Who would get the V6 instead of the V8 if the MPG were better?

tnchevy · July 13, 2015

My last silverado was a 2002 with the 4.8 V8 and 4.10 gears, drove that thing for 12 years and the engine did what I asked it too. Before that truck I had a 1992 Silverado and when I was looking at getting a 2002 the salesman pointed me to one but when I saw it had the 4.8 I said no way, need a big V8 like the one in my 1992 (350ci). I test drove it any way and 2 hours later it was mine, that 4.8 with 4.10 gears was faster and pulled harder than my 1992 350 with 3.73 gears and towed my light loads better as well. When I was shopping for my 2014 I never really gave the V6 a honest look and kind of wish I would have but there was only one dealership that stocked mid-trim level trucks with the V6, the rest only kept the 5.3's on the lot unless it was a WT model. Trade in / resale value with different engine sizes does not mean much to me because I will hopefully keep this truck for 10 or more years like my last two. I think GM messed up with the V6 by not advertising how different it is from the old 4.3.

Spurshot · July 13, 2015

The fullsize truck market comes with a lot of history and challenges for the manufacturers that want to play in this field. Older fullsize truck guys like me are prejudiced by past experiences with the V-6. A lot of younger guys either want fast vehicles or are prejudiced by their fathers or other older peoples preachings. The guys in the middle are usually at a point in their careers that they can afford a more heavily equipped model.

Look at what Nissan and Toyota had to do to gain market share...even with young guys. They had to put a V-8 in their trucks or they'd never get some portion of the market.

Manufacturers could build a 420 hp V-6 if they wanted. And they may want to, since a V-6 is cheaper to make because of lower parts count. But, they know they'd give up market to a maker with a V-8 of the same power. The V-6 has a stigma issue. "Perception is reality"

Besides, who wants a truck that sounds like a Corvair?

tnchevy · July 13, 2015

That dealer I mentioned who had their lot full of V6 silverados last year now have a majority with V8's. This is the dealer closest to me so I browsed around while getting my "free" oil change. I guess they had trouble moving the V6 trucks and didn't want to make that mistake again. I have been driving full size trucks with V8's in both personal and company trucks and have got used to that. I rarely tow anything and when I do it is a small cattle trailer, uhaul, small boat, etc. but I still wanted a minimum of the 5.3 and 3.42 gear ratio just because that is what I wanted. I do think though myself and the majority of us on here would be just fine with the 6 banger. If my truck got totaled today and I was in the market for another one I think now I would definitely give the V6 silvy a spin.

Jordan18 · July 13, 2015

The fullsize truck market comes with a lot of history and challenges for the manufacturers that want to play in this field. Older fullsize truck guys like me are prejudiced by past experiences with the V-6. A lot of younger guys either want fast vehicles or are prejudiced by their fathers or other older peoples preachings. The guys in the middle are usually at a point in their careers that they can afford a more heavily equipped model.

Look at what Nissan and Toyota had to do to gain market share...even with young guys. They had to put a V-8 in their trucks or they'd never get some portion of the market.

Manufacturers could build a 420 hp V-6 if they wanted. And they may want to, since a V-6 is cheaper to make because of lower parts count. But, they know they'd give up market to a maker with a V-8 of the same power. The V-6 has a stigma issue. "Perception is reality"

Besides, who wants a truck that sounds like a Corvair?

The day they make the exhaust notes (not the dumb ford sound through the speakers tactic) sound like a V8 may be the day I would get into one if they made identical power. I am not old enough to be able to comment on the day before EFI even but what you stated is exactly why I like V8s, my dad was familiar with them and I have always been as a result.

My brothers ecoboost bothers me, it just sounds like crap and I am unsure as to the long term reliability.

tnchevy · July 13, 2015

That is true if you disable the V4 mode in your truck and throw on a flowmaster then it would sound great. The stock sound on these trucks sound like a Prius to me.

Brian S. · July 13, 2015

I would say that neither the 2014 Silverado 4.3l I had, nor the 2015 5.3l GM I have, sound like the 74 Camaro with headers and cherry bombs, or the 72 Monte I had with headers and cherry bombs back in the day.

They sound like sewing machines idling, and are pretty muted on acceleration.

But, I'm old now, so I'm OK with that.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · July 13, 2015

That is true if you disable the V4 mode in your truck and throw on a flowmaster then it would sound great. The stock sound on these trucks sound like a Prius to me.

I said that exact same thing, that the stock exhaust makes it sound like a Prius. I have a Flowmaster Super 44 on mine and don't mind the V4 drone that to me sounds just like a commercial truck's engine brake (which I love hearing when I tried trucking and was in the mountains). Maybe down the line I'll put a tune in it and disable the V4.

I would say that neither the 2014 Silverado 4.3l I had, nor the 2015 5.3l GM I have, sound like the 74 Camaro with headers and cherry bombs, or the 72 Monte I had with headers and cherry bombs back in the day.

They sound like sewing machines idling, and are pretty muted on acceleration.

But, I'm old now, so I'm OK with that.

I bet neither one of those cars sound like a buddies 65 Chevy C10. A long time ago, maybe 14 years ago, he cranked it up and it made my insides vibrate. It was a 350 with just headers.

