Cap'n Pete

Exact same setup I've got! Looks great!!

I've had my truck for about 6 weeks, so it has very low mileage still (about 1400 miles), but there is definitely a little extra audible noise when driving in Auto or 4Hi. It's due to the front diff being engaged. I'd say the sound is "normal", but that's me. I'm not a GM service department, but I suspect they'll tell you the same.

My mileage so far seems to be all over the map, but so has the temperature around here! It's been hard to determine at what SPEED the mileage is the best, because it's not always consistant. Sometimes it seems to be right around ~60 mph. Other times, I can get just as good sitting at ~75 - 80 mph. The average mileage since I've owned the truck (just over a month, and about ~1000 miles) is only around 12.5 MPG! HOWEVER, it's been a DAMN COLD winter so far, so I've been making lots of use of the remote start, and most of my driving is city driving, as well as towing my sled around a couple times, so really NOT getting the best the truck has to offer. That being said, my best 50km (sorry, ~25 mile) average was just shy of 20 MPG (around 19.75 MPG). I'm pretty happy with that. I can see the potential this thing's got. The few days the temperature has been ABOVE the freezing mark, the mileage improves substantially. I'm looking forward to warmer weather and summer fuel ...... will probably have no problem clearing the 20 MPG mark on a regular basis then, and probably at ~75 mph.

No complaints about my Bak-flip VP so far. My biggest complaint is the amount of freezing rain we've gotten in the last ~month, which I'm sure doesn't do any favours for the vinyl cover, but thus far, it keeps the bed dry and works exactly as advertised ..... simple operation, and full access to the bed.

I had an Avalanche for about ~4 years, and quite honestly, HATED the cover system on it!! The panels were heavier and bulkier than necessary, IMO, and they took up too much bed space if you got somewhere and wanted to load something in the back. Otherwise, pull them off and leave them at home, but again, I found it to be just a pain in the ass the whole time I owned that truck. I opted for the Bak-flip VP for my '14. Quite happy with it so far. My only real "complaint" is that release cables can be finicky to grab a hold of sometimes, esp. wearing gloves (which I often am right now in the winter!), so I wish they were a little easier to grab. Otherwise, works well, easy to use, and no worries about having to take the cover off completely any time I want full access to the bed. I still think the Roll-X probably would be just about the best solution, but I worried a little bit about how well it would perform in the cold/snowy winter environment, so went for the Bak-flip instead, but there will always be a part of me that would rather the Roll-X (quicker/easier operation, and still have visibility out the back when it's rolled up).

If you want weather-proof, roll-up, and secure, then you should look at the Roll-X made by BAK. It's exactly all of those three things . It's at the top of my list (awaiting delivery of my '14 Silvy!) and the other contender is the Bak-Flip VP (same vinyl appearance as the Roll-X, except a tri-fold design instead of roll-up). In either case, they're designed to be secure (as secure can be), and from everything I've read, do very well at keeping water out.

Aren't firm shifts a GOOD thing?? Just curious if you guys are expecting a soft shift that you don't even feel, or if it's gone from a nice, firm shift, to something that's simply way too harsh?