2005 Chevrolet Silverado LS 5.3 V8 from North America

Summary:

Excellent vehicle if you get the basic, 2wd, no frills versions

Faults:

Steering shaft clunk.

General Comments:

The details of the vehicle make a big difference. We have the basic model, 2wd version with light duty towing package. The truck has been lightly used to haul small loads and commute, mostly. Towed a light trailer occasionally. It is a extended cab long bed.

Because of the weight of the vehicle and long wheel base, it drives on freeways like a luxury car. Brakes are great. Easy to work on.

If you just get the basic truck it is excellent. The more extras you get, the worse they get for sure.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th May, 2025

28th May 2025, 21:32

Back when GM still made a decent truck. The 5.3 is very reliable and easy to service.

1st Jun 2025, 18:38

Absolutely nothing wrong and have had no issues with 4wd and higher trim packages over here. It's helpful for Canada's colder climates and tons of snow in rural areas.

My 2001 1500 is still going strong at 300,000 KM. So is my 2000 Tacoma.

Anything newer than 2006 or so and it's an inevitable electronic nightmare at some point during ownership no matter what model you go with. There will be so many more Teslas and other EVs in junkyards in 2045 than there are 2000-2005 vehicles in 2025. It's sad that people keep pushing the nonsense narrative... EVs do not do well in cold climates. I'm keeping my Chevrolet as long as I'm able. I have a 2003 2500 model I have my eye on with less than half the miles of my current.

In reply to 1st Jun 2025, 18:38

4th Jun 2025, 16:41

I'm no fan of Tesla... but I don't really agree with the sentiment that all modern vehicles are worse than the old ones. The same exact statement was made when I bought my Tacoma- new off the dealer lot- in 1996. Because it was assembled in the US with a lot of US-sourced parts. People just swore up and down that it would rust or fall apart because it wasn't built in Japan. Almost 30 years later? I still own it.

EVs have come a long way and are rapidly improving in quality and durability. I've taken a Uber in a few Teslas and other EVs that had well past 500,000 miles and still going. Battery tech and its chemistry, the cooling systems and so on have all really improved as the knowledge of how to build them improves.

2005 Chevrolet Silverado Z71 Offroad 5.3 from North America

Summary:

Very unreliable

Faults:

Although the car had "passed" inspection from the dealership, less than a month after I bought the car, the brake lines failed. It took three trips to the shop to have them fixed completely. Then the fuel lines went bad and had to be changed.

At 102000 miles, the transmission failed and had to be rebuilt.

At 126000 the power steering core and lines had to be replaced. The A/C condenser had to be be changed.

The truck once in a while will stop running. After a couple of minutes, it starts again and then will stop running. Then it doesn't do it for a couple of months and then again. May have been fixed by tightening a loose ground bolt on front driver's fender...

Then there's the rust all over the rocker panels and god knows where else...

General Comments:

It's been a very annoying truck to own due to its unreliability.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 5th March, 2019

6th Mar 2019, 14:51

Please read your carcomplaints.com on any used vehicle you want to purchase. On that particular vehicle it would have gave you a clunker alert on it. Chevy built some good vehicles, but they also built some duds too. Buying an unreliable used car can be very expensive to repair. Also that site will give you insight into what problems you might encounter with that purchase.

In reply to 6th Mar 2019, 14:51

6th Mar 2019, 18:57

Once you replace with stainless lines, you should be fine. A couple of fellow Silverado owners said that the lines rust due to the elements, mainly from just the salted roads. Buy a new set and replace. Mine are original with rare salt exposure, and I rinsed them underneath right away if exposed to salt roads.