1999 Chevrolet Silverado

glenn2 · August 1998

No Azchevyguy that was somebody that looked like me in the Mighty Max broke down next to you in your broke down Chevy. That was me who drove by and waved in my F250. You know, the "best never rest".

stanford · August 1998

I think he's referring to the fact that the current Chevy fullsize 3door only has the rear door on the right. Therefore if there are kiddies in the back but no passenger, a reach across the cab is in order.

NuberOne · August 1998

That is correct Brutus. It would be worth the wait to be able to let the kids out from the driver's side, especially if no body is sitting in the passenger seat.

tglab · August 1998

Without having to go back and read all 200+ postings can someone tell me where to find prices for the 1999 GMC or Chevy?

NuberOne · August 1998

tglab

I went to Chapman Chevroler in Phoenix and had them "build" me a truck, on the computer, just for reference purposes. That way I obtained the sticker price (which was pretty competative). Invoice prices will be available on www.edmunds.com in the future.

commers · August 1998

I was able to obtain invoice pricing on the 99. A very close comparison is to take 87.5 % of the sticker to get the invoice price. It pays to keep checking around for pricing. I priced them out at four dealers. The range over invoice was $1400 with the so called largest dealer being the highest. This big dealer does have a steady flow (about four trucks per week) coming in. They sell for sticker as fast as they arrive. My truck has a 10-12 week lead time.

rande9229 · August 1998

Tglab,

Preliminary prices are also available at www.kbb.com and www.carprices.com Hope this will be of help.

26andrew1 · August 1998

The dealership I work for just received there first truck today. Here are my results. The seats I do not care for. This truck had the 40/20/40 split bench. I'm 6' at about 160 pounds, I believe a shorter person might find the seats more comfortable. I personal like the 40/60 split. The engine has PLENTY of power. In fact, it was a challenge not to spin the back tires from a stop and go situation. Looking at the engine it basically is a corvette engine with different intake. The thing felt,and sounded a lot more solid then past trucks. The new front end has got that dodge cut to the fenders but a ton more milder than what Ford did to its trucks. During my little test drive I got on the gas and then hit the brakes at about 80 mph to kick in the ABS, guess what the brakes are still slugs. No improvement there. The inside dash is still basically the same, with things placed slightly differently for the better I might add. Plenty of leg and head room both front and back. The third door has a handle that the passenger can use to open the third door. I do not know if Ford or Dodge have this put is a good idea. I thought the truck was pretty good overall except for the bench seat. The POWER, if you drive one you'll fall for it for that reason. Hope to hear more on what other people think of it.

26andrew1 · August 1998

OH YEA STICKER PRICE WAS 31K FULLY LOADED

m_hiltonl · August 1998

I'm not trying to put down the 99 Chevy, but in a world of Fords and Dodges, the 99 Chevy looks like a baby dakota. I test drove the big 5.3L and was impressed with the power, but it didn't seem like 275 hp. I must admit I was pissed that chevy trashed the 5.7L. The "350" may not have the hp the 5.3 has, but it sure the hell did not have to down shift and rev up the rpms to access it. I myself owned 92 GMC w/the 350 and I was nothing but happy w/that truck. I was considering getting a 99 Chevy until I saw and test drove the 99 superduty. Although the 99 Chevy isn't to my taste, I think it was great that GM made these changes to keep up the competition. This competition will benefit all truck buyers when it comes to price and quality. By the way if you want to get 99 Chevy off the lot in the month of August be prepared to grab your ankles and take it.

NuberOne · August 1998

Sorry, the new-model Chevy is at least 11% better than it's predecessor

cdean · August 1998

go somewhere and look at how much more standard features there are on the '99. in the past, they're pricing has always started from the base model, where basically go and add every option from there. the '99s come equiped with just about everything to begin with. take a '98 model and equip it with all the features that are standard on the '99, and you get about a 2-3% increase.

NuberOne · August 1998

I am sure great deals are to be had on the 98's. I imagine when the phase out the old-style 99's next year even better deals will be available.

