yes the idiots de geared the **** out of them and turned them into turds unless you have anything short of a 6.2 you can push it off a light faster than it will move itself.

 

GM is pushing the xfe trucks now. But I just don't know about those 3.08s. Technically the 6 SPd has much better gearing the the 4 SPd but in reality there is not much advantage. 1st gear is stump puller, but does it start off in 2 nd? iDK.
You can always try the 3.08s and tune it and pull TM and see how you like it.

Out on the hwy there will some advantages but round town it will still be a thirsty pig.

 

In November I got a 2011 5.3/6L80E/3.42 4x4 with the tow package and 18" Z71 wheels and just turned over 16K miles. I have averaged 17.2 for the life of the truck, 5K of which was only on the highway from Atlanta, GA to Healy, AK... Not as good as I had hoped especially with a cat back and Airaid Jr but I do drive pretty aggresive and tow occasionally. I do love the 6 speed and if you tow the tow/haul mode is WAY better than the 99-06 trucks I have had.

 

Thanks for the feed back guys. I wanted the 6.2 but just couldnt find a silver lt2 in my area with the options I wanted. Plus I the truck will be my DD so I def need fuel mileage.

 

I've got a 2012 2wd 5.3/6-speed, but its an Extended Cab. Not much difference though. Mostly stock, just the AirAid MIT/Filter and Magnaflow Exhaust. Mines got the 2wd Z71 package, factory 18's, and 3.42 gears. I average usually around 17.5 with combined driving. On all highway trips, I've seen up to 21.5 average @ around 70 MPH and 19.5 @ around 75 MPH.

 

i just got a 2012 cc 2wd with 5.3 and the trailering package so for its been great i love it gas milage is better than i expected this is my seventh silverado first one with the six speed and the performace is not bad i drive over 500 miles a week so the 6.2 was not a option

 

My 6.2 4x4 averages 18-19 every time on the highway driving it sanely with cruise. If you can swing it I'd go 6.2 route just IMHO you wont be disappointed and you dont have DOD garbage to contend with giving trouble.

 

I've done 15mpg per tank average (mixed driving) with 3.73s and 33-inch Duratracs on my leveled CCSB 6.2 4x4. Typically between 13-14 because I play with it a lot but it can be pretty efficient.

As for the 5.3, there's a guy on here who got the XFE, tuned it to increase mileage, then swapped from 3.08s to 3.90s and increased the mileage even more. Last I checked he was getting 22-24 on the highway on 24s. If you want mileage, that's the way to go. If you don't get the tow package it isn't a big deal, the factory trans cooler isn't that great anyway.

 

Wow..thats killer mileage!


My truck came in this morning

 

Oh, you ordered? What did you go with? Iron 5.3/3.42/tow?