07 Chevy 2500HD ~300k opinions

[wander2039]

Borrowing this 07 Chevy 2500 for a while, story behind it but I have the opportunity to buy. Has 299,600 miles but only 484hrs, not sure why the discrepancy. I got to say for as many miles it has it rides like a dream, the seats are like a couch. The 6.0L/4L80E runs and shifts like it should. I haven't had time to look it over toe to toe but did drive it around 150 miles last weekend. Pulled the 16ft trailer loaded easily of course.

You can tell it needs some maintenance and a few things fixed. The coolant and transmission should be serviced, not sure if servicing the transmission is a good idea but I would use my extraction pump. The engine is caked in oil but was only a little bit low. Power steering is low and can smell the leak, the steering column is making a noise also. Brakes could be looked at it. Basically everything needs looked at.. from bumper to bumper. After working on our 05 Chevy Express 3500 there's no real differences between the two and that I like, everything is familiar. Rust free being from Texas. The only thing I wish it had was 4x4 but for the right price I could overlook that for a few years so we can handle other things and get another truck in a few years if we chose.Thoughts? The red dirt everywhere almost disqualifies it though

 

[E150GT]

Well if the price is right. I bought a truck with 250k miles recently. It's got 8500 hours though and 2550 idle hours.

 

[redhat]

Great trucks, steering column plastic bearing wears out and makes a clunk, theres a metal upgraded one that it can be replaced with. Hours on the cluster is not reliable, they reset periodically and do not represent true hours. If the price is right, go for it. Not any trucks really made like these units anymore... I might be somewhat biased.

 

[fantastic]

The hours overturned (past OEM max and restarted again)?
Looks like that green dinosaur is checking it out too... better buy it before he does?

 

[JavierH19]

I'd buy it for the right price

 

[bdcardinal]

I love mine. It has just under 285K on it. I need to rebuild the front end becasue it squeaks and when I hit certain parts of the road wrong it likes to change lanes on its own. But the LQ4 still boogies. Mine has the 9.5" 14 bolt with an open diff. I have been debating putting in a Detroit Truetrac for funsies. But yes, my steering column lower bearing is begging to be replaced. I bought it for $1500 back in 2020 as a tow yard lien sale.

 

[meep]

There is nothing wrong with a 2WD truck, as we get them to do work. With the maintenance items, that 2WD improve access, reduce complexity. If the price is right it could be a good tool to have. Those may also be in some of the best years of those trucks ever. I don’t remember the exact window but if it’s not in, it’s close.

 

[RBT]

What do they want for it?

 

[Snagglefoot]

I have found that when starting the engine with a half dead battery, the hour recorder can be accidentally get reset to zero. That’s probably what happened on that truck. I had a re-set condition occur on my 2008 Suburban 3/4 ton with a 6.0 engine.

 

[PMT133]

I lost count how many times our 07 sierra reset the hour meter. It has something like 15000 hours on it though. I've been in every make and model 3/4 and 1 ton built since the 90s. If I had to pick one brand new right now, it's that sierra. LQ4/4L80 is as good as the rest and for my body type, probably the most comfortable bucket ever installed in a truck.

Our 22 that directly replaced it was a disappointment in every way. Rode worse, worse fuel economy, needed more repairs and recalls done in the first year than that thing needed it's entire life to that point... was a let down but not as bad as the F550 we got at the same time. All the HD trucks from that era were just good. I feel it was the right time for the best of the old tech and styles before trucks turned to what they are now.

 

[Arc]

Work truck white is the best color.

 

[wander2039]

Price isn’t really set yet. KBB is between 1500 and 3000. Its hard to compare to FB since most have around 150k or has a diesel. I have a number but want to look it over and make a list first. 2wd is typically half the price here.

Any maintenance tips? What you wouldn’t mess with or how?

 

[RBT]

No specific maintenance tips at that mileage because it depends on how the truck has been maintained. I would put it up on a lift and see what it needs, make a list, and prioritize based on mechanical state and what you want to spend, and when.

