GM Quality...

[NCTURBOS]

Just a short story on our Parts Dept. delivery truck...

It's a 2002 C1500 regular cab, with the 5.3L/4L60e drivetrain. The truck is about to turn 299k miles on the odometer, and let me tell you they are hard miles. Most of the people who have driven this truck didn't take too much care of it since it isn't their own vehicle.

Well, we had to replace the starter yesterday... For the very first time!! It still has the original coils and wires. The plugs have only been changed once. The intake has been re-sealed once, otherwise the engine has been untouched!! We're on our 3rd transmission, but that is because of a front-end collision that broke a cooler line and the driver continued to run the truck emptying out the fluid on the street.

I'd have to say this has been one fine truck. We wouldn't trade it for any other make or model!! So to all who think GM/domestic vehicles are inferior quality, here's one for you...


K.

 

[turbofish38]

I have plenty of stories about some former delivery trucks just like yours. Just once I'd love to read some stories about the Toyota parts department trucks. Oh wait. That might be some time in the making. I had to laugh about the Toyota dealer across the road from me when I worked at a dealer. The Tundra had been out for a long time and they were still using a 3 year old Chevy we sold them. The driver always told us that the Tundra was such a hot seller that they wouldn't lose money by letting the parts dept have one. Funny. They had a hundred of them sitting on the lot. I always told the dude it was okay to drive a Chevy that way nobody would call him a posuer.

Yeah what's always funny is that you'll see a 50 year old domestic at a car show but never a 50 year old Asian import. Didn't Toyota just celebrate 50 years in America? Yeah I know those cars have been rebuilt and restored but that is my point. Even taking the mass produced numbers into consideration there is a larger percentage of domestic iron still running compared to the imports. Heritage my friends. Something the imports have little of.

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

We had a 1/2 ton 4wd at our JD Dealership that started out as a sales pickup, then went to parts, then went to service as a back up.... we used that truck like a 3/4 ton when we had to.... Beat the **** out of it....... still going strong at the store with 245k on it.... but they said the cruise quit working

I think it was a 99.... first year for the 5.3... maybe a 2000 dont remember... it would rap the RPM's fast versuses our old 350's:wink:

 

[aminga]

We had a 1/2 ton 4wd at our JD Dealership that started out as a sales pickup, then went to parts, then went to service as a back up.... we used that truck like a 3/4 ton when we had to.... Beat the **** out of it....... still going strong at the store with 245k on it.... but they said the cruise quit working

I think it was a 99.... first year for the 5.3... maybe a 2000 dont remember... it would rap the RPM's fast versuses our old 350's:wink:

Only problem with a 99 is the Tranny. 97-2000 ( I think) had the TCC solenoid riding in an AL valve body. It WOuld wear the VB and the tranny would start to slip. Fixed 6 years ago. No problems since.

143K Miles now on mine and since GM postponed the 1/2 ton diesel I'm keeping it for a while.

 

[Roc87]

My father has a '91 Chevy conversion van and has used that thing to pull all kinds of stuff. Most recent is an enclosed trailer that must weigh 3k by itself, hauls his '57 chevy (HEAVY) and other hot rods around. He treats it almost as if it is a company vehicle. Plugs/cap/rotor have been done once. Never had a diff or tranny service. I had to put air shocks on the back to level out the back because of that heavy trailer, the ones replaced were stock. I think he's done a starter once and it needs a radiator, but he just adds to it. It has 170k miles! I really HATE foreign car owners saying how many miles they have put on their cars, most don't work 'em like rentals either.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

It is not uncommon at least in my area to see older Chevy trucks for sale with 150,000 plus miles on them. They seem to be bullet proof as mentioned above.
I have one of the rare sport blazers 2 door, full size doesn't even look like it has been sat in has 153,000 miles on it. No rust. Very very comfortable truck.

You know I must like it as my buddies rib me for having such an old vehicle with so many miles on it.

My other winter vehicle is a 97 Riv supercharged it has 145,000 on it one owner good enough to enter into any car show.

As for Erics remark about foreign vehicles 50 years old at shows your rite one reason is, 50 years ago not many were coming into the states as of yet.

Not wanting to stir the pot, but proper maintanance can go a long way. Some Volvos and Saab and Honda can go the distance as well as others....

But in the scheme of things Chevy trucks for sure with little care as long as it has not been attacked by rust can easily go into triple digits.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

The problem is when you go to sell one of these high mileage vehicles trade value is next to nothing no matter how prestine it looks.

