2016 GMC Sierra 1500 CC Z71 8L90 2nd to 1st downshift issues

jetfixer737 · October 12, 2016

When all these crazy high speed transmissions get worked out? I drove first factory GM trucks with 6speed when they first came out! They sucked awful and needed multiple software rewrites. Now, this 6speed is in the end of it's run and is 100% better and that would be natural course of action. It will be just the same for the 8speed probably! I had a early run Malibu with 6speed and needed countless tranny flashes. I feel for ya brother the software is killing us!

Another problem I'm afraid we could experience to some extent is that GM might lose interest in further refinement of the 8 speed sooner than expected. Remember the new 10 speed auto is just around the corner. In fact, I've heard some folks refer to the 8 speed as an "interim" transmission while making the leap from 6 to 10 speeds . The new, joint GM/Ford transmission, probably designated the 10L??E (I can't find the GM designation, Ford calls it the 10R80) comes first in the 2017 Raptor truck and the ZL1 Camaro, then supposedly goes into the GM trucks, probably for the 2018 model year. At that point would the then 4 year old 8L90 become (Dare I say it) obsolete???

4emeryj44 · October 22, 2016

**** UPDATE****

Here's the update that I and you all have been waiting for. So I received the truck back last Friday and dealer said truck was good, all learning was complete and the end product was going to be the end product. So I drove the truck over the weekend. So overall I could tell the engineer and the technician worked very diligently on that transmission shifting, overall the transmission shifted way better and tighter. But going back to the slower speeds and in traffic, it starter to resemble what it used to be. I actually had pulled out of my house, was calling my dad to tell him the truck was finally fixed, he answered the phone as I'm pulling up to a stop light, and then BAM! looked in my rear view mirror to see if I got rear ended. I was done with the truck at this point, over it!

SO I'm going to make this as short as possible but still give all details because things have definitely happened for the better for me. So I called the SERVICE MANAGER, all he wanted to know was "do you like the truck or not?" I said no, I don't like it, still shift like crap. He then immediately referred me to the SALES MANAGER who is the head shed of the dealership and have been discussing out options. So I meet with him this last Wednesday, they are going to do a "GM Trade Assist" where basically I trade in my truck and then they sell me another truck. So first off I'm excited because I'm basically getting what I want, a different truck. He runs me through how the process is going to work on the new truck. So down a dirty, I basically will be getting any truck I want for invoice price. We picked a random truck they had on the lot for an example. I would be getting approximately $12,XXX off the msrp of that truck. So where I had purchased my truck and had received the %20 off where I actually got about $11,XXX off, it was an excellent deal, this beats that by a little. At this point I feel great about it all, and I feel that I SHOULD get a truck at invoice for everything I've gone through.

Now, here's the issue that I've been waiting for and I'm sure you all have as well, the buyback portion of my truck. SO! this isn't a buyback at this point, this is a modified trade in. SO I figure there was some crazy program they use to calculate the value of my truck with some consideration of my issues. oh no, that's definitely not the case. So he goes on the computer and goes to KBB.com. They basically use KBB instant cash offer, I was like are you kidding me? So he uses my vin, doesn't select all the options, but some of them because we were in a hurry, and he comes up with $37,XXX for the worth of my truck. I was pissed.

Prior to this, he explains to me that I could:

1. Go trade in my truck to a FORD dealer and get rid of the truck and get a FORD if I wanted to.

2. Initiate this GM Trade assist and move forward where GM wants to retain you as a loyal customer.

3. Go to lemon law and arbitration.

I go home and think about things for a while, also go back to KBB and input all my trucks info with all options and come up with $39,XXX for instant cash offer for my truck. Now, yes I owe more than that because of a trade in that I went upside down on a little bit, which isn't GM's issue or fault and I acknowledge that. But, here's where I stand on the whole issue. I also found the "trade-in" value numbers where it give you the low and the high value of the truck. The instant cash offer is smack dab in the middle of the trade in value. So basically I have a major defect in a truck, been in and out of the shop for the first year, threaten to go lemon law, dealer and engineer couldn't fix the truck past lemon law parameters, and they are going to give me "middle trade in" value for the truck in an attempt to RETAIN ME as a loyal GM customer? I honestly cannot believe it.

