New truck, 2-300k miles?

Aaron Klemm · August 17, 2019

Let’s say I bought a new Sierra next year and wanted to get it to 200,000 to 300,000 miles. What are my odds? What issues will I run into along the way? Which will be most serious?

Snuff · August 17, 2019

I put 194,000 miles on my 2011 z71.

It ran great with cold ac when I sold it 2 weeks ago. I changed the oil and rotated my tires every 5,000 miles and had routine inspections at the dealer.

I replaced the battery once, did the brakes once and replaced the transmission at 160,000 miles.

I have no doubts it will make the buyer a great truck for a long time.

Edited August 17, 2019 by Snuff

Thomcat · August 17, 2019

.02 That certainly wasn't in my head before buying the new Silverado.

Let's say conservatively that 200-300K trouble free miles are unlikely and ain't gonna happen. As far as which systems will fail, a matter for Karnak. We're not talking Rolls or Bentley, no way these eco friendly, CAFE standard designed and kludged up crap boxes of all makes will ever wear a historic plate. More plastic, more electronics, so more to screw up. Wouldn't stop me from buying a new Sierra if I wanted it - what's the alternative? .......donkeys can seat only one, no A/C, they smell and have an annoying sound system. Go for it 3/36 on bumper to bumper and 5 yr. on the drivetrain......so no costs there....as far as reliability and dependability odds are in your favor, but there is always that little bit of bad luck with any make or model.

But they are fun to drive and in a few years always a newer one that's shinier and has even more crap you really don't need but it's fun to have. Go for it!

OnTheReel · August 17, 2019

I love these trucks as much as anyone here but there’s a lot of stuff working against getting 300k out of one anymore, from any brand.

200k might not be unreasonable, but it’s impossible to know. I think the powertrain should be good for it, if the DFM lifters hold up. Electronics may be another story, and there is a lot of them!

Thomcat · August 17, 2019

5 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

I love these trucks as much as anyone here but there’s a lot of stuff working against getting 300k out of one anymore, from any brand.

200k might not be unreasonable, but it’s impossible to know. I think the powertrain should be good for it, if the DFM lifters hold up. Electronics may be another story, and there is a lot of them!

Better the DFM setup......lifters are the same and twice as many as the collapsible ones in the AFM system. But with DFM the oil control valves are mounted directly in the block and not mounted in an intermediate LOMA manifold located in the valley which further restricts oil flow to only four cylinders dumping the rest into the sump where it has caused problems with oil burning in earlier AFM system.....with LOMA more chance for leaks and screw ups. Requires more complex algorithms and electronics to control 8 cylinders instead of 4 but either they work or they don't and as likely to fail or not in both systems. Potential leaks in that LOMA system with lifter failure with almost impossible to reach oil sending unit are best gone.

My DFM operation is less noticeable (in fact not noticeable) than the changeover with the AFM system

CamGTP · August 17, 2019

The faster you get to 200-300k miles the better if you ask me. It's the ones that take 10-15 years to reach that mark that end up spending more money.

A random example here. We have two work/cube vans at my job, same year, same everything (2015 models). Both have over 215k miles with one pushing about 230k. They get driven everyday between 150-300 miles at a minimum and we've kinda done nothing to them but tires, oil changes and brake jobs. They are still running the same engines, transmissions and rear ends. I'm sure each one has had an odd part failure here or there but the fact that the vehicle is always in use, constant abuse and mileage is what keeps them alive.

Probably everyday we are over 10,000lbs loaded.

KARNUT · August 17, 2019

I know a few people who got north of 200K to 300K on GM trucks and SUVs. My brother in law is working on number 5. He just bought his first with cylinder deactivation, we’ll see.

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MacLaren · August 17, 2019

My 07 Classic has 270k, but the rear end did go out on her around 225k.

Rebuilt the rear end and shes as good as new

well......almost .

My goal is 100k. That's when my warranty will be up. And I'm getting older, and life is too short.

I've absolutely enjoyed the hell out of this new vehicle experience and, I cant wait to do it again in about 98,000 more miles

Edited August 17, 2019 by MacLaren

16LT4 · August 17, 2019

1 hour ago, Aaron Klemm said:

Let’s say I bought a new Sierra next year and wanted to get it to 200,000 to 300,000 miles. What are my odds? What issues will I run into along the way? Which will be most serious?

Your odds are a direct result of how well you maintain the truck. If you follow GM's service schedule, just getting to 100k will be problematic. To get to the high numbers (there's a BIG difference between 200k and 300k), you need one developed with the vehicle's condition in mind, not the condition of your wallet. Fluid changes at what some may consider "overkill" mileage, weekly under-body hose-outs to keep rust away, highway miles and not around-town miles, etc.

