other owners thoughts of the chevy silverado 1500

[simoutdoors]

I have a 2008 Z71 crew cab 5.3L that I bought new. Hate it! Engine has terrible lifter noise, burns a qt every 3,000 miles, heat is non existent on cold days, broke leaf springs, electrical issues...dealer is no help. This truck is gently used because most days it only hauls me 12 miles to work and my daughters home at the end of the day. Given how short the bed is on the crew cab, cant really load too much in it. It does tow my landscape trailer a couple times a month with my Kubota BX or loads of landscape materials, but it should be tough enough for this duty...

 

[bdeboer]

I noticed the lint thing in my 2007 gmc. I use my wifes laundry lint roller thing 3 or 4 times a year on the seats. I was lead to belive by several people that I was the only one in the world with the problem. I don't know where all the lint comes from.

The 08 diesel we have has this problem also, must have got used to it after 5 years.

 

[ncnurseryman]

So far the truck is okay. I do hear a clunk in rear, driveshaft or rear end. I heard there is a fix for that but is nothing more than packing in grease. Apparently the rear end clunk is "normal" for chevys based on some other info I read on Chevy forums. I don't know, I don't like it. Usually happen when turning a corner and transmission is inbetween a couple of the lower gears. Can't seem to get the interior dome light to turn off if I set it to come on when opening the door and I have the headlights on auto but what's weird is when I I put it in park the light go off. Then when I turn off the truck the lights come back on and then upon opening the door they go off again. Strange.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

I have a 1995 GMC K2500 Z-71 5.7 auto 4x4 extended cab I bought new and now has 218,000 miles the truck has been used as a truck it's whole life has hauled everything from gravel to my girls piano and I have never been stuck or broke down yet ! I've done all the service myself and IMO it's one of the best trucks ever made ! just because they make a new model does not mean it's a better truck I see more than a few of these trucks still running around town and they still look good to me , It's just like any other tool if you take care of them and don't beat them they will last forever .

 

[ncnurseryman]

That's a good load in there. What size motor you running?

 

[Toyboy]

I looked for over a year to find my '05 Z-71 Off Road extended cab. I wanted a lower mileage used one, and up here in N Wisc that's darn impossible. Most trucks that are 2-3 yr old are pushing 98k plus.
So finally I found just what I was looking for (in '08) with 49k on it. The Z-71 package with 5.3, towing pkg and several other goodies for $19,500! This was at the time where dealers just wanted to move their vehicles and I had cash.

After I had put about 3k on it the trans went out in 3rd gear. That surprised me because I'd had all the fluids changed after I got it and there was no sign of trouble. Apparently a solenoid hung between shifts or something and that's what caused the problem. Go that fixed and it's been virtually trouble free since then (I know I just jinxed myself).
I'll get 19.5 on hwy and 16 generally, but no one buys a full size truck for mileage. Don't burn a drop of oil (Mobil 1). I did replace the shocks this spring now that it has 82k on it. Honestly, if I knew I was going to like it as much as I do I would have looked at new.