that the first thing that goes wrong I run it across the scales

I loved the 4x4 I had with the 4.3 and dual straight pipes, but damn it ate transmissions at 30k intervals like clockwork.  I have never hated and loved a vehicle like that one. It ended up being towed to its next owner.
 

I had a 92 CPI blazer that had so many injection/egr and electrical issues, in my 36 years I could say it was the worst vehicle I've owned.

I had faith in chevy though and my 01 tahoe 5.3 has been solid and we got a 2013 5.3 silveraydo now also.
I know a guy with a late 80's TBI S10 truck and its still running today as a small farm vehicle the last 10 years.

Do they use road salt in that area?  Fuel and brakeline rot along the drivers side frame rail is a big issue with them around here.

I've seen a few lose engines from oil cooler lines blowing off also.

I personally hate the little bastards.  We've scrapped many of them due to shot engines.

I bought a 160,000 mile '96 for my son. It was a 2WD, but like the dumbass he can be, he took it off roading.  Beat the shit out of it and it died in short order. I will say, do not buy any repair parts for these GM's at Advance Auto.  I went through 2 water pumps that kept blowing out the gaskets between the block and the pump until I noticed the mounting ears on the pump are not flat.
Also, brake booster went out and the Advance replacement lasted 6 weeks. Along with Alternators. Only thing that did not die before the truck did was the replacement fuel pump I had to install in the dead of winter.

If you're not afraid of mileage which based on that link, you're not.  You need to skip the "cheap small trucks" as there's a reason they were cheap new as posters above have mentioned.  They were not built to last outside of the engine and sometimes the transmissions.

For the exact same money you can get him a much more reliable, much easier and cheaper to repair full size.  Not to mention it will be a hell of a lot safer.  

Here's what I'd look at

GMT400 style
96-00 Tahoe / Yukon
96-98 K1500 Silverado / Sierra with 5.7 Vortec

GMT800 style
02-06 Tahoe / Yukon
02-06 Silverado / Sierra

(99-01s they were working out bugs, but 02+ will be ok.  Of course you'll see when you get past 03 they get a lot more expensive)

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/5201608268.html  - there ya go.........

I have a lot of friends who used them and went wheeling with them. If you are truly dedicated to nit picky little maintenance things, it will treat you right. I am not a fan of the way they look. But, they work.