New GM Trucks

[deerefan]

No I am not nuts. I bought my wife a 2011 Traverse LS on the 23rd and myself a 2011 Silverado Z71 yesterday. Replaced an 07 Civic due to the baby being due in Feb and wanted the wife in something with more room (for all the baby stuff) and bigger (safety). I traded in my 06 F250 FX4 diesel with 66k miles for the Z71. We were not using the diesel for its intended purpose (pulling) much and when we did it was never more than 6k lbs. That weight limit is well within the Silverado's 9500 lb towing capacity. I really like the color, Steel Green Metallic with Ebony interior. It was a chore finding one with the 3.42 gears vs the 3.08. All the ones they had in stock had a 3.08 so they went to their sister store about 20 miles away to get this one. I am really impressed with the ride. I'll update from time to time on towing, mpg, trailer handling and so on.

 

[hawkeye08]

Very nice! Congrats!

 

[jcmseven]

That steel green is a beautiful color. I saw a 2500 that color last week and it surprised me.

John M

 

[timswi]

Beautiful Z71...Hope you like yours as much as I like mine...Only a little over a week for me so far.

My sister has a Traverse...She loves it. Very nice multi purpose vehicle with a TON of room. Good looking crossover too.


You spent some $$$$ this week dude

 

[dodge man]

Very nice, but your house needs a little work.

 

[deerefan]

Very nice, but your house needs a little work.

Actually, I wish I owned that building. It is a WW2 era ammo bunker with 3 ft thick walls to force the blast up not out. It is located on my jobsite where we are building a community center and playground. Its funny you mentioned the house, though, b/c the wife (boss) stated no truck until house is done!!!

 

[Haoleguy]

Very nice looking truck! Eventhough I own a 1998 Ford F150 I've been eyeing the GM lineup as they have made many positive changes and.......to my thinking cosmetically look better than the Ford lineup. Ford seems to be adding too much bling lately and the cow catcher front turns me off just enough. Hoping my F150 goes another 2-3 yrs before it is retired to vineyard work. Good luck with that nice looking truck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

If I may ask had you had any issues with your F-250? I have a 06 F-350 Diesel with SRW and its a 4x4 and have about the same miles as yours and not a single issue other than a fuel gauge that stuck and it needed a new dash cluster after about 10 months. Also, if I may ask, what did they give you on trade? Mine is a Lariat that is loaded with leather, up fitter switches, factory brake controller, chrome package, ect. I think it has every option available including dual alternators.

Chris

 

[timswi]

If I may ask had you had any issues with your F-250? I have a 06 F-350 Diesel with SRW and its a 4x4 and have about the same miles as yours and not a single issue other than a fuel gauge that stuck and it needed a new dash cluster after about 10 months. Also, if I may ask, what did they give you on trade? Mine is a Lariat that is loaded with leather, up fitter switches, factory brake controller, chrome package, ect. I think it has every option available including dual alternators.

Chris

Maybe he liked the Chevy better..You threw a hanging curveball and I had to swing at it....Sorry couldn't help it

 

[deerefan]

If I may ask had you had any issues with your F-250? I have a 06 F-350 Diesel with SRW and its a 4x4 and have about the same miles as yours and not a single issue other than a fuel gauge that stuck and it needed a new dash cluster after about 10 months. Also, if I may ask, what did they give you on trade? Mine is a Lariat that is loaded with leather, up fitter switches, factory brake controller, chrome package, ect. I think it has every option available including dual alternators.

