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@Aidan McKean I agree, I've literally owned probably 100 of them... From the 3500 series to the 1500 series... Driving the 2005 Z71 L33 model currently... They are reliable, but beat to heck
That generation Chevy truck was incredibly reliable. I bought an '05 brand new, and still have it and drive it all the time. And I still see these old Chevy trucks on the road every day, it seems they are everywhere and still going.
I got an 05 half ton with 200k..she a lil rusty..but man it runs like brand new..4x4 on the floor..love it..bought a 2000 gmc 2500 2wd ext cab today with 6.0 only 144 k on it...an also have a 97 z71 ext cab w a 350 runs cherry 4x4 doesnt work tho damn oush button..the 97 needs all the front end replaced tho but still druveable
I have an 02 Silverado 1500 I bought new. Just today I turned 600,000 miles on the engine. Rebuilt the rear end at 500,000 and am on my 3rd transmission I put in at 575,000. Always have a load or am towing with it.
My boss, who sadly passed away this year, always drove Yukons of that era. He would find one, drive it for a few years, sign the title over free of charge to someone in his life who needed it (the truck was always still in great shape!), then get himself another one. He made well into the six figures and could have afforded a new truck with no issue, but never saw the need to have one when the old Yukons served him so well and were perfect for taking on his frequent hunting/camping trips.
Ok Hoovie, you asked at 1:51 Where I worked last for the Forest Service (Gila National Forest, Glenwood District), one of our Range Technicians had a RAM 2500 long wheelbase, manual, but 4x4 instead of 2wd. He used it to haul horse trailers with pack stock to travel into our two Congressionally designated wilderness areas, because motorized and mechanized equipment is forbidden in such places under the Wilderness Act of 1964. The manual transmission was necessary for engine braking...this part of New Mexico has a mountain range, and there are a fair amount of steep roads we used regularly. I would imagine that this vehicle was chosen for a permanent employee who had seasonal help and-or volunteers (hence the reason for the full cab), who used it to haul trailers as well as tools. And I bet he/she specifically requested a manual transmission, possibly due to traveling into a hilly or mountainous work environment. But the final decision goes to the fleet manager. It is likely that the individual wanted a 4x4, but couldn’t acquire one due to budget or lack of availability.
If your talking about compression release engine brakes gas engines dont have those, and all modern gm autos or dodge autos have a tow haul mode feature that locks the converter and downshifts sooner acting as an engine break. Manuals are always better for long heavy haul towing, no converter slip, no friction, no heat, no 48re go boom boom. Well Those are the reasons I can see from the knowledge I have. Probably wrong lol
Yes TOWING! You always want the longest wheelbase you can get for towing. 4WD would also mean a lowered towing capacity. I guess you have to be a truck guy to know this?
George Adams they buy em “plain Jane” and they do get a fleet discount. Also they buy em 16-24 months out. but there are some exceptions to that rule :)
@@shanali852 cuz it's such a douche move to destroy a nice vehicle for RU-vid views. I watched him for awhile but I started to get the vibe he really doesn't appreciate shit. I guess he'd be cool to watch if you hated cars and trucks.
@@cameltoast Ohh dude its even better when he pulls his moral high ground bullshit everytime he gets shit and has built his little cult of dumb kids with it
Sorry man, NOBODY buys this configuration, as they would build it. Nobody builds stuff for people who are tire kickers. Just say in manufacturer's ain't dumb.
Yeah I was going to say the same when he said iron heads I was like ehh buddy I'm pretty sure they're aluminum but none the less I love my 03 suburban 300k and still purrs the only thing I'm not to impressed with is the transmission but what it looses in reliability it makes up for in ease of repair imo
This hits close to home for me. Years ago, my friend's dad had a 2003-2005 era chevy 2500 HD duramax. I remember the thing that surprised me the most about it was how well it rode for being a 3/4 ton. Thick cushioned seats combined with nice tall sidewall tires equated to a ride that was shockingly smooth and surpasses that of modern cars. Also that pre-emissions duramax was reliable, and powerful, without any unnecessary garbage on it. By contrast, I had a 2008 sierra 1500 with a 5.3 vortec with cylinder deactivation. That thing had a nasty lifter tick that would come and go and was embarrassing. Also, the seats were certainly stiffer and less comfortable. Further complicating this was a leveling kit and some wheels and tires from a 2014+ era SLT / Denali. End result was a very rough riding and uncomfortable vehicle that was plagued with mechanical issues. One of the biggest generational downgrades in truck history.
