Which GM HD to BUY: HELP

medons · April 10, 2004

I need help deciding what to buy. I drive a '93 Ford Explorer 4x4. I want a new truck. I want to put a slide-in camper on the truck for a few weekends per year but drive the truck alone most of the time. I have heavily shopped the Ford/GM/Dodge products and like the GM HDs best (inspite of my Ford bias). The campers are typically 3000# dry weight for a decent size, so the 2500HD is the minimum I can get. Long bed allows more flexibility/availability in the campers. I go off road in the desert frequently in the winter, so must have 4x4. I also insist on crew cab. I want luxury interior so LT/SLT interior. I want diesel, and I'm very impressed with the duramax/allison combo. So... the decision is down to Chevy vs. GMC, long vs short, color: white vs silver vs carbon, and finally how close to invoice I can get before incentive/rebates. (BTW, does anybody know what the "advert/adjustments" means on the invoice price?) I'm concerned that the carbon is too dark, dirt, too hot etc. I like the short bed better for manuverabilty and parkability but worry about camper availability and I think the short bed only has a 26 ga tank, but the long has 34 ga. My wife and daughter like the GMC look better than the Chevy, the chevy has more of a "cat" bad boy look and they're a little conservative. Alright that's a good start on the issues. Any help is appreaciated. Oh BTW is anybody has a fleet manager in So. Cal who will go LOW $ let me know.

04-silver · April 10, 2004

My brother has a 2004 GMC, I have a 2004 Chev. I was looking to buy the GMC, mostly due because he bought one. After looking for a bit I found out that for an identical truck except for the body , the GMC was more money. I didn't see Sony written on it anywhere.............

(Edit: Identical as in 2500/4x4/Ext Cab...etc.)

Also the Chey look kinda grew on me after a while of looking. Its diffently different.

Probably not much help really, just the $$ amount, well in Canada anyway and the body styles.

John

PS-he has the Duramx/Allison and says no comparison to his traded in Ford 7700 when pulling his fifth. (Both trucks pulled the same fifth.)

Shaners · April 10, 2004

My choice for what you describe would be the GMC 2500HD 4x4 SLT crewcab longbed duramax/allison in Silver Birch.

However, white will go well with any brand of slide in truck camper.

I think the advert/adjustments are for advertising. GM charges you for all their TV commercials!!!

builderpaul · April 10, 2004

advert/adjust is non negotiable fee gm charges dealers. All dealers in your are will have the same amount so shopping dealer to dealer this will not be a factor. I just got a slt Hd $300.00 over dealer invoice.

As to the identical GM more than the chevy. Identical needs to be looked into. For instance the SLT includes fog lights and deep tint glass that the LS is extra. I shopped both and saw little price difference.

Silver birch was my choice stayes clean and cool.

short boxs have small gas tanks but a long bed crew cab is so long it limits its manuverability. Trailer with short bed instead of a slidein camper? For a few weekend of use seems like a big trade off for a long bed.

medons · April 10, 2004

If you have a few minutes to type your opinion, i'd appreciate it! I've read the few replies in only a few hours, and it really helps to hear other peoples opinions. I kind of am leaning towards the white or silver color. I wonder about the chevy slightly odd look from the front maybe growing on me too. Besides it just might give me an edge over the mid-life stall I'm in! I've going back and forth over the long vs short bed. My biggest problem is that there is such limited availability for short bed compatible slide-in campers, and you have to sacrifice something. In Lance products you lose the generator option. Since I go to remote off-road sites in the desert and tow a small trailer with ATVs, I need to go with a slide-in to preserve the hitch. The long bed gets me lots of options for slide-ins but the everyday driving and parking worries me. Keep opinions coming! THANKS.

PewterC3 · April 10, 2004

I don't know if there are any restrictions on the Quadrasteer option but if you going with a crew cab and long bed....it sure would make it easier to pilot. I've seen a extended cab 2500 HD locally that had q-steer, just not sure if it's available with the d-max-allison. I'd check into it and drive(and park) one before you make your decision.

apache sierra · April 10, 2004

4 door long bed is a lot of truck! If you garage it you'd better have a long stall for it. Driving around town is down right scary. I had a burb(suburban) and i thought that was bad until i tried out the 4dr lb on one of those 24 hour trial things. Thats when i realized i was better off with a ext short box it fits in the garage and i can turn around in less than 40 acres I don't think you'll like the long rig if you drive off road any. You may want to try that 24 hour test drive if they still offer that. Then you can kind of get a feel for the size. I got the silver burch and i like it. Not the prettiest color maybe but shure hides a lot of dirt and spots after a weekend in the mountains.

