the 454 won't fit in the new design. just like nothing larger than the 5.4 will fit in the F-150 and F250 light. i did read that you can get all three v-8's and the 6.5 diesel in the new body design.
the interior cabs will be the largest on the market. the engines have impressive torque. the torque curves on these engines look like that of a diesel. motor trend tested the new GM trucks. the 5.3 chevy in a 4 wheel drive extended cab. it did 0-60 in 8.6 sec. thats about the same time it takes a 2 wheel drive Ford. plus they have the most sophisticated computer, traction control, more engine and gauge readings than most people will know what to do with, yet they have the simplest electrical layout. only 5 wire splices, compared to 90 something on the previous model, 118 on Ford, and 90 something on Dodge. That should translate to zero of those little nagging (sometimes worse) electrical problems that seems to creep into todays vehicles after 5 or 6 years and lots of miles.
Talked to my local Chevy dealer today and he again got on the phone with his Chevy rep and confirmed that they will start building 3/4 and 1/2 ton '99 Silverado's at the same time.
The only way to get the new 6000 V8 is to order the 8600 GVWR 2500. This motor comes standard in this vehicle. The 4X4 2500 comes standard as an 8600 GVWR vehicle.
There are also two different automatic transmissions. The M30 (light duty tranny) comes with the 5300 V8. The MT1 (heavy duty tranny) comes with the 6000 V8 and is only available with the 3/4 ton 8600 GVWR pickup.
When you order a 7200 GVWR 2500 4X2 with the 5300 V8, you get the M30 light duty tranny.
When you order a 7200 GVWR 2500 4X2 with the 6000 V8, you get the MT1 heavy duty tranny.
3.73 and 4.10 axles are are available with the 5300 and 6000 V8's. The 3.42 is available with the 5300 V8 7200 GVWR. A C6P axle (?) is also available with the 6000 V8.
Has anyone seen the torque curve for the 6000 V8 or the current 5.7L Chevy V8? I am curious to see a torque curve comparison of these two motors.
3.42, 4.10 and C6P (?) axles are available with the 6.5L diesel V8 which only comes as a 8600 GVWR.
Has anyone seen the torque curve for the 6000 V8 or the current 5.7L Chevy V8? I am curious to see a torque curve comparison of these motors along with the Cummins and Powerstroke diesels.
the diesels peak at around 1600 to 1800 rpms and slowly decline down. the upper rpms aren't very torquey. the new chevy gas motors get to about 90 to 95% peak in the 1800 to 2000 range, and are basically flat up to the peak around 4000 rpms. you pretty much have all the engines torque over most of the range.
the vortec 5.7 (current 350) has majority of torque around 2000 and peaks at 2800 rpm, then starts to decline downward. the current vortecs are impressive when you put a load on them. hills nor weight phases them too much. my experience, anyway.
Well, like I said earlier, I got the chance to see 20 99 GMC,s at the local GMC dealership. These were experamental hand-made models that are destined to perform crash tests.
There were most configurations and colors available. (although not all will make it to production.) I personally like the new green color, it is pretty bright and compliments the 2X4 nicely.
I was only permitted to peek into the windows to see that the rear seat is indeed larger and for some reason, the GMC only has one rear door, not the two everyone said GMC would have.
There was only one 3/4 ton visable and it was a plain one.
The 1500 series is not supposed to have badging that identifies it as such whereas the 2500 and up will.
The front tow hooks are much smaller and thinner in diameter than the current truck.
The stepside may automatically come with plastic bed rail protection a-la Ford.
The rear-window glass is flush with the cab and devoid of metal or plastic trim.
The aluminum wheels depicted on the red GMC in the MotorTrend article are awesome in person.
The two wheel drive models seem low to the ground and almost hod-rodish with their large diameter wheels.
The beds floors have a drain hole for every grove.
The fog lights are collapseable.
The side trim on the GMC is minimal and chrome.
It was impossible to tell what was under the hood but I assume almost all had the 5300.
Those trucks are gone now but I still see one driving around town (Albuquerque) once in a while and I must admit, it is one of the first trucks that I've liked at first sight. It doesn't have the love it or hate it styling of the competition.
Referencing your post about the '99 GMCs you saw--as far as I know, the trucks (both the Chevy and GMC) will have only 3 doors when they roll off the line. GM is SO SLOW in redesigning vehicles that this design (3-door) was locked in before the 4-door design became so popular. Therefore the doors can't be changed until the first revision of the body style (2001 model year), to coincide with the revision of the 2000 Tahoe/Suburban models. If I've heard wrong, anyone, please let me know.
My apologies! The last post about 99 Doors should read that the new GM trucks will have 4 doors for the 2000 model year (not the 2001 model year like I said.) I was thinking they would arrive in 2000 for the 2001 model year.
Anyone heard the news? GM is talking about moving (more) plants to Mexico! Tell them how full of it they are. Tell them American jobs are more important than helping develop a third world country! Tell them to use Saturn as a model to treat employees, and keep jobs in America.
P.S. I am not a union member, and don't know anyone who is in the UAW
I think the UAW has indeed served a useful purpose in the past and present. But, sometimes I think its members should see how much the average worker makes in my state and maybe they won't be asking for so much. ( $15 to $25 dollars an hour? c'mon what other industries baby their employees that much! Even Intel is getting ready for some firings! ) If they keep pushing, it'll be easier for GM to hire a Mexican worker accross the border who'll be happy making 80% less! And NO! I'm NOT from Mexico,!
Now, Let's get back to 99 Chevy's and GMC's shall we?
GM could very well be headed up that proverbial thick brown river. The CAW has announced they will NOT build the 1999 Silverado/Sierra with parts from the moved sheet-metal dies in support of the UAW strike. With the Delphi parts strike joining in, GM is expected to be deader than a doornail withing 5 days.
Analysts say this will cost GM some $68 million per day in lost production, and Wall Street is supporting management, saying GM should have downsized in the 80s when Chrysler and Ford did. The CNN poll today (at www.cnn.com) is asking the public who they support. As of 2:30pm Eastern, it was 63% management, 37% union.
The lead story on the front page in my local paper is how the strike is likely to force shut downs and possible job losses here in Arlington. The unions need to remember the basic economic laws of supply and demand. The way to tell if you're over paid is if someone is willing to do your job for less and do it at the same level of quality and efficiency as you are. I don't suspect there is a shortage of qualified people in the US who would work for those wages. This strike, like all of the recent strikes, will only force GM to outsource more and build factories elsewhere.
But like you said, let's get back to Chevy's. What do you think the impact of the strike will have on the scheduled release date of the 99 model?
If the strikes last, and the CAW backs up their threat of not using the sheet metal from the moved dies, there will only be a weeks' worth of 1999s made until the strikes are settled. GM needed the Ontario plant to be running all summer to have enough trucks for the fall launch.
