Any Chevy truck owners here? Need a forum.

[acdii]

I know, I drive Fords, but I came across a deal on a Silverado that fit my budget yesterday. Is a 2003 Silverado LT Extended cab with Quadrasteer. I'm looking for a forum like ours to join as I have some questions to ask about the parts. The truck also has ride control and I discovered shocks are NOT cheap on it. Problem is, the ones I found all say w/o quadrasteer. great, dealer only item. grrr.

 

However on my test drive, the quadrasteer is working perfectly, amazing how tight that big truck can turn. There was something hinky in the steering, but they repaired it with a new idler and pitman arm. The only thing I see that is needs other than me being anal and changing all fluids are the shocks. It is the perfect addition to my fleet, its a tow hauler, setup for towing. Eventually I will see if I can find a used cap for it, maybe do a little body work where there are some deep scratches, did you know the bed sides are plastic?

[SteveB_TX]

A Chevy! You just moved to the top of my list! :rant:

[acdii]

hahahaha. I really wanted an F150, but there just weren't any around in my price range(tells you something about Ford trucks!). The one I was trying to get had too much rust on it for their asking price, and they would not come down to mine. If they did, I most likely would have a Ford. You just cant find a good used Ford pickup for under 10K unless it has a quarter million miles, or has been rode hard and put away wet.

 

I looked an an Expedition, but it had too much work to be done to make it trailer safe, and looked at an Explorer, and nearly bought it until my wife pointed out a huge rust hole behind a rear passenger door that I missed, which adding to needing new shocks at $600, non working cruise control, and possible bad wheel bearings, decided it was too expensive for me. Had it not been for the rust, I would have got that instead. It is tow rated just over the GVWR of my big trailer and I have towed that trailer several times with a 97 Exploder, so I know it could handle it. When I saw that huge rust hole though, it nixed it. I could easily fix the rust on the F150 cab corners since I could get panels, but not the one needed to fix the hole on the Exploder.

 

This truck will take care of the needs the MKT did, only better. A lot less expensive too.

[hybridbear]

I know, I drive Fords, but I came across a deal on a Silverado that fit my budget yesterday.

I've always believed that it's a bad idea to be stuck on one car brand. Brand loyalty is okay until it blinds you to seeing better options. My dad is very loyal to Chryslers and is determined that when my parents replace their Nissan Murano it will be with a Chrysler product. He doesn't care to look at any other vehicles. A Chrysler product may not be the best option for my parents but he's set in his ways. If that obsession with Chryslers blinds him to seeing a better vehicle made by another manufacturer then it'll be sad.

[acdii]

100% true. It all boils down to which one has the best options, quality and performance for the price. There are better cars than the Fusion (non Hybrid), but they are more expensive feature for feature. I do beleive that the FFH is the best car money can buy, but is not a fit for every person.

 

Ford DOES make the best truck on the road, sales proves that, but that doesn't mean Chevy trucks are junk. They work just as hard and get the job done. They just dont look as nice, though I have noticed the recent models are looking a bit like the Fords now, and they don't have as nice of styling on the interior as the Fords, but they still are OK. Dodge OTOH, yeah, the only thing they have worth anything is the Cummins, too bad its wrapped up in that still ugly body that rusts out in a few years. At least up here they do. Of course the Fords from 03-07 or is it 09 have a nasty habit of corner rot on the cabs due to an opening behind the bed that lets water get in.

 

I am not opposed, as you can see, of getting some other manufacturers truck, as long as it meets my needs and has been proven reliable. I would have preferred a Ford, but this truck will work just fine, besides, there are more performance options for the Chevy, and they don't have some of the issues the Fords do of this model year, like popping spark plugs out of the heads, or the plugs breaking when trying to replace them. Try to find a Ford F150 that can turn as sharp as this Chevy does! :)

[GrySql]

My daughter with horses uses Dodge diesel trucks, Chevy's frames bend and parts fail all too easily - for them.

They are on a budget and work their trucks hard.

Ford's have strong frames/trans and they've had a few but the mid-2000 diesels have some issues.

I know you don't want a diesel, just offering another option. Dodge makes gas trucks too.

 

Don't forget about the 6 cylinder trucks, those 6's have a lot of towing power.

My neighbor has a 2006 Dodge base model with the 6 cylinder and he tows a 24' Toy Hauler with it, it gets 20 mpg without the trailer, he loves it.

You don't need a fully optioned out truck to haul with, a simple optioned one will do what you need and be easier to maintain.

 

My 2000 Expedition 4x4 needed some maintenance but it never failed me in 160k+ miles, and I towed everything, horses and travel trailers.

Have you looked at a Lincoln Navigator?

[acdii]

Yep, looked at a lot of different ones, anything in my price range was either beat to hell, rusted out, or had more than 150K miles on it. I was considering the Expedition, but the brakes were very weak, and will not do for pulling even my small trailer. The Explorer was almost a done deal, but Rust killed that one. The most I could spend on one was $12K and stay within budget, and there are very few choices around here in the rust belt in that range.

 

There was an 05 Lariat Screw that I missed by a day. The 05 XLT they would not budge on the price, and I was not about to pay $12500 for a rust bucket.

[ceilidhdog]

I've got a 2001 S-10 ZR2 that I love. I'll have that truck forever. I don't know of any forums, but classicindustries.com has a catalog of Chevy/GMC truck parts from 1948-2008, plus lots of other goodies..

[GrySql]

http://www.silveradosierra.com/suspension/quadrasteer-t23152.html

 

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f22/quadrasteer-cons-60217/

Edited March 19, 2015 by GrySql

[acdii]

Well I brought it home yesterday, and the repair they did to the steering made a huge difference, and it drives nice now. It needs a wheel bearing replaced, no biggie, $70 shipped from Rockauto, and about an hour to swap it out, 3 bolts and its done. It also needs the rear diff fluid changed, the posi back there is sueaking like a stuck pig when I turn, which from what I have read so far is worn out lube. So have to go find a few quarts of the special diff lube and get that done. Swapping out the factory radio with the hands free Kenwood I had in the Freestyle today. Other than maybe changing the cooling, trans fluid and oil, there isn't anything else it needs. I found no major rust on it anywhere, only rust I found was on the inside of the fuel filler door, and the latches for the rear doors. Those I can unbolt, wire wheel them, hit them with rust convert and spray them black again. It runs good, and so far I am seeing about 17 MPG in it, which is pretty good considering its a 5.3 V8.

 

 

I did discover one thing though, and is the reason I dislike Chevy, they have such awful paint colors on all their cars. Ford uses vibrant paint colors on their cars and trucks, but GM, blah, all dark, dingy colors. At least its not SILVER like the Toyotas, but still a shade of silver, just like every other Chevy I see on the road.

 

Thanks for the links D

[acdii]

Well I got my stereo installed, sounds great, just need to get a harness for the brake controller, and it is all set.

 

[TonyHzNV]

Dude! Nice lookin' wheels, even if it IS a Chevy! :) Hope he/she delivers on your wishes/needs.

[acdii]

It was very well maintained. Does not look like a 12 YO truck. It drives nice, has a lot of options too. I installed my Kenwood and it actually sounds better than the Sony in the Fusion. It has Bose speakers, so that makes a difference. Even the Onstar works with the radio. The only thing I haven't been able to find is the XM Antenna, there is one on the roof, but I dont know where the other end it. The Kenwood has an option to add an RX to it.

 

I found where the trailer brake controller goes and got the harness for it, just have to solder the harness to the controller and get it mounted, then do some basic maintenance, fluid changes, replace a front wheel bearing, check the pads, and its good for a long time.

[hybridbear]

Looks great!!