New Chevy Truck shopping

[Matt C]

Its about time for me to trade in the Tahoe and get a new truck.

I am looking at a 2009 Chevy 1500 or 2500 model.

I pull my 3500k boat all over with me and with my current 5.3 it pulls decent enough, but more power is always good right? And I am sure the new 5.3's are a bit better than my 2002 5.3.

So here are my options:

*It will be a Crew Cab, LT or LTZ, most likely Z71 package?

*5.3 with active fuel management?

*6.0

*6.6 Duramax/Allison

Pro's/cons?

Does the Diesel gel up in the winter?

Gas mileage really doesn't matter as I am used to 12/14mpg no load and 10/12mpg loaded.

Thanks!

[crothmeier]

I wouldnt think you would have to go with deisel. my buddy has a 6.0 that pulls pretty good. Make sure you have the tow/haul pkg with extra tranny cooler. The HD has tranny temp guage in the dash cluster as well i believe.

[KTapper]

I just bought a 2006 5.3 and it pulls the boat awsome, and get 21 highway and 16-17 city and 12-13 pulling the boat. I am used to my 2000 silverado getting 10-12 city 13-14 highway.

My dad has a 2007 Avalanche with the 6.0 and it pulls awesome, but the gas mileage is no where near my truck. 13-17 I would say but his ave. is 14.2 and he hasn't reset it in awhile.

So if gas mileage get a 6.0. But don't get a 2500, get the vortex max 1500 with the 6.0.

As for diesel I wanted one, but I am not going to risk diesel going back up is 5-6 bucks a gallon.

[Whoaru99]

From most of the research I've done, it would seem that the diesel is a nice rig, but it's a "no buy" unless you really need it. Will it gel up? Sure, if not properly treated.

As to the rest, to me it depend on how much you tow. I really don't use my boat that much so to buy a "big rig" for a relatively small amount of towing time doesn't make sense for me.

The rest is somewhat a hard call. Do you go with a smaller engine but a lower ratio in the rear end, or a bigger engine and rely on the increased torque and a higher rear end? Don't know which would work best in the long run.

[Matt C]

Well put Whoaru.

The only thinking in my head for the 6.6 was power. Who doesnt like tons of power (insert Tim Allen grunt here).

But its not necessary for my purpose really.

I do take a lot of trips up north pulling the boat, but I also drive 60 miles a day RT to/from work.

So, I am back to the 6.0 or the 5.3 in reality. (7k more for the 6.6). Ouch.

Ksnap, isn't the vortex max available on the 2500? The 1500 6.0 4 door you can only get the short bed, with the 2500 you can get the long box.

[LMITOUT]

Not only does the 6.6 have power, but it has fuel economy. Driving 60 miles a day I would think that the diesel might pencil out in the long run now that the price of diesel is south of unleaded now.

Added to the bulletproof engine is a bulletproof transmission and heavy duty drivetrain that you'll almost never have to worry about having enough power unless you hook a house up to it.

I have a 2006 Duramax and I love the mileage and power that it offers. I've added an aftermarket programmer and did some *cough* exhaust modifications *cough* which has added to the already great mileage.

It's pretty tough to gel up a newer diesel unless you find straight #2 somewhere in the dead of winter, but pretty much all the stations have a winter blend #2 from about October to April. The new diesels also fire off like a gasser and they are nowhere near the hard starting diesels of yesteryear. I've fired mine at -20 degrees after sitting on the lake all night. You have to be careful adding a programmer though, because it may be darn near impossible to remove the smile from your face the first time you take the truck down the road. I never had the opportunity to have a "hot rod" in high school, but this truck would probably rule the roost over any "hot rod" my buddies had back then. It's amazing what a 7000 lb truck is capable of doing with a little tweaking.

You'll have to determine your annual mileage and see if that will offset the upfront cost of the diesel engine, but I'll have a hard time going back to a gasser. I would think the dealers should have some better deals on 2009's they're trying to closeout right about now that may help the decision too. Diesels typically hold their value a little better too as farmers, contractors, and other heavy pullers like to find diesels on the used lot every now and then. Gassers are a dime a dozen and they really don't stick out from the rest in the classifieds when it comes time to sell.

[harvey lee]

I have a 06 ext cab with a 5.3 and pull a 16 ft Lund. Plenty of power and great mileage. I see no need for me to move up to any more power. 22 on the road and 15 towing the boat.

My son has a Duramax diesel and all I can say is last year when the diesel was at over 4 a gallon, he didn't move it unless he had too. It is a fuel hog to say the least. It pulls great if you can afford the mileage. At times he wished he would never have purchased the diesel. One pays so much extra for the tranny and diesel. You would need to really get better performance just for the added purchase cost.

His diesel truck cannot even compare to my gas for mileage.