If it's a prolonged strike, look for Ford and Dodge to be working lots of OT to build pickups for those who want one and/or can't wait. And with the 4 door advantage over GM's 3 door trucks, GM will lose major market share when people opt for the available trucks from F & D instead of waiting for the new GM rigs. Ford would be the big winner as Dodge can't get too much above 400,000 units due to plant capacity (boy, do they need a fifth Ram plant...).
Just finished reading the AutoWeek test (June 8 issue) of the GMC Sierra/Chevy Silverado. It's official. GM is clueless.
Out of the four "groups" they defined: - Functionalists - Value Seekers - Style and Image Seekers - Progressive Truckness Seekers they seem to have put the most emphasis on the last two groups according to the test. In other words, the people who don't need a truck, but are buying one because that's the "thing" to do right now. Full-size pickups are still considered a fad item to these people, and I just see too much compromise for these people vs the hardcore truckers who always-have-bought/do-buy/will-always -buy trucks because they need a truck. The only concession even mentioned for the "Value" group they defined is the fact that the engines use iron blocks instead of aluminum. The "Functionalists" got stiffer body and chassis, horsepower, and brakes. Everything else was aimed at the style people to move up from a car. There's no mention of improved payloads or towing numbers, and the test says that only the rack-and-pinion equipped trucks steer worth anything.
It's claimed in the article by GM that "Functionalists" no longer rule the roost when it comes to truck sales. This means GM is more interested in the high-profit-per-unit of trucks than serving the people who actually need the vehicle. Not everyone will dash out and buy a Camaro because it might be the hot thing to have; why should everyone rush out and buy a truck? You can always tell the folks who bought a pickup or SUV on hype because the first thing they ask is, "how do I get more mpg?" That means they don't even need a truck for "style" because they can't afford to fuel it.
i'm not sure if you think GM is clueless or the magazine you read was clueless.
if this magazine didn't mention anything about mechanical improvements, or functionality features, then you shouldn't base your opinions on one publication. Motortrend and Popular mechanics gaving reviews on the new GMs as basically both said, these trucks are top of the class in all departments. if you want real info for us "truckers" on these trucks, go find it. Chevy's homepage would be a good start. i've got a ---- load of info on them, from test drives in national newspapers and 3 magazines
about the styling or whatever those groups were you mentioned, they were probably talking about GMs attempt to make this a "democratic" truck. they did years of research and customer surveys and market surveys to see what people wanted. then they designed on their findings. that doesn't mean they didn't make this thing able to do any work. it has the biggest cab in the industry and the most powerful engines in the industry, stiffest frame, and carries over the same industry leading transmission.
look a little harder, there's lots of info out there.
At no time have I heard criticism about the truck, not even the fact that they don't have a 4 door extended cab. I have word that C/D will do another test in the August issue that will be a bit more involved and a bit more critical. Press releases from Chevy's website are just that, press releases. I checked the website, filled out the info form, and got very little in return - a single page with some headline hype about what's new - no detail from the people who are actually making this thing and want me to buy it.
GM has not shown me any evidence that they have made a real TRUCK - rather, they have catered to the fad sales for those who are moving out of cars, and several of the tests have mentioned that GM is intentionally going after that group. The engine talk always seems to translate into 0-60 times. I'm not interested in how fast I can get to 60, but how much junk can I take with me and whether or not I can get it moving without having to floor the pedal every time. I don't care about 70-0 or even 80-0 braking distances. Tell me if the brakes will hold up with a full bed in stop-and-go traffic all day without fading.
Even the F150, when introduced for 1997, made an effort to attract the work-truck market by making a few high-payload models. No one is releasing any GM payload figures, just GVWR numbers. GVWR doesn't mean anything - it's how much of that is usable cargo payload vs how much is overweight truck.
I will give GM credit for the use of 4 wheel discs, and for their automatic transmissions. The rest of the truck shows little imagination on the part of the designers. Even without attempting radical redesigns like Dodge and Ford, there's nothing there to attract a D or F owner, just "familiar" looks for the current GM owners ready to trade in.
chevy has been very stingy with their info. but i don't think the ford or dodge redesigns have been hyped up like this one. people have been talking about this truck for over a year now. ford or dodge never showed anything more than pictures when their new trucks came out. ford gave out plenty of info when the new superduties came out. these are work trucks, and workablity is what sells them. but not a whole lot was known until right before.
i think you'll get the numbers you want after they hit the market. of course, the strike is really throwing monkey wrenches in those plans.
basically we've been told the engines are stronger , the truck is stronger and it is bigger. the extended cabs are practically the size of a crewcab. will that give you room for your stuff?
the current chevy's have the strongest gas engines on the market, and the new one are even better. what else would you want? (if you are a chevy guy i guess)
GM designed the truck from customer input. i don't think i'm getting that across. if you are selling 700 to 800k trucks a year, why would design something totally off the wall. GM needed to redesign so they would have a total package that used all of the capabilities of today's technology. they could do what they want with styling though. ford took a hell of risk with theirs, and came out on top. but at first people were asking if it would succeed. Dodge had to try something new '94. they had no choice. they built the worst truck in the country and everybody knew it. they emphasize the "new dodge" so you forget the old one. they basically had nothing to lose with their radical design. it took a little time, but now their finally gaining speed.
i don't know what you mean by getting F and D drivers something else to choose. all we basically have for that opinion is a picture. do you make a truck decision off of pictures and some other guy in a magazine? its a start. but the decision is made when you go drive it, see what it can do. so it still looks like a chevy. if that's too much for some people, i guess GM has to live with it, but 700K people a year like it.
i could care less what they did with the styling. its the huge cabs, powerful engines, and past reliability that i think will make this truck a winner. if they ever start making it...
700k a year? Well, not for long. GM has been losing sales every year since 1994 in light truck sales. That is saying alot for Ford which is smaller and has less overall dealers. I agree that Dodge had nothing to lose but Ford has everything to gain. The big cry over the years was how Ford has an ugly truck. That talk has still never changed. Then again, their sales are continuing to climb past COMBINED sales of Chevy and GMC. Style is only one aspect and Ford always proves that with the best made truck in America.
I have always been a devout Chevy fan and probably always will be. But, based on everything I've read, heard or driven, I hate to admit that Ford does seem to have the quality advantage. Their trucks are pretty damn squeek and rattle free and feel solid. They finally addressed the ergonomic (old trucks were attrocious) and suspension issues in the current truck. To bad the gas engines are so underpowered in proportion to the gas mileage. The deisel is great but for over three grand more and for gas that is over 25 cents more per gallon, I don't see the cost-benefit advantage. Unless, you're one of the few travel trailer dealers in you area hwo is justified in buying an otherwise impracticle "Kenworth".
