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started window shopping for a truck

what do you have

  • gas

    Votes: 6 40.0%

  • diesel

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Ford

    Votes: 3 20.0%

  • Chevy

    Votes: 5 33.3%

  • GMC

    Votes: 3 20.0%

  • Toyota

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Nissan

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Ram

    Votes: 3 20.0%

  • Honda Ridgeline, is this a truck..???

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    15
kboomarang said:
I really think GM's sweet spot is between 1995 and 2006, they had the most reliable motors, easy to do repairs on, not overly computerized or engineered, they're my go to even if it's takes me months to find a clean low miler.
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You mean a red low miler....:1036316054:
 
kboomarang said:
I really think GM's sweet spot is between 1995 and 2006, they had the most reliable motors, easy to do repairs on, not overly computerized or engineered, they're my go to even if it's takes me months to find a clean low miler.
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GM started production of the LS engine in 99. Some of the earlier production that year had the 5.7 engines. 96 through early 99 had the 5.7 with the 'Spider fuel injection' system. 88 through 95 had the 5.7 engine with the simple 'throttle body' fuel injection & roller lifters. The LS engines through 2006 & the early model 2007 'Classic' versions did not have 'Active fuel management'. The 'classic' 2007 models looked like 96 models, the later body style 2007 had 'Active fuel management' except the 4.8 engines which never had it. One of my sons has a later style 2007 with a 4.8 as does my 2012 Silverado. The fuel mileage on the 4.8 is good & I think power & torque is close to the 5.3 engines without the engine going from 8 to 4 cylinders under light load & back to 8 when more power is needed.
Good luck finding one that is affordable. Older pickups are bringing a premium price in this area. Fortunately in this state personal property taxes on older vehicles are much lower than newer models.
 
DCM_Doc said:
The mid year 99 to 2006 GM trucks, Tahoes & Suburbans, are among the best trucks ever built. The engines do not have the 'Active Fuel Management' feature as do the 2007 & later 5.3 engines. I have a 2012 Silverado with the 4.8 eight cylinder which never had the cylinder cutout as did the 5.3. I think the last year for the 4.8 was 2015.
However the active fuel management engines usually do well if the oil is changed regularly. Camshaft problems are common however if the engines are not maintained.
I have a relative who has a 2002 Suburban with the 5.3 & has over 700,000 miles on the original engine & at last report was still used everyday. I don't know of any of the 99-2006 trucks that did not give good service. A friend has a shop & he said owners of that group won't sell their trucks because most are still going strong.
I also have a 94 Silverado with 315,000 miles & still going. I have been contacted about selling it & almost did till I started looking at used trucks to replace it as a daily driver/loaner. I just may drive it another 20 years if I live that long.
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Ive had to replace the two sensors at the converter that tells the computer what to mix the fuel. When the sensors were bad, the computer rejected that ratio and opened the engine to what we call "Full Smoky Joe" here in the south. the spark plugs were soaked in unburned gasoline aggravated by a fuel filter approaching 30 years old. The damn thing is actually paper under pressure in that container and came out like mush. What the engine was trying to run on created misfiring across the entire thing. No wonder.

We were fully prepared to start at the filter and work up to a full spider replacement. But she ran MUCH better when the proper plugs (The correct heat range) were put in. She IS picky on her fuel ratio

Its not my favorite engine. But eh I learned so much. The engine I loved best was the little 351 ford winsdor with the dual holley pump and highrise with headers. It was bullet proof except for a minor rear main leak. I have a list of things to do on that Tahoe that will take about 9 months worth of shop work The main thing is that the 4x4 and so on works well enough considering what she has been through. I probably will not part with that thing for a million. But it is a love and hate relationship. Such a picky little expensive beeotch.
 
SMOKESTACK said:
2003 GMC Envoy , she's still my baby . 250 K miles , HOPE FOR 100 K more .
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I assume it has the 4.2 inline 6 cyl. My daughter in law had two of them. In an automotive magazine I saw one of the inline 4.2 engines installed in a 40's GM pickup with a software tune & handmade exhaust. It was different & pulled that pickup quite well. The inline engine looked like it belonged in place of the original inline engine.
 
Those little inlines can get away with so much. IF they are running well.