Nothing wrong with a 2wd truck unless you live where it snows and want to plow snow. Less to go wrong, less to maintain.

 

[panthermike]

If price is right and it runs good, it could be a good buy. This era of GM was solid! A family friend has a '13 Sierra 2500 w/ the same powertrain and it's sitting at 364k. I was genuinely surprised by how well it runs.

 

[wander2039]

Got to spend some more time driving and looking it over. Once it warms up taking off from a light feels like something is sliding back.. torque converter? Looked at the spring bushings and none were missing. Washed it so didn’t crawl under to check u joints .

 

[PMT133]

Motor mounts are about due at that milage.

 

[wander2039]

Motor mounts are about due at that milage.

Thats one other thing I was thinking of.

 

[crashz]

Good looking rig and one of the most reliable, easy to drive and comfortable GM trucks ever made. Rust is the only thing that could kill them.
Common problems I recall:
- Exhaust manifold bolts: No matter what, they snap.
-The steering shaft "clunk": I greased mine occasionally and even added a grease fitting. It would help for a while and I'd grease every time it came back. I never had the bushing issue.
- The cabin fan resistor: Mine burnt to a crisp. It didn't damage anything else, but when I got to it, it was charred.
- Transfer case pump rub: N/A
- Trans/Transfer Case Slip Yoke: Needs periodic greasing of the output shaft. Mine would get a minor clunk occasionally and greasing it soled the problem.
- Dash: tons of info on the wonky gauges. the stepper motors are replaceable now and there are company's that will repair or replace the whole cluster. I think even Dorman sells one.
- Wheel Bearings: The hub unit bearings are a little undersized, but more so on the 1/2 tons.
- Ground straps: the cab ground on the driver side cab mount is notorious to cause electrical gremlins and BCM
- E-brakes: Like all trucks with drum-in-rotor e-brakes, they are marginal when brand new and useless as they age.

But I feel like the good far out-weighs the nit picky issues with these trucks:
- Grease fittings on the front-end
- Comfortable seats and suspension
- Reliable power train - like legendary
- Strong C-channel frame
- Not as tall as a monster truck
- Decent visibility

 

[PMT133]

Good looking rig and one of the most reliable, easy to drive and comfortable GM trucks ever made. Rust is the only thing that could kill them.
Common problems I recall:
- Exhaust manifold bolts: No matter what, they snap.
-The steering shaft "clunk": I greased mine occasionally and even added a grease fitting. It would help for a while and I'd grease every time it came back. I never had the bushing issue.
- The cabin fan resistor: Mine burnt to a crisp. It didn't damage anything else, but when I got to it, it was charred.
- Transfer case pump rub: N/A
- Trans/Transfer Case Slip Yoke: Needs periodic greasing of the output shaft. Mine would get a minor clunk occasionally and greasing it soled the problem.
- Dash: tons of info on the wonky gauges. the stepper motors are replaceable now and there are company's that will repair or replace the whole cluster. I think even Dorman sells one.
- Wheel Bearings: The hub unit bearings are a little undersized, but more so on the 1/2 tons.
- Ground straps: the cab ground on the driver side cab mount is notorious to cause electrical gremlins and BCM
- E-brakes: Like all trucks with drum-in-rotor e-brakes, they are marginal when brand new and useless as they age.

But I feel like the good far out-weighs the nit picky issues with these trucks:
- Grease fittings on the front-end
- Comfortable seats and suspension
- Reliable power train - like legendary
- Strong C-channel frame
- Not as tall as a monster truck
- Decent visibility

Funny you mention the height as the 4x4 trucks are taller... but ours is stock height (sans a couple turns on the torsion keys to offset the weight of the service body) and the ground to door sill clearance is the same as dad's 22 f150 with a 3.5 inch lift. the 07 is somehow significantly easier to enter and exit though it looks shorter. Looks like a half ton next to the newer trucks.

 

[I<3oil]

I'd buy it for the right price

Therein lies the rub