Billy346

If you are going to use it for towing, I would go with the 3.73 regardless of fuel economy. Even with the 5.3, the max trailer edition with 3.73 gears can pull your trailer without struggling. The gas mileage that your truck gets is going to depend largely on where you drive it and how it is driven. My truck has the 3.42 gears, but I drive it around town a good amount. The roads in my area are high speed (about 45 mph to 55 mostly) with lots of red lights and plenty of hills. Around town, my truck gets about 12 MPG. However, if I get out on the highway I get anywhere between 19 and 23 MPG. (I should add that I have bigger tires with a level kit, which probably takes away one or two MPG's.)

I live in an area with lots of steep hills and stop and go traffic. If I leave my truck in D, it always tries to shift all the way up to 6th, causing the engine to bog, then the transmission starts hunting, and by the time it goes into the right gear, I have to slow down due to traffic or stop for a red light. By leaving the truck in M5 or M4, it drives a bit better for me. I can't see any reason why this can hurt. If the transmission is shifting less, it will probably last longer.

Logic would hold that your truck would burn more gas in Auto. The front axles are engaged in Auto, so you're putting more mechanical drag on your engine in that setting. So, why buy a 4x4 in Texas? Do you have a ranch or do a lot of camping or hunting? I couldn't see owing a 4x4 in that area unless I had a reason to go off road.

I drive mine in M5 when I'm around town then put it in M6 when I'm on the highway. (M6 does not lock out V4 mode). Where I live there are lots of hills and lots of stop lights. I rarely get over 50 MPH for very long. Keeping the truck from shifting all the way into 6th gear gives me a little better throttle response around town. There is nothing more frustrating than driving up a hill and having the engine bog because the tranny only has it spinning at 1200 RPM. On the highway, V4 is great. I rarely notice the switch in terms of throttle response, but the gas mileage improves substantially. I think other posters have hit it on the head. You don't really notice the switch between V4 and V8 unless you are watching the indicator on the dash. (Unless you have a non-factory muffler, in which case, you can hear the difference in the exhaust note.)

It sounds to me that the problem may not be your truck, but the dealer's mechanic. The fact that he was careless enough to work on your truck without properly covering the fenders, and the resultant scratches, speaks volumes to me about his or her level of professionalism and attention to detail. I have a 1998 Camaro that would be in pristine condition if it were not for the, *ahem*, abilities of the mechanics at my local dealership. I did not purchase my new truck there and will not be taking it there for service or repair. A trip to a different dealer or independent mechanic may yield a more favorable outcome.

The 1/2 ton Ram's have a pretty substantial rake too, along with an even lower front end. (Unless you purchase one of the off road models, like the Rebel). To each his own. I have a leveling kit on mine. It gives the front end a little more clearance for things like concrete curbs or snow piles. Like another poster has said, I'll have to put air bags on it if I want to tow to keep the rear end from sagging, but for the function and aesthetic, it's worth it to me.

Even the front seats are mostly vinyl. I think the only leather parts are the bolsters on the seat and backrest.

If you're not happy with GM products, then don't buy them! Your friend wont go out of business! Go buy a Ford or a RAM or a Toyota. That being said, I've found that most electronic bugs in these trucks can be fixed by shutting the truck down then restarting. They behave more like computers than cars these days. And believe me, it's not just GM. My wife has a Honda Pilot that hiccups once in a while. I think the next truck I'm going to buy is going to be a late 1970's K 1500. I'll drop in a 454 with a 4-barrel carburetor...slap on a 6 inch lift and some 35 inch swampers....should be a good time, and no computers or gadgets to deal with!

So, basically, your Hyundai remained pristine over 13 years of ownership and your two year old Silverado is rusted out and has chipping paint? I think there is some information that you are leaving out here. Did you live in California for most of the time with the Hyundai then move to Ohio (or another rust belt state) and purchase the Chevy? How did you use it differently that you are not saying? Did you wash the Hyundai regularly but neglect the Chevy? Do you drive on more dirt roads than you did before? Is there more road construction in your area now than there was before? Chevrolet does not build the best vehicle (by far) but they are certainly better built than a Hyundai.

I have the GM/Borla dual exhaust on my truck. I put mine on for the same reason you want one: GM has made the truck completely silent. I want that V8 sound on my American truck! It's the reason why my local Ford dealer couldn't convince me to get an F150 with an eco boost. A V6 with turbos belongs in a Honda, not an American truck! (Now a V8 with turbos would be another story). Like MyFavTruck said, the system is nice and quiet, but loud when you want it to be. It sounds like this is exactly what you are looking for. I know that you don't want to spend a ton of money, but it might be worth it to just save up for a year or so and get the Borla. There is no messing around with gutting cats, dealing with 02 sensors, clamping flappers, etc. plus, it was designed to work with the AFM, so it still sounds nice no matter what your engine is doing.

