Previous generation GM trucks vs current GM and Tundra

[Monster5601]

We have an '07 Silverado NBS 1500 4.8L 4x4 ext. cab 6.5' bed which we bought used in early 2013 with 65k mi. We (wife and I) have not been particularly impressed with this truck.

I drove a 2003 Tahoe Z71 for ten years and 300,000 miles with out issues except for scheduled maintenance. When it came time to replace the wife's vehicle, she chose a 2008 Tahoe LTZ. It was a moving disaster and the result of GM's cost cutting efforts, simply a piece of GM junk. I could go on all day about the issues but let me sum it up by saying the issues spanned from a wire harnesses falling on wheel and wearing through on a trip leaveing us stranded to rear hatch control module issues.

I switched over to RAM and now drive a 2013 RAM 1500 and a 2015 3500, so far, I'm impressed with both and haven't had any issues with either. After the way the 2008 Tahoe treated us and poor support from Chevy, I'll not go back to GM.

 

[wawajake]

I had two Dodge Rams, and the last one I had to get rid of because of phantom electrical problems. My 2014 GMC has been fantastic. I will stick with GM now I think for the next one .
As the original poster can see everyone thinks theirs is the best, quite frankly all three manufacturers and even Toyota and Nissan now, make decent trucks, your chances of getting a lemon in any of them are about the same. How you treat your truck and how you maintain it seems to be the key.

 

[firemech]

Have owned them all. Loved the early 80's GM's, hated the late 80's Fords, will never own a Dodge again. Had good luck with Nissan Diesels, and thirty years of Toyota's. Currently own a 2008 F250 6.4 diesel and a 2011 Tundra extra cab with 5.7 engine. Haul boats all day long and they both preform well (for now). My belief is they are all great when working,,,, and all a piece of junk when they are not.

 

[ProjectKing]

We have an '07 Silverado NBS 1500 4.8L 4x4 ext. cab 6.5' bed which we bought used in early 2013 with 65k mi. I am meticulous when it comes to maintaining my equipment mechanically and cosmetically. This vehicle was very clean and appeared to be well maintained. We (wife and I) have not been particularly impressed with this truck. The 4.8L is pretty anemic, particularly when towing or hauling, although this is not the fault of the truck, as the 5.3 was an option and probably would have better suited us. While the seats and ride are generally quite comfortable, we seem to be fixing something all the time. We've replaced the front brakes twice, back brakes once, one front hub/bearing assembly, all four ball joints, power steering cooler and lines, fuel pump/filter/gasket assembly, air bag sensor, tire pressure sensors, leaf spring (broken), brake pedal switch, radiator (crack in plastic), fuel cap, exhaust hanger, and front door speakers. The dimpled nut came off the passengers side tie-rod end a couple of weeks ago and made for a wild ride (luckily I was driving and not my wife with the horse trailer attached), so we replaced both tie rod ends and had the front shocks replaced too, followed by an alignment. This is all in addition to PM that we've had done including changing fluid in the front/rear diffs, x-fer case, transmission, new plugs, wires, etc. around 100k mi. The latch for the upper glove box is now inoperable and needs to be replaced. The interior rattles (mostly the door panels). The exterior is in excellent shape, there was no rust when we bought it and I've had Fluid Film applied each fall and also wax the exterior, so I haven't had to do any rust related body repairs to date.

I am wondering how the current 14+ GM 1/2 ton trucks are in terms of build quality and reliability? I know, none of them are 10 years old yet, but are the improved over the 07-13 version (or were they generally OK)? We've had a couple of Toyota RAV4's and they've been great, just PM stuff and tires. Should I just look at the Toyota Tundra? I'm hoping we've addressed most of the problems in our current truck (112k mi) and can run it another 2-3 years to about 150k mi, but who know what will happen next?

I think you answered your own question. You have had great luck with the Toyotas and bad luck with the Chevy. It's more than just luck. Toyota makes very reliable vehicles. And Toyota stands behind the vehicles if there is an issue. Like someone posted... check out the Tundra that went a million miles. They are very nice trucks.

 

[Oaktree]

I think you answered your own question. You have had great luck with the Toyotas and bad luck with the Chevy. It's more than just luck. Toyota makes very reliable vehicles. And Toyota stands behind the vehicles if there is an issue. Like someone posted... check out the Tundra that went a million miles. They are very nice trucks.

Complete opposite of my experience. Had an 07 tundra for a company vehicle at my last job...I was the "new guy" so I got the truck nobody else wanted. What a POS. Spent as much time in the shop as it did on the road.

Never again. I don't know which was worse...the dealer/factory reps or the vehicle itself.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Mrs B&D has a 2017 GMC SLT Sierra 1500 Max Towing 4X4 crew Cab with the 6.2L. Faster stock than my Grand National was stock. Has done best on a trip wii 8.0L per 100Km but 9 to 10 is more typical for highway trips.
Diesel power, tow capacity and economy without the Tier IV diesel headaches.

