Thinking of buying a 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab, or similar Input?

[Sawin]

I?m looking for a full-size 4door pickup that can tow a midsize trailer. I?m in no hurry, just looking for a good value or the chance to help someone who needs to sell something due to this Covid shituation. Anyone got a decent truck to sell to a forum friend?

[BushMasterBoy]

I have a 2007 Silverado HD2500. It will beat you to death on that stretch of I-25 between Castle Rock and Denver tech center. If you drive that highway a lot, don't get a GM truck. Link below gives some explanations. I don't think anybody knows how to fix it besides drive 60mph or less...does it on Pueblo Blvd too. Concrete rain grooved highway is bad, asphalt no problem.

https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/42115-resonant-oscillation-on-certain-roads/

[Sawin]

Ha! Thanks for that insight, BMB! That sounds like one heck of a manufacturer’s defect! Any idea what year they solved it for good? I do think I’ll wind up with a GMC, quite honestly. Perhaps a bit newer though.

[00tec]

Colorado road resonance is not unique to GM 3/4 tons
My 1/2 ton F150 does the same at qbout 82. Granted, the OEM shocks are shit. It still generates quite a bounce.

[BushMasterBoy]

The other option is maybe a single rear wheel 3500HD. Now that I am conscious of all the options, a 3500HD SRW might be a better choice. They usually have heavier suspension components and will handle better when towing than a 2500HD... nice to have super heavy duty brakes when coming down mountains. Not sure if they have the same bucking problem of the 2500HD tho'...

[encorehunter]

I wonder of the resonance is only on the newer models. My father's trucks is an 07 classic with the duramax, and I don't remember it ever shaking like that. My old 04.5 duramax didn't either. Both are 3/4 tons.

[Sawin]

I’ll be sure to test drive whatever I’m considering on the highway up to 80mph or so. Chances are I’d only be able to hit that stretch of I25 if I find one to try on the south side of Denver since I live north of there a ways. Nevertheless, it’s very good owner insight to be aware of! Thank you guys for the shared learning.

I’d love to find a bargain duramax for sure. Haven’t really considered 3500’s so far. Just not sure I have reason to go that big, but I guess you grow into what you have.

[Duman]

Huh. I never researched it, just thought it was a problem with my GMC truck. The road oscillations are quite annoying, and disconcerting at times.

[brutal]

I'll add my $0.02

Anyone considering a Diesel should know a few things going into it.

2500/250 3/4T Diesel trucks pull great but have pitiful payload capacity. The higher trim levels and options added reduce this. I kicked myself for 16 years for buying a 3/4T Diesel instead of the 1T.

If you go diesel and need payload (think fifth wheel), go 3500/350 1T, even if it's SRW.

Most late model 2500 trucks have the same running gear as their bigger brothers and just lack an overload spring and a "legal" GVWR sticker.

Diesel trucks are expensive to maintain. It's not just 12 qts of oil and a filter, but also fuel filters. My new RAM is $100 just for a pair of fuel filters. $65 for 12 qts of Rotella T6. Dealers charge $400-$425 for an oil/filter/fuel filter(s) change.

While there was a big gap in older model years, modern gas engines with updated 8 & 10 speed transmissions pull hard for 80% of recreational users and make more sense.

You'd have to pry my 3500 1000 lb.ft. Diesel from my cold dead hands, but if I wasn't hailing heavy in the mountains, I'd just as soon have a Hemi truck.

Lots more to consider, just throwing a few things out there.

P.S. all/most HD trucks ride much worse than 1/2 tons. Both my long wheelbase Rams beat you up on those I-25 stretches and the wheelbase differed by 12".

[Sawin]

Mazin, we can move it to another area if you want :). I?m happy to get all the insight from current and past owners! This kinda input from the fellas here is a lot of what I was hoping for along with possibly lucking into a value-buy or helping a member out if they?re in a bind. I won?t short change anyone and will give them first right of refusal if I ever decide to sell what I bought from them (guns or trucks!)

[Sawin]

Great input, brutal. Thank you! I don?t really have need for the duramax, and will 90%+ just go with regular gas engine, but they?re beefy and one of those things all good country boys want when they grow up. I kinda fell into suburbia when I moved to CO, but haven?t lost the desire, meritorious or not.

If I was gonna cherry pick what I think is right-sized for me (and my manhood compensation) i’d go with a Gas powered 2500HD short wheel base.

[BPTactical]

Colorado road resonance is not unique to GM 3/4 tons
My 1/2 ton F150 does the same at qbout 82. Granted, the OEM shocks are shit. It still generates quite a bounce.

Funny thing, my 13 F250 extra cab and 15 F350 SCREW both suffered from frame harmonics between 60-80 mph. The stretch from north Fort Collins down to Windsor was a joy.
Bust your teeth out, didn?t matter if you replaced shocks, tires etc.
They redesigned the frame in 17, seems to have cured it.
Im probably not much help, I like my Fords.