Dodge desperately took a chance with their redesign and it has succeeded because like Chevy's new strategy, car people were after image. To bad Chrysler spent all their money on styling instead of engineering. And, unfortunately, I think people also bought it because like Nike, everyone wanted to "just do it". (Now Nike is in a freefall in sales because now everyone has "just done it" and it has become too mainstream.) So shall the Dodge.
I'm hoping and praying the GM has truly improved its trucks. Only time will tell what the strike does.
Besides, I think I'll hold out for the four door anyway.
P.S. although I am a chevy fan, I think I like the GMC much better!
From all I have seen to date, the new '99 Silverado looks to be a winner for "the people who need a truck".
98% of the pickup owners I know in my neck of the woods, Central California, use their pickups on their farms daily and only occasionally use them to haul their boats and travel trailers. Daily, they tow tractors, spray rigs and haul bins full of fruit. They idle them for long periods when irrigating their fields.
The 10 to 1 choice for this use is the Chevy 1/2 ton X-Cab 2x4 with 5.7L gas, 3.73 gears and automatic. A few buy 4x4 Chevys. Next choice would be Dodge with the 360 gas and then the Ford F150 with the 5.4L.
The only ones I know buying the Dodge with V10 or Cummins and Ford Superduty with the Powerstroke diesel are those primarily using them to tow boats, travel trailers or horse trailers. The big heavy duty truck applications seem to be for recreational use or heavy duty commercial use like PG&E or other such utility companies. Farmers in my area primarily use Chevy 1/2 ton 4x2's for their ease of use, getting in and out of the field, the towing capability, gas engine performance and reliability.
I have been trying to find a good used Chevy at a fair price but have found that used Chevy pickups in California bring full retail price at auction and bring $2K to $3K over full retail on the dealer lots. Used Chevy pickups in California consistently bring significantly more money and are more plentiful than any pickup period. Dodge pickups with cummins also bring high dollars but are hard to find. Ford pickups bring the lowest price.
The new Chevy has more of everything than the current model and should sell well and perform well for those who need a truck. In addition, it also works well as a replacement for a car as it brings much better resale when you are ready to trade!
A 1992 Chevy 1/2 ton in good shape with 180,000 miles will bring $3,000 over high blue book in California on a dealers lot. People actually are paying these kinds of prices! No one seems to be at all concerned about buying a 6 year old Chevy pickup with a 5.7L motor with almost 200,000 miles on it. This truck has a very good reputation among people who use them as trucks and depend on them for their livelyhood.
I guess Ford has no right making trucks and selling them in California! LOL! Sounds as a very big fan of Chevy trying to put rose-colored glasses on everyone. I admittedly don't know Cali but I do know the Mid-Atlantic area from the beach to the mountains. All three trucks are well represented here. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and moved to Delaware six years ago. I've known many farmers and construction guys as well. I am personally in the roofing buisness and currently own 14 trucks. Chevy Does have a good reputation but it is fading. Dodge has become a player and Ford makes a damn good truck no matter what you like. If what you said is correct, then Ford should be losing sales and not gaining. They should be hovering around 400k in sales a year, not 700k. Resale value? Sure, Chevy is higher. Do you want to know why? Ford sells a ton-load of trucks to fleets and construction firms so their resale should be lower. Why do firms like mine buy Fords? Best value for the best made truck. There is no conspiracy why Ford outsells GM as a whole in the truck market! GM better wake up.
Rocles on the same token, you could say "looks like a big fan of ford putting blue colored glasses on everyone."
i don't see GM fading like you do. GM doesn't have the diesel power. but every other engine across the board has more power AND gets better gas mileage than anything ford or dodge puts up. even the so called "outdated" 454 has more power than ford's new v10, and probably gets the same mileage. i don't think that v10 will fetch any better than 12-14 mpg. dodge's v10 has more power, but how far can that thing get away from a gas pump. nothing touches the 350(power AMD efficiency). and the new motors and trucks only promise to be better. that only puts competition further behind. GM has yet to put out a engine or transmission that couldn't be relied on. as far as the rest of the trucks, i've never heard of any major problems of any sort, on any model. there's a lot of people out there that think GM is right where they need to be. the consensus of this chat room isn't the exact consensus of the USA. i may be guilty myself, but don't let a little bias crawl in too much. different strokes for different folks.
First off, one can always get after-market head rests if that is the only concern. Second, here in Delaware, Chevy dealers are higher in price than Ford. Sure, they will order you a truck but it takes too long for me. My fleet does represent more Chevy's than Fords to begin with. I know Chevy. My complaint is that it seems that GM is becoming complacent with progress. You mention that you have owned Hondas for the past years and now you're in need of a truck. Why then, would you be looking at the Super-Dutys? That is a big jump in vehicles and generally when people make that rash of decision, they become dissapointed to easily. Plus, I did check prices on this site and where is Ford over-priced compared to GM? I think you confused trim levels with the different trucks. Any Dodge would be higher if you want the Cummins. Check again and get apples to apples. By the way, I love my Chevys and they have been good to me. Alas, the Fords have been even more worry-free. Overall quality is key.
Front page headlines in the local paper today: 1,500 workers to be idled at Arlington GM. They ran out of parts. They are the 18th GM plant to be idled for that reason. By the end of today, the strike is expected to have frozen 80% of GM's North American production. The Arlington plant makes SUVs and full size pickups, but I'm not sure if they will be making the new 99 Silverado. Any delays will not be caused by a lack of workers to build the trucks, but by a lack of parts. The Arlington plant has a priority with GM because of the types of vehicles they make. They expect GM to use air freight to get them parts once the strike is over, which will enable them to be up and running within two days of the end of the strike. If the strike ends in the next week or two, any delays in getting the 99 to the market should be minimal.
I'll second Rocles comment about making sure you're comparing apples to apples. I've never heard anyone claim that Chevy trucks are less expensive than a similiarly equiped Ford Truck. My guess is that they must be fairly close in price to be competitive, although I would actually think that Chevy's would be a little more. GM averages 25 hours to build a vehicle while Ford averages 18. That's one of the reasons Wall Street is supporting management's cost cutting efforts.
As for "amount over invoice", you just have to shop around, regardless of what make of truck you are looking to buy. There is a guy on this site who ordered one of the new 99 Ford Superduty trucks from a dealer in San Francisco for $400 over dealer invoice back in March when they first came out. If he can get a Superduty for that price in Central CA, you can find a dealer who will sell a F-150 for a similar price or lower.
But hey, all of the Big Three are making good trucks. You should buy what you feel most comfortable driving. If it's a Chevy, so be it. Then again, if you're looking at buying a Chevy diesel over a Cummins or Powerstroke, I'd recommend doing a little more research.
