Found what seems to be a decent deal on an 03 Sierra 2500 ecsb. It's got the 4th door which would be nice, Bose system, and oh yeah, a 6L. My 99 has over 180 000 miles on it, and still looks and works fine, but the rockers are starting to finally rust through, and I want a 6.0! The 80E will be nice for towing peace of mind too. Is there any downside to having a 2500 rather than swapping the big engine and trans into a 1500? I like the idea of keeping my ol 99 going forever, but I think I might possibly be throwing good money after bad. What do ya think?

 

How heavy do you tow? As well as the drivetrain of the 2500, the frame is much bigger and stronger than a 1500.

 

Is it a 2500HD or just a 2500? Either way, expect a rougher riding truck that will struggle to get more than 12-13 mpg. It's also a bit of a chore to get in & out of since they sit up a little higher. The truck won't feel as peppy as a half-ton because of the extra weight and 80E's gearing.

 

Hmm yes, good points. I tow farm equipment sometimes this time of the year, and sometimes it's well beyond even what a 1 ton should be doing. I think it was a 2500, not necessarily an HD. Well the truck was sold anyways so... If I ever find a deal on a 2500 it would for sure get lowered, but I'm sort of leaning towards a drivetrain swap again. I can write off parts quicker than an entire truck. It's good to be a farmer.

 

Well if you're an old school numbers guy, the '01+ 2500HD's basically are 1-tons when compared to the previous body styles. You might look around for a 1500HD (same truck as the light-duty 2500) and see if it's not a good compromise between the two. That is what I had before I got my 2500HD and it was a damn good truck. I'm an old farmboy myself and help out when I can when my dad & brother need a hand. I never thought twice about hooking up any of our trailers with that truck. It sits basically the same height as a stock 1500, but has the 6.0/80E, larger brakes and rides smoother. It got pretty decent gas mileage compared to my 2500HD.

 

dude your from Saskatchewan your not considered a local till your truck is rusted thru inside the cab lol i always get weird looks from my relative for having my truck too shiny and not enough rust... maybe that's just down around Davidson and Lucky Lake area

Go with the 2500LD or 1500HD way better ride then the 2500HD and if you do any towing what so ever get a duramax