GM Truck questions

[Cat]

I'm wanting to find an older, 95-99 GMC or Chevy 4x4 to be used for hauling stuff from firewood to sm. square & lg round bales to a small 16' or less stock trailer.

I've already been told to go with a 3/4 ton, but what else do I need to consider with regards to engine size and gas mileage, etc.? Of course, I know nothing about engines or anything mechanical, really.

I'm tired of borrowing trucks constantly!

Also, I currently have a 2002 Toyota Camry SE that I absolutely LOVE. It has a 2.4L L4 FI DOHC 16V engine. This little car has a LOT of get up and go and someone was talking about it a few months ago - something to do with the gears I think, and I was just wondering what factors played into something like this. I have been considering selling it until I get a truck paid off but I if I do I definitely want to make sure that the new car I buy has the same spunky feel to it. However, I don't necessarily want another SE unless that's what I have to get to get that type of engine. If that makes sense. heh!

TIA!

[sammyd]

We have an 03 2WD GMC 2500HD. Love it even here in winter wonderland.
The 6 liter gas engine does like to be fed though, even when running around empty I figure 13 MPG is a good number.
Had a buddy with an older one that came with the auto MPG calculator on board. If he hooked to a trailer it would drop to 1 or 2 mpg, May not have been too accurate but I'll bet he was lucky to break 8 or 10.
But hey, doesn't matter if you own the truck or borrow it, you still have to fill the gas tank right?
If you're not using it as a daily driver it's a smaller issue as well.
Mine has been bullet proof. 7 years and 73000 miles have been pretty trouble free(knock wood).
I have been mildly impressed considering any other GM product I've owned has been a nightmare of nickel and dime problems.

[Beeman]

Up to 95 gas powered GM trucks used throttle body injection, looks like a carb, and is a cheap simple system. In 96 they went to an individual injector type system, a little more complicated, that neans more money to repair, but still very reliable. In 99 they changed the size of the engines, no more 350, and went to a different ign, again more money to repair.
3/4 tons use bigger heavier tires,brakes and suspension, gives you more carrying/towing capacity but costs more when time comes to maintain. 3/4 tons will generally be geared lower,higher numerically, for pulling and because they weigh more will get less fuel mileage then a 1/2 ton usually.
I just bought a 98 Chev 3/4 ton extended cab 350 engine. I'm very happy with it and didn't pay a lot for it.

[mightybooboo]

Get 4wd or stay home,anything else is a waste of time.....then get a truck with the Cummins diesel and get 300-400 thousand honest miles.Thats the advice I got,and listened too,and it was absolutely correct.

You are in the right range on years IMO.

[Blu3duk]

My sister-in-law works a parts counter on the east coast [way to far to get a deal on the left coast here] and her comment is beware of buying older rigs right now, parts are throught he roof since the big melt down "cash for clunkers" program since wrecking yards are not allowed to scrap the parts out, there are less "used" parts of some models of rigs available, and the new parts on the shelf are taking a hit with many smaller manufacturers going bankrupt with the government taking control of the new "government motors" company. It may be awhile before the actual known rare parts and models will be, so in buying a "new to you" used rig, if you dont have much for personal mechanical knowledge for seeing/hearing/feeling soundness, you better know a TRUSTWORTHY mechanic locally that wont help you be separated from harder to come by dollars in getting a "lemon" or a money pit.

As for GMC, Chevrolet, Ford, or Dodge I dont own any stock on any of the companies, so I dont have a reason to drive just one make of vehicle [though ive owned more Fords over the years than others] they are all three pretty much the same for ease to work on, get about the same mileage in the long run, and mostly have similar HP and towing capacities. there is more differences in the way folks drive and use or abuse their rigs than differences between those 3 makers of light duty trucks. You would also do well to look into the difference in price of one ton rigs, many of those often go for less cause they are not as popular and yet they get similar mileage, and the parts are not much different in price than 3/4 ton are..... yet they can sell for less on the market, some have flatbeds others have boxes, some duals and some not.

having added to your confusion, I hope you get a rig that services you well, and costs you little but routine maintenance in the years to come while you have it!

William
Idaho

[cfabe]

I have a 95 chevy 2500 4x4 ext cab and have been very happy with it. I bought a 95 because of the change to both ODB2 and the vortec injection system in the 96-up trucks. They do give about 40 more horsepower but more complicated and expensive to work on. The TBI 350 is a simple, reliable engine with adequate power. I personally would not get the v6 or 305 v8.

If you're shopping for 3/4ton trucks (2500) be aware that there was a "light duty" 2500 and a "heavy duty" 2500. I ended up with a light duty because I didn't know any better. the main difference is the heavy duty has a stronger front axle, transmission and 8-lug wheels. Either would probably be adequate for the uses you listed. The light duty does get a little better gas mileage, though. I get about 17-18 empty on the highway.