I'm glad... well actually SAD, to read that others have had similar luck with their Chevy half ton. Mine's a bit older, i.e. 1997. The Tech Bulletins are about 3 pages long, and I think I've encountered every one of the potential problems. In reality, I've essentially rebuilt the truck sans short block and transmission. That $15K truck has probably cost me something over $30K over time, not including normal maintenance cost. And all of that is with only 126K on the clock.

Like you, I see those super duper Chevy ads and almost get to thinking that GM has cured all of the design ailments. Then I come back to my senses. While I am still driving that old 1997 Chevy pickup, if and when I do buy, I won't be buying any GM pickups.

This, of course, is my opinion. Flames are not welcome.

 

[AxleHub]

Interesting viewpoints. Yet one of the most important issues in my opinion - is not just brand - but place of manufacture.

I own a 2004 Silverado 1500. But it was made at the GM plant in Canada because its one of the unique offerings from Chevy. And the history of Canada manufacture is very good. My truck is something you normally don't exists - its a 2 wheel drive SS. It has the 6 liter LQ9 engine, 65 series transmission, and a performance suspension. What does that mean? It means I get 22 to 23 mpg on the highway, excellent handling, and an engine very similar to the LS1 corvette engine (actually the LQ9 engine is the same as the Escalade engine of the time.

Its been "trailer kissed" on the left back quarter panel and "trailer kissed" on the right back quarter panel now for 11 years on the one side and 10 years on the other side - yet virtually no rust at all on those panels.

I have about 78,000 miles and it has never been stored in a garage. No rust in the bed either. A brake job and a steering column repack is about it for service other than tires and oil and some freon replacement.

And it tows very well and my wife falls asleep when we take it on trips because its so smooth and quiet.

And - its been in WI since I bought it in 2004.

Prior to buying it I test drove lots of trucks - and I test drove numerous Ford F150s. Brand new - I saw lots of frame rust on several of them. And the ride on some dozen plus Fords was not even close to the Chevy's that had the Appearance package or the Performance package choices.

My point is - like with most products - who does the building and how focused they are on quality during the building is a big issue with vehicles. Now the Chevy 2500 series with the 6 liter engine - you couldn't have given me one. Horrible gas mileage - in the 16 and 17 category - and rough as a cob for ride.

My friend recently bought a 2014 Ram Laramie with air ride and all the bells and whistles with 20,000 miles on it. Its a beautiful truck and runs well and keeps your butt heated in the winter and cold in the summer - yet it is not as smooth riding as my Chevy - and with 10 years of technology advancement - he's excited when he gets 23 on the highway.

 

[crazyal]

I like my 2000 Tundra. I've abused the h^ll out of it and it runs like the day it was new. I only have 130k miles on it and mice have been an issue in the past but over all I would buy another. The only not normal expense was the frame rusting out but that's a common problem around here with every brand. When Toyota replaced it for free I was impressed. I know several farmers who have at least one of the big three brands sitting in the back 40 from that time frame that have broken frames. Often what happens is the frame gets too bad and the truck is no longer fit for the road. at that point lots of weld is thrown at it and a plow and it becomes a yard truck. When there's not enough steel left to weld it's a parts truck.

Over the years I have owned multiples of every brand. My worst vehicle was a Chevy, a 2003 Trailblazer. The wife bought it used and at 40k the power steering pump went. Then at 50k the rear diff pretty much exploded (when I started searching for parts I got lots of hits for ebay sellers with all the parts needed, I should have known right then that it was a weak spot). The oil looked like brand new but the spider gears (which should almost never spin in the pins fused themselves to it then split the carrier apart). It had several other small issues but at 70k the transmission went. Even though the oil was changed on schedule and it never towed a thing it turned to mud. After that I kind of washed my hands of GM (other than my Saturn).

GM doesn't build a lot of these parts so do you blame GM or the company that made it for GM? But the same is true for the Tundra frame. It was made by Dana, not Toyota. I doubt GM makes the power steering pump and I don't know about the friction plates in the transmission. I'm guess some stuff they set the specs for while others they just let the company provide what they think is best.

I'm not a betting man so when I find something that doesn't let me down then I usually stick with it. Back in 77 I bought my first Toyota, a Corolla. Everybody thought I was nuts but in the dead of winter when nothing else would start that car fired right up. I put over 200k on a car (back then anything American made was a pile of rust before 100k) before selling it. That car sold a lot of cars for Toyota. A little later in life I returned to Toyota (late 80s) when I started playing in the mud. I had a Jeep that loved to break axles, a friend with a Scout that loved to find the mud then plant itself there for the day, and another with a f150 that did ok but was heavy. One day a guy showed up with an 84 Toyota with solid axles and blew us away. The next year I had one and never looked back. So I try not to offer too much advice because I'm biased. The sad fact is what you buy today is nothing like what we owned in the past. My opinions of GM from my 2003 Trailblazer really don't mean much today. I just know that few people get lemon Toyotas and I hate dealing with dealerships (like when I had my 94 Z28 that vibrated something bad at 70mph and the dealerships just looked at me and said "don't drive that fast").