amxguy1970

Wait hold up, you had AFM disabled and still had a failure? But everyone says if you tune it out you won't have an issue, that can't be right... Would love to hear how you have a tune and a warranty. A tune pretty much negates any drivetrain warranty as that is out of GM design specs and they will check for that if there is a failure, it is in all their procedure manuals on what to look for before proceeding to a warranty claim and reimbursement. As it shouldn't be, you had it tuned. You have to pay to play. That is why I wait until after the warranty to really start messing with anything I am not prepared to cover, I don't expect GM to replace my engine failure if I am running around with some significant mods or have a tune changing how it runs. Maybe, just use any good quality oil and change it regularly as there is nothing special about amsoil outside of the marketing. Fixed that for ya so as not to mislead the public... Tyler

You think GM is the only one using parts manufactured in China and you think they should give complete refunds? The entitlement of some people, it is a manufactured vehicle assembled with tens of thousands of parts by machines and people on an assembly line, there will be problems, all manufacturers have them. If something happens let them fix it, extend the warranty and move on, you certainly don't whine about a full refund or a new vehicle. The paper you sign when buying it states they are given opportunities to fix it, so yes they will fight a full replacement as they should; you know the risks and parameters when you purchase it. How is price driven in to all this? Is the person who buys an 80k Denali more entitled to a reliable vehicle with zero issues than the person who buys a 21k Spark? Should the teacher making 40k be deserving to be left on the side of road to work so the Finance Director can reliably be at work on time because them make more and can buy a more expensive vehicle? Tyler

So you have had 12 GM trucks, 11 of which have been fantastic causing you to go back to GM; then there is 1 rogue issue with a defect in a batch causing a failure and you are going to jump ship? If that is how you think life is going to be tough for you expecting everything to be perfect, ever manufacturer has issues, just seems GM has the least. I will gladly give up a little soft touch materials or or pretty design for a pretty reliable vehicle mechanically 99.9% of the time though anyone can have a bad batch of supplier parts. Think of your favorite restaurant, there are times that dish you love isn't on point because there may have been a bad batch, same here. Have fun jumping ship, let us know how Ram or Ford work out for you; PS Toyota isn't any better regardless of how they are perceived from the 1980's... Tyler

Looking good, a more aggressive tire on a nice aluminum rim that isn't a 20 looks excellent (more tire less rim is best). It looks nose high, I take it you didn't add a rear block to keep some rake? Also did you adjust your headlights down? That is going to piss off on coming traffic quite a bit... Tyler

So the dealer has no idea when they have it in front of them so how is the internet thousands of miles away with a vague description going to crack this? I would figure out when/what exactly the scenario is that causes it and take it back to the dealer and duplicate it for them. Tyler

They aren't the "go to" for performance, mainly just looks and the highest price. Many other better options out there that perform better for a more reasonable price. I have heard mostly nothing but good things about the Falken's. Coopers are another top rated and american made tire, take a look at the AT3 LT. That is the first I am seeing the ultraterrain's, they have a promising look to them. I will have to check out some reviews and what size options they come in. Tyler

So the people with the $21,000 car shouldn't get quick service or a loaner? You bought one of the most expensive brand new vehicles at a entry level car manufacturer, you aren't getting luxury car service levels, amount paid doesn't determine amount of entitlement. I would be upset about the loaner but your car still runs and drives, they should off set it and allow a loaner at rental car company at least but it also depends on the severity of the issue. They only have so many loaners to give out and with the travel industry in shambles and rental agency's selling their stocks they probably can't give out a loaner to every person (regardless of how much they spent) if it is still drivable. A person brining in a vehicle for a rogue sound they hear every once in a while a loaner shouldn't be as important as say an engine no start issue so they need to keep some in stock and around as well as keep costs down from handing out rentals for every little issue. Either way it sucks, but a brand new redesign will have some teething issues, hopefully the dealer works with you better (if it is who you bought it from they should take even better care of you). If you are that unhappy open a case with Chevy customer care and escalate it from there. Escalate, Escalade, that would have better service levels you expect. Tyler

With all the front lighting I am going to guess you have wheel well lights, back up lights and running board lights? Lets see that thing lit up at night. BTW, is it just the angle or is that thing nose high? Tyler

Another vote for the Coopers, I am switching to them in the next month or so. I have also never been a fan of the BFG's over the years, most expensive yet out performed by many newer tires and living on their 80's status with a eerily similar tread design. They are above average off road, below average on road (and susceptible to hydro-planning with their C-shaped tread) as well as a little noisy and bad on mpg. The LTX MS wouldn't be a good choice as 5k miles are in the back country and these are a road tire. The wildpeaks are an excellent choice it seems as well, getting tons of great reviews. I have also read good things about the Continental AT's, very well behaved on the road and can handle leaving the pavement as well as the Bridgestone's though they are as expensive as the BFG's. Hankook makes a good performing and well priced tire. One thing with tires, most expensive doesn't mean best... If you want something as aggressive as the BFG's without going hybrid AT/MT I ran the General Grabber AT's for years with great success. Snow peak rated, studdable, deep tread and an open pattern and well priced. They just redesigned them and reviews are positive. Tyler

