Newbie Deciding On His First Silverado

[jtice]

Hello everyone. Newbie here, doing some research on getting myself a Silverado in a few months.

So I will just go ahead and apologize for all the silly questions I am going to end up having.

Yes, I will try to use the search function the best I can

 

First, what I am looking for...

I have about a $12K budget, and want a very nicely equipped (decked out actually) 1500 or 2500, 5.3L V8, 4 door (suicide rear doors), with under 100K miles on it.

That seems to be reasonably possible with a 2000 to 2002 truck at least.

I have found a few nice decked out Z71s with about 90K miles on them for about that price.

The truck will be used for some towing, but nothing crazy. The most it will ever do is tow a Jeep TJ on a trailer.

I know that is a bit beyond what a 5.3L 1500 should be used for, but it will not have to do that very often at all.

Its main towing and hauling will be an ATV in the bed, or a couple ATVs on a small trailer.

 

One of the main things I need to decide of what body style I really want to start looking at.

I dont mind the newer style 2003 bodies really, I just much prefer the 2000 to 2002 body styles.

But, I want to make sure I know what all they changed on these trucks from those years.

Do they ride or handle different? Does one have better MPG than the other?

So that I will know if there are some good changes or features that will make me go with the newer 2003+ body style.

 

I would also love to compile a list of things to look out for, what goes bad on them first, or the most often.

Generally any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

~John

[RyanbabZ71]

Mainly they are the same should ride or handle any different just appearance of the front is different. The 05+ trucks have E85 available. Some of those years above 03 they added the aluminum block with more HP.

[silveraldo74]

Fuel pump!! They are bad change fuel filter often I did mine every second oil change!!

Brakes are not great!!!

Otherwise best fullsize truck I have owned till my new 09 Silveraldo!! I like to call chevy's and Gmc trucks Lazyboy on wheels very comfortable and relatively cheap to maintain!!

[[email protected]]

You gotta go for the 6.0l, that's where the big power is at!

[oldmann]

I'm sure you'll be happy with any of them. The only problem I had was burning out DTRLs. I had an '06 regular cab long box with the tall hood. What a sharp truck! anyway, the 5.3 is great any way you slice it. I's sure guys will tell you to get a one ton oil burner but it is amazing what these trucks will do.

[jblakeney]

I have had my 99 GMT800 since October of 2001. It had 31k on the clock (I knew the guy that put the 31k on it older retired guy just needed a 3/4ton to pull his new camper). A dent in the lower drivers front fender and door. The day I looked at it, I bought it the next day. For the hefty sum of 14.7k usd (or might have been 11.5k one was the 01 2500 i forget which is which). I have had the pleasure of driving it since till now. It has 178k on the clock now runs quite strong..... It would take no less than 20k usd to pry that truck from hands might even be more around 25k. It is not worth that but it still quite the dependable truck and I would want a CHUNK of money towards a new one.

 

2000 ext cabs came with the 4th door (so get at least a 2000 don't settle for the 99 you will get tired of the door being on the wrong side).

 

5.3 and 6.0's are quite strong.

 

They started adding more and more electronics to the GMT800 platform in the later years. 1999-2001 are pretty basic trucks.

 

Fuel pumps are as good as the owner treats the pump. I changed mine a couple months ago. First new pump. I kept the fuel filter changed REGULAR and never let the truck run below 1/2 tank.

 

Ride GMT800 2wds all should ride very near the same as with the 4wd's. Mind you a 1500 will ride better than a 2500.

 

MPGs..... depends on your habit. I get 14.1-16.9 mixed driving city/highway. I drive it like I stole it the majority of the time.

 

Jbo

[jro909]

later years of the 800 saw very minium increase in power...had minor flaws like steering clunk and castec heads but overall a very good truck..bought mine with 60 somethen miles on it and i've had to invest about 4k into it but hell its life

[rogerf]

Fundemental recommendation is to buy a 2wd if you don't absolutely need a 4X4. This will deliver the most truck for the money on purchase and the cheapest to run & maintain going forward. Towing that amount of weight, forget about chasing after the most fuel efficient engines...put your limited money into getting a big motor and/or rear axle ratio to match. In the age-range you are looking, would try to find one with rear disc brakes for the towing. Look for body rot in the cab corners, rockers, rear fender lips, and bottom of the tailgate. Most others here have beat the fuel pump failures to death. Good luck with your search.

[KMGZ400]

Fuel pump!! They are bad change fuel filter often I did mine every second oil change!!

Brakes are not great!!!

Otherwise best fullsize truck I have owned till my new 09 Silveraldo!! I like to call chevy's and Gmc trucks Lazyboy on wheels very comfortable and relatively cheap to maintain!!

 

 

no no no. the brakes on the gmt 800's are waay better then the 900 brakes

[jblakeney]

I gripped about my brakes from the day I got it until I got all 5 of the hoses changed some 7 years later...... aka last year. WOW did that make a difference. It will peal down the speed great. The pedal use to be spongy the new hoses fixed it. I wish I had put stainless braided ones now, thou (if anybody has them on a GMT800 2wd shoot up some pictures and brand info).

 

Jbo

[05silvycrew]

engines from 2000-2007 classic will all be about the same. the 5.3 is stout for what you need it for.

 

Make sure it's got the tow package with the tranny cooler.

 

05-07 engines have electric cooling fans as apposed to clutch style in all years previous.

 

make sure you get 3.73 gears. the best all purpose gear GM offered. plenty of grunt to tow and respectable MPG

 

00-02 have the same grilles

03-05 have a once piece horizontal grille bar, usually chrome with a painted U

06--7 classic have a 2 piece grillle

 

taillights are a little different on 03-07 classic chevy's

 

 

with a little common sense and good maintenance, these trucks should make 200,000 miles easily. My dads 99 made 200,000 when he traded it in last year and my truck has 95,000 on it and runs like a top.