Personally I think the new model is well worth it and very competitively priced compared to the Ford and Dodge PUs.

Of course you will have to wait a while to get anything close to the invoice price.

glenn2 · August 1998

chairmaker, your the man. I guess GM wants the public to pay for the strike. you did the right thing.

Azchevyguy · August 1998

I drove a 1999 GMC Sierra SLE today. Awesome truck! The 5.3 liter engine has megapower! It had a cloth bench seat that was very comfortable and the room in the rear seat was outstanding! The salesman told me that they won't come out with the 4.8 w/ the manual tranny for at least 2 months so I am going to hold off until then. My preference is for a manual. I love Chevys but I really liked the GMC styling. Looked at but did not drive a Silverado and it looks great, too! Anyone else do any compares between the two, styling wise?

glenn2:

F- (fix)
O- (or)
R- (repair)
D- (daily)

'nuff said!

jim2 · August 1998

The '99 Silverado 40/20/40 front bench seat plus the new style front seat cup holders, are the achilles heal of this new truck. My 4'5" 9 year old sat in the middle of the front seat and her shins were right up against the cup holders when opened! The back seat cup holders are great as is this rear seat. If I remember correctly, the Ford Superduty 40/20/40 front bench is much better.

Has anyone seen the 1999 Chevy Crew Cab short box. This is in the old body style, but the short box is new. None of the dealers in my area have gotten one yet.

cdean · August 1998

they are making one (3/4 ton, CC short bed), but after the strike, there's no telling when one will show up on a lot.

cdean · August 1998

i think giving it a couple of months would be smart. you'll hear more test drives, the hype will die down, so will the prices that dealers are now offering, and you'll probably know exactly what you want by then. plus hopefully, they will start putting enough out that there will be some trucks on the lots, instead getting sold straight off the delivery trucks, like they are now.

wxfcstr · August 1998

FYI, if your pricing the 99 GM trucks off of the Internet. GM is still building the old style trucks during the 99 model year. Not all 4 truck plants were spun-up at the same time. Oshawa, Ontario is the only plant I know building the new style at this time, with Fort Wayne, Pontiac, and Arlington to follow. The one Internet location and "Black Book" price book I looked at called them "Silverado Classic" and "Sierra Classic" for the old style trucks.

dah1 · August 1998

I under stand GM is going to be using a new deisel

Does anyone know anything about it?

alchavez · August 1998

Finally drove the Silverado yesterday. It was an LS, two tone, extended cab, 4-WD. MSRP, $30,000. Loved the power! back seat, very roomy. Headliner was loose though. (the one dissappointment I had.) Otherwise a very solid, quiet, and good looking truck.

I'll wait for the better looking (and probably more expensive) GMC.

alchavez

KCRam · August 1998

dah1,

the 1999 Silverado 1500/2500 will continue to use the 6.5 turbo. When the 2500HD/3500 is redesigned next year, they will be getting a diesel from Isuzu's medium duty truck line to compete with the Dodge/Cummins and the Ford/Navistar trucks.

tglab · August 1998

Drove the 99 GMC Sierra SLT 4WD 5.3 3.73 rear axle today. Dealer had three new 99s on the lot. Said he got 27 in a week ago and had only 3 left! (Doubt he got 27)

The 5.3 had great power - a big surprise. Brakes were fine - did get a chance to try the antilock feature. No spongy peddle. Tried the tow/haul mode - delays shifting and lets it wind out as advertised. Third door was silent. Interior finish was excellent. Very comfortable seating. Measured the rear seat room behind the driver to compare it to the Ford 250 SD.

Also drove the Ford 250 SD extended cab today. To my surprise the rear seat room was actually bigger than the GMC. However, the real critic, our oldest daughter, claims that the GMC had much more room - a result of the MUCH more comfortable rear seat and the fact the the GMC seat is more reclined and has a longer seat bottom. The V10 had lots of power but brakes were so-so.

