Reliability?

[RyanZ71]

I've come to the conclusion that the new trucks and cars from any auto maker are not as reliable and dependable as they used to be, I think the auto makers are in such a big hurry to get things out and to push technoligy they are not taking the time to properly test and examine the new products and we are getting stuck with such things as cold start knock, slip yoke clunk, poor coolant, steering shaft problems, etc. I am not just limiting this to General Motors, I've had alot of expierence driving many makes and models and I see them in all of them, import, or domestic. All you have to do is go to a VW, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Dodge, BMW forum and you will see just they are having alot of problems with the newer vehicles as well. Sometimes I wish I could purchase a NEW 92 or 93 Silverado Z-71 ext cab with the good old reliable 350 without all the stupid computer crap we have running our trucks and cars now a days... <sigh> Your thoughts?

[Wingnut]

First off, I consider a 92/93 to be a "newer" truck. They had EFI, or at the very least TBI. They have a computer that advances/retards timing etc. etc. etc.

 

Without all the "stupid computer crap", you would be getting 8 miles to the gallon. I had an 81 Silverado that got closer to 6 mpg on a good day. Of course, that might have been from the 38.5 inch Swampers

 

My 02 has close to 60k miles on it, and I recently got over 20 mpg on a road trip...And I beat the hell out of it on a daily basis.

 

My 92 gets 15 mpg, and is getting close to 160k miles, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and will still spin the 285s that are on there.

 

 

Show me a 72 model that's got that many miles on it without needing a major overhaul, or 2 quarts of 30w a week. Not to mention got that kind of gas mileage in a 4wd.

 

I'm going to have to disagree. Trucks are getting better. LOTS better. And I can't wait to see what's next.

[ness5575]

i agree with wingnut, i think trucks (and cars in general) are getting more reliable.

i think that places like this forum, though very helpful in many ways, lead to a perception that these vechicles have lots of problems. many people only come report a problem and to look for a solution to it.

[mcreyaufmiller]

I have to agree with wingnut as well. Over the years vehicles have been getting more reliable. For example, a 1972 truck would need to be overhauled by about 60k miles estimated with normal to heavy use. my 98 has well over 120k on it and is running great. As ness pointed out, this is a forum that helps people with problems, in doing so, it would look that the problems are amplified because the people that post here the most often are looking for help with problems. This may not be the norm for the majority of vehicles on the street.

 

Mike

[carguru]

Adding my $0.02 in. My '02 has been the best truck I've ever had. I have only had 1 problem with it and that was the intermediate shaft. I lubed it and it has been fine since. In the recent years, I've had an '87, '91, '94, '99 and an '02. My '02 was a major influence on our purchase of the '04 Tahoe. The reliability has improved from every one of the year models (even my '99 which GM repurchased). From my experience, all of them have been very reliable. None of them have left me stranded. They all do have thier own common set of problems. Every car has these. I guess that on all of the different forums, you see the common problems over and over again thus leading to the perception that quality is lower.

[J-rod]

I agree and believe that being able to find information and communicate with countless other owners on the "interweb" can be misleading. As mentioned above, forums like these attract people with problems more than those without. And I believe that very fact also alerts others, like your's truly, to problems with their own vehicles that they may not have ever noticed or at least not thought seriously about otherwise. For instance, I would have NO IDEA what an intermediate steering shaft was, much less that it was the cause of the crappy clunking sound and feeling in my truck, were it not for this forum. I guess what I'm trying so feebly to say is that we not only have more problems reported here simply because that's a big part of what sites like this are for, but it also draws attention to problems with our own vehicles that we may have never known about otherwise. When the only other owners you have contact with are your buddies, as was the case 30 years ago, you're just not going to hear about as many problems. I think if the good ol' interweb were around readily accessible in the 70's this forum would be even more active than it is today!!!

 

Just my thoughts.

[jhm]

I think MOST makes are turning out more reliable vehicles than in the past. The reason we have problems with some components, is the bottom line is profits for the shareholders. Every corporation on earth is looking for ways to maximize shareholder value and one obvious way is to not screen every part that comes in to check if it meets the specifications. I am sure not every driveshaft yoke is measured, they do some sampling and some bad ones get thru. What makes them keep a closer eye on quality is customers who DON'T have blind loyalty, if you are not happy with your ride, buy from another manufacturer next time, they keep real close tabs on that factor!

[TimTim]

I've come to the conclusion that the new trucks and cars from any auto maker are not as reliable and dependable as they used to be, I think the auto makers are in such a big hurry to get things out and to push technoligy they are not taking the time to properly test and examine the new products and we are getting stuck with such things as cold start knock, slip yoke clunk, poor coolant, steering shaft problems, etc.  I am not just limiting this to General Motors, I've had alot of expierence driving many makes and models and I see them in all of them, import, or domestic.  All you have to do is go to a VW, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Dodge, BMW forum and you will see just they are having alot of problems with the newer vehicles as well.  Sometimes I wish I could purchase a NEW 92 or 93 Silverado Z-71 ext cab with the good old reliable 350 without all the stupid computer crap we have running our trucks and cars now a days... <sigh>  Your thoughts?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Being in the collision repair business I hear "they aren't built like used to be" alot, mostly from older clients. I agree the newer vehicles are designed and engineered completely different.

 

You can get 200000 miles out of about any newer car with normal care. Sure they crumple up when wrecked, but that is what they are designed to do.

 

My opinion is that all cars have issues and the newer vehicles are definetly more reliable. JMT

[Halen5150]

My last chevy truck was a '92, and I miss it from time to time. I like my current '00 Z71, except for the engine. I would love to take a vortec 350 and replace this noisy 5.3L. The 92 I had felt a lot tougher than this truck.

