With winter fast approaching, and not many prospective buyers for my Z, I'm considering trading it in on a 99-02 Chevy or GMC CK1500, 4WD. At this point all I know is I want a 4WD w/the 5.3, auto, and the LS Cloth interior with less than 75K mi. I'm picking the year range based on price - I want to stay in the $12K-$15K price range. I'm probably leaning toward the reg. cab/long bed configuration.

Are there any desirable option(s), option packages (other than the obvious Z71) or problem areas I should be aware of on these trucks?

Primary use will be a daily driver, occasional parts chaser (engine/trans/etc. in bed), and rarely towing a car trailer. Mods would probably be limited to a CAI, catback, and maybe a small (<6") lift kit & 33's.

Thanks in advance for the help guys.

 

you can get a nice ext. cab short bed for 15k easy. they go for like 10k around here for like a 99. i would get a 00 up though. as far as options go just make sure you get the 5.3 auto, push button 4wd, g80. just drive it and give it a good look over for leaks and everything. see if they will let you take it overnight and put a ton of miles on it to see if it does leak anything

 

I say the hell with pushbutton 4wd, but thats just me I had a bad experience with it in my 98. I have a 00 Z-71 with the 6l auto I run 32's during hunting season. I like it, but I wasn't set on the Z-71 package. A friend has a GMC 4x4, and his is just as good. Z-71 isn't anything special, and stickers are cheaper than the package. If you get something with 75k or more on it go ahead and replace the shocks. As long as you have all the skid plates you pretty much have a Z-71.

 

Is the pushbutton transfer case different (weaker/stronger) than the manually shifted one? Or is the pushbutton option just an electronic replacement for the shifter? Is there an RPO code to I.D. the best transfer case?

As far as the Z71 goes, is it just shocks and skid plates? I figured it got you every heavy duty option available, all in one package. Otherwise you'd have to order the posi, towing pkg, etc. separately? If it's just shocks/skidplates I won't worry about it since the shocks will be worn anyway and I can't imagine the factory skid plates are all that great. I'd be ripping those ugly stickers off it anyway.

Also, I remember hearing about complaints of oil consumption a few years back on the 4.8's and 5.3's. Is this a common problem and is it isolated to any model year?

 

umm i dont know much about them but i think the transfer case is the same its just one is electronic and one is manual. as far as oil comsumption goes mine doesnt use any oil and its a 2000.

 

The transfer cases are different internally. The pushbutton has slip clutches in it. The floorshift is all gears & chain. Here's a chart that has the specs on the t-cases.
http://www.newventuregear.com/tcases.html
Pushbutton is NV 246
Floorshift is NV 241

I wouldn't eliminate the pushbutton trucks from your search, they are still plenty strong. I only know of one guy who smoked his. Besides, 95% of the trucks you look at will have pushbutton 4x4. If it does break, there are tons of them in the salvage yards too.

 

I would not worry too much about the electronic shift or manual shift, because if it goes out it's time to install an Atlas.

 

I quit liking them when I got stuck in 4lo and had to pull the manual out to get rolling good again. The only difference n th e4x4 and Z-71 is shocks, shid plates and front torsion bars. Oh yea and stickers

 

whats differnt about the toursion bars?

 

The transfer case is less of an issue than the transmission....some of the used trucks out there have been beat on and used to tow God knows what to God knows where.
The biggest thing post-Katrina in my opinion is to check out the title history and try to avoid trucks that were titled in the Greater New Orleans area or MS Gulf Coast. Some of those flood trucks with minor damage are being "fixed" by the owners/dealers. If the insurance doesnt come into play then the title doesnt get flagged as a flooded vehicle. Some of those trucks may make it up to you guys.
Its a judgement call on your part. Good luck.