My dad bought an avalanche in 2004, he drove until he passed away last month, quarter of a million miles, it was the truck I learned to drive on. It’s got 16 yo spark plugs in it and they are just now starting to mis-fire, it needs some work, but once it’s running again It’ll be good for another quarter million. Love these trucks
@@elijahlane411 mine has 270k and leaks a ton of oil the braking system acts up the air bag light stays on power steering line leaks like a sid and so does the rear end also the ax wiring shorted out and blows a fuse everything you replace it and they turn out to be pos after about 200k and oil pump starts to fail
@@brandonpurple8938 those are all regular maintenance issues. All of those compensation are easily serviceable by inexperienced owners. Parts would cost you less than $300 to fix all of that.
@@brandonpurple8938 My buddy has a whole fleet of the 2003's with over 300,000. He said the o-ring on the oil pump goes bad, not the oil pump. He has replaced a few of those o-rings.
I'd assume this was specifically for towing stuff around, probably ATVs and mowers and stuff. Gooseneck for a big trailer they can fit a lot on, long box so they don't jackknife the cab corners. 2WD because they just needed to get there and not do any offroading (cheaper, lighter, less to break). 5 speed because cheaper and more reliable. Crew cab so they can fit everyone.
My best friend had a dark blue one and unfortunately it flipped into a ditch when someone hit his trailer while he was driving. That truck was a beast.
The comfort of those seats is incredible. When they first came out I had customers wanting to buy just the seats to retrofit into their older pickup trucks.
STACKANE I’ve got the Active Multicontour Seat Package in my merc, if you ever swing by a dealership give it a try. Since i got these seats i never ever want something else, and i dont even bother with the massage function, just the seats alone are amazing.
@@yarikfreerunner1 That drivetrain is basically as reliable as gas vehicles go, idk why he would say that. Probably because he somehow believes that every gm vehicle made after 1960 was bad 😒
I actually sold my 94 k1500 for an 04 yukon denali (needed a shorter wheel base). They're both great but I still think gmt400 is the better looking truck.
I was an engineer in the factory that launched the 800 (Pontiac East Assembly). It's funny to hear people rave about how well built these were since the guys at the plant complained about all the ways they watered it down from the 400. For example, the fitters hated the 800 because they used thinner steel that was more brittle. You can bend the 400 sheet metal any way you want. Also 800 had more plastic.
These are the last of the trucks where basic maintenance was designed for the owner. Headlights are super easy to access, enough room to access the spark plugs, basically more common items are easy to replace and access on these. The box sectioned frame is nice because it's easy to clean out and you can really oil it well to keep corrosion at bay. Not to mention how ridiculously simple the engines are. The transmissions do need to be rebuilt with better parts in order to make them drive/ shift better and not gear hunt so much.
I've got 180K on my '05 with the V6 that I bought new. It still runs like new with no mechanical problems thus far. It was the simplicity that initially drew me in. They also have to best looking bodies. 15 years down and I'll try to get another 15 before getting a Toyota.
I have a 96 Outback with a block heater, the wire is just tied to the grill, from the factory, nothing special about it, but it does have a rubber cover. It would be nice if there was a nice spring-loaded cover somewhere. I don't know of any car that anyone has that had a block heater outside of class 8 trucks. It gets freezing cold here but not cold enough to really need a heater most of the time. We hit 0 F sometimes but not often.
I love that silverado. that's my favorite year model. I have never seen that color it looks amazing. Your honestly the only rich car guy I watch. You're not constantly bragging about how rich you are. you just share your love of automotive and express by buying crazy 20+ year old vehicles and showcasing them. I love it.