Here's what I feel, in my opinion, I should get for the truck and I'd like some honest feedback to let me know if I'm just crazy here. I don't in any way feel that I should get max money off the new truck and have GM give me like $50,XXX for my truck. So here we go. I feel that I should KBB my truck, get the absolute TOP, TOP TRADE IN value for my truck. because if anyone in the history of trade ins ever gets that top trade in value, it should be someone like me in my scenario. So top trade in value would be at $43,XXX. Then I should be refunded the $1,800 for the extended warranty I purchased on the truck. Also I should not have to pay any sales tax or fees, although I'm military and am exempt from most of that anyway, the other fees such as doc fees and other little hundred dollar ones here and there I shouldn't pay for because I already paid that when I bought my truck.

So another point I'd like to make here. The reason I feel I should get the TOP trade in value, maybe even a little more than that, is this. Am I trading this truck in because I want the 2017 truck and I'm rich and can afford to take a bath on my truck for a trade in after only a YEAR of owning it? or am I being FORCED to trade it in because of an ongoing issue that is no fault of my own that GM could not fix? EXACTLY!!! I should be receiving a fair value for my truck with a consideration of my situation, not some KBB value of numbers based on options and mileage.

Camaro45th · October 22, 2016

Your issue with feeling like you got rear ended reminds me of my 14 Cruze I had. For some reason, the transmission at slow speeds would on occasion shift very out of place and hard and on numerous occasions I felt that I got rear ended. It was annoying.

mookdoc6 · October 23, 2016

It's a tough call bro! just think if you get a drive-ability issue from another manufactures truck? That would probably only happen to me and just another reason I am crazy! Just like women the other is more F'D up in a different dept that your not accustomed to .......tough call....At least go to the other LOTS and drive em so you can compare!

Dnt · October 23, 2016

Tried to read the wall of text but my eyes got bleary. So if you pick out an identically equipped new truck off the lot how much is the out the door difference? IRS reimbursement for miles is currently at 54 cents. 12,000 miles = $6,480.00

SierraMyst · October 24, 2016

You should drive the new Titan. Smooth as silk. No clunking ,no highwwy vibration, loads of technology.

4emeryj44 · November 3, 2016

Okay, so I do have a lot of updates that I would LOVE to post, but I'm in the middle of a buyback and some other stuff at the moment. I don't want to potentially mess up the deal I am getting because it's definitely fantastic by posting my details. I will make sure when all is said and done what all happened. You all will definitely benefit from what I'm going through. I need about a week or two for everything to get handled.

mookdoc6 · November 3, 2016

COO...COOO! we are hoping it works out!

Silverado8SPD53 · November 4, 2016

I'm looking forward to hearing how your situation plays out.

4emeryj44 · November 20, 2016

****UPDATE****

This is going to be a very extensive post, I want to make sure and get all of the details out there so that people know what to expect when dealing with a GM buyback real world as of today. This is a pretty unbelievable story, and I'm trying to stay calm and understanding of the situation and not get overly mad about it all. So here we go.

APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH AGO - As you all know, the final attempt at a fix for the utter shitty shifting and jerking and all that was to send a Field Engineer out to ultimately replace and retune the TCM, didn't work and you all know that. I test drove the truck for a few days, told service manager that it still sucks, I was then IMMEDIATELY referred to the New Car Sales Manager at Suttle GMC in Newport News, VA (which I will make a different post on how exceptional Larry Preddy and Suttle Motors have been with all this). The deal is laid out to me, they were going to give me a GM TRADE ASSIST. So, we will use close and simple numbers here to make things easy. So I bought my truck for approximately $50,000 lets say approximately a year ago. With a trade assist, obviously the dealer and GM has to resell that truck because at this point remember, they think I'm the only one who thinks there is an issue with this truck. It's like a mental patient in an institution where everyone this the patient is crazy but the patient is the only one who thinks they aren't crazy, haha. Anyways, they give me trade in value for the truck at $39,500, I freak out!!!! "how is it my fault that I am having to trade in a truck I just purchased a year ago and then am now forced to get rid of it and get trade in value for it" I tell them. Ultimately things are explained and I calm down. So what the GM trade assist does, is they give me every single incentive offered on any truck in the lot (military discount, offers, rebates, etc...) plus GM give you and additional $5,000 or $5,500 I can't remember because the dealer at this point has the contract I signed so again simple easy numbers here. So ultimately I picked out a truck a few trim models lower because I'm freaked out I'm going to get destroyed on this deal. They only had lower end trucks and super high end trucks. So I find a truck in NC, granted im in Virginia, so the dealer buys the truck and has it shipped to Newport News, VA and I make the deal. I ended up getting approximately $13,000 off the new truck with a lower MSRP from my original truck equates to 27% off the truck, so I'm feeling better. Ultimately I have a lower overall loan, approximately $100/month lower payment and a brand new truck, now not my dream truck but I got a CC Sierra Z71 SLE with a couple packages on it, nothing super special. I felt that I was going to keep the truck for a few years then re buy my dream truck later so I decided to go with a truck that has the requirements I wanted like CC and Z71 and touch screen and 5.3, etc.... So here we are, I'm trading in the White truck with the 8 speed, getting a new truck with the 6 speed (which by the way so much better shifting of a transmission, I couldn't believe the difference). Deal signed after staying at the dealer multiple nights in a row in uniform straight after work to make all the crazy deal done. There is the issue of my extended warranty and GAP coverage from dealer in TN but that's a whole other story.

NOW, here's where it gets fun. Again, left the dealer with the new truck, happy, truck is insured, dropped 8 speed truck from insurance, it's being left at the dealer, I assume to be sold as a CPO truck for some GM truck guy to come along and get dooped like I was. So a few days after the deal is done, I get a call from Larry (now again Larry is the New Car Sales Manager and highest up gentleman at the dealer who has been absolutely amazing throughout this whole process) and he explains to me that GM now wants to buy my 8 speed truck back. yes, you heard correct, I just traded it in by orders of GM and now GM says "nope, stop, halt, cease fire, we are changing the deal". So at this point it was explained to me which obviously looking back on it wasn't true, but i'll divulge anyway. I was told that the deal on the 6 speed truck will remain, and whatever I get from GM (the difference between the $39,500 and the $XX,XXX from GM will be cut as a check to me and it's for me to do with what I want. That turns out not to be true. So I send the buyback department all of my paperwork, original contract, etc... 3 weeks go by and finally a deal is made. I receive the GMC offer letter in my email, and Larry received the same letter. I drive over to the dealership to have Larry explain all of this to me, because I will post this and show you how utterly ridiculous this letter is, and I couldn't effectively sign it because of how the numbers were explained I seriously didn't understand what the hell they were trying to say.

Moving onto "The Phone Call" - I'm at the Dealership with Larry in his office. He prints out the letter and then calls the Gentleman who I will not mention his name here and will remove it when I post the letter for a couple reasons. Anyway, we call the guy at the buyback department who is at corporate GM level on speaker phone with Larry, myself, and one other gentleman pretty high up at the dealer. Larry was trying to understand the numbers as even he couldn't figure it all out. It is explained that there is no check for me (now don't get this misconstrued, I'm not looking to double dip here, things were explained to me a certain way and that's what I'm conveying to you all) and the loan will get paid off and etc..... We still don't understand the numbers, then finally the buyback guy says to Larry, did you check your email? there is a separate dealer letter explaining EXACTLY HOW THE DEALER IS TO MAKE THIS DEAL!!!! So this is now not up to the dealer to make a sale however they want, GM now is telling the dealer to sell the 6 speed truck to me a very certain way with certain numbers which honestly seem quite high to me compared to what I had with the trade in deal. We are all still on the phone, and once the DEALER instructions were read and understood, some very choice words were said between some people and I couldn't believe this was happening. GM wants the dealer to sell a truck to where they are going to lose a decent amount of money on. The dealer paid for the truck in NC, paid a drive and had it driven here, installing a hitch receiver, etc, you all know the deal. Again choice words were said, and at this point the buyback guy says "this isn't a conversation to be discussing with the customer on the phone over speaker." Larry says that he has full disclosure with his customers and has nothing to hide and he doesn't care what this guy is saying in regards to "hiding things from the customer" like obviously GM wants. I end up walking out, laughing, crying internally!!! It ends with, we need to run this by the district manager on Monday and then we will better understand this all.