I personally read AutoWeek and enjoy it's status as a leader in the field of vehicle information! I read their article on the new GM trucks and was astounded at what GM said they focused on: Customers who buy trucks for the image. They didn't focus on anyone who uses trucks for a living. Remember, GM said this, not AutoWeek.
I guess GM figures that a Chevy buyer is always a Chevy buyer. But they are wrong. I'm a Chevy FAMILY and I won't ever buy a Chevy product again. Their designs are always outdated. And I think the fact that GM has only 3-doors on it's non-Crew Cab trucks until 2000 is assinine. Dodge was late to the xtra door party, and made a splash with 4. Ford is catching up this year, and GM, well, the sleeping giant will do it eventually.
But back to AW. AutoWeek always has up-to-date information and, since it's published weekly, can get the best information before going to press unlike C/D, Motor/Truck Trend, etc. which are copy frozen 3 months ahead of printing. That's why AW is the first and only magazine I make sure to read the day I get it.
Has anyone heard when GM will announce their '99 prices? Having placed an order for a '99 Silverado LS, I have a ballpark figure on how much I'll owe my local dealer but am curious as to whether all of the hype surrounding this 'new' truck will give the General an excuse to jump the prices more than the traditional 1.5-2%.
I have heard a wide range of estimates on when pricing will be available from the end of June to some time in August. I have also heard the new trucks will arrive before the pricing does. The first '99 Ford Superdutys I saw had a window sticker with no retail prices. Maybe the first Chevys will come the same way.
Rocles: Can you supply the names of aftermarket companies who make quality rear seat headrests for the Dodge and Ford extended cab pickups. If I spend $30K on a new truck, I would want the same quality in any components I add.
I actually have used past Honda Accords to tow a small trailer and light boat. I now have need to tow a 4,500 lb. boat and plan to buy a trailer, maybe a 5th wheel, that I will load to over 8,000 lbs. I will also carry 1,200 lbs. in the bed.
I have printed Edmonds price sheets on the Fords, Dodges and Chevys and have compared trim levels and the features I want. I have done apple to apple comparisons but will repost a detailed comparison chart so we can all compare together. I have also compared the cost Edmonds posts against what Kelly Blue Book posts as dealer invoice.
If may be that certain configurations will give one company a price advantage over another. I only priced the top trim levels, with cloth interior, fully loaded including towing packages and 5.4L Ford Gas, 360 Dodge gas and Chevy 5.7L engines.
If '99 Chevy pricing goes way up, everything changes. I am comparing 1998 Chevy to 1998 Ford to 1998 Dodge.
The August '98 issue of Truckin' magazine has some great pictures of the 1999 Chevy. It also has an extensive review of the '99 GMC pickup. Both will have a 40/20/40 front bench seat.
Does anyone know of anywhere in the Dallas area where a dealer might have an early release (if there is such a thing) of the '99 Sierra or Silverado? I'm anxious to buy a new truck and am trying to decide whether to wait for the '99s or go ahead and get something that is already available. Being able to actually see one would help me decide. Driving one would be even better.
jim2, I tried to compare prices on this site but Chevy makes it hard. They have five different trim interiors to compare to an XLT and thats not including the exterior trim packages! After much shifting for gold I came up with some comparisons. Chevy C-1500 ext.cab with short bed. 5.7l vortec with trailer package and payload package.Throw out auto and air cond. because there was no real difference: 20,596 invoice. Ford XLT F-150 with ext.cab and shortbed. 5.4l triton with tow package and payload package: 21,070 invoice. Dodge Ram, yadda,yadda,yadda with their big 360 motor and similar packages: 20,985 invoice.
The Ford is 500 more and the Dodge-400. Not much of a difference to me when talking 20 grand to begin with. I admit that there were little things that I ommitted like sliding rear windows and cd players which add up on any truck. Honestly speaking, the Chevy trim packages were hard to equate with a XLT and so I gave the benefit of doubt in your favor and saved 450 dollars which could have evened things. Second, Chevy offered a 3.42 rear to compare with Ford's 3.55 but I equaled that with the motors. I'm not talking like an expert and I surely made mistakes in this comparison. However, Ford wasn't exactly three or four grand higher than Chevy. I wouldn't respond if that was the case. Dodge was right there also. Basically, price is not a factor here. I've said this all along. I am not attacking Chevy but all of this might be moot anyway. Lets face it, those trucks aren't being made right now. If this strike goes longer, Ford and Dodge will be selling more trucks on their lots. Especially when only the loaded GM trucks are left(typical of any maker).
Wire reports today (6/25) are now saying that the Oshawa plant currently building the new Silverado/Sierra will be out of parts and dead by mid July if the strike isn't settled. There are Wall Street analysts who think this could turn into something similar to the machinists strike against Eastern Airlines in the 80s, which caused the complete failure and shutdown of the company. Less-negative analysis compares this to the UAW strike that trashed the launch of the Chevy Malibu last year.
GM's current threat of a court challenge to the strikes' legality will also cause the strikes to last longer, as the UAW has stated that just proves GM's unwillingness to negotiate. GM has legitimate fear of not having product during the important fall sports season (NFL, baseball playoffs) advertising campaign to intro the new trucks.
GM is scheduled for it's annual two week shutdown in July. Neither side expects a deal by then. The most optimistic scenario would be a settlement in August. The UAW has vowed to last one day longer than GM in the strike.
The news only gets worse. The UAW has another issue at another GM plant that they also say they will strike over. They are not striking now because they say it would not be effective since the current strike is already cripling the company. In other words, they are threatening another walkout after this strike is settled. It doesn't look good for an on-time release of the 1999 Silverado.
It's all I can do not to go off on a political tangent with my opinion of the strike, but this isn't the proper forum. Let's cross our fingers and hope for a, quicker than expected, settlement. I'd like to see some of those new rigs out on the road soon.
I have started a new topic, called "The GM Strike," so we can discuss the strike and how it affects truck production, etc. Check it out, it's Topic #250.