Just had a replacement 6.0 put in my 05 2500hd. Good old work truck. Came from a fertilizer dealer who used it to pull anhydrous wagons to the field. So its not had an easy life, but its still ticking away. I like it for the reasons you mentioned. Simple and comfortable to drive.
OMG I THOUGHT MY DAD HAD THE ONLY ONE. So my dad has a truck just like this expect it’s GMC he ordered it custom from the factory! It’s so cool to see there is another one out there!!!
They rust out pretty quick in the salt belt, but they do have a great motor/trans despite the notorious leaking exhaust manifolds. I’ve snapped a few driveshafts on these as well, they break at the weld at the yoke.
True, I was hauling heavy loads in the oilfields in North Dakota so they were definitely pushed harder than most. All the brands have their weak points, but if you don’t live in a salty area rust is no problem at all with these trucks.
Mike Acosta also true, the point I was trying to make is that the GM trucks of this era tended to rust quicker than the Ram and Fords we had. At least equipped from the factory, of course a quality applied undercoating can extend the life dramatically. Not knocking GM, all trucks have their weak points
@@Name-cy8ym Technically they were fabricated and assembled in multiple (Mexico, Indiana, St Thomas Ontario, Texas, Wisconsin and of course, Oshawa Ontario Canada) jurisdictions. The least of which being Flint. I believe Michigan's contribution was the mold for the rear ashtray. So I do stand corrected. Thanks for the reminder and thank you to beautifully toxic Flint, Michigan for contributing such an integral piece of automotive history! Give yourselves a huge pat on the back!
I just became the proud third owner of a 2000 Z71 Tahoe. You're assessment Hoovie is spot on. It's the most comfortabke vehicle, let alone truck I've ever been in. 2000 was a weird year, Z71 and limiteds were obs and made alongside the nbs. The brush guard, step rails, tail light guards, snd alcoa star rims were oem. The Proudly Made in Arlington Texas by Texans sticker on the door is cool. Mine has 169K. Most of the hallmarks have been addressed, brake lines, inst cluster. I fell in love first drive. It feels so good to have a quiet 350 again.
Had a few GMT800s, none have ever had a knock sensor issue...virtually all CEL issues in my case have been with the evap leaks. Current 2004 Sierra 1500 has intermittent airbag warnings but only when I have an adult passenger in the passenger front seat...never a child. These things will last forever...my last one had an engine fire about a year after I sold it, guy put it out, replaced some vacuum lines that melted and put another 20k hard farm/snow plow miles before he sold it...still in use today. Biggest problem with them are the rockers on extended cabs turn to swiss cheese.
@@erebostd Then you wouldn't drive any car made before what...2003? (Or whenever they stopped recalling defective Takata airbags). If you're wearing your seatbelt your odds of walking away without a scratch are pretty good in one of these.
Because you don’t always need 4x4 even on dirt roads. The long bed is more utilitarian and the 5 speed is better on dirt when pulling in rough roads. The BLM used similar configuration for their wild horse program. My mom had a state spec 89 3/4 suburban stick shift with manual select hubs. 17 mpg with skinny mud terrain tires and never got stuck in mid or snow in the mountains. I’d buy it in a Heartbeat. 😜
My wife and ii have a 2006 rcsb half ton with the lm7 5.3, 4l60e, 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears and we love our truck. And yes it a baby!, It has only 15,000 miles on it and is garage kept. We put the banks power pack on it and it is a hand full to drive. The power is amazing. We get 26 mpg on the highway, driving sensibly of course. The truck rides like a dream! Our dealership said it's extremely rare build that came from the factory as well. Our truck is victory red with dark charcoal velour interior all loaded out. Needless to say we get lots of attention when we are out in it. Thanks for sharing your video with us. It's nice to hear that others appreciate these trucks as much as we do. Keep up the great work.
Wow, I'm not a truck guy but now I want this! I always liked the straighforward Chevy pickups from the squarebodies to the GMT400s. I don't like the front end on this one as it is too cartoonish looking to me, but this is a very well-presented video that had me learning some interesting information. Thanks, Tyler!!!
