New GMC Pickup

JAKFarms

Member
Hi, My Name is John and live in Sunny Glendale, AZ. A quick background; I am 73 years old, grew up on a farm in north central Illinois and will be married to the same woman for 53 years in August of this year. We moved to AZ in March, 1984 to get away from cold and snow and live at same address since then. To keep this Tractor related I have a 1951 M-M UTU I purchased from a well-known (here) M-M Collector several years ago and pull and show it at our local show in Glendale, AZ second weekend of Feb. each year. My 48 year old son, (lives just a mile from me), also has a 1950 JD B that he keeps in my back yard by my M-M U.
I have been on here, (YT Tractors), for a few years now, and log on nearly every day and read a lot of the posts, but hardly ever reply.
Now for the reason for this post:
I have a Black 2002 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD Extended Cab Pickup that just turned over 114,000 miles a few days ago. It is in great condition and has hardly ever set outside even in this AZ heat. I purchased it new in March 2002 from a local GMC dealer as a Demo with 1075 miles on it. It has been a Great Truck and I will probably pass it on to my son or grandson in the near future.
I have been toying around with the idea of getting a New 2018 GMC 2500 Pickup just because I have always wanted one. I will probably not ever buy another New PU. Now before I go any further, I will NOT be buying ANY other brand or make of Truck but a GMC, so do not even reply with anything else. Sorry, but that is the way I am. I have never owned any other brand of pickup and do not plan on changing now, (see my age above).
Now to you GMC guys, how would you order a new 2500 PU? I really do not need 4WD especially here in AZ as I do not get into mud, sand, etc., but would like to be able to pull a trailer with both my M-M UTU and son?s JD B at same time. Engine size and fuel and trans.? I have not even gone to a GMC dealer yet and checked out anything as to options. I know I don?t want all the extra gadgets such as on-star, Bluetooth, fancy radio, navigation, and all that other unneeded crap. Probably tilt, cruse, power windows, split bench seat, with driver power seat, and maybe double cab and short box if possible.
So give me a few suggestions, and I will not be offended with any answer given. Thanks for your replys. John in AZ
 
I would get the factory trailer wiring/brakes and 5th wheel option, not expensive and ready out of the box.

AC seats.

Enjoy your truck.
 
The Duramax diesel and Allison transmission are hard to beat for towing. You obviously want the towing package but be aware that doesn't include towing mirrors which I would recommend adding. I am very fond of the Ford F150s and that is what my personal truck is . My company truck is a 3500 Chevy with the Duramax and we use it for towing a 24 ft goose neck trailer as well as snow plowing in the winter. (I'm in Maine) I had my choice when we purchased the truck between the GM,Ford or Dodge and I decided on the GM (Wanted a GMC but the Chevy was in stock) and haven't had any regrets.

Mark
 
I have not yet been able to purchase a new truck, but someday would love to. What I do know is a very good buddy is a contractor and went to buy a new gmc 1 ton diesel dually a couple years ago. He didn't want all the fancy stuff either, but ended up with it because he had to order a certain "package" to get the few things he did want. He wanted things like a rubber floor mat, manual locks, manual windows ect. with a few extras. Well he ended up with a fully loaded truck because of the "package" thing. Like I said I don't personally have any experience, just telling you what I heard.
 
I'm not a GMC guy but I'm not going to try and pursuade you otherwise. I have quite a bit of experience with Ford and Ram and I would suggest you think long and hard before buying a diesel. I had quite a few diesels and my latest truck is a gasser and I wish I'd done it a long time ago. The diesel is expensive to buy, maintain, and fix. Just my two cents worth. Enjoy the new truck. Sam
 
As said get towing package that should include oil coolers for tranny and engine. Also see what rear springs it comes with ( might want heavier than stock).
 
I have always driven Ford. Not trying to tell you to change brands. My comments are based on what is available on Ford, and, assume GMC has similar offering. First, based on the mileage on you other truck: unless you are going to be running the mountains a lot, I suggest the biggest gas engine offered. Diesel if hauling 2 tractors and running mountains. Integrated trailer brakes ( Not the under dash add on box). Heaviest GVWR package offered ( should be heavier suspension, heavier tires, and lower rear end ratio), and factory or dealer installed gooseneck hitch. Transmission or engine brake if offered. Happy hunting.
 

Go to DaveSmith.com and check their inventory. The are the largest GM dealer in the northwest. I bought my new 2016 1 ton Duramax dually work truck from them for $42k plus tax. I then had them design graphics to match my travel trailer, added tinted windows, running boards and fancy wheels with the money I saved.
mvphoto9181.jpg
 
That's one nice truck. Unfortunately if you lived here in good
old NYS it would not pass inspection because of the window
tint. Don't ask how I know ! My truck still has it because of
who did my last inspection. Good ole NY.
 
