4.3 vs 5.3

Sierra706 · April 4, 2017

April Fools! Interesting thought about the 4 cyl mode. It would be great if you could manually switch this feature on and off.

Range makes the AFM disabler, but also makes a AFM "enabler" which lowers the threshold at which the engines drop into four cylinder mode.

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CharlestonJoe · April 5, 2017

I love my 4.3. I got 22 mpg on stock tires and after it broke in I can bark the tires just as easily as any V8 I've driven. Plus that big V6 has a very unique sound that I think's pretty cool.

I've had my 4.3 for a year and a half and consistently get 17mpg. My driving is a mix of highway and city. I might could get 22 mpg on the highway with cruise set at 55. So for myself the 4.3 has been rather disappointing.

Donstar · April 5, 2017

I've had my 4.3 for a year and a half and consistently get 17mpg. My driving is a mix of highway and city. I might could get 22 mpg on the highway with cruise set at 55. So for myself the 4.3 has been rather disappointing.

Your numbers do not sound disappointing in my opinion. We all have different factors influencing our mileage and comparing with unknown people on the internet is not always helpful. I know there are ways I could improve my driving habits to get better results but I drive the way I like and get the best gas mileage (by far) of all my previous full-size pickups!

Grumpy Bear · April 5, 2017

I've had my 4.3 for a year and a half and consistently get 17mpg. My driving is a mix of highway and city. I might could get 22 mpg on the highway with cruise set at 55. So for myself the 4.3 has been rather disappointing.

Your numbers are actually the National average according to Fulley.com. It is disappointing, yes, that this is far from the EPA sticker number of 24 mpg but the average non the less. I believe Car and Driver got 16 during their instrument test.

Like Donstar pointed out in post #78 getting better mileage is a matter of wanting to do the things that produce better mileage. He's also spot on in his comment about comparing your results to an unknown Internet crowd. I drive allot and I observe a good deal more. The things I see people do to their trucks that work counter to efficiency. I put this in mind when I read other numbers. Even when I read published records.

Manny254 · April 7, 2017

Your post is still alive and well! What is your impression of the 4.3 after after three months of ownership?

Surprised it's still going lol haven't been on here much lately. I really enjoy it first actual truck I have had before was a 88 trans am gta then a 98z28. I have been wanting a truck for a bit. Still have yet to actually put the truck to work just a daily driving so far. Couple days did a 4hr trip to Atlanta got 19mpg there and back. I did put a 2.5 RC level kit and now have 33s on it.

Brian S. · April 8, 2017

I've had my 4.3 for a year and a half and consistently get 17mpg. My driving is a mix of highway and city. I might could get 22 mpg on the highway with cruise set at 55. So for myself the 4.3 has been rather disappointing.

I don't think you can buy a half ton truck for mpg, maybe if they make one shaped like a Corvette someday. Have to move the weight, no aerodynamics.

I got 17.4 overall the year I had a 4.3l, and 16 flat the last two years with 5.3s. Not a ton, but it adds up over a year.

CharlestonJoe · April 8, 2017

I don't think you can buy a half ton truck for mpg, maybe if they make one shaped like a Corvette someday. Have to move the weight, no aerodynamics.

I got 17.4 overall the year I had a 4.3l, and 16 flat the last two years with 5.3s. Not a ton, but it adds up over a year.

I knew I wasn't going to get phenomenal mpg, dang salesmen, I fell for the truck because of the black out package and I got a good price. I had vowed I would never buy another V6, in which I vow again. I've warned the wife, I ain't settling for *&^%#@ next time, I'm getting exactly what I want. I practically live in the truck so I might as well (house is paid for,truck payment is basically my only bill).

Like others have said they have a hard time selling the V6 unless there's a hike in the price of gas. In reality the mileage is not that great. I know its a whole lot better than they were 20 years ago so I don't want to hear how great blah blah blah.