My concern involving the new 1999 Silverados is if they are ever going to fix the poorly constructed third door. On my current 1998 model, it creaks, squeaks, and pops almost all of the time under all driving conditions day after day. Also, is this new engine going to be a flop? It creates more horsepower and less torque at higher rpm's, much like the Corvette engine. How durable is it going to be with aluminum instead of cast iron?
first of all, the engine is cast iron, not aluminum. it has aluminum heads. the induction system is the same as the corvette, but the rest of the block is cast iron, and designed differently. test drives of the new engines have been impressive. i know 0-60 times are something sports car people should worry about, but they do tell something about the engines power over the whole range of rpms. the 0-60 time for a '99 Z71 (4x4) with the 5.3 engine was just as fast as the 0-60 time for '98 vortec 350 in a 2 WHEEL DRIVe. the engine is really not to be compared too much to the corvette, other than using the same type of ignition and fuel-air mixture techniques for maximum efficiency and horsepower. they've taken class leading motors and made them even better.
i know several people with 3rd door, chevy's and have not heard one person complain of a squeak or rattle. best friend has had one for 8 months, and i ride with him a lot, never heard a squeak. you might have got a lemon, one with a misweld or some other defect. you can try complaining to the dealer, but...
but what? I don't think most dealers really give a whole lot about true customer service. This is actually my second 98 Extended Cab with the same third door problems. Consider your friends lucky that they have solid third doors. I have talked recently to three GM dealers and they also agree with me that there are definite structural problems with the third doors. When I talked to GM's customer service complaint department, they are also aware of the problems but they brush them off and call them "design characteristics". To me, that means the third doors are suppose to be able to flex and bend creating popping and squeaking noises. Some product GM puts out while calling the Chevy trucks "solid like a rock".
but what... meant that i thought the dealer would probably try to brush you off. i am really puzzled by the fact you got 2 trucks with the same problem. maybe its the factory. the fact that i have lucky friends means i have over 10 lucky people that I have never heard complain about their 3rd door. just about everyone i know with a new chevy had their trucks made in arlington, Tx. i've even read reviews that said the 3rd door was solid. the publication i read was comparing the full size 3rd door to chevy's s10 3rd door, where it said the s10 door squeaked, but the full size ones were solid. could be that you got a truck out of a production period that some part of the production operations were off, and GM didn't catch until lots of trucks went out the door, and is trying to ignore it so they can avoid lots of recall payouts. kind of like ford and the faulty ignition module, where 22 million vehicles had the module, but only about 2 million (?) were actually recalled.
it sucks to be at the mercy of a dealer who won't be honest with you. luckily, my family has dealt with the same chevy and ford dealers in our hometown for the past 20 years, so they are straight with us and tell us things about their products that they wouldn't tell just anyone (design mistakes, flaws, etc.) because they know that to us, their honesty translates into business from us, and they are always willing to help out and fix what a warranty really should cover, and not give us the avoidance and run around. i hear lots of stories about big city impersonal dealers that really bend over the customer when he comes back in for obligated work. i consider myself lucky to be able to call my dealer my friend and not string of cuss words.
Both of my 1998 Extended Cab Silverado's were made in Oshawa, Canada plant. I live in the Madison, WI area and most of the trucks around here are either built in Fort Wayne, IN or Oshawa, Canada. Unfortunately, both of mine have been made outside of the U.S. in Canada. I have even been told by one of the nations leading (biggest) strictly Chevrolet dealership right here in Madison, WI that told me to "Go find another dealership, maybe they can help you". That dealership is aware of the third door problems and they claim until Chevrolet Motor Division puts out a recall on third doors, they refuse to fix the problem. In my opinion, they just don't have the knowledge to fix the creaky third doors. I'm yet another loyal, yet disgruntled, Chevrolet customer.
Chairmaker - that's still the old-body - GM made them 1999s in February for reasons known only to themselves. If you notice the engine selection, it's still 305 and 350, not the new V8s that are available for the new body.
i think they made the trucks and called them '99s because the redesigned trucks were going to get better mileage, thus they could stop selling trucks under the '98 year for CAFE reasons, and get some of the older ones on the '99 records.
I just read that GM is investigating the use of outside contractors to make the parts necessary to get their profitable truck factories up and running.
The news may not be all bad. I just read that GM has managed to maintain production of it's 99 full-size pickup throughout the strike at the Oshawa Ontario plant. I'm not sure if the strike will impact pricing when the vehicles hit the showrooms.
Cookie1 and cdean: My '97 Silverado was built at the Oshawa plant, shipped south to the Gulf Coast, have had 10 months now, and I have not had any problems with the third door. In fact, the only defect I have had was that the glove compartment door wasn't installed correctly, the light stayed on all the time. A few tweaks at the dealer and the problem was fixed. Cookie1, sounds like you got a defect, for sure.
Well, I finally received the "new" information on the 1999 Silverado from Chevy. It's a custom brochure (which could but shouldn't explain the extremely long delay) that focuses on what I selected on their web site. Nice truck, but the biggest reason they LOSE me again for yet another vehicle is design - no fourth door for '99. If any one has any questions, and hasn't seen a brochure, ask me. I've got the custom brochure with interior focus and engine focus sections.
Comments
the 454 won't fit in the new design. just like nothing larger than the 5.4 will fit in the F-150 and F250 light. i did read that you can get all three v-8's and the 6.5 diesel in the new body design.
4.8
5.3
6.0
The only way to get the new 6000 V8 is to order the 8600 GVWR 2500. This motor comes standard in this vehicle. The 4X4 2500 comes standard as an 8600 GVWR vehicle.
There are also two different automatic transmissions. The M30 (light duty tranny) comes with the 5300 V8. The MT1 (heavy duty tranny) comes with the 6000 V8 and is only available with the 3/4 ton 8600 GVWR pickup.
When you order a 7200 GVWR 2500 4X2 with the 5300 V8, you get the M30 light duty tranny.
When you order a 7200 GVWR 2500 4X2 with the 6000 V8, you get the MT1 heavy duty tranny.
3.73 and 4.10 axles are are available with the 5300 and 6000 V8's. The 3.42 is available with the 5300 V8 7200 GVWR. A C6P axle (?) is also available with the 6000 V8.
Has anyone seen the torque curve for the 6000 V8 or the current 5.7L Chevy V8? I am curious to see a torque curve comparison of these two motors.
3.42, 4.10 and C6P (?) axles are available with the 6.5L diesel V8 which only comes as a 8600 GVWR.
Has anyone seen the torque curve for the 6000 V8 or the current 5.7L Chevy V8? I am curious to see a torque curve comparison of these motors along with the Cummins and Powerstroke diesels.
the vortec 5.7 (current 350) has majority of torque around 2000 and peaks at 2800 rpm, then starts to decline downward. the current vortecs are impressive when you put a load on them. hills nor weight phases them too much. my experience, anyway.
Well, like I said earlier, I got the chance to see 20 99 GMC,s at the local GMC dealership. These were experamental hand-made models that are destined to perform crash tests.
There were most configurations and colors available. (although not all will make it to production.) I personally like the new green color, it is pretty bright and compliments the 2X4 nicely.
I was only permitted to peek into the windows to see that the rear seat is indeed larger and for some reason, the GMC only has one rear door, not the two everyone said GMC would have.
There was only one 3/4 ton visable and it was a plain one.
The 1500 series is not supposed to have badging that identifies it as such whereas the 2500 and up will.
The front tow hooks are much smaller and thinner in diameter than the current truck.
The stepside may automatically come with plastic bed rail protection a-la Ford.
The rear-window glass is flush with the cab and devoid of metal or plastic trim.
The aluminum wheels depicted on the red GMC in the MotorTrend article are awesome in person.
