I took a new 2007 GMC Sierra for a drive last weekend. It was a crew cab, the highest trim package, with the all-aluminum 5.3L V8 with multi-displacement, automatic, 4x4, with leather seats. The truck priced out a little over $40,000. It definately is an improvement over the 1999-2006 generation trucks. It had a decent ride, was fairly comfortable, and the fit & finish and interior plastics were better. The things I wasn't impressed with on the interior were the HUGE number of controls. The steering wheel must have had 15 buttons on it for cruise control, audio controls, and the horn. I had to ask how to turn the cruise on because the buttons weren't clearly marked. The same with the dash and door. There were buttons for the power locks, mirrors, windows, and a bunch of other things I didn't figure out on the door, and none of them were very clearly marked. The dash had 4 buttons for the driver info center, and again they weren't marked very clearly. Granted, if it was your truck you would learn the controls, but I like to jump in a truck and drive, not try to decipher a bunch of buttons. Also, the top surface of the dash was made of hard plastic, with a very coarse grain that, in my opinion, looked low-grade for a $40,000 truck. Power was good, but, we went mainly on the highway, and the 4-cyl. mode wasn't entered very often, and any slight incline it would switch back to 8-cyl. mode. I get the feeling that it would only be in 4-cyl. mode on straight, flat stretches of highway. On the plus side, according to the instant economy on the dash it would get 20-22 mpg in 4-cyl. mode. In town, it had good pickup away from a stoplight. It felt faster than my 02 F150 5.4, but it's 260 hp vs. 310 hp. There weren't any squeaks or rattles, and the cab was very quiet. But, whenever we hit a bump you could see the center of the hood shake, like the sheet metal was a light gage with no support.

All in all, it was a nice truck. It better be for $40,000. But, it didn't make me want to run home, get my 02 F150, and trade it in.

I hope I didn't offend anyone with this post, but when anyone drives the "other" brand pickup you are going to look for anything you don't like and nit-pick.

 

I like how low the plastic front bumper sits, I bet subaru has better ground clearence, I honestly think this is the worst truck GM has built, styling, construction, everything. Very dissapointing to me, I liked my 04 GMC.

 

I'll never be in the market for the "loaded" model anyway, so all the buttons are not an issue. The basic "work truck" models of the new style wont be out for several months. They are supposed to be quite different from the ones out now. Metal bumpers, a simpler dash, and a $20k sticker will make it a lot more appealing for me.

Jim

 

My cousin is a salesman at the dealership I test drove the truck. He said that GM's coming out with the crew cabs first because they are the biggest sellers, the extended cabs will be out I think by the end of the year, and the regular cabs will be out sometime in the first quarter of 2007. I know that the regular cab work trucks won't have all the bells, whistles, and buttons, but all they had on the lot was a "loaded" model. I agree with you, I wouldn't want a loaded truck for what I use a truck for. I would have a hard time climbing in a $40,000 truck with my work clothes on and having a thousand pounds of steel scratch up the paint in the box.

 

I doubt the 4 cyl mode will be used that much, except in conditions of going down hill with a tail wind, or coasting to a stop.

I actually think the new exterior styling is a dramatic improvement over the previous GM trucks, not that that I find them all that attractive by any means. I still find GM trucks over the last few decades to be the uglist, and about the most poor taste in design, vehicles ever drawn up! Ironically, it's many of the loyal GM buyers that seem to like em even less than the previous styling.

 

I think the variable displacement is used to trick the EPA tests for fuel mileage ratings and for publicity. I have read 2 tests and the results were not good. Edmunds tested a 6.0 on a crew cab GMC and even though the EPA ratings were 15/19, they got 14.1 on a long interstate run. Motor trend has a GMC Yukon with a 5.3 in their long term test that has an EPA rating of 15/21 and they have averaged 11.9 in the first 3,681 miles.

But that doesn't matter to the GM loyalists because they have been waiting over 7 years for something different than they have been driving and they will buy.

 

12 was the best we could ever average to get with the 99 6.0 around town. so I highly doubt it changed.

I bet you are right about the EPA....their testing method is WAY OFF.

 

The local newspapers here are full of ads for the new Chevy/GMC trucks. On the "classic" models...basically an '06 re-titled as an '07...I've seen as much as 10 grand off the sticker price.

The new model '07's have discounts in the 5-7 grand range off sticker.

Automotive News states that GM/Chevy trucks are the most overpriced on the market, with confusing options lists that are a mile long.

I remember the old Ford slogan..."Why pay more when you can drive a Ford."

Still true today.

 

My 03 Silverado (5.3l) gets 22 on the Highway, I dont live in the city so I dont know. Under acceleration it reads like 6, and then when I get to speed and hit cruise it jumps to 20. Who knows. Cruise control is actually very easy. Theres a button on the end of the turn signal lever you push in, (like tow/haul mode or switching off O/D on the 99 f150 I had back in the day) and bam its on cruise control. Barely tap the brakes pedal and it turns off.

KBB for a dealership was $20, I got it for $15 T&T. Completely loaded too.

I actually wanted another Ford, but the few I found and really liked were priced from hell and the dealers were being rediculously stubborn about lowering the price. And I wasnt about to buy a Dodge or anything Foreign.

 

The 5.3 is extremely fuel efficient esp for the hp numbers it puts out. But the 6 liter is a different animal. It is made to haul a lot more. As we pulled our 29.5 foot fiver through PA and got pratically the same MPG. It was like mid to high 11's or something really dumb (hand checked) when we could only get 12.X around town. My neighbor drives his 5.3 like a grandpa and gets 18.X with his son getting to beat on it on the weekends. LOL

Last I checked, GM had a little better resale then ford, and a lot better than dodge.

 

Didnt Ford do exactly the same thing with the "Heritage" F-150 a few years ago?

Jim

 

yes they did.

 

ya I thought the same think with the bumper, could they made it any lower for a truck...looks like you could not even clear a speed bump.

Would not even think about buying one...

I am sticken with my ford!!