I too am GM all the way and about to order a 2018 pickup. In your case, given the low miles per year, I would consider the gas engine....here in Canada, the diesel is about a $12k option, which at less than 10000 miles per year, is hard to justify. I would go with a double or crew cab model, since the regular cab is really a two person fit. You can get the base model here, then get the convenience pkg. which should give you power windows mirrors locks, keyless entry, deep tint windows and a few other small options.....which you will appreciate once you use them for a bit. The trailer pkg also offers a sway control which could avoid a scary situation. You would be best to talk to several dealers and get their opinion on the options best suited for your kind of towing, just don't let them oversell you on gadgets you don't need....or want.
Happy hunting!
Ben
 
Look at the Duramax- I have one and love it, but you are looking at about an $8k option. But I also hear that Jimmy has a mid sized hi torque engine that many folks have been happy with. Get a trailering package, extended mirrors and anything else you can think of. There is also an in-box hook up for goosenecks available. If you look at Edmunds or the GM ,you can look at the options available and pretty much tailor them to your needs and get a rough price. Then, hit the dealers and let them come to you. My truck was an '07 'classic after the Silverado came out, so was a 'leftover'. I didn't trade my old one in, and chopped the price from $ 43k and change to about $29k. Edmunds will also give a pretty realistic price range for what the trucks are bringing. And, don't let a dealer tell you that theirs is the lowest price. I dealt with about 7 dealers over the internet and had prices from the $29k I bought the truck for to $37k as their best deal. Actually, the exact same truck, which was in a yard over in Delaware. So, get on the compuker and have some fun........
 
Be careful with Dave Smith. I priced a truck , said wanted black or dark blue only. Got all down to final deal when asked for a picture of truck. It was WHITE. He said well I just though you would not really care. Don't really think the truck would really fit where I told him to stick it. well maybe it would. LOL Bought local dark blue for same price after showing local the deal.
 
Hello jacfarm,

I saw a presentation on a 2019 Chevrolet pick up. GMC has more options then the chevy.
6cylinder 3.0 Liters diesel 10 speed transmission, one of the options. Claim is 30 M.P.G. Check it out on youtube. I don't know how to post a link for you,

Guido.
 

Since it is 2018 and not 1995, a Diesel for light truck useage is not practical or cost effective vs direct injection gas engines .
The Max Trailering option needs up the 1500 series capacity .
Sept 2019 a whole new line of Pickups will be released for sale .
 
In 2015 I had decided to get a new truck. I had a 2003 f250 with a 5.4 gas extended cab. Was ok pulling my trailer if you stayed on relatively flat ground. I wanted a 3.5 eco boost four door F150. It was just barely rated to pull my trailer if I changed to E rated tires. My local dealer had a few. But he said I wouldn't be happy with a 150. He pointed across the drive to a row of.F250's. I will sell you that work truck with a chrome package, aluminium wheels,trailer package. 4x4 6.2 gas. Has power mirrors cruise power windows etc. Short bed crew cab. For the same money. It has more than a hundred hp more than my 03. It's a 2016 I love it. Oh I'm 72. Haul a pulling tractor and golf cart all over. Have fun! Vic
 
As a fellow GM truck user the 6 liter gas 2500 work truck with the 6 speed auto trans is the way to go. I only pull a 16 ft flat bed and a 20 foot gooseneck stock trailer and it does it great and does not use a lot of gas with plenty of power.
 
i have a 2006 2500 duramax i bought new and have almost 400k on it now. did absolutely nothing to the engine other than the normal oil changes and fuel filters and batteries.under the hood is clean also.i pull a 34 ft goooseneck with it with my tractors, sometimes 2 of them if small ones like w4 or w6.no problem at all doing the speed limit or faster. only thing is in summer i would say the rad should be bigger , that is my only complaint. have did the brakes on it which is normal. but not trans. or diff. problems either. very happy with it. loaded they like the fuel too,... but so does any other unit you load down.
you mention 2 wheel drive, i have never saw a 2 wheel drive duramax. your choice on gas or diesel. if your after a bare truck you might have to specially order it in. i would definitly go for the crew cab with short box , as that is what i have.
good luck.
 
If you can wait I just read about the 2019 CHEV/GMC is a complete different truck 500lbs lighter saw pics of it looks nice look it up nice truck 🚛
 
Don't hear to much about ordering vehicles anymore.

Just because "You" don't hear too much about ordering vehicles anymore doesn't mean that people don't order vehicles anymore. There are still quite a few people who order vehicles optioned the way they want them.
 