The two wheel drive models seem low to the ground and almost hod-rodish with their large diameter wheels.
The beds floors have a drain hole for every grove.
The fog lights are collapseable.
The side trim on the GMC is minimal and chrome.
It was impossible to tell what was under the hood but I assume almost all had the 5300.
Those trucks are gone now but I still see one driving around town (Albuquerque) once in a while and I must admit, it is one of the first trucks that I've liked at first sight. It doesn't have the love it or hate it styling of the competition.
Alex.
If I've heard wrong, anyone, please let me know.
Ryan
Tell them to use Saturn as a model to treat employees, and keep jobs in America.
P.S. I am not a union member, and don't know anyone who is in the UAW
Here's a story: http://www.autoauth.com/topstories/aw3.htm
And links to GM where you can e-mail them your comments:
www.cadillac.com
www.buick.com
www.pontiac.com
www.gmc.com
www.chevrolet.com
www.saturn.com
www.oldsmobile.com
Wes
Now, Let's get back to 99 Chevy's and GMC's shall we?
Analysts say this will cost GM some $68 million per day in lost production, and Wall Street is supporting management, saying GM should have downsized in the 80s when Chrysler and Ford did. The CNN poll today (at www.cnn.com) is asking the public who they support. As of 2:30pm Eastern, it was 63% management, 37% union.
But like you said, let's get back to Chevy's. What do you think the impact of the strike will have on the scheduled release date of the 99 model?
If the strikes last, and the CAW backs up their threat of not using the sheet metal from the moved dies, there will only be a weeks' worth of 1999s made until the strikes are settled. GM needed the Ontario plant to be running all summer to have enough trucks for the fall launch.
If it's a prolonged strike, look for Ford and Dodge to be working lots of OT to build pickups for those who want one and/or can't wait. And with the 4 door advantage over GM's 3 door trucks, GM will lose major market share when people opt for the available trucks from F & D instead of waiting for the new GM rigs. Ford would be the big winner as Dodge can't get too much above 400,000 units due to plant capacity (boy, do they need a fifth Ram plant...).
Out of the four "groups" they defined:
- Functionalists
- Value Seekers
- Style and Image Seekers
- Progressive Truckness Seekers
they seem to have put the most emphasis on the last two groups according to the test. In other words, the people who don't need a truck, but are buying one because that's the "thing" to do right now. Full-size pickups are still considered a fad item to these people, and I just see too much compromise for these people vs the hardcore truckers who always-have-bought/do-buy/will-always -buy trucks because they need a truck. The only concession even mentioned for the "Value" group they defined is the fact that the engines use iron blocks instead of aluminum. The "Functionalists" got stiffer body and chassis, horsepower, and brakes. Everything else was aimed at the style people to move up from a car. There's no mention of improved payloads or towing numbers, and the test says that only the rack-and-pinion equipped trucks steer worth anything.
It's claimed in the article by GM that "Functionalists" no longer rule the roost when it comes to truck sales. This means GM is more interested in the high-profit-per-unit of trucks than serving the people who actually need the vehicle. Not everyone will dash out and buy a Camaro because it might be the hot thing to have; why should everyone rush out and buy a truck? You can always tell the folks who bought a pickup or SUV on hype because the first thing they ask is, "how do I get more mpg?" That means they don't even need a truck for "style" because they can't afford to fuel it.
i'm not sure if you think GM is clueless or the magazine you read was clueless.
if this magazine didn't mention anything about mechanical improvements, or functionality features, then you shouldn't base your opinions on one publication. Motortrend and Popular mechanics gaving reviews on the new GMs as basically both said, these trucks are top of the class in all departments. if you want real info for us "truckers" on these trucks, go find it. Chevy's homepage would be a good start. i've got a ---- load of info on them, from test drives in national newspapers and 3 magazines
about the styling or whatever those groups were you mentioned, they were probably talking about GMs attempt to make this a "democratic" truck. they did years of research and customer surveys and market surveys to see what people wanted. then they designed on their findings. that doesn't mean they didn't make this thing able to do any work. it has the biggest cab in the industry and the most powerful engines in the industry, stiffest frame, and carries over the same industry leading transmission.
look a little harder, there's lots of info out there.
-Motor Trend
-Truck Trend
-Truckin
-Car and Driver
-AutoWeek
-Four Wheeler
-Open Road
At no time have I heard criticism about the truck, not even the fact that they don't have a 4 door extended cab. I have word that C/D will do another test in the August issue that will be a bit more involved and a bit more critical. Press releases from Chevy's website are just that, press releases. I checked the website, filled out the info form, and got very little in return - a single page with some headline hype about what's new - no detail from the people who are actually making this thing and want me to buy it.
GM has not shown me any evidence that they have made a real TRUCK - rather, they have catered to the fad sales for those who are moving out of cars, and several of the tests have mentioned that GM is intentionally going after that group. The engine talk always seems to translate into 0-60 times. I'm not interested in how fast I can get to 60, but how much junk can I take with me and whether or not I can get it moving without having to floor the pedal every time. I don't care about 70-0 or even 80-0 braking distances. Tell me if the brakes will hold up with a full bed in stop-and-go traffic all day without fading.
Even the F150, when introduced for 1997, made an effort to attract the work-truck market by making a few high-payload models. No one is releasing any GM payload figures, just GVWR numbers. GVWR doesn't mean anything - it's how much of that is usable cargo payload vs how much is overweight truck.
I will give GM credit for the use of 4 wheel discs, and for their automatic transmissions. The rest of the truck shows little imagination on the part of the designers. Even without attempting radical redesigns like Dodge and Ford, there's nothing there to attract a D or F owner, just "familiar" looks for the current GM owners ready to trade in.
i think you'll get the numbers you want after they hit the market. of course, the strike is really throwing monkey wrenches in those plans.
basically we've been told the engines are stronger , the truck is stronger and it is bigger. the extended cabs are practically the size of a crewcab. will that give you room for your stuff?
the current chevy's have the strongest gas engines on the market, and the new one are even better. what else would you want? (if you are a chevy guy i guess)
GM designed the truck from customer input. i don't think i'm getting that across. if you are selling 700 to 800k trucks a year, why would design something totally off the wall. GM needed to redesign so they would have a total package that used all of the capabilities of today's technology. they could do what they want with styling though. ford took a hell of risk with theirs, and came out on top. but at first people were asking if it would succeed. Dodge had to try something new '94. they had no choice. they built the worst truck in the country and everybody knew it. they emphasize the "new dodge" so you forget the old one. they basically had nothing to lose with their radical design. it took a little time, but now their finally gaining speed.
i don't know what you mean by getting F and D drivers something else to choose. all we basically have for that opinion is a picture. do you make a truck decision off of pictures and some other guy in a magazine? its a start. but the decision is made when you go drive it, see what it can do. so it still looks like a chevy. if that's too much for some people, i guess GM has to live with it, but 700K people a year like it.
i could care less what they did with the styling. its the huge cabs, powerful engines, and past reliability that i think will make this truck a winner. if they ever start making it...
