2012 Chevy 2500 HD - Any owners out there?

Hotflashjr · Dec 7, 2015

I am trading my 2011 Chevy 1500 and looking to get into a HD truck. There is a real nice local 2012 Chevy 2500 HD with the 6.6 diesel and fully optioned for sale at a good price. My buddy's wife works at the dealership and can get me the truck for what they paid on trade-in. This will be my first diesel/HD truck but my 5th GM vehicle. After this 2011 1500 I am almost apt to look elsehwere with the issues it has had. Just looking for the good bad and ugly on the 2500 HD with the 6.6 turbo diesel. 1 owner, dealer serviced, and they are selling it with a 2 year 24k certified warranty. The truck has 42,000 miles, no wear on the hitch, no snow plow package. TIA

Mike M · Dec 7, 2015

You say you have had issues with the 2011 ?

GM's products issues is why I refuse to own another !

buickanddeere · Dec 7, 2015

While the Diesel engine pickup ruled in the 1990's . It's now 2015. Why would you want a diesel now with the over priced fuel, the higher vehicle purchase price , the more complex and expensive engine and the more complex and expensive to maintain emissions system?

Mike M · Dec 7, 2015

You have to have the diesel so you can chip it and run straight pipes up thru the bed and belch smoke and act like Billy big rigger. LOL.

Hotflashjr · Dec 7, 2015

From what I have read/heard the 5.3l V8 has issues especially with the active fuel management. That is what is in my truck. Been to the dealer twice, cracked spark plug porcelain. Then they put on a new valve cover, then it did it again. The dealer told me the 5.3l motor is junk and I will always have issues. So I like the truck besides the engine. This leads me to want to move up to the HD, either with the 6.0l gas or the turbo diesel. We have grown big enough on our farm to justify a truck of this size. I find myself towing weekly either product or equipment. I have had good luck with GM products besides this truck and have a good local dealer.

Open to other models but I hear they all have their "issues".

Paul Shuler · Dec 7, 2015

I don?t have a 2011, But I do have the same truck in an 08 version and i love it. I have had to replace the glow plugs on it once. 7 of them are a breeze but the one behind the steering shaft was a pain. Other than that it has just been regular maintenance. In June I towed my son's car out to Fort Collins Co from MO for the second time. This time we went through Rocky mountain national park and criss crossed the continental divide a few times and drove above the clouds on occasions. I used the tow-haul mode and rarely had to tap my brakes and it towed up all but the steepest grades without ever down shifting. I have not owned a Ford or Dodge to compare them but I can tell you that you will never regret owning the Duramax and Allison transmission. By far the best truck I have ever owned. I forgot to mention that I got 17 mpg in the mountains, which is about what I get running around town empty and I got 22 mpg towing 70 mph across Kansas with no head wind. Just so you didn?t think I was making all of this up I included a pic of me and a snow bank in June at the Alpine visitor center at 13,000 plus feet.

GVSII · Dec 7, 2015

Not a GM guy but this is the first time I've heard of a 5.3 L GM V8 being referred to as junk.Least of all from a GM dealer!
You'd be happy with the diesel if you're pulling heavy 3 or more days a week and making money at it
otherwise it's a money pit.Give the idea some serious thought and do some research as to routine service and maintenance.

DoubleR · Dec 7, 2015

Unless your pulling 24-7 I would look at a gasser.

I have a 2007 2500 HD I brought new. I have had zero problems with it although I only have 52000 miles on it. I have just changed the oil in it and have replaced the brakes. It will usually have something hooked to it when I use it. Although its normally less then 10,000 gross trailer weight. My friend has the same thing only a year newer and used the same way. He has around 150,000 on his. He has not had any problems with his. Just Saying

ditchwitch · Dec 7, 2015

I traded a 2012 GMC 3500HD Dually with the 6.6 DuraMax with the Allison Transmission. It was a Awesome truck. Absolutely loved it. Never had a mins trouble out of it. Had 135k when i traded for 2015 3500 GMC Denali Dually. It has been a great truck but also but i did like the 2012 . Just FYI

Bryce Frazier · Dec 7, 2015

Yes.... that is correct Mike. . . . .

Hotflashjr · Dec 7, 2015

So what I was told was with the active fuel management that cuts down to 4 cylinders, which mine has, cylinder 1 has issues. Oil gets past the valve due to a design flaw on the valve cover. At 42,500 miles my spark plug out of cylinder 1 was a solid black mass of gunk and the truck was barely running. It also had half of the porcelain around the electrode missing. My dealer told me this was common, he guessed 50/50, and that the valve cover they put on under a service bulletin is not a true fix but a bandaid. He said if I kept the truck to buy a box of plugs and change the #1 plug with each oil change.

From May to end of November I pulled once a week, if not more. During the off season I do not pull much. Have been giving it lots of thought and truly trying to decide if the diesel is the right choice or look for a gas job.

