07-13 Silverados/Sierra Feel Cheap?

ChevMech · February 25, 2015

I'm probably a couple of years late to the party, but this question has been bothering me for some time. When GM introduced the new body style in 2007 I couldn't decide if I liked them or not. Well, it's 2015 and I still don't like them....even though I drive a 2009 Silverado 2500 HD. Oh and I should mention I'm a used car salesman and drive these trucks on a daily basis. Is it just me, or do these trucks just feel cheap?

I drive an LTZ so it has the setup and accents of the Tahoes/Yukons, which makes this generation of trucks bearable for me. I get in a LT or LS version of the same truck, it seems like the interior was an afterthought in the design process. The dash is all plastic, the vents are just kind of put there, the DIC buttons are in a weird position, and, my favorite, you have to twist you had in the weirdest of positions to adjust the power mirrors since the controls are BEHIND the door handle. Oh and who thought putting the integrated trailer brake control on the knee bolster was a good idea? I'm glad I haven't had to reach down there in a pinch. One more thing and I'll be done with my rant, what happened to the quality of the fabric? I have a 130k mile truck with torn seats. It wasn't abused.....just the driver slid in and out. I've seen 250k mile trucks from previous generations stand up much better.

Okay, there, I'm done. Thank you for reading. Let me know if I'm looking at this correctly

white1500 · February 25, 2015

Ive only sat in gmt900's a few times but I agree on the cheap feeling. The cloth and doors are inferior to the gmt800's, especially to the well developed '06. And the bodywork including headlights aren't as good either. They were a huge let down imo.

Badbird2000 · February 25, 2015

I have a 2012, and I agree to some degree on the interior. I wanted an LTZ, but could only afford the LT. Dash is a little plasticky for my taste. My old 2002 F150 had better materials for the dash, sad to say.

ChevMech · February 25, 2015

I stepped out of a 2003 1500 Z71 with 203,000 miles on the clock. It was worn, but there were not cracks or tears anywhere. My 09 has a large crack from the passenger's side air bag to the defroster vent, and then an even larger one running from the defrost vent toward the driver's side of the gauge covering. I would estimate it's about 8 or 9 inches long. I asked my service manager how much it would cost to fix it. They want $350 for the hunk of plastic that is the dash, plus the 4 hours of labor it would take to get it put back together. I'm sadly disappointed.

dsr611 · February 25, 2015

Cheap? Just wait until your dash starts cracking at the passenger side airbag...and GM pretty much tells you to pound sand. They claim there's not a problem with the dashes cracking, then they'll blame it on the heat, cleaning products, etc. My whole interior rattles like crazy...the panel at the driver's knees rattles and doesn't align with the adjoining panel correctly. The upper storage compartment on the passenger side also does not align properly and has about 3/16" or so overhang. Just recently, my back seat started rattling and making loud noises. I found the problem a week or so back...

My wife has her eyes on a 4Runner and I'm just about ready to wash my hands of GM, trade my truck in on it and take up driving her 05 Tahoe.

ChevMech · February 27, 2015

That knee bolster rattled like crazy when I first got my truck. Being in a bad mood one morning going to work, I grabbed the underneath and ripped it out. It turns out its a crappy (not sure if that word is allowed) plastic glued to a piece of metal.....THAT YOU CAN'T BUY AT THE DEALERSHIP. I found it in the aftermarket and it seems to be better quality than the original ones.

I couldn't tell you how many of those LS, LT, and SLE's I've seen come in where service has to fix that upper storage compartment. Just the design of the latch makes it prone to breakage.

What exactly are those pieces that you found in the back seat?

Bad Bowtie2 · February 27, 2015

Those plastic peices (there are 3 on a crewcab back seat anyways), insulate the top seat back metal guides from the rear cab interior sheet metal. There are 3 metal tabs that the seat back slides up & down in when you open/close the seat bottoms.

I broke 2 in my 2009 & already 2 again in my 2012!! The back seat does rattle like crazy when these break!!

Our now 4 yr old & 6 yr old daughters ride back there- Anchored down in child seats. So it's not like they are jumping around back there!!

GM calls them "bumpers", PN# 22771139. But they really are a plastic insulator.

BIGDOGx · February 27, 2015

I agree completely and it's why with my last purchase I went wit ha leftover gmt800 because sorry for those that have a 900 it is my least favorite gm truck that they have made in the last 20+ years, and like you said fit and finish is a laughable joke even on their top end models. My brother has a loaded 13 gmc and was jealous as #@#@ when he saw my 14, almost to the point that I could tell he was upset about it.

white1500 · February 27, 2015

I think that ultimately it reflects the state of the economy in that time frame. The gmt900 platform should have provided a lot more in every aspect.

Which thus put the k2's on the back foot imo. These should have been released a year or two earlier with even more features/development.

CapitalTruck · February 28, 2015

I had a few of the same impressions with my GMT-900. However, I have to say it rides and handles light years better than the 800. The steering is so much better. Also, I think there is noticeably less frame twist in the 900 than 800. By 2013 they had put slightly more durable cloth panels in the seats. However, they still aren't up to the level of toughness of my 800. As far as the interior being plasticy, my 800 and 900 LS are pretty much a draw in that department. I had the base cab in both models. I guess I really just don't care so much RE: interior.

We'll see what the future holds, I think the 900, though lighter, may ultimately prove to be equally durable as the 800. Again, the frame seems noticeably stiffer.

intheburbs · March 1, 2015

Wow, I guess I got the one in a million truck that works like it should. It's an '08, so it was made right in the midst of the Government Motors debacle.

130K miles, everything works as it should, seats are in great shape, no cracks on the dash, no squeaks or rattles, no costs other than changing fluids.

I drive it like I stole it, and I've towed a 6500-lb trailer all over the country. Took it 4-wheeling in Utah, and bounced it over rocks and scraped the frame (but did not take it on metal masher). Have seen the trans temp gauge as high as 235° on multiple occasions.

I'll just count my blessings.

chevytruckin08WNY · March 3, 2015

Yes I've noticed things that I felt are kind of cheesy on my 08. 64,362 miles and she's still solid goin down the road so far. Our roads suck around here for the most part because of the beating they take every winter. Not a rattle anywhere. Replaced a u-joint and a front hub so far. I'm happy with the truck at this juncture.

2017SierraSLT · March 3, 2015

I'm a happy 900 owner. I don't baby mine, and in 19 months, no issues, squeaks, rattles, or anything that ticks me off. The fit and finish is excellent. I'm one of those that really hates the K2's mainly because of the generally snobby owners, and to me the styling is nothing impressive.

Btuggle88 · March 5, 2015

I have a 2013 LTZ and I like the LTZ interior but I agree about the LT interior it must have been designed by the special ed class, horrible placement for EVERYTHING but on a side note I'm not real impressed with anybody's interior so far as durability.

WilliamBos · March 29, 2015

The dash in my 2011 reminds me of the 73-87 GM, I actually like it. I also love how you sit higher in the interior, and the dash is not as high up in the 2007-2013. When they first came out, I loved my 04 better. But now, I like these better.

I went from an SLT to an SL, happy with no regrets.