(first posted 6/30/2017) Fleet vehicles often have a cursed existence. Born to be subjected to a terribly wide variety of drivers and situations, they experience a long term acid test of durability and stamina. The general, and often correct, perception is they are used hard and put away wet at the end of their service lives.
But there are exceptions.
The entity where I work has a rather sizable fleet so my career has been full of driving a multitude and wide variety of different vehicles of all ages, mileages, and histories. It’s a non-monetary perk that, if nothing else, gives me fodder for sharing with others online.
This sour cream white Silverado you see has been my steady steed for the last four years. My career has spanned twenty-one years thus far and this has been the employer owned vehicle I have been assigned the longest and driven the most.
Like many things in life, there are certain definitive chapters, so let’s look at it that way. It’ll also help negate the rambling from my first draft.
One Year (or so) Prior
When I moved to Jefferson City in 2011, I was assigned an all-wheel drive 2009 Ford Escape with the 3.0 liter V6. A mostly decent assemblage of parts, my opinion of it skyrocketed immensely after driving two similar vintage Escapes equipped with the 2.5 liter four. These four-cylinder Escapes were aptly named as I wanted out of them and few were happy about driving these two mini-SUVs that were assigned to the motor pool. Perhaps the Escape was one of Ford’s better ideas, but the four-banger Escape of this era wasn’t one of their better executions.
I digress.
The V6 Escape assigned to me wasn’t entirely bad as its all-wheel drive allowed me to access some challenging areas off-road and it made decent power most days. However, soon after it came into my care, I started to experience profound pain in my lower back, accompanied with a sensation identical to the aftermath of being kicked in the nether regions, every time I stood or walked for more than ten minutes.
The Deal
About a year later our safety officer resigned. Putting myself in wheeler-dealer mode (which is how I had never been assigned anything for very long), I approached his supervisor about swapping my Escape for the resigned safety officer’s Silverado. He bit, we swapped keys, I took a forgettable butt-chewing from the fleet manager, and the groin kick feeling soon went away.
When I took possession of this albino Silverado, it was six years old and had just 43,000 miles. A permanent fixture on our underutilized list of fleet units at that time, I knew it had had a very gently used past as evidenced by it having no scratches on the bed floor and an immaculate interior. I have treated it easily and the bed remains unchanged.
Several people were inquisitive about why I traded an all-wheel drive compact SUV for a two-wheel drive pickup. Why not? I got the better end of the deal.
No, this isn’t what was assigned to me. I cabbaged this from Motor Trend
The Equipment
Despite its plain appearance, this Silverado has heated leather seats, a moonroof, and a jacuzzi in the bed. Yeah, as if.
It’s pretty plain, but isn’t that the point? Just don’t jump to any conclusions about what is lurking under the hood as a 4.3 liter V6 it has not. Our fleet manager who purchased this pickup was an Iowa farm girl and GM devotee who believed tools needed to have versatility and capability, thus every pickup she ordered for a very long time had the largest displacement V8 she could buy. So this milk colored Silverado is propelled by the 5.3 liter V8.
Incidentally, the 5.3 in this Silverado is capable of burning E-85.
Otherwise this Silverado has the standard fleet fare of vinyl seats, basic AM/FM radio, steel wheels, and the trailer towing package. Anyone seeking an entertainment system in this Silverado, or even an auxiliary input for an iPod, needs to start singing to themselves as that’s as close as they’ll get. It works out great for me as while a lot of people greatly value the entertainment system in their vehicles, I couldn’t care less about having one. Besides the 5.3 sounds great when you stomp it; that’s much better music than anything on the Billboard Top 40.
Oddly, GM equipped it with drum brakes in the rear. That is somewhat surprising as the 2007 Ford F-150 I own has discs out back.
Fuel Mileage
This particular Silverado has seen all highway miles. As stated earlier, it had 43,000 miles right at four years ago; it now has nearly 118,000 miles, so I’ve averaged about 18,500 miles per year with it.
A year or so ago I investigated its track record and discovered this Silverado had averaged just under 18.0 miles per gallon over its lifetime. A second check last week revealed that has increased to 19.9 mpg; of this I was rather skeptical due to the rapid increase in lifetime fuel economy, making me wonder if I had entered the wrong mileage at some point when getting fuel. For comparison purposes, this Silverado has an EPA rating of 20 mpg highway.
Incidentally, for those now thinking about what might appear to be inordinate fuel consumption in these eight-cylinder pickups, let me challenge you. About three years ago I did some research on our fleet, a fleet in which my employer keeps fanatical records. Comparing all V6 powered pickups (there were only about four or five) against a cross-section of V8 powered pickups I found the lifetime fuel mileage was within a few tenths of one mile per gallon. All were half-tons.
My findings do tend to reflect the EPA estimates for these, estimates that make me entertain the question of why the 4.3 liter V6 is even available as it doesn’t prove itself as being any sort of relative economy engine.
Just for giggles, I once filled this Silverado with E-85. The fuel gauge dropped noticeably quicker.
The Service History
Given the easy usage of this Silverado, its service history is pretty boring although boring is desirable in fleet service.
Sometime after I was assigned this pickup, I noticed some very uneven wear on the inside of the front tires. A few ball joints and/or tie rods fixed it.
At around 80,000 miles it had an alarming rattle in the valve train upon cold starts. Knowing some of its counterparts with the 5.3 had decided to swallow a valve at around this mileage, I quickly had it investigated. While I forget the fix – I’m wanting to say it was a faulty oil filter – it was minor.
Within the last two months the windshield and headlights have been replaced. The windshield had a sordid collection of rock chips and the headlights had grown quite cloudy.
The only truly annoying item in its history is a tiny electrical gremlin that is isolated in the radio. Every once in a while the clock on the radio will reset to 12:00 upon startup.
Otherwise it has had routine maintenance as per GM recommendations and company policy.
Dimensions
Periodically there seems to be some degree of angst about the physical size of pickups these days. So, let’s think about this for a moment.
