New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

[ebry710]

My Ford Van reached 200,000 last month and I am starting to look for a truck. Gas mileage is an issue and I don't want to step down to a Prius (even though I know someone probably thinks it can towing my whaler).

The heaviest load I tow is my travel trailer (~6000#). I live in CA. so I deal with hills and ramps with grades (for you JAX, FL. people, steeper then St Johns bridge).

Has anyone bought the new Silverado or GMC with the Vortec 5.3L V8 engine?

It is supposed to get an EPA est. MPG 15 city/21 hwy. with 2WD. Which is the best fuel economy for a full sized truck on the market right now.

I have not had a problem with my E350 with its 5.4L V8, but I doesn't come close to 21 MPG.

 

[danfrompgh]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I had a 2002 Silverado 5.3 1/2 ton extended cab 4x4 that I traded in on a 2006 F150 5.4 with the same cab and also 4x4. IMO my Chevy was a much better tow vehicle for my 29ft 5500lb camper. My boat was never pulled with the Chevy but from day 1 of towing season I missed the power,gas mileage and handling of the GM vs the Ford. For me, towing is an occasional thing and the Chevy was just a much better daily driver. With the proper setup the Chevy 5.3 is a very good motor.
Go ahead now Blue Oval guys I know your gonna disagree.

 

[cwhite6]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I have had both the Ford and GMC. The Ford I had a 4.6L in it. GMC I have now has a 5.3L (Crew Cab) with the towing packages and such. It is a work truck my company pays for as one of my perks. My Ford would pull my camper (28' TT approx. 6000# loaded) good enough, but lots of downshifting on hills. The GMC pulls it way better (bigger engine and townign package). I have pulled boats with it and you cannot even tell they are back there. These where aluminum and fiberglass bass boats. I like the truck, but not any better than my Fords. We also own a Ford Expedition with the 5.4L V-8 and towing package. That sucker can flat tow anything. Way more stable than the truck. Guess because it is way heavier than the truck. I think you will be fine with a GM, Chevy or Ford truck. Get the 5.3 or 5.4 V-8 and definatly get the towing package. I saw this year you can get a 6 speed auto with the large 5.3L V-8 from GMC. That could make a big difference on towing heavy boats. I believe you can get a 6 speed in the Ford also.

 

[cwhite6]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

Also, the new 2009 Ford is rating for 21 mpg I believe too. I pull a camper similair in size and weight to use and I get around 10 mpg and sometimes 12mpg on flat land.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

The new Ram has some unique features that make it worth looking at as well. The Hemi motor has the displacement on demand feature like the chevy that cuts down on the number of cylendars firing when you don't need the extra power to save fuel. plus they've got that lifetime powertrain warranty.

 

[timdan94]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

My sister has a gmc sierra extended cab with the 4.8 with 3.73 gears and she tows a two horse trailer with it quite often and has no problems with power. I'd say the 5.3 would have no problems with 6000lbs

 

[QC]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I actually have a 2008 GMC 1500 with the 5.3 and 3.73 rear end (7600 lb tow rating). I mostly love this truck, and I have towed 5,000 lbs with it over steep grades and high ambient temps.

First I will say that their fuel mileage claims appear to be valid to me. I did an unscientific, but reasonably clean test of my own. I filled up and went from my house down to Newport Beach and back, about 75 miles round trip. I was very light footed, and cruised when I could on the Freeway at 70. I got stuck in completely stopped traffic for about 5 minutes and I had about 5% city street driving. I refilled at exactly the same pump and let the pump shut itself off both times. I did not try and pack any more in. I got 19.7 MPG which seemed like a confirmation of the 21 claim to me.

With that said, I have two towing complaints.

1) In either tow or regular "mode" it downshifts from 3rd (direct) to 2nd too easily for me. This truck replaced a 2003 Expedition with the 5.4 and that truck held 3rd better which I prefer. Not a biggee though.

2) Runs hot (260), but suposedly "normal" on an extended hard pull in 115 degree ambient in 2nd. The temp gauge does not budge in any other condition from 210. The manual said up to 260 is normal, and could be expected, but it is still scary to see 260 on the gauge.

This is the first 1/2 ton truck/platform I have had (or seen) with all electric fans. There is no belt driven fan whatsoever. I actually like this as I hate unneeded mechanical load, and that is always a problem with viscous fan clutches like on all my other 1/2 ton platform stuff. I am sure this is part of their fuel mileage strategy. We have had two Suburbans, one with a 5.7 and one with an earlier 5.3, and the Expy, none of the other trucks' temp gauges ever budged in similar conditions and loads, all with the AC on. May not be an issue, and I tend to trust OEM documentation, but it does make me nervous and I'd prefer to cruise across the middle of the flippin' desert with the family stress free FWIW, this is one reason I prefer idiot lights to gauges. If I didn't know, I wouldn't stress about it and either way probably never have a problem anyway

 

[Silvertip]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

QC -- are you sure that you are actually feeling a 3-2 downshift and not a 3 lockup to 3 clutch release. Very easy to confuse. Even at slower speeds it usually takes a pretty heavy pedal to force a 3-2 downshift on my Yukon (identically equipped).

