Higher Mileage And Confidence.

[Kodiak450]

I have seen in my life time, many older GM trucks on the road and quite a bit at that over the years still running. I'm not anywhere near the high mileage mark with my 03, about 75,000. My history from owning Ford trucks, I noticed after 130,000 miles, it's usually down hill and time for a newer truck. At 130,000 miles with my F250 gassers I would have low confidence if I were to say go on a long mile trip out of state. I seek out the confident levels of other older (or if you had a older high mileage GM truck in the past) and what your confidence level was in tructing your high mileage truck going on a long distance trip. With my Fords, no matter how meticulous I was with maintence, the untrusting of the Ford trucks would be high after the 130,000 mile mark. I know now from owning both brands that GM's build is alot better over the previous F250's I've owned and my extended warranty is nearing the end I think and don't plan on renewing it. I though the investment of keeping it going was a good finacial descion, but my GM truck has proved other wise on the expensive. In a nut shell, it cost me $3k and I maybe had the warranty come little over 1/2 way in paying for itself. I guess if I were to point a finger at someone, it would be GM for building a much better truck, cause if I was in a Ford truck today, that warranty would of paid for itself by last year.

 

So with the exception of alot of people opting to get a new truck, because you like having newer, and/or want the more powerful engine of todays truck, or prefer todays design over previous gens. How would you rate your confidence level as far as feeling confident that your GM gasser engine would easily go the distance if being cared for properly with maintenance?

 

I've gotten great reviews off forum from people I know that have older GM trucks (early - mid 90's).

[importkiller76]

I currently own a 2002 1500HD with 136,000 miles and change and wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere long or short trip. At work we have trucks ranging from 95-2011 and mileage up to about 370,000 miles and our guys drive them daily short trips and long trips depending on where the job is. And we run a construction company so our trucks are generally used pretty rough. For example we have a 98 k1500 reg cab long box. The boss drove it for the first 100,000 then turned it over to the guys. It's had toolboxes and racks on it basically it's whole life and always stuff in the bed and sometimes overloaded (I know everyone is shocked!). The truck had a tranny at about 250,000 miles and other than basic maintenance has never needed another thing. Although these days it has about 370k miles and is getting a little tired our guys still drive it long trips (300+) miles with no trouble! So yes my confidence in an older gm gasser with high miles is pretty high if it's been properly maintained.

[brisk]

I'm up to 125k on my 02 and I would drive it to the East Coast without hesitation. I know of a Railroad guy with an 03 6.0 GM that drove it up to 310k miles IIRC. He still wanted to keep the truck but they made him take a newer one.

[jro909]

115k on my 04...i will drive it til its got no compression left, the keeping up with the jones mentality that people have is how you end up in a deep dark hole of debt

 

 

on a side note, i met a guy that loved his ram so much that he found it cheaper just to replace everything instead of buying new

[becker87]

I had a 94 chevy 1500 that was my dads that i inherited after he passed and i drove it to college then once i graduated i got my 2010. It was an ext. cab 350 4x4. My uncle currently uses it for his farm truck, running around to and from the field and farm and so on. It has about 190k on there now and has never had anything major done to it. The most major problem was the water pump went out around the 170k mark. When i gave it to him it ran just fine, and it still does as i see it every so often. The only reason i got rid of it was because i needed something with a little more power and towing capacity and the A/C didn't work and the heat didn't blow to well.(yes easy fixes but didn't wasnt to start putting money into it) Im a landscaper so the A/C working was kind of a big deal, and i also wanted a nice truck to meet with clients in as the 94 had deffiantly been through the paces. I would still drive it for a daily beater but i don't have the room at home for it. That truck took such a beating and always came right back.

[KMGZ400]

i am very very very confident in the engines, or at least the GMT800 5.3's and 6.0's and 4.8's. the 4L60 is my only worry on my trucks.

 

my suburban with the 5.3 with 150k on it rides great, still pulls like new and dosent tick or make any weird noises. trans went at 120k but the new one is great and definatley worth the money for it

[Shatterz]

A far as the engines are concerned, I would not have ANY worries on a properly maintained GM V8 (both the previous gens and the current LS based motors). One of the highest mileage trucks I know of was a guy on another chevy truck forum that has a 96 c1500 2wd 5.0 with over 600,000 miles and the engine had not been touched other than maintanence items and fluid changes (he would post up a picture every 50,000 miles or so of the truck breaking another mileage mark topped out at 100 mph showing that it still had the guts).

