Peak GM truck, it was all downhill from here. A friend bought a 99 Silverado brand new. In 2022 it has 450,000 miles and a ton of rust but it's still going.
Good friend of mine was working for Tyson and was given a 1999 Short bed, regular cab 4x4 wit a 4.8 liter as a work truck. I asked him what his favorite work truck of all time was recently, and it was that truck. He was blown away at how good it drove, the work it could do and the economy it got. He was surprised that a first year model truck held up so well, and his only complaint was the lack of a limited slip rear differential.
It's was the last for dodge and ford back then to. My 99 ford went over 300k original everything. My buddy had a 99 Chevy with the 5.3 that ran forever. Not anymore.
This is my favorite pickup truck ever. I love the 1999-2002 models of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierras. Everytime I see one on the road I have to get a good look at it. Some of them are in great condition and other ones by now look pretty roughed up.
I have one still today in 2024. It's a 2000 Silverado 1500 4x4 Z71 LT Ext. Cab. Has 216k on it. Just did a rebuild on a burned out 2-3 band on my tranny but that was kind of my fault, but kind of common at that high of mileage on the 4L60E transmissions... but the engine runs like a top. I beefed up the transmission with a better off road designed tranny for lower gearing, better gear shell and an upgraded corvette servo. Still doing burnouts and I chirp tires in 2nd gear. Fantastic truck!
My family had a 03 yukon slt with the 5.3l 4l60e combo. Drove 274,000 before the original transmission went bad. Only ever needed 1 starter, 1 alternator, 1 powersteering pump, wheel bearing, and other small maintenance items.
Like the commercials used to say, This is The Truck by Chevrolet. Love the GMT800 design. I remember my uncle got one brand new in 2000. I still enjoy working on it with him. Almost everything is so accessible. So much so I got me an ‘03 Silverado Cat eye updated version.
I believe they were in the old body style type trucks such as the 3500's. They kept the old C/K's up to, I believe 2000? Had one in the shop awhile back and it had an 8.1L in it I think. T'was a weird time. Ya gotta remember the LB7 Duramax wasn't available until the 2001 model year.
@@rapidrabbit898 Take a look at time stamp 3:21 and 3:46 and specifically look at the wiper cowls, the location of the brake booster, fuse block and battery. They are identical and would make them both the new 1999 GMT-800 trucks. The GMT-400 6.5, the brake booster had the old square flat top lid and the fuse box was smaller and directly next to, not in front of the booster. It sure as hell looks like GM stuffed a 6.5 diesel into a GMT-800 to me. Now yes, GM did make some 1999 classic 1500s and then continued the 2500/3500 into 2000 and were then replaced by the HD series trucks for 2001, so 1999 and 2000 there was still the possibility of a 6.5 diesel GMT-400.
The sensor for auto lights went bad in mine now the headlights are always on when the truck is on. You can turn auto lights/drl off in the first gen silverado by pushing the dome override button 5 times.
Kind of sad how these are overlooked. I personally love the "bubble eye" style, and think they're much more modest and more relaxed looking than some of the later ones. I'd take one of these any day over those hideous 2019+ Chevy trucks. My grandpa's personal plow truck is a 01 2500 with the 6.0 Vortec, pretty beat but still runs and drives
I generally prefer the 88-98 GM trucks for their simplicity and durability but these are a close 2nd for me. I have my dad's old 2000 Sierra 2wd 5.3 SLT extended cab with 240k miles and it runs and drives like brand new...could use a paint job though, it's already on its 2nd paint job done about 6 years ago and the clear is gone
Wow, only 25 years ago the top of the line truck was less than 35k out the door, now it's not an irregular thing to see someone asking for the same price for a10 year old truck with less than 35k miles 😅
Just bought a mint 01 Sierra z71 with the 5.3 that’s bone stock and I’m in love with it. I’m a young guy and the truck is as old as I am but I plan on keeping it for the rest of my life. Seeing the praise this generation of truck gets makes me even more proud of it
Crazy how good these trucks are. They were the most reliable pickup ups out of all brands in those times. I bet you see 3 -5 of these on the road for every ford or dodge truck.
@@MidnightPolaris800tow/haul mode is there for a reason but people never used it and wonder why the transmissions failed. Tow/haul mode and keeping it in 3rd gear when driving under 55mph will make the transmissions last longer
I love my '99 1500, had it for 6 years now, and I'm about to break 281k miles on it, bought it at 255k. Just recently it took me to and from Arizona, a total of about 1600 miles round trip with no problems.
Damn you must have a short commute lol, I've put 20,000 miles on my cummins since June. I also work out of the truck and travel most of the east coast for different jobs.
