Enough of this bloody truck!

great white

great white

Grumpy Old Fart
I've got a 1998 GMC K2500 6.5 turbo diesel. Engine is 4 years old. I had it put in myself. It's a redesigned block, not a re-manufactured, Same engine they dropped in the Up-armored HMMWV.

Everything else on the truck has been replaced at one time or another except the transmission.

It's alsway go the best of everything. It's got a raptor 100 lift pump, masive fuel prefiltiering, tunercat II tuner, Water/methenaol injection, 3.5" stainless exhaust, etc, etc.....

I also bought it on Vancouver island when I was posted there, so it's essentially "rust free".

But the truck has been a hate and more hate affair for me from just after the beginning. After popping the engine climbing snoqualimine pass in Washington state with a 35 foot ravel trailer on the back (hello 10 grand repair bill), it's been one niggling little PO after another. Some stopping the truck dea in it's tracks, some just making life an F'n miserable experience.

It finally pushed me over the edge yesterday when the snow was falling and it popped the drivers side wiper arm drive inside the cowl off and stalled the drivers wiper 3/4 the way up the windshield. Straw that broke the camels back as it were.

So I'm looking for a new truck (well2010-2015 ish) and I'll sell this old bugger off. Or maybe I'll just burn it to the ground and dance naked around the pyre. Haven't decided yet.

I've looked at a couple ecoboost crew cabs. Nice trucks, but it seems no two feel the same. Prices are all over the chart on them. I also have to check the specs on each one very closely as my trailer is pretty big and it's not a simple thing to get a crew cab ecoboost with the rating for it..

Right now I've got a line on a 2011 F350 Superduty 6.7 powerstroke crew cab short box. Private sale from a guy I know. It's not even on the market yet.

I'm really liking this one. Rated waaaay higher than my trailer will ever weigh.

We'll see how this works out over the next few days.


:)
 
Last edited:
After 18 years on the road, time to retire that Old Truck. As a 5 year owner of an F-150, I can tell you that Ford isn't perfect, but its a step up from a GMC.
 
Stay away from the 6.4. The 6.7 is a solid engine.
All the trucks have big HP and torq. Used trucks now are over priced.
If your not in a big rush, give me a few days, see what I can find in the city.
 
Two different worlds here: One ton diesel vs. half ton ecoboost, very interesting.
So in my opinion it all depends on what you need it for but if towing is your main goal there is nothing that will do the job like a diesel...hands down.
On the other side of things if your trailer isn't over 8-9 thousand pounds dry weight you would have no issues with an ecoboost (3.5) as it does tow really well and it would definitely be a better choice if used as a daily driver.
Now if you do decide on the diesel keep in mind that 2011 was the first year for the 6.7 and it had some issues but I guess it would be the same for the first few years of the ecoboost as they too had many problems. I picked up a new ecoboost this past summer and did a bit of towing with it and believe me I was quite impressed, works very nice as it doesn't constantly shift up and down like a regular V-8 does.
Either way I think both are nice trucks and would be good choices so good luck in finding the right one.
 
Roger nailed it, really depends on how you will use it.

Something else to keep in mind, it the US dollar. It has kept used trucks very high.
Last two trucks I bought were new, mainly because the deals from new to used
didn't make since to buy used. Most new trucks have big incentives, so might be worth the look.
 
Never owned a GMC/ Chev cause my Technician wouldn't recommend that as a choice. He is not impressed with them as the guy that is doing all the repairs on them.( he drives a Camry). I have lived next to. Chev Dealer for 25 years and don't own a Chev.
 
Went for a 2016 F150 3.5 ecoboost. Lariat, option code 502A and sport trim package. Max tow package.

B51956E0-73C5-4FCD-977C-60FC3AB82498_zpsfsfxnmmf.jpg


FF00B2D1-3CD0-4309-A3D8-DC7B3E3DE23B_zps0oi3oevf.jpg


9320A923-DD3B-4B38-B8EC-DBA4DB76B62B_zpshvxjzkbp.jpg


521305A4-93EC-49FA-8685-C2D8D3B07D4D_zpschh2ku3b.jpg


024A09C7-F8C9-4CDB-9A53-AE302E352EE1_zpsecroqmze.jpg


Seems to take a lot of styling cues from the 2013 Ford Atlas concept truck and that's a good thing.