That's one nice truck. Unfortunately if you lived here in good old NYS it would not pass inspection because of the window tint. Don't ask how I know ! My truck still has it because of who did my last inspection. Good ole NY.

You are allowed to have window tint in NYS!
 
I've owned a 2018 Chevy 2500HD that I ordered to spec, so I think I can give you some practical advise.

Before you go to a dealer, spend some time on the GMC website spec'ing out vehicles and playing around with the options. You'll learn more on the website than at most dealers. Once you know exactly what you want, print it out and take the printout to the dealer. And when they spec your order, watch the salesman like a hawk to make sure your order is correct. If the MSRP he comes up with doesn't match your printout TO THE PENNY, he made a mistake. My salesman would inadvertently de-select leather seats every time he went through the options, and I'd have to make him go back add the leather option back in.

I went with the Duramax/Allison because I intend to tow a fifth-wheel camper out west, and that is a very capable powertrain. Whether or not it will ever pay for itself in fuel costs I do not know, but I'm very happy with this very expensive option. I figure I'll get some of my money back if I ever sell it.

Here in Michigan, I would not order a 2WD pickup. But my truck does pretty well even in 2WD with the locking differential. (There's no automatic 4WD on my truck, so I drive it a lot in the snow and ice in 2WD.) So you'll probably be fine with 2WD.

I went with the extended "double cab" and 6.5 foot "standard" box. That's about as long of a vehicle as I want to drive in the metro area.

If you don't like a lot of whistles and bells, you'll probably want to skip the top-of-the-line Denali. Either the SLE or SLT trim levels will get you the options you probably want.

Do not order the $500 navigation system. It's a waste of money, since you'll get "Android Auto" for free. Android Auto allows you to plug in your Android phone and display navigation maps on the standard radio screen. (You can also use an iPhone; I forget what the Apple system is called.)

I do not recommend the bucket seats. The standard "40/20/40" seat is more practical, as the bucket seat console takes up a lot of room. You still get a combination console/seat back for storage with the standard seat.

Definitely order the "fifth wheel prep" package, even if you won't be towing a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer. It makes it very simple to install a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch. Also, when you tick that box, it automatically adds in all the other trailering options, including mirrors and a spray-in bed liner.
 
have Chevy Silverado about the same year & trans. And haul the same type trailer. It will do anything he asks for. 6.0 engine is plenty but 7.0 is better. Should get about 14 mpg.
 
Grizz - Yes, GM is using an all aluminum body on their pickups in '19. You know, like the Fords they have been making fun of with STUPID commercials for the last five years.
 
I have a 20016 GMC Crew Cab short bed Diesel four wheel drive...I get 16 Mpg about half my trip to work daily is interstate and half stop and go light traffic through town 20 miles total each way....on a interstate run I get 20 mpg....the truck will pull my 20 foot stock trailer loaded with 700 lb calves up our mountain we have in north Alabama a just fine.....truck is small enough I can park in parking deck or any where I want to park...I love it ...I had a 2013 ford 250 diesel Crew Cab short bed Diesel four wheel drive....Gmc is way to go
 
(quoted from post at 22:14:44 01/15/18)
That's one nice truck. Unfortunately if you lived here in good old NYS it would not pass inspection because of the window tint. Don't ask how I know ! My truck still has it because of who did my last inspection. Good ole NY.

You are allowed to have window tint in NYS!

Only to a certain shade of darkness.
 
I've been a Dodge man my entire life so I get it when you say you will not consider anything but a Jimmy.

So, for what it's worth:
Do the "Build and Price" thing. I would also encourage you to build and price some 3500's, you might find out that you can get a one ton cheaper, with more options that a 2500.

When I'm in the mood to go truck shopping I probably "build and price" 20 - 25 different option packages. I have found that dealers do not stock the type of vehicle that I want and need. They are interested in making the most profit (and who can really blame them). When I do all the "building and pricing" I learn and always know much more about the truck that any of the sales staff. So knowledge is power.

You might also think about HID headlights, collision avoidance, back-up cameras etc. As we age we lose some of our senses and need a little bit of help to keep out of the other idiots way.

Enjoy the process, it doesn't sound like you are in a big hurry. Find out what you want and be ready if big discounts etc are announced. I would also tell the head man at your local dealer that you will be buying a truck, you would like to stay local, but price matters. Ask them to let you know of sales incentives that might occur.

Best of luck, Larry
 
You have driven your current truck 7125 miles per year over the last 16 years. DO NOT BUY A DIESEL TRUCK!
GM makes the Gasoline engine all the car shows are installing in their hotrods, the LS. Buy one in your 3/4 ton truck around 400 hp, as many speeds as possible in the automatic trans, 4-door short box. If it was me, I'd get 4wd. Towing two tractors on a gooseneck you get on wet grass or dry loose sand you could have traction problems.

