What's wrong w/Chevy 2500HD

[jhgnag]

I'm planning to buy a Titan, but I'm realizing that I can get a 2500HD for thousands less with the current offers. The HD has better payload & towing capabilities. So why do I want the Titan instead of the 2500?

Looking for some some opinions, and yes, I realize that they may be one-sided.

[CincyTitan]

Opinion...resale value. With the Big 3 offering huge rebates, the resale value drops. The resale value of the Titan should remain balanced.

[37L1]

Originally Posted by jhgnag

I'm planning to buy a Titan, but I'm realizing that I can get a 2500HD for thousands less with the current offers. The HD has better payload & towing capabilities. So why do I want the Titan instead of the 2500?

Looking for some some opinions, and yes, I realize that they may be one-sided.

Only one real answer:

Test drive them both and pick the one that suits you the best.

[Steamguy]

Originally Posted by jhgnag

I'm planning to buy a Titan, but I'm realizing that I can get a 2500HD for thousands less with the current offers. The HD has better payload & towing capabilities. So why do I want the Titan instead of the 2500?

Looking for some some opinions, and yes, I realize that they may be one-sided.

37L1 said it best - go drive 'em.

We considered the Chevy back in January when we bought our Titan. Our comparisons came down to a few points on paper: Difference in what we would be paying out, insurance, servicability, fuel mileage and the price of fuel. We were coming from a one-ton dually diesel.

And then we got in and drove. Titan won. My wife was about as willing to drive the Chevy as she was my big truck -- which was not at all. She loves the Titan, and I'm scared to let her drive it now for fear I'll never get it back.

The Titan is a joy to drive every day, and hurts far less at the gas pump. The Chevy was going to be another monster to park and another cramped space for our rear-seat passengers. I use the truck more like a car for every day, and when we go play, we tow. The towing capability of the Titan is within a half ton of the old dually. Plus I get sports-car handling for everyday driving. You pull into the lot at work with a smile on your face. What more can you ask for?

The Titan deal was cinched by the Chevy dealer's apparent need to make his payment on his house in Aspen that month. Don't know why they're all so dang expensive in this area, but they just are...

In any case, you're the guy who has to live with it. We'll all tell you that we love our Titans, and the Chevy guys will tell you that they're just crazy about their trucks, so it's going to be hard to decide by what you see here.

[COTitan]

I just did not want to have to put up with things like wiper moters going out in rain storms or running light burning out 3 day after you buy it. Or they always fun reclineing seat lock braking on a long trip that i had to live with. Chevey fixed it all but just to have it happened pissed me off.
I seems you never have engine failure or trasmission just all the little things that are spouse to work that don't

Titan is perfect! but IT NEEDS A DIESEL

[greg w]

Traded Sierra for Titan. It started smoking at 4000 mi and used 3/4 qt every 1500 mi. Within specs for GMC. I got that answer after a year "oil consumption tests" and of no decision. GMC will NOT stand behind their product. At least with the few issues I've had with the Titan the dealer has listened and worked toward a resolution. At these prices it pis*** me off to be ignored.

[bestatchess]

Chevy is great. If you get the right song on the radio, the piston slap keeps time.

http://www.autooninfo.net/NAEd200401GMPickupNoise.htm

[greg w]

Does Delco radios keep the beat as well as Rockford FOSTER, ie. C.R.A.P. to the SLAP or something like that.

[jhgnag]

Thanks for all the info. I decided I was done w/Dodge when my steering wandered, turbo squeeled, and later found out the transfer case had a leak. I've been to many dealerships & none had a solution or really seemed to care. Really tee'd me off.

The reason I'm considering the Titan is I love my 4Runner. 8 years old, 110K, and no problems. Dealer takes care of any little issues. Regular maintenance & it's almost as good as the day I bought it.

I like the Chevy, but I'm wondering what problems they have. A truck that wanders all over the road just isn't acceptable.

[CaliforniaTitan]

Well comparing a 3/4 vs 1/2 ton is a little different BUT I understand what your saying on the prices.

The Titan is just flat out fun to drive and IMO a good looking and pretty solid truck. Yes, some QC issues thus far have been a nuisance but overall I expect to have this truck to at least 7 years and 200k miles.

As for the Chevy 2500HD. Thats a lot of truck there as well. Piston Slap is one of the most seen complaints on Chevy's that I have read and brake issues like everyone else (warping rotors/heat relation). The 2500 is a beefy mans looking truck as well.

Yep, I own a Titan but I wouldn't be ashamed to be seen in a 2500 either. In my book they are pretty comparable.

Chris

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by greg w

Does Delco radios keep the beat as well as Rockford FOSTER, ie. C.R.A.P. to the SLAP or something like that.

No, DELCO rules. In fact, I was just wondering the other day why my 1970 Olds Cutlass had better radio reception, and trying to remember whether my 1966 Chevy truck had a radio or not.

[Half Shovel]

Drive 'em both, get what you like the best.

There seem to be some serious quality issues with the Chevy powertrain, but this is secondhand (for me). That piston slap thing would really suck if it's really a true and common problem. Doesn't look like you'll be seeing any drivetrain problems with a Titan - just little crap like a warped rotor here, a bad radio there, a rattle in the dash here...you get the picture.

Titans aren't perfect, but they're fun and quite practical. Mine's a work truck and has 6000 hard miles on it with no problems, aside from warped rotors (fixed).

HS

[TonkaTitan]

I owned a '99 Chevy Silverado extended cab Z71 LT and loved it. It a weak moment I traded it on an SUV. This year I went back to a pickup and bought the Titan CC LE off-road, big tow. I was considering an Avalanche 2500 as well because I want to be able to tow a tad more than 8,000 lbs and the Chevy 1500s barely reach that. The equivalent Chevy 2500 or Crew Cab MSRP list for quite a bit more than the Titan but it seems the Chevy deals and incentives get them down in price.

The Chevy Crew Cab is 6 inches longer than the Titan Crew Cab but its short truck bed is only 1.4 inches longer. The Chevy just seemed more gangly for parking (and I park in a downtown parking garage daily) without offering much trade off in capacity. The Chevy has better leather captain's chairs for comfort but not enough to make a difference. The Chevy ride is mushier and smoother which might be considered a plus for 90% of my commuter driving. Quadrasteer could be a decider if you could afford it and were into serious towing. I almost went Avalanche but finally decided the rear bed features might be more Rube Goldberg than I wanted. Being able to tow up to 12,000 lbs might be another consideration to go Chevy. Mentally for me it is difficult to buy the same vehicle and the current Chevy is essentially the same as its 1999 introduction year.

After I test drove the Nissan all indecision ended. The truck just felt perfect. It just felt right. With the Avalanche I could have put my kayaks on roof racks and still had an enclosed waterproof bed. With Nissan I had to make a decision with overhead racks. The emense back seat storage area with seats up helped. With the overhead racks I can jump up in the bed and tie down the kayaks with ease. That was not in my consideration at the time but is now very much appreciated. I am an 8 time Chevy truck owner, once worked in the Chevrolet Truck Manufacturing Plant in Indianapolis, and came from a loyal Chevy family of employees. The Titan overcame all that imprint.