The wheelbase of this Silverado is 133.9″ (340.1 cm); the overall length is 220.3″ (559.6 cm).
In 1973, Chevrolet introduced a new generation of pickup, similar to what happened in 2007. One fundamental difference is the half-tons only came in a standard, non-extended cab guise. It’s wheelbase was 131.5″ (334.0 cm) and its overall length was 211.25″ (536.6 cm).
Considering this Silverado sacrifices 18″ (45.7 cm) of bed length to gain a bigger cab while only gaining 1.4″ (3.5 cm) in wheelbase, it makes me think of the old Wendy’s commercial asking where’s the beef?
The Driving Experience
Pickups have long been the best selling vehicles in the United States and it’s not hard to figure out why. Beyond the obvious versatility and utility components, there is the subjective elephant in the living room that never gets mentioned – they are a hell of a lot more comfortable to drive than most contemporary passenger cars and some number of SUVs.
One could argue this Silverado is a throwback to the days of yore – no console, a gear selector on the steering column, etc. And that is exactly its appeal to many buyers. One statement I have heard from numerous people over time who have been subjected to various late model sedans is “I want to drive a car, not wear it.”
I digress again.
Having put countless hours in the business seat of this Silverado, it’s a darn good place to be. Sure the vinyl gets cold in the winter, but that’s a superficial thing. The basic shape of the seat is great although age is starting to rear its ugly head as the foam (or whatever is used beneath the wearing surface) is starting to show early, minor signs of deterioration. At first I thought it may have been the constant load of my butt, but at 190 pounds (86.2 kg) I’m not presenting any real burden.
The steering and brakes are great. There have been instances of having a heavy load in the bed or pulling a trailer of some size, and each time the brakes were more than up to the task and the steering never got squirrely.
If pulling a trailer, one needs to be highly cognizant of this Silverado having a trailer tow mode. Activated by pushing a button on the gear selector, it alters the shift points to compensate for the trailer, making its presence much less known. If you pull a trailer without it, the Silverado seems like a real dog. Perhaps the trailer tow mode also changes the engine management, but either way one needs to use it.
The 5.3 possess a deep well of power (it’s rated at 315 horsepower) and is always ready to tackle whatever is thrown at it. A pet-peeve of mine is vehicles that have to endlessly downshift when pulling hills and continue to lose speed; well, this Silverado has pulled some dandy ones with rarely having to shift down from overdrive. At 338 ft-lbs, torque is abundant and available. On those occasions when it does downshift, it rarely loses speed. What a concept.
Having driven this Silverado on many windy, hilly roads I can vouch it handles great for a pickup and is in a much higher realm than any pickup from twenty years ago. As one who has been accused of tearing through corners and called Mario Andretti more than once, it is not a stretch to say this Silverado presents a much better subjective handling feel than many sedans from not that long ago. The old stereotype of pickups being hard riding, poor handling creatures needs to dry up and blow away – nothing could be further from the truth.
While I’m biased, and freely admit this Silverado handles well, it still is not quite as comfortable, nor does it handle quite as well, as my 2007 F-150. There are likely a number of reasons for that, but a person will be well served in choosing either of these. With 2007 having been the first year for this extended generation of Silverado, one can still easily find low mileage examples on many dealer lots.
Demerits
There are a few, but not all are directly due to any brain fart by GM.
Since this rig is ten years old and has never sat in a garage a night in its life, this gives a good indication of how items will wear. As mentioned earlier, the headlights became quite clouded, although that is far from unique to GM. The dashboard has developed a minor crack on the passenger side and the drivers seat is showing some wear. That’s pretty much it.
A demerit, due strictly to how it was ordered, is it not having power door locks. If I’m in the drivers seat and need to unlock the passenger door, I have the option of getting out and walking around or stretching way over to unlock it. Either way is a pain.
During this time, GM had cloth seats in their base model pickups as a no-cost option. I was briefly assigned an identical Silverado with cloth seats that were much better in temperature extremes.
The Verdict
I still prefer my Ford despite its power deficit to the Chevrolet. However, if a tree fell on my Ford tonight and I needed to replace it, I would look at a Silverado such as this as a potential successor. It would have to have the 5.3 and cloth seats would be my preference.
Why Reviewing Now?
While I’ve been wanting to review this pickup for a while, there needed to be the conclusion of a chapter – part of what lead me to such a presentation in this article. The new chapter has arrived as I’ve handed over the keys to another person. Having taken a different position, my chariot has changed.
It’s now a white Impala. Ooh, baby.
First of all, congratulations on the new position! I’ve heard a lot about your Silverado over the last few years and this is nicer than I imagined it. It appears to be an honest workhorse that acted as a faithful companion over the last few years, an excellent reminder that when GM wants to, it can build great vehicles, even fairly basic ones. May your new-to-you Impala perform as well, although I have every confidence that if it doesn’t, you will wheeler-dealer it off in short order.
Promotion? Going from a V8 Silverado to an Impala looks like a demotion from where I sit. 🙂
I’d call that a demotion.
If it has the 3.6, 3.9 or whatever V6 it was that had 300hp, that would be partial consolation. But it still has that old “GM-FWD-feels-like-the-car-is-falling-apart” feeling they all had – even the Cadillac DTS felt that way – until the newer platforms appeared.
If I were to buy a pickup today, the ’07-’13 Silverado would be my default choice.
As it is, I’ve got my eye on a black ’09 Tahoe if my employer takes it off their corporate lease program. 95,000 miles but meticulously maintained at a GM dealer. They don’t want a vehicle with their logos all over it sitting on the side of the road.
Thank you!
The Impala currently has 129,000 miles, so it’s getting close to being eligible for trade. Whether or not that happens is a different story. So, unless something really goes wonky, I’m thinking I’ll stick with it until it goes. The upshot is I’ll get some degree of say in its replacement, so that could make it worth the wait.
Found this write-up to be quite enjoyable, wish print magazines could publish long term tests along these lines.
