Life expectancy of my Siverado TV?

[crampshaw]

So how long can I expect my Silverado to last?

2012 "Texas" towing package. 5.8L 3.42 rear. Tranny cooler. 6-sp trans.

Towing ~3000# carrying ~800# inc passengers. About 60% 0f miles towing.

Meticulously maintained according to factory recommendations.

Currently at 80,000 miles. How many can I expect before replacing it?

John

[m.hony]

5.8?
Are you sure it isn't 5.3?
We have many GM pickups and vans in the fleet with 4.3 V6 gas, 4.8 V8 gas, 5.0 V8 gas, 5.3 V8 gas, 5.7 V8 gas, 6.0 V8 gas, 6.2 V8 gas, and 6.6 V8 diesel with way over 80,000 miles, the highest mileage being 553,000 miles.
The gassers all have either the 4L60E, 4L80E, or new 6 speed transmission. The diesels have the Allison 6 speed. They vary from 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton. There are several different rear end gear ratios, depending on engine and GVW of the vehicle.
There are 2 with over 500,000 miles.
There are 12 with over 400,000 miles.
There are 53 with over 300,000 miles.
There are 146 with over 200,000 miles.
There are 92 with over 100,000 miles.
That is 305 of our fleet of 358 with more miles than your truck.
I'd say keep your Silverado for a really long time-

[Jim Foster]

Keep your oil clean and drive it. Our late model 1999 has 250,000. Runs great.


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[J. Morgan]

The LS V8 gassers will run, and run, and run.

On average, 88K on one of these is not even 1/3 used up on a bad day.


Superat stultitia.

[Ted S.]

With enough love and money, any relationship can last forever.

[slowmover]

10-12 year window on spare parts availability. Dealers and chains have an age limit on what they carry. Not that one can't find things, but it starts to become more difficult or expensive.

Used to be 15-years.

I'd always recommend brand new parts, never rebuilt (unless it's on the verge of being sold).

Stay well ahead of service limits as to time. Miles aren't so important.

And resist the urge to downgrade service, parts or other as it ages. What it would sell for is irrelevant compared to reliable first class service.

[RareStream]

With 80,000 mostly towing miles, you probably have another 30,000 miles before your tranny dies.

Towing, even with a cooler, is a tranny killer. Especially a GM tranny.

But like the old timers used to say, you haven't really made it to the top of the hill 'til you've blown a tranny.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by slowmover

10-12 year window on spare parts availability. Dealers and chains have an age limit on what they carry. Not that one can't find things, but it starts to become more difficult or expensive.

Used to be 15-years.

I'd always recommend brand new parts, never rebuilt (unless it's on the verge of being sold).

Stay well ahead of service limits as to time. Miles aren't so important.

And resist the urge to downgrade service, parts or other as it ages. What it would sell for is irrelevant compared to reliable first class service.

12 years on OE parts-
After 12 years you may find "new old stock" OE parts still hanging around for another 5 or so years.
After that, you may still find aftermarket parts indefinitely.
The 12 year parts availability is based on a body style run.
For instance, my 1999 Nissan Pathfinder:
The basic body style ran from 1996-2004 with a cosmetic refresh in 1999 and an engine refresh in 2000.
Other than that, minor cosmetic changes-
In 2016 parts are very scarce but available for my 1999 with a 3.3 V6.
When I bought a new distributor in March there were 4 OE distributors available in the US.
If I still have the car in 2033 when I need another distributor it will be aftermarket if available at all...


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[J. Morgan]

My last automatic transmission failure was on a 25 year old GM truck.


Superat stultitia.

[m.hony]

The GM 4L60E, 4L80E, and newer 6-speed routinely wear out- at between 200,000 miles and 300,000 miles.
A few wear a little sooner.
A few wear a little longer.
That is honestly a good useful life.


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[tjdonahoe]

You will probably get tired of it before it wears out...

[mrdfred]

I have a 2003 Sierra w/ the Duramax/Allison combination and 175,000 on it. I'm planning on 500,000 or to death do us part (my death). Treat it right re: oil & filters and you should be good until you get tired of it.

[spclkaz]

I have a 1999 GMC 3/4 ton Extended Cab with a long bed, 6.0L gasser with a tranny cooler.

I only have about 98,000 miles on it as I use it mostly for towing my 30ft. Airstream. Here in the heat of Arizona, you do have replace the tires and wipers and other hoses, belts, etc which wear out more quickly. I am religious about oil and other fluid changes.

About six months ago, my mechanic did a top to bottom tune up. It cost me over $2K.. that may sound like alot, but remember I have not had a truck payment in over 15 years. I immediately took it on a 3500 mile road trip and it ran better than new the whole way.

Every time I take it in, my mechanic wants to buy it. He says these engines can last 300,000 miles or more with proper care.

So ... with good care, it WILL last until you get tired of it. But know what ?....I never get tired of not having a truck payment every month.

[larryglarson]

I am sure you will have hardly any issues before 200,000 miles, then just a few to 400,000. Find a good local shop to work with if you want to go to 400,000. Back in 1961 I drove a truck with 500,000 miles on it. Had to do some fixing, but it never left me walking.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

You will probably get tired of it before it wears out...

Yup, I had a 2000, Tahoe I drove for trouble free 250,000 miles. Still ran great but I got bored with it.

[Gneiss Guy]

I don't know much about GM trucks, but I had a 2002 Ford F250 V10, with about 104,000 mostly towing miles that I recently traded in on a new one. It was a beautiful truck that had been kept inside for most of it's life. Nothing wrong with it at all. Could probably have easily gone another hundred grand, but I just got tired if looking at it. I had A good excuse to get a new truck ... 50th wedding anniversary. I know! If you buy your wife a new truck for a golden wedding anniversary present, you just might be a redneck! Guilty as charged.

[crampshaw]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm going to think about replacing at 150k and probably get it done by 200k. That'll be well ahead of the 10 year parts horizon.

John

[J. Morgan]

I wouldn't be overly concerned with the parts horizon. Where GM may stop making and or stocking parts, on a high volume build like a Silverado, the aftermarket will fill the gap for decades.


Superat stultitia.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

I wouldn't be overly concerned with the parts horizon. Where GM may stop making and or stocking parts, on a high volume build like a Silverado, the aftermarket will fill the gap for decades.


Superat stultitia.

Yup, and GM supplies parts for way more than 10 years, especially on high volume mainstream vehicles.

[slowmover]

The point about parts is to plan ahead. Even, buy ahead if, say, starters or alternators, etc are likely to fail before end of ownership.

Don't just replace a component. Service the entire system of which it is a part. Weak links show up everywhere after a time.