GM postpones full-size truck overhaul plan

[TimR]

Originally Posted by pwoods

GM, if you're listening, do something about the bumper and wheel flairs on the new trucks. They'll look like new.

Agreed...when the suv's were first released, I thought the Silverado flares would look like the Tahoe ones, that would be a sexy truck. Very smooth and understated, but classy too.

[DirtyLarry]

The current GMT900 is not a bad platform to get stuck with for a while longer. Chassis wise and powertrain wise it is a solid machine. The 6 speed hydramatic everybody has been bitching about is finally on the way as well as the light duty diesel that is just in time to be too late ( I saw two 4.5L test trucks at a lab a few weeks ago…nice and quiet and a fast mover!)

The bad thing is the GMT900 twins are the absolute worst looking trucks GM ever put on the road (GMC not as bad) and we will have to look at these pathetic trucks sitting on dealers lots for years to come. While the chassis and powertrain is first class, the body design and engineering sucks… period. The front inner wheel well liners are hanging loose on just about every one I see on the road. The trucks do not have lower rocker panel to protect the bottoms of the doors from road debris and will ultimately accelerate corrosion (within 5 years the bottoms of the doors will be eaten off for you poor guys in the salt belt). When you look down the bedsides you see a nasty witness mark of poor stamping between the front of the bed and wheel well. The chassis is good. The body is terrible.

Now, the HD trucks are nothing more than old whores with new lip stick as I have said in the past. Same ole torsion bar IFS suspension, less engine options, etc. In my opinion HD trucks is where GM should invest what little pickup truck platform money they have as the trendy light duty truck buyer will go back to Camary’s and Cobalt’s where they belong while the commercial and fleet HD truck guys (you know, the guys that really use trucks for something other than commuting to work or hauling their gym back to the club) will continue to consume work trucks. GM needs stop generating pattern orders to dealers for high dollar fully cream of the crap peg groups and focus on more base model trucks with a solid suspension. A leather clad, full carpeted, orsion bar IFS front suspension and all that car crap is not going to win over your bald headed, Carhartt wearing construction guy, snow plowers, tow trucks, etc that will continue to buy trucks no matter what the cost of fuel will be. SFA, rubber floor mat, manual windows, trans, transfercase, etc is what that crowd will want. A real truck! Not a car truck.

GM has catered to the soft palm flit boy truck crowd for over a decade and now they need the same very truck buyer (work truck guys) that they turned their back on over a decade ago as they will be the only ones left that will continue to buy them.

[nailhead425]

Originally Posted by Strapping.Young.Lad

whats wrong with the GMT900s

The HD trucks require leveling kits for 285s, lifts for 35s. Not to mention the IFS. But that won't change.

Originally Posted by TruckMan

Vehicles 10+ years ago were much lighter too. All of GM's vehicles need to go on a diet.

Agreed. The new Camaro weighs as much as my 1970 Monte Carlo.

Originally Posted by TruckMan

I do agree that the HP and capability ratings of "light duty" trucks are getting out of hand. ... Dodge is taking a different approach from GM and Ford with their next Ram. They're lowering their max payload and towing slightly, and going with independent suspension all around for better ride and handling. ... If you really need 10,000 lbs of towing and 400hp/tq, get the HD.

While I agree that 1/2 ton trucks are over-rated for towing, payload, etc, I'm not sure they should be cut way down. The reason is that GVWR over 8600 are exempt from CAFE. If too many folks buy them, it will push the Gov't to regulate HD pickups.

As far as Dodge going IRS, it isn't true. They are moving to a coil spring rear suspension, but it still has a Solid Axle.

[maxaccel]

Originally Posted by plane

Want to drive the sales of the GMT-900's through the roof?
1. Get the 4.5L diesel now.
2. Follow up with the direct injected gasoline version of the 4.5L.

How many full-size trucks would sell if consumers could regularly see 25 mpg city and 30 mpg highway? Or even better?

Fuel economy is now king lynchpin in selling full-size trucks.
Conquer the fuel thirst and you conquer this market.

FYI
GM trucks have the best mpg of all the makes
www.pickuptrucks.com

btw theres no way anyone can get better mileage out of a big truck unless they make it aerodynamic like a bullet and much lighter using lots of plastic and aluminum etc,but then it would never be strong and tough and long lasting would it??

[maxaccel]

Originally Posted by 1gkek

30 isn't good enough any more. I think the "casual" pickup and SUV driver is gone for good. Some will be able to afford them and can justify based on their situation, but everybody else is fleeing.

Will the "El Camino/UTE" actually stand a chance now???

Id take UTE in a minute,
IF it could carry what my half ton long box can.

[maxaccel]

Originally Posted by thoffman

The new GM trucks are definitely not an improvement in looks over the 07 and 06 Classics. The fender flares on the new ones are hideous. I wouldn't buy a new one until those things were changed. However, the GMC model is definitely more attractive than the Chevy counterpart.

agree on the silly fenders,
unless you buy the Biggest tires,the regular wheels just look lost and rediculously small in there,

Im sure the mileage would improve a bit too if they made those fenders tight and close to the wheels..

mind you the 4x4 shorty with 5.3 and 3.73 rear is advertised at 29 mpg!!
4.8 gets less for some strange reason!
its Imperial gallons btw.

Im wondering if fender skirts should be offered as an option,might look weird and get lots of comments
but I have no doubt the mpg would go up...and thats what counts!!

[maxaccel]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

GM never learns, does it?

Make your trucks better each year, GM, and drive the Tundra and Titan out of the market; it's really that simple.

FYI
Titan is DEAD,...Blundra is falling apart,and Toyota is slowing its production,
while GMs are the best in everything they do,including mpg,crash testing,off road ability handling and comfortable ride.
if theres anything GM does good its their trucks.

www.pickuptrucks.com

now if they could just offer two door rear drive mid size car Id be very interested in buying it,,unfortunately GM mngmt is just too dense to realize thats exactly whats missing in their lineup.

[member12]

GM needs competative products from top to bottom...tiny sub compacts to hybrids to minivans to off road vehicles to full sized trucks.

Everything they make needs to be competative.

[SDRacing]

This talk about the GMT900 series being the worst ever looking trucks for GM is total bs. I own a GMT 400 and 800 and wish I could get a 900 yesterday. And I prefer the chevy over the gmc period. the gmc imo is too refined, and i like the bulges on the chevy. they made the front bulges that way to make the truck appear "wider" from the front. the z71 package looks good with the 17 or 18 inch rims, but could use 285 series tires, which make the world of difference. I like the bulges because the sides of all pickups have been the same for too long, not all of them, but most. the only thing i dont like on the chevy is the chrome strip on the front bumper, but you can opt not to order it.