Some of your observations about vehicle specifications are spot on. I, too, was surprised that GM kept the V6 when the Silverado was re-designed a few years ago. What’s even stranger is that they supposedly spent quite a bit of money “updating” an engine that is only used in these pickups….or does the Express van use it?
Another thing that is strange about these trucks is that they are still available as regular cabs, while the “smaller” Colorado is not. I once looked at the pricing structures for both trucks with a 6 cylinder. It’s mind boggling what GM bean counters think buyers want in a vehicle.
Regular cabs are still my favorite, but good luck finding one on a lot.
When we toured Ford’s Rouge factory at the CC Meet-up, I was intentionally counting the regular and extended cab pickups being built. I counted about five regular cabs and ten extended cabs, like this Chevrolet. The rest, coming off the line at one per minute, were crew cabs of all various trim levels.
While crew cabs certainly are popular it is possible that the other F150 plant in KC has a larger mix of regular and extended cabs as opposed to crewcabs. Or that day’s production cycle favored crews for some reason.
Kind of how the Silverado crew cans are mainly (only?) built in Mexico and the others in Fort Wayne, IN etc. Going to one of those two plants without the other would give one a skewed impression as to the product mix.
I do know that the heaviest payload package was as least initially produced at the KC plant. I’m betting that is still the case and that there are other differences in the production mix between the two plants.
Of course that doesn’t mean that it isn’t true that the regular cab trucks are the least common of the bunch. Even fleets have been moving more and more to at least an extended cab.
“Found this write-up to be quite enjoyable, wish print magazines could publish long term tests along these lines”
+1
I will need to add a full-size pickup or van to my business fleet soon. It will be a used vehicle. Initial quality surveys don’t tell read-world results.
Not all of our employees (and deliveries) fit into the ultra-reliable Toyota Tacomas we currently use. The information posted here has been very informative and will help make my eventual choice. Thanks Jason.
I hope to see other such long-tem reviews here. CC contributors offer a trust I don’t feel from typical public online chatter.
Now for the comparison test! You have been afforded the rare opportunity to live with 2 direct competitors over an extended time – and at the same time. How often does that happen?
You being the “Ford Guy” that you are, the Silvy’s high marks in your writeup are proof that Chevy built a very good pickup.
I have never had much desire to own a big pickup, but your writing has me warming to them.
Hadn’t thought of a comparison test…their personalities are vastly different in going about the same task. Now you have me thinking about it…
Yes, the Silverado is good enough to get me to consider one should the need arise. I would still skip the 4.3 and wouldn’t be tempted by a 4.8 liter V8.
And if you had a pickup, think of all the wonderful things you could get at the IKEA store for your home and office.
A few people have mentioned the 4.8L V8. It should be worth noting that when the GMT 900 ended production in 2013, the 4.8L V8 and old 4.3L Vortec V6 left the option list. The new K2XX platform introduced in 2014 brought with it new engines, a 4,3L V6, a 5.3L V8 and a 6.2L V8. The new 4.3L “Ecotec3” engine is completely different than the 4.3L Vortec it replaced. The new engine is based on the LS engine architecture while the old 4.3L the end of the old SBC architecture that dates back to the 1955 265. The new 4.3L LV3 engine produces nearly 100 hp more than the previous 4.3L and it also is not far off the 4.8L V8 highest rating.
Personally, I never cared for the 4.8L in a pickup. It’s a fine engine, but the lack of low end torque didn’t make it my top pick. I do think that someone who does a lot of urban driving would see a long term fuel mileage advantage with a V6 in a full-size pickup. The more highway, probably the less difference. I do recall when C/D did a 40K test on the Ram 1500 V6 in recent years, it had a significantly better long term MPG result compared to the V8 pickups.
You’ve hit upon a distinct issue I had in writing this….the vast improvement of the V6 engines available over the last few years. I shied away from discussing them as it to me it ran the risk of muddying the waters.
We’ve added three 2.7 liter Ecoboost Fords to the fleet and fuel economy has been around 23 mpg when I checked them when prepping this.
Agreed on the 4.8; the identical Silverado with cloth seats I referenced had the 4.8 and it was okay but nothing extraordinary.
Thanks for the explanation of the new 4.3. We’ve also got a few of them and fuel economy is still about the same as the 5.3 in the pickup I wrote about.
Interesting, I would have thought the newer 4.3L would offer better mileage than the old 4.3L’s. I have yet to drive one of these new generation V6’s. I really want to try one of those GM 6.2L V8’s. They seem to offer great power, low end torque with decent mileage. If I were buying a new GM truck I’d strongly consider that engine over a 5.3L, although I think the 6.2L has more limited availability.
I am not surprised about the 2.7 Ecoboost trucks. I think that it is the sweet spot in the Ford line up for power and economy. Around here the dealers really push the 3.5 Ecoboost for whatever reason. My personal preference in the Ford line would be a 5.0L. It doesn’t have the fuel economy of the Eco’s but it still pretty good. Plus, I am a bit of a V8-aholic.
Nice work, congratulations on the new job.
I too have no desire to own a big pickup, but I think I’d rather have one like yours than the currently fashionable overly decked out version.
Besides IKEA boxes fit just fine in the Caravan (and in Jim’s Sedona)
Regarding the ‘size of pickup’ argument: While it’s obvious that the current model isn’t significantly longer than it’s predecessors, you haven’t mentioned height.
As in, “why is it necessary to jack up a base 2WD model to make it look like some kind of serious off-roading 4×4?” This is what is giving modern pickups that monster truck look (and I have a feeling the new ones are a bit wider, too, but don’t have the figures to check it out at hand).
I ran into this ten years ago, when I traded my well-liked ’96 Chevy S-10 (4.3l engine, 2WD, automatic, club cab with one door) on a virtually identical ’03 Ford Ranger XLT (4.0l engine, 2WD, automatic, club cab with two doors) – which I rapidly got disappointed in.
