Here’s Why the First-Gen Chevy Silverado Is a Fantastic Value
Reliable and excellent in almost every conceivable way, the first-gen Chevy Silverado can also be had for pennies on the dollar.
GM has made some fantastic trucks over the years, many of which are more than capable of providing us with a reliable workhorse for a very long time. Of course, like every manufacturer, some of those models are better than others, while some are also better buys. These days, it’s tough to find a used vehicle that’s both reliable and cheap, but without a doubt, the first-gen Chevy Silverado is such a machine, at least for now.
The first-gen Chevy Silverado – or GMT800 – debuted in 1998 for the 1999 model year, ushering in a whole new era for the long running model, which was previously used to describe the top trim level in the Bow Tie’s pickup lineup. The old GMT400 C/K trucks were sold alongside it for a while, but eventually gave way to the Silverado, which hasn’t looked back since. However, earlier and later Chevy trucks tend to command more money and notoriety in the used vehicle market, which creates an opportunity for the rest of us.
With prices as low as $3k-$5k, the first-gen Chevy Silverado is certainly an amazing deal, and you won’t pay a whole heck of a lot more for a very nice example. However, there aren’t really a ton of negatives that go along with that savings, as is often the case. Most reviews you’ll come across for these trucks are glowingly positive, in fact. Edmunds praised the pickup’s “roomy extended cab models, strong V8 engines, available composite bed, disc brakes at all four corners, and optional traction control,” with its only cons being the typical GM cheap interior materials, along with what it calls “sketchy build quality.”
Owners have plenty of nice things to say about the first-gen Silverado as well, generally praising its reliability. In fact, there are many examples out there with well over 200k miles that are still running like a top, with little maintenance required to keep them going. “This is an almost perfect truck,” one owner noted. “Comfort, handsome design, and a combined mileage of 17.5 MPG. Powerful precise steering, automatic transfer case. Best truck I’ve ever driven.”
“My family has been driving it for the past year, and let me tell you, this truck could last forever,” another reviewer said. “It currently has 278k miles on it with the original engine and transmission and still rides great!” Of course, the vast majority of used first-gen Silverados that you’ll find for sale have over 200k miles at this point, but with such a great reputation for reliability, that’s not a huge concern. What’s more important is to find one that’s been maintained properly, and if you can, you can easily score a fantastic deal in a world where there just aren’t many of them at the moment.
Photos: Chevrolet
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