I never liked the avalanche front end on the 2003 either, but that was actually the most reliable year. I now own a 2003, because my buddy has a bunch of them with well over 300,000 miles and knows how to fix everything on them.
Yea your absolutely right, the 2wd not really as plenty of forest service trucks have 4X4, but this one was probably used in an area where 4WD was not seen as needed. but the crank windows would be cheap and cheap to fix if they broke, the manual seems kinda odd as even the W/T spec of the truck was auto standard but who knows. the other stuff like vinyl seats and rubber floors, that was for ease of cleaning with things like muddy boots. and i miss when trucks where like this, no features at all just you, an engine and a truck who cares if you get dirt on the seat, or scratch the paint on a tree branch.
The issue is that the auto version came with a 4L80E 4 speed trans. If you are towing a 5th wheel, which this clearly was, you would like that extra gear that comes with the manual. Also, the 4L80E is trash for highway towing. I have one in my 2000 Suburban 2500.
@@keebler3074 No you really cant, not truly simple trucks. they all have over complicated engine management systems, even base trucks have stupid screen radios. also while cranky windows and power nothing is still around, i doubt very highly that manuals are still available. Edit i checked manuals are not available on the silverado anymore, auto only. so a simple make it work transmission is gone now
Our GMC Sierra 2500HD with Duramax and 4x4 has been nearly flawless for 17 years, and I've towed cars on trailers across the country. Great old truck, modern "enough", and looking forward to putting another 200k miles on it. (But it's not a tow truck.)
@@gregkarch4673 is pretty good. If we're getting technical, we're really just 180k. So I'm jumping the gun again with my rounding. In other news, I'm nearly 7 feet tall! (hint: excessive rounding)
I bought a 99 GMC Suburban last February with 289k on it. The damn 350 in it just needed a set of plugs and a new cap and rotor and she pops off like a champ. The frame and body are in excellent condition as well, because the previous owners didn't fix any of the oil leaks. Up north, there are no such thing as oil leaks, just external lubrication distribution systems.
This video explains why I own two of them myself. 2 3/4 ton gmt800 Yukon’s. One is getting a 12 valve swap but man I love my 6.0 as my daily. Well explained video Hoovie!
My dad worked around Coeur d’Alene for the forest service back in the 80’s seemed like a badass thing to do and beautiful land up there from the photos I’ve seen!
Yeah those green trucks are all over boise, all of them pull landscaping trailers. It’s like one dude that bought a ton awhile back, and they happen to still run.
My dad has the same rig! 6.0, 3/4 ton crew cab NV4500 and 4x4 with the beautiful forest service green! He put a bumper on it for deer and cows and a flatbed for feeding cows. :)
I bet it had those grey 5 spoke wheels factory. And yes you can get those rims that are on it on a gas 3/4 ton truck factory, lots came with those.. I had a gas 2500 2000 6.0 that had those rims.
We have a 2002 Silverado 2500HD W/T that was was a plow truck for a lawn care company. Previous owner was the “CEO” and it was his “personal work truck.” If it needed it, it got i, and it had very little rust for Wisconsin. We packed 2 little rust holes and repainted it because it was so nice. Oh and it had 275,800 miles on it. And it runs amazing. Not even lifter tick.
I love it. Some tint, rhino liner, long tube headers, exhaust, and tune. That would be a great truck. Also your AMG Hammer shirt takes me back to high school, I got to drive one that belonged to a psychiatrist from Chicago and I was in love with that car. I have wanted one ever since. His was a black 87 sedan. Beautiful beast of a car.
Gregory Merkle Yep, had a 91’ long bed, reg cab, work truck, I six with a stick. Was awesome. Traded it on an 05, 2500HD, 4x4, reg cab, long bed with the six liter. Brand new was less reliable than my F150. Mostly hubs and transfer case and abs issues.
I love that Hoovie is truly an unbiased car enthusiast, I don’t care what brand you’re a fan of, I’ve ALWAYS said that 1999-07 Chevy pickups were the absolute most bulletproof trucks and engines ever built, those trucks literally never died, you see so many hammered ones with 450k on Craigslist that still run immaculate with original engine and trans. The fords and dodged of the time were absolute garbage time bombs. Chevy has always been about simplicity and practicality. That’s why they last.
