Seeking advice on a truck I'm about to buy...

[OldFordGuy]

I'm an old Ford guy who is looking at purchasing his first Chevy. I'm looking at a 2000 Silverado LT 1500 with the 5.3L Vortec. It was a work truck but is still in surprisingly good condition. There are a few minor problems that I'm willing to deal with, but my main concern is the mileage. It's got 369K miles on it but seems to be running well. Doesn't seem to be leaking or burning any fluids, it's holding good oil pressure, and it's not overheating. I haven't been able to take it out on the road because it's not licensed at the moment and the tires are dryrotted, but from what I could do in my driveway (had it towed to my house) I can't see any major issues.

Now to my dilemma, the seller only wants $1,000 for it, and she is throwing in a 1998 Land Rover if I will pay to have it towed away. Yeah, it sounds like a really good deal, but with nearly 400,000 miles on the truck, how much more mileage can I expect to get from it? I currently drive a 1970 F100, so I know how to keep an old truck running. I'm just not very familiar with Chevy trucks and don't know what to expect from them.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

The Old Ford Guy

[intheburbs]

With that many miles, every day you're able to drive it without something breaking is a good day.  Maybe, just maybe, I would take a truck like that if offered to me for free. 

 

Don't get me wrong - that is a great truck with an absolutely bulletproof powertrain.  But 369k is beyond the design life of just about every component on that truck.

[2018GMC]

That’s A lot of miles! I bet it’s on it’s second or third 4l60e transmission.

 

Get it up to operating temp and see if the transmission slips at all.

 

Common points of failure on the gmt800 generation:

 

Rocker rust / rot.

4l60e automatic is a weak point if used hard or run hot towing / hauling

Front wheel bearings are known failure points

10 bolt rear differential is weak link, kinda under built.

Transfer case pump rub if it’s a 4x4

 

Seems like a good deal if you don’t mind maintaining such a high mileage truck. They are good trucks, the early ones like your 2000 seemed to be built better than the later 2005, 2006, 2007 as far as rocker rust.

 

 

 

[Black02Silverado]

To me it doesn't sound like to bad of a deal.  Yeah the miles are high but for a grand, you could almost part it out for that depending on your location.  Is this a northern vehicle?

[OldFordGuy]

Thanks for the replies and tips, guys.  

 

Black02Silverado...  No, it's not a northern truck.  Middle Tennessee.  Though we do salt or brine our roads in the winter, we really don't get that much snow during the season compared to other parts of the country.  

 

2009GMC, thanks for pointing out the important things to look for with the transmission.  The rocker rust, which it has, I'm not concerned about.  But thanks for pointing out the transmission issues.  I can't take it on the road until I put tires on it and have it licensed.  I talked with a guy who drove it and he didn't say anything about the trans slipping.  I'll be sure to ask him about that.  Can you tell me more about the transfer case pump rub because it is a 4x4.

 

I haven't needed 4WD over the past 20 years and really don't expect to have to use the 4WD on this truck.  Would that prevent (or at least cut down) on me from having any 4WD related issues if I don't use it?

 

The Old Ford Guy

[silveradosid]

doesnt matter if you use the 4x4 the pump might or will rub through the casting unless the previous owner had the fix done

[OldFordGuy]

silveradosid...  Thanks for the tip.  That sounds like a really poor design.

[carkhz316]

$1000 plus a free Land Rover. I'll buy it if you don't. Even if the Rover is junk, you could part it/ scrap it for a couple hundred. The Silverado I'm not scared of, even with that many miles for the price. If it checks out and everything works, I'd go for it. My brother bought a '02 Suburban with 350,000 on it for almost double that and has been driving it around trouble free for almost a year now.

[Donstar]

I owned a 2000 Silverado for 9 years and it was a good truck.  I don't miss it.  I owned a 69 F100 and a '72 Fi00 and I would love to have either one back in my driveway!  If I was in your position, I'd spend the money on your F100.  Money spent will only enhance the value of the old Ford!

[OldFordGuy]

carkhz316...  That's what I'm thinking.  With the availability of parts for the Silverado I'm thinking that's the way to go.  So far I can't find any problems, but I'll know more when I can take it out on the road.

 

Donstar...  I'm not getting rid of my old Ford.  I'll eventually get around to fixing it.  But I have to get back to work and the Silverado runs, the Ford doesn't.  After the Obamanation called "Cash for Clunkers," finding parts for my 50-year old truck isn't as easy as it used to be. Even if I had everything I needed sitting in my shop, I would have to take a week or two off work to do the repairs.  I need to get back to work.

 

Thanks for your opinions, guys...

 

The Old Ford Guy

[OldFordGuy]

carkhz316...

 

The Land Rover really isn't a piece of junk.  It was running when she parked it 2 or 3 years ago.  I actually looked at it last year, thinking about buying it but didn't have the time to fool with it.  Now she wants it out of her driveway and tossed it in with the Silvereado.  Here are a couple of pics of both vehicles...

[sefiroxx]

Have a 01 suburban 4x4. Bought new. Now at 345k. 4x4 only used .5% and usually for something big effort short term (pulling a cat out, pulling tree stump, driving in rare snow)
- front diff replaced at 1 year, warranty
- Tranny replaced at 160k. Parking pawl broke
- motor replaced at 310k. Son forgot to monitor oil pressure and kept driving. Lots of seepage leaks prior to replacement (I was about to embark on a reseal project before motor went)
- Have replaced fuel pump (2x), alternator (2x), starter, compressor, radiator (2x), condensor, heater hoses.

Last items on the to do list as they are leaking: per steering pump, rear diff cover, rear shox.

Texas driven, no rust. Lots of dings, scrapes, tires, brake pads, oil etc