I have been a member for a few years. Everyone here has always been great helping with my diesel endeavors. My truck is getting a bit high in mileage (172K) and short of a water pump and injectors (3rd set) ive not had to do anything to it. My original intention was to drive her until she blows and put a lbz in it, however as i have read, it would be next to impossible. I just payed it off and dont really want another truck note, not to mention I LOVE MY TRUCK and dont want to sell it. I just keep reading horror story after horror story about these trucks on here. I have just started a family (son Jace born 2-14-09) and bought my first house. I guess this is my preemptive strike at advice as im sure im not the only one who has found my self in this position. My question, in short, is: What would you do?

thanks,
Chris

Keep it and drive it into the ground. Even if you have to put a couple of grand into it every year your still ahead by not making payments on a new one. the only time i ever sold one of my vehicles was when body rot was starting to get out of control other than that i used to change motors and trannys whenever I had to.

keep it!

sounds like its been a good truck so why get rid of her???

take that truck payment that you were making and put it into a saving account for a year or so. then with that money use it for emergency situations or repairs on the truck

Ok think about it this way. Your gut tells you about what you have to deal with and buying a newer truck would make some stress. Keep the truck and enjoy your baby and home.
chevman PS. me one smart 67 year old fella

Id not even worry about it. Drive the truck and deal with the problems as they arise. You'll have your hands more than full with your new baby.

I don't know, define 3rd set of injectors? Have all of them been replaced every time and what mileages where they done at? It has been speculated by some of our smarter member that the injector problem is caused the FICM design not the injectors. So your truck might always be a injector eater, and 172K isn't very much IMO for a 02. I'm not saying you have to buy a lot newer truck. Just maybe a 02+ that has had no or very few injectors replacements. That will keep you from having to much of a payment if any. You don't have much aftermarket stuff and what you do you can change over for the most part. But one bad thing is you know your truck and how it have been maintained, so you could end up with someone elses beater. You have to figure out your priorities. Congrats on the rugrat and the house.

I don't know, define 3rd set of injectors? Have all of them been replaced every time and what mileages where they done at? It has been speculated by some of our smarter member that the injector problem is caused the FICM design not the injectors. So your truck might always be a injector eater, and 172K isn't very much IMO for a 02. I'm not saying you have to buy a lot newer truck. Just maybe a 02+ that has had no or very few injectors replacements. That will keep you from having to much of a payment if any. You don't have much aftermarket stuff and what you do you can change over for the most part. But one bad thing is you know your truck and how it have been maintained, so you could end up with someone elses beater. You have to figure out your priorities. Congrats on the rugrat and the house.

Since i have had the truck ive only had to put one set in it, about 30k mi ago. And ive owned the truck since 128k. To my knowledge all 8 injectors were replaced each time, and for a fact all 8 replaced the last time. (They were done at the GM dealer i now work for). My guess is that even if i sold my truck and opted for a newer one with less injector changes, i'd have a truck note again. I just know that if I wait must longer to sell it, ill have a hard time with the amount of miles. decisions decions...

Also, any regular maintence items i should be looking for on an older truck as mine? I tend to think im pretty tech savy, but wanted to see what some of your ideas were incase im not thinkin right. Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

go to the bank and get a mutual fund or something. Put your truck payment into that every month and make some money. Then next time you are ready to buy a truck you can pay cash!!!

i say keep it, you know what you have. go thru check drivetrain/suspension. set aside part of your payment for repairs. if you sell/trade you might get someone else's troubles, and regret getting rid of your truck.

sell it and get a nice gasser with low miles, whats more important your family or a stupid old truck?

sell it and get a nice gasser with low miles, whats more important your family or a stupid old truck?

Nice gasser??? Didn't know such things existed. I wasn't in question of my priorities.

Nice gasser??? Didn't know such things existed. I wasn't in question of my priorities.

your right you should keep a high mileage truck and keep blowing money replacing injectors and waterpumps. I mean its sentimental.

Keep it. No truck payment is nice. Just stash a little money for emergencies, and play with your family. Get towing and a rental car added to your insurance and now worries if it breaks down. Enjoy your house and family!! :) kids are great!!

your right you should keep a high mileage truck and keep blowing money replacing injectors and waterpumps. I mean its sentimental.

Well, at my cost, even if I replace injectors once a year, it would be less than a car payment every month. I appreciate ur input, im just weighing my options and thinking out loud here.

KEEP IT! We have a 99 Nissan and I am looking at keping it for at least another 10 years. My 02 GMC D/A only has 90K mi and since I am 73 yrs old, it will do me until I cannot drive and tow with it anymore. Besides-have you looked at the price of the new trucks lately???