The reason? For some unfathomable (to me) reason, Ford found it necessary to raise the floor about 4″ over the Chevy. Some of which got taken off in seat and ceiling height, making the cab feel a lot more claustrophobic over the Chevy. But the big killer was that at this time my wife was down to using a walker, and occasionally a wheel chair; so the jacked up height of the truck made entry and exit for her more difficult.
Plus I ended up having to rework the loading dock cut into the hillside off my driveway, to regain the functionality of being able to roll motorcycles on and off without using a ramp.
To put it mildly, I hate jacked-up pickups, be they the ludicrous off-road models that I fully feel have no business being licensed for street use, or the factory stock models that somehow need 8-10″ of air space between the top of the tire and the bottom of the wheel well.
I’ve driven S-10s and owned a Ranger, and I agree completely with your assessment. The 1st time I got behind the wheel of an S-10 I thought I was in a car that was re-configured to be a truck. The Ranger, on the other hand, was a “true” truck (1 reason why I bought it).
I never gave it a thought, but I would have been better off with the Chevy, being a bit bigger/taller than the average driver I would have been more comfortable behind the wheel. I always felt when driving the Ranger it was like wearing a metal backpack.
While I LIKE my Crown Victoria, I often kick myself for not buying a pickup instead. Yet, for what I can lift and carry, that Vic has served me well….so far.
Skye, pickups aren’t alone in gaining height as passenger cars have done likewise. It’s been captured here many times.
I almost included a picture of my garage where a 2014 VW Passat is obviously taller than the 1963 Ford Galaxie parked next to it. That’s but one example.
On pickups it has been done to keep commonality in the suspensions between two- and four-wheel drive units. That doesn’t explain passenger cars.
You’re right about the height, but width hasn’t really changed that much if at all in the last 45+ years. Trucks have been in the 79-80″ width range for a long time now. The only real deviation was GM’s GMT 400 platform which was just under 77″ wide and the 1980-86 Fords were about 77″ wide too. This two generations of trucks were probably the most “sensibly sized” fullsize trucks of the modern era.
While the height has grown considerably, I’d argue so has length. The average truck today, is about 230″ long! Go back even 25 years when regular cab long boxes were more of a man stay, and your looking at about 212-213″ length. Even in that the extended cab short box trucks were about 218-219″ long. A foot worth of growth in length is a lot in my opinion. But the trade off is the cabs on modern trucks are far more roomy than those of the past.
The tall height doesn’t bother me that much, and 2WD trucks are practically non-existent in this area now (resale on them is next to nothing). In fact, I don’t like, need or ever use side steps on my trucks. My truck has 10″ of ground clearance, and quite frankly in the winter time the height and weight of this 4×4 truck on 4 snow tires makes it a tank in the snow. It’s noticeably better than our Outback on four snow tires. Living in a rural area with poor road service and lots of snow sure makes you appreciate a tall 4×4 truck.
Yep, if the frame was sagged right down to the axle there would probably still be 4″ between the tire and the edge of the wheel opening.
I had the same thought, the beef is in the height. Bed height and ingress is a joke in modern pickups. Length is one of those “who cares?” stats when it comes to the topic of model bloat.
Length sure matters when it comes to parking one of these or trying to fit it in a garage. With the increase in length there has also been an increase in wheelbase which of course makes low speed maneuverability more cumbersome. Height has no effect on any of this. While I will agree modern trucks are too high for no good reason, those of us on the tall side don’t have any issues getting in an out modern trucks. I don’t find the ingress/egress on my truck any more difficult than our car.
One of the last purchases I made as fleet manager was 8 GMC Sierras equipped almost exactly the way this one is. I spec’d vinyl seats because cloth seats in a work truck quickly become soiled. We just used aftermarket covers that fit remarkably well, and replaced them every so often. All 8 of these units are still in service, several nearing 400,000 km. We’ve had little trouble with them, though all have required some front end work. Way, way better trucks than the Dodges they replaced as far as operating costs. They’ll be replaced late this summer and we’ll have to take sealed bids from the employees who drive them, as there are more than a dozen serious purchase offers. They are always the first units claimed by the senior guys if they are in a position to make a choice.
I agree on the 4.3 being redundant, every one I’ve ever had used just as much fuel as the 5.3. The only saving is initial cost. I find the 4.8 the best compromise. All are nearly bullet proof. We’ll probably end up with the new 4.3 in their replacements. I’m not the fleet manager anymore, but I have veto power over what he buys for our operating company and I’ve flatly stated no Dodges and no turbos. Our 4.6 powered Fords were excellent as well, but that option no longer exists.
Whatever replaces them will have a tough act to follow. Damn good trucks.
As much as I come here to discuss cars I love with likeminded people, it’s articles such as this that mesmerise me. This type of modern pickup is as foreign to me as another country, and yet seems to be deeply imbued in the lives so many of the commentariat. I feel like a kid sitting on the hood while the adults stand around and chew the fat. Of course, throw Jason’s sense of humour into the mix and I’m just blissing. Don’t mind me, pray continue.
I had a stripped-down ’08 F150 XL for a while. Rubber floor mats and a stick. It’s major demerit is the one you mention, it’s too wide to deal with manual windows and locks on a daily basis. I’m fairly short and can’t reach that far! I had a B2300/Ranger for years with the same set-up that was much easier to live with in that respect. I had the V-6 F150 and the 4 cylinder B2300. There was not much difference in gas mileage between these two either. Highway, 20 mpg for the F150 compared to maybe 23 for the B2300. The F150 was better riding, better handling, better braking, and more reliable. An XLT with the power options would’ve been the sweet spot for me.
I work in public health and think there may be another embarrassing elephant in the room as to why these are so popular. Southern states struggle with their obesity rates. These big ol’ boys can’t fold themselves up to fit comfortably in a Focus — or a Malibu — for that matter. Big trucks work really well for these guys. Plenty of stretch-out room and much better for deer-hunting.
This was a great long-term, real-world review of the Silverado. I’m looking forward to a similar review of the Impala in about 5 years!