Oh my, 30k more miles and he will have a miss fire right Gregory? Nice picture, thanks for posting! Mirrors most any other pic I have seen inside a GM DI engine. If people did more research on this they would realize a few things. One, all the engines that were known for having huge valve choking issues weren't originally designed for and were adapted to DI. Two, designers and engineers are well aware of what causes this and have systems in place to fight it more so than some guy who owns a speed parts store trying to sell their stuff for a buck (seriously $15 in parts for $250! all for a promise to fix something that isn't a well known widely found issue). Three, it isn't caused by what you think. An article from one of the lead designers on the latest gen GM V8's stated is was mostly due to fuel used (hence the top tier), timing of the injection, spark and valves closing when they were in the early design steps (this is after their internal PCV system is already in place). It wasn't because of oil coming through the intake, a little was but not enough to be of concern long term. They optimized the combustion chamber to reduce valve coating through all the items listed before. There is a reason you aren't hearing or seeing issues with newer engines, a catch can isn't going to save you from anything unless maybe you are shooting for that million mile free truck mark (though a catch can might cost you an engine or warranty as a few have found out). Each can freely do what they choose to believe but I choose to believe the engineers and designers who have computers/programs worth more than my house and used by professional race teams simulating test parameters as well as top engine builders giving input after tearing them down (more engine teardowns/builds in a month than I'll in have my entire lifetime) and checking them for issues and what they see. It is mis-statements like you will have a failure in X amount of miles if you don't do this or use/change to this oil brand/mileage or you will have the best performance with this tire/shock or you are safe to level until this height that keeps the lazy people buying the wrong stuff with misinformation and doing the incorrect things and later asking the repetitive questions. Seriously, a half teaspoon of oil every 6k miles caught before getting in to the hottest part of the engine and evaporating or a half full can of condensed water mixed with a smidge of oil residue is proof? Tyler

If only there was a site you could go to and look up all the detailed specifications of a vehicle based on drive, engine and all other combinations... https://www.gmc.com/trucks/previous-year/sierra/1500/sle-elevation-slt/build-and-price/config/compare/capabilities/table?bodyTypeOne=1&driveTypeOne=4WD&engineOne=L84&section=Trailering+and+Payload&section=Axle+Capacity&section=Powertrain In case you don't go to the link they list it as 3.23 for the 3.0, 5.3 and 6.2 Tyler

Joins forums to complain and listing it as a lemon from a previous ford owner in the first post, hmm... You bought one of the very first vehicles off a completely new redesign, there will be teething problems most likely. Seems this safety system issue has popped up multiple times with others, they will get it fixed. I would have zero quibbles about them replacing air bags, they aren't some vehicle ruining replacement that lowers its value and deems it unsafe to drive such as cutting and replacing a roof (which that doesn't either as professional shops know what they are doing). Let them replace it, they literally bolt in and out... If you are that upset about it try the lemon law, not sure there is much to stand on at the moment but I would have some real expectations of a vehicle that is new off the assembly line and what may or may not happen. The one thing I would have a problem with is not receiving a rental, they should be handling that for you or the dealer you bought it from comping you a rental if the repairing dealer doesn't have one in stock to loan. BTW, price has nothing to do with what you are entitled to, a $25k car and a $150k car or your $75k can all have problems whether it is first year or final year of production, is doesn't mean squat that one gets more precedence than the other based on the price as they are all designed by the same company with numerous parts and assembled by people and machines. Take them for a ride when you get back and let them work on the sound you hear (probably something loose and an easy fix) and ditto with the phone issue. The good thing is these things have over the air updates and the phone issue may well be handled with an update or two. Let them fix it and give it time... Tyler

Because it has another 33 hp which also matters and weighs a sizeable amount less (roughly 150+ pounds not including the other emissions stuff added on) as well as other factors I am sure such as cooling and engine design parameters/requirements. Tyler

You can but it takes so much more to make a brick go fast. Just look at the trap speeds of the Grand Cherokee hellcat. These trucks aren't really "fast" if a 4 cylinder mid size family sedan is neck and neck with you. The truck has some spunk, but fast it is not. Now you can always mod them with forced induction but stock or an intake and exhaust it isn't anywhere near what a car guy would call fast. I bought my truck to work, tow/haul and leave the pavement, I have a different car for when I want to go fast I just want my truck to be reliable. Tyler

Perfectly level will appear nose high from a side view and rake is good for you know, truck stuff, things the truck was purchased for... Getting new UCA's is good since you will be stacking leveling kits, so anything to help the front end over the long term will help. Look around the different leveled trail boss/at4 threads (there are a ton of them) and you will be able to figure out what size you can safely run. I have seen some mention a 295/70/18 with just a level and no rubbing, but that is what searching and reading threads is for as it all depends on tire, exact level, situation, etc. What might not rub on the street or pulling in to a driveway might rub at full flex off road. Tyler

