GMC still going strong

joel_19

I don't buy that for a minute if it's half ton it's junk. it shouldn't be. The vehicle is not abused or overloaded. How come my little Toyota Tacoma never had a problem and it was overloaded all the time. I finallly BROKE the rear springs but the front end was A Ok over 140k miles, and nothing I mean nothing else ever broke. Always ran 100%. By your theory the front end on the Toyota should have failed at only 10k miles or less since it is more light duty than the van. One should not have to buy a 1 ton to get a reliable commuter vehicle.If that theory is correct then why did my friends 3500 need lower ball joints at 20k miles.

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RianS

I know a lot of you guys have problems with your trucks. This is just a plug for GMC. 72,152 miles and still doesnt need brakes, rotors or anything major. Had it to the shop last week for 2 days. Had the front end aligned, a new battery installed, 4 new tires, trans service and state inspection. On the inspection they found an axle seal leaking and a light bulb out. This is by far the best truck I have ever owned. It is a 2003 GMC 3500 extended WB. It tows a trailer almost half the time. Fuel milage isn't the greatest [11 mpg average] but what a great truck as far as reliability and cost of operation. Just my 2 cents on trucks.

joel_19

your lucky

our 1/2 ton GMC van just had front end work as it was way loose. It has 17k miles it is not overloaded it's just a parts runner and spare service truck.

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RianS

Vans

Joel,
I hear you on the light duty trucks (1/2 ton). They have always been a problem. The gas co. I worked for would always buy them because they were cheaper. They were always in the shop with brake and transmision problems. I always buy 1-ton vans and trucks now and they seen to work well for us. The last one we got rid of was a 1995 Dodge with 178,000 miles on it. It was still running but needed a fuel pick up in the tank and front brakes. 1-ton is the way to go.

Floyd_43

I agree...

Won't buy a light van, the 1 ton has much heavier guts...supsen.,brakes,etc... built to be abused....
Have two 1ton Gm vans, one well over 200K and the other over 100K, and very few problems. Also the GM vans run a longer wheel base which helps to balance the load better.
with the simply extended vans you can get too much weight on the hind end and make them torture to drive in the winter with no weight on the front... screws with the braking and turning.

Floyd

Mitch_4

I agree...GMC

or any brand..the 1/2 tons are esentially residential vehicles with no seats.

Get the work duty ones. Go to your local weigh scale and weigh your truck empty, then load her up, and weigh it.

You will be amazed at the actual weight.

Mitch

John Mills_5

You're lucky

Most of our 20xx GM 3500s have had many more problems. Most have lost fuel pumps, a few radiators and water pumps, most have had side door hinge failures, a couple of the heavier loaded vans have had real brake issues. Our Fords are older and used by installers who drive less but the oldies aren't causing the trouble the new ones have. But most of them had torque convertor issues when newer.

One tech wants a Sprinter. I've heard of very pricey maintenance and repair issues. Comments there?

gilligan

GMC

The company work for has had 20 or so late model (late 90's and up) GMC 1 ton vans,most are carrying less than 1000 pounds of stock and tools, many problems including early brake wear, leaking axle seals, worn out steering components at less than 60,000 miles, electrical problems.....engines and transmissions seem bulletproof though...watch the front tires on the newer diesels, they seem to chew up the insides, possibly bad alignment from the factory......then again don't hear much good about newer Ford/Dodge vans either we have about 7 Sprinters now, they have some bugs too, if you rely on the dealer for basic maintainence (oil change, brakes, etc) the service charges will kill you, but you can't beat the interior room and 20 mpg, we get about 16 with GMC diesels 11 or 12 with the gas ones, these numbers all include a decent amount of city driving, and our beautifully maintained Massachusetts roads. Still trying to figure why my '96 T'Bird ( which started it's life as a rental car!) still has all it's original steering and suspension components at 130,000 miles while being driven NASCAR style on these same roads....

Mitch_4

What

theory are you talking about? you are comparing a pick up truck (designed to carry cargo...) vs a residential van.

My family uses GMC 1/2 trucks on our farm and have yet to get rid of one because it died..(dad's 77 chev had about 580,000 original motor, trans etc..obvious replacements include wheels and brakes, he just replaced it) and we ALWAYS overload them, pulling wagons, equipment etc..

I Put no theory forward, but my service van is NOT a residential vehicle without seats and I have no trouble.

I do not say that GM or anyone is good bad or otherwise, but I have (personally) a 100% satisfaction with my chevs. Been using them for everything for the last 25 years. I go with what works...

RianS

Less than 1000 pound of stock and tools? You are way under stocked. Our vans have 2200lbs. in stock and tools and nothing is out of place.

Mitch_4

Like I said in

my earlier post..go to a weigh scale.

I did not think I was over the 1/2 ton, I came in at about 1900#.

My Mech said that THAT is what messes the front end on residential vans. That weight get transfered forward to the front end when stopping as the front brakes do 80% of the work.

(BTW I asked why trucks can take it, his reply? pick ups are designed to tow trailers, it is always optional on vehicles, but on pick ups it is assumed as likely, so the front end is always beefier. Heavy duty vans, designed for work trucks make the same design assumption.)

Weigh your truck empty then fill her up and re wiegh..liklely you will be amazed!

Mitch