Ok guys, I'm 19 years old and planning on ordering a new duramax in the next couple weeks and I was hoping you guys could help me figure out what to get.

My dad has an 03 Chevy 2500hd 4x4, crew cab, long bed, duramax/allison LT...stock:o: . That I drive fairly often.

His friend has 04 Chevy 2500hd 4x4, ext. cab, long bed, duramax but with a 6 speed. :driver: That is also stock except for a 5inch straight pipe. I have drove it many times also.

This is why I want a duramax also, I just need help figuring out what to get?

I need help deciding whether to get a chevy or GMC; Regular, Ext. , or crew cab; short or long bed; LS or LT package. I know that a want an 05 4x4,
6 speed:driver:, dark grey or black, other than that I'm stumped on what to get:confused: !

Some info about me: I'm only 19 so no family of my own but accosionally have a cab full of people ( I currently have a 94 Regular cab 2500 chevy), I rarely tow or haul anything, don't really need to be to fancy inside just carpet, cd player and AC. I think thats about it.

Thanks for your help and if I need to answer any questions just post them.

P.S. I'm planning on lifting it a few inches.

If you dont really tow or haul why spend the extra money on a duramax? :confused:

No, I don't need one I just want one, I like the sound, like the smoke, and I like having all the power and still getting 20 mpg. Plus I just think they're:cool2: .

if you have alot of people with you I would get the cc, plus I have the ex cab and the doors make noise all the time. And as for ls or lt if your not looking for much inside like you stated the ls would be just fine, they still have ac cd pw pl ect. just my $.02

Chevy LS CrewCab ShortBed would be my suggestion.


Check my signature below regarding my rig...then click on the link to see it.

LATER!

If not reg cab, go right to the crew. WAY more useful. I'd never get a shortbed again, but that's just me. Crew cab shorty is very manageable. With the 6 spd, you'll only get SLE trim, with no current option for buckets. I have no problems with my 2 SLE's, just make sure you get SWAC's - steering wheel audio controls. I wouldn't waste any money upgrading to a different stereo than the stocker, and most will tell you the BOSE is a joke if you're into high quality stereo. Save your money for Bilsteins, exhaust, guages, power-adder, tranny, injectors, turbo... You get the point...

Being 19, congrats on buying a Duramax at all!

Ty

If I had the chance to redo my purchase

Loaded 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed.

Mine is a 2002 4x4 Loaded EXT Long Bed GMC

Thanks for the replys guys.. keep em comin.

Are the extended cabs that bad?

Thanks for the replys guys.. keep em comin.

Are the extended cabs that bad?No, but over time and rough roads, hauling the doors need adjusting which is a RPITA

Once you own a crew cab that's all you'll ever want. Suggest getting the long box since you can never have too much room. Either the LS or LT depending upon how deep you want to dig into you piggy bank. If you get into traffic all the time the Allison transmission would be the wise choice. All the clutching and shifting gets real old very fast in traffic. The manual will really have adverse affect when you go to sell or trade. Get the XM radio. Leave it stock and don't rag it.

What do you think looks better black or the dark carbon grey? Also GMC or Chevy?

Carbon - easier of the two to hide imperfection - scratches, etc. For the latter, there is no choice - GMC. Unless, of course, you ask a Chebby man.

Either way, you can't go wrong...

Ty

ty said,"bose" is a joke,I dont get it-sound is everything,when you spend $$$50,000,besides chevys are top of the line,that is why they offer bose and onstar....etc....etc.....

granted LT is more $$$$,but listen to the guys who have LT,then decide....not, ok I will take the sle if thats all you have on the lot!....look into special ordering your truck,also.jmo-btw extra cabs are worthless,If you want to keep you junk in your garage instead of your truck!

Ide make sure that you are not getting over your head in this.

Personal questions, I know, but do you have enough cash to buy it? Enough $$ to maintain it? Enoigh $$ to put fuel in it? 20 mpg aint that good.........

Sorry to be the realistic party pooper.

Crew cab or ext cab both look good. If your not hauling anything I think the short bed looks alot better. Easier to park also. I personally like the front of the GMC better, and I like the molding on the side better on the GMC, and I like black. I dont think you can go wrong if it is a duramax and the allison.

My 04 was a Black on black EXT cab with LT option, I loved it except I could not keep it clean. So I went for my 05 Red Crew with the short box. And get the Bose if you can it sounds amazing in both styles, my freind has the stocker in his LS and the stocker sucks compared to the Bose.