On the rare occasion when I have a long work-related trip, I typically use one of my employer’s fleet Impalas. Overall, I’ve found them to be very pleasant cars to drive. My one complaint is the lack of an “overdrive off” switch for the transmission. Having driven manual transmission cars for years before being unwilling herded to automatics, I use the overdrive-off switch regularly, and I miss it when it’s not there. But, maybe that’s just my own driving style. Otherwise, the Impala gets the Fleet Thumbs Up from me.
The V-6 pickup truck exists solely for fleet buyers seeking the lowest upfront price. I just checked a 2017 Silverado RCLB, and the six saves the buyer $1200 up front.
Now, if a truck buyer is also going to be driving it, most folks would find it worth the extra $1200 to get the extra grunt of the V-8, with no significant added costs for fuel or maintenance.
But fleet buyers rarely drive the trucks they buy, so they don’t care what it drives like, they only see the initial $1200 in savings.
In the southwest, where 4WD is rarely a necessity, all of the Big 3 dealers (but never GMC) keep a handful of V-6 trucks on the lot, usually in RCLB configuration, but there are a few short beds around, just for people who want the cheapest possible new truck.
To paraphrase Henry Ford, you can get any color you like, as long as it’s white.
A pet peeve of mine is the cowl-forward design that buries half the engine on most of today’s vehicles, including trucks.
And recently, I’ve discovered a new one that Syke mentioned, but not just limited to Ford trucks.
A friend has a late-model base V6 2wd GMC full-size pickup, jacked way up. Anything dropped in the bed, like an extension cord or bag of tools, can’t be retrieved without a stepladder or clambering in at the tailgate!
Happy Motoring, Mark
That cowl-forward design really stinks for maintenance, but they sure do handle a lot better than they used to.
“At around 80,000 miles it had an alarming rattle in the valve train upon cold starts. … While I forget the fix – I’m wanting to say it was a faulty oil filter…”
Honeywell (Fram and clones) oil filters are notorious for this. Anti drain back valves leak and cause hydraulic lifters to make noise on startup.
And you save what on that Fram, maybe a dollar at AutoZone??
There’s a reason Fram has to advertise so much.
My dad used to own a parts store and had a cut apart Fram and Wix sitting on the counter. Fram was absolute junk.
I’ve seen episodes of “Chasing Classic Cars” where Wayne had Fram filters on a Ferrari. Unbelievable. Marketing still works, I guess.
I’ve never had, nor will I likely ever find myself having any need for a full-sized pickup, but I’m intrigued by this “review”. In my, ahem, “Middle Years” I’m finding new appreciation for vehicles of a size that I’d never have given consideration in the past. I’ve spent my life driving compact and subcompact coupes and sedans, but nowadays I’m attracted to bigger, more comfortable cars with good sight lines and easy ingress and egress. This isn’t a result of girth or physical ailment, as I’m exactly the height and weight I was when I graduated from High School (for now), and I’m still pretty spry, but I guess I’d just rather stretch out a bit more and take things a bit slower, so the need to strap on a mini racer and tear up the curves is a rarity for me these days.
What I’m most impressed by here, and actually surprised by, is the fuel economy. I’m hard pressed to get 20 MPG out of a 3.5 Liter V6 in a mid-sized sedan on average, and on long highway trips I *might* average 22 on a good day. Having started driving in the early 80’s when the only thing that seemed to make sense was a 4 cylinder car, I’m impressed that engine management has reached the point where this truck averages the kind of mileage it does. Makes me say, “Hmmm”.
Something to think about:
I had a 4 cylinder powered Ranger and with the manual transmission it got about 20-22 mpg in town, and if I really “feather footed” it on long interstate trips I could get nearly 30 mpg. A 1976 Pinto I once owned only ever got about 22 mpg, no matter how I drove it.
I now own a 09 Crown Victoria, it gets 16-18 mpg in town (which I find a bit disturbing), while on long interstate trips it can get as much as 25 mpg.
Engines, and engine management have indeed progressed over the years, but costs and complexity have jumped, too.
A local engine rebullder here, since deceased, had a clause in the paperwork you got with a rebuilt engine that stated if a Fram oil filter was used, the warranty was void. I have personally cut them open; yes they are that bad.
Amazed Fram is still in business considering this is FAR from the first time I’ve heard/read that warning.
Nothing but AC/Delco filters for my GMs!
Great insight into why pickups are so popular. Thanks for the write-up.
A deteriorating seat and cracked dash at 10 years and 118k miles suggest that GM’s material quality wasn’t exactly stellar.
Thank you.
And you raise a good point – I’ve been in several privately owned (and higher trimmed) Silverados of this vintage and the material quality throughout the interior does seem to be lesser in some models.
No one has mentioned the running lights (90% only have one bulb working), or the paint that peels off the hood….
Ah, for the love of a basic truck! I have been missing mine for a week, as it’s getting repaired for the issues caused by an attempted theft, but I’ve totally appreciated this piece! Mine, an ’06 diesel F350 long box super crew, is like a part of me, as I’m hooped trying to function without it. With a few rental houses, like Paul, and our own place, I’m forever flinging things in the back. I’ve had to make do with a friends borrowed Nissan Frontier, but I was seriously concerned about 12 foot boards in the back, where mine swallows 16 footers with ease. It’s all about having the right tool for the job, and I couldn’t really imagine dropping a few yards of gravel in something all Denali’d or Platinum’d up. In fact, the rubber floor mats and basic cloth seats (for six!) with column shift are some of the most endearing things about it. It’s certainly not the build quality, or look of the Rubbermaid interior parts, but as a whole, it works. It’s kinda the “do you see the dot, or the page” discussion, where, yes the bed and step in height COULD be lower, etc, but it tows my 30 foot fifth well, it’s safe and comfy, it has big doors and enough room for a pool table inside. We had a ’09 Ranger club cab, and it was way too small, with no space for adults and got no better mileage than the 18 I get with the 6 litre diesel. A new Tundra four door short box may be the modern functional equivalent of the ’70 Impala four door, but a work or fleet spec pickup is my kind of thing! Great piece!