I'm going to attempt to say the following paragraph as carefully as I can as to not divulge who said what here so read into it as best you can and hopefully I say this correctly. There was a conversation between myself and Joe Snuffy, to be referred to as Joe from here on out. So Joe and I have a conversation as I'm getting ready to leave the dealer. It is brought to my attention that GM is going to Lemon Law this truck, I'm not sure how THEY can lemon law it, but they are going to. So when I originally was doing this GM trade in, that allowed for the truck to be resold. Well somewhere along the line GM realized, in my opinion, that there is definitely something wrong with the 8 speed and or my truck, and realized they couldn't put this truck back out for sale as we all know GM's history with cases and accidents with recalls and ignitions and people getting injured and/or killed. Anyway, Gm realized they needed this truck back. Also, it was brought to my attention that once GM gets the truck back and "lemon laws it" they have a special lot they own and will crush the truck into the size of a kitchen table. This throws up some red flags for me as I'm adding everything up in my head as the days go on. Funny enough, I was a happy loyal GM customer with the trade in, now with the buyback deal I absolutely disappointed and definitely NOT a GM fan anymore as they have handled this situation so poorly, I mean that's an understatement.

Moving along to yesterday, I stop my the dealership and have another discussion with Joe, who again will remain anonymous and is not related in any way to anyone I've mentioned in this "laughable story" so far, separate person related to GM who happens to be at the dealer for one reason or another. I go there to have a very deliberate conversation with Joe, here is what I asked. Now keep in mind the paperwork on the trade in deal was halted by GM, I have no contract, I have no loan docs, no payment info, nothing. Also my payment have continued on my 8 speed truck which has been at the dealer for about a month now. I ask "so who owns the white truck (8 speed) and the gray truck (6 speed)? Joe says "well before we go down that road, lets wait till Monday when the dealer letter and all the numbers can be explained" So with that, I still technically own the white truck that's at the dealer, and I'm driving around a dealer truck I guess at this point that I kinda bought but don't own but I insure and drive and have BTW put over 2,000 miles on. Also, it was discussed that if the numbers don't make any kind of sense and if either myself or the dealer don't get what we are looking for on this deal, I am to go to the BBB and file a complaint with GM and to go to mediation and settle this thing to get my loan paid off and to get reimbursed for everything and walk away from GM and run as fast as I can. Apparently if you go through BBB and mediation, you end up working with/through the buyback department which I'm already dealing with and the process is faster and more effective than lawyers. When you go to a lawyer, your lawyer has to deal with GM's lawyers, and that takes forever. So I will ultimately be going to Mediation if this doesn't work out, I will drop off the gray truck at the dealer, hand them the keys, tell them to give me my truck back and go to mediation. Since I already have an offer and with all of the info that I know with GM and their intentions with this truck, I was told that my case is an open and close case. Joe has seen this before, and in mediation the manufacturer never wins, and especially with already having an offer letter, that says GM already knows they are in the wrong and i'll get what I want.