KEEP IT! We have a 99 Nissan and I am looking at keping it for at least another 10 years. My 02 GMC D/A only has 90K mi and since I am 73 yrs old, it will do me until I cannot drive and tow with it anymore. Besides-have you looked at the price of the new trucks lately???

Exactly! Even If I could get a truck note at 300/mo, I'd still be out more than repairs per year. I got a transmission guy that I work with. He's pretty much the best in Memphis, and the Allison is no stranger for him. So no worries there.

Well, at my cost, even if I replace injectors once a year, it would be less than a car payment every month. I appreciate ur input, im just weighing my options and thinking out loud here.

That might be, but don't you want a dependable vehicle? Not that your truck isn't, but I bough a diesel for just that reason. I was sick and tired of working on my gassers or them in the shop. Now I just play with my diesel. Why do you think you will have a payment? You just have to find the right deal and instead your wasting you time "thinking" about it. You don't have to decide right now just start saving some $$$ and keeping an eye open for a good truck. Sounds like you have already made your decision and you just want us to tell you its the right one. So here it is

You made a good decision keeping your truck. "with a pat on the back"

:D

That might be, but don't you want a dependable vehicle? Not that your truck isn't, but I bough a diesel for just that reason. I was sick and tired of working on my gassers or them in the shop. Now I just play with my diesel. Why do you think you will have a payment? You just have to find the right deal and instead your wasting you time "thinking" about it. You don't have to decide right now just start saving some $$$ and keeping an eye open for a good truck. Sounds like you have already made your decision and you just want us to tell you its the right one. So here it is

You made a good decision keeping your truck. "with a pat on the back"

:D

How would u suggest selling a truck with miles, and getting a new better truck with lower miles and not having a truck payment? I'm not looking for you to tell me anything other than ur rightful opinnion. As u can see, the majority of the replies I've gotten have advised to keep the truck. Up to now (knock on wood) my truck has been the most dependable vehicle I've ever had.

i would keep it dude..

but...
y dont you keep it for fun? like for dyno days and off road days. find a cheap car so you dont always have to worry about blowing the truck out.

i would keep it dude..

but...
y dont you keep it for fun? like for dyno days and off road days. find a cheap car so you dont always have to worry about blowing the truck out.

Also a good idea man. And definitely one I've been putting some serious thought into. Honestly, I dont really care to put it on a dyno or anything, and it's two wheel drive. However, It is my tow rig for my rock crawler. So driving it in a day or two a week and keeping miles off of it would be ideal. Maybe I can save enough to pay cash on a grocery getter and get it fixxed up as my designated tow vehicle?

Also a good idea man. And definitely one I've been putting some serious thought into. Honestly, I dont really care to put it on a dyno or anything, and it's two wheel drive. However, It is my tow rig for my rock crawler. So driving it in a day or two a week and keeping miles off of it would be ideal. Maybe I can save enough to pay cash on a grocery getter and get it fixxed up as my designated to vehicle?



only 2 wheel drive? i didnt konw the the diesels had that option

but yea.. jsut keep it for fun and all that good stuff. and maybe you can find a cheap honda or nissan for your daily driving and such. and fix it up

ya you need to keep it, thats what i would do, mines been good to me had injectors at 111,110mi, that was kinda my fault from alot of water in the fuel, emptied the tank but didn't clean it out. then put alot of water desperser in it which ran the water through it. was on a 1500mi trip and shut it off about half way through it to check the oil and the injectors hydro locked perminitly, got it to where i was going friend towed it and got it to start but there was this green substance( oh ya fuel) coming out the tail pipe with a lot of white smoke and i mean alot it clouded over an acear parking lot that was bad. dealer changed them all and runs great now at 147,000mi. I'd keep an eye on the wheel bearings had to replace mine at 70k and just changed another at 146k but my torsion bars are a little weak got it back up to factory height instead of ridding on the bump stops with no travel aloud so my wheel bearings were taking the brunt of things. so i'd keep it. best truck i own.

Yeah, As a GM parts associate, Ive got the hook on parts for the truck. Get em at dealer cost :D. Like I said, my truck is 2wd. Suprisingly, its still on the factory hubs. (Checked them with my driveline tech, still good!) But then again, its the same hubs that go on the 4WDs and even the H2s. So I guess being 2WD has given them some longevity. May replace them just to be safe in the up comming months. I really appreciate everyones input. As always you all have given me some good food for thought. Keep em commin!

keep the truck. long live the LB7 :)

keep the truck. long live the LB7 :)



WOOOT!!:D

After spending countless $$$ fixing my 02 pos, I bought an S10 to drive every day. the $3,000 I paid for it was less than the cost of continual fixing the big truck. After 1.5 years driving the S10 all I've had to do was replace a U joint. I only drive the big truck when I need to. My 02 has around 160,000 miles on her. The S10 is around 130,000. (and boy is she easy to park)