Bought a 2014 Silverado Z71

[jcummins]

15k miles on a set of sparkplugs is nuts. I've gone 100k on a set with no noticable issues.

 

[Diamondpilot]

15k miles on a set of sparkplugs is nuts. I've gone 100k on a set with no noticable issues.

Not when they are fouled from oil burning at the rate of a quart per 600 miles.

I run plugs in all my others stuff for 100,000 miles or so.


Chris

 

[RollingsFarms]

I'm hoping they got the oil consumption figured out on the '14's and the "all new" engines. Guess I'll find out!

 

[Bob77064]

I bought a 2013 4x4 Silverado Z71 1500 crewcab truck last Memorial Day and am still liking it. Have not had a moments trouble with it.... yet. Does your truck have the 5.3L V8 with the AFM in it?? That engine has had some issues with excessive oil consumption in the past (google it). I don't know for sure that GM has totally fixed it as of 2014. I played it safe and bought a AFM disable module, so mine always runs in V8 mode. In theory I *shouldn't* have to worry about the excessive oil consumption issue.

Here's a pic of it the day I bought it:

View attachment 367806


Here's a picture of it now :thumbsup: :


View attachment 367807

kebo, that is a fine looking truck.

 

[CHDinCT]

Not when they are fouled from oil burning at the rate of a quart per 600 miles.

I run plugs in all my others stuff for 100,000 miles or so.


Chris

Same issue on my 2008 Accord V6 with AFM. First set of plugs went 30K, next set about 15K, next 5K miles. Burned over a quart of oil every thousand miles. Honda finally replaced the rings on 3 cylinders (assume the ones that shut off). Hasn't burned any oil since - about another 5K miles; fingers crossed! I believe Honda fixed it under a class-action lawsuit settlement.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Same issue on my 2008 Accord V6 with AFM. First set of plugs went 30K, next set about 15K, next 5K miles. Burned over a quart of oil every thousand miles. Honda finally replaced the rings on 3 cylinders (assume the ones that shut off). Hasn't burned any oil since - about another 5K miles; fingers crossed! I believe Honda fixed it under a class-action lawsuit settlement.

I spoke with a high level Ford executive about 7 years ago about AFM. We manufactured car windows and I had him on our corporate jet a dozen times or so. He was in the top 10 there.

At the time I thought it was a good idea and was disappointed Ford had not adapted it. He told me "you don't want AFM". He said they had tested it extensively and there were too many issues associated to go that route at the time. He said they had exciting new engines in the works that would change things. I know now what he meant with the Eco Boost, ect.

I am thankful I have never owned a vehicle with AFM. Things would have to seriously change for me to ever consider one.

Chris

 

[Green Power]

So now that you have had the truck for two weeks how do you like it?

 

[RollingsFarms]

So now that you have had the truck for two weeks how do you like it?

Still lovin' it! I have put 1,100 miles on it in 2 weeks. Been doing a ton of driving lately so the miles have been racking up. My best mileage so far is 22.1 per the DIC and hand calculated at 21.8 so not too far off. I have been averaging 18-19 so far. I mostly do mixed driving on roads that are 55mph and I usually run 60.

I think the power of this 5.3 feels about the same as the 5.0 in the F-150's I drove(both engines are very strong and seem to like to rev but the power is there). Ford's transmission seemed to shift a bit smoother then this Silverado though. Not sure if it needs more time to break in or what. It's not nearly as bad as the Ram I had as a rental for 4 days though! Man that thing shifted all the time it seemed like and the HEMI felt strong, but no more stronger then the 5.3 or the 5.0. I also confirmed that I absolutely despise coil suspension on a truck after driving the Ram. Back to the Silverado though. I don't know if it's me or what but this '14 doesn't seem to ride as smooth as my '04 and my '11 that I had. It's not bad, but it's not buttery smooth like Chevrolet has a reputation for when it comes to superior ride. Truth be told, the FX4 seemed to ride a bit better then this Z71 and that's something I would have never expected.

You know how they say the AFM is seemless when switching from V8 to V4 mode? Well, it's not, there's a slight hesitation when it switches. It's hard to explain but it IS noticeable. I'm not sure if that's normal or not but I'll get them to look at it when I take it in for service in a few thousand miles. I can't be without my truck right now and it's not a real big issue, just something I noticed. The truck feels bigger then any 1/2 Silverado I've ever owned but it doesn't drive like it. Very nimble and not clumsy at all, easy to maneuver, this new power steering is great!

Haven't had a chance to really tow anything with the truck yet but the brakes are a HUGE improvement. My 2004's felt like they were too small for the truck and my 2011's were ok but these are much better.

