Current GM / Chevy Reliability

[PA12DRVR]

Considering getting a new truck. 75% general duties (including hauling ATV's, boats, and other toys): 25% dedicated hauling of either a flatbed or a "camping rig" (not strictly an RV).

The new truck will be a 350/3500 SRW and a diesel.

My question is what the current overall reliability of current GM offerings is?

The truck being replaced is a 11-year old (2009 MY) Chevy 2500 and has been a good truck until the past 18 months when it's crapping out in every conceivable way. Always had a slight preference for GM, but this has taken the shine off GM a bit.

Should I start evaluating 2 brands (blue oval and Ram) or 3 (throwing in the GM)? I'm hoping that this will be my last truck.....

[Ron3rd]

PA12DRVR wrote:
Considering getting a new truck. 75% general duties (including hauling ATV's, boats, and other toys): 25% dedicated hauling of either a flatbed or a "camping rig" (not strictly an RV).

The new truck will be a 350/3500 SRW and a diesel.

My question is what the current overall reliability of current GM offerings is?

The truck being replaced is a 11-year old (2009 MY) Chevy 2500 and has been a good truck until the past 18 months when it's crapping out in every conceivable way. Always had a slight preference for GM, but this has taken the shine off GM a bit.

Should I start evaluating 2 brands (blue oval and Ram) or 3 (throwing in the GM)? I'm hoping that this will be my last truck.....

The "reliability" of all the Big 3 offerings is about the same. They all have issues. No one brand stands out as having stellar reliability over the other so buy what you like. If you like Chevy/GM, buy that. They make a great truck. So does Ford. I like them all but went with the Ram CTD because they're about 10 Grand less (in my neck of the woods) then Ford and GM.

[kellem]

Owning Chevys, I've gotten real good at repairing clusters and ABS lights but all engines were bulletproof, I've owned 4.

We all drive trucks in the mountainous area I live and talk trucks and the consensus is the big 3 " ford-Chevy-Dodge " build better trucks today.
Better fuel economy, better features and MUCH better transmissions where 8 speed autos are common now.

I'm buying a new truck after the new year and leaning toward Dodge 2500 Tradesman with 6.4 Hemi.

Yes, Toyota's are mechanically reliable but not for the whooping I put on a truck.
I can't own a 1500 series truck from any manufacturer.

[mich800]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Please show me a production (not specialty) MD truck they are ran in besides their own GM and Ford labels.

International for one???? NOPE

Just because a manufacturer takes the Lego philosophy of production does not negate the validity manufacturing your own product. I don't understand your rational. How many Cummins make trucks do you see? Is the supercharged hemi not a performance engine because you can only get it in a Chrysler product?

[Cummins12V98]

Please show me a production (not specialty) MD truck they are ran in besides their own GM and Ford labels.

International for one???? NOPE

[Cummins12V98]

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Big “C” plus AISIN both true a Medium Duty.

Look on the Highways, vast majority of independently owned RV Haulers and HotShotters drive RAM Trucks.

But they now have hydraulic lifters and a CP4.2 pump so they can't be medium duty.

They certainly are still putting them into MD trucks.

[IdaD]

FishOnOne wrote:

IdaD wrote:
That's the diesel I'd pick in 2019+ models, and that's coming from a very satisfied Cummins owner. I'm surprised your 2009 is taking a dump on you so soon, though.

That's a very strange position... If my Powerstroke left me and my family stranded I wouldn't be a very satisfied owner.

I don't think it's strange. Cummins or Ram got a bunch of flawed water pumps and I got unlucky. I wasn't happy about it but I ultimately got reimbursed for the repairs that I had done at a private shop, and that second water pump was also replaced for free under the subsequent recall. Other than that I haven't had any significant issues with the truck and it hasn't given me any reason to be concerned about any major issues on the horizon, and it drives, performs and looks great. I still think of the 2015 vintage diesels the Cummins is the best of the three options by a significant margin.

[bartlettj]

I have a '12 Duramax with 94k on it. Only issue has been a clogged DEF injector. I like it a lot. I run it on B20 all the time, not worried about the hpfp.