Conclusion - the Ford is much more "truck" like with a more hard line approach. Interior was rugged and a bit sparten. The GMC was more refined and had greater creature comfort. For a real work truck with moderate amenities the Ford looks like a good choice. For a truck that you (and 4 others) can live with, pick the GMC/Chevy.

cdean · August 1998

talked to a guy yesterday who did contract work for a month with a company that had a fleet of 2 ton and 3 ton medium duty's. most of the chevy's had Cat diesels, the Fords had Cummins. they also had the Isuzu med duty, with a straight 6, Isuzu built diesel engine. this fellow has an International two ton, and asked alot of the guys that worked there, and said the consensus with everyone was that the Isuzu could run circles around the Cat and the Cummins, and get better mileage.

he didn't know GM was replacing the diesel with an isuzu until i told him, and said if that was the same engine they were going to use, they were going to have to detune it, because it had more than enough power in the big trucks. apparently this new engine has already been out for a while, and sounds to me like good reviews. Now, how long till it hits the lots, who knows.

Brutus · August 1998

If it's true about the diesel, Chevy could regain some of the market share it's been losing by increasing it's fleet and RV owner sales.

JeffCanada · August 1998

Lianna:

Like you I am looking forward to driving the 4.8 Silverado as well. I will not be towing and only hauling light cargo the odd time. I think the Silverado is better looking than the GMC. The 4.8 or 5.3 with a 5 speed would be a nice combination I think for driver enthusiasts who need a truck over a car, van etc. Here in Ontario, Canada I have not seen the new 1999 silverado anywhere at any dealer yet. Oshawa must be shipping them to the U.S. first. I am looking forward to driving one in October hopefully. Judging from comments mentioned in previous postings it looks to me like a truck equipped with an automatic transmission ,40/20/40 front seat, 4wd, and other luxury features will take away some of the value in the new redesign. A more basic silverado would be my choice.

Anyone,

Any word on Canadian pricing for the new 1999 Silverados?

Liana_michelle · August 1998

has anyone been able to compare the 4.8 litre against the 5.3 litre physically? Or just by what the specs have said about them?

Question 2: Has anyone compared the GMC against the Chevy? What is tha opinion and which is better?

Azchevyguy · August 1998

I've driven a Sierra with a 4.8 and auto tranny, and a Silverado with the 5.3 and auto tranny. With that transmission, the 5.3 would be the choice. It feels more like the 5.7, however, you can't get a 5-speed manual with the 5.3. But you can with the 4.8, and that combination should have more than enough power for anyone.

The Sierra & Silverado only differ in front end styling, seating design, body side moldings, and some package combinations. I am partial to the Chevy's front end design and seating. The LS cloth interior has an attractive speckled design that looks and feels durable. The GMC's seat design is also nice, but I think the Chevy's is more attractive. Don't think you could go wrong with either truck. It may just come down to price. GMC's average between $300 to $400 more than the Chevys. And since there will be more Chevys made than GMC, you could probably get a better deal on a Silverado after they have been out on the market for a while.

Chillian · August 1998

I love the truck. Would be happy to answer any questions that anybody had on the vehicle if possible. No squeak in the third door, the 5.3 liter is awsome. I had planned on ordering (i did order it in fact) a f-150 with a 5.4l. Since versions of these were around i test drove them quite a bit. The 5.3 definately holds it own with the ford. The back on my extended cab definately is what the hype said it was. My inlaws have a 98 f-150 extended cab and they loved the extra space and the way that the seats felt, the truck is all around very roomy. There also seems to be more room in the bed of the truck as chevy made the wheel wells much smaller. Oh, and if you get one soon be prepared to attract attention, I sat outside in the truck and read the manual while the family went shopping, in one hour i 13 people stop and ask me questions or just look the truck over, the dealership in the town we were in only had one truck and it was inside and nobody could test drive it......

cdean · August 1998

Chillian

glad to hear you like the truck. I saw one in a parking lot the other day, and i was also guilty of doing a little extra staring. I guess attention is your reward for being one of the first buyers.

what kinda mileage are you getting right now? I'm sure you're still in the break in period, and your probably having a heavy foot with that hot to trot engine.