The big cry over the years was how Ford has an ugly truck. That talk has still never changed. Then again, their sales are continuing to climb past COMBINED sales of Chevy and GMC. Style is only one aspect and Ford always proves that with the best made truck in America.
I have always been a devout Chevy fan and probably always will be. But, based on everything I've read, heard or driven, I hate to admit that Ford does seem to have the quality advantage. Their trucks are pretty damn squeek and rattle free and feel solid. They finally addressed the ergonomic (old trucks were attrocious) and suspension issues in the current truck. To bad the gas engines are so underpowered in proportion to the gas mileage. The deisel is great but for over three grand more and for gas that is over 25 cents more per gallon, I don't see the cost-benefit advantage. Unless, you're one of the few travel trailer dealers in you area hwo is justified in buying an otherwise impracticle "Kenworth".
Dodge desperately took a chance with their redesign and it has succeeded because like Chevy's new strategy, car people were after image. To bad Chrysler spent all their money on styling instead of engineering. And, unfortunately, I think people also bought it because like Nike, everyone wanted to "just do it". (Now Nike is in a freefall in sales because now everyone has "just done it" and it has become too mainstream.) So shall the Dodge.
I'm hoping and praying the GM has truly improved its trucks. Only time will tell what the strike does.
Besides, I think I'll hold out for the four door anyway.
P.S. although I am a chevy fan, I think I like the GMC much better!
98% of the pickup owners I know in my neck of the woods, Central California, use their pickups on their farms daily and only occasionally use them to haul their boats and travel trailers. Daily, they tow tractors, spray rigs and haul bins full of fruit. They idle them for long periods when irrigating their fields.
The 10 to 1 choice for this use is the Chevy 1/2 ton X-Cab 2x4 with 5.7L gas, 3.73 gears and automatic. A few buy 4x4 Chevys. Next choice would be Dodge with the 360 gas and then the Ford F150 with the 5.4L.
The only ones I know buying the Dodge with V10 or Cummins and Ford Superduty with the Powerstroke diesel are those primarily using them to tow boats, travel trailers or horse trailers. The big heavy duty truck applications seem to be for recreational use or heavy duty commercial use like PG&E or other such utility companies. Farmers in my area primarily use Chevy 1/2 ton 4x2's for their ease of use, getting in and out of the field, the towing capability, gas engine performance and reliability.
I have been trying to find a good used Chevy at a fair price but have found that used Chevy pickups in California bring full retail price at auction and bring $2K to $3K over full retail on the dealer lots. Used Chevy pickups in California consistently bring significantly more money and are more plentiful than any pickup period. Dodge pickups with cummins also bring high dollars but are hard to find. Ford pickups bring the lowest price.
The new Chevy has more of everything than the current model and should sell well and perform well for those who need a truck. In addition, it also works well as a replacement for a car as it brings much better resale when you are ready to trade!
A 1992 Chevy 1/2 ton in good shape with 180,000 miles will bring $3,000 over high blue book in California on a dealers lot. People actually are paying these kinds of prices! No one seems to be at all concerned about buying a 6 year old Chevy pickup with a 5.7L motor with almost 200,000 miles on it. This truck has a very good reputation among people who use them as trucks and depend on them for their livelyhood.
I admittedly don't know Cali but I do know the Mid-Atlantic area from the beach to the mountains. All three trucks are well represented here. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and moved to Delaware six years ago. I've known many farmers and construction guys as well. I am personally in the roofing buisness and currently own 14 trucks.
Chevy Does have a good reputation but it is fading. Dodge has become a player and Ford makes a damn good truck no matter what you like. If what you said is correct, then Ford should be losing sales and not gaining. They should be hovering around 400k in sales a year, not 700k.
Resale value? Sure, Chevy is higher. Do you want to know why? Ford sells a ton-load of trucks to fleets and construction firms so their resale should be lower.
Why do firms like mine buy Fords? Best value for the best made truck. There is no conspiracy why Ford outsells GM as a whole in the truck market! GM better wake up.
on the same token, you could say "looks like a big fan of ford putting blue colored glasses on everyone."
i don't see GM fading like you do. GM doesn't have the diesel power. but every other engine across the board has more power AND gets better gas mileage than anything ford or dodge puts up. even the so called "outdated" 454 has more power than ford's new v10, and probably gets the same mileage. i don't think that v10 will fetch any better than 12-14 mpg. dodge's v10 has more power, but how far can that thing get away from a gas pump. nothing touches the 350(power AMD efficiency). and the new motors and trucks only promise to be better. that only puts competition further behind. GM has yet to put out a engine or transmission that couldn't be relied on. as far as the rest of the trucks, i've never heard of any major problems of any sort, on any model. there's a lot of people out there that think GM is right where they need to be. the consensus of this chat room isn't the exact consensus of the USA. i may be guilty myself, but don't let a little bias crawl in too much. different strokes for different folks.
My fleet does represent more Chevy's than Fords to begin with. I know Chevy. My complaint is that it seems that GM is becoming complacent with progress.
You mention that you have owned Hondas for the past years and now you're in need of a truck. Why then, would you be looking at the Super-Dutys? That is a big jump in vehicles and generally when people make that rash of decision, they become dissapointed to easily.
Plus, I did check prices on this site and where is Ford over-priced compared to GM? I think you confused trim levels with the different trucks. Any Dodge would be higher if you want the Cummins.
Check again and get apples to apples.
By the way, I love my Chevys and they have been good to me. Alas, the Fords have been even more worry-free. Overall quality is key.
I'll second Rocles comment about making sure you're comparing apples to apples. I've never heard anyone claim that Chevy trucks are less expensive than a similiarly equiped Ford Truck. My guess is that they must be fairly close in price to be competitive, although I would actually think that Chevy's would be a little more. GM averages 25 hours to build a vehicle while Ford averages 18. That's one of the reasons Wall Street is supporting management's cost cutting efforts.
As for "amount over invoice", you just have to shop around, regardless of what make of truck you are looking to buy. There is a guy on this site who ordered one of the new 99 Ford Superduty trucks from a dealer in San Francisco for $400 over dealer invoice back in March when they first came out. If he can get a Superduty for that price in Central CA, you can find a dealer who will sell a F-150 for a similar price or lower.
But hey, all of the Big Three are making good trucks. You should buy what you feel most comfortable driving. If it's a Chevy, so be it. Then again, if you're looking at buying a Chevy diesel over a Cummins or Powerstroke, I'd recommend doing a little more research.