I want to reiterate, I'm not looking to double dip, I don't expect to get 27% off the new truck and get a $10,000 check from GM, but i'll tell you I wasn't expecting to barely get even if at all. Again i'll post the letter, but how we interpret it, I get a check to pay off the loan and then I am to finance a fairly low end truck at almost the same overall loan as my crazy expensive SLT Seirra. Why would I pay $47,000 for an SLE with cloth, when I have a loan for $49,000 for almost a denali. At this point with everything I've witnessed and GM wanting the truck back to crush it and lemon law it themselves, i'll take the truck back and lemon law it myself. They just admitted the truck is a lemon, and made a deal to keep me from doing a BBB lemon law claim and yet with the stupid convoluted buyback deal they inherently forced me to do it myself, ironically.

Oh and to make it all even more ridiculous, the reason the buyback took so long was because GM and Larry tried contacting the dealer I purchased my truck at in Nashville, TN and left voicemails and messages for multiple higher ups at that dealer with no returned calls. The words that were conveyed to me was "not cooperating". Funny this is all that dealer needed to do was to talk to GM about my gap coverage and extended warranty so GM could include that in the offer letter to reimburse me. So BEAMON TOYOTA/GMC is a complete SHAM of a dealer, and somehow in someway I feel they did something sneaky in regards to the extended warranty or something, I can't put my finger on it quite yet. I did find out that the extended warranty I have wasn't a GM extended warranty which I thought that's what I was being sold. So I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not, but yeah....... Again, I just can't believe everything I've had to go through with this. I honestly just laugh. I am active duty Army stationed here in Newport News, VA, and I'm finally out of an operational unit and have "a break" in a sense from deployments, trainings, going to the field, I'm close to my daughter who is in NC and seemingly since I've been here almost every weekend I'm had to deal with some sort of shit in regards to this truck. I'm telling you all right now, I'm so mentally done with this whole thing, and I don't even know what to do at this point. if I get the white truck bought back, do I dare buy another GM truck? do I buy an older truck that was more reliable? Do I buy a Jeep? Do I go with Nissan where for the same price I can get a PRO 4X diesel truck? Do I go with FORD where I've heard nothing but great stories about customer service and issues that get resolved easily?

I'm glad I was able to get all of this information out to the public on this, I was honestly dreading typing this all up and getting all the facts straight. Then I got a message from someone last night on the forum here talking about "Get your stater support shaft changed in the 8 speed and it will get way better. Had it done a month ago and I would call it 95%. As much as I appreciate that info, it makes me mad. Is there a simple fix for how this 8 speed shifts? Why did the multiple engineers who have dealt with my truck not thought of that? Why are they wanting to crush my truck if some stater shaft fixes it? Why does everyone I know with the 8 speed have the same issues I have and why isn't GM just doing a recall of the 8 speeds? obviously I now not EVERY 8 speed is garbage but I know 1 person out of about 5 or 6 that doesn't have an issue. I hope you all got some good info out of this. If anyone wants to message me and needs any help, feel free. I've gone through so much with all this, I'd never wish any of this on any of you. If I can help just 1 person I feel like that would be a success for me.

I hope you all have a great turkey day that's coming up, i'll try and enjoy mine with all of this going on. Y'all have been great with suggestions and information. Please post and let me know what you think. A caveat to all of this and why I wanted to post this, I wanted to create a story and a timeline of everything so if it did come down to some shit like, "when did this happen" or if I need to come up with facts of he said/she said type stuff, I have an account of everything that has happened. It also helps me with remembering what all has happened, so if I need to recall information, I can go back on here, a public forum, and look it all up.

I mentioned also that in a separate post I would like to HIGHLY PRAISE "Suttle Motors" in Newport News, VA on how well they have done with me and dealing with GM. True professionals. I will ultimately do everything I can do help them out with car sales and or service or praise publicly on forums or BBB or the news or anything. And remember this dealer never even sold me my truck or any truck whatsoever. They have gone so far above and beyond for me and I've never even bought anything from them. I will make a separate post with links to their website and information. Also, I need some ideas and help to convey how horribly I think of BEAMON GMC in Nashville TN, so if you have some suggestions on how to speak my mind or get in touch with someone over there let me know. Also, if I do find out that that's the truth on what they did, I will contact whoever I need to at Fort Campbell and get that Dealership blacklisted so that no service member can ever buy a vehicle from them again. And when I bought my truck there, I was referred to them from a buddy of mine who bought a new truck there, and then I referred my best friend there and he bought a truck. So that was 3 trucks from people just in my COMPANY who bought from them, let alone the rest of the 50,000 troops that are stationed there. That would be a huge hit to their business and if I find out they did something dirty with warranties or just with my situation in general I will go as far as I can and get them blacklisted from fort Campbell Soldiers.