My 99 was a pos. Had to replace 4.8 at 190k, (blown head gasket)put a 5.3 in it like my 03 Tahoe had which was a great vehicle. Shift solenoid around 150k, steering box 120k or so. Bought that sucker new, still have it (400k on it) so can’t complain I guess. My son drives it now after totaling his F150 instead of paying these insane prices. I went with a new 2017 2500 Duramax as my replacement lol
5 months ago I bought a 2002 Sierra. SLT with 55000 miles on it, garage kept one owner. Pristine condition. 2 tone paint black and Gray. It's one beautiful truck had to pay top dollar for it but was definitely worth it. We'll keep this truck forever. Love it.
Wish GM would've made a Pontiac version of the GMT800 that has the same head lights as the Sirrea but with Pontiac style Split grill design just to have you're own Pontiac truck.
I think every brand should have had there own trucks in the GM line-up between late 80’s and early 2000’s. For example, when Chevy had the APV Dustbuster van release in the early 90’s, they had the Pontiac Transport for the sporty van, Oldsmobile Silhouette for luxury, and Chevy Lumina APV for base. If they had the Silverado from that time, Took Pontiac motor division and Oldsmobile corp, stirred them together by some budgeting miracle (since they wasted all there money on the Chevy 454 and GMC typhoon to compete with dodges Dakota sport trucks).. it woulda worked out. Similar to the fords division huge flop of the early 2000’s with the Rebadged Lincoln F-150. Think it was called the Blackwood if I recall
@MidnightPolaris800 I'm in Southern Ontario Canada we use a ton of salt in the winter and all these trucks rot out around the wheel wells within a few years, I see tons of them with different color boxes and fenders, also rockers and cab corners, never seen to much frame rust but that might have to do with all the under coating the dealers cover them in.
These trucks are very good but if you are looking for a used one check for the 2 frame crossmembers over the gas tank they rust out from being so tight into the tank and also the np246 transfer case on 4wd models is very good but the pump will loosen inside the casing and will poke needle size holes in it letting the oil out very slowly and ruin the internals. I got a 99 chevy z71
I currently drive a 99 rcsb 2wd with a 4.8. Chevrolet trucks were junk before 99 and went back to being junk after 2007, but they definitely got the first few years of this iteration just right
Fast forward 25 years and now even the Ram is outselling the GM trucks. Wake up GM… pretty sad that you are #3 now!! Oh yeah I forgot…Fiat will finance anyone. Take a look at the auctions. A bunch of trashed Challenger and Chargers parked next to trashed Ram pickups. 😆😂🤣
Never was a fan of the 5.3L in these. The Mexican version with the L31 350, especially the RCSB 400SS or the Sonora (Tahoe) models were far better running trucks. This truck is weak compared to the same year OBS Denali and Escalade that Motortrend also tested.
This truck is easily a living legend and due to the LS-based engines these all came with, their reliability is unmatched by even Toyota At this time. It will go down as the best domestic pickup ever made.
I currently own a 99 Tahoe with the ol school 5.7 with 250 k , a 00 5.3 suburban with 260 k, a 01 Tahoe with a lq4 6.0 with 250k on the body and the crown jewel being my 02 Yukon 5.3 with 305k
@@byronhamilton6061 the vortex's we're so much better than tbi motors power wise. I had a 95 Tahoe that had 400 k and ran great even with 5 lb oil pressure at idle hot
I laughed when Davis quoted Chevrolet "the 1999 Silverado is going to TRY to dethrone the F150 as the best selling pickup". Not only will the F150 remain the BEST selling pickup FOREVER, now Chevrolet has to worry about RAM moving into #2 position!
I'm overall a Ford guy by far, but this is maybe the best single generation of truck ever made out of any manufacturer. Unfortunately Gm ruined the bulletproof LS with cylinder deactivation
These trucks have to be one of the worst rust buckets, the prior generation GM trucks did not have nearly as much of a rust issue as these did. Lots of them riding around with hardly no body left.
I have a 2001 single cab stepside z71 5.3 LS package, it’s so weird it has power everything seats as well but no fog or DRLs? I’m so confused on the options of these trucks for this year, it’s push button 4x4 as well.
I’ve had a few of these and I just keep going back to them, time after time. You can’t kill them. These were peak GM truck, in every way. The new ones are abysmal
Tried and failed. Decent design, although the cateye was the worst designed modern Chevy truck I've ever seen. Just God awful ugly stick. And yeah, they can still be found...with plenty of rust still crawling around like the roaches they are. LOL, typical GM.