Shaners · April 11, 2004

The cc shortbox will definatly drop your fuel capacity to 26 gallons. That may not be that big of a problem if you have the Dmax... and you could throw a generator on the trailer with the bikes.

The cc longbox is a big fricken truck!!! It's not a good daily driver in town... Heck my CC shorty still clips a curb now and then in tight situations... and parking it at Walmart, I just go for the back 40, because I know it won't fit anywhere else...

I love my Pewter because it hides the dirt... the Silver should be just as good. The dark carbon Metallic will be alot of work, but will be very sharp when clean!!!! I've had white before and it is nice too, but it seems that the bugs like to land on it and take a crap!!! There were always little flecks of stuff on my white trucks!!!

Raven · April 11, 2004

I like the Carbon - I was going to buy that color if I had found one in stock like I wanted but I didn't so I bought Black which was my 'tie' for first choice. However, white is also a favorite too!

I don't think you could go wrong with White or the Silver Birch OR the Carbon. The Carbon WILL show dirt sooner than the other two colors (White actually hides it well too, which is a surprise to most people!).

The 26 gallon fuel tank will not be an issue with the Diesel - I get at least 375 miles out of each tank with mine and it's not even broken in yet.

As far as long bed vs short - man, unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE THE LONG BED(!), buy the S/B!!!! A CC LB truck is a PAIN in the keister to park and garage and maneuvering? Faggedaboutit! Trying to go through a drive through is a nightmare and your wife or someone else will probably end up curbing the tires (if not wiping the fender on the yellow barriers at the local gas station!).

Buy a SB CC and you'll LOVE it - I sure do!!

silverado3500 · April 11, 2004

I have several crew cab long box trucks (including a dually) and have not had any issues parking them (it just takes a little getting used to. If length is really that much of an issue, I'd go with an extended cab long box. The excab/longbox will be 10" shorter than a crew cab short box.

medons · April 12, 2004

Thanks for all of the input. I also posted the message on an RV truck camper forum. Interestingly, the camper forum pushed for the long bed, while I got more of a short bed push on this forum. Anyway, I'm convinced I'll be miserable with the CC longbed so I'm getting a short bed and I'll just have to live with whatever campers I can fit. I'm leaning towards the white color because the "silver birch" is actually kind of dirty colored silver and my family doesn't like it. Anyway you can't go wrong with white. I'm interested in any information about custom painting the fender flares or body side molding to get a little color contrast. And finally, I think I'll go with the Chevy over the GMC because of availability and youthful appeal. The GMC is perceived as kind of old man's truck and the Chevy as playful young man's truck. Thanks for your input.

99silveradoz71 · April 12, 2004

And finally, I think I'll go with the Chevy over the GMC because of availability and youthful appeal. The GMC is perceived as kind of old man's truck and the Chevy as playful young man's truck.

Oh dear, I see some feeback from this one

Raven · April 12, 2004

Thanks for all of the input. I also posted the message on an RV truck camper forum. Interestingly, the camper forum pushed for the long bed, while I got more of a short bed push on this forum. Anyway, I'm convinced I'll be miserable with the CC longbed so I'm getting a short bed and I'll just have to live with whatever campers I can fit. I'm leaning towards the white color because the "silver birch" is actually kind of dirty colored silver and my family doesn't like it. Anyway you can't go wrong with white. I'm interested in any information about custom painting the fender flares or body side molding to get a little color contrast. And finally, I think I'll go with the Chevy over the GMC because of availability and youthful appeal. The GMC is perceived as kind of old man's truck and the Chevy as playful young man's truck. Thanks for your input.

You won't go wrong with those choices! Post some pics when you get it.

timk49 · April 12, 2004

Since I go to remote off-road sites in the desert and tow a small trailer with ATVs, I need to go with a slide-in to preserve the hitch. The long bed gets me lots of options for slide-ins but the everyday driving and parking worries me. Keep opinions coming! THANKS.

I'd tow a Toy Box trailer instead. The ATVs are safe and sound inside all year round. the short bed works fine then. you will hate your manuverablity with the long bed crew cab. I tow my trailer to the desert a lot and then drive some pretty remote trails. I'd hate to have to try them in a CC long bed.