4emeryj44 · November 20, 2016

Here is the Letter received, obviously I blanked out some phone numbers and my personal address, etc....

GM Offer Letter to post (1).pdf

SierraMyst · November 21, 2016

Here is the Letter received, obviously I blanked out some phone numbers and my personal address, etc....

Buddy, I don't k ow what to say. It's seems like a nightmare of a situation.

Good thing is that GM is aware and accepting fault. So how ever this goes (trade assist/BBB/lemon law) your getting out.

Don't accept anything less than what you paid for your truck.

If I were you, I'd get the buyback/lemon law and get out of GM as quick as you can.

We have the identical truck (5.3L SLT 8speed) and my transmission would SLAM HARD into gear slowly pulling out of my drive way or work parking lot.

It SLAMMED HARD in to gear when I came to a stop light slowly if I had just been driving quickly, like exiting a highway off ramp.

It CLUNKED into gear at ever other stop like coming to stop signs.

If I was slow rolling and sitting in traffic going from 15mph to 25 mph it would CLUNK into 2nd gear and SLAM in to 3rd if I got up to a high enough speed.

All this while sitting in v4 mode and SHUDDERING up to those magical 15 mph to 25 mph.

I couldn't stand driving it. Although there were a few more issues with my truck such as a squeaking rear end and struts that pop and clunk and moisture intrusion, highway vibration, but ultimately the transmission set it over the edge.

I'm amazed that GM put this transmission out. And then brushed off customer issues and concern for so long. I keep my vehicles for 8 to 10 years and didn't believe it would last that long. Honestly, I don't thing that transmission in the state that it behaves in would even last 3 years. There's no way all that slamming and clunking is good for anything. As a federal employee, all of our work vehicles are GM vehicles. Suburban, Yukon, Tahoes, Silverado. We beat the crap out of them and never experienced the same drivability issues that I had in a brand new 8 speed and the 5.3L.

So I shopped around on and off for about two months until I found a dealer that offered me what I paid for my Sierra, and traded it for a non diesel 2017 Nissan Titan with the 7 speed and 5.6L.

I know Nissan's 7 speed is about 10 years old so it's been tuned and re-tuned. At least they done tuning. Where as GM refuses to make any changes.

My I can feel a single shift in my Titan. It never clunks or slams into gear. Butter smooth.

I even tried the famous take off and immediately hit brakes driving pattern that always slammed into gear like you were just rear ended. And no clunk. The Nissans just know what gear it's supposed to be in every single time. And no highway vibration is a plus.

A PRO4x 2017 has a 3k rebate and is a great looking truck and can be had in the mid-30ks.

So if a full repurchase happens, or a lemon law, I strongly recommend that you look at a different manufacturer or 6.2L GM because those have far fewer issues than the 5.3 with the 8 speed.

4emeryj44 · November 26, 2016

Buddy, I don't k ow what to say. It's seems like a nightmare of a situation.

Good thing is that GM is aware and accepting fault. So how ever this goes (trade assist/BBB/lemon law) your getting out.

Don't accept anything less than what you paid for your truck.

If I were you, I'd get the buyback/lemon law and get out of GM as quick as you can.

We have the identical truck (5.3L SLT 8speed) and my transmission would SLAM HARD into gear slowly pulling out of my drive way or work parking lot.

It SLAMMED HARD in to gear when I came to a stop light slowly if I had just been driving quickly, like exiting a highway off ramp.

It CLUNKED into gear at ever other stop like coming to stop signs.

