Looking to buy another Truck

[INtilesetter]

Got a 1993 Chevy with a 350 ,5.7 liter v-8........How does the GMC's 6.0 liter compare to the older 350/5.7 liter motor? I'm currently looking at a 2005 GMC HD 6.0 liter and if anybody has this type truck and an opinion on theirs ,I'd like to hear it please.
Thanx's

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[Davy]

How about the mileage, that's purty important these days. :)

[Davestone]

I actually test drove one with the 396 back when i bought mine,02 and it has power, but unless you're doing a lot of heavy hauling i'd get the 325 like mine, it's pretty beefy,and much better mileage, then get a heavy trailer to haul stuff with,my 02. :bow:

[muskymike]

What ever you do don't git a diesel! :sick: 4 bucksins a gallon here! :complain:

[Hamilton]

Gas is over $3.50 a gallon here and looking at $4 soon. I miss my old Toyota
Tacoma. Too bad I broke that little truck.

[tilerite]

One month after buying the Tundra, I must say; its the best truck I have ever owned and the power of the vehicle far exceeds any Chevy I have ever owned.

[MHI]

I've got a '07 GMC 2500HD new body style with a 6.0, no complaints.

I haul a lot of weight with a slide in utility body loaded with tools totaling about 2500 pounds, and sometimes a 10,000 pound dump trailer.

Those light duty gas miser trucks aren't an option for me.:)

[John K]

Matt,

What is a slide in utility body? Why didn't you go with the duramax? :)

[Theold--scottyb]

Ive got the F250..( well once its fixed from flipping it over).. So far, never an issue of hauling my trailer or tile in the bed..

[dbol]

I am looking at a Dodge 1500 as we speak, not for work ( I use a van for that).
Never drove GMC though

[Davy]

It was cheaper to drive a Diesel, may be about the same now. :shake:

[johntrent]

I have also been looking at a new truck. I am wanting a F350 or other 1 ton truck. I have had transmission problems with an E250 van and am starting to feel slipping in my Chevy Express Van 2500 - but I see alot of you with 3/4 ton vehicles not having any problems. How often or how much do you guys expect out of your truck for hauling? Not that I am abusive but I don't cut it any slack either - in my 2500 van I sometimes have the trailer hitch draggin or bumpin with a decent sized pallet of tile/stone or thin set. Do you guys not have this problem? Also I have been looking for a diesel - I know fuel costs are higher but won't a longer engine life somewhat offset that difference? I guess alot depends on how high fuel ends up going - on the other hand, I am figuring with the cost of diesel as high as it is - those sales are bound to be hurting and I might end up with a pretty nice deal.

[MHI]

The slide in body is a Load N Go. http://fleetwest.net/index.html

I got it with the 8' drawer and locking removable top, in black. 12' ladder racks too. When it comes out with the four jacks, everything is out. Great for when you need the truck for something else, or for trade in time.

I got the gas version because the diesel makes too much noise. I'm living in urbanville here. I may not care about noise for the next truck if gas keeps going up.:)

[Hammy]

i use a GMC safari van, with 4.3 700r4 tranny & 2 cargo trailers for most of my work. For heavy hauling i have an F250 Turbo diesel and several tandem trailers. The F250 has a full ERA commercial topper with ladder racks. Hammy

[Eric Philson]

I had an f-250 for several years. Big 460. Loved the power, hated the brakes. Now have a '97 f-350 dually and a Ford box truck ('93 u-haul). Both Have 7.3 diesels, dually is fuel injected, box truck is not. Dually getting around 18 mpg, box truck gets 10. I hate abs systems too. Unhooked it on dually, now it stops on a dime, coaster brakes before that.

[John K]

06 F 550 crewcab with 16ft trailer. Loves diesel... :)

[Davy]

I've been happy with my 02 Dodge/Cummins (6 speed standard). It has over load springs and it's nothing for me to haul two pallets of tile. I average 21 MPG and at 238,000 miles, I've yet to add any oil to the engine between oil changes. I did have the injector pump go out at 98,000, it was still under warranty so it got replaced without a charge. Everything else is original, the water pump, starter, alternator, etc.

