Silverado 2003-2007 rust buckets???

stss95 · November 12, 2019

Been a Chevy man all my life and I have been looking for a used truck 03-07 but I tell you here in the rust belt these trucks are complete rust buckets. Rockers and cab corners, bedsides flapping in the wind. Rear bumpers that make you want to get a tetanus shot. And the worst part is they seem to rust from the insides out, so by the time you see it it’s to late. Not to mention brake and fuel lines. And I’ve seen the same thing on the 07-13 trucks mostly in the bedsides.

i mean what gives did they cheap out on materials? Sad thing is people want all the money for this rusted junk with 200k on it. Saw a guy bragging in a for sale ad that the abs and check engine light have been on for 100k and it “runs fine”. Wow do you think he did any kinda of maintenance ever?

sorry for the rant but it’s so frustrating trying to find a good used truck that someone has actually taken care of.

riverbanks · November 12, 2019

It stinks,I use to be brand loyal,now I buy anything,they don't care,I don't either

It's Tim · November 12, 2019

2 hours ago, stss95 said:

Wow do you think he did any kinda of maintenance ever?

Clean, well maintained trucks trucks command a premium price, most peeps are not willing to pay that.

bubbanbrenda · November 12, 2019

My '08 is pretty bad too.

Donstar · November 12, 2019

3 hours ago, stss95 said:

Been a Chevy man all my life and I have been looking for a used truck 03-07 but I tell you here in the rust belt these trucks are complete rust buckets.

Is it practical for you to look outside of the "rust belt"? Manufacturers are using far more rust resistant products/finishes than they did decades ago and your chances of finding 15+ year old rust free trucks are good.

SierraHD17 · November 12, 2019

You live where stuff rusts out and complain the trucks are all rotten... yep... makes sense. Buy one from somewhere else and do some maintenance on it the locals to you didn't so it didn't rot away. I means it's what happens when you are looking at trucks approaching 20 years old lol.

greatmizzou · November 12, 2019

I wouldnt sweat over rusty cab corners or rockers. Nearly every truck still used as a daily driver has it.

A lot of the other body rust stems from some sort of impact that exposed the finish and metal. Bumber gets bumped, never gets fixed, starts to rust out years later. Lots of rust means probably lots of neglect and carless operation...probably something to steer away from.

I have babied my truck and cant stop the wheel arch and rocker rust....its otherwise decent shape.

riverbanks · November 12, 2019

Here in upstate NY,got to look at 2014 or newer to see no bubbles on box

lryfer · December 25, 2019

Wa state i have a 2006 Silverado 1500 with 79K on it and no sign of body rust except where something hit the front chrome bumper. Little rust spot there otherwise looks great.

Agree with previous go out of rust belt and find a rig. I originally from Iowa and it is terrible what the salt and winters do to rigs.

pajeepman · December 25, 2019

I have a 2002 Silverado 1500 quadrasteer. No rust, all but like new condition before the accident..Unfortunately it has been deemed totaled by insurance company. Only 101,000 miles. The amount of the payoff from insurance will get me a similar non q-steer truck with many more miles or rusty rockers. Really pisses me off as they figured out prices by looking at similar trucks for sale with 100 miles. My problem is I have found various #'s saying my truck was 1 of less than 6-700 made that year. Hood luck finding a similar one. Everything in my area is rusty and or has 50,000 more miles. You would think manufactures could figure out how to keep rust from forming. Course then they wouldn't sell as many new trucks. At least the q-steers have plastic/urethane bed side so they will never rust. I was looking for 2003-2006 but so much rust.

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Mikebtte · December 25, 2019

greatmizzou · December 26, 2019

On 12/24/2019 at 10:52 PM, pajeepman said:

I have a 2002 Silverado 1500 quadrasteer. No rust, all but like new condition before the accident..Unfortunately it has been deemed totaled by insurance company. Only 101,000 miles. The amount of the payoff from insurance will get me a similar non q-steer truck with many more miles or rusty rockers. Really pisses me off as they figured out prices by looking at similar trucks for sale with 100 miles. My problem is I have found various #'s saying my truck was 1 of less than 6-700 made that year. Hood luck finding a similar one. Everything in my area is rusty and or has 50,000 more miles. You would think manufactures could figure out how to keep rust from forming. Course then they wouldn't sell as many new trucks. At least the q-steers have plastic/urethane bed side so they will never rust. I was looking for 2003-2006 but so much rust.

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You could dispute that pretty easily unless your insurance company is terrible.

BeachBoy · December 30, 2019

We have a 2003 Avalanche 2500 4x4 and a 2004 Suburban 2500 4x4 with Quadrasteer. No rust on either of them, but then we live near Los Angeles.

Look around and find something you like in the southwest, then take a vacation to pick it up or have it shipped.

The Avalanche was involved in a front end collision some years ago and the insurance company declared it totaled.

We bought it back and had it repaired, the fenders weren't even damaged. Needed a hood, radiator and the rest of the

front end parts, and replacement frame horns for about 6". It ended up with a salvage title unfortunately, but we'll

just keep it forever anyway. So consider buying it back and having it repaired if you liked it.

Sierra89 · December 30, 2019

I have an 06 Sierra, it has spent its whole life here is Ontario. land of the winter salt. I've been very happy with the longevity of the truck body. I tend to wash it often in the winter, and for the first 5 or 6 years of its life it was undercoated annually. This past year the body has started to show that it needs attention. The Box has no surface rust but the bottom of the tailgate is starting to show some serious rust and I have a bubble above the front fender molding. If I repair these soon I should not have any serious issues.

The main thing is the rockers and cab corners really need to be replaced next spring. But on a 14 year old truck that has spent its whole life in the winter slop and salt of Ontario I'm OK with that.

With the price of new trucks being very expensive, it makes sense to me to put some money into the body of my old 06 since she still runs like a champ and has lasted this long with no major bodywork.