How Is Your Gmt900 Holding Up?

[Royal Vader]

What the OP needs to keep in mind is these are massed produced machines made in the 100's of thousands per year. GM builds to the bell curve with people and robots using Six Sigma or a similar quality performance metric. We get to drive pretty darn good trucks when you consider the pressure from stockholders for profitability, government regulations, competitors and customer expectations.

 

My rant is almost over - no mass produced device will be 100% perfect. You only hear of the bad stuff here. You never see any topics or threads about the good stuff, which is by far the majority.

[BlackSilver]

The new rigs are junk.

 

We need to go back to the good old days, like about 1950.

 

When a half-ton pickup was REALLY capable of only about a half-ton (1,000 pound payload).

 

When warrantee on a new pickup was 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

When 50,000 miles on an engine meant time for valve job, new rings, new seals, and maybe rod bearings.

 

When you did valve adjustments (with a feeler guage) about every-other-oil-change.

 

When you bragged about a set of tires that lasted almost 20,000 miles, about the same as a clutch plate.

 

Radios and heaters were extra-cost options.

 

I remember those days.

[Royal Vader]

The new rigs are junk.

 

We need to go back to the good old days, like about 1950.

 

When a half-ton pickup was REALLY capable of only about a half-ton (1,000 pound payload).

 

When warrantee on a new pickup was 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

When 50,000 miles on an engine meant time for valve job, new rings, new seals, and maybe rod bearings.

 

When you did valve adjustments (with a feeler guage) about every-other-oil-change.

 

When you bragged about a set of tires that lasted almost 20,000 miles, about the same as a clutch plate.

 

Radios and heaters were extra-cost options.

 

I remember those days.

 

X2 Says it all!!!

[Zembonez]

The new rigs are junk.

 

We need to go back to the good old days, like about 1950.

 

When a half-ton pickup was REALLY capable of only about a half-ton (1,000 pound payload).

 

When warrantee on a new pickup was 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

When 50,000 miles on an engine meant time for valve job, new rings, new seals, and maybe rod bearings.

 

When you did valve adjustments (with a feeler guage) about every-other-oil-change.

 

When you bragged about a set of tires that lasted almost 20,000 miles, about the same as a clutch plate.

 

Radios and heaters were extra-cost options.

 

I remember those days.

1950?

 

We are not talking about prehistoric trucks here. The 70s and 80s produced reliable, comfortable, hard working trucks with actual steel bodies. They were great trucks. Real trucks without nannies and so called "safety" everything... I wonder how we survived?

[BlackSilver]

The 70s and 80s produced reliable, comfortable, hard working trucks with actual steel bodies. They were great trucks.

 

So tell me then, why aren't you driving a 1975 Cheyenne with bench seats, no A/C, and an anemic 350 in it?

 

There was no pickup built in the 70's or 80's that would do the work that I demand of my truck. Not one.

[Zembonez]

The 70s and 80s produced reliable, comfortable, hard working trucks with actual steel bodies. They were great trucks.

 

So tell me then, why aren't you driving a 1975 Cheyenne with bench seats, no A/C, and an anemic 350 in it?

 

There was no pickup built in the 70's or 80's that would do the work that I demand of my truck. Not one.

 

Everything wears out...

 

I guess this is one of those opinion things. We both have one and they don't appear to be anywhere near the same.

[mato27]

The new rigs are junk.

 

We need to go back to the good old days, like about 1950.

 

When a half-ton pickup was REALLY capable of only about a half-ton (1,000 pound payload).

 

When warrantee on a new pickup was 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

When 50,000 miles on an engine meant time for valve job, new rings, new seals, and maybe rod bearings.

 

When you did valve adjustments (with a feeler guage) about every-other-oil-change.

 

When you bragged about a set of tires that lasted almost 20,000 miles, about the same as a clutch plate.

 

Radios and heaters were extra-cost options.

 

I remember those days.

