It's official
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
It's official
Its official, though I have been a Ford man most of my life, I closed and took delivery of a 2003 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD 4X4 extended cab with the SLT trim package about a week and a half ago. It has the 6 speaker Bose speaker stereo with in dash 6 CD player which knocks the socks off my old 2000 F-150's stereo.
It has the full feature heated front leather bucket seats that do everything except perform oral acts on the driver. It also has the locking rear differential, heavy duty tow package and electronic transfer case. The rear axle has a 4.10 gear ratio and the 6000 Vortec engine puts out 300 HP with 360 lbs of torque. It is listed to tow 16000 lbs GVW. Obviously the torque is only available at higher RPMs but with the low gearing that should not be a major problem. In fact there are about a dozen large stumps on my grounds that my Ford couldn't quite pull so it will be interesting to give them a shot with my new GMC once it is properly broken in.
The truck sits several inches lower than the F-250 so it does fit in my garage and it is much easier to get in and out of. With my knees and back the way they are that is not a minor concern. The drivers seat automatically adjusts all the way back and down when the key is removed and that also helps on entering and exiting the vehicle.
After polishing it with Eagle One yesterday I got thumbs up from many drivers and complements every where I stopped this weekend. The salesman and Dealership were also a huge factor in my truck selection, never once did it feel like I was in a dog and pony show while negotiating and when the salesman did not know an answer to a question he admitted it and did not B.S. around it. It was very nice to finally recieve respect from a car lot.
I posted here that I was probably going to get this truck and wanted people to know that I finally took delivery on it. By the time I am tired of this one, Ford should be out with a 5 or 6 speed automatic for its new trucks and the changes should have all of the bugs worked out. But for now the GMC has been a very pleasant experience, heck both its daytime running lights still work!
It also has one year free ONSTAR, a transmission temp guage (great for towing or working in hot weather), engine hour meter, driver information center, rear window defogger, power and heated mirrors with monochromatic interior mirror. The heated seats have four different temp settings and the automatic climate control has dual settings up to 30 degrees different from each other. The little overhead console is tiny compared to my old Ford but holds my prescription sunglasses securely. The redundant steering wheel controls operate everything and even let me make phone calls through my ON STAR without ever taking my hands from the wheel. I have not driven out of town at night yet so I cannot say how well the headlamps illuminate the night but since they are halogen I expect them to do quite well.
The center consol is much smaller than my Fords and I already miss that space. Also the rear seat is not split and is a pain in the posterior to raise and lower though it is much easier to get in and out of. My MPG is running only around 11 right now but I expect that to increase to about 14 after about 8 thousand miles. So far the only complaints I have are listed in this paragraph, there will be updates on my opinions of this truck as time wears on should anyone really give a flying F... .
It has the full feature heated front leather bucket seats that do everything except perform oral acts on the driver. It also has the locking rear differential, heavy duty tow package and electronic transfer case. The rear axle has a 4.10 gear ratio and the 6000 Vortec engine puts out 300 HP with 360 lbs of torque. It is listed to tow 16000 lbs GVW. Obviously the torque is only available at higher RPMs but with the low gearing that should not be a major problem. In fact there are about a dozen large stumps on my grounds that my Ford couldn't quite pull so it will be interesting to give them a shot with my new GMC once it is properly broken in.
The truck sits several inches lower than the F-250 so it does fit in my garage and it is much easier to get in and out of. With my knees and back the way they are that is not a minor concern. The drivers seat automatically adjusts all the way back and down when the key is removed and that also helps on entering and exiting the vehicle.
After polishing it with Eagle One yesterday I got thumbs up from many drivers and complements every where I stopped this weekend. The salesman and Dealership were also a huge factor in my truck selection, never once did it feel like I was in a dog and pony show while negotiating and when the salesman did not know an answer to a question he admitted it and did not B.S. around it. It was very nice to finally recieve respect from a car lot.
I posted here that I was probably going to get this truck and wanted people to know that I finally took delivery on it. By the time I am tired of this one, Ford should be out with a 5 or 6 speed automatic for its new trucks and the changes should have all of the bugs worked out. But for now the GMC has been a very pleasant experience, heck both its daytime running lights still work!
It also has one year free ONSTAR, a transmission temp guage (great for towing or working in hot weather), engine hour meter, driver information center, rear window defogger, power and heated mirrors with monochromatic interior mirror. The heated seats have four different temp settings and the automatic climate control has dual settings up to 30 degrees different from each other. The little overhead console is tiny compared to my old Ford but holds my prescription sunglasses securely. The redundant steering wheel controls operate everything and even let me make phone calls through my ON STAR without ever taking my hands from the wheel. I have not driven out of town at night yet so I cannot say how well the headlamps illuminate the night but since they are halogen I expect them to do quite well.
