1997 GMC Sierra SL review from North America
"Solid truck, well built and cheap to drive"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Gas tank leak and fuel lines needed replacing at 164,000kms.
A/C condenser got a leak around 170,000kms.
Hard brake lines are rusting out badly, will need replacing within 10,000K.
Transmission makes a deep rattling sound when the engine is cold and at a stop.
Transmission began hard shifting during a 4hr road trip, but the problem went away.
A few burnt out lights on the climate controls.
Various paint flaking, but still holding up well for a 11 year old truck.
General comments?
I got this truck basically stock and added a small lift kit and 31" tires. Everything worked well with the truck and there hasn't been any major problems during my year of ownership.
The 4.3 is a strong engine, but better off for mini-truck and not the full-size models.
My model is 2WD. It handles well even in the winter as long as there is a good set of tires on the truck. I run BFG-A/T.
The interior is bland but still comfortable. The stock bench seat is of good quality and the upholstery still looks brand new.
The truck handles very well and is a comfortable cruiser. I get anywhere between 14-16 MPG city, and usually 20mpg on the highway depending on speed.
Although the gas mileage is not that great for a V6 the truck makes up for it in the fact that it is very cheap to maintain. By just doing regular maintenance I bet this truck will go 300,000KMS + no problem.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.3 Vortec Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 164000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 175000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 2nd May, 2008 |