 

 

You mean when they cost $1,200 brand new

[BlackSilver]

The new rigs are junk.

 

We need to go back to the good old days, like about 1950.

 

When a half-ton pickup was REALLY capable of only about a half-ton (1,000 pound payload).

 

When warrantee on a new pickup was 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

When 50,000 miles on an engine meant time for valve job, new rings, new seals, and maybe rod bearings.

 

When you did valve adjustments (with a feeler guage) about every-other-oil-change.

 

When you bragged about a set of tires that lasted almost 20,000 miles, about the same as a clutch plate.

 

Radios and heaters were extra-cost options.

 

I remember those days.

 

 

You mean when they cost $1,200 brand new

 

 

 

Yup. Extra $38.00 for the heater, $23.45 upgrade for whitewall tires, and $57.32 for the radio option (AM only).

 

$3.85/hour was a great salary, if you had the experience to get that kind of job. Gasoline was $0.279, $0.319 for Ethyl.

[MikeSgmc]

I don't doubt that this truck will be good to me. Just caught me off guard to see folks with the same issues. Thinking back to the Silverado SS, I read forums of guys experiencing the "Steering clunk" 15,000 miles into the truck. Same deal really. This is my first NEW vehicle, so I guess I'm a little protective of it. My girlfriend makes fun of me because I park it so far away from other cars in a parking lot. So what if I love it like it was one of my kin. Not afraid to get it dirty, just no scratches this early.

[C. Charles Hahn]

The 70s and 80s produced reliable, comfortable, hard working trucks with actual steel bodies. They were great trucks. Real trucks without nannies and so called "safety" everything... I wonder how we survived?

 

You know, they do have intake manifolds for our engines that accept carburetors.... maybe you would be happier with one?

 

[High Plains Drifter]

As mentioned before, my trucks front rotors and pads were replaced, lint trap seat covers replaced, and oil leak fixed all under warranty. All this occured under 10,000 miles.

 

That said, the warranty is for precisely these types of issues. Do these issues disappoint me? Sure. Was I inconvenienced taking the truck back, dropping it off, picking it back up? Yes. Did GM do right by me? YES. They fixed the problems and the truck runs fine now. They stood behind their warranty (as they should) and I was satisfied that they addressed the issues. That's all I can ask.

 

Sure, I'd like the sheet metal a bit thicker, a real bumper and I have some minor quibbles. But I can put 2000 lbs in the bed with NO problems, it runs well and does its job. I also use the tailgate often for home projects as it makes a great workbench.

 

Considering the complexity of the vehicle systems, govt safety/emissions/crash standards constantly changing in the middle of product development, and how it all fits and woks together, quite frankly, I'm amazed.

 

As the young whippersnapper above stated, the nostalgic feelings for older vehicles is lost in reality. And although I didn't live in the 50's, I can tell you that domestic cars in the 70's SUCKED. They were rustbuckets (not much galvanized steel body panels back then), tires were often replaced within two years, and constant tune ups.

 

Air conditioning was an expensive option and power windows were usually on the much more expensive cars. Roll up windows were on 80% of the cars and that includes 4 door sedans. "Cut pile" carpeting was an option on many cars. Most mufflers and exhaust systems rusted out within 2-3 years. A car that had 50,000 miles was high mileage. Today, that's nothing. Metallurgy and engineering tolerances have allowed today's engines to achieve 100,000 miles easy with proper maintenance.

 

Cars today are far, FAR more reliable. I have my own issues about the nanny chimes and such but as far as reliability, tire and engine wear, paint and virtually non rusting body panels, it's not even close. You rarely see body panels rusting these days.

 

I can assure you, that was the exception on cars between 1970-78. Unless you lived in the southwest, CA and such, your car was going to have rusty fenderwalls and rear lower quarterpanels. Unless you went to Ziebart and had the entire underbody and fenders sprayed with that black, gooey, sludge that passed for rustproofing, your car was going to rust. Chevrolet Vegas, mid 70's Olds Cutlass and some other excelled at rust problems, often times within a year.