I will toss .02 as far as the diesel thing.
My 15 F350 was a 6.7 Powerstroke. I thought with the 6k weight of the travel trailer I needed the diesel.
Not!
It was a damn good truck, pulled like nobodies business and was strong, couldn’t even tell the trailer was there.
Now the reality- considering I hauled the trailer 6 times a year and it was my daily driver the rest of the time it was not a good truck for me.
As Brutal pointed out maintenance costs are easily double that of a gasser, fuel is more expensive and if you get some water in a gas tank, no biggie- some fuel dryer and a rough running engine for a bit but your GTG.
The diesel? You just ate $10k of fuel system and injectors.
I have about a 25 mile commute one way to work, even if I plugged it in overnight it would still barely be warm by the time I got to work. Cold running like that and short runs are death to a diesel.
We haven’t even touched on the DEF system.

Ask yourself honestly what your long term goals and honest use are going to be. Unless you are towing 3-4 times a month, have a long run to work down the highway or similar rethink the oil burner.

[Bailey Guns]

I had a 2014 2500 Duramax, crew cab, short wheel base. Never noticed any oscillations on any roads and I drove that stretch BMB talked about several times when my son lived in the Springs. I really liked that truck but hated the short bed. I REALLY liked the little Colorado Duramax for running around but I wound up having a need for a truck that would haul more.

I traded the Colorado for a the truck I have now...a 2017 F250 crew cab long wheel base with 8' bed and the 6.7L. Best truck I've ever owned and I've owned a lot of trucks. With the long wheel base it rides like a luxury car. Oil changes are more than gas but nowhere near what Brutal was talking about for his Ram. I just had the oil changed, tires rotated, etc at the local Ford dealer and it was $115. When I left Idaho I towed my Cruze on a 1700 lb trailer...so I'm guessing 5000 pounds give or take plus another several hundred pounds in the bed. I averaged 17.4 MPG for that trip. You aren't gonna see that with any gas motor.

I also agree with what Brutal said about 3/4 ton vs 1 ton. If you're gonna buy a HD pickup there's really no advantage at all in going with a 3/4 ton. If I could've found a 1 ton when I bought this one I definitely would've bought it. But, the 3/4 ton does everything I need it to do.

I'm sold on diesels. I've had 'em since 93 (7.3L non-turbo F350) and never had a bit of trouble out of any of them except a chronic alternator problem in an 02 F250 7.3L. Ford kept replacing the shitty alternator with the same make/model shitty alternator under warranty. After the 4th failure I bought an aftermarket one out of pocket and that solved the problem. If I could find a nice, low mileage 7.3L somewhere I'd buy it in a heartbeat but the last ones were made in 02. Not nearly as powerful or efficient as the new generation of motors but they seem to last better than pretty much anything out there.

The big downside is the initial expense of the diesel motor package. When I bought my 14 Duramax it was almost a $9000 option. The 6.7L was $10000. The upside is the resale value makes it worthwhile.

I've never owned a Dodge/Ram. For some reason they just don't appeal to me. I think it's because I drove a friend's late 90s Dodge with a 318 (?) and a manual transmission and that was the most God-awful truck I've ever seen. Wouldn't even do 40mph going up the hill towards Conifer. And the interior was made outta the cheapest shit I've ever seen. I'm sure they've changed a lot but that truck was horrible.

As far as cost of maintenance after warranty... I never buy extended warranties. However, for some time now GEICO has offered "Mechanical Breakdown Insurance". It's basically an extended warranty. You have to buy it while your new car/truck is no more than 15 months old and less than 15k miles. On my F250 it ads $26 per 6 month policy period. Surprisingly it's about the same for my Cruze. Covers absolutely everything except wear/tear items. Deductible is $250 and you can carry it for 7 years or 100k miles. So it's far less expensive than extended warranties and you can use it anywhere...GEICO pays the repair shop directly.

[BushMasterBoy]

I just found out the paint is peeling off my truck. Off the bed, the roof and even under the hood on the inside lip. The paint is not even exposed under the hood. No more Chevys ever.

[Erni]

I just found out the paint is peeling off my truck. Off the bed, the roof and even under the hood on the inside lip. The paint is not even exposed under the hood. No more Chevys ever.

What year?

[BushMasterBoy]

2007 see post #2

I googled the problem. The term is "delaminating". The paint is flaking off of the primer. Not rock chips, not rust, just peeling off for lack of adhesion. Other owners have the same problem with similar GM products of mainly white and silver paint. Some folks have it happen early in the warranty period. I forgot to mention early on in owning it the little sharks fin antenna was leaking horribly, I just RTV'd the stupid thing. Same with the rear cab brake light. effing leaking water into the cab during rain.

https://www.duramaxforum.com/threads/peeling-paint.116620/

[Bailey Guns]

Peeling paint on a 13 or 14 year old vehicle? I don't find that too incredible...especially without knowing how you've cared for it over the years.

[BushMasterBoy]

It is a defect in the paint and is known for happening to many owners of silver and white GM trucks. What part of this don't you understand?

[Sawin]

I won’t buy a white or silver Chevy. Sorry to hear of your frustration and disappointment with yours, BMB.

[Bailey Guns]

It is a defect in the paint and is known for happening to many owners of silver and white GM trucks. What part of this don't you understand?

I must've missed all that additional pertinent information in your follow up post. It happens. No need to be a dick.