I guess GM figures that a Chevy buyer is always a Chevy buyer. But they are wrong. I'm a Chevy FAMILY and I won't ever buy a Chevy product again. Their designs are always outdated. And I think the fact that GM has only 3-doors on it's non-Crew Cab trucks until 2000 is assinine. Dodge was late to the xtra door party, and made a splash with 4. Ford is catching up this year, and GM, well, the sleeping giant will do it eventually.
But back to AW. AutoWeek always has up-to-date information and, since it's published weekly, can get the best information before going to press unlike C/D, Motor/Truck Trend, etc. which are copy frozen 3 months ahead of printing. That's why AW is the first and only magazine I make sure to read the day I get it.
Ryan
I have heard a wide range of estimates on when pricing will be available from the end of June to some time in August. I have also heard the new trucks will arrive before the pricing does. The first '99 Ford Superdutys I saw had a window sticker with no retail prices. Maybe the first Chevys will come the same way.
Rocles: Can you supply the names of aftermarket companies who make quality rear seat headrests for the Dodge and Ford extended cab pickups. If I spend $30K on a new truck, I would want the same quality in any components I add.
I actually have used past Honda Accords to tow a small trailer and light boat. I now have need to tow a 4,500 lb. boat and plan to buy a trailer, maybe a 5th wheel, that I will load to over 8,000 lbs. I will also carry 1,200 lbs. in the bed.
I have printed Edmonds price sheets on the Fords, Dodges and Chevys and have compared trim levels and the features I want. I have done apple to apple comparisons but will repost a detailed comparison chart so we can all compare together. I have also compared the cost Edmonds posts against what Kelly Blue Book posts as dealer invoice.
If may be that certain configurations will give one company a price advantage over another. I only priced the top trim levels, with cloth interior, fully loaded including towing packages and 5.4L Ford Gas, 360 Dodge gas and Chevy 5.7L engines.
If '99 Chevy pricing goes way up, everything changes. I am comparing 1998 Chevy to 1998 Ford to 1998 Dodge.
The August '98 issue of Truckin' magazine has some great pictures of the 1999 Chevy. It also has an extensive review of the '99 GMC pickup. Both will have a 40/20/40 front bench seat.
I tried to compare prices on this site but Chevy makes it hard. They have five different trim interiors to compare to an XLT and thats not including the exterior trim packages! After much shifting for gold I came up with some comparisons.
Chevy C-1500 ext.cab with short bed. 5.7l vortec with trailer package and payload package.Throw out auto and air cond. because there was no real difference: 20,596 invoice.
Ford XLT F-150 with ext.cab and shortbed. 5.4l triton with tow package and payload package:
21,070 invoice.
Dodge Ram, yadda,yadda,yadda with their big 360 motor and similar packages: 20,985 invoice.
The Ford is 500 more and the Dodge-400. Not much of a difference to me when talking 20 grand to begin with. I admit that there were little things that I ommitted like sliding rear windows and cd players which add up on any truck. Honestly speaking, the Chevy trim packages were hard to equate with a XLT and so I gave the benefit of doubt in your favor and saved 450 dollars which could have evened things. Second, Chevy offered a 3.42 rear to compare with Ford's 3.55 but I equaled that with the motors.
I'm not talking like an expert and I surely made mistakes in this comparison. However, Ford wasn't exactly three or four grand higher than Chevy. I wouldn't respond if that was the case. Dodge was right there also. Basically, price is not a factor here. I've said this all along.
I am not attacking Chevy but all of this might be moot anyway. Lets face it, those trucks aren't being made right now. If this strike goes longer, Ford and Dodge will be selling more trucks on their lots. Especially when only the loaded GM trucks are left(typical of any maker).
GM's current threat of a court challenge to the strikes' legality will also cause the strikes to last longer, as the UAW has stated that just proves GM's unwillingness to negotiate. GM has legitimate fear of not having product during the important fall sports season (NFL, baseball playoffs) advertising campaign to intro the new trucks.
The news only gets worse. The UAW has another issue at another GM plant that they also say they will strike over. They are not striking now because they say it would not be effective since the current strike is already cripling the company. In other words, they are threatening another walkout after this strike is settled. It doesn't look good for an on-time release of the 1999 Silverado.
It's all I can do not to go off on a political tangent with my opinion of the strike, but this isn't the proper forum. Let's cross our fingers and hope for a, quicker than expected, settlement. I'd like to see some of those new rigs out on the road soon.
if they are ever going to fix the poorly
constructed third door. On my current 1998
model, it creaks, squeaks, and pops almost all
of the time under all driving conditions day after
day. Also, is this new engine going to be a flop?
It creates more horsepower and less torque at
higher rpm's, much like the Corvette engine. How
durable is it going to be with aluminum
instead of cast iron?
i know several people with 3rd door, chevy's and have not heard one person complain of a squeak or rattle. best friend has had one for 8 months, and i ride with him a lot, never heard a squeak. you might have got a lemon, one with a misweld or some other defect. you can try complaining to the dealer, but...
a whole lot about true customer service. This is
actually my second 98 Extended Cab with the same
third door problems. Consider your friends lucky
that they have solid third doors. I have talked
recently to three GM dealers and they also agree
with me that there are definite structural problems
with the third doors. When I talked to GM's
customer service complaint department, they are
also aware of the problems but they brush them
off and call them "design characteristics". To
me, that means the third doors are suppose to be
able to flex and bend creating popping and squeaking noises. Some product GM puts out while
calling the Chevy trucks "solid like a rock".
it sucks to be at the mercy of a dealer who won't be honest with you. luckily, my family has dealt with the same chevy and ford dealers in our hometown for the past 20 years, so they are straight with us and tell us things about their products that they wouldn't tell just anyone (design mistakes, flaws, etc.) because they know that to us, their honesty translates into business from us, and they are always willing to help out and fix what a warranty really should cover, and not give us the avoidance and run around. i hear lots of stories about big city impersonal dealers that really bend over the customer when he comes back in for obligated work. i consider myself lucky to be able to call my dealer my friend and not string of cuss words.
made in Oshawa, Canada plant. I live in the
Madison, WI area and most of the trucks around here are
either built in Fort Wayne, IN or Oshawa, Canada.
Unfortunately, both of mine have been made outside of
the U.S. in Canada. I have even been told by
one of the nations leading (biggest) strictly
Chevrolet dealership right here in Madison, WI that told me to "Go find
another dealership, maybe they can help you". That dealership is aware of the third door problems and they claim until Chevrolet Motor Division puts out
a recall on third doors, they refuse to fix the problem. In my opinion, they just don't have the
knowledge to fix the creaky third doors. I'm yet another loyal, yet disgruntled, Chevrolet customer.
If any one has any questions, and hasn't seen a brochure, ask me. I've got the custom brochure with interior focus and engine focus sections.
Cheers, Ryan