Donstar · April 8, 2017

I knew I wasn't going to get phenomenal mpg, dang salesmen, I fell for the truck because of the black out package and I got a good price. I had vowed I would never buy another V6, in which I vow again. I've warned the wife, I ain't settling for *&^%#@ next time, I'm getting exactly what I want. I practically live in the truck so I might as well (house is paid for,truck payment is basically my only bill).

Like others have said they have a hard time selling the V6 unless there's a hike in the price of gas. In reality the mileage is not that great. I know its a whole lot better than they were 20 years ago so I don't want to hear how great blah blah blah.

No blah, blah, blah but curious what the V6 isn't doing for you when it disappoints. I had the opposite experience from you as I had two salesmen try to talk me into the 5.3! I have no regrets choosing the V6 and I have not encountered a situation where I wished for more power!

CharlestonJoe · April 9, 2017

I guess I was expecting/hoping for mpg to be 18-20 mpg, then settling for a V6 would feel better. I've had trucks for ....wow almost 30 years, feeling old now... have motors come a long ways...yes, but just like the old straight 6's vs V8, you can tell when you have a either the 6 cylinder or the V8. I've always been a bit of a gearhead so you can throw that into the equation. I liked a V6 when I had a little Chevy S-10, that V6 was a good one, it outlasted the truck! When I traded that in, it felt like I had worn that truck down to just me, the bench seat, motor and trans, everything else was disintegrating, body rusted out, brakes were shot.

With the 4.3 and the 5.3 being so close, I'm skipping to the 6.2 or whatever they have that's similar in 2020 (I'm holding out and promised the wife I would keep the truck 5 years) unless the motor they put in the 2020 is a brand new 1st edition type, as we all know there's kinks to work out when something brand new comes out.

truckguy82 · April 9, 2017

Thats why I'd never buy a gm truck with the v6 option.

While they are fine motors, there are no advantages to it over the v8, not even mpg.

Gmt900 was the same way

KARNUT · April 9, 2017

Don't look at the stats on the 17 Mid sized GMs with the V6 this year you'll really be pissed. ( CAR and DRIVER).

I guess I was expecting/hoping for mpg to be 18-20 mpg, then settling for a V6 would feel better. I've had trucks for ....wow almost 30 years, feeling old now... have motors come a long ways...yes, but just like the old straight 6's vs V8, you can tell when you have a either the 6 cylinder or the V8. I've always been a bit of a gearhead so you can throw that into the equation. I liked a V6 when I had a little Chevy S-10, that V6 was a good one, it outlasted the truck! When I traded that in, it felt like I had worn that truck down to just me, the bench seat, motor and trans, everything else was disintegrating, body rusted out, brakes were shot.

With the 4.3 and the 5.3 being so close, I'm skipping to the 6.2 or whatever they have that's similar in 2020 (I'm holding out and promised the wife I would keep the truck 5 years) unless the motor they put in the 2020 is a brand new 1st edition type, as we all know there's kinks to work out when something brand new comes out.

Brian S. · April 9, 2017

Thats why I'd never buy a gm truck with the v6 option.

While they are fine motors, there are no advantages to it over the v8, not even mpg.

Gmt900 was the same way

They cost less to buy, insure, drive and maintain. Those are their advantages.

I drove a 4.3l for a year, mix of hwy/city, 4wd and not, towing frequently and averaged 17.4 mpg for the year. I've driven two years since with identically configured 5.3s and got 16mpg even both years. (I just drive, don't try for mpg) I drive about 20k miles per year, that would be 1149 gallons per year with the 4.3l, 1250 gallons with the 5.3.

The national average price for gas today is $2.38, so that's $240/year saved on fuel, $1200 over the life of a 5 year loan.

If a person can get the 4.3l $2500 cheaper due to less demand for 4.3s and $900 difference in retail cost we're up to $3700 savings over 5 year period.

I think my insurance difference was around $100-$150 a year so tack another $500 on that.

I don't know what maintenance differences are, only owned it a year and paid no maintenance.