Nice write-up and congratulations on the new position, Jason!
I am hoping to replace my 99 Sierra with one from this generation in a couple years. From what I have observed in Michigan, the corrosion resistance seems much improved. I for one would not mind the rear drum brakes – my 95 C1500 had them, and it seemed to brake better than my current pickup, which has rear discs. I have had to replace both rear calipers on my current truck, and the backing plates have long since rusted away, meaning no more parking brake, which wasn’t an issue on the older truck. The resale value of this generation also seems much higher than that of the previous generations at this age (~10 years old), which is in large part why I haven’t upgraded yet.
Jason,
Congrats on your promotion. That era of Impala is not a bad car, they are quite comfortable to drive
As for the Silverado, I have a love of pickup trucks(especially base no frills work trucks)
I bought a white 2011 Chevy Colorado work truck back in 2015. It was quite basic with only a CD player, A/C, Automatic Trans and Bluetooth(2011 Chevy decided that all Colorado/Canyon trucks should have basic Bluetooth)
It had vinyl seats, rubber floors, manual windows and locks
I bought it for dump and home depot runs but shortly after got rid of my daily driver and wound up using the truck as my daily driver for a year(I have other cars but they are tagged historic so they can only be driven 2 a week or so) and I have to say, it makes a great daily driver.
I did get an aftermarket unit that plugs into the back of the factory radio and allows me to control and play my iPod(I drive too much to put up with people jawing on the radio all the time instead of playing music) but this is hidden and it still looks totally factory still.
The only other “upgrade” I did was to add a bed topper so that I could keep stuff overnight safe from the weather. I got it from a shop behind my aunt’s home in PA. It was brand new(was a never used demo) that was the wrong color for my truck but the price was $600 plus tax(they normally run for $1400) so I jumped on it.
What I like about my Colorado is that it is high enough to go over curbs and onto the grass (behind my home) but not so high that I need a step stool to get into the cab.
I had a 2010 Ranger prior to this truck but CarMax wrecked it (I did come away with $3000 more then I paid for it though so I was happy)\
The Colorado is so much more comfy then my Ranger was. The Ranger felt cramped.
Now I have a 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport minivan that I have been driving a few weeks, so the Colorado will get driven 2 weeks a month and the Trans Sport will get driven the other 2 weeks so as to keep miles off the Colorado
Hush you guys! We don’t need Paul thinking about getting a new(er) truck!!!
Great read Jason. I have always had a soft spot for GM trucks, maybe because they have treated me well. While Ford’s get all the attention, GM makes a solid truck that seems to do very well over the long term, especially with high mileage. My old ’93 Chev racked up 250K miles an untouched engine/drivetrain when I sold it off.
Once minor correction, the dimensions you quoted are not for a extended cab 6.5′ box truck. That wheelbase and length is for a regular cab 8′ box. All the fullsize pickups that are either extended (double, super, or quad) cab and 6.5′ box are all around 230″ long. They also typically share their wheelbase and length with the crew cab 5.5′ box trucks, In this case your particular Silverado has an overall length of 229.9″ and a wheelbase of 143.5″.
I would agree that modern trucks have vastly improved road manners and handling. I personally find the high off the floor seating far more comfortable for my tall lanky frame than most cars or CUV’s. That said, I still much prefer cars for any performance oriented type driving. Ideally, I’d have a pickup for work, and hauling, and a high performance car for daily driving. In the end owning a pickup as my daily driver is a compromise for me. But when we travel as a family, we tend to use the car far more often unless we need the truck’s hauling ability.
It is interesting that you say american pickups are alot more comfortable than cars, downhere our NISSAN JUNIOR(zamyad)pickups&PAYKAN pickups ride is pretty harsh it’s almost like riding on donkeys& not to mention that no automatic is available on those.thanks for great cc on truck that we never got here.
payam:
I haven’t driven a new/newish full-sized pickup truck in decades, but 1 of the things I don’t miss about my 94 Ranger was the ride when it was not loaded.
It’s just a guess, but trucks like the Chevy described here probably ride pretty decently because they are heavy and have pretty sophisticated suspensions for a live axled vehicle.
BTW, the RAM (formerly Dodge brand pickup) truck is available with factory installed air suspension.
The only pickup I’ve ever owned was a 1997 Ford F150. It was the XLT trim level (carpet/ cloth seats etc) with the 4.6 V8 and AOD transmission. I found it a wonderful vehicle to drive, it was comfortable, quiet and handled reasonably well. It didn’t handle quite as well as the 1996 Camaro it replaced but it was certainly easier to get in and out of, especially considering the back issues I was then experiencing. I drove the truck for four years before coming to realize that 99% of the time the only thing I was hauling in the bed was air. The major downside to the F150 was poor gas mileage; I got around 12-13 MPG in town and maybe 15-16 on the highway. Fortunately I mostly just drove the truck back and forth to work and didn’t accumulate that many miles, four years of ownership only saw 42k miles on the odometer. The other negative was parking the beast. The job I had then had assigned parking spots and if I didn’t get to work before the people who had the spots on either side of my space it took several minutes of backing and filling to get “Henry” docked. Trucks are great if you need them, fortunately for me on the one or two occasions a year I need a truck I can borrow my brother and his Silverado.
First, congratulations on the new position. The drivers are Missouri are in safe hands, I suspect.
Interesting read and look at how these are used in the US.
The spec seems, to European eyes, to have some oddities. Plastic seats? Optional power locks. A fleet vehicle with a larger than truly necessary engine? Indeed, a fleet that does not appear to bulk buy or lease at a regular interval, but buys vehicles on which basic features (pickup beds) are not used extensively in 10 years? A fleet vehicle run for 10 years + but is not branded?
Also, it shows what happens when a fleet vehicle is allocated to one user who can take a pride in it and be held accountable for its condition after 120K miles. Our fleet vehicle is never even clean, despite me and others reporting this every time we drive it.
Great insight Jason, and a smile there too.
Thank you!
