One Year Update

[N.E. TMRPR]

I've been unable to post for long time but have been trying to follow all posts to keep up with all the subjects. After reading some posts about fears of reliablity I thought I would share my own experiences with my Dmax. I have owned all makes and have towed heavy goosenecks loaded with livestock since the mid seventies.{this includes my dad before me} My Dmax now has 51,231 miles on it and has only gone in for one problem which was the left rear axle seal. {a very common problem with all duallys of all makes when towing weight} I did originally have the common tick problem and lopey idle which both have disappeared. Like all new owners of these trucks I thought my truck had more little problems than it really had. What it was is lack of knowledge on my part about these trucks. My truck is totally stock and runs and drives excellent,gets an average of 17 to 18 mpg's and is the most comfortable of all I've known. My truck did use some oil around 3500 to 7000 miles but hasn't since then. It does go thru air filters pretty quick {7 in the one year} but I always go 7500 miles on the oil. The stock Goodyears need to be balanced every 10,000 or so and probably only have 15,000 or so left in them. This truck is definetly the most reliable truck I or even my friends have ever owned. Could it blow up tomorrow? Couldn't they all blow up tomorrow! But I'm not going to loose sleep over it. Going by my own past experiences with all vehicles this is the best I've owned hands down. My truck is a cc 3500 with a Una-Goose gooseneck hitch and is usually driven at 80 mph empty and a little slower when loaded. I get great performance when I'm loaded and finally, NO, its not for sale!

[hdmax(mike)]

Great to hear the truck is holding up so well. Sometimes when reading other peoples problems, I get a little worried about my truck and its reliability. Sounds like you get great mileage considering you drive like a bat out of he11.

[IndigoDually]

You have to take many posts with a grain of salt. Most people won't take the time to make positive posts and brag much about their trucks. Most of us here have them and know how great they are. What the average person will do is either post their problems and questions or try to answer others' questions with the knowledge from personal experience.

I for one have had a couple of small nagging problems but all in all it is a great truck.

It is human nature to want to read about other's problems and this forum allows us all a place to ask questions and vent out our own issues. Remember it get's tiring to read smoke being blown versus complaints. We could jam up a site writing all of the good qualities of our vehicles. But it is more fun to B@#ch about some of the small things and make mountains out of molehills.

John

[Bobcat698]

N.E. TMRPR:

Does your truck hold overdrive fairly well when loaded?

Just wondering because my Duramax is coming in at the end of September(hopefully) & I was wondering how it would pull our 38' Gooesneck that weighs 16,000lbs fully loaded.

Thanks

Garrett

[FrozenAKJoe]

NE TMRPR - Do you have a 4x4 3500? If so, when did you start seeing your current mileage? My 4x4 3500 LB CC has yet to see anything over 15.2, bone stock and completely empty (save my own weight of 230). I've spoke with one individual who owned my exact rig and he said that once he hit approximately 20k that his mileage increased slightly. Would you agree?

[thechevyhdman]

Ive noticed a big mileage difference after 16,000 miles Seemed to have gone up a few miles per gallon over a broad range of driving towing etc. Now at 20,000 with the Juice and driving the truck like its my last day on life Im still getting the same mileage, however I notice a huge difference in mileage on highway driving. No downshifts alot less pedal effort and all. On my last new diesel before this one I didnt see any difference in mileage or power until 30,000 miles. I think these trucks will defintely get better with age. It seems like it so far.

[N.E. TMRPR]

Sorry the reply took so long. Troubles with my laptop. To answer your questions;
Bobcat: In order to hold od you need to keep your speed up with the allison. Here in NE our speed limits are 55 and 65 and unfortunatly thats the speeds where the downshift range is. So I tend to keep my speed up around 70 to 75 on the flat and also try to go as fast uphill as I can. I keep all my equipment in very good shape and keep a safe stopping distance at all times. This truck keeps it rpms up for emissions and it is not the the first time GM has done things like this. The military M135's and 211's were 6x6s with 4 speed autos with a 4 to 1 low speed reduction for low range. This auto used 2 bands and 2 clutches for it's 4 gears. 3rd gear used to blow on these because the truck would shift from 2nd to 3rd at about 25 to 30 mph. This speed was the old convoy speed used by the army back then so the trannys were always shifting up and down constantly. It looks like GM put the shift range in the consumers normal towing speed. I also own a 79' 300CD, great car only 318,000 miles on it.
FroJoe; Yes my truck is a 4x4 and with only 2000 miles on my truck I got 21.3 mpg going over to CT{about 400+ miles round trip}.This was at only 55 to 65 mphs though, and only one stop. My 17 to 18 average is at 70 to 80 mph on pretty level 95 north and south. If I go the speed limit it does get around 20. The thing I noticed about my truck is that the weather has to be warm out for me to get the best mileage. If my tranny temp is below 185 my mileage is always down compared to when its 195. When I tow the best I've gotten is 13.2 with a four horse gooseneck on at about 10,000. I never check when I'm loaded heavier. I remember the days when I used to worry about making it up a hill or not overheating or blowing a tranny. Now I'm leaving late because my truck goes like hell and I can make it there on time with out all those old worries and a lot less pains and creaks in my body.