However; I truly believe a person can save $4000 easily with a 4.3l, and I bet a person willing to walk away from dealers can save even more.

Whether $1000/year over five years means anything to you depends on the depth of your pockets.

There's another concept in play here though:

I honestly don't care about amounts of money like $1000 a year. Nonetheless, when the house we bought last summer only had cable jacks in the rec room and three season porch, we decided to "cut the cord" and try streaming Playstation Vue + HBO Now + Netflix for tv and use Ooma VOIP for our landline. Saves me $120 a month and the product delivered is comparable enough I don't care so we stuck with it. I look at the that $1000 a year I saved as my teenager's car insurance or$1000 I can blow on something else like a long weekend cabin rental..

That's kind of how I looked at the 4.3: It towed my 3000lb fishing boat easily, was about as fast as the 2010 5.3 I traded in for it. I've bought two 5.3s since because I like to drive fairly new cars and got good deals on them, but I definitely don't look down on the Ecotec3 4.3l.

It's better than the old 4.8l V8 and close to the old 5.3L. No shame in that, and more disposable is always welcome. Towing capacity they don't need and 7/10 of a second quicker 0-60 might not be worth that $1000 a year to some people.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Brian S.

KARNUT · April 9, 2017

Come on Brian, all that talk about saving money on the 4.3 from a guy who trades a truck in every two years. I buy every two years too, no matter how big a discount I get or good the trade in or what kind of truck I buy there's no saving money there. If for no other reason the V8 sound with exhaust is a good enough reason. If a grand a year is that big a deal the mid sized will save more money, pull the load and is faster. I own two V6 vehicles, one 4, one very old V8 all will out perform any new truck. The point there's really no real good reason for a V6 in a full sized truck, even tho it's a great motor, you didn't even buy one.

Grumpy Bear · April 9, 2017

13,929 miles, 591.932 gallons of gas. 25.7 mpg. Truck has 22,500 mile on it. RCSB 4.3 Ecotec3 3.23 open diff stock tires. Very little city driving. Not much Interstate either. Primary and secondary northern Illinois, eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin roads. I don't drive it like a race truck and I don't drive it like 90 year old Aunt Tilly either. I just drive it and drive it I do. Those 22K plus miles since I bought it last summer. During those miles I've keep book and track of everything and every situation.

Any idea how hard I have to drive this thing to get 17 mpg? About 75 mpg into a 30 mph headwind on a 3% grade will do it. Trouble is I can't find a path to school that's five miles in the snow uphill both ways to walk. So I'm suck getting this really awful mileage is a truck that's an absolute joy to drive.

Brian S. · April 9, 2017

13,929 miles, 591.932 gallons of gas. 25.7 mpg. Truck has 22,500 mile on it. RCSB 4.3 Ecotec3 3.23 open diff stock tires. Very little city driving. Not much Interstate either. Primary and secondary northern Illinois, eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin roads. I don't drive it like a race truck and I don't drive it like 90 year old Aunt Tilly either. I just drive it and drive it I do. Those 22K plus miles since I bought it last summer. During those miles I've keep book and track of everything and every situation.

Any idea how hard I have to drive this thing to get 17 mpg? About 75 mpg into a 30 mph headwind on a 3% grade will do it. Trouble is I can't find a path to school that's five miles in the snow uphill both ways to walk. So I'm suck getting this really awful mileage is a truck that's an absolute joy to drive.

Now THAT is saving some money with the 4.3l!

To get my 17.4mpg:

1. I had 3.42 gears, 4wd, Xcab.

2. I live a north of you in WI and had it in AWD a good 3 months of the year.

3. When water open towing 3000lb boat weekly, 4-5X a year 200mile+ trips

4. My daily commute was mix of stop and go city/short hop hwy, done twice a day. (ate lunch at home)

5. My dad tells me I have a heavy foot and stop too suddenly to get decent mileage or have tires last.

So, my mpgs may only be valid for me, YMMV.