2015 3500 High Country Diesel

txcowgirl · December 19, 2017

Hoping to get feedback to help make decision. We have a 2004 HD Silverado Duramax with 120,000 miles, which we love and have taken great care of. We pull a 5th wheel with it, and it has been wonderful. Now, however, we are wanting a bigger 5th wheel which we feel would require a bigger truck. My husband is a stickler for staying within load limits, and the RV I want is much heavier than he is uncomfortable hauling with our 2500. We are looking at a 2015 3500 High Country Diesel, with 50,000 miles which should have no problem pulling the heavier 5th wheel. My question is was this year model as reliable as our 2004? Would you guys be comfortable making this switch? He loves his truck and I wouldn't want to encourage him to do something he'd regret. If this was a bad year for this model, is there one we should be on the lookout for? I love all the extra bells and whistles on it, of course, but he wants one which will last. Thanks.

Colossus · December 19, 2017

Welcome to the forum. The 2015 is a good truck, will be a bit more powerful, have more bells and whistles, and would be a fine truck to use for towing, but the newer diesels (GM, Ford, & Dodge) are known to have emissions issues, so keep that in mind. I would suggest going over to www.duramaxforum.com and taking a look at the posts over there for the 2014+ Duramax and soliciting feedback from them. make sure you have a good per-purchase inspection done at an independent repair facility that knows trucks before you buy the thing. Don't believe any of that "Pre-Certified" bull crap.

redwngr · December 19, 2017

'11 thru '16 HD's use the same chassis and powertrain. (engine code is LML)

Significant improvement to brakes/frame/front end from 20110 forward. Also added the exhaust brake with the LML (ie MY2011)

The body style changed in at 2007.5, but the chassis not til '11.

Next engine change didn't happen til MY2017 -- again out of cycle with the body style change.

2004 was also an engine change year. The early ones were the LB7, same as earlier years and the later ones (sometimes referred to as 04.5's were the LLY)

Is the one you're looking at a dually? Dually provides a significant increase in towing ability and rating vs the 3500 SRW (single rear wheel)

txcowgirl · December 20, 2017

To Colossus
Thank you for the feedback, it's a lot to consider. He saw your link for the duramax forum and will definitely be doing some searching there. We will certainly take and have it looked at thoroughly. This is always such good advice, it's so easy to get eager to get a new vehicle that you think with your emotions and not your head. The sales guy actually told me Chevy won't let them certify 1 tons, I thought it odd and wondered if this is true.

To redwngr
Thanks for the engine code info, we had seen this but weren't sure what it was, so this is helpful. The one we're looking at is a dually, it was suggested the 5th wheel we want would benefit from the stability of a dually, so this is one thing we were hoping to find.

Appreciate the replies very much!

avalonandl · January 13, 2018

In my opinion you want the 15'. The interior is Sooooo comfortable and you do NOT want to deal with the Electric steering issues the 16's had (some of them)....

The power is amazing and they don't smell !!!!!