[Bigfoot_affair]

PA12DRVR wrote:
I'd get a Tundra in a second if they made one that had the capabilities I'm looking for.

For the current / recent GM diesel owners....how much trouble have you had with various electronics (Mass Air Sensor, O2 sensor, xmission range sensor, etc) on your vehicles? That's the kind of stuff that is just going bad in waves on my current truck.

All of my Dmax trucks have been pretty much trouble free. My 03 needed a water pump, flasher module and blower fan resister at 11 years old and 150k miles. The last two have been completely trouble free 2012 and now 2018... I really love the L5P!

I personally wouldn’t buy a diesel with that CP4 hpfp. It was always in the back of my mind when or if it was going to go boom... only reason I traded my 2012 for the 2018, glad I did.

[PA12DRVR]

Thanks, all

Appreciate the insight and experiences.

[ksss]

The Duramax and Allison are also medium duty and is Ford's Powertrain. Not sure why that drum keeps getting beat, but it does at least by one poster.

As to the reliablity question. My newest Duramax 3500's have been a '15 and currently an 18'. I also had a '15 3500 with the 6.0. I have had numerous other Dmax trucks but if you buying new this likely of the most interest to the OP. I work these trucks, pulling equipment during the week and a car trailer or Toyhauler on the weekends. I have had a computer update and a DEF sensor on the 18'. The 15' never saw the a service center except to get the free oil changes that GM stopped doing unfortunately. I also have a 19' 3500 that the business owns. It only has 10K on it. There is an issue on that truck with the theft deterent system that I need to have looked at. I am really happy with these trucks. If I could change one thing, it would be the dead petal on take off. If 2020 is nanny free as they say, there should be no dead pedal on take off. I would be all over that. As far as reliability, I have nothing to complain about and I have had 2 Duramax trucks at a time since 01. If they were unreliable I would not drive buy them.

Lastly, as I have mentioned before, I really dont see a need to avoid a 2020 because it is a first year of a model change. I have had an 01, and 08, a '15 and this 18'. All of these trucks were first year or second year of a new version of a D max the truck itself, and in the case of the 01, first year of the Dmax era. I did buy an extended warranty on the 01, and just before I traded it in at 100K the computer went out. My cost was exactly what I spent on the extended warranty, turned out to be a wash. Never bothered again and have never been bitten. The 2020 is ready for prime time and if there are some issues that come up, you have the factory warranty. If something really crazy shows up, GM has been good about extending the warranty on the component in question. I would not let the new HD being a first year truck get in the way of buying one if that is what you want.

[FishOnOne]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Big “C” plus AISIN both true a Medium Duty.

Look on the Highways, vast majority of independently owned RV Haulers and HotShotters drive RAM Trucks.

But they now have hydraulic lifters and a CP4.2 pump so they can't be medium duty.

[PNW_Steve]

I am reluctant to let go of my 2004.5 Ram 3500.

It has no EGR, DEF or DPF.

Today's diesels are not quite the simple reliable motors that the were pre'05.

[Lantley]

My last truck was a 2007 LBZ duramax dually. The only issue worth noting was water pump replacement at 186K. I traded the 07 in with 300K for my 2019 Dually.
Reliability and the solid track record of the Duramax Allison combo is what led me to buy another Chevy.
Honestly the other 2 have solid products, I considered both of them.
But in the end features and gadgets gave way to plain old trusted proven reliability.
I considered waiting and getting a 2020, but I prefer to buy the last year of a production cycle vs. the 1st year of a model run.
Again its all about reliability. My 2019 now has 20K miles so far zero issues.

[Cummins12V98]

Big “C” plus AISIN both true a Medium Duty.

Look on the Highways, vast majority of independently owned RV Haulers and HotShotters drive RAM Trucks.

[FishOnOne]

IdaD wrote:
That's the diesel I'd pick in 2019+ models, and that's coming from a very satisfied Cummins owner. I'm surprised your 2009 is taking a dump on you so soon, though.

That's a very strange position... If my Powerstroke left me and my family stranded I wouldn't be a very satisfied owner.