Article about slow 2014 Silverado/Sierra sales

KARNUT · February 13, 2014

Ram diesel is an 4500 option. When I was getting gas this morning diesel was 50 cents a gallon more. So saving at the pump cant be it. Hemi has way more HP, 10 less lb feet of Torque. That cant be it. I look on the web site this morning the tradesman with the diesel starts at 34000. You can get a slt Ram for that. You can get a work truck with a hemi starting around 22000 in Texas. I buy diesel trucks to work them to do that you need to buy a 3/4 ton or better. To make it work in a half ton you need to have a long time, you seen what dodge looks like after ten years, it isn't pretty.

ZmanII · February 13, 2014

I am in the market for a new pickup. I haven't owned a non GM vehicle in 15 years. I would like to buy a Denali, but the price is way to high. I could buy a f150 platinum for $10k less than a Denali with the same MSRP. No way am I going to pay that much of a premium for a Denali. In many aspects, the f150 is better, ie power running boards, heated rear seats, rear seat vents....

GM needs to increase the rebates. The price after rebate on the higher trim Sierras is higher than the original MSRPs when the 14s came out!

KARNUT · February 13, 2014

If you go to the GM dealer with the differents apples to apples they will get close. Then look at JD Power reliability ratings that should seal the deal for you.

pm26 · February 13, 2014

I am in the market for a new pickup. I haven't owned a non GM vehicle in 15 years. I would like to buy a Denali, but the price is way to high. I could buy a f150 platinum for $10k less than a Denali with the same MSRP. No way am I going to pay that much of a premium for a Denali. In many aspects, the f150 is better, ie power running boards, heated rear seats, rear seat vents....

GM needs to increase the rebates. The price after rebate on the higher trim Sierras is higher than the original MSRPs when the 14s came out!

I think that need to lower the prices. In the meantime, the "High Country" version should be renamed "High Sticker".

Silver space ship · February 14, 2014

About 2 weeks ago I did the math on diesel fuel and gas and if you got 28mpg with the diesel what would you need to get with gas to be equal cost wise with gas and it was 21mpg. Gas jumped yesterday and I don't know if diesel did too and I don't know if diesel is always higher then gas every place but that how the numbers worked when I checked it out. I must admit I was kinda intrigued buy the 1500 Ram diesel until I crunched the numbers. Last summer I could pull 21mpg highway, not sure if I still can after the last 2 updates but will have to wait for it to warm up to tell.

mattmanstroked · February 14, 2014

Seen on dealer website where crew cab 4x4 LT is 10,000 of sticker. They are still high priced but better than they were.

Hootbro · February 14, 2014

About 2 weeks ago I did the math on diesel fuel and gas and if you got 28mpg with the diesel what would you need to get with gas to be equal cost wise with gas and it was 21mpg. Gas jumped yesterday and I don't know if diesel did too and I don't know if diesel is always higher then gas every place but that how the numbers worked when I checked it out. I must admit I was kinda intrigued buy the 1500 Ram diesel until I crunched the numbers. Last summer I could pull 21mpg highway, not sure if I still can after the last 2 updates but will have to wait for it to warm up to tell.

You figured out what many do not when they tout diesels over gas. The introduction costs are way high and return or breaking even on that does not make much sense when the math is crunched. Most have to put close to 150,000 miles or so to just break even on the higher cost of diesel and any gains in MPG's it may bring.

Diesels only really shine for those that actually need the low end torque benefits a diesel has to offer. Most cases, a diesel is really only needed for those that would be in the 3/4 to 1 ton market. A 1/2 ton diesel is a parlor trick in the USA with the associated higher fuel and maintenance costs detracting from it.

pm26 · February 14, 2014

You figured out what many do not when they tout diesels over gas. The introduction costs are way high and return or breaking even on that does not make much sense when the math is crunched. Most have to put close to 150,000 miles or so to just break even on the higher cost of diesel and any gains in MPG's it may bring.

Diesels only really shine for those that actually need the low end torque benefits a diesel has to offer. Most cases, a diesel is really only needed for those that would be in the 3/4 to 1 ton market. A 1/2 ton diesel is a parlor trick in the USA with the associated higher fuel and maintenance costs detracting from it.