 

[QC]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I totally understand torque converter lock-up. As I mentioned I have a personal hate for mechanical efficiency losses . . . Definitely a whole shift down, I would usually force it there early on a long pull anyway, but it just kicks down earlier than the Expy would've.

My professional experience is primarily heavy truck. Almost all diesel cycle, so despite my endless torque comments (marine issue for me, not really on-road comments), I like to see a combination hold the higher gear if I can see the top of the hill. For my same efficiency obsession I hate unnecessary downshifts

I even asked the dealer to check for any software updates for trans control. My latest obsession is actually that I can't verify with the tach, or my ear, torque converter lock-up in 2nd. I am confident it is there. That would, however, explain the temp rise that has me doubting the electric fan configuration . . .

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

Hey QC,Have you thought about a Superchips programmer?
Worked great on my Tahoe for the same shifting issue when pulling a long grade towing my travel trailer.
It lets you adjust shift points for each gear as well as shift pressure.

 

[QC]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

Yeah, I should look into that Gary. I am pretty much an OEM guy as I mentioned, but I'd love to play with shift points. I'd also love some control over the no-mans-land that Silvertip mentions. There's nothing I hate more than the tranny unlocking and then it staying there. All of my modern trucks have done that under certain throttle positions, but I have always felt there is no reason to unlock those things except to shift. With that said, I understand there is no real way for the OEM to anticipate every combination of pedal position and speed, so it has to have a point where it unlocks and doesn't complete the shift. For that reason alone I'd like control.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I got my grand prix computer reprogrammed with new shift points, loved the results. Just go by other people's reviews to pick the right software, or person to do it.

 

[AZSenza]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

One word...
DIESEL
Once you do black you 'll never look back!
my 05 2500 4X4 6" lift 37" tires Dodge with the Cummins gets 20 hi-way and 17 pulling my 22 foot boat and tandem axel trailer. Its got a performance/towing chip and a 6 speed manual. I hear the autos are even better. The new "Clean Diesels" dont belch black smoke like mine does but are still very respectable. The Dodge has the most reliable engine (Cummins) its based off the same platform as lots of heavy duty equipment. It will outlast the body!

 

[ebry710]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I like diesel, but in my job I have to start and stop 40 times a day and have an average distance of 2 miles a trip. My routine is kinda hard on a diesel.

Plus all my engines are gas. If I push my fuel gas, I can always use my gas can to replenish.

 

[Al Bee]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

If you are buying new, check out a vehicle with a cylinder management system. I have an MDS Hemi, it gets decent fuel economy for a big V8 (about the same as a V-6) I believe the new GM 6.2L also has a cylinder management system and will get the same fuel economy as the MDS Hemi.

 

[642mx]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I drove a 5.3 Chevy, 5.4 Ford, Hemi Ram, and the Tundra..... After driving all of them, it was clear the Tundra kills them all. Its rated to pull nearly 11,000 lbs and its the quickest 1/2 ton on the market.

I bought a new 5.7L D-Cab 4x4 TRD package.

 

[alumi numb]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

chevy's first v8 1917 288 cid and 55 hp with cross flow heads.
ed cole 1952 designed the sbc kind of borrowing port design from ford.
to this day an sb2 will bolt up in a 55 chevy.
kind of wanted to add, the 54 vette was slower in the 1/4 mile than the sedan.
opinion, you have a nice truck.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

of course the tundra killed them, 5.7L is .4 liters bigger than the chevy, and .3 bigger than the ford. and the dodge...well let the mopar guys make the excuses for why its 5.7 can't out pull the 'yota haha

The chevy actually offers the MDS in the 5.3 liter motor, they call it active fuel management.

 

[derekpfeiffer]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

I love my 2000 chevy half ton with the 5.3L when I bought my new boat I was planning on buying a new 3/4 ton pickup to pull it...heck that 5.3 will pull it just fine...65mph all through all of the Kansas back roads up and down the hills and still get 12mpg. The only complaint I had was the soft suspension and when I hooked my 23ft boat onto it it'd sag...which is a huge pet peeve of mine. So I just put on a set of Air Lift helper air bags and now I can adjust them to what load I have....keep my truck level and get optimum ride. For the money you can't beat them!!!

 

[642mx]

Re: New Chevy Truck w/ 5.3 V-8. Any opinions?

of course the tundra killed them, 5.7L is .4 liters bigger than the chevy, and .3 bigger than the ford. and the dodge...well let the mopar guys make the excuses for why its 5.7 can't out pull the 'yota haha

The 5.7L isn't significantly bigger than the rest.... but it does make significantly more horsepower.

I agree there is no replacement for displacement, but the 40 or 50 horse difference between the Toyota and Ford isn't because of engine size.