If I was slow rolling and sitting in traffic going from 15mph to 25 mph it would CLUNK into 2nd gear and SLAM in to 3rd if I got up to a high enough speed.

All this while sitting in v4 mode and SHUDDERING up to those magical 15 mph to 25 mph.

I couldn't stand driving it. Although there were a few more issues with my truck such as a squeaking rear end and struts that pop and clunk and moisture intrusion, highway vibration, but ultimately the transmission set it over the edge.

I'm amazed that GM put this transmission out. And then brushed off customer issues and concern for so long. I keep my vehicles for 8 to 10 years and didn't believe it would last that long. Honestly, I don't thing that transmission in the state that it behaves in would even last 3 years. There's no way all that slamming and clunking is good for anything. As a federal employee, all of our work vehicles are GM vehicles. Suburban, Yukon, Tahoes, Silverado. We beat the crap out of them and never experienced the same drivability issues that I had in a brand new 8 speed and the 5.3L.

So I shopped around on and off for about two months until I found a dealer that offered me what I paid for my Sierra, and traded it for a non diesel 2017 Nissan Titan with the 7 speed and 5.6L.

I know Nissan's 7 speed is about 10 years old so it's been tuned and re-tuned. At least they done tuning. Where as GM refuses to make any changes.

My I can feel a single shift in my Titan. It never clunks or slams into gear. Butter smooth.

I even tried the famous take off and immediately hit brakes driving pattern that always slammed into gear like you were just rear ended. And no clunk. The Nissans just know what gear it's supposed to be in every single time. And no highway vibration is a plus.

A PRO4x 2017 has a 3k rebate and is a great looking truck and can be had in the mid-30ks.

So if a full repurchase happens, or a lemon law, I strongly recommend that you look at a different manufacturer or 6.2L GM because those have far fewer issues than the 5.3 with the 8 speed.

So I've been thinking the same thing now a days. What truck is out there that offers a great solid transmission that hasn't been tweaked beyond recognition to squeeze every ounce of gas mileage out of it?

4emeryj44 · November 26, 2016

****UPDATE AGAIN****

As much as I hate, absolutely hate, doing these updates because I so badly want this thing to be over, but i'll keep posting until the day it's all over. So finally, the buyback center forwarded my case to the GM District Manager. I am meeting at the dealership for an in person meeting/discussion with the head shed of the dealership and the District Manager, which I've never even heard of happening before. Generally from my understanding the district managers don't deal with individual customers. But, entailed in the email sent to me from the buyback center, they stated " He (District Manager) is currently reviewing the details of your case and would like to speak directly to you about changes he may be willing to make to your current offer." So, another stepping stone in the road to getting out of this nightmare. I want out of this truck, no if's/and's/or but's.

I have since been driving my original truck versus the loaner last couple of days. It had been sitting at the dealer for almost a month now. First day or two, seriously I shit you not, the truck drove PERFECT!!!!!! I was like "oh shit, maybe i'll keep it because I love this truck and if it shifted like the day I bought it I would be okay keeping it" but then a day later, in that 15-35 mph range, hunting for gears, slamming, clunking, shit like that. Crazy too, because I could tell how much the dealership "tuned" the transmission and truck in general, she hauls ass! how there is obviously a lot you can get out of these trucks with a tune if you were to get a trans tune. anyway, yeah the upshift under load and WOT are amazing, seriously I couldn't have tuned it better myself for those upshifts, and the WOT downshift are phenomenal. then you get in traffic, and it just goes to crap, it's so unfortunate!

I've never been so attached to a truck before in my life, idk if it's because I bought my dream GMC truck, or what exactly my attachment is, but it definitely is real. The truck overall (except the transmission in slow traffic speeds) is exceptional. I don't think there is a better looking truck on the road, interior is fantastic, sound system is amazing, the truck fits me and my lifestyle absolutely perfectly. I love driving it, except when it does its usual sloppy shitty shifts then I hate it and want to get rid of it. It's such a mind F! Anyways, I rambled on enough about it, I thought for split second I wanted to keep it because for a couple days it was perfect, but now I know this issue will always continue to rear it's ugly head if I kept it. So hopefully we can resolve this issue on Monday, get a new offer letter, sign it, and be done.