Its not my favorite format but its all there is. Most all trucks except one was inline in bigrigging. The exception was a Mack 500 Superliner with the V8 format engine which was diesel. I found out recently it was sent to the scrap yard and that's that for that one.

What a waste. It was a good truck.
 
Just found me a 2000 Excursion, 6.8 v10. It hates gas with a passion. If ya ain't careful, it'll suck gas from the car next to ya at the stoplight. And yes it'll burn them dollars in your pocket you thought you were saving, but she'll pull whatever you hang on her back, and still ride good.
 
I clean forgot, I don't drive much, maybe once every 6 weeks or so which really isn't good for a vehicle to sit. The last time I fueled, I made the mistake of going to a older gas station and took like 20 minutes to fill 24 gallons into the tank. Held half the county up.

The one I go to now kind of like a high strung horse. Hand them a 100 dollar prepay and start pumping maybe once every two years... they get nervous. I don't see why. I make a effort to keep it topped with fresh gas with constant 10's here and 20's there several times a year.

I am working on replacing all of the fluids (Axles, bearings checked and diffs along with transfer and transmission. Some of those fluids have either never been touched or has been neglected 10 years which could introduce other problems later. So I am trying to get ahead of it.

Some of the older trucks I have.. had the pleasure to drive included a 50's Dodge on a horse farm, three on tree. Fire that up twice daily to transfer horse waste and old straw up the hill. She started right up EVERY SINGLE TIME. I had my doubts.

One of the better old rigs Ive learned to trust was another 1955 dodge big V8 with a manual on the floor this time. It actually had a splitter, but forget if it was axle or trans. Its been decades. Anyway with that flatbed if I am not transferring hayrolls on the farm across the place I am hauling stone piles grossing 16000 pounds with it on state roads 10 miles from the company yard such as it is at the time. You would put the foot on the floor and wait until the engine started shaking, then took the next gear. And waited. At some point under that kind of load (Dually in the back) she maxed out maybe 40 or so. Allowances had to be paid for two stop lights. One on top of a upgrade and the other on a downgrade. Brakes? Erm... well... ha.

The smells and odors along with the behavior going through your body as you drove that thing told you how she was doing. If something was out of spec say coolant... you knew. And why and began to work with it. Get away with so much compared to the computer trucks. Just need a dab of oil, a bit of water (Wherever you can find it) and god knows what else.
 
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1984Sideways said:
I clean forgot, I don't drive much, maybe once every 6 weeks or so which really isn't good for a vehicle to sit. The last time I fueled, I made the mistake of going to a older gas station and took like 20 minutes to fill 24 gallons into the tank. Held half the county up.

The one I go to now kind of like a high strung horse. Hand them a 100 dollar prepay and start pumping maybe once every two years... they get nervous. I don't see why. I make a effort to keep it topped with fresh gas with constant 10's here and 20's there several times a year.

I am working on replacing all of the fluids (Axles, bearings checked and diffs along with transfer and transmission. Some of those fluids have either never been touched or has been neglected 10 years which could introduce other problems later. So I am trying to get ahead of it.

Some of the older trucks I have.. had the pleasure to drive included a 50's Dodge on a horse farm, three on tree. Fire that up twice daily to transfer horse waste and old straw up the hill. She started right up EVERY SINGLE TIME. I had my doubts.

One of the better old rigs Ive learned to trust was another 1955 dodge big V8 with a manual on the floor this time. It actually had a splitter, but forget if it was axle or trans. Its been decades. Anyway with that flatbed if I am not transferring hayrolls on the farm across the place I am hauling stone piles grossing 16000 pounds with it on state roads 10 miles from the company yard such as it is at the time. You would put the foot on the floor and wait until the engine started shaking, then took the next gear. And waited. At some point under that kind of load (Dually in the back) she maxed out maybe 40 or so. Allowances had to be paid for two stop lights. One on top of a upgrade and the other on a downgrade. Brakes? Erm... well... ha.

The smells and odors along with the behavior going through your body as you drove that thing told you how she was doing. If something was out of spec say coolant... you knew. And why and began to work with it. Get away with so much compared to the computer trucks. Just need a dab of oil, a bit of water (Wherever you can find it) and god knows what else.
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One of them every day acts different
 
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