Also, people often forget that diesel maintenance is not cheap. My coworker's 6.4 liter Ford diesel pickup needs 13 quarts of oil for a single oil change. That's more than twice as much oil as you need for a gas engine pickup oil change. Replacing diesel injectors on high pressure modern diesels is very expensive, to the tune of $ 1000 per injector, or more. And if you somehow blow up the engine out of warranty, then prepare to spend $ 20k+ for a new diesel engine. You also must replace pricey fuel filters/water separators frequently.

mattmanstroked · February 15, 2014

Last few posts about the diesel is correct. Up front cost plus diesel fuel cost plus maintenance costs takeaways a long time to equal out for it to be worth buying a diesel.

Repair costs is going to have to figure in somewhere down the line. Like said earlier the cost of diesel injectors are out of sight. These new diesel injectors open and close multiple times per ignition cycle at very high fuel pressure is going to have trouble one day. These are not the old Cummins that go 300,000 with oil and filter changes..

I can't see how you would be able to come out ahead buying a diesel 1/2 ton. If you are going to be pulling heavy you need 3/4 or 1 ton. Diesel in those trucks make sense.

Some say but the resell value will be higher on the diesel yes they are right but diesel option did cost more too begin with. So it should be worth more used unless the repair cost in later years is high. Repair cost may scare used truck buyers down the road. Remember the 6.0 powerstroke engines folks are scared of them around here.

mawint · February 15, 2014

Isn't the new GM trucks 8 quarts of oil?

Firetiger(MN) · February 15, 2014

GM has two options:

1. Build a better truck.

2. Sell a cheaper truck.

Sales will not meet goals until one or both are met.

They should concentrate on #1, since they apparently didn't when they came out with the 2014's.

They can dangle all the incentives they want, but I'm not biting until they stop pushing out a bug-filled product.

pm26 · February 16, 2014

My deuce and a half multifuel diesel needs 22 quarts of oil and two oil fiters for a single oil change.

Aaron1085 · February 16, 2014

Personally, I like the GMC Sierra far better than the F150, but apples to oranges; how can I convince the wife in a few Yeats when its time to get a new truck that GMC is worth the extra cash?! Idk.... maybe it'll simply come down to individual dealers and what they will do to make a sale if corporate isn't gonna make some sales moves.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

redwngr · February 22, 2014

Lots of Dmax trucks are going 300-400,000 miles and more.

Duramax injector failures are extremely rare (but it does happen).

Fuel filter life (with the new filter) is often over 40,000 miles. This filter is also an excellent water stop.

6.6L duramax takes 10qt (US) engine oil. (the current 5.3L in 1/2 tons takes 8.5qt (US).

Used Dmax prices return the premium paid on initial purchase. (at least).

All that said, the fuel costs per mile will be more (combo of price/gal and mileage) than the new 1/2 ton's, the capital cost will be higher for a similar equipped truck and the ride (as much as they have improved from years ago) will not be as nice as the 1/2 ton.

Dmax sites have lots of complaints about the emissions equipment, but the powerstroke and ram sites are littered with stories of complete engine failures. Dmax reliability has been vastly superior. The current version released in 2011 is 395hp and 765ftlb torque. (for 2015 the 2500/3500 gets the new body style and keeps the LML)

If need the towing capability buy the diesel, if you don't buy what makes you smile.

2014big3 · February 23, 2014

Back to the topic re sales.

In my area ( Alberta Canada ) pickups are very very popular. I can say without a doubt there still surprisingly few 2014 GM Trucks on the road 6 months after their debut. A local dealer still has a very nice 2014 GMC SLT Z71 Crew Cab ( short box bronze alloy with 20" rims ) that arrived in July. This is not a demo, it sits in a line with the other new trucks and still has some plastic covering in the inside. There is no shortage of money here and plenty of serious GM truck fans who typically would pay full MSRP to have the first of a new generation of trucks. The 2014's are clearly not a hot item. If GM expected to establish premium pricing the recently released data of 170 days of inventory and declining sales year over year proves there in denial.