Well guys, I do want to throw out there I am from the heart of GM country. My old man has worked there since came to GMI in 1974. All my friends are Chevy people and I went astray from the GM tradition when I realized the GMT 800 was junk.

To Krewats credit, the new paint is from a nasty set of unfortunate events... detailed description in the thread 'trucks almost done'

No I would never put a gooseneck in a half ton, my truck came with it and I have since found it useful.

As for economy, I know about 10 people (no joke) with this truck. The 5.3L with active fuel management and a 6 speed slush box. They get around 20mpg at 70 from personal testimony, and the window sticker says 19. Which is substansially better than my 12 mpg at 70.

As for warranty, only thing in my SD I worry about is my transmission. I don't trust automatics worth nothin, and at 140K I grow more and more skeptical by the day.

I guess I'll visit the appraiser... but I don't think I could get this same deal through ford. Right now I'm lookin at $260 a month for a lot of years on the GMT900. In late sptember the cheapest I could get a 08 F250 short cab long bed 4x4 5.4L work truck for was $23K after incentives. Personally, I wont touch a ford half ton... i got my reasons.

But my pro and con list of GMT900 half ton vs. 04 super duty is dead even...

I am tempted just to say screw it... sell everyhting i own, change my identity and buy a double wide in alabama and ride a harley year round. No theres an idea.

 

What? I consider you as my step son (red headed) but still. The last 2 GM's i had were pure junk. (07 Tahoe 5.3, 07 Corvette Z06) my Tahoe couldnt tow a 4500# trailor to calif without burning up the rear end and transmission, complete sound system went out on that trip also. At 1500mi the shifters go out on the Vettes sa mine did, and at 2000mi expect roller bearings to be stuck on the drain plug from faulty rocker arms.
Wait till GM and Dodge merge and get a Dodge if you must!
$12k for your truck. Better yet save your money and buy a house.

 

Sometimes the lure to spend more money in an effort save more just doesn't make sense. However, working the numbers and seeing it in black & white (without getting emotion involved) can help you make a decision. Here's a break down in fuel costs/savings.

@70mph w/claimed MPG numbers

Yours = 12
GMC = 20
Average price for gas in your area $1.91

Cost per mile

Yours - 1.91/12 = $0.159 per mile

GMC - 1.91/20 = $.0955 per mile

Difference per mile = .06 per mile

Price difference between the two is $7,000. (This is the difference between amount owed and price of GMC.)

It will take you 116,666 miles to make up the difference or to have the GMC "pay for the difference" in fuel costs. 7,000/.06 = 116,666.

Miles driven per year = 40K. 116,666/40,000 It's will take you almost 3 years to make up for it.

Then you got more insurance, maybe more interest? but you won't have repair costs and you'll be pimpin' with yo fancy-shmancy Dubs.

 

The fuel basis is based on fuel rising within the next few years, once global demand strengthens and the economy actually comes out of the crapper, I am fairly certain oul will be right back around $100+ per barrel. Thats when fuel economy would become inportant (for me at least).

But I appreciate the break even analysis, its good to know there are other people out there that can see that sort of stuff. No offense against anyone on this forum but in the past 6 months I've just grown to the assumption everybody is retarded.

I can play the financial game pretty well, interest, break-evens, and so forth... I guess the main factor that comes with a new truck is the 'stability' factor. I could spend more on a new truck now (considered to be a deal) or I get blind sided by a $2000 transmission here, something else there. You get the drift.

I'll let ya know how it plays out, i made up my mind I refuse to take any less than $12K for my SD. Yeah, it may be a little high but i'm not exactly looking forward to parting with my baby.

I'll keep all yall informed as to how this pans out before I make a decision, and thank you all for helping me thus far. I can tell you I would be a mess right now without your $.02

 

Well guys after crunching numbers, test drives, inspections, and all that other cool stuff... I have reached what I feel to be a solid, well educated decision: keep the Super Duty

I got it back from the shop yesterday and felt like a kid on pimp my ride. Outside this truck looks brand new~ and considering I hadn't driven it in 3 and a half weeks, it feels brand new as well.

I pulled up in the chevy dealership, parked right next to the trucks that they had on special. The dealer couldn't understand why I would even consider getting rid of my Ford (at a Chevrolet dealership) then began showing me what they had. I was not impressed considering all the trucks had 5.5' boxes that I can't put my bike in.

He caught my attention with a brand new Silverado 3500 SRW crew cab 4x4 short bed with the Duramax/ Allison level 3LT (chevy's lariat package) and assured me the MSRP of $58K was substansially mroe than what they could give it to me for. When it was all said and done they wanted $33K for it.

After some consideration, that was a lot of debt I didn't want not even mentioning the fact my truck sat almost a foot taller and actually has a metal bumper. When I asked if they could throw bigger wheels on it for me, they said it would cost a ton because of the RF air pressure sensors in each wheel, then I realized screw it. I don't have to worry about that BS on my leaf spring equipped Ford

The cab was a clausterphobic plastic fantastic, and quiter than a library and dull. Low riding didn't help things, plus a 1 ton truck without clearance lights?

I'll stick to my ford... nice and roomy, loud, tall, and amazing. I love these trucks, and nothing on the road compares

 

wise choice!

 

Glad to see you came to your sences...sorry for knocking you aside the head so hard. Make a plan and stick to it.

 

Good call!

 

WHEW! That was close

 

We've all had a brain fart at one time or another. Glad to see you overcame yours OK.

 

Yeah, the old man wasn't very happy about it, but ehhh... I am, now its time to just sit back and fix my heated seats!

 

GM hasnt made a real truck since 1988.. all the newer designs use a over-glorified car suspension..

hell i see even Dodge this year went to coil springs in the rear...not sure how that will stand up to real world use..

personaly, call me ol school but ill take leaf springs/ solid axles and manual 4WD plz...

 

Good decision, but I have to ask what do you have against F-150's??

 

good lord that was close....you kept the real truck and im glad you did...

 

Small, independant front suspension, and awfully 'womeny'. Since they turned the 150 into a jelly bean then into a cool lookin jelly bean, it just seems like it appeals to chicks. Ford almost lost me at the F250LD but the SD made it okay.

As for GM not making a truck since 1988 yall are right! If a truck is defined as a vehicle with 2 live axles... the 150 aint a truck either