The odds are better than you'll likely tire of the truck long before you hit those miles anyway, which could be 10-15 or more years away. Lot's of people claim they want to go the distance, but then trade up soon after the truck's paid off or by 100k miles, when the next latest and greatest version comes out.

econometrics · August 17, 2019

Yeah, I got 130K out of my 2007 1500 and started to get that eerie feeling that something bigger was going to fail. I put less than $1000 into that truck over 11 years. And most of that was all routine maintenance. Never once had a major issue. But I was knocking on a lot of wood, then GM rolled out the T1. It was finally a truck I felt was worth upgrading to. Glad I did.

But I don’t see myself driving my 2019 RST more than 50-60K before getting a new one now.

saber · August 18, 2019

Lubricants!!! motor, drivetrain, anything that moves!!!!

I'm a mechanical engineer with a bunch of research under my belt on life cycles of mechanisms.

Electronics are another animal, other than minimizing thermal cycles there is nothing you can do to extend the life.

Donstar · August 18, 2019

5 hours ago, Aaron Klemm said:

Let’s say I bought a new Sierra next year and wanted to get it to 200,000 to 300,000 miles. What are my odds? What issues will I run into along the way? Which will be most serious?

Quite a thought provoking question! I suspect if you maintain it properly, the odds are good that a' '20 Sierra will reach this kind of mileage without significantly major repairs. Even if you do face a major repair or two, the cost of ownership will be less than buying a new truck every few years. My problem would be having to drive an out dated, high mileage truck as my daily driver. I would love an old truck for the fun factor but I want a current, fresh truck for my everyday use. The confidence and safety I derive from owning a low mileage, newer vehicle is worth the cost of admission, imo.

davester · August 18, 2019

I know for my truck, it is virtually impossible for a new truck to have a lower cost of ownership than my current truck ('04 Sierra 3500 flatbed). Since I've owned it (almost 4 years now), it's needed a fair number of parts

oil, transmission & power steering lines replaced cuz they were leaking

brake lines because they were rusty (preventative, didn't wait for them to fail)

water pump

spark plugs

fuel injectors

both fuel pumps

O2 sensors

knock sensors

MAF & MAP sensors

upper control arms

pitman & idler arms, and both inner & outer tie rods

one brake caliper (cuz the bleeder screw broke off and I couldn't get it loose)

tail light assemblies

repainted a door and fender due to paint flaking off

alternator

jounces for front suspension

passenger window regulator

HVAC fan & resistor pack

studs & lug nuts for a wheel (nuts worked loose and the studs got worn from the wheels rubbing on them)

upgraded the truck to 4wd by installing front diff, transfer case and replacement transmission

I also bought the full-service manual & Autogenuity for diagnosing and fixing the truck.

I did rebuild the transmission and transfer case, but only because I upgraded the truck to 4wd, and the transmission/transfer case in the parts truck I bought for the 4wd setup had about 200k miles on it, and it was beat on by the P.O., so I rebuilt it before putting it in my truck.

Even with all this stuff needing fixing (some right off the bat to get the engine working right, which was why the P.O. sold it), and the other stuff wearing out, it's still MUCH MUCH cheaper than the down payment and ongoing payments for a new truck, along with higher insurance premiums for a new truck.

If it needed a new engine today, and I replaced it with a crate engine, the engine would still be cheaper than, just the payments on a new truck for a year.

Now, if I had to pay someone else to do all the work at say, $100/hr, I think it would still be a little cheaper, but pretty close to what I'd be paying for a new truck. As it is, I'm looking for a similar truck (3500 cab&chassis, 4wd, about 10 years old or so) for cheap, to use as a backup truck, as sometimes it's important for me to not have downtime because of the truck. But even adding that backup truck will be cheaper than a new truck, and I'd still have this problem with the new truck (sometimes, it will need to be repaired, even if the fix is free under warranty, and I'd need another truck to work, and the dealer isn't going to have a flatbed cab&chassis truck as a loaner to get banged up working).

Edited August 18, 2019 by davester

KARNUT · August 18, 2019

I enjoy my old truck. It’s old in years, not miles. I have a couple older cars. Non had major repairs. Nothing says piece of mind to me traveling in a young lower mileage vehicle. Even if it’s a less luxurious cheaper version of the older vehicles I leave at home.

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lrtexasman · August 18, 2019

I’m at 245k now on my 2002 Tahoe with the 5.3. Original motor and transmission. Only replaced control arm and brakes/rotors (did brakes and rotors last week myself with kit from rockauto for under $200). Also lots of people have had to rebuild transmissions, I think getting my fluid and filter done every 50k has spared me that expense. I have a tranny shop around the corner that does the fluid and filter change for around 100.

Edited August 18, 2019 by lrtexasman