[budhayes3]

I'm also in the camp that agrees that the vehicles are getting better. The little things that break are mostly nuisances for the most part, and it seems that every vehicle has the same issues. To me that is good engineering. Maybe they could go about fixing these issues better, but it's all about the dollar and inter-Manufacturer politics. If these vehicles were breaking down every day and it was never the same thing twice, then I'd be worried. Any mechanical component can wear and fail, it's the nature of the beast. These trucks don't leak nearly as much as the stuff GM was putting out throughout the 80's into the early 90's. The engines would pump so much oil that we'd tell people that they have a self lubricating chassis.

 

Crawl under my truck and the only thing I found was a half eaten piece of french bread that some rodent left on my frame rail by my evap canister. Otherwise, dry as a bone. Plus, the fuel economy that I can get with this thing and the mill under the hood that's just dyin to breath...10 years ago FI engines making 190HP was a big deal. Now trucks are coming with 345!

 

And on a cold winter's day, turn the key once, or better yet, hit the button on your remote start fob, and let that puppy warm up. No worries. My 85 Monte...pump the gas 3 times to set the choke and get a little cold enrichment, then hope it starts. My 71 Camaro, manual choke...well you get the idea.

 

I'm a fan of the new automotive technology...already wondering what can be done to tweak a hybrid vehicle without 300 volts arc welding my nuts together!

 

Just my humble opinion

[Wingnut]

These trucks don't leak nearly as much as the stuff GM was putting out throughout the 80's into the early 90's. The engines would pump so much oil that we'd tell people that they have a self lubricating chassis.

 

Crawl under my truck and the only thing I found was a half eaten piece of french bread that some rodent left on my frame rail by my evap canister. Otherwise, dry as a bone. Plus, the fuel economy that I can get with this thing and the mill under the hood that's just dyin to breath...10 years ago FI engines making 190HP was a big deal. Now trucks are coming with 345!

 

I'm a fan of the new automotive technology...already wondering what can be done to tweak a hybrid vehicle without 300 volts arc welding my nuts together!

 

Just my humble opinion

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, I think my 92 is rated at 185HP, maybe 195 or so. Sweeeet.

 

It's never leaked a drop of anything though. (insert "knocking on wood" smiley here).

 

As for the "welding of nuts"....Well....Don't put them on the battery.

[carguru]

As for the "welding of nuts"....Well....Don't put them on the battery.

 

I don't think I even wanna know.

[GnatGoSplat]

I think what you've said is only true of German vehicles. Germans are pushing leading-edge technology, and it often causes reliability problems.

American automakers have surpassed Germans in reliability.

GM specifically sticks to a lot of old, reliable technology such as pushrods.

The late 90's saw an improvement in reliability. If you look at the 80's, you would see that was an era when US automakers were suffering and losing sales to imports.

 

Reliability-wise, my 99 is the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Granted, its body hasn't held up nearly as nicely as my 89 or 94 Oldsmobiles or even my stepdad's 94 GMC fullsize.

[SpreadHead]

I was thinking of this very topic recently. I bought my 2000 Silverado with 52000 miles, now at 104,000 with zero problems.

 

I recall in the 70s and 80s how often you saw cars broken down on the side of the road. It's actually unusual now to see someone broken down.

[rdnkcpa]

I grew up in the 70's and 80's and watched the big 3 play catch up in quality and reliablilty to the imports. I have owned Honda, Mazda, GM, Toyota & Ford products. Every new car that I get seems much better than the old in terms of build quality and reliablilty. All manufactures have their problems.

 

I had a new 1997 Honda eat the fan that cooled the A/C condenser it took the condenser out. I had a 91 Honda with 130k on it when the distributor went bad. It came from the factory with a bad paint job that Honda refused to fix.

 

My Mazda went well over 100k when it was killed by a Domino's pizza delivery man trying to make it there in 30 minutes or less. It went through front brake pads very quickly and 2 exhaust systems that rusted out. It was my first car an 1983 GLC hatch back. I still miss that car.

 

I have owned 2 Ford products. One I am still driving as my beater. It is a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park Wagon. With the fake wood panels on the side. Quite the hoopty, great for drive bys. It has 185,000 miles on it and I drive it everyday. I have replaced all the the accessories on the front of the engine. Alternator, A/C Compressor, power steering pump, and water pump. I have also replaced the radiator in it. The engine uses 1 quart of oil every 3000 miles. It still drives nice and quiet and smooth. I expect to get another 100k out of it. My other Ford was a 1999 Contour. It had a 2.5L 24valve 170 HP v6 hooked up to a 5 speed manual transmission. The car was a lot of fun to drive, went like a bat out of hell and got over 25MPG. However, the dash board came apart had to be replaced by Ford. The 3rd gear sychro. went out twice and the tranny was rebuilt under the extended warranty. It threw a check engine light on a regular basis once I got over 70k on it, the day I traded it with 85k on the clock the blower for the HVAC, quit. Ford cut every corner it could with that car. I was glad to unload it.

 

Had a Toyota Tacoma for 1 year. Ran great, traded it for my Silverado. I needed something with a back seat.

 

My 2004 Silverado has not been back to the dealer once for warranty repairs and drives like a dream and I feel is much better put together than any of the older cars I've owned foreign or domestic. Its a 4X4 and people that have driven it could'nt believe how well it drove and smooth and quiet it is. The 5.3L is smoother than the old 350, and winds up much faster, and gets much better MPG.

 

My buddy has a 97 BMW, he's got a love hate relationship with it. Beautiful car, fun to drive. Expensive to repair, and according to him it has required many more repairs than he expected. He's a GM guy, who says he'll buy a domestic next time.

 

I guess the point is you get much more bang for your buck than with older cars and they are much more reliable, and safer. Thats it back to work.