Still haven't figured out the Mylink radio yet. Need to read the manual. It's easy to navigate around and all but I just haven't messed with it. The new interior lighting is a big improvement as well. I will say that I've been reading and hearing about people complaining about the seats being uncomfortable. Matter of fact when I was at the Toyota dealership getting my mom's Camry serviced for her, I noticed there was a 2014 Z71 parked in the back that someone had traded in. It was a fully loaded model too, leather, sunroof, the whole 9 yards. I asked a salesman what the story was on that truck and he said the guy traded it in on a Tundra after only 7,000 miles because he was complaining about the seats being uncomfortable. Now, mine has the cloth and the one's I've been seeing complaints about were the leather so maybe that's it. I did sit in some trucks with leather when I bought mine and they seemed to be just as comfortable as my cloth seats. I just don't like leather being that I live in SC.

 

[timswi]

Still lovin' it! I have put 1,100 miles on it in 2 weeks. Been doing a ton of driving lately so the miles have been racking up. My best mileage so far is 22.1 per the DIC and hand calculated at 21.8 so not too far off. I have been averaging 18-19 so far. I mostly do mixed driving on roads that are 55mph and I usually run 60.

I think the power of this 5.3 feels about the same as the 5.0 in the F-150's I drove(both engines are very strong and seem to like to rev but the power is there). Ford's transmission seemed to shift a bit smoother then this Silverado though. Not sure if it needs more time to break in or what. It's not nearly as bad as the Ram I had as a rental for 4 days though! Man that thing shifted all the time it seemed like and the HEMI felt strong, but no more stronger then the 5.3 or the 5.0. I also confirmed that I absolutely despise coil suspension on a truck after driving the Ram. Back to the Silverado though. I don't know if it's me or what but this '14 doesn't seem to ride as smooth as my '04 and my '11 that I had. It's not bad, but it's not buttery smooth like Chevrolet has a reputation for when it comes to superior ride. Truth be told, the FX4 seemed to ride a bit better then this Z71 and that's something I would have never expected.

You know how they say the AFM is seemless when switching from V8 to V4 mode? Well, it's not, there's a slight hesitation when it switches. It's hard to explain but it IS noticeable. I'm not sure if that's normal or not but I'll get them to look at it when I take it in for service in a few thousand miles. I can't be without my truck right now and it's not a real big issue, just something I noticed. The truck feels bigger then any 1/2 Silverado I've ever owned but it doesn't drive like it. Very nimble and not clumsy at all, easy to maneuver, this new power steering is great!

Haven't had a chance to really tow anything with the truck yet but the brakes are a HUGE improvement. My 2004's felt like they were too small for the truck and my 2011's were ok but these are much better.

Still haven't figured out the Mylink radio yet. Need to read the manual. It's easy to navigate around and all but I just haven't messed with it. The new interior lighting is a big improvement as well. I will say that I've been reading and hearing about people complaining about the seats being uncomfortable. Matter of fact when I was at the Toyota dealership getting my mom's Camry serviced for her, I noticed there was a 2014 Z71 parked in the back that someone had traded in. It was a fully loaded model too, leather, sunroof, the whole 9 yards. I asked a salesman what the story was on that truck and he said the guy traded it in on a Tundra after only 7,000 miles because he was complaining about the seats being uncomfortable. Now, mine has the cloth and the one's I've been seeing complaints about were the leather so maybe that's it. I did sit in some trucks with leather when I bought mine and they seemed to be just as comfortable as my cloth seats. I just don't like leather being that I live in SC.

I had a 2014 Sierra SLE Z71 loaner when I had some warranty work done on my 2013...Overall, I liked the 2014. The seating was very comfortable although I sat lower in the truck than I'm used to, I acclimated to it..The ride was fantastic and the lack of wind noise was incredible even at 80 MPH. I really have no idea how someone could trade one of these due to comfort. I have to admit, I had to adjust to my 2013 Denali when I got it back...

The whole radio thing takes a while to get used to but after a few days it became second nature..All of the LED lighting is pretty nice. I give the 2014 GM trucks a B+. They did a nice job. I could certainly see buying the new gen when the time comes.

 

[TCowner]

I picked up my 2014 Z71 Silverado this past Monday after I returned my 2011 F150 which had been leased. The Silverado is a nice truck and like the cab better than the F150. The Silverado is easier to get in and out of as well. But, the 5.3 is no match for the ecoboost. Don't get me wrong, the 5.3 is smooth and steady but just doesn't have the "kick" of the ecoboost. I only have about 130 miles on the new truck so I need to give it a little time.