4emeryj44 · December 4, 2016

A meeting with the GM Regional Manager, some discussions, and some reworking of the numbers and an explanation of the massive confusion on GM's part happened and ultimately I signed the revised offer letter a few days ago. FINALLY! This whole endeavor is coming to an end. They reworked the "USAGE" fee and knocked that down, explained how the numbers are going to work which is what I didn't understand in the first place nor did my sales manager. Beamon Autogroup (Beamon GMC/Toyota) in Nashville after almost A FRICKIN MONTH finally responded to GM, Sales manager, and Regional Manager calls. Ultimately they ended up finding out what the depreciated value of the extended warranty was, put it on paper, and emailed it to all parties so that GM can figure out how much they have to make up the difference and send me a check for.

To key you all in on the extended warranty, because honestly I didn't know this myself, when you end up getting GAP coverage in a loan, and you then refinance (depending on the type of refinance) or you pay off the vehicle, or a situation like mine happens, the policy will be cancelled and it needs to be refunded to the customer. Well I had refinanced the truck when I first arrived here in Virginia, and took out another GAP policy with new credit union. At that point, my previous GAP should have been cancelled and refunded to me. Little did I know the DEALER I bought the truck from is garbage and can't return phone calls or handle a situation like this. Regardless, the GAP is still an issue at this point, but once GM pays off my existing loan, i'll call the dealer and ask for my refund. Doesn't matter what that amount is, because GM is making me WHOLE on extended warranty and GAP. So out of the $795 that was originally paid, if they refund $400, GM will make up that difference and I still receive a check for $795.

Extended warranty is the same, I paid $1,895, Beamon Toyota/GMC is refunding $1400 and change because apparently this warranty they sold me starts depreciating from the day/mileage I drove the truck off the lot. So, I get that, and that's more info I know to ask about in the future. I've learned a lot from all of this and the next time I buy a vehicle you best believe I know SOOOOO many more questions to ask the loan writer. Anyways, GM again is making me whole on the extended warranty.

So on or about Tuesday of this week, the "package" of loan information and finalized docs get sent to the dealer from GM buyback, and I will go in and REBUY the new truck. I'm getting a hitch receiver installed, Navigation head unit installed, I'm buying some TOYO open county M/T's with a leveling kit, and getting a little bit lower packaged truck but at least I'm getting the look and some of the features I had in my SLT installed.

Overall I'm happy now that it's over. Even the GM Regional manager said in almost 30 years, he's NEVER seen a GM trade assist halted and switched to a buyback like that. I told him "WOW, I'm so NOT honored to have been part of this first time ever thing!" Ultimately all parties handled the situation as timely and professionally as we all could given the hand we were all dealt. I believe especially MYSELF, I was very patient as it has been months and months of me dealing with this situation.

I believe I will do one more POST/UPDATE once everything is said and done and I take delivery for the second time of my other Sierra. And i'll post some pics of the new truck all done up. If anyone ever needs any help, I'd say I'm the one to ask as I've been through both a GM TRADE ASSIST and a GM BUYBACK at the same time. Two for one special as they say.

OH YEAH, P.S., part of the mixup was I thought GM was going to offer just a straight up buyback since they had cancelled the TRADE ASSIST, boy was I wrong. The buyback was the same deal and the GM Trade Assist, but what it allowed was for GM to get the truck back after paying off loan versus the dealer so the vehicle couldn't be resold to someone else and buy back into the market. They deemed this truck not to be sold back to public, obviously there was/is something MAJORLY wrong with this truck. After driving my original truck for the last week or so I've really come to the conclusion that the truck is a lemon, something on the assembly line happened to this thing. IDK exactly what it is, but I will tell you something is definitely wonky with the truck, somewhere something isn't aligned, or a tolerance is off, or the transfer case is jacked up or something. Otherwise the truck was perfect.