NuberOne · August 1998

I will probably order a '99 Silverado at the beginning of next year. Does anyone know the best way to go, in getting a matching shell?

Should I get one from the chevy dealer or a 3rd party?

What is a shell for a 6 foot bed going to run me?
Will the shells on a '98 fit on a '99?

Chillian · August 1998

cdean...

haven't checked milage yet. and believe it or not haven't done any hot rodding. maybe it is the many thousands of dollars that i spent on the truck that makes me take my time breaking it in..:)

I will do a milage test tomorrow and drop you a line...

rictech · September 1998

I know someone who has a 99 and the bed mat from a 98 will not fit, so I assume a shell wouldn't fit either. If you are getting a 99 for the performance, you might be disappointed, I have a 98 with a 305 that outperformed the 99 5300. He pulled me on the start and I caught him at about 50 and pulled away from then on out. Or until the motor shut off.

Brutus · September 1998

You can get a shell from a third party without any problems matching colors. They read the paint code off the truck and order one to match, or paint one they have to match. Assuming the cost have remained about the same for the past few years, a fiberglass shell for an 8 foot bed will probably cost you a little over $1,000. They might be a little less for SB. One of those fiberglass hard tonneaus will usually run $700+.

Before you pay for it, have them sit one on your truck to make sure if fits right. It will only take them a few minutes. They won't need to put the clamps on or anything. You just need to see how it looks and fits. I use to take mine off in about 10 minutes, and that included taking off six clamps. A friend and I could handle lifting off. The dealer will do it with a fork lift.

jxyoung · September 1998

It looks like they are putting a vinyl back seat
on the extended cab when you order leather.
Anyone know if this is the case and why they would do this?

mike45 · September 1998

Chillian:
Just wanted to now what mileage your getting? You did get the automatic? Also what gear did you get in the rear end. The 3.42 or 3.73.

tglab · September 1998

Purchased the GMC Sierra Tuesday. Actually found a dealer with one in stock. Paid only $850 over invoice!

It is an SLT 4WD 5.3 with 3.73 rear end extended cab loaded with about every option available. Color is Pewter with pewter leather interior.

There is no comparison to any other extended cab when it comes to the rear seat room.

The GMC looks better than the Silverado in my opion. The front end just looks more modern and has a greater redsign than the Chevy.

Can't tell you about mileage since it has only 160 miles so far. The dealer actually gave me the truck with a full tank.

It certianly is an eye catching truck. I notice other truck drivers trying to figure out what it is!

Chillian · September 1998

mike45

On the first tank i got right at 16 mpg. The airconditioner never shut off and I did not have the tailgate down. I will keep you informed once every couple of weeks. I have the 5.3 w/ 3.73 rear end, automatic. And tglab, since I just forked out close to 30 grand, I am very sure the chevy front end looks much nicer.

Also Just got my lite x liner sprayed in today. It looks great, I got a blackliner.. have the pewter color truck. I got under the rail since i have a topper on order and the over the rail screws up the fit...

cookie1 · September 1998

Just to inform everyone I test drove a new 1999
Silverado with the 5300 V8. It is slightly
quieter and quicker off the line than the 350 V8.
However, some design flaws are: cupholder placement is too low and in the way of driving
when pulled out. I'm 5'10" and my right knee
rests against the plastic housing containing the
cupholders in front. Second problem is that with
the split 40/20/40 bench seat, you can't order
and even get as an option both a CD player and
a cassette (totally stupid since the 1998's offered both), third massive problem lies with
the hard, huge plastic tailgate protector. In order to fit a topper on the cab part, the
plastic tailgate protector must come off in order
for the back topper window to close. When the
tailgate protector is off, this exposes the screw
holes drilled into the tailgate to hold the
tailgate protector on. In order for the screw holes to be covered up, a stainless steel tailgate protector must be installed to cover the holes
which are about 4 inches below the top of the tailgate. The steel tailgate protector definitely
will take the paint right off of the tailgate quickly. Just thought I might mention the three flaws in design for the so-called "best truck" in its class before anyone ordered one.