20mpg? where are you guys getting that?

6speedduramax-

Congrats on the durmax that is coming! I too bought a duramax when I was 19 (last year), only I bought a lightly used 02 and had a trade in of a paid for 98 1/2 ton...still can't hardly afford the payments, hahah. I have a shortbed extended, and for the most part like it. I would rather have a long box for farm and ranch work, but the short bed is nice in the woods and turns a little sharper. My "suicide doors" on the extended cab seem to be farily quiet, unless wash board roads are bad or crossing a deep ditch that really tweaks the frame. I don't know if you go off-road at all, but don't get a dark color. I hate the dark blue my rig is, it looks like it's 10 years old from all the scratches...if you are on the road a lot though black and dark grey look awful sharp. I like my six speed too, just not the DMF. Anyway, hope this helps a little, all comes down to personal preference. Oh, my trucks a SLE with no carpet and I love it!!!! Carpet holds dirt:mad: Good luck with your search!!
J-HEFF

Good advice above in avoiding the dark colors. They show everything and unless you like washing once a day they look pretty shabby. Best colors are white or silver birch. Either one has to get into mud before any dirt shows. Up to you.

I just bought my Duramax in the fall last year it is an exteneded cab short box its a GMC SLE i have the stearing wheel controls very nice and i would also recomend the onstar and xm even if you dont think you want it. I went with the allison but it sounds like you made your mind up on that one. It shure is nice being 18 and being able to beat a mustang and after that tow a 15000 lb 5th wheel.

Buy a reg cab. My friends ask why I didnt get a crew or ext and I tell em I aint paying 3k on top of a 40k truck to haul thier buts around in. Actually it was so i can put a bigger blade up front but thats not what I tell them.

If I were to do it again I would get vinal floor mats instead of carpet. Get the factory CD player but get it minus the bose stuff. You can easily put some deals to converter your stock cd player to some rca outs so you can stick a amp and replace the speakers with some deecent ones and it will have good tunes and still be pretty cheap.

I would go with an allison also.

I would get the steeringwheel controls and power everything else but skip on the XM and onstar but thats just me.

Also get a g80 option

IMO plan on spending the cash for a spray in bed liner and I would also get a GOOD(weathergaurd) tool box if you dont buy a ext or crew cab.

I would also look at a SRW 3500 instead of a 2500HD and see if you like its options and such. You get the bigger tires from the factory ect.

Here is my take on the question.........

GMC........they look better ):h
Crew Cab.........can't beat the room..........
Allison Auto........nice not to have to shift it........
I like the short bed........if you need the extra 1~1/2 feet get the long bed
XM radio.........
RED............looks way better than any other color........

Uhmmmmmmmmm

I think that's all I have to add.............:cool:

Try to find a real clean used one.

I bought a '05 used with 2080 miles on it. Saved a bundle over the new price. They are out there just have to be picky with plenty of time. If you don't have to have it right now, then look around a little. May be surprised what you might find. That Diesel/auto combo is very expensive new.

Mark

Ide make sure that you are not getting over your head in this.

Personal questions, I know, but do you have enough cash to buy it? Enough $$ to maintain it? Enoigh $$ to put fuel in it? 20 mpg aint that good.........

Sorry to be the realistic party pooper.
My dad owns a small local trucking company (12 trucks) so he's helping me:hug: :Handshakewith the down payment and I came out of high school with a Journeyman electrician license and I'm now working in electrical maintanence at a federal prison. That's where I get my money so I hope that'll be enough for payments, insurance, and a few mods.

Dad gets his fuel for his D-max from the tanks for his trucks so I'm hoping to do the same:naughty:


As for goin off road I have an old jeep cj to play with.


:thankyou2Thanx for all the replys keep em comin.

19? Hell the old man must be buying, so do it up!

I say wait for the '06 with the 6speed Allison.

GM or Chevy are the same except for looks. Get what you want. I got the LS package with steering wheel controls (with power adders the mpg stuff is worthless now). Stock radio (not bose). I chose the LS because it's a truck not an Caddy SUV. I use it to load crap to the dump as well as my daily driver. Like I said get what YOU want.

Also remember the maintenance on these trucks is more than a gasser. IMHO it's worth it.

I didn't know GM was putting six speeds in when 06 comes around..show's how much i'm in the dark:) . I'd rather have a six speed auto than a six speed manual fur sure!:cool2:


J-HEFF