[Beeman]

Some 3/4 tons are rated under 8600lbs. GVW and some are over 8600. Should be a sticker in the door jamb with info.
The parts price info sounds kind of strange. I went and bought a few parts for my truck and my buddies 94 this week. Even the local parts store owner was commenting how much parts prices had dropped on the older popular trucks. Idler arm and pitman arm were like $15 ea. The big 13x3 1/2" brake shoes are $30 a set now. Full floater axle seal was $5. Oil and filter for my 350 is about $15.
Now tires are another story, 265/85/16 load range E Michelins set me back about $800

[Cat]

Okay, thanks for all the input. I have now run across a Suburban that has really caught my eye. I've been waffling between truck & suburban & just can't make up my mind. (I'm very indecisive!!)

http://wichita.craigslist.org/ctd/1536745085.html

This one should be a 3/4 ton as denoted by the 2500, is 4x4, has a 7.4l V-8. Towing package. Less importantly it's white (I like white vehicles & until my Camry all I've ever owned were white) and it would work great for trips where I carry small critters (goats, sheep, calves) a good number of 50# feed sacks, and my dogs can come along (they're currently banned from my car) AND I can use it when I go camping (or to sleep in at work...but that's another story ha!). The down side is that every time I go to get hay I will have to use a trailer. Not an altogether bad thing as I'm going to be looking at a hay trailer tomorrow if I can make it.

So, what, other than being there & driving it, do I need to consider about a Suburban such as this? I assume that the 4WD can be initiated inside & I won't have to lock hubs. I tell you, I am really not mechanically inclined. At. All. lol

[cfabe]

Biggest thing to consider is that the 7.4L engine is a real gas hog. Don't expect much more than 10-12mpg. The 350 would be perfectly adequate for your projected uses and get more like 16-18mpg.

Yes the 4x4 is engaged from inside on these trucks, no manual hubs.

Personally unless you have a large family to haul around & really need the seating, I'd get a truck rather than a suburban. If I had to hitch up a trailer every time I went to the feed store or to get a load of firewood I'd waste a lot of time.

[mightybooboo]

Just curious,you say you arent mechanically inclined,then why the absolute on it being a chevy?

I'd be googling truck forums and looking at longevity and repairs on all flavors of trucks,and then choosing what meets my needs before settling on a brand name just because.

Among brands they all have had both good and bad years,make sure you arent looking at one with issues,also you can see the common repair issues among brands and years.

Go to some truck forums and read read read read read,that time is time well spent for sure.

[PhilJohnson]

Originally Posted by Cat

I'm wanting to find an older, 95-99 GMC or Chevy 4x4 to be used for hauling stuff from firewood to sm. square & lg round bales to a small 16' or less stock trailer.

Ha a 95 would be a late model for me I haven't ran into any troubles getting parts for my 33 year old F-100 pickup and everyone else I know hasn't had any trouble either.

Having both SUVs and trucks for work I would go with a pickup every time. Unless your using it for double duty like a camping rig and carrying the whole fam while pulling a camper having a bed is really nice. Animals won't mind the open air.

[Cat]

I'm set on a Chevy or GM because in the past we've had really good luck with them and my Dad is a lot more familiar with them and although he can't really work on them anymore, he can direct the worker if needed and whenever something goes wrong I can kind of relay what's going on and he can more or less tell me what the problem might be. Never been impressed with Fords and as far as Dodge, we have 4 of them in my family now and two years ago my Mom T-boned a big ol' fancy Dodge Ram in her little soccer mom mini van and kicked the chit out of it. Not really a high-speed accident (< 30 mph) but the only thing connecting the rear tire to the truck after the accident was some type of cable - the wrecker cut it with his pocket knife. My niece's Intrepids are in the shop more than they're out (and there are some notorious problems with certain Intrepids where the motor essentially locks up) so I'm content sticking to a Chevy or GMC. We have had a lot of them w/in the family and have had fairly good luck all things considered.

If I got a Suburban I'd essentially take out the third seat and could haul all of my bagged feed in there, I haul almost 300 lbs of feed in the trunk of my Camry right now. lol As it is now I have to hook up a trailer every time I haul hay as I'm feeding large bales and the small squares I want to be able to go get are between 140 and 200 miles from home so I will be hauling a flatbed trailer with me irregardless of which I buy. The only bad thing is I couldn't just go pick up a few bales of hay here locally (which are a lot more expensive than those I can get in SC KS) if I needed to but I do still have access to those two other trucks I can borrow and if all else fails I can talk my friends into delivering for me. The positive to a Suburban is that I can take my pups with me and neither are trained to stay in a truck nor would I trust the great dane, not only are people afraid of them but she's a huge dufus and she'd probably jump out and chase the first shadow that crossed her path. I also think it'd be handy for when we go camping and I think I might be able to fit a twin size air mattress in the back, sans 3rd seat, and sleep in there when I'm on call at work but not working. It would be great for hauling small critters in weather, and I could actually leave my feed in the darn thing if I need to and not have to worry about it getting rained on which happens quite frequently suprisingly with no more rain than we typically get.

