I am open to opinion. If your opinion is that GM's 2014+ line is exceptional. Congrats, you are either a lucky owner of a smooth riding, shakeless, beautiful looking truck or, you have been to the dealer 3+ times with issues GM techs bandaid you with, word vomit stories about why those problems are normal and send you on your way.
To the latter, I also say.. congrats. You have more tolerance for bullshit in your finger than I in my whole body. After my 3rd visit to the dealer and long chats with the service manager. I had already known that this ongoing issue was a trip up shits creek with no paddle. It became more evident as the dealership started to become angry at me because I continually brought the truck right back when it continued to shake.
Then I put myself in their shoes, they are just like me. A middle class guy trying to get by and do what they are told to do. Now GM on the other hand... those are the crooks. I have heard stories about how GM engineers insisted that more testing be done on these platforms before release but the deadlines were were to close and powers above released anyway.
Those powers above my friends are the ones you should be angry at. See, your the one who signed a $30k+ loan expecting a truck that will serve your home needs and family needs for years to come. Instead your stuck arguing with a dealership as to why your truck doesn't meet GM's standard for vibration at some 17 Hz +\- 1 on a PICO scope. A standard which they made up after they tested hundreds of trucks and averaged it to their advantage.
Lets be honest about some general truck stuff here:
- No truck on the market is worth anywhere near what they are charging for them but we pay these prices because it's necessity for a lot of us.
-A lot of people who buy trucks don't actually need them. Just look at some trucks driving by with 6" lift and tires 4 inches out the side wells, you can't possibly load that bed comfortably and you must be changing wheel bearings on a regular. (Didn't anyone tell you it's easier to carry a case of beer at your side then at your shoulder height?)
- Trucks have gotten away from what they are supposed to be. Anyone remember the old Chevy like a rock commercials where they are bouncing the frame of a Silverado off some 5k lb boulders or dropping 2 tons of
stone into the bed from 10 ft up? That's what I picture trucks doing. (To an extent)
-We have been pampered over the years by technology giving us great riding body on frame with the benefits of everything pickup truck related to boot. (GM built some seriously comfortable previous generations no doubt)
Now, we have reached a level of standards so high that engineers have to start to compromise some comforts for strengths.
-Want more payload? Start stiffening things. Oh, your truck vibrates? That's normal but it can sure haul a lot more than last gen.
- Want better gas mileage? Increase torque management. Oh, your trucks searching gears all the time? Too bad.
These problems are not only with GM , they are occurring with all manufacturers because of the race to the top. Read some of the other brand forums, you will find it.
Some hard to face truths about GM. (Fanboys be warned)
- The 5.3 with all this torque management and other fuel sipping techniques does not perform like it should with the new and improved payload and towing capacities. I towed a 6000# camper with my 15 and it was dissapointing how much it fell flat
on it's face with RPMs racing and downshift to keep the truck up to speed. (Yes I use weight distribution!!!)
-AFM is a joke. Who needs cylinder deactivation? I have been driving GM's for years. All with the "26.4" Gal gas tanks which ultimately meant you squeeze in 21-23 gallons usable. Reset the odometer on a AFM 5.3 and non AFM 5.3. Is the the difference really worth the headache?
-Unless you upgrade to the 6.2 liter, Your GM is not kicking any Ram 5.7, Ford eco, or Toyota 5.7 asses off the line. Usable torque is not there when you need it.
- Face it, In 5 years your GM factory frame coat is going to look like a bannana started to peel itself, your driver seat is going to
be torn from sliding in and out over the monstrosity of a hump they refuse to change, your hood is going to be covered in paint chips like your teenage son rattle
canned his skateboard next to your truck. Your driveline is going to be making awful clunking sounds coming to a stop, hitting the gas at a roll, and simply letting off the gas to quick. Oh and, you can guarantee your wheel wells will have bubbling rust if you live in a salt belt. Oh, can't forget about burning 2 quarts of oil because your injectors stop firing for cylinder deactivation and gum up.
Dare I keep going? Because that's just to name from the last generation.
That predictability of problems is exactly why I made the jump to another brand. I refuse to pay so much money and just get told to F off,
you bought it you own it.
Maybe Toyota, or Ram, or Ford will also tell you to F off with a problem, but maybe the likeliness of even having a problem is decreased because those brands did more homework when engineering.That's why I jumped!
/end rant
/ begin debates