The center consol is much smaller than my Fords and I already miss that space. Also the rear seat is not split and is a pain in the posterior to raise and lower though it is much easier to get in and out of. My MPG is running only around 11 right now but I expect that to increase to about 14 after about 8 thousand miles. So far the only complaints I have are listed in this paragraph, there will be updates on my opinions of this truck as time wears on should anyone really give a flying F... .
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 664
Likes: 1
From: Whitehorse, Yukon
Congrats Nick, it's always nice buying a new vehicle regardless of what it is. I hope it brings you many years of enjoyment.
While it's fun to do, I'm not going to sit here and bash GMC, all that matters is you are happy with it, and I wish you the best.
I appreciate reading the review you wrote, they're more meaningful when written by someone who switched from Ford.
(for comparison sakes)
If you get a chance, post some pics up, inside, outside, let's have a peek.
Good luck with your new truck.
Habibi
** Out of sheer curiosity, what made you decide to switch from Ford to GM? Inquiring minds want to know.
While it's fun to do, I'm not going to sit here and bash GMC, all that matters is you are happy with it, and I wish you the best.
I appreciate reading the review you wrote, they're more meaningful when written by someone who switched from Ford.
(for comparison sakes)
If you get a chance, post some pics up, inside, outside, let's have a peek.
Good luck with your new truck.
Habibi
** Out of sheer curiosity, what made you decide to switch from Ford to GM? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
The color is pewter metallic with dark pewter leather interior. While I have not measured the turning radius it feels a little larger than my Ford but not by a lot. The visibiltiy over my right shoulder is better.
I had actually signed papers to buy a Ford last Nov. then cancelled when I saw a spy shot of the 04 150. Last month the rebates and dealer discounts broke me down and I reached agreement to buy a Ford again. Then the dealersip tried to raise the price by three hundred dollars over what we had previously agreed to so I cancelled again. I had also had some unpleasant experiences at some other Ford dealers. I test drove the Dodge 1500 and 2500 Hemi's but didn't like the seats and their B-pillar seemed to intrude into my driving vision to the point of being annoying. Ford was not alone in offering poor sales experiences and Chevy's salespeople cost them a deal on a loaded Avalanch that I really liked.
The GMC has a very handsome front with ample chrome, its interior is much more refined than the current generation of Ford though we all know Ford is updating their interiors. The ride is also much easier on my back even though I have gone from a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton heavy duty model. The sales staff treated me with a lot of respect even though I had on dirty work clothes from my days toil.
My choices were between the big three American producers because I do not believe in buying foriegn brand products from countries that do not allow equal access to their markets. Even if their vehicles a produced here the profits leave our shores never to be seen again.
If I ever buy and learn how to use a digital camera I will post pictures of my truck. I wish I could have posted pictures of my old Ford because it was also a real head turner.
I had actually signed papers to buy a Ford last Nov. then cancelled when I saw a spy shot of the 04 150. Last month the rebates and dealer discounts broke me down and I reached agreement to buy a Ford again. Then the dealersip tried to raise the price by three hundred dollars over what we had previously agreed to so I cancelled again. I had also had some unpleasant experiences at some other Ford dealers. I test drove the Dodge 1500 and 2500 Hemi's but didn't like the seats and their B-pillar seemed to intrude into my driving vision to the point of being annoying. Ford was not alone in offering poor sales experiences and Chevy's salespeople cost them a deal on a loaded Avalanch that I really liked.
The GMC has a very handsome front with ample chrome, its interior is much more refined than the current generation of Ford though we all know Ford is updating their interiors. The ride is also much easier on my back even though I have gone from a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton heavy duty model. The sales staff treated me with a lot of respect even though I had on dirty work clothes from my days toil.
My choices were between the big three American producers because I do not believe in buying foriegn brand products from countries that do not allow equal access to their markets. Even if their vehicles a produced here the profits leave our shores never to be seen again.
If I ever buy and learn how to use a digital camera I will post pictures of my truck. I wish I could have posted pictures of my old Ford because it was also a real head turner.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth Texas
Ya know I still like GM's. It comes down to price, features and who I deal with. Neighbor is the General Sales manager at a Ford dealership, so I bought Ford. I think Fords are much thicker skinned, and better built, but I would by a Chevy or GMC again. I do not like the Avalanche look on the trucks though. 2002 was the last year that looked good to me. Either way, GM or Ford is the top two on my list. I do love my Ford. I liked my Z-71 also. I think you will be very happy. Congrats on your purchase. I have my eyes set on the new F-250 coming out in 2005 I believe. So I will drive what I have now and move up to a 3/4 ton with a diesel. But I will also browse the Chevy lots and see what they have. Sounds like you gotta a really nice truck. Need to post some pics of it and the interior and let us have a look!!