Time for a new Duramax?

[EventingDad]

My favorite Irish Proverb is "Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't".

I have a 2002 Chevy Duramax 4X4 LT Extended cab, long box with a 130K miles. We use it to haul our horse trailer (3 horse gooseneck w/LQ, 9,000#) all over the place.

It handles and hauls well, I have been very happy with its perforamance.

Within the last 10K miles it got new Michelin tires, brakes, a transfer box, and two new batteries as well as new Bilstein shocks (got from Kennedy). It has had all of its injectors replaced under warranty. It is running better than ever.

So, on the one hand everything is up to date and I would hope to get another season of competition trips on the truck; on the other hand, maybe its time to move on to a new vehicle before there are more repair bills (the transfer case was ~$2K and not my fault...).

If/when I get a new vehicle it will probably be another Chevy Duramax, probably the 2008 3500 SRW crew cab LTZ model.

Any thoughts, experience, ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[rob from bc canada]

Your next 130,000 miles may well be the cheapest miles you ever drove, even though you will probably at some time or other suffer an inconvenient and expensive repair - no where near the cost of trade-in and depreciation.

Even brand new, these beasts are not totally trouble and expense free either.

On the other hand, if you can afford it, and it feels good to drive a new one, go for it!!! Someone else will benefit from and appreciate your well maintained truck.

[Mark Rinker]

I have gone through the same cost/benefit analysis. Here's what I would do, if the truck were in my small fleet.


You have a 14K-16K truck, depending on condition for a person-to-person sale. Before you put all updates into it, it was probably a 12K-14K truck.
The truck will be worth just as much with up to 160K miles as it has today, and the skins will still be 50% or better - tires being the most visibile wear part indicator to a new buyer.Personally, I'd drive the truck another 20K-30K, then sell it outright in the fall when truck prices are usually strongest right before hunting season.

[NutNbutGMC]

My favorite Irish Proverb is "Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't".

I have a 2002 Chevy Duramax 4X4 LT Extended cab, long box with a 130K miles. We use it to haul our horse trailer (3 horse gooseneck w/LQ, 9,000#) all over the place.

It handles and hauls well, I have been very happy with its perforamance.

Within the last 10K miles it got new Michelin tires, brakes, a transfer box, and two new batteries as well as new Bilstein shocks (got from Kennedy). It has had all of its injectors replaced under warranty. It is running better than ever.

So, on the one hand everything is up to date and I would hope to get another season of competition trips on the truck; on the other hand, maybe its time to move on to a new vehicle before there are more repair bills (the transfer case was ~$2K and not my fault...).

If/when I get a new vehicle it will probably be another Chevy Duramax, probably the 2008 3500 SRW crew cab LTZ model.

Any thoughts, experience, ideas would be greatly appreciated!Same scenario here. I had a 2002 running on the third set of injectors and a few oil leaks from the engine / injector rebuilds.

LB7 = a new2007 LBZ

For me, I could not afford to not move into another vehicle, everything considered (warranty, injector experience and documented history here). I did not want a new truck, but I dang sure didn't want to continue to drive (in my case) a problem awaiting to happen again.

I had just put on new tires on the 2002 (less than 1000 miles on them). As part of my trade, I swapped them wheel for wheel and gave up the factory installed skins to keep the Michelins. Same wheels and Michelins.

$0.02


.

[beeler]

I was in a similar situation last fall except mine needed tires, brakes, shocks and some other things I can't remember right now. I ordered a new rig and took delivery in Oct. With the updates you have done recently, I think I would run it another season.

[JohnC]

Eventing Dad:

Factor how old Eventing Daughter is into the decision... ;)

[EventingDad]

Eventing Dad:

Factor how old Eventing Daughter is into the decision... ;)

Good point, the Truck will ultimately be my daughter's. I do like OnStar, I know it's a bit gimmicky but it has really come in handy when my daughter is 1000 miles away and locks her keys in the truck. Also when driving with the trailer we only use the Onstar and never a hand held phone, the analog OnStar goes dark this month, again just one more nail in the coffin of the truck.

But as someone said it could be the cheapest next 50K miles. We have always felt safe hauling with the Duramax. I love the Allison Transmission it has never let us down.

BTW the Michelin LTX® A/T2 are an awsome set of tires for us.

[JohnC]

Good point, the Truck will ultimately be my daughter's.

It was a joke! Many eventing daughters change events between the ages of 16 and 21...

;)

[EventingDad]

It was a joke! Many eventing daughters change events between the ages of 16 and 21...

;)

No, she's going on 22 and is still very focused on her horses, the boyfriend understands that as long as he's willing to be a groom he can stick around. Her favorite bumber sticker is: "Silly boys!, Trucks are for girls!"

[DmaxMaverick]

If Onstar becomes a deciding factor.......

I know of several folks that have had their analog systems replaced with the digital, paid for by Onstar. They did have to sign up for an extended contract. 2 years, I think. On a couple occasions, they did have to be persistent (their policy changes daily it seems). Contact your dealer, or Onstar directly.