I personally would not own one from what I have seen with his truck.

My other concern with the diesel is if the fuel goes sky high again, the trade value might not be much at all. Yes, he also added the programmer and it helped some but still very poor mileage.

[LMITOUT]

There obviously is something wrong with his truck. I've never heard of a Duramax with that performance. Ever.

Yeah, if you're pulling a 5th wheel camper or trailer you're going to get 9-12 mpg. That's a no brainer and shouldn't expect more than that, and quite honestly be happy as the 5.3 would never pull it without seriously abusing the tranny, etc. I had a 6.0L that would get 12mpg just driving down the highway. Talk about a gas hog. Never regretted getting rid of that thing.

[harvey lee]

Chevrolet has checked it out and it is fine in regards to the motor. Other people told him to get the duramax as its great for pulling the race trailer and they said how great of mileage they got. He gets 8. Maybe thats not all diesles but it is for this one. How does one know which they will recieve.

[LMITOUT]

Well, like I said, never heard of poor mileage from a Duramax except for this one, so obviously something isn't right or it's being driven 0-60 from every stoplight and that isn't going to get any economy no matter what you drive.

[harvey lee]

They, as in Chevrolet has checked it. Nothing wrong with it according to the shop. No o-60 either.

His other gas truck did better for gas mileage pulling the race trailer than the diesel does or ever has done. Thats no lie.

This is no [PoorWordUsage] at all. Its a fuel pig.

[LMITOUT]

I'd classify that as an exception and not the rule as far as Duramax's go. But drivers have a lot to do with it too.

What does the race trailer weigh?

[harvey lee]

It really doesn't matter as both trucks have pulled the same trailer. Same driver and habits for both trucks also. Maybe they are not all the same and that is good or they would not sell any.

[LMITOUT]

That pretty much tells me there is some sort of an issue with this particular truck and if you hooked another one up to it I'm certain you wouldn't have the same results.

[harvey lee]

I'm not going to debate this all day but the motor has been checked along with the pump and everything else.

One may hook up another diesel but that won't help his mileage.

[LMITOUT]

No, it won't help his mileage, but it's not fair to label the whole bunch bad because of one bad apple..

[harvey lee]

But a new consumer could get a bad apple as well as a good one. Thats all I'm saying. I looked at your post and it did not make any sense to me as we have seen the opposite in results.

One cannot label them all good from your expierence. Thats all or the same.

When purchasing anything, there are good ones and less than good.

[Tyler23]

id go with the vortec max in the 1500. my uncle has that and he has more than enough power to pull his 18ft ranger. i think he gets around 14mpgs for the most part. IMO that fuel mangement is a complete joke unless your going down hill all the time. you can watch it go from 4 to 8 and its hardely ever in 4 just going down the road. i think it was a good idea on paper and thats where it ended.

[jltimm]

If his Duramax gets that bad of mileage, I'd be getting a different one and not keep it if it sucks fuel like that. I know for a fact that the diesels out there, Chevy,Dodge, and even Ford get better mileage than the gassers and will tow anything you hook up to them.

[harvey lee]

It will tow great, its just the mileage is not what we believed it would be.

Pretty hard to trade off a truck this new without taking a huge hit.

[srj]

I have a new GMC Sierra xcab 4wd with the 5.3. It has the Z85 package--tow, 3.73 diff, eaton locker, etc. The 5.3 now has 320 HP and tows my Yarcraft Storm very well, lots of power. In several trips to Lake of the Woods from Bemidji, I have yet to get less than 14.3 mpg, round trip. Granted, that trip is pretty flat terrain--no doubt the mpg would go down in hilly country, but I've been very impressed. Empty road trips have been between 18 and 21. The Active Fuel Management feature (drops to V4 mode when the load allows) really drives the mpg up. Above 70mph the mpg starts to drop a bit.

My friends with the GM 6.0 have great towing power but don't get very good mpg.

Good luck with your purchase. There will probably be some very good deals from the dealers being closed down by GM.

[Scott K]

I have heard of several complaints of low teens or worse on the new Duramax, so it isnt all that uncommon.

[LMITOUT]

yeah, with 10,000 pounds hooked up!

You simply can't use outlaying data and make your decision or state it to the world that this is fact. You have to look at the overall average that the majority of people are reporting. Simple statistics. Most aren't getting 22 and most aren't getting lower teens, but I bet that most ARE right in the middle of those.

[harvey lee]

I do believe that the original poster was looking for the expierences others have had with these different vechiles.

Thats all.

[jltimm]

Very true on the trade in hit! I just have heard and seen such positive views from people with the diesel Dodges, and some Chevy's. Your Chevy gasser getting 22 mpg must be an exception and you must drive with an egg under the gas pedal.