Roger, since you know what I do and where I work (although I’ve never mentioned it here), I can offer up some insight.
Life expectancy for fleet units vary by what it is, but pickups are ten years or 150,000 miles. So, theoretically it could go but it’ll be a few more years in all likelihood.
We do regularly buy pickups of all varieties in addition to cars, vans, etc. We’ve never committed to buying a specific number of light duty units such as these every year although we have for some types of heavier units. Cars and pickups are always needing to be replaced, but given the much higher dollar units purchased annually that are the real backbone of the fleet, buying cars and pickups is something squeezed in as the acquisition budget allows.
From what I know about the Iowa farm girl turned fleet manager who purchased it, she bought the bigger engines knowing needs change rapidly and this pickup could quickly be reassigned if needed. That is also likely why she placed a pickup in such an assignment originally, as if one is wrecked, she had one handy to use as backfill. Given the reality of fuel mileage, and the upfront cost for the 5.3 being just a few hundred dollars the way we buy them, it’s cheap insurance.
There are decals on the doors of the pickup, but I blurred them out.
I think a lot of the perception of pickups being bigger is around height, between styling changes and the prevalence of 4x4s pickups look bigger. A mid 70s Chevy C10 with the standard wheel & tire package looks like a low rider compared to modern trucks.
I think the real start of this was the 2004 Ford F150 which was styled to look like the bigger Super Duty trucks and had noticeably higher bed sides making them harder to load, to the point where a dropside flatbed starts to make real sense in a work truck.
I’ll admit to a Ford bias since the only pickups we’ve owned were Rangers and most of driving time was in 80s Fords with a little time in 80s Chevy’s. I’ve always preferred Ford ergonomics of GM based on my experiences, although my favorite truck is is the Mazda B series
Rather appropriate timing. This Wednesday I was at the San Diego County Fair with my dad, and Chevrolet had a both with some cars for people to look at and get into. I went into the interior of every single car at the both, and the Silverado was most surprising. Granted, all these cars were top range models that were fully loaded, but even then it wasn’t what I expected. The Silverado had probably the nicest interior, wood trim (although it could’ve been fake), leather seats, everything you could think of. Of course, at 58,000 dollars, I would expect it to be nice, but it really surprised me. I haven’t been an many pickup trucks, but the stereotype of pickup trucks with vinyl or cloth seats, floor shifters, and basic interior was pretty much crushed. Looking at Jason’s example, it’s surprising how much ten years makes a difference.
Of course, I was still boggled that both it, and the Tahoe that was there still came with column shifters. I question the point of column shifters today, since any space or leg room you could get is pretty much negated by the center consoles that are in every car today. I guess it’s that “we’re GM and we’re stubborn to change” mentality, but I think if your car is going to come with a center console that’s more or less mandatory, just put the shifter on the console.
And yes, pickup trucks have gotten pretty big and tall. Even at 6’2 and with long skinny chicken legs, I can tell you those running boards weren’t there just for show.
I love basic white fleet model GM trucks. Current one is a 2000 K2500, regular cab, 8′ bed. It was a State of California motor pool truck. For a full-size 4×4 it is not too tall. I am only 5’6″ and can reach into the bed without a stepladder! With the smaller (5.7L) gas engine and optional 3.73 gears (4.10 standard), highway mileage is reasonable. I get 19mpg empty, but have a light foot. 16mpg loaded with a slide-in camper isn’t bad as well. The Tundra got the same mileage loaded, and the camper really pushed the limits of the suspension.
Yes, the ride is a bit harsh with the C6P HD option, which most 2500’s have. Essentially, it is a SRW 3500. Load range E 80psi tires contribute to the ride.
Nice article, Jason. The last vehicle I had before I left the US was a 2013 Silverado quad cab company truck, also with the 5.3L. My employer allows pretty liberal use of company vehicles for personal use, so I made full use of that truck, with camping trips all over Colorado. I never was a truck person before the Silverado, but I loved that truck and with it understood why people love pickups. I also love that generation of Silverado, with its simple no nonsence styling, unlike the garish rigs that are being sold today. If I ever move back to the States and find myself with a need for a pickup, I’d totally get a Silverado or Sierra of this generation.
I’d be curious to get an update from you Jason, on the fleet situation due to supply chain issues and vehicle shortages over the last few years. I walked by a pair of City Parks & Rec F150 work trucks on the job recently, full of tools for workers who were trimming weeds and clearing brush. One was what I usually see, a 4 or 5 year old white 2wd XL regular cab long bed. Steel wheels and no doubt vinyl inside, perhaps even a V6 under the hood. The other was a new-looking silver SuperCrew, EcoBoost, 5.5’ bed bearing the FX4 decals, so a 4wd equipped with optional rear e-locker and skid plates, and alloy wheels. Our city does have a few 4wd trucks, but they’ve always been white XL fleet specials, and usually SuperDuties. The F150 FX4 looked like an expensive choice, but I’m sure not because they wanted it. And by the way, it bore our town logo’s and had tax-exempt plates; it was not just a contractor’s truck.
Things are easing, slow but steady, and the relief differs by type of vehicle.
Pickups have been on backorder for two years. Then, about 45 days ago, a huge shipment showed up. All were Ford. The order of delivery was also out of whack, as two orders were outstanding and the more recent order showed up first.
Ford also dictated to a degree how they would be equipped, stating they could deliver half-tons, but all had to have such-and-such options and only the 3.3 liter V6. That really wasn’t a huge deal and they are being marked and put into service as we speak.
In turn, we buy a lot of dump trucks. My domain has a fleet of 225, with about 15 to 17 being ordered annually. International only allowed a limited number of build slots, so we then ordered from Western Star, Frieghtliner, and Kenworth to get the units needed. Thank heaven for multi-award bids.
The last two years has found us buying some units, such as a few pickups, off dealer lots. Two people who report to me have new Silverados that are much nicer than would normally have been purchased. That might explain the FX4 you saw.
