Which Nbs?

Summit Beast · July 9, 2007

Im looking at getting a NBS 1500 4x4 Chevy or GMC, but I'm not quite sure which one to get. I'm trying to decide between the 5.3 and the 6.0....out of the two which gets better gas mileage?

Thanks

Erik F · July 9, 2007

6.0 more power

5.3 good power much better mpg

cmoore74 · July 9, 2007

6.0 more power
5.3 good power much better mpg

I thought the MPG's were not that much different (within 1-2 MPG). They both have the AFM, but the 6.0 has variable valve timing (5.3 does not). I could be wrong about the MPG's, this is just what I recall.

To the original poster it entirely depends on use. If you love driving like a maniac and/or tow something heavy on a regular basis or tow something very heavy (over 6000 lbs) go with the 6.0.

For me the 5.3 does me just fine. I tow a 4000 lb boat about 10% of the time with no problem.

Summit Beast · July 9, 2007

Well, I'm not towing and I just want to get the best mpg possible. Whether it be the 5.3 or 6.0, all I want is good mpg.

cmoore74 · July 9, 2007

The 5.3 should be a bit better than the 6.0 for MPG. Plus the 6.0 will cost almost $2k more.

Please keep in mind no 5400 lb truck will get really good mileage. I bought a full size for towing, but if I had nothing to tow I would probably drive a small 4-cyl p/u with a 5 speed manual (dump runs, hardware store, etc.). Be prepared for a gas guzzler if you buy any full size truck. A lot of people buy big trucks when they don't really need them and then complain when they have to fill them up.

When not towing I get around 15-16 MPG around town and about 18-19 MPG on the highway and that's with an '06 with a 5.3 which does not have the AFM. You may do about 2-3 MPG better with the AFM depending on how you drive.

Summit Beast · July 9, 2007

As of right now I drive an 06 Sierra Ex. Cab Z71 4x4 with a 5.3 and I'm getting about the same mileage you are. I want to get a crew cab so I have a little more space, but so far I've heard that the 5.3 gets better mileage than the 6.0 and that the 6.0 gets better than the 5.3.....just wondering which is true and which one is going to be closest to what I'm getting right now.

hotwheels57 · July 9, 2007

There's no mpg answer that going to be gospel anymore than the EPA mpg "estimates" are gospel. Everyone has a different size right foot, everyone has different driving styles and everyone lives in different geographical locations...all of which will effect your mpg.

Make a decision on what you want and live with the mpg based on your habits and location.

I have an '07 Silverado crew cab LTZ, 2wd, 3.73 with the 6.0L. I clear my DIC with every fill up. I'm at 5,200 ft elevation...I get right at 16 mpg in town and just over 18 mpg on the highway. It's a 5,000# brick, but I knew that when I bought it.

cmoore74 · July 9, 2007

Oh yeah, I guess I should have read your info a bit closer. So you are already well versed in emptying your wallet to fill up. Gotta love it when you hit the $75 limit some stations have on credit cards before you get to a full tank.

I was so tempted to wait for the NBS, but the deals on the 2006's were just too good to pass up and I couldn't wait that long. BTW you're gonna take a hell of a hit in value if you trade in an '06. The extra room in the back seats of a crew cab is so much nicer than the ext cab.

I know I saw someone posting NBS 6.0L gas mileage results. I can't remember anyone posting 5.3L NBS results.

spartus · July 10, 2007

I know I saw someone posting NBS 6.0L gas mileage results. I can't remember anyone posting 5.3L NBS results.

Plenty of NBS results posted on this forum.

Mine: 14-16 around town... 14-16 highway. It's a 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 with 5.3L. The Displacement on Demand is a BIG JOKE, so don't expect it to help at all. Towing 3000 lbs, I get about 8mpg highway. Normal gas mileage for highway driving is around 15.8 mpg at 70 mph. And I drive like a OLD LADY..... Many people with similar results as mine... Every now and then I see someone getting 18 mpg on the new trucks, but not very many.

I've also seen several people post up 16-17 mpg highway for their VMAX trucks.... I shoulda went with the big 6.0... live and learn.

VMax2007 · July 10, 2007

I know I saw someone posting NBS 6.0L gas mileage results. I can't remember anyone posting 5.3L NBS results.

Plenty of NBS results posted on this forum.

Mine: 14-16 around town... 14-16 highway. It's a 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 with 5.3L. The Displacement on Demand is a BIG JOKE, so don't expect it to help at all. Towing 3000 lbs, I get about 8mpg highway. Normal gas mileage for highway driving is around 15.8 mpg at 70 mph. And I drive like a OLD LADY..... Many people with similar results as mine... Every now and then I see someone getting 18 mpg on the new trucks, but not very many.

I've also seen several people post up 16-17 mpg highway for their VMAX trucks.... I shoulda went with the big 6.0... live and learn.

For reference: I get 14mpg city and 10mpg towing my 3500# boat on hilly country highways with stop signs every couple miles. No empty highway mileage to report yet though.