I had the same spec truck in the previous generation. A 1998. It was an awesome highway truck. Long and stable. And awesome free wheeling with the manual on the down hills. Mine was a 1 ton. The only vehicle that I ever owned that I still miss having in the driveway.
@@Waas I worked for Toyota. Our trucks are the hilux with a different name plate - BUT they DID get better engine options than the US. Namely the diesels.
Hilux is far from the greatest truck. Not available in the USA and it’s way too small and not nearly powerful enough for people that need a full size truck.
@@racingfreak1337 Yeah I heard the 4.8 V8 and 4 speed automatic(still the 4L60e???) were carryover from the previous gen trucks. AKA solid as a rock. None of that variable cylinder displacement that requires the cylinder heads to come off to the tune of $2000-3000 with the next gen of V8 engines from GM, any money you saved from the 1-2mpg bump is completely wiped out by this repair. Which is why I bought a Tundra, yeah the gas mileage sucks but I'm 100% certain I'm not going to need a $2000 engine repair or a total engine replacement before 200k miles like on a Chevrolet truck of similar vintage.
@@AaronSmith-kr5yf I guess they were. I love mine. Super reliable and easy to work on! It's got some differences, like more computer modules, but its great
I have a 2005 GMC Sierra with 6.0 ls. I absolutely love it! 245,000 miles, and still running strong. Fuel economy sucks, because of .410 gears, but it tows our 28ft travel trailer very nicely. Actually, I would rather have a 2wd model, and manual transmission, call me weird, but as Hoovie says, their very rare.
I've had my 05 Silverado for 10 years and I'm NEVER getting rid of it, best vehicle I have ever owned at 250,000 miles and still running like a gem. There is a bezel that goes around the tailgate handle they break easy and make sure to get quality knock sensors, I removed the pad in the back where the intake manifold rests on to keep from backflooding the knock sensor ports and it has worked for me well.
Yeah my dad bought a used 2001 from an old lady in like 2003 so it was like new and the tail gate never got used often but the bezel did end up breaking but it’s an easy fix but nearly every one you see has it broken
My grandpa has an '02 Silverado 2500 single cab with manual everything except the transmission, no 4wd, nothing fancy. It has 260k now and it's all scratched up and he uses it as a farm truck. Off topic but my other grandpa has a 10th gen (not sure what year) F150 single cab with the V6, short bed manual everything with 315kish and still goes pretty good
I have a 2003 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD 4X4 extended cab 6.5ft bed with 137K miles. No rust. I keep it washed and waxed. Normal repairs and maintenance. Towed trailers hundreds of miles. Not a daily driver anymore. 4L80E xmission. Runs great! 11 city 14 hw mpg. full syn fluids throughout. Rust proofed frame twice. Stainless Steel brush guard and step ups. Added amp and 12" downfiring woofer to stereo. I love it and will never sell or trade it.
@@OMGWTFLOLSMH A clutch isn't a major service item. If you can float gears *properly* then your clutch could last 150k easily. If not, every 100k or so just slap in a new clutch. On a rwd only pickup, thats a 2 hour job. Easier than changing the brakes.
It ticks all the boxes for my next sleeper project.. slap some turbos or a supercharger and you have one hell of a truck. Edit: he wants 9k for it... I might try to try some shrewd negotiations..
Uhh ohh my power steering pump is going out welp time to take half of the engine apart to fix it and my shittly designed front suspension has decided to wear out again ohh and the Alison trans if equipped has went into limp again evap solenoid broke again as well. *edit* almost forgot who could forget the stepper motors in the dash breaking and the digital gear selector and mileage display going out and all of the actuators for the vent controls that love to break
I had one of these for 15 years. It was durable, smooth, reliable, and very comfortable for a truck. I see them all the time still, all over the place. I think only Toyotas can rival the reliability.
