Ok, I'm in the hunt for a new truck, I'm 19 years old, work at a chevrolet dealership in the service department, and attend school as a full time student. I'm looking to buy a new truck, I currently have a 1500HD. It gets an average of 8-10 MPG. Maybe a little better on a perfect day, but hardly ever. The value of the truck is going down every year. It's payed off, its an 2001. I can get about 10k for trade in. Here are my options, I'm curious to what you would do in my situation. Please be honest. I do not tow very often at all, and when I do, its nothing my 1500HD could not handle. I just commute. Its not that far.


Whatever I do, I'm going to do a 5 year plan, so, I intend to keep it 5 years. I can pay it off before, but I'm getting the loan for 5 years no matter what.


My options are so far.. a loaded 2008 silverado, msrp around 42k, but we usually buy our new cars there, and he gives us the best deal around. But anyways, before the new rebates came out, he had it at 400$ a month, maybe a little less. But thats more than I really want to pay monthly.
I'm going to have him run the numbers again regardless and see what he can do now.

my other options are a 2006, or 2007 Silverado 1500 Z71 crew cab. the 06' has 32k miles, fully loaded with sunroof and all. The 07' has 10k miles, and is fully loaded as well. The price of these two is within 500-1000 of each other, so I would be roughly looking at payments of 250 a month.

my final option is a 2006 LBZ Duramax 4x4 with the LT3 interior, no sunroof. 20k miles. I think it has a 5th wheel hookup on it, I would want to take that off if at all possible. The payments for this rig would be around 250 as well. But diesel is a little bit more expensive.

I must have a 4wd vehicle, as I live in the country, and go places that a non 4wd cant go easily.


My reasoning is that, If I'm going to keep this truck 5 years at least, as I have my last. If the diesel is the same price as the gassers, why wouldn't I go with the diesel? It doesn't make much since to buy a lesser truck when I could get twice the truck for the same amount of money. Yes diesel is a bit more expensive, say 60 cents. BUT diesel also returns better fuel economy. I'm just curious to everyone's view on my situation. I'm used to driving a large truck already, as my 1500hd is the length of a 2500hd already. I was looking forward to something a bit smaller, but the diesel is a sweet option, and if its the same price. It doesn't seem I can go wrong.

Take the LBZ. Fantastic truck. You can take off the fifth-wheel hitch and get plugs for the bed holes. You'll have a truck that you literally drive 'till you retire.

I do love my LBZ but in all fairness all i ever did with an LMM is test drive one, which i did enjoy:D. If you dont need a new truck go for the LBZ. I now buying used is a little risky but in all honesty I feel bead for ppl that buy new and loose 7K in value as soon as its driven off the lot. As far as even thinking about the gas truck...wuts wrong with u!!!:eek:

Lol, well the only thing that turned me on to a brand new truck is the warranty to be honest. In fact, I don't like the new body styles compared to the old, yes they have some cool features from the factory I would love (remote start, coil over (1500s), and great warrantys). BUT, I drive a TON of chevrolets being as I work in the service department. I ALWAYS check the DIC average gas mileage on a truck when it comes in, and from what I've observed, the new body styles are getting worse gas mileage than what the "classic" trucks are getting, usually by 2-3 gallons in most cases. I understand the LMM getting worse stock, with all of the exhaust restrictions, but the gas burners have AFM, and claim to get better, though I havent seen it. The new body style is easier to trick out the way I want it. But, I've always secretly wanted a diesel. Though I do nothing at all that requires that kind of truck.

I'm kind of worried about buying used as well, but it only has 20,000 miles, I've ran chevrolet vin checks and a carfax on it, and it all comes back clean. It still has the factory tires on it, and the front end squats just like it came from the factory, it looks like an old man's truck to me. From what I can see in pictures, its absolutely pristine. I'm not 100% sure it has a 5th wheel on it, but I think I can see the release handle sticking up in the picture. That would have to go for sure, I have no 5th wheel, nor does anyone in my family. I occasionally throw the dirt bike or fourwheeler back there as well, so regardless, its out if I buy it. I guess I could have some plugs welded in or something, then Line-X'd over that.

I'm hoping to go look at it wednesday, and see what I can get it down to.

I'd level it w/ the cognito, throw some H2's on it w/ 285-315's on it, find a decent tuner, transformer brush guard, some lights, and be done with it for a while hopefully. I hope they'll deal on it and I can get it. The ONLY thing I don't like about it is it's white. My 1500HD is white, and I was kind of looking for a different color, white just screams work truck around here. haha.

Its got the vertical tow mirrors too, not sure how much I'll like those. I may swap em for power fold ones if they prove to be bigger. I was kind of looking to get a smaller truck, but I'd really be stupid to pass up a diesel for the same price of a gasser.

Keep the opinions and suggestions coming!! I really appreciate the help!

The power of a max is untouchable. I was in your same shoes. I sold an 04 max and bought a smaller gas truck. That was a mistake. I only had the gas truck 5 months and sold it just to buy another 04 max. I learned the hard way. BUY THE MAX!!!!!

I'm in the same situation as you (going into my senior year in college). I have a '99 Z71 with the 5.7L and love it but I live on a farm and it sees a lot of work. It has started to reveal some issues so I decided in March to go get a semi-new truck. I knew I wanted a diesel because of it needing to do some work on the farm LATER in life and I prefferred a Chevy but I wasn't limiting myself. Well I realized that fuel mileage, luxury and drivetrain was on the side of Chevy. I ran across a great deal at the time (a good deal now with the values falling) on an '05 and I jumped on it. '05 DA/CC 4x4 80K miles. I then purchased the extended warranty for what will wind up being a total of about $4500 and the truck is fully covered till 2010 or 180K. The checking account hurts at times but I've got money saved and I don't regret it one bit.