chris.castano01

Going to get a diesel silverado, and have read that the 06' models are the best because of no emissions and no injector problems. Also like the older models (1990's) silver ado but not sure what the lemon years are. I will be using the truck for my small lawn and landscaping business in NC. I NEED a diesel silverado 2500(3/4 ton) because I will be doing some small towing under 5,000 lbs. I will be putting a small lift and larger tires on down the road. I don't like crew cabs, so Extended cab or 2 door is needed. Again I am looking for a truck that isn't a lemon year. Also please include about how many thousand miles you can put on the truck you recommend before you start to have to have expensive repairs. I am a teenager and will be putting it through a little offloading every now and then as well as some heavy acceleration with my buddies.

Thanks, Chris

JK23112

I own a 1500 gasser, so I can't give you any first-hand knowledge about ownership -- but I DO drive diesel trucks (BIG ones) at work. I also have friends & acquaintances who have owned Dodge, Ford and Chevy HD diesel trucks. FWIW, I had an International step van for TEN YEARS that had the old non-turbo 7.3L IDI diesel in it.

The "Duramax" 6.6L turbocharged diesel V8 came out in 2001 - and is sourced from Isuzu, a GM subsidiary. It was very, very quiet and smooth in comparison to the 7.3L Ford "Powerstroke" sourced from Navistar AND the 5.9L Cummins installed in the Dodge. You really don't want any GM diesel prior to the Duramax. Just sayin'.

They made a lot of improvements to the 6.6L Duramax over the years, but the best feature of it is that it is mated to the excellent Allison automatic overdrive transmission - something better than what Ford and Dodge offer with their trucks.

The 2006 (and some 2007 models) will be the last ones without the DPF (emissions) system. Trucks made for 2011 and later will have the DPF system - but will also require the use of DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) and trips to the auto parts store to purchase jugs of it.

As for mileage, some people use them as car haulers and regularly put more than 400,000 miles on them without any overhaul being necessary. Remember, though, that proper maintenance and not ******* the hell out of it are keys to longevity. In many cases, the engine will outlast the ruck (just as with our big rigs at work).

See if you can find a forum involving expediters or car haulers. A lot of them use HD pickups and can give you a lot of "real life" feedback.

Good luck!!

P.S. The ultimate truck would be a Ford Super Duty with the 6.7L Cummins diesel under the hood and a GM Allison automatic transmission behind it. LOL!

tech2

agree with that. alot of people prefer to stay away from scr systems and dpf.

I prefer the second generation duramax. they feel more powerful that the first gen imo. the injectors are external to the valve covers which make for easier servicing of the injectors. If your searching for 10yo diesels, be prepared to do some expensive repairs. Have someone knowledgeable check the injector balance flow rates. replacement of 8 injectors could be around $6000.