I'm only on my second set of tires, the original Michilens went 141,000 miles. I did rotate every 5,000 miles. :)

[irish tileguy in michigan]

i just got the dodge ram 2500 snow chief a few months ago and love it for carring weight and tile ect. except when theres no load on it then it bounces around to much, but then i remember, i got it for work.

[RedRockTile]

Bought a 99 F350 crew cab, long box, with the 7.3 TD last year. Don't have to worry about hauling tile, mud, tools, laborers, fishing rods, and get 15-16 mpg. I can also pack my camp trailer around or the horses - all much better than my 1/2 ton.

Its my first diesel and they are a bit more expensive to maintain. I had some starting problems this winter and found out I had 2 glow plugs out and only 1/2 cranking amps in one battery. So, I replaced all the glow plugs and added two new batteries. Ouch. Oil changes are also more money. 14 qts of special oil and massive filter. Another ouch. New fuel filter - whip me again. Take a look at whether or not you need the power and towing capacity. Fuel costs are just the tip of the expense.

[Davy]

Being a little smaller engine, the 5.9 Cummins has 11 qts of oil, the oil filter is a 1 Qt filter, 8 bucks and the fuel filter is about 11-12 bucks. It still cost plenty to maintain. :)

[MHI]

That reminds me of the other reason I haven't gone to diesels, the extra $7k the truck costs. I know it holds some of the value when you go to sell it, but you have to save a lot in gas to offset the added cost.:)

[John Bridge]

You guys talkin' bad about diesels distresses me. Here I just bought Patti a one-ton diesel dually to pull her new fifth wheel with. :D

In my case a diesel is the only thing that makes sense, so despite the higher cost of maintenance, and the higher cost of diesel fuel, and the higher cost of the truck . . . I had no choice. :D


Seriously, though, I've run a lot of half-ton pickups into the ground and proud of it, but I think you should consider a three-quarter ton. They are not much more than the half-ton, they ride decently, and they'll carry two pallets of tile without breaking. ;)

[John K]

I am thinking of downsizing out of the f 550 flatbed. Does anyone have any history with the Duramax? The cummins seems to beat all of them, but I've heard the Dodge truck its built cheaply. I like the 20mpg of the cummins..

The dual wheels on the 550 seems to make pulling the trailer more stable and less sway when its heavy. :)

[Davy]

It all depends on who you talk to, John. Of course alot depends on how well you take care of them and keep them maintained.

Years ago the helper I had liked Ford trucks and would dog my Dodges every chance he could. My old truck had over 200,000 miles on it an still was going strong. We happened to go fishing one time and took his truck. It had about 60,000 miles on it and sounded like a rattle trap going down the road. I can't say but maybe he didn't take good care of it.

His dad owned a Dodge and complained the whole time he had it. He complained that it didn't run well so I asked him when the last time he did a tune up on it, he said never. It had near 100,000 miles on it. I heard that when they changed the spark plugs the tips were completley gone. Today that guy has a Dodge/Cummins and is probably still complaining about something. Just his nature. :)

[Chris the Rep]

If anyone is seriously looking at buying a brand new vehicle, I highly recommend, no, urge you to go to this site.

http://www.fightingchance.com

Wife and I had it narrowed down to 2 cars. We had been to a couple of dealers to test drive and listen to the sales talks, but never got close to negotiating with anyone.

An acquaintance had heard of this site on a radio show and suggested it. I was very, very skeptical to say the least. I was preparing myself to research models and prices...But I bought 2 reports. I figured what's $55 when I'm getting ready to plunk down close to $35K?

Got my package, read through it, and had a couple of questions, so I called Jim (being able to call for help is part of the package) and got my answers right away. Sent 11 faxes late on a Tuesday night, first offer came in at 8:45 the next morning, as did 7 others by Thursday noon. Signed and faxed an offer to buy on Friday, picked it up on Tuesday next week.

I'd never buy a new vehicle any other way. I was expecting to pay about $33K, got it for $29,500. Just the time I saved was more than worth the $55 I spent.

Chris

[John Bridge]

Too late, Chris. Can I use the info to go back in and re-negotiate after the buy? :D

Seriously, though. I would have ordered it had I known about it.