You haul a boat, why would you want to be level? That will make it squat when you are towing and cause issues with on coming traffic at night with your lights. Besides, no way you can visually tell a difference between a half inch, install the 1 inch and keep some rake and save some wear and tear on your front end since you are effectively stacking leveling kits which is never good so the lower the better... Tyler

Unless you get in to an accident, especially a severe one then yes, you will be cited and sued... Tyler

You don't think the Bilstein's they used back then from the factory were of the cheaper variety as well? The old Z71 package isn't much different than the one today, shocks, wheels and tires, stickers, back in the day it added a locker which is pretty much included anyways on many trims. The larger air filter isn't needed as they sufficiently cover that with the regular intake/filter. It does add some electronics but the package is just the same as it was a hundred thousand years ago, so guess that means these trucks have some actual off road capability then huh? I promise a new truck will out do an old truck off road. Also, Ranch has higher end shocks like Bilstein does and both have bottom of the barrel base shocks for a cheap price, upgrading to a more expensive shock better be an improvement, but that is nothing to jab as the base shocks, it helps keep the price down and does everything they are asked of. I had zero issues with my shocks on my Z71 and all the back country driving they did. Finally replaced them around 50k with the Bilsteins, set them one notch below the highest setting, it does ride rougher but does handle larger bumps better. All in all a wash, not some miracle shock people make them out to be but a small improvement. Tyler

What do you have planned for your "build"? So far a bolt on lift kit and wheels, are there some build plans coming with some fabrication and working together of parts? Speaking of wheels, I don't think I have ever seen wheels with such a misnomer name, those are about as far from "hard-core off-road" as you can get with out a Bugatti emblem on them. Like having a maltese named killer... Tyler

The article clearly states "Up To", you aren't getting the full set in their specific test environment results. The intake and exhaust aren't particularly restrictive in these things so you aren't getting big gains, especially those that are measurable in a 3 ton brick; that 15 hp won't register on the old butt dyno but it does in the old ears "AKA placebo dyno". The proper term is you can hear the difference. I bet those numbers they provide are engine dyno numbers and not wheel numbers. In what world is 0.3 tenths a "huge difference"? In a 20 foot long truck trapping in the mid to upper 90's that is less than two truck lengths over a 1/4 mile. How did you measure your 0.3? Same day same time and same temp? Weather has big impacts on performance, so if you ran stock on an 87 degree day then ran with the mods on a 73 degree night that right there is your 0.3 in the 1/4. It does add performance, a very negligible amount. In the performance car world you don't see the full gains without a tune to take advantage of it, no one does that to gain performance if they know what they are doing, they add it to compliment other parts. Putting an intake and exhaust on a stock truck is done pretty much for sound and to add to that look at me factor. What is funny is adding those parts to a lifted or leveled truck with larger wheels, tires or E-rated tires and you are still slower than a stock truck without those goodies. I would much rather get a tune for less than half the $2k price and actually gain some power and change how it drives, though that is not warranty safe. To each their own, I can find a much better way to spend 2 grand that actually makes an impact for me to notice. Tyler

This is why I would never buy a used truck, that front end is just screaming... I guess you could stack another leveling kit on there and see if that helps? Not sure what to tell you, make sure it is properly aligned and maybe some trimming will be needed? Many people have to trim or tie back parts to clear big wide tires; research goes a long way. Tyler

Yeah that just isn't true. Studies have shown cars as just as safe if not safer in most or many scenarios, give me a larger car in an accident over a truck any day. With the exception of a head on collision where the smaller lighter vehicle will have added forces being pushed backwards (sometimes you can't get around physics), most other scenarios a car fares better and I would rather have more scenarios covered. Given nearly the same distance from the front of the car to the driver both have plenty of room to work magic to slowdown and absorb energy, but a car riding a unibody can take that energy and transfer it around and to the back of the vehicle where a full framed truck with a separated bed doesn't have that luxury. The car is also much less likely to roll over which is one of the big killers in an accident with a higher death rate in those types of crashes, many t-boned accidents with trucks end up in a roll over which is much less likely in a lower vehicle. So no trucks aren't inherently safer, they can be for some types of crashes but that added weight also has to be stopped and again, physics come in to play when stopping more weight at an immovable object as well. On top of that, a car has a better chance of avoiding an accident all together being it can stop shorter, handle much better and in many cases accelerate faster... Tyler

Until something happens where the actual legal police say otherwise. The truck can tow it no question about it, they are just letting him know the ramifications if he does go beyond and what can happen as well as it isn't just about adding a few pieces of equipment and you are good at the highest factory rated amount. Way to word your input though! Tyler

So spend $180 on the range device, studies show around $179 savings at 15k miles a year at $3.50 a gallon annually so basically first year just pissing away $350 the first year and an additional $720 the next 4 years. That means it can save you enough to buy a nice hard rolling tonneau cover, especially if you are in stop and go or city traffic often. Not sure why people dislike this or other fuel saving tech, multiple independent test have shown around 7-8% fuel savings with start stop tech on average. I am all for it, we can't avoid it so might as well embrace it as trying to get around some of the stuff can be even more expensive. Tyler