That’s very true! Plus you can install a rear locker if you want more traction for light off-roading. For crawling of course you’ll want 4X4 but not everyone does that haha.
I just don't see the use for a full size, 2 wheel drive pickup. Granted, I do live in the NE and have to deal with snow and ice but, still. I dunno. I guess it depends on where you live and all. But even if I lived in a more temperate zone I think I'd still want/need 4x4. You just never know when you might need it - unless you buy pickups to look at or something.
I have a 2006 Silverado 1500WT 4WD with the 4.3L V6 and a 5 speed manual. I love it - plain an simple. I bought it in 2010 for $8750 with just over 53k on it. It now has worked A HECK OF A LOT and has 170k on the odometer. It doesn't have the most power or most luxury but is absolutely the best vehicle I have ever owned. It is just like a pair of old blue jeans that just fit right. The GMT800 is my favorite platform without a doubt. They are just the sweet spot of price and reliability.
My 2010 Express 2500 had the 4.8, no vvt. I ran the truck at 7000 pounds, 25k a year, never needed anything more than routine maintenance. Traded it in with 200k on it. Engine would still run 80mph all day long, and no oil burning or leaking.
I am obsessed with this truck. Checks a lot of boxes. But I gave to stick with my 1st gen Tacoma base, which has the 5 speed, good fuel economy and ability to haul stuff. And easy to park at the IGA. All I could ever want.
Yup, completely agree, GMT800 platform is reliable, durable and extremely cheap to repair/maintain. I have beat my 2000 Suburban 1500 in the Southwest desert for last 6 years 150k miles and it's still a daily driver. I prefer the 5.3 because I tuned it to have more torque below 2,000rpm. Have a 6.0 with same 4.10 gears also and it feels gutless below 2,000rpm and is happy and peppy above 3,000rpm.
an 01 Chevy 2500HD 8.1 and the allison trans, 157,000 and only a crank sensor error, otherwise runs brilliant. also an 01 GMC yukon XL denali with the 6.0, 315,000 miles and still a total champ, even its AWD system is faultfree. love the older GM platforms, my daily truck is a 07 1500 not quite as bullet proff but decent. My partners daily is a Ford f150 from 2017 with the Ecoboost engine, been in the shop 3 times now for turbo issues, they drive the yukon more than that stinking crap boost truck.
I've got a 2006 Chevy Suburban with the 5.3 Vortec - Auto. It has about 380,000 miles on it. Still makes pretty good power, I used one of those OBDII apps to measure the HP and it said it was making about 240 HP. So, it is a good bit down from the advertised 295 HP but still runs smoothe. It did need a new oil pump a few years ago. And of course the suspension has been almost totally rebuilt. Now it's time to start swapping out the blend door actuators under the dash. I've got the dreaded hot air blowing out the passenger side vents with the AC on.
Until the frame folds in half from rust. This was a toyota problem until the 2018 trucks. They now have c channel frames from cab back. And lost 3 billion dollars replacing frames.
A guy I met had his frame replaced by Toyota said they told him it was due to the lower quality metallurgy used in the original frames. It was crazy to look at his truck, the body just looked like a semi worn truck but looking underneath it looked brand new.
it cant tow shit, frames Rot like butter melts on a hot pan. I love Toyota, i have land cruiser 200, but That hilux/4runner Runs great, but they cant pull anything. Not even a racecar
@@rahiee If we're talking large trucks only - (and diesels) I've heard a lot of good things about 1997 F350 Diesel with the International Harvester motor.
@@rahiee i wouldnt have called a hilux a truck or compared it to one, i suppose its much smaller than this chevy that looks massive (and more likely to be a truck), so may as well compare with a hatchback. Never heard of frame issues, i suppose it depends where you live but good to know
@@Brad-ku9yu A 1997 F350 would not have the IDI 7.3, it would have the Powerstroke turbo 7.3. The IDI is simpler mechanically and tend to run a long time, but are boat anchors for power. A 7.3PSD is much more powerful but can be more finicky to maintain because its more complex. I love my 7.3psd, but then again I do most all the service work myself so it save a fortune on a shop.