Hotflashjr · Dec 7, 2015

As much as my 17 year old side would like to do that I have no intentions on anything more than keeping a good maintained stock truck. For the farm and my 9-5 job I have to have something reliable and I have a few buddies with trucks like that and they always seem to be "fixing" them. I learned years ago with a lifted SUV that a daily driver cannot also be a weekend warrior play toy. Well, not on a budget anyways.

cjackman · Dec 7, 2015

All I can say is that if your local dealer can say a 5.3 is junk,they aren't that good of a dealer! Truly has to be one of GM better motors ever made. I worked at a dealer for several years as a GM tech and they were good motors. I will say though that the Duramax and Allison is a combo you would not regret. They must be selling them, I work at the foundry that pours them and we can't make enough.

IAtractorKid · Dec 7, 2015

The 5.3 is not junk; the active fuel management and displacement on demand is. That being said, I would not hesitate to by a nice truck if it were equipped with this...for under $1000, you can buy the parts and tuning to remove it and problem solved!

John M · Dec 7, 2015

Wish I still had my 08! It got better mileage than this gas 1500 does! My had the DPF, so I cant say the DEF version would be better or worse.

IAtractorKid · Dec 7, 2015

More torque, better economy, longer expected life, better resale
value...

Hotflashjr · Dec 7, 2015

Thanks B&D. Trying to take it all into consideration on this as I do not want to be regretting a purchase like this in a few months. There do not seem to be many around for sale and the one that has come up seems to be a decent purchase but has the diesel engine.

Paul Shuler · Dec 7, 2015

The 08 Duramax and my best freind.

Rick Kr · Dec 7, 2015

2011 and newer have more towing/hauling capacity than 2010 and older.

I have driven a lot of the duramaxs since they came out in 2001, they have the power to tow and haul.
If the price is right, you wont get hurt on resale. Diesels hold their value well, especially if its a crew cab SRW.

But the diesel costs more initially, maintenance is more, fuel is more.
Do you need it to tow? If not you can get a gas truck that the mileage
will be equal with less maintenance and stable fuel prices.

Being a 2012, I think it has a 100K powertrain warranty. I would check. It sounds like its a pretty clean truck without a lot of wear.

My two cents.
Rick

gab · Dec 7, 2015

Is your truck out of the 5 year/ 100 thousand mile powertrain warranty and if it is why haven't you been back screaming at your idiot dealer before? Find the GM phone # in your owner's manual and raise some hell, no dealer wants to get a complaint from GM..

Bryce Frazier · Dec 7, 2015

Yep, that is exactly right!!

I want a Duramax very badly, but don't plan on doing anything "stupid" to it. YES I will lift it up, probably 6 inches, maybe some bigger tires / wheels. Will have a bang board and tool box. And maybe one day a brush guard. But other than that, I want a stock engine. They are powerful enough as is!

dhermesc · Dec 7, 2015

Better economy? We had 2 Duramax diesels, a 2001 and a 2008. The 2001 was run to 235K, MECHANICAL REPAIRS (excluding brakes, tires and oil changes) was $26,895. The 2008 was run for just under 100K, MECHANICAL REPAIRS (excluding brakes, tires and oil changes) $13,850. We won't be buying any more of those.

ss55 · Dec 7, 2015

A good salesman can read a customer and tell the customer what he wants to hear to make a sale.

If your 1500 covers most of your needs why not keep it and replace the #1 spark plug a few times a year? If you only occasionally need to pull a larger load you can usually find a buddy to haul it for not much more than gas (diesel?) money plus food and refreshments.

If you drive empty a lot, maybe consider getting a used a car for your daily (empty) driving and reduce the wear and tear on your truck. Fuel, tires and maintenance on a mid-size car are about half the cost of those for a half ton pickup.

buickanddeere · Dec 7, 2015

Price it out. The economy advantage disappeared in 2007.
Reliability ? Oh please , how can you type that knowing bills diesels owners are paying for service . Buddy of mine in Flint just paid $4400 for eight Duramax injectors . How is that reliable and economical ?
Torque? Pleas tell us what torque is.

Ron-MO · Dec 7, 2015

I would tend to agree. Especially since the EPA is now punishing the diesel pickups now with all the emissions garbage, thus pushing the purchasing and operating costs through the roof. Don't get me wrong, I
would love to have a Duramax pickup, but I would be like many others and my 1500 will haul or tow about all I need to. I see too many that haul nothing bigger than an ATV, and a half ton shortbed can do that
easily with far less cost, and probably ride and drive much better to boot. I talked to a guy recently that had an older small White single axle road tractor, and he was using it to haul goose neck trailers
(hay and cattle). I joked with him and asked if he thought he had a big enough truck, and he replied that he had far less in it than the guys that had the big Cummins dually pickups, and could likely tow
circles around them. He is likely correct, and makes sense I guess.

Doug Cotton · Dec 7, 2015

You will not regret buying a Duramax. I have had 03, 08, & currently a 15. Loved every one of them. 03&08 are at 200,000+ with minor issues. Love the 15 too, just wish I didn't have to mess with DEF. No problem with it, just wish it didn't have it.

JayinNY · Dec 8, 2015

There's your problem right there, Chevy and duramax, my 2000 f250 7.3 over 200,4000 miles hardly cost anything, battery's, altnator, oil and filters and a speed sensor. Wow you blew $26,000 on maintenance, heck I dident even pay that much for my truck. Lol..,

2012 Chevy 2500 HD - Any owners out there?

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