Just hit 10,000 kms (owned it a little over two years)

Wiggums · June 26, 2021

10,000 km Report (6,250 Mile Report)

Our ranch has several vehicles, Ford Lobo, RAM, etc. This well-optioned Silverado was bought in the U.S. as my personal vehicle in April 2019, $53k MSRP, $43k dealer, with California registration, then I switched to D.F. plates only to have COVID delay my move to Mexico City so I'm still in Orange County and Tijuana. I also owned another Cheyenne down in Mexico but this one is about the first Silverado I had.

Best gas mileage I've gotten was 7.6 l/100km (31 mpg) from a slow 55-mph drive on flat terrain from Dana Point to SNA airport to pick up my relatives coming in from Mexico City and back. I generally average at 9 to 11 l/100km (21 to 24 mpg) with about 70% highway driving, 30% city driving, which isn't too bad for a 4x4 with 5.3 355-hp V8 motor. Golly, I was lucky to get 24 mpg out of my overrated Benz C300 with a puny 177-hp V-6! Using hypermiling techniques, I slow down at intersections without touching the brake and hope it turns green before I get there. Consequently, I show my brake pads at 96% front, 98% rear.

It was purchased with the intention of using it at the ranch but I found the rear suspension extremely tricky and outright dangerous at times (as other RST owners with Z71 package will confirm) so it became a highway queen. About 2,000 km was from the recent drive down to Hermosillo, and back. For the very first time in over 9,000 kms a week ago, the auto-stop kicked in, then never came back, not even today after I completed a 30-mile drive (with the A/C off). I don't care much about this feature, it's just a gimmick to me.

I have learned to start it from a distance while walking towards it so it doesn't give me that nerve-jarring thud and a brief lurch forward when I shift to D from a cold start. Others with the eight-speed automatic will tell you. I like it when the AFM kicks in, the mileage is impressive, and it seems that engine will be dropped from the 2022 line-up. I liked it, it's just the transmission I don't like!

Comparing it with my previous 2016 F-150, I can sleep in the short bed because it's considerably wider than the F-150 (I had to get the long bed F-150 because I could not fit in the short bed). With a very miniscule drop in power, the engine gets a lot better gas mileage than F-150 with V8 (16 in F-150 vs. 21 in Silverado). The F-150 had a cig lighter inside the center console storage so I could plug in the fast-charger for my phone, could not do that with Silverado (offers only USB and USB-C). I bought the V-8 because I don't need a lot of power but I would like it to be available just in case, same reason why I have a 4x4 even though I only used it ONCE to get out of a tricky parking situation (front tire resting against tall 1960's style curb, front bumper few inches away from brick wall, and car behind me few inches away). It was nice to turn on the 4L and slowly move over the curb without overshooting. I later found out the base 4x4 models don't have 4L, only 4H with an "electronic" 4L, whew, dodged the bullet there. My F-150's interior could handle donut powder very well, but it gets all over the black upholstery in the Silverado so I am back to eating apple fritters. It had the rear window leak which was fixed. Would I buy it again? Yes. I don't regret the purchase at all.

Honestly, between Silverado and F-150, it's a tie-breaker. Both have their pros and cons. My next one would more likely be a GMC Sierra because there's a GMC dealership nearby, while the nearest Chevrolet dealership is 20 miles away. Also, another reason it's GMC over Chevrolet is that my 2019 has buttons on all four doors to unlock, the 2020 and afterwards do not. I love the convenience of going to the rear door and opening it without having to mess around with the key fob. Strangely, Sierra hasn't taken out the buttons from the rear doors.

I am hoping the 2022 models will come out sexy-looking though. Frankly, I couldn't care less about the appearance. F-150 is a little more bland-looking and I think it affects the resale value. I only buy it because of the insane resale value!