The Flowmaster Super 44 sounds awesome in my '14 with the 5.3. But, I also had them removed everything from the muffler on back. To me you just can't beat the sound of a V8. One type of muffler I can't stand no matter what it's on is a glasspack. Just sounds like total sh*t.

tnchevy · July 13, 2015

I tried the dynomax VT which is just a glass pack with a flapper. Just was not my style when it comes to a good exhaust note. I had the 44 series on my 92 model, true duals with hooker headers and two flowmaster 44's. Sounded great when I was in my early 20's but was pretty darn loud. I put the 50 series on my 2002 with the 4.8 and it was perfect, great sound at idle and not super loud when I got on it. I will probably go that route when my 5 year warranty is up and will disable V4 at the same time, just 4 more years to go!

Spurshot · July 13, 2015

I would say that neither the 2014 Silverado 4.3l I had, nor the 2015 5.3l GM I have, sound like the 74 Camaro with headers and cherry bombs, or the 72 Monte I had with headers and cherry bombs back in the day.

They sound like sewing machines idling, and are pretty muted on acceleration.

But, I'm old now, so I'm OK with that.

Yeah, me too.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · July 13, 2015

I tried the dynomax VT which is just a glass pack with a flapper. Just was not my style when it comes to a good exhaust note. I had the 44 series on my 92 model, true duals with hooker headers and two flowmaster 44's. Sounded great when I was in my early 20's but was pretty darn loud. I put the 50 series on my 2002 with the 4.8 and it was perfect, great sound at idle and not super loud when I got on it. I will probably go that route when my 5 year warranty is up and will disable V4 at the same time, just 4 more years to go!

Why wait until the warranty is out? There's plenty of people with aftermarket exhaust, including me, that haven't had any issues with the dealer saying the exhaust is a problem with anything including warranty. The only thing stock exhaust wise is from the exhaust manifolds to where they cut the muffler off so just the 3 cats. This is my first brand new truck and I was worried about voiding the warranty, but I got easier with thinking that once I had the exhaust done.

SuperSize · July 13, 2015

I am new here and just picked up a 2015 4.3L and love it so far. I bought if for the lower price and better MPG. I only tow a small dirt bike trailer and a tent trailer, so it is more than enough.

One of the biggest feature for me was how quiet it is. We do a lot of road trips. I would rather hear my music than the engine.

First highway trip I got 25 mpg for 126 miles.

ember1205 · July 13, 2015

I am new here and just picked up a 2015 4.3L and love it so far. I bought if for the lower price and better MPG. I only tow a small dirt bike trailer and a tent trailer, so it is more than enough.

One of the biggest feature for me was how quiet it is. We do a lot of road trips. I would rather hear my music than the engine.

First highway trip I got 25 mpg for 126 miles.

I thought exactly the opposite... My '15 Sierra SLE Double Cab has the 5.3 and is very quiet under almost all circumstances. Harder acceleration wakes the motor up and it makes more noise, but not a terrible amount.

My truck went in for a day's worth of warranty updates and such, and they gave me the identical truck (non-SLE trim) with the 4.3L in it. I thought that the amount of sound penetrating into the cabin from that motor was a fair amount -more- than from the 5.3L motor that's in mine. And, I drove it a good 250 miles that day as I had to go out of town for work.

It wasn't a horrid level of noise, mind you, I just felt that it was louder than the 8cyl. A co-worker has a '14 Silverado 1LT with the 6cyl in it, and his seems a little louder inside the cab than mine as well.

SuperSize · July 13, 2015

I thought exactly the opposite... My '15 Sierra SLE Double Cab has the 5.3 and is very quiet under almost all circumstances. Harder acceleration wakes the motor up and it makes more noise, but not a terrible amount.

My truck went in for a day's worth of warranty updates and such, and they gave me the identical truck (non-SLE trim) with the 4.3L in it. I thought that the amount of sound penetrating into the cabin from that motor was a fair amount -more- than from the 5.3L motor that's in mine. And, I drove it a good 250 miles that day as I had to go out of town for work.

It wasn't a horrid level of noise, mind you, I just felt that it was louder than the 8cyl. A co-worker has a '14 Silverado 1LT with the 6cyl in it, and his seems a little louder inside the cab than mine as well.

I wasn't comparing it to the 5.3, but to my previous car. I did test drive both of the them and didn't really hear a big difference, but I didn't race the motors too much and only drove about 20 min each. Maybe, ignorance is bliss, but compared to my old car I am very happy.

Also, I won't be changing the stock exhaust, until I have to which I hope is a long long time from now.

ember1205 · July 13, 2015

I wasn't comparing it to the 5.3, but to my previous car. I did test drive both of the them and didn't really hear a big difference, but I didn't race the motors too much and only drove about 20 min each. Maybe, ignorance is bliss, but compared to my old car I am very happy.

Also, I won't be changing the stock exhaust, until I have to which I hope is a long long time from now.

Understood.. The piece I didn't say in my previous post is that it seems that cabin noise is a relative measure in many circumstances. These trucks are generally quite quiet.