To a lesser degree some of the dealer lot purchases continue as I’m about to be assigned a new Explorer that came about that way.
Thanks. Yeah, that FX4 had that “off the lot” look. I’m sure whoever gets it enjoys it. A few years back I got a ride from a State Park trail maintenance manager when I was volunteering, in his first gen Colorado, the one that replaced the S10. His crew had SuperDuties which looked much nicer. He made it clear that as the boss, he took the smallest/oldest truck. But on that volunteer day he was getting his hands as dirty as anyone.
Thanks for posting this again, I suspect you and I are (well, were in my case) in the same business although here in BC the work is done by private contractors who hold 10 year contracts. I’ve worked for most of the big contractors, the last 15 for the best one in the business. Having been both Fleet and Operations Manager I’ve seen both sides and hitting a balance can be interesting.
I’ve maintained a few contacts since I retired and the problem of getting new equipment of all sorts, from snowblowers to graders, has been interesting to say the least. We always turned over equipment well before it’s ‘best before” date, but lately some of our stuff looks almost as bad as the worst fly by night operation up in the interior that embarrasses everyone in the industry. As you mention, these days you have to take what you can get when you can get it. I did train my successor well though, he hasn’t gotten desperate enough to take delivery of any Ram/Dodge units yet!
While we do have a few white units for area managers, the provincial government insists anything used on the highway must be school bus yellow, which can hold up an order for almost a year if not get it bumped altogether.
We’ve got lots of trucks with a cheap wrap job running around now !
This was a pretty glowing endorsement for GM trucks of that era, but I’ve heard quite a lot about problems, transmission, engine… big stuff, in more recent GM pickups, can anyone verify this?
In my experience they are still just as good as portrayed here, as are the Fords. I can’t speak to the fancier trim packages or top end powertrains though. A lot of problems are caused by indifferent maintenance and asking the truck to do work beyond what it was designed for and a lot of the problems I hear about have their root causes there.
I had a 14 HD Silverado for a few years and liked it. Of course it’s a different animal but at least a cousin to yours. The styling was nice and simple. I took it from about 110k to 130k with no issues. It had been worked hard in its previous life but had no problems doing more gentlemanly plowing towing and hauling for me.
I have had good luck with used GM iron. Not so much with the new stuff but in fairness it’s been quite a few years since I bought a brand new GM.
While still not a fan, without question the big pickups have gotten better over the years. And it sounds like the OP likes the genre, which is ok.
But my gawd, those things are just so big. I was doing a bit of research recently and found a new short bed, (if you can find one) is now longer than a long bed was in the 90’s. Not only won’t they fit in garages, they won’t even fit in many driveways. A brother in law has a Toyota, double cab, short bed. I’d describe our driveway as shortish, longer than short, but maybe not quite medium. He sticks out into the sidewalk. No biggie you say? Well it is if like my wife you have a bad knee and you want to walk on the sidewalk. Walking down into the beveled apron is painful. She should have to do that because someone wants a twenty foot long truck, usually to commute in? Parking lots. They’re wide to start with, then tack on another foot on either side for the mirror, and yes, some have retractable mirrors, but far from all, but try walking by one. Or having two parked side by side. Or trying to back our of a space next to one where the bed is above the top of a car, not to mention being 5 feet longer.
But they have gotten better, of course, they’re cash cows for the manufacturers so that’s where they put their R and D money into. But going the other way, how much better could other platforms be if they’d put R and D money into them?
Drove a 2002 “WT” for “the county “.. like yours it had the light bar controller and radio where everyone else in the world has a center console..
Did not have the center armrest, looked like it did but center section didn’t fold down, but did have power windows and door locks . Hide or carry a spare key, don’t trust the locks to stay unlocked.
Little V-6 was surprisingly ok.. but did take planning to merge on an Interstate, we could use the highway median cut through but was hard getting back into traffic with such poor acceleration.
Took a country acre to turn around, no shoulder to shoulder u-turns like my Ford F-350, and forget crowded parking lots, just bark out on the edge and walk in, assigned parking space was a row end so it was easy in and easy out.
Spray paint can (marking paint) rode nicely on dash over defroster in winter .
I’m a “Ford man” but GM did make a nice work truck..
Running a government fleet can be a challenge. Our fleet used to run everything until it was junk. Why, all auction receipts when back to the general fund. Why sell at a reasonable point when the money was handed to someone else? We did eventually get the rules changed so the money went back to the original district. The other issue was budgets that never went up despite rising cost of equipment. Other problems caused by no means of enforcement. Take home vehicles, racking up more miles commuting then miles working. Take home vehicles for some but not others. Even had unmarked with non-government plates for dubious reasons.
We would purchase a minimum 150 1/2 ton pickups, 2wd, extended cab short box, every year, Various colors identically equipped. Usually with base engines. Our fleet data showed that fuel usage wasn’t much of a factor, so much time spent idling at job sites with warning lights on, etc. The market was sketchy for these trucks, our solution was to sell at three years of age, typical buyers were other government agencies or construction companies. The program worked OK until budgets got tight and new managers thought different and shut it down. Fleet managers can’t manage a fleet very well when the upper level folks keep meddling.
I’ve got 2007 bought new in Feb 2007 with the 4.8 V8. It has almost a million miles on it. I drive all over the country, especially the southwest. Replaced nearly the whole suspension about 3 years ago, and just the recommended maintenance is all it’s needed. Never driven a 2007 F-150, but an uncle had a 87 or 98 F-150 and it SUCKED in comfort. The seats never had enough thigh support. Always found silverados had some of the best pick up seats in the game. Also in handling, the truck seemingly shrinks around you as you drive it hard. Friend drove it and he had a 2011 Audi A4, and has driven his dad’s 2009 BMW 7 series with a V12, and raved about how well it handled. Truck ius still going strong, and I’m so glad I chose it over a 2007 Tundra I tested the day I tested the silverado. Tundra was faster, but that’s all, the interior was worst, and so was comfort. I’ll never forget how the shifter spun 360 degrees on it’s stick.