I've driven Ford pickups for 38 years. Last 23 years a '96 F-250 with the Navistar built 7.3L PSD engine. Put well over half a MILLION miles on those three trucks, over 300,000 on the diesel alone. And I pick up my new RAM 1500 HEMI 4wd on Friday.

If it was 1960 to 1966 it would make sense to buy a GMC over a Chevy, the big block V-6 was a great engine. I almost bought a brand new 1978 GMC half ton swb 4wd 292-4 speed but a year or so later I found a '78 F-150 set up exactly that way for half the money that had the 300-6 which ran circles around 292's. I peddaled packages for UPS in 1978. I drove Ford, IH, Chevy, and GMC package cars every day.
 
(quoted from post at 09:49:04 01/16/18) Grizz - Yes, GM is using an all aluminum body on their pickups in '19. You know, like the Fords they have been making fun of with STUPID commercials for the last five years.

Well yes, the Chevy commercials are stupid...................
But the 2019 GM pickups will not be aluminum.
All "swinging panels" (doors, hood, tailgate) are made of aluminum. And one body structure under the hood where it meets the firewall.
Everything else remains steel.
 
(quoted from post at 10:24:04 01/16/18) You have driven your current truck 7125 miles per year over the last 16 years. DO NOT BUY A DIESEL TRUCK!
GM makes the Gasoline engine all the car shows are installing in their hotrods, the LS. Buy one in your 3/4 ton truck around 400 hp, as many speeds as possible in the automatic trans, 4-door short box. If it was me, I'd get 4wd. Towing two tractors on a gooseneck you get on wet grass or dry loose sand you could have traction problems.
Why recommend not getting the diesel expense due to his low mileage use. And then turn around and recommend he get 4x4 which is not a cheap option??
For the amount of use per year he would be better off to make sure the rear end has posi diff.
 
I was shopping for a new truck a few years ago between a Chevy and a ford was going to haul a camper. I figured what options I wanted and wound up at the Chevy dealer with my list, and asking about a 2500 with the options I wanted. He knew I was going to haul a camper. and said why don't you buy a 3500, most of these options on your list are standard on the 3500. I bought the 3500.
 
Do they still make a truck carring the GMC name or are they all Chevy now. Had a 70 GMC and a 86 S15 and 74 Chevy and 49 Chevy, 86 Ford and 50 International.
 
(quoted from post at 21:16:21 01/15/18) i have a 2006 2500 duramax i bought new and have almost 400k on it now. did absolutely nothing to the engine other than the normal oil changes and fuel filters and batteries.under the hood is clean also.i pull a 34 ft goooseneck with it with my tractors, sometimes 2 of them if small ones like w4 or w6.no problem at all doing the speed limit or faster. only thing is in summer i would say the rad should be bigger , that is my only complaint. have did the brakes on it which is normal. but not trans. or diff. problems either. very happy with it. loaded they like the fuel too,... but so does any other unit you load down.
you mention 2 wheel drive, i have never saw a 2 wheel drive duramax. your choice on gas or diesel. if your after a bare truck you might have to specially order it in. i would definitly go for the crew cab with short box , as that is what i have.
good luck.

Be glad you do not have a 2003-2004 Duramax. You would cursing it now due to the cost of injector replacements.
Since we are looking at new pickups . What 2018 diesel will be a reasonable choice for this application ?
 
Last year I ordered a 2017 GMC Pickup. I went to the GMC website and did the build and price thing. When I got it fine tuned to what I wanted, I printed it and took the list to a dealer I have dealed with in the past. He sharpened his pencil, so I ordered it then and there. a montha nd a half later I took delivery. Not fast, but I got exactly the pickup I wanted, without the arm twisting made so famous by some car salesmen. I'm happy.
Tim in OR
 
The 2019 GMC/Chevy appears to be coming with quite a few major changes to the driveline.
I would not buy the first couple of years and let others be the guinea pigs.
 
(quoted from post at 19:14:44 01/15/18)
That's one nice truck. Unfortunately if you lived here in good old NYS it would not pass inspection because of the window tint. Don't ask how I know ! My truck still has it because of who did my last inspection. Good ole NY.

You are allowed to have window tint in NYS!

You are allowed window tint in NYS BUT a light meter is used to measure the amount of light admitted thus the amount of tint.If your vehicle doesn't pass that test you won't get an inspection sticker or if it slips through and a P.O. stops you,a ticket is in store for you.
 

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