Buying Advice 1500 / 2500

[Seppelrator]

Hi Everybody,
I want to buy my first truck and don't really know what exactly to get. I have multiple options.
It would mainly be used as a family car with occasional transporting and towing. Im sick of having to ask somebody to pick up stuff for me because I cant fit it in my car and now with a baby we don't even have enough space for a stroller so that's why truck. Also hard winters here in Canada and 4x4 is a must.

 

Now option 1 would be a GMC 1500 SLT Crew Cab with Off road package. Pretty much everything we need.
Question here would be 5.3 vs 6.3. I am a speed junkie and probably be selling my muscle car for this so power is important for me.

 

Option 2 would be the same but as a SLE with All Terrain package. Again has everything we need except leather. (would be easier to clean with kids and dogs) Would save a little money

 

Option 3 would be to go big and get a GMC 2500HD Crew Cab and 8ft box. SLE and maybe add one of the packages. That thing would handle everything I could be throwing at it in the next couple of years. 8ft box would be great for when I pick up building materials and so on. I do love the look of a big truck especially when theyre lifted.

 

Can anybody help me to make a decision?

Thanks so much

[TedzGMC]

1500slt with the big motor!

[Seppelrator]

Is the difference between the 5.3 and the 6.2 that big? Is the transmission reliable?

[El_Diablo_John]

65hp and 77lb.ft of torque along with an extra 2 gears... I would say it's a pretty good difference.

[SMiller]

6.2 is a rocket!

 

I would drive all three, you will instantly know which one is for you, the HD sits tall and feels firm/well planted, huge/tough drive train but gets horrible mileage and the power is down compared to the quick/light/nimble 1500.

 

No 6.2 in the SLE All-terrian so you would have to go SLT to get the 6.2, I could not sleep at night having 5.3 knowing I could have got the 6.2, the same motor/trans installed in the Corvette...

 

Dollar for dollar you are getting much more with the HD truck as the 1500 and HD is priced about the same although you are getting a truck that can flat handle anything, for my money the HD wins everytime even though I try to talk myself into a 1500 All-terrian as leveled and tires they are so sharp, handle good and get good mileage but when its the same money as a HD I will go HD every time and you sound like you really want the HD anyways and like the long bed so go big or go home just know there is a huge difference when driving between the 1500 and HD.

 

I will add that there are times when my 2 year old boy is sleeping in his car seat and I see his poor body being bounced around because my HD rides so stiff that I wish I would have got the soft riding half ton.

[crushNchowda]

Best Diesel/HD truck that doubles as a caddy and has the best tranny - GMC 2500 HD w/ alison tranny & duramax in Denali/SLT trim torque for days and nicest materials.

 

Best diesel/HD truck to beat the bag outta, use for work, and crank the boost on - Ford F350

 

Best GASSER HD truck - Dodge Powerwagon SLT (there is no arguing this one)

 

Best big motor 1/2 ton & "do it all" truck (DD, limo, work truck, towing, etc) - GMC/Chevy in SLT or LTZ or Denali/high country

 

Best smaller V8 1/2 ton truck - toss between the Dodge hemi in laramie+ or GMC w/ 5.3 E85 capable SLT+

 

Best small truck? Still Toyota Tacoma TRD crew cab w/ the beefier axles

 

 

Good night

[hurricanoday]

After I test drove a 2500 denali no way I would have a truck for my family that drove/rode like that. The power was nice but it drove like a tank and wouldn't even consider it unless I was pulling 12k+ plus all the time.

 

If I needed a work truck I would buy a first gen diesel and keep my comfy 1500 denali and 22+ hwy mpg while still towing great

[redwngr]

What kind of loads are you expecting to haul? How about towing?

 

How much time in town and in parking lots like when shopping, sport events etc?

[ghgmi]

Random thoughts:

Leather is great with kids. Not so much with dogs which will scratch it.

2500 CC w/8' bed is really big. If you have a garage it may well not fit. It's not going to fit in a lot of parking places.

Is the 2500 diesel? Diesel has more maintenance (fuel filters and such).

