Hopefully this one won't get wrecked!

[crash93ssei]

Got it for $1,750 and drove it home! It handled the two hour drive no problem. New brakes, new tires, no leaks, new radiator, and tons of other good stuff. Two owner, the last one bought it from the original owner at 60,000 miles 10 years ago and it now has 200,000 miles on it. Overall it does need some fixing, but nothing that will stop it from being a good driveable truck right now. It is in quite a bit better shape then my other one was too! It is either a 1996 or 1997, I don't remember

[SSEiMan01]

I like it! It's not easy being green, but for that price I'd deal with it!

[samples08]

Very nice I approve

[Hotwheels]

Wow, despite the rust, that's a deal!

[1tinindian]

I'd say it was a 95-96 due to the lack of the passenger side air bag.
If it has the Vortec engine in it, then it's a 96.
97 was the first year for the passenger airbag.


My son just sold his 98 extended cab Z71 for $4500 earlier this spring with 150K miles.

*dang* good old trucks.

Leon

[Hotwheels]

My son just sold his 98 extended cab Z71 for $4500 earlier this spring with 150K miles.

Doesn't surprise me one bit. At the auto auctions I attend (and by just watching the used truck market in general) the '96-98 Chevy K1500's optioned like this one bring as much as a '99-02 era Silverado if they're in decent shape. They've turned out to be a sought after truck, and are reaching near collector status in some circles.

Someone came into our shop with a really sweet one he wanted to sell...I was tempted: '97 GMC K1500 regular cab, stepside 4x4 SLE. Blue on blue, V8/auto, power everything, bucket seats, clean with no rust & 125k miles. Pretty rare bird!

[00Beast]

Nice Ryan! Makes me remniscent of my 98 Tahoe. Thing had 210k on it when I sold it, and the guy who bought it called me about 6 mos later, had put 20k on it and no issues. They were great trucks.

They do seem to have plateaued in price, although that's to be expected. Some people still like them better than the new trucks, and the value of the truck is more determined now by the condition and miles than by the age and/or options.

[crash93ssei]

1996 was the cutoff for oldest I would go as I wanted the Vortec, not the older TBI. Looking at the title, it is a 1996, I just wasn't sure as I was looking at so many different trucks

Issues I have noticed so far...
Both inside door handles are broke, he told me about this before I even looked at it, not a big deal as it is a common problem and easily fixed.
Cruise control doesn't work, no idea why yet, but should be easily fixable.
Shocks are pretty bad, I will swap those with the ones from the wrecked truck as those were good still.
Has a slight pull to the left, and some slop in the steering, likely needs an idler arm and some other goodies as would be expected on a 200,000 mile truck on probably original or once replaced parts. The wrecked truck needed these as well, so no difference there. Alignment after new parts installed for sure.
Typical cab corner and bottom of door rust as on most of these trucks, overall though this truck is in good enough shape to fix unlike the other one as that one was used as a work truck and had damage everywhere even before the accident

Overall I am very happy with this truck, especially with the price! Most other trucks like this one with the miles, maintenance, and even the rust people were asking $2,500 - $3,000 for. This one had no pics on craigslist though and I think that is why it didn't sell and also the guy wasn't that great at texting back. I think this will be a good truck that should easily last many years

[repinS]

Did you ever fix the trans on the other one? If not then this'll be a good upgrade! And I bet the wrecked one will be good for many donor parts and you'll make your money back no problem

[swampthing]

I approve, I understand wanting the vortec for power but just to be fair a TBI will usually outlive a vortec. But with either motor if you keep the oil changed and whatnot they will run forever

[crash93ssei]

Jerry, yea I fixed the trans last year, the sun shell was broken. Everything else inside the trans literally looked brand new, the clutches even still had writing on them, the thing looked like it had just been rebuilt, definitely not a 200,000 mile trans.

Vortec for the power for sure and really the only thing that would kill one is the same thing that will smoke a 3800, the intake gaskets, which were replaced on this truck recently Going to give it a bath today and clean it up, maybe take some more pics.

[ga93sle]

Very nice score!!! Wish I could have found a deal like this when I bought the Ferd, would have been much happier.

[nos4blood70]