The 7.4l is a tad much I have found. I was talking to a friend and he said his truck was a 5.5l or some such thing so that might just might be the determining factor as I don't like having to sell my first born to buy gas...which is why I like cars so much! I would also consider getting a truck with a shell if one happened to make its presence known. That would take care of everything except for being able to sleep in it and hauling people - yes, we do a lot of family things together and I could fill a Suburban front to back with people quite easily. As I said, I'm so indecisive!

[Blu3duk]

Ive got an old '84 suburban with a '71 4 bolt main 350 in it, 12 mpg. never had the third seat for it even though it was at one time installed there.... lay the second set of seats down and you have a bigger deck to haul on, and a 3/4 ton wont have any problems hauling 1000 pounds of grain. Toss in a tarp and haul several small square bales of hay in a pinch [better to get it before you run out and haul on a trailer but is doable] and ive hauled near a cord of wood inside with the seats down, the only problem was steam from the heater going cause it rained that day.... wet wood, though i did worry about the windows being broke out if i hit a bump and a block went agin a window it did not happen.....

I personally think that $4700 is a wee bit high for that rig with a 169,000 on it, but then again it may be fine.... and after looking at the pictures i maybe would not haul hay or wood in it... kind of nice interior..... If it was me, and I really wanted that rig, I would offer $3000.00 cash and if they would not take it, i would just walk out.... but that is just me.

William
Idaho

[Cat]

NADA blue book is actually higher, I can't recall exactly but think it's in the 4,9 range. I was thinking maybe 4 or 4250.

We actually haul firewood in a pickup bed trailer for the most part so that part isn't all that important although the floor of the trailer is rotting out, I was thinking about getting another pickup bed trailer at some point or I have been talking to a guy about a 12' tilt bed trailer. I was thinking that would work nice for large round bales because theoretically (I've never actually seen a tilt-bed in action) I could more or less roll 'em off since we don't have a tractor. I can get cheaper large rounds elsewhere, too! I have to get back in touch with the fella I was talking to to see what the tongue & axles were made to carry. Nothing like hauling 1500 lbs of corn in a nice custom made grain trailer & dumping it in the middle of main street when the tongue breaks!!

[mightybooboo]

169,000 miles in a Chevy gasser I wouldnt take for free unless I was a mechanic.

I base that on my trips thru Pick a Part,place is packed with 120-140,000 mile gas vehicles.

Ive seen ONE dead Ford Diesel,not a single dead Cummins diesel yet.FWIW only

To me,longevity is a KEY selling point,169,000 would send me running in the opposite direction,keep looking.

[Beeman]

That Suburban would be good if it had a 350 or a diesel. I would stay far away from a 7.4 just for the gas mileage. That Suburban should be a lot cheaper then that. I just sold my 90 Subiurban with 150k mi. for 2k and it was in great shape.

[PhilJohnson]

Originally Posted by mightybooboo

169,000 miles in a Chevy gasser I wouldnt take for free unless I was a mechanic.

I base that on my trips thru Pick a Part,place is packed with 120-140,000 mile gas vehicles.

Ive seen ONE dead Ford Diesel,not a single dead Cummins diesel yet.FWIW only

To me,longevity is a KEY selling point,169,000 would send me running in the opposite direction,keep looking.

I am not a GM fan but I have seen a lot of Chevrolet V-8s with way over 200,000 miles on them that still ran excellent. My parents had two Astrovans, one had 240,000 when they got rid of it and the other one had 287,000. The one would smoke a little bit before warming up but other than that both ran good and were reliable (had the 4.3 motor). When I was looking for Caprices I was amazed at how many of them had over 300,000 miles. My friend's mother's Caprice had 325,000 when she got rid of it and that thing ran fine. I would worry about replacing a transmission way before the motor. Fuel injection seems to make motors last a lot longer. Seems like Gm transmissions are good for 150k before they puke out.

Originally Posted by Beeman

That Suburban should be a lot cheaper then that.

I agree, 4600 for a vehicle with that many miles that is 14 years old sounds a bit high. My brother was looking at Suburbans, most of them from the mid 90s were going for 1500-2500 in my neck of the woods.

[Ross]

I have an old 89 GMC 2wd 2500. Gets better milage than out little 4x4 Jimmy has a posi rear end and good tires ............. so far I never got it stuck and I use it for service calls going throiugh some seriously nasty driving and snow. It is a long box extenda cab and there is some weight in the back. Very cheap to fix very cheap run very cheap to buy. GM made tens of thousands of them. I just replaced the front brakes discs calipers, pads bearings, maybe $300 CND?

[Ross]

Forgot the milage (converting kms to miles so its only about) 175,000 miles. The thing starts in the cold no problem and isn't burning oil yet. I'll start to worry when it wants more than a litre of oil very 2 weeks. 350 cid 700 R4 tranny

[moocow]

I think that suburbans are great I have a family of five and we all go to the drag strip with a 3500lb car on a trailer and it doesn't think much about it. It is a 99 4x4 350 with 185000 miles on the clock and gets 16mpg. The most major thing done to the thing is fuel pump which i did myself.