Chris

Not a single issue, Chris. It was a great truck. I am a very practical guy and my wife and I intended to do a lot more towing, therefore we bought it. We pulled a trailer with it 5 times in the 2 years we had it and the weight we pulled could easily go behind a 1/2 ton. I only put about 15k miles on it and a set of batteries, ran synthetic oil in it and saw 17mpg. It was a Lariat, two tone with wood grain. They gave me 23k for it, which I felt was low but they knocked 11k off the new truck so it balanced out. If there was one complaint, it rode rough with the solid front axle. I had a lot of "feedback" in the steering wheel over bumps. When loaded with our 3 horse trailer with 3 horses (about 6500 max wt), it was better. I'll see if I can dig up a pic.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Maybe he liked the Chevy better..You threw a hanging curveball and I had to swing at it....Sorry couldn't help it

No, I am really just curious if he had any issues??? I know so many guys with the DREADED 6L Ford and the biggest thing I have seen is a EGR valve. Just really wondering if he had issues or if its all internet lore.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not a single issue, Chris. It was a great truck. I am a very practical guy and my wife and I intended to do a lot more towing, therefore we bought it. We pulled a trailer with it 5 times in the 2 years we had it and the weight we pulled could easily go behind a 1/2 ton. I only put about 15k miles on it and a set of batteries, ran synthetic oil in it and saw 17mpg. It was a Lariat, two tone with wood grain. They gave me 23k for it, which I felt was low but they knocked 11k off the new truck so it balanced out. If there was one complaint, it rode rough with the solid front axle. I had a lot of "feedback" in the steering wheel over bumps. When loaded with our 3 horse trailer with 3 horses (about 6500 max wt), it was better. I'll see if I can dig up a pic.

Thanks. My 04 F-250 4x4 which is a XLT and my 06 F-350 4x4 which is a Lariat equipped with the wood grain package also have both turned in right at 17 mpg averages just like yours. Its a shame the 6L gets such a bad rap. Its a sweet engine but some will never believe it.

As for the rough ride thats the price you pay with a truck built that tough. Your new 1/2 ton will do fine with the payload you are pulling no problem. I have pulled 7,000# to 10,000# loads since 1999 with no issues.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

Nice truck! :thumbsup:
My favorite color is the Blue Granite Metallic but that color looks real good too! Which engine did you get?

 

[Topkicker]

No I am not nuts. I bought my wife a 2011 Traverse LS on the 23rd and myself a 2011 Silverado Z71 yesterday. Replaced an 07 Civic due to the baby being due in Feb and wanted the wife in something with more room (for all the baby stuff) and bigger (safety). I traded in my 06 F250 FX4 diesel with 66k miles for the Z71. We were not using the diesel for its intended purpose (pulling) much and when we did it was never more than 6k lbs. That weight limit is well within the Silverado's 9500 lb towing capacity. I really like the color, Steel Green Metallic with Ebony interior. It was a chore finding one with the 3.42 gears vs the 3.08. All the ones they had in stock had a 3.08 so they went to their sister store about 20 miles away to get this one. I am really impressed with the ride. I'll update from time to time on towing, mpg, trailer handling and so on.

Great looking Silverado. A personal thanks for buying one of our trucks built here in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. People like you and Timswi are keeping food on my table.:thumbsup: We take alot of pride in building these trucks and seeing a happy customer means we're doing our job. Nice color too. I didn't know how good it really looked till I saw one in sunlight.

 

[deerefan]

Nice truck! :thumbsup:
My favorite color is the Blue Granite Metallic but that color looks real good too! Which engine did you get?

It has the 5.3 with 3.42 gears. My wife called me this morning to tell me just how peppy her traverse is. It has the 280hp 3.6. It was the first time she kicked it in the butt now that its broke in and was really impressed. I haven't put my foot in the 5.3 yet, but it feels like it wants to run at 1/2 to 1/4 throttle so I can only imagine. I have owned 3 chevy trucks, a 94 w/ a 4.3, a 2001 ext cab 2wd w/ 4.8 and 2005 crew cab Z71 with the 5.3 and all 3 were very quick for trucks so I expect this one to be the same.

 

[deerefan]

Great looking Silverado. A personal thanks for buying one of our trucks built here in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. People like you and Timswi are keeping food on my table.:thumbsup: We take alot of pride in building these trucks and seeing a happy customer means we're doing our job. Nice color too. I didn't know how good it really looked till I saw one in sunlight.