365 hp and 420 lbft and that's another good thing.

:)

17100 GCWR, 11600 tow rating. All up and loaded I'm going to be about 14000-14500 so lots of cushion there. Truck should tow that load without any great sweat.

The trailer:

DSC04006.jpg


2016 Powerstroke trucks were just too expensive for me. The 2011 guy was just too wishy washy on selling or not. The ecoboost will be a little lighter on the pocketbook when it comes time to service it (IE: oil changes, etc). Might be a little more friendly in daily driving. This is also a little lower than the Superduty and that might be a welcome thing as I get older and more broken up.

Mpg ratings are close between the PS and the EB, so it was a wash there.

After rebates and negotiation, 49500 plus taxes. Can never escape taxes......

Putting a 3 piece hard tonneau on it too.

I'm going to enjoy having something nice to drive for a change!

:)
 
Last edited:
Congrats on the new truck, looks good. Hopefully it will do all you need.
They are nice trucks and loaded has all the bells and whistles.
 
It's loaded alrighty!

Heated/cooled seats, dual zone, heated everything, sync III, navigation, folding mirrors, whole roof panel is power glass, power rear slider, power everything, power tailgate, Normal/Sport/tow/haul modes, proximity alerts, remote start, cameras, hitch up assist, auto wipers, lights, etc, etc, etc.......

I swear there must be a setting somewhere to take out the garbage and cook supper too.

I just wish I could have gotten an 8' box too. Ah well, can't have everything.
 
I've only ever had sync 3, so nothing to compare it to. Works very nicely for me.

Carplay, however, sucks. I got it working with mine and I turned that crap off shortly after enabling it. Probably the worst interface I've ever used in a vehicle. My Sync 3 system stands heads and shoulders over carplay. Kinda wish I hadn't wasted the 50 bucks on the iPhone authorized usb port...
 
Well the GMC is gone.

Listed it on Kijiji for 4 grand.

Didn't last 20 mins and got my full asking price. Got 16 inquiries in those 20 mins. It was like a feeding frenzy!

Some were the usual "wanna trade" responses. Silly stuff like quads, a 2007 Altima, etc... Umm, I would have said "trade s" in the ad if I was interested in that. Some were the silly type of questions that Kijiji always draws.

But the guy who bought it called and drove out right away from Dartmouth to the Valley and pressed 4 grand into my hand.

Lots of disappointed replies when I responded to the other emails that it was sold. Snooze ya loose....

I'm thinking maybe I let it go too cheap, but I'm just glad it went quick and without the usual dickering around BS.

Nice to have the space in the driveway again.

:)
 
Last edited:
Good for you on the quick sale!

​How do you like the Lariat? I have a '15 502A, except with the chrome package and the 5.0. They're solid truck.
 
Couldn't be happier with it.

Right now I'm working g on adding parts of the tech package, which is the only option it doesn't have.

Adding lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise and park assist. Adding park assist mainly because I have to install a new console harness for lane keeping and park assist is part of that harness.

I've also used a program called forscan to turn off that annoying "double honk" if you get out with the engine running, enabled "secure idle" (won't shift out of park if you get out with it running), auto fold on the mirrors, double press on the fob for panic alarm (its too easily bumps in your pocket) and disabled the engine noise that plays through the speakers.

Double honk and secure idle were key for me since I have push start. If you get out and leave the engine running (check mailbox, etc) someone can just jump in and drive away. Double honk tells them you just got out and the vehicle is ripe for grabbing. With no double honk, it doesn't announce to everyone you left it running and even if someone does jump in they can't shift it out of park unless the key is inside the vehicle.

Bought an adapter that allows my iphone to read obdII data, resets codes and displays real time data stream, kinda cool to watch the grill shutters do thier thing.

Also bought a vcm ii and ford IDS so I can calibrate the adaptive cruise and lane keeping. IDS will, of course, do a lot more than just that....

:)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top