 

At my work we have (2) 99 express 2500 vans, both over 200,000 miles and not looking to replace them anytime soon, regular maintanence and occasional replacement of parts (none of which are motor related) keeps them running well.

 

My biggest concern on a higher mileage truck is not the motor or trans, but other periperhals, which really don't require much maintanence until they decide to go bad, like the alternator, ps pump, brake booster, electrical related equipemt etc. I can honestly say that I have not had one motor or trans related failure of any kind in ANY gm vehicle I have ever owned, and that totals 7 different GM trucks. And that is why I believe GM has some of the best motor and powertrain designs in the automotive industry.

[arwriter]

For use on our orchard, we purchased two K2500 pick-ups new, one in 88 and one in 89 (both with 350ci v8s). The '88 I do not recall how many miles were put on it, but certainly well above 200,000. The '89 went to 450,000 hard dirt and rock eating miles before we sold it at auction; it received a new tranny at 120,000 and a new engine at 350,000.

 

We've also purchased Ford F-150s new and Dodge 1500s new. The Dodge (still in service) is above 300,000 with a rebuilt tranny sometime in between 200,000 and 300,000. As far as the F-150s go, a '97 went to 275,000 before it needed a tranny and an '02 is at 240,000 with nothing major replaced.

 

We also have a 1980 1-ton flat bed dump with a 350ci and a turbo 400 that is still kicking and working hard. Back in my less experienced days I way over loaded that thing with 16 tons of fruit and somehow safely made it to my destination. As far as I am concerned the big three all make good quality durable trucks, I tend to prefer the GMs, but I would use a truck for work from any of them.

[KMGZ400]

i actually i dont trust the alternators in GM trucks, i have gone through 1 alternator on my 01 at 50, 1 on the burb at 75k and on my 3500 i went through 2 alterantors one at 60k and the next at 140k. i dont like GM alternators

 

and on the GMT800's, i dont trust the shit paint on the dash becasue it always flakes off.

[Kodiak450]

i actually i dont trust the alternators in GM trucks, i have gone through 1 alternator on my 01 at 50, 1 on the burb at 75k and on my 3500 i went through 2 alterantors one at 60k and the next at 140k. i dont like GM alternators

 

and on the GMT800's, i dont trust the shit paint on the dash becasue it always flakes off.

 

With the paint flaking off, were the GM vehicles in question parked in the sun alot? Was the dash boards ever treated with armor all and keeped cleaned on a regular basis? You're just talking flaking off, not any type of cracking?

[Kodiak450]

I think I too had some flaking off paint on the dash, closer to where the bottom windsheld meets the dash area.

[grimmysnr]

Most of my experience is that everything around the motor will start falling apart around 60k and then on. Most of the maintenance items and then transmissions. The last transmission I had that took a major dump was a Ford though. Mid nineties Taurus that has the poorly designed lubrication of the transmission that wouldn't get fluid to the back gears. Then I had a 1997 Grand Am. Its alternator crapped out about 80k, gauge cluster in the dash went a few thousand after that, and then ABS wheel sensor went around the same time as the alternator. Still ran and drove though.

 

As far as trucks are concerned. My 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3 has front bearings replaced, front differential and half shafts rebuilt, G80 locker wouldn't lock, and some various other random issues. Most of these problems I caused by a little abuse. Motor and transmission is still rocking on that thing though. I just dont have very much confidence in all the peripherals lately.

[JaBradt85]

Dead thread revival I am aware. Anyway, I am looking to cut my payment down about $100 a month by looking at an 04 ext cab 2500hd with 130k. I am not sure if I am going to actually do it or not, it seems the 6.0s can go a long time even with working them hard. Here is a link to what I am looking at. http://www.indemandauto.com/2004_Chevrolet_Silverado%202500_149612107.veh

[captainruss99]

I just picked up a sweet 04 2500hd w/143,000 miles. Runs perfect, no start up knocking, smooth trans. Plan on keeping it for many years. I'm a truck tech, seen many 6.0s with over 300k, still working hard.

[jreg76]

we traded in an 03 tahoe (5.3) with 170k. The engine was still going strong but we were having to put money into the rest of the vehicle. We replaced the trans at about 125k. my wife is in outside sales so we needed something newer for safety reasons. I have an 08 silverado with a 5.3 and 70k. The silverado still drives like new but i am looking at a new sierra HD for a higher tow rating.