[robvas]

5.3 SLE vs 6.2 SLT ended up being $450 vs $600 to me...worth it? Probably not if you're not pulling a boat/camper quite a bit!

 

Sure this 6.2 is way faster than my 5.3 was but I never was thinking, "Man this truck needs more power" when I had the 5.3

 

It'd be nice if you could get the big engine in the lower trim level trucks and didn't have to spend the $ on leather etc.

 

Don't forget the 2500 is going to get much worse gas mileage than the 1500.

[crushNchowda]

5.3 SLE vs 6.2 SLT ended up being $450 vs $600 to me...worth it? Probably not if you're not pulling a boat/camper quite a bit!Sure this 6.2 is way faster than my 5.3 was but I never was thinking, "Man this truck needs more power" when I had the 5.3It'd be nice if you could get the big engine in the lower trim level trucks and didn't have to spend the $ on leather etc.Don't forget the 2500 is going to get much worse gas mileage than the 1500.

I'm same- I had a 5.3 truck w/ 6 speed and 3.42 for almost 40k miles, w/. Flowmaster exhaust sounded sweet and it had adequate power for what I did w/ it- never felt strained and pulled fine, when I needed more power I ran E85 and I think a tune would do wonders on that truck since it had the well known 6L80 tranny.

 

The biggest difference I notice in the 6.2 8 speed is the much better gearing and tranny combo, the 8 speed is nice and I think would be Even better w/ tune. The power diff of my. 5.3 on e85 vs the 6.2 is really not that noticeable, but I think a lot of that has to do w/ how much smoother the 6.2 w/ 8 speed comes off, and the fact that torque mgmt kills off a lot of the tq advantage of the 6.2 over the 5.3 right off the bat

[Seppelrator]

I don't really have anything to tow at the moment. On occasion I'll use my father in laws trailer to tow building materials and so on if I can't for it in the box. Towing for his flower business might be an option if I have the right truck to make extra money on the side. He has a 3500 and says the 1500 wouldn't make it.

 

If I decide to get a 2500 it would be the 6.0 though, since I don't want to spend that much on the diesel.

 

If I get the 1500 it would be the SLT with either 5.3 or 6.2. I love power and think a 8 speed would be more up to date and useful if it works properly?!?

Only thing bothering me is that I would have to use premium gas which would make it more expensive to fill up and probably comes close to the cost for filling up a 2500?!

[snarkee]

A 6.2 on premium will cost less to operate fuel wise than a 6.0 2500 on regular gas ...trust me

[ghgmi]

If you want to make money on the side working for your FOL, can you drive his 3500?

[robvas]

A 6.2 on premium will cost less to operate fuel wise than a 6.0 2500 on regular gas ...trust me

I ran the #'s a while back

 

Assuming current gas prices (2.70 for regular and 3.10 for premium) at the station down the street and 14 mpg for the 6.0 and 17 mpg for the 6.2, you're looking at only a $5 difference for every 500 miles you drive. That's a penny a mile. If you drive 15,000 miles a year that's only $150.

 

If gas goes up 70 cents to 3.40 for regular and 3.80 for premium, the advantage of the 6.2 doubles to almost $10 every 500 miles. Still only $300 a year if you drive 15,000 miles a year.

 

However, if gas goes down like they are saying on the news, to $2.00 for regular and $2.40 for premium, it's pretty much the same cost to drive either vehicle. You're talking 16 cents difference for every 500 miles driven, $4.80/year

 

Now lets say you/re get only 12 mpg in the 6.0 and only 15 mpg in the 16.2, 2mpg less for each truck than the first set of numbers. Lots of city driving or something. With gas at today's prices, you're back at $9 cheaper for the 6.2 every 500 miles.

 

On the other hand, lets say both trucks get great gas mileage. 17.4 for the 6.0 like Copperhead posted, and 20.6 for the 6.2 like the other guy posted. The 6.2 only enjoys a $2.34 advantage over a 500 mile trip. That's $69 a year.

 

People can debate the MPG of both trucks all day long, and it plays a big part.