GMC Trucks

[ZAMBONIMAN]

I have an 02 GMC ex-cab Z71 with the 5.3 motor. Just turned 36000 miles on it and my warranty is up. I have had the transfer case replaced 3 times so far, and had a shaft in the steering column greased or replaced 4 times. It gets good gas mileage on the highway (19 mpg), the ride is excellent, and it still looks as good as the day I bought it (used with 4700 miles). I guess my question is, has anyone had the same problems that I have had? Do you think this truck could be a lemon? Do any of you mechanics out there think the four wheel drive will go out again?
All you Ford and Dodge guys might as well tell me how dumb I am to have a GM product, because I know it's coming!

 

[wapiti2]

well zam....you said it all on your own....i will stick with my 75 F250 HI-BOY...oh and by the way...mine has a 429 and i average 12 mpg.........just think,almost 30 yrs diff and only 7 mpg gain.......

 

[got2hunt]

I too Zambo been having problems with my Got Mechanic Coming, replaced 2 fuelpumps, 3 alts, 4-wheel went out last year, lost 5th and reverse (shifting fork) waterpump, if I were you Zambo, I would keep with the Zamboni.......LOL


My next truck going to no other than FORD

 

[A-con]

My 1991 Toyota has 193,000 on it. Let me see, I replaced the clutch once. Shocks and breaks if ya want to count that. Changed the oil a few times. Think I'll put another 100,000 or so on it then sell it before it starts getting old.

 

[FLIPPER]

I have had 4 GMC Z71 trucks...96, 00, 01, 01 and 1 GMC Jimmy 98 and 1 GMC Envoy 02. I have had only one problem and it was on the 99, the 4x4 switches in the dash went bad.

 

[Elkhunter]

I had a GMC truck. Biggest piece of chit on the roads. It sucked! Went to a Dodge Diesel 2500 in 2000. Good mileage, good ride and never have had a problem with it.

 

[tnctcb]

since you started it.should have bought a dodge. lemon laws vary from state to state but i dont think any of them cover 4 wheel drive systems as it is far to easy to abuse a 4x4.personally i would explain to a mechanic what has happened and if he cant locate a reason it is doing it i would fix it one more time and GET RID OF IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.some people dont use the 4 wheel drive and just want to have it so let somone else have the problem.it sounds like something is wrong with your truck but besides personal preference a truck is a truck so replace it with what you want.

 

[ELKCHSR]

LMAO!!! You could have had a Toyota....

310,000 and it only needed one brake change, and I put new shocks on it at about 200,000 because it was finally starting to get a little bouncy...

It went thru a lot of abuse, I had hauled over a ton in it many times, hit a cow, tipped it on its side and ran it thru all the gambits one would expect with a truck including pulling thousands of trees over with it...

 

[big ben]

buy a ford, problem solved.i have had some die hard chev fans change six transmissions on their truck,and still dont realize their truck is a lemon.that said ,,i believe every truck has its weak links,different years,models,engines ,transmisions,best thing ask around,i am a mechanic and when i buy a truck,i buy the truck you least see in a garage,i curently drive a toyota tacoma,even though i am a die hard ford man,i needed good gas mileage and dependability witch i got,new full size truck seam to be getting beter gas mileage ,i may have to up size,but till then i love my truck.....big ben.....

 

[dgibson]

I haven't had any problems with my 2005 GMC yet but I do notice that the transmission "bumps" when it grabs first gear on initial acceleration. That may be normal, but I noticed it because my old Dodge didn't do that. Other than that, though, it's been AOK so far. I guarantee you, though, that if I have half the problems you've had with a 3-year-old truck someone's going to be getting a sternly worded letter.

 

[noharleyyet]

Zman...think you just got a cranky one. It happens. I had always driven Ford trucks with no problems but now have a 'sweeeet' 04 dodge 1500. 20 mpg at @ 80 mph...14 in the city. Have several buds with GMC 4wds though...they love em and have had no problems. We've also taken the same 4wd GMC and trailer to Colorado the last two years without a burp.

 

[7x7]

If you do keep it make sure you get an extended service contract. Most of them you can get prior to 40k. Be careful what kind you get because some of them aren't worth the paper their written on.

 

[Hunterman]

I'm a Ford man...I've not had a new truck yet,,and this is my first 4 wheel drive...Mines a '90 F250 and I have had good luck with it so far for a used truck..I've only have had to have the head gaskets done once....As far as your GMC goes,,I would dump it as soon as possible....

Hunterman(Tony)

 

[Washington Hunter]

Zambo, I have the exact same truck as yours (same year too) and have 56,000 miles and have not had one problem, other than having the steering shaft lubricated once which is not a big deal. The truck I traded in on this one was the same model but a 2000, and it had somewhere around 50,000 on it, and it also had never had a problem besides the steering shaft thing. You must have just got a bad one, or the previous owner was hard on it. (or I'm just extremely lucky)

 

[iminrut]

I've owned nothing but GMC's since the mid 80's.......every one I've traded has had over 200K miles, and the majority of mechanical problems were due to the driver, LOL...

I currently own a 2001 GMC CrewCab with the 6.0L....HD1500 4X4 automatic.......it is ready to turn 140,000 miles, and I've only had to replace the fuel pump assembly......but then again, I've recently replaced a fuel pump in my wifes Pontiac Montana, and in my Buick Le Sabre.......I merely attribute these fuel related problems to using ethanol blended gas, and will not burn it anymore.......

GMC's are good to go as far as I am concerned....sounds like to me you got of those gems that were built on a Friday afternoon......

 

[ZAMBONIMAN]

Thanks for all the replies, seems to me there are the same problems out there too. I looked at a new truck tonight in Fargo, a 2005 Nissan Titan. Seems like a nice truck, has some other extras that GM doesn't offer and is about 5-7 grand cheaper (sticker). And the interior is way bigger than any of the domestics, but the box is 3" smaller than GM. I don't haul much anyway, and if I do it's in a trailer. I would rather have the room in the cab than in the box. Thanks again everyone, and I will keep you updated on my decisions.
My dad will probably have a heart attack if I came to their place in a 'foreign' vehicle. He worked at the taconite plant in my hometown for 32 years and is a Ford man. For those of you that don't know what taconite is... Ore is mined in Northeastern Minnesota, shipped by train to the taconite plants where it is turned into taconite pellets and shipped by boats to Detroit, Pittsburgh, etc. where the pellets are manufactured into steel that is used to make 'domestic' vehicles, therefore he still is a Union Steelworker until the day he dies.

 

[T Bone]

The family wagon is an '01 Chev Suburban with the 5.3. 55k miles. Bought it new. It's been a great car. Not a single hiccup. On the road it gets an honest 19 mpg.

I drive a little wee truck. 97 Ranger with 100k miles. Its had a handful of small problems, but nothing major. It's been used and abused some, and its beginning to get all loose and sloppy.

While I love a new truck, I'd rather spend the money on other things like hunts to Alaska......

When I do buy a new truck, I sure like the Toyota Tundras.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I like my 2002 Ford F-350 crew cab with the V-10. It has much more room in the back seat than any other truck I looked at - much more than the GM or Dodge products. I have had zero problems with it. Well, it did start to "random misfire" if I got it over 90 MPH, like in a passing situation, but they fixed it under waranty - a computer programing problem. I would have to drive a whole lot of miles to make up the price difference for a diesal truck, especially now that diesal fuel costs more than regular. I get about 15 highway, if I keep the speed under 75 mph.