 

[V8Assassin]

My 05 duramax just hit 100k, only major repair has been a transfer case. I plan on getting at least 250k out of her!!! Has a banks pda programmer on it, and slightly larger than stock tires. No emissions check here, so I run an open dp. To say I have been tough on this truck would be a huge understatement. It has seen it's share of rough times. I have had it buried on more than one occassion and don't take it easy pulling other things (like tractors and stuff) out of a jam. My only regret has been not getting the one ton!

 

[Freight Train]

silverado

my 2004 silverado was untouched at 70k..tires and battery thats it...
i have always owned chevrolets and would have kept it but wanted a suv
the dealer said "why are you trading such a nice truck"..30k in one year on the trailblazer and NO problems...thanks Chevrolet...i would NEVER buy a non GM vehicle....

 

[GNTIM]

I bought my 2005 Silverado 1/2 ton, 4.3, short cab and an 8 foot bed brand new. It's my work truck and my commuter vehicle for 50% of my driving time. It's a generic white truck with 2 options: H/D suspension and auto trans. 80,000 miles and no real problems yet. Still has the original front brake pads. I am going to keep this thing till it breaks alot, or it looks really bad

 

["Turbo-T"]

Everyone I know considers the S-10's to be junk. I happen to have one with 183k on it, still runs good, does leak a little oil and a little coolant but the engine still runs like a top. All i've had to do is change the oil, tune it up twice, replace one starter and a water pump around the 140k mile marker, new alternator at 170k and a new radiator at 172k. Clutch has over 110k on it, the 2.8 in it has never been opened up, neither has the T-5 in it. Mind you I've not exactly babied them either.

I think what gave GM a bad rap was the Vega, followed by the Chevette, followed by the new X body cars in 1980 (Citation, Phoenix, Omega, Skylark) then followed by the rest of the FWD GM cars.

 

[SloGN]

at work we have a 02 chevy silverado standard cab long bed with a eagle lift gate on the back with 1/8 inch galvanized steel in the floor of the bed. We move video games, jukesboxes and heavy ass 7,8 or 9 ft pool tables just about everyday with this truck and it has just turned 103k and just started to hear the brake wear tabs starting to scrub. i beat the crap out of it all the time and it still knocks down 19 mpg when loaded out the ass. gotta love those 5.3's

i just hope my 06 z71 is just a good of truck it's only got 26k on it rite now. so far the only issue it has had is the steering shaft rattles. The man reason i got it is towing and rough winter driving( not used much in nc ) it has the all alum h.o. 5.3 in it.

 

[Turbo Indian]

longest lasting truck was my co. 93 chevy dually. 306K on an unopened 454! now it did have 3 tranny, 2 rear ends, & other countless bolt ons, ps pump, alt, & so on. when I left I wanted to buy the truck but they said no. well about after 1 year after I left they had an auction & the truck sold for $50.

 

[Slow91z]

99 1500 Z71 5.3/4l60 with 180,xxx, hauled MANY a trailer some quite a bit heavier than they should have been.

Blew the rear end out a couple of months ago (gov-loc rear end GM's big mistake on these trucks), other than that nothing but tires, brakes, and oil, going for 200k before I change the plugs.

 

[Whipplecharged]

my 01' silverado has about 115K miles now and about 50k have been supercharged. i swear this thing won't die, it's even rocking the original brake pads with plenty left on them

 

[vicious6]

Just a short story on our Parts Dept. delivery truck...

It's a 2002 C1500 regular cab, with the 5.3L/4L60e drivetrain. The truck is about to turn 299k miles on the odometer, and let me tell you they are hard miles. Most of the people who have driven this truck didn't take too much care of it since it isn't their own vehicle.

Well, we had to replace the starter yesterday... For the very first time!! It still has the original coils and wires. The plugs have only been changed once. The intake has been re-sealed once, otherwise the engine has been untouched!! We're on our 3rd transmission, but that is because of a front-end collision that broke a cooler line and the driver continued to run the truck emptying out the fluid on the street.

I'd have to say this has been one fine truck. We wouldn't trade it for any other make or model!! So to all who think GM/domestic vehicles are inferior quality, here's one for you...


K.

Screw imports, Real Americans by the same. I have never driven an import and have never regretted it one time. Let the flaming begin.