1999 GMC Sierra SLT Z71 4.8 liter V8 from North America

Summary:

Best truck to ever roll out of the GMC plant

Faults:

Replaced wheel bearings, ball joints, and tie rod ends when first purchased.

Bought the truck for 400 dollars with what the guy believed to be a locked up motor. Replaced starter, and the truck runs like new.

General Comments:

Best truck I've ever owner. This truck is reliable, has ZERO rust, the interior has held up amazing, the A/C works, not faded or cracked or torn. The exterior has held up amazing too. Paint is like new, no scratches, dents, or dings, no fading or peeling in the clear coat.

This truck only has the 4.8, not the 5.3, but there is only a 12 horsepower difference. Even with the tow package and airbags in the back, the truck still rides like a Cadillac.

The truck has had absolutely no major mechanical issues and it has almost 400,000 miles.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st April, 2016

1999 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 4x4 5.3L from North America

Summary:

Rattly-creaky street rod

Faults:

Air conditioner lost enough charge to not cycle. Original belt was never replaced and snapped some time ago. Tensioner pulleys bearings wore out.

Serpentine belt's tensioner and idler pulleys wore out.

Alternator bearings just started to squeak.

There is a mystery creak at the left-front area when accelerating from a stop or shifting forward/reverse.

Intermittent mystery wind howl coming from the windshield. Can't figure out the source.

Interior plastics rattle.

Tailgate handle broke.

General Comments:

Despite all those faults, this truck is good for work and handles great in snow. This is an extended cab, so the wheelbase is long. Power-hydroplaning on slush at 65-70 MPH is totally manageable.

The ride is stiff and bouncy. I don't remember previous-generation 2500 pickups to be this bad. Maybe it's due to the trailer-tow package.

Road noise is very low, it has more wind noise. If it wasn't for the rubbery creak/grind from somewhere under the front, this would be a decent truck to have.

Engine power is awesome. Passing on the highway is easy because it gets right up to 80 and higher. Starting from a stop requires feather-throttling, otherwise it'll try to do a burnout. Taking off on gravel usually requires 4WD to be turned on.

Push-button 4x4 switches work fine so far.

Seats are comfy, but there is high-frequency chop from the rear suspension. I have noticed this trend on a lot of late-model pickups, large and small.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th October, 2013

1999 GMC Sierra SLT 5.7 from North America

Summary:

This truck exemplifies what I want to think of the American car industry

Faults:

No problems, other than wear and tear.

Replaced fuel pump, catalytic converter, 1 wheel bearing, A/C compressor.

Same engine, same transmission (someone told me I would be replacing it at 70,000 when I bought it new).

The ABS light and airbag light seem to come on/off regularly now.

The instrumentation gauge needles periodically go in and out of operation for a second or two. Must be connected to the same issue with the airbag/ABS light.

CD player quit working 9 years ago. No sweat.

General Comments:

This car has exceeded my expectations of reliability in every way.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd April, 2012

1999 GMC Sierra 1500 4wd 4.8 gas from North America

Summary:

Best truck I've ever owned

Faults:

The engine had a vale roller bearing issue that occurred almost immediately, and was repaired by the dealership.

The anti-lock brake system failed at about the fourth year, and was not covered by GMC warranty or recalls.

General Comments:

This truck has been a great performer, gets great gas mileage, rides well, and starts every time I turn the key.

I've owned Ford, Dodge and a Chevy before this GMC. The GMC/Chevy trucks are best for my use.

Unfortunately this is a first year of the new model, and several small recalls had me make trips back and forth to the dealership that first year. It's still been a great truck.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th January, 2011

1999 GMC Sierra SLE 5.3L V8 from North America

Summary:

Strong running GMC

Faults:

Not much really.

Replaced brakes all around at 54,000.

Replaced wipers.

Touch button 4WD at 45,000.

Front axle seals - 35,000.

Tailgate wires, dealer recall.

General Comments:

Been a great truck since I have owned it.

I have a K&N filter and straight pipe in replacing the muffler. Now getting great gas mileage, between 20-22 on the highway.

Everything works great, would highly recommend this vehicle.

My drivers side window does rattle, but that's a known defect.

U-joints going soon and have a pin hole in transfer case seal.

This truck has been babied... up until I owned it and doesn't let me down.

My Blazer I had before doesn't compare to this truck at all.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th December, 2008

20th Feb 2010, 21:36

This is me that made this review. I now have 76,000 miles. Since the review I have replaced the u-joints, t-case shift motor is bad along with drivers side window regulator, drivers side hub assembly twice, driver's side CV shaft, and now I have to replace the spider gears in the rear end. In a way the truck has doubted me, but I am still a believer.

23rd Sep 2014, 12:38

I have a 99 GMC V8 VORTEC THREE DOOR EX. CAB. I HAVE ALMOST 300,000 MILES on it. Everything was fine; the power, the gas mileage, everything. I could spin the tires into third until I put on a Spectra cool air intake and took off the single muffler and added duals with no mufflers. Do I have to get it tuned, take a pipe off, change or take off the air intake, or add a muffler back on it?? And if I need a muffler for back pressure, do I need it to be stock?

Please help me out. I was just being greedy wanting more power, and now it costs me $82.00 a week to drive Mon-Sat to and from work 20 minutes away and it's all highway. If possible call me at 337-290-9095, thanks.

24th Sep 2014, 22:27

The factory tune on your truck's computer won't work properly with almost no back pressure. I would re-install the factory mufflers and the stock resonator also if you removed that. Otherwise you would need to re-flash your computer with a performance tune. Even then it still might not run as well as stock.

Chalk it up to experience; myself and many others have had to re-do a performance exhaust because it made the vehicle run worse than stock.