And I agree, AFM advantages are minimal at best. But VVT in the 6.0 probably helps alot.

saltwater_addict · July 10, 2007

Took my moms(to let mine rest, or so i said) on a 900 mile trip this weekend. Stayed at 70-75, and got alittle over 19. 19.28 i think. BUT, around town, we get 15.5 consistently. Thats driving like you are supposed to, no rubber on pavement at all, hell, never revs over 2000. The biggest thing i noticed is that they use 10% ethanol and it kills it. When i got into good gas in LA and MS, the milage jumped like crazy. The truck is a 07.5 CC Z71 3.73 5.3 with 3K miles. Very nice truck BTW, mine (in sig) now feels like a Flintstone mobile. Also towed a load of hay the other day, bout 4k total, really suprised me. Didnt even know it was there.

zozmanGMC · July 10, 2007

Im looking at getting a NBS 1500 4x4 Chevy or GMC, but I'm not quite sure which one to get. I'm trying to decide between the 5.3 and the 6.0....out of the two which gets better gas mileage? Thanks

I went with the GMC because I like the full front chrome bumper. Some peeling paint problems seen on the bumpers of the Chevys. Since I keep my trucks 15 years and seeing where energy prices are going, go with the 5.3 Flex Fuel. No truck at 5400 lbs is going to give you great gas mileage. You can think about that, but realistically, you can't do much about it unless you don't drive it much. I have other vehicles to use that get better gas mileage. My 1991 GMC 5.7, Z71 got 15/18 regularly. The 5.3 4x4 would be better with the 3.42 rear but I have the 3.73 rear and upgraded 20" wheels. See picture below.

zoz

Erik F · July 10, 2007

all I know is my 6.0 2003 2500 got about 11mpg and about 14 hwy at best...I'm getting around 16 around town and can regularly get 19-20mpg on the hwy with the cruise set between 65-70mph. I reset the DIC every tank and usually do the hand calc to boot...the DIC is very very close. My 4cyl Tacoma gets about 19-20 around town in the summer and 22 hwy (4x4). One other thing...its not really fair to have people post up their two wheel drive mpg against others 4x4 mpg. The guy with the 6.0 2wd says he's getting 18 on the hwy...just imagine if he was 4x4...you could guess he would be getting more like 15-16 at best on the hwy and around 12 around town...it would be nice to drive a 2wd v8 truck but in upstate NY the winters are wicked...love my 4wd!!!

cmoore74 · July 10, 2007

I know I saw someone posting NBS 6.0L gas mileage results. I can't remember anyone posting 5.3L NBS results.

Plenty of NBS results posted on this forum.

Mine: 14-16 around town... 14-16 highway. It's a 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 with 5.3L. The Displacement on Demand is a BIG JOKE, so don't expect it to help at all. Towing 3000 lbs, I get about 8mpg highway. Normal gas mileage for highway driving is around 15.8 mpg at 70 mph. And I drive like a OLD LADY..... Many people with similar results as mine... Every now and then I see someone getting 18 mpg on the new trucks, but not very many.

I've also seen several people post up 16-17 mpg highway for their VMAX trucks.... I shoulda went with the big 6.0... live and learn.

If you drive conservatively as I do those MPG's are really low.

I have an '06 Z71 4X4 Crew Cab with the 5.3 (before AFM was implemented) and I get 15-16 MPG around town, 18-19 on the highway, and 12-13 towing a 4000 lb boat (mostly highway). Also note this is with crappy 10% ethanol Connecticut gas. When I tank up out of state, in one that doesn't mandate ethanol, I get a 1-2 MPG improvement.

Is the truck still breaking in? I got mileage like that until the truck had about 3-4k miles as it was breaking in still. I don't understand how your around town mileage is the same as highway as stop and go in a 5000+ lb truck kills mileage.

Maybe the VVT in the 6.0L is more beneficial than I thought, but is it worth the additional $2k if you don't need it? $2k over the life of the vehicle buys a lot of gas even at $3+ per gallon.

VMax2007 · July 10, 2007

I know I saw someone posting NBS 6.0L gas mileage results. I can't remember anyone posting 5.3L NBS results.

Plenty of NBS results posted on this forum.

Mine: 14-16 around town... 14-16 highway. It's a 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 with 5.3L. The Displacement on Demand is a BIG JOKE, so don't expect it to help at all. Towing 3000 lbs, I get about 8mpg highway. Normal gas mileage for highway driving is around 15.8 mpg at 70 mph. And I drive like a OLD LADY..... Many people with similar results as mine... Every now and then I see someone getting 18 mpg on the new trucks, but not very many.

I've also seen several people post up 16-17 mpg highway for their VMAX trucks.... I shoulda went with the big 6.0... live and learn.

If you drive conservatively as I do those MPG's are really low.

I have an '06 Z71 4X4 Crew Cab with the 5.3 (before AFM was implemented) and I get 15-16 MPG around town, 18-19 on the highway, and 12-13 towing a 4000 lb boat (mostly highway). Also note this is with crappy 10% ethanol Connecticut gas. When I tank up out of state, in one that doesn't mandate ethanol, I get a 1-2 MPG improvement.

Is the truck still breaking in? I got mileage like that until the truck had about 3-4k miles as it was breaking in still. I don't understand how your around town mileage is the same as highway as stop and go in a 5000+ lb truck kills mileage.

Maybe the VVT in the 6.0L is more beneficial than I thought, but is it worth the additional $2k if you don't need it? $2k over the life of the vehicle buys a lot of gas even at $3+ per gallon.

The NHT Max trailering pkg price is just under $2K and includes the 6.0. However, the L76 option alone (6.0 engine, HD tranny, ext engine cooling, ext tranny cooilng, HD rear end) lists at $1200 and I paid $909 for it (invoice pricing). Granted, I then had to add the Z82 trailering pkg that came with the NHT pkg. But the engine upgrade is not $2k, it's closer to $1K.

IMO for $909, it's a "no brainer" considering you get the bigger, more powerful, better engine (6 bolt mains, deep skirt design, VVT, etc), HD tranny, HD rear end, ext cooling for engine and tranny, and 4 wheel disc brakes. The MPG ratings are only 1 mpg less.