 

Poor quality parts, 12,000 mile warranties. Think of that for a moment. 12,000 miles. That's it. After that, pay up for any repairs. Constant alignments, winter tire swaps, vinyl seats, peeling landau roofs...I could go on. Trucks had many of the same issues.

 

I prefer the styling of some 50's and 60's cars, I'll admit. But overall, today's cars are better in every way.

[huero626]

I've got a 2009 with 12k miles.

 

I currently have an issue with a leaking drivers side door. When it rains hard, my seatbelt gets soaked. I'm trying to wait until I need my oil changed (at 20% now) before I take it in for service.

 

I also have the squeak right behind my head. Can't figure out exactly where it is and neither can the dealership.

 

The rear parking sensors are garbage. I guess I was used to the correct way they should work on my 06 F150.

 

These issues don't really bother me much once I get in and mash the skinny pedal though.

 

 

My parking senors are working great, they even worked when I had the whole towing hitch installed.

 

 

If I had never used them before I'd probably think they were great. Just don't go out and try them on a late model F150 b/c then you will realize that they aren't. I assume the engineers expect you to use the lights in the back corner of the cab b/c the tone is not consistent.

 

In the F150, I could use the tone and have complete confidence in how close I was to an object behind me. No lights required.

 

 

 

Guess I need to drive and F-150 to compare the parking sensors, on my truck they are great. The closer I get the louder the noise from the sensors get and the light in the back of cab help too.

[Zembonez]

The 70s and 80s produced reliable, comfortable, hard working trucks with actual steel bodies. They were great trucks. Real trucks without nannies and so called "safety" everything... I wonder how we survived?

 

You know, they do have intake manifolds for our engines that accept carburetors.... maybe you would be happier with one?

 

 

HA! There's an idea. I never said I had anything against fuel injection. Both systems can work well. I've driven many thousands of miles in carbed vehicles and many thousands in fuel injected vehicles without much trouble from either one. Hell, I even had a carbed VW back in the 80s that got about 36 mpg... like the fancy modern cars now.

 

As far as my new truck goes, I have learned not to touch the beer can thin sheetmetal. I have learned not to touch anything with the fake crushable bumpers, I have learned to be very careful with the thin and fragile paint. I made sure not to buy a truck with crappy AFM installed. I never activated the Onstar. I have removed as many of the crappy nannies as possible with a BlackBear tune.

 

I guess we just have to learn to live with "progress".

[music]

FWIW, my first new car was a Honda. I had been weaned on late 70s / early 80s American cars (1st car was actually a 71 Ford, but it was old when I got it). My sister's first car was a 3-yr old Accord. From the first drive, I knew what my first new car would be. Night/day difference between it and the Ford/Chevy/Dodge vehicles we had at the time.

 

Fast forward to 2008, and I bought another GM truck rather than a Toyota or Nissan, because the quality is that much improved (to me). No offense to anyone, but I'll happily take thin sheet metal with a decent frame, reliable power-train, and real safety features over thick bumpers, a straight 3 on the column, a lap belt and 10* of play in the steering wheel.

 

What was this thread about, anyways?

[Royal Vader]

The new rigs are junk.

 

We need to go back to the good old days, like about 1950.

 

When a half-ton pickup was REALLY capable of only about a half-ton (1,000 pound payload).

 

When warrantee on a new pickup was 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

When 50,000 miles on an engine meant time for valve job, new rings, new seals, and maybe rod bearings.

 

When you did valve adjustments (with a feeler guage) about every-other-oil-change.

 

When you bragged about a set of tires that lasted almost 20,000 miles, about the same as a clutch plate.

 

Radios and heaters were extra-cost options.

 

I remember those days.

 

 

You mean when they cost $1,200 brand new

 

 

 

****And**** you made about $3800 / year back then too.