Ford probably oversells the fuel mileage capabilities of the ecoboost but with respect to power its quite an engine. I only had just over 42,000 miles when I returned the F150 so I can't attest to the longevity of the engine. But for towing and "fun" driving the ecoboost is the real deal. Again, I'm not saying I am disappointed with the performance of the 5.3 Chevrolet but compared to the ecoboost it is just a little less satisfying.

 

[Green Power]

i think it is time for a 7 month update.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Wow has it already been that long?? Doesn't feel like it. I'm still loving the truck, the honeymoon phase hasn't worn off yet. I only have 9,000 miles on it right now(yeah I know, but this thing really is used for farm work and short trips between my two farms so doesn't have many miles put on it). I have had about 3 recalls so far and have to take it in for two more, waiting on my 10,000 mile service to do everything at once. I honestly haven't had a single issue except for the loose front seat that is pretty common I hear. Never had to take it back for any issue that couldn't wait. I'm not experiencing any of the other issues I've read about, just the loose seat and it's not really that loose but you do sorta notice it.

Truck gets awesome gas mileage and also tows like a dream. Best mpg I've gotten was 24 and I usually average about 20/21. Heaviest I've towed is only 4500# though so far. I still plan on putting on a leveling kit and 275/70/18 tires sometime because the stock tires make the truck vibrate.

I'm very happy I bought this truck and would do it again, except maybe get white this time over black.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Oh and also if you are considering one of these trucks be aware of the headlight issue GMC owners are having. They have terrible lighting apparently, thankfully mine isn't affected since its a Silverado and an LT model. Also don't waste your time driving a truck with 3.08 gears, you won't save hardly any fuel and performance suffers greatly. If you leave your trailer hitch in all the time it will rattle and you'll swear it's the truck, it's not, it's the hitch. I've never had a truck do that before and it can be annoying as all heck.

 

[RollingsFarms]

 

[ruffdog]

Oh and also if you are considering one of these trucks be aware of the headlight issue GMC owners are having. They have terrible lighting apparently, thankfully mine isn't affected since its a Silverado and an LT model. Also don't waste your time driving a truck with 3.08 gears, you won't save hardly any fuel and performance suffers greatly. If you leave your trailer hitch in all the time it will rattle and you'll swear it's the truck, it's not, it's the hitch. I've never had a truck do that before and it can be annoying as all heck.

The newer Ford and GM trucks have a looser receiver than the older trucks. I made a shim from a flattened licence plate because it is the perfect thickness and easy to work with. You must really flatten it, and make a angle piece that is only on 2 sides of the insert. Drill a hole for the pin and your done.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not to stir the pot but just take the hitch out?

It's really had 5 recalls? I'm glad they are fixing them but that would worry me about long term build quality. I can see 1 or 2, but 5....

Chris

 

[RollingsFarms]

Not to stir the pot but just take the hitch out? It's really had 5 recalls? I'm glad they are fixing them but that would worry me about long term build quality. I can see 1 or 2, but 5.... Chris

I rarely take it out because the moment I do I'll need it. It doesn't constantly rattle but you can hear it shifting sometimes if you turn or something.

It's had recalls for stupid stuff, I guess because it was one of the early built ones. Things like some line on the transmission might be loose (mine wasn't), some 4wd dash sensor thing (mine wasn't affected either but they still changed it), some airbag sensor that's affecting a lot of cars right now(gotta take it in for that), loose seat recall(has this too), and I forgot what the other one was. There's a website you can type in your vin and see if a recall affects your truck or not theough GM and I've missed most of the main ones. Trust me when I say that by this time I already could tell my 2011 was going to be a pos. This truck seems like it should hold up fine but who knows what lies ahead. Might be famous for bad dashes and ball joints going out prematurely like all the 03-07's.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Oh and I had to have my computer reflashed during a recall because of updates or something. That one reflash took about an hour and a half just for that.

 

[ruffdog]

Not to stir the pot but just take the hitch out?
Chris

I take the hitch insert out when not in use. The shim is to keep it from clucking when towing.

 

[Panik]

Oh and also if you are considering one of these trucks be aware of the headlight issue GMC owners are having. They have terrible lighting apparently, thankfully mine isn't affected since its a Silverado and an LT model.

I can't speak for everyone's '14 Sierra, however on mine the headlights were adequate - not great, and not horrible. I swapped the stock HIR-2 55w bulbs for HIR-1 65w bulbs and saw enough of an improvement to be happy with my current setup. I also know of a couple folks who have had to adjust the aim point on their lights up a touch. GM definitely could have done a better job on the Sierra's lights though.

Anyways, glad your still enjoying your truck RollingFarms. Hope the honeymoon phase doesn't wear off. I love mine for what I use it for. It's pretty much become my mobile office.