gmc k1500 z71 package advice

[chad]

looking at buying a cheap 4 x 4 for my wife to get through winter. i have around $4,000 to spend without liquidating any PMs.

found a 1997 gmc k1500 w/z71 package. has all the maintenance records, everything checks out there, but truck has 184k on it with original transmission.

thoughts?

[willie pete]

I'm thinking.....

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/4283/dogsledteam.jpg

[midnight rambler]

The transmission will need to be rebuilt soon. Factor in that cost.

[Cebu_4_2]

the motors usually last upwards of 300k transmissions are luck of the draw.

Are you feeling lucky?

I have a 90 for sale but I just blew the rear end!

[LuckyStrike]

I had a 99GMC Sierra 5.3l that went to 365k original motor, trans only went to alittle over 200k but I attribute that to hauling loads of cows which were way over the capacity of a half ton (for that time anyway)

We have several other trucks at work with around or over 300k on the original trans which have only done very light towing. I should mention though that all of these trucks are 99+ so engines and transmissions are different than the one you are looking at.

I'm not sure about your area but I still see tons of those body style Z71's on the road, good reliable truck IMO.

If it were me I'd do it based on the information you have provided.

[ximmy]

trucks are cool

[Dogman]

trucks are cool


Yea
You can carry lots of stuff. ;D
Love my Dodge Ram.

To the o/p .

The mileage if the truck has been serviced correctly is high,but not that bad. But as midnight rambler said
the transmission could be a ticking bomb. Have you checked out the blue book price?
For the year model,$4000 may be high. Unless it is very clean and has been taken care of.

[osoab]

Do you now how the truck was used previously?

184k on a 4 wheel drive might be asking for trouble.
You may not have issues this year, but who knows what troubles may start occurring later.

How many miles do you think your wife may put on it over the winter? If it just going to be used for the crappiest of weather, I would take it after a proper inspection.

I did pass on one with 120k 6 years ago. The price on that one was 8,000.

[Dogman]

Do you now how the truck was used previously?

184k on a 4 wheel drive might be asking for trouble.
You may not have issues this year, but who knows what troubles may start occurring later.

How many miles do you think your wife may put on it over the winter? If it just going to be used for the crappiest of weather, I would take it after a proper inspection.

I did pass on one with 120k 6 years ago. The price on that one was 8,000.




Bunch of 4 wheelers were bought to show off by asphalt cowboys and have never been full 4x4 drive or off the pavement.Those are the ones that may be good , except u-joints and cv joints. It just depends. But the transmission that is another story.

[Fortyone]

For 4k you can buy one of the older pre govt. meddling versions that have serviceable common parts that you dont need a scan tool for.

[skid]

The tranny will fail soon. Then motor should last a long time further if it has been maintained properly. All other components (ujoints, brakes, steering components, etc.) are consumables so expect to replace those as well... The LS series engines seem to last a long time, get good mileage, and make great power. GM's are cheap to repair as well (compared to most other makes).

[palani]

Give her your old one and buy something substantial.

http://www.govliquidation.com/aucimg/photos/26795/26794652.jpg


1971 AM General M813A1 5 ton 6x6 w/o winch Cargo Truck. SN:C136-10351 Drop Side. Powered by Cummins 6 cyl diesel engine with 5 speed manual trans with high and low range. The odometer reads 60905.7 miles with 1793.6 hours of operation. Does not start. Running condition unknown.

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?id=3652440&convertTo=USD

[Liquid]

Bunch of 4 wheelers were bought to show off by asphalt cowboys and have never been full 4x4 drive or off the pavement.Those are the ones that may be good , except u-joints and cv joints. It just depends. But the transmission that is another story.


A z71 has the under plating to protect the trans and engine, if I am not mistaken. To check to see if it's been used offroad, take a look at the underplating. You will have to climb under the truck to check. If it's scratched dented, etc. The truck's been used off-road. If there's not a scratch on it...you may have found one that's stayed on the asphalt.

[chad]

good to know guys. even if i price in a tranny, $3,500 is a pretty solid price. i'm going to check out the underplating and put her through the test moves tomorrow. it only has to run until spring. major use is to get out of our 450+ foot driveway and drive 7 miles to work. i'll hav eenough saved in the spring to buy a decent truck, at $3,500 i can't think it would depreciate much further.

[Ash_Williams]

My 94 suburban went to 280,000 miles on the original motor and tranny. That is with very very little maintenance (no oil changes for about a year!) 250 it would run on 7 cylinder sometimes as one of the plugs kept getting fouled - I just kept a pack of extra plugs and the sockets in the truck and changed it as it needed it. About 260 the rear diff went - got a used replacement. 270 it was losing power and making tons of noise. 279 and I realized the tranny fluid was like wet sand. At 280 I drove it 60 miles at a solid 50mph with the sandy tranny fluid and when it got where I was going it became a field truck. I leave it in 4x4 and I let it run on 7 cylinders and it's been running a few hours every weekend for over a year like that.

The GMCs can be tough trucks and personally I would buy it if I was just going 7 miles back and forth per day without worrying about if the tranny would fail. However, if snow is the problem then the pickup isn't the best solution. I have chevy 4x4 pickup as well and its traction in the snow is noticeably lacking as compared to the suburban. I believe it's simply a matter of weight distribution (pickup has the most terrible balance imaginable) but it seemed to me no matter how much heavy crap I put in the back, it never handled the snow as well as the suburban, and the extra weight was very detrimental to braking. Tires were interchangeable being all 6 bolt chevys and I tried that in an attempt to fix the pickup's handling but it made no difference.

I also have a qx4 as my replacement winter beater and it too handles snow much better than the pickup - both deep snow and slippery packed snow. I think the SUV shape gives the best weight balance for pushing through the white stuff.

[Liquid]

i'll hav eenough saved in the spring to buy a decent truck, at $3,500 i can't think it would depreciate much further.


At $3500, it may actually go up in price. If the dollar keeps tanking, it may sell for $10K by spring. ;D

If you get another truck in spring, I'd recommend using it as a backup, or maybe mounting a snow plow on it.

[chad]

MUST HAVE BEEN GOOD. WENT TO LOOOK AT IT THIS MORNING, SOMEBODY BOUGHT IT 15 MINUTES BEFORE I GOT THERE. >:(