My wife is a car seat nazi, so I've been well educated on the "dos and donts" of child seats. For most car seats, the only seat protectors that you can use are the ones made by the car seat manufacturer for the specific seat that you purchased, OR a seat cover made by the manufacturer of the vehicle. I went with the latter and bought the Chevrolet rear seat cover. It's a bit of an investment, but it keeps the seats protected from damage from the child seat and keeps child related dirt, (goldfish crumbs, cheerios, pee, poop, barf, etc) from ruining the interior of the truck. Best of luck on your search!

Regarding the Tundra with 1 million miles on it, you need to watch the you tube video and pay attention to how that vehicle was used. The guy that owned it was using it as a long distance hauling and towing vehicle. Probably 95% of that vehicles lifespan was spent on the highway at or above 55 mph. He put over 100,000 miles per year on it. On top of that, the guy was using it along the gulf coast between Florida and Texas, which means that the land he was driving it on was mostly flat. That truck was basically driven under ideal conditions for long miles: mostly highway use, flat terrain, no frame eating salt on the road surface. My bet is that most Tundras will go anywhere between 150,000 and 200,000 miles before needing a major expensive repair, and will most likely rot out due to road salt and old age before they hit 300,000 miles. That being said, it's not that difficult to find someone with a Chevy that has well over 200,000 miles. Most people keep their trucks anywhere between 3 and 7 years. Unless you are putting over 100,000 miles a year on your truck, you don't need a vehicle that has the capability to go 1 million miles before replacement. Even if you plan on keeping the truck for a while, the older it gets, the harder it is to find parts for it or to find a mechanic who knows how to work on it. I have a 1998 Camaro that I have to take to a private mechanic because the dealer no longer knows how to work on it!

I noticed my truck doing the same thing when I bought it. RPM's would fluctuate when the transmission was in a higher gear with the engine in a low RPM and under load. (Also called "lugging") I did some research and found out that this is normal for GM trucks. The torque converter unlocks momentarily, causing RPM's to rise, sending more power to the rear wheels. The torque converter then continues locking and unlocking, causing RPM's to fluctuate until speed increases, you let off the gas, or the transmission downshifts. It does this to avoid downshifting while lugging. I'll admit that I thought it was a little strange the first time I noticed it. My last truck was a Ford F-150, which behaved differently. Instead of the RPM's fluctuating, the transmission would downshift at the slightest increase of pedal pressure when going uphill. It had a 4 speed transmission, so when it would downshift, it really downshifted. I'll admit, I find the RPM fluctuation in my Chevy less annoying than the overly sensitive transmission in my Ford.

I really like this response. If I can add to it, depending on the speeds you drive, and if the AFM bugs you to a certain degree, you can just keep the truck in M5 while driving around town and on the highway below 60 MPH. When in M mode, the engine doesn't go into V-4 unless you select M6. I have dual exhaust on my truck, so I'm not crazy about the tone change of the engine when it goes into V-4, so I leave it in M4 or M5 when I'm driving around town. When I'm on the highway, I put it into M6, where I don't really feel any transition, and the change in exhaust note is muffled by tire whine and wind noise. I thought about buying a Range AFM delete, but decided against it because driving it in M5 completely eliminates what bugs me for most of the time I spend in the truck. Additionally, while the Range doesn't leave an imprint on your computer, it can cause trouble for you if you live in a state that has strict emissions compliance laws (which I do).

[quote name="HondaHawkGT" post="1873797" timestamp="1475688540 It becomes less noticeable over time. I never notice it these days. I drive in 'M' instead of 'D' and love that I can drive my truck like it has a manual transmission, engine braking to make minor speed adjustments by letting off the gas instead of having to constantly tap the brakes. Agreed. I drive mine in "M" mode. It shifts more smoothly and gives the truck better throttle response. If I'm in traffic, I keep it in M4 and if I'm driving on a road at less than 65 MPH, I put it into M5. It keeps the AFM from going into 4 cylinder mode as well, which I like. If I'm on the highway and driving over 65 MPH, I'll put it in M6, but then shift back to M5 or M4 when I slow down. Try it for yourself. I think you will be pleased with the result.