2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Consumer Reviews
My 5th and best General Motors Truck
I have owned six GM truck products, starting with a 1977 Silverado 15HD to my current 2017 Silverado LT 4dr Double Cab 4WD SB (5.3L 8cyl 6A) All Star package. I have had 1500’s, a 2500 and 3500 variations, all extended or Crew cab versions. This doesn’t make me an expert on Chevy trucks but I do have lots of experience with the brand. My favorite was my 2002 2500 LS HD but that’s ancient history now. My newest, the 2017 LT, has been in my driveway for a year now, used primarily for towing a 30’ travel trailer. I have about 7K miles on the odometer as I write this. Two of my past trucks, the 2500 HD and 3500 were also used to tow travel trailers. I am writing this evaluation for my 2017 as a towing vehicle. There are many trim levels of Chevrolet (and GMC) trucks but the underpinnings are the same with the differences in engine size and transmissions. I choose the All Star package that comes with the towing options sans the integrated trailer brake. One thing I don’t understand is why. In their infinite wisdom, Chevrolet swapped out the 3:73 rear end with a 3:18 for a tow package. It made absolutely no sense considering it is a designed package to be used as a towing vehicle. The end result is higher revs and slower speeds going up grades. Outside of that glaring issue, I have to consider that 90% of the time, I’m not towing anything so it’s only a small imposition at certain times. The truck still makes it up the grade, just not as speedily as the heavy duty tow package that has the 3:73 or 4:11 rear ends. I tow at the limits of my particular vehicle and outside of a little bucking on California highway loopty loops, it handles the load OK. I may add some rear suspension in the future. I have a lengthy road trip to Colorado coming up and will make my decision after that. So much for the driveline. Now for the interior/ride qualities; through my occupational history, I have driven all brands of American (using the term loosely) made trucks, Ford Dodge/Ram and GM, in several configurations and here is where my personal choice always trends toward Chevrolet/GMC products. It all comes down to the ride you want. Some critics think GM trucks are ponderous in their handling characteristics, slow to respond and soft in the brake pedal and lagging in the acceleration response. I find those characteristics to be quite predictable, and for a towing vehicle, that’s just the way I like it. The softer ride is easier on my aging torso and while the interior isn’t as roomy as other brands, I like to be “swaddled” to a small degree, in my vehicles. Bucket seats are too confining and bench with smaller fold down armrests are more room than I want or need, making me feel like I’m in the middle of a desert. I have found that Ford steering is “very” responsive, to the point of being jittery and a hand full to control on all but the best road conditions. Rams are a bit more predictable but still a ride better suited for the younger truck driving population. They are all good trucks in their own rite but I prefer the kinder gentler, predictable ride, even if it’s not considered sporty. I used to like loud, throaty exhaust systems like that of the Dodge Ram, but in my mature years enjoy the quite ride of the Chevy. My music can be played at tenable levels without competing for my aural attention with the exhaust system. I test drove a 2017 2500 HD gas double cab and for all the reasons I own a pickup, should have purchased it rather than a 1500, but the ride was just too stiff for me. In conclusion, I’m quite happy with my Silverado 1500 series truck as it suits all of my needs and plan to be driving it for some time to come.
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Big mistake
Ever since the body style change in 2014 I've wanted a new Silverado. I had a 2007 Silverado extended cab Z71 4wd 5.3 that I bought new, it was a great truck, but it had 156,000 miles on it and I wanted a crew cab. I sold my old truck in December and looked for a month until I found just the truck I wanted at the right price. 2018 Silverado LT, crew cab, 4wd, 5.3, my dream truck. Before it had 500 miles on it I could tell something wasn't right. The 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd shift had a hesitation and was sloppy. At speeds 25 to 45 mph it felt like it would miss or shudder, not terrible but I could feel it. In the mornings it would idle at 1100 rpm, and run terrible for the first several miles. I took it to the local Chevy dealer and we drove it, they told me the transmission had to "learn" my driving style and it might take 2000 miles before it would improve. After some investigation on the internet, I found there was a lot of people with 2016 and 2017 with the same problems, GM actually has a name for it "chuggle and fish bite". I called GM and opened a complaint but basically got the runaround. At 2000 miles I took it back to the dealership armed with service bulletin numbers for the 2017 that were giving trouble. They drove it and said there was problem with the way it shifted but because the TCM service bulletins were for 2017 and my truck is a 2018 they couldn't perform thoses updates. But there was another ECM update and they did that and it shifted better. Bottom line is my truck doesn't run right. I have tried to call the GM customer service rep I have talked to last, he gave me his extension number. But I have left two messages and he hasn't called me back. I wish I had kept my old truck, it would run circles around this one.
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Last chevy after 50 years
$50,000 truck that vibrates, shifts bad, drives terrible, jumps and jerks. And the dealer says its the way the truck should drive. I have owned 3 trucks and a suburban with the same motor and tranmission and none of them drove like this piece of junk. Dealer says you can not compare them??? All kind of complaints on same issue but GM has done nothing.
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Dealership Junk
Bought this truck 9 months ago has been in the shop 32 days for work since I bought it. It's a daily driver for the road to work and home so not abused at all. First it took them forever to figure out where the cab noise is coming from then when they did, it was the boot for the steering column, I have had the truck back a month and less than 500 miles and it's back again. Come to find out that is a common problem with this boot and its defective. My truck is a 2018 same look, model, style and the 2016, 2017, 2018 and they still refuse to design a new boot to fix the issue and keep replacing it with the same defective existing piece. My truck goes back on Monday for the exact same issue again.
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paint chips
buyer beware!!! cheap paint. Paint chips easily on front bumper, side quarter panels, doors, and even the tailgate. Google silverado paint chipping before you go 40k in debt.
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