NuberOne · September 1998

Chillean,

I assume you got a 4x4. Is this correct?

NuberOne · September 1998

Cookie1,

The cupholder could have been more strategically placed. You can order the CD/Cassette combo, it comes standard in the LT. The shells are not out yet for the '99, you can't put a '98 shell on a '99 without modifications.

cdean · September 1998

they will make a topper that fits whatever cheverolet builds, thats not an issue.

mike45 · September 1998

Chillian:
Thanks keep me posted on the fuel mileage. Also does your truck shift out of overdrive on not so hilly roads? Or does it stay in overdrive pretty steady?

cookie1 · September 1998

For Number One and cdean:
The CD/ cassette combo can come in the LT model
with leather and bucket seats, but most (not all) true
truck people do not want leather and buckets.
The cassette/CD combo is NOT available in the
LS model with the 40/20/40 split bench seat. I
have asked three different dealers and they agree that it is not a misprint, but that is GM for you.
I have also done my homework and called a topper
dealer and yes, they will make a topper for Chevy
Silverados, but cdean must have missed was that
you would have to take the tailgate protector off
which comes standard from the factory and expose
the screw holes in the tailgate holding the plastic protector on. In turn, if you do not want
the screw holes showing on the tailgate (looks stupid), another thinner tailgate protector would have to be installed over the holes which hang down about 4 whole inches below the top of the tailgate. In turn, the new tailgate protector will take the paint right off of your new tailgate. This is my point!

Brutus · September 1998

Here we go again with the "true truckers don't want amenities" crap again. "True truckers" drive their trucks for many reasons. Some people would say that "true truckers" do not drive 1/2 ton trucks (I'm not one who subscribes to this). A lot of "true truckers" buy their trucks for RV use. This tends to lead to long hours on the highway, so every amenity that offers additional comfort is desirable. Let's try not to give pickup drivers a bad name by displaying a macho image that seems to indicate that anyone who doesn't use their truck for the same thing we do is not a "true trucker".

I think cdean's point was that the topper issue is a nonissue because the topper manufacturers will develop a topper that is specifically designed for the 99 truck. If it is not currently avaliable on the market, it will be very soon.

Does the reason for the lack of the cassette/CD combo with the bench seating have something to do with factoring in room for a passenger in the middle seat?

stanford · September 1998

Come on now -- its still very much a truism that automakers don't build good stereos. Go for the bench seat and spend $300 at a decent car audio store for a good CD/Tape player. Or if you're feeling adventurous, call up Crutchfield and do it yourself.

jmathews · September 1998

I just got off the phone with the Leer factory and they have created a top that accommodates the tailgate protector, it is called the 100 LE and can be ordered now.

zonk1 · September 1998

The LS comes with indash AM/FM/CD. To get CD and cassette you have to have bucket seats because the CD is placed in the lower console that comes with buckets and cassette is indash. The LT comes with buckets so it's not an issue.
Chillian, keep us posted on gas mileage. Can't wait for my LS 4X4 to get here. It's been on order for two weeks. Got $500 over invoice.

tdjr · September 1998

Does any one know when the sportside silverado's will be available.I've heard 8-12 weeks but don't know for sure,also have they been redesigned?

alchavez · September 1998

tdjr,

Don't know when the sportside will be available but 6 months ago I saw several '99 GMC test mule sportsides and liked them very much. The entire rear fender (which takes up the whole rear flank) is plastic a-la Saturn. I prefer the fleetside trucks but I think if youre looking for a '99 GM truck to be more "different" than the previous truck (especially from the rear view), you'll be happy with the sportside.

Also, the sportside comes with standard black plastic rail protectors like the upperscale Ford F-150 trucks.

alchavez

1999 Chevrolet Silverado

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy