Looking at Chevy Duramax Diesel

[87 national]

2006 Chevy Silverado Duramax Diesel
Anybody have good luck with these trucks? How about bad?

 

[casper]

270000 and still going strong

 

[Rivical]

My FIL (RIP) had one. He had trouble with the rear brake caliper slide's freezing up, but that was all. The inside pads wore down too quick. Of course then, the cheap (top-of-the-line) Autozone replacement pads had to be ground to fit into the caliper's also.

Aside from that single issue in his 3+yrs of ownership it was trouble-free in hauling everything from his 32' camper, to the 13,000lb. backhoe on it's equally massive trailer, etc....

His was a GMC 2500 4x4.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Of the big 3 that's the only 1 I'd buy.
My 2001 had the famous trans leak, but gave me no other problems....

 

[Rubicon 327]

Have an 07 GMC and with only 29k and I have had no problems other than a defective oil pan that was replaced under warranty. It was leaving a half dollar size spot of oil on the floor at around 25k.Your 06 should be an LBZ motor which is a good one.

I love the truck!

This is one excellent place for info Diesel Place - Duramax Diesel Discussion Forums


Good Luck!

 

[jpratt]

I have a 06 with 55k. I run PPE programmer set at level three and this thing it awesome. I also have a 06 Cummins and the Chevy is a MUCH MUCH better truck.

 

[NCTURBOS]

I also have a 06 Cummins and the Chevy is a MUCH MUCH better truck.

Please explain?? I'm thinking of trading my '02 Cummins for a '03-'06 Cummins.

TurboIndian has a higher mileage '06 LBZ that he uses for a hot-shot truck for his hauling business, maybe he'll chime in. I know he's had many more issues with it compared to what has been discussed in this thread so far...


K.

 

[HighPSI]

I have an 07 LBZ. The only problem I've had was the factory idler arms. They tend to bend with 500hp 4 wheel drive launches I have also had LLY and LB7 Duramax's. I did go through a couple turbo's on my '03 before I sold it.

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

I have an 07 LBZ. The only problem I've had was the factory idler arms. They tend to bend with 500hp 4 wheel drive launches I have also had LLY and LB7 Duramax's. I did go through a couple turbo's on my '03 before I sold it.

Who tuned it

 

[hungerbuhler1]

I had 02 only put 2 batteries in it and no problems at all sold it with 190k miles. Just put 2 batteries and brake pads on my 05 with 160k on it and no other problems. I have a couple powerstrokes with tons of issues and had cummins that didnt make it past 30k without tranny problems. Go get a duramax!

 

[Black3]

I've got an 06 3500 LBZ. Bought it new, it's got 70k now. 1 glow plug, and 2 tranny lines leaked so I had custom ones made. It's my second Duramax and there is nothing on the market that I would want to sell it for.

 

[jpratt]

Please explain?? I'm thinking of trading my '02 Cummins for a '03-'06 Cummins.

TurboIndian has a higher mileage '06 LBZ that he uses for a hot-shot truck for his hauling business, maybe he'll chime in. I know he's had many more issues with it compared to what has been discussed in this thread so far...


K.

The Chevy FEELS like it had more power and better highway manors even before I added the tuner. The Cummins has close to 160k and we have put a ton of cash into it this year. The seats in the Dodge are hard and the Chevy are soft and comfortable. The The Cummins rattles a lot more and is a lot noisier at idle, cruise speed and really loud under load. The back seat of the Dodge is very uncomfortable for anything other than a 10 year kid. The back of the Chevy is very roomy.

 

[87 national]

Mpg

What type of mpg you guys getting on daily driver just curious.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

I have had 2 LB7 Duramax's (01 and 03), and wouldn't want anything else. I have a friend with an 03, one with an 04.5 LLY, and my Dad had an 02. No problems, other than keeping tires on the back of them. My 03 2500 4x4 got 18mpg in the city, high of 20, my 01 3500 dually 4x4 gets 15mpg no matter what I do.

 

[88ZNX]

my 05 GMC LLY has 140k and kickin everyday. LOVE this truck. it has lived with a 5th wheel behind it its whole life and I service everything on time and it's only been in the shop a few times. nothing major. Still havent done a brake job yet!!!

 

[HighPSI]

Who tuned it

LOL! I was stacking boxes. The stock LB7 turbo will come apart around 37-38 psi

 

[Black3]

What type of mpg you guys getting on daily driver just curious.

My 06 3500 with 285s is averaging 18, mostly highway. Not bad but, my 03 with a stick got 23 highway.

 

[jpratt]

Hard to tell MPG for me, I always have my foot in it. LOL

 

[randyp83]

I borrowed my uncle's 07 Durumax to pull my GN from one shop to another shop. I was going 60 mph with the cruise loaded and unloaded. Then I set the cruise on 70mph loaded on the interstate. All together it got 14.5 MPG. There was alot of stoplights too! I was impressed!

 

[ijames]

I've logged 46000 miles on my 05 extended cab short bed 2wd 2500HD, absolutely bone stock, and the average so far is 18.3 mpg. About 3/4 in town (my commute is 2.4 miles one way, one stop sign and six stoplights ) so it never warms up most days unless I go somewhere after work. Two summers ago when diesel was over $4/gal I made two trips to OH from MD (Columbus and Newark, about 420-450 miles one way so one tank of fuel there, one back) to watch Buick racing. On any uphill I was in the truck lane doing 45, and I tried to never go over 60 on the flat. Got 21.9, 23.2, 22, and 22.9 mpg, and I don't see how I could have done better. Above 60 mph I lose about 1-2 mpg per 5 mph, down to about 17-18 mph at 80 mph, so it just depends how much you want to spend . Worst tank dogging it around town was 14 mpg. Had the infamous steering sector clunk fixed under warranty, and a couple of injector connectors also burned up and were fixed under warranty. Only towed once so far, a 68 Mustang on an open trailer without brakes, and I couldn't tell it was back there without looking in the mirror. Didn't go far enough to check the mileage. Just had to buy two batteries, and will probably need new tires next spring or summer. I love it!