Hey no problem. I have to admit, I was a little soured with my 05 Z71. Had a lot of issues and unloaded it after a year for my wife's civic and I went back to driving my 97 F150 4x4 ext cab. I was also a little soured with the whole bailout thing but then an interesting thought crossed my mind. A lot of folks lost their jobs due to it, but what better way to help them get back on their feet and help the ones who did not lose their jobs remain employed than to purchase one of the products. We have to face facts, the big corporations are going to get rich period and will step on or over anyone to get there. I could not care less if the pres of GM is fired or loses his mansion. It is the average Joe with 2 kids and a house note I want to help and support and this is one way I felt I could do that.

 

[Topkicker]

Hey no problem. I have to admit, I was a little soured with my 05 Z71. Had a lot of issues and unloaded it after a year for my wife's civic and I went back to driving my 97 F150 4x4 ext cab. I was also a little soured with the whole bailout thing but then an interesting thought crossed my mind. A lot of folks lost their jobs due to it, but what better way to help them get back on their feet and help the ones who did not lose their jobs remain employed than to purchase one of the products. We have to face facts, the big corporations are going to get rich period and will step on or over anyone to get there. I could not care less if the pres of GM is fired or loses his mansion. It is the average Joe with 2 kids and a house note I want to help and support and this is one way I felt I could do that.

Thanks. I'm the "average Joe" for GM. I've moved my family four times to stay with GM. It's not been an easy road. The Big Wigs in the large, round, glass building in Detroit with their million dollar bonus checks call all the shots. Thousands of our jobs have went to Mexico and Canada. I'm just a good ole boy trying to make a living. I know GM has the ability to make good quality products. I see that first hand every day. The positive is what I try to focus on. I'm thankful for my job and thankful for customers like yourself that help keep our jobs here in the U.S. where they belong. America was once a manufacturing giant. From the clothes on our back to the cars we drove. We made it here. In the 50's, over 60% of Americans had a GM product in their driveway. That's almost hard to believe in today's market.

 

[timswi]

Thanks. I'm the "average Joe" for GM. I've moved my family four times to stay with GM. It's not been an easy road. The Big Wigs in the large, round, glass building in Detroit with their million dollar bonus checks call all the shots. Thousands of our jobs have went to Mexico and Canada. I'm just a good ole boy trying to make a living. I know GM has the ability to make good quality products. I see that first hand every day. The positive is what I try to focus on. I'm thankful for my job and thankful for customers like yourself that help keep our jobs here in the U.S. where they belong. America was once a manufacturing giant. From the clothes on our back to the cars we drove. We made it here. In the 50's, over 60% of Americans had a GM product in their driveway. That's almost hard to believe in today's market.

Hey I'm glad I could help support the cause...I have a Hummer (the wife's) and the new GMC..I've never owned anything but GM. The only exception was a 50 Ford F-1 street rod (tubbed, lowered, chopped and subbed) that was 100% GM powered. New home construction caused me to sell it.

There are 4 GM's sitting in my garage right now...You guys are on the right path...Let's keep it up!!!

 

[deerefan]

Just to give an update, I filled the truck up this a.m. and id the math. I am getting 17.3 mpg. Not too bad, I expect it to improve a little over time as the truck breaks in.

 

[Builder]

Hey no problem. I have to admit, I was a little soured with my 05 Z71. Had a lot of issues and unloaded it after a year for my wife's civic and I went back to driving my 97 F150 4x4 ext cab. I was also a little soured with the whole bailout thing but then an interesting thought crossed my mind. A lot of folks lost their jobs due to it, but what better way to help them get back on their feet and help the ones who did not lose their jobs remain employed than to purchase one of the products. We have to face facts, the big corporations are going to get rich period and will step on or over anyone to get there. I could not care less if the pres of GM is fired or loses his mansion. It is the average Joe with 2 kids and a house note I want to help and support and this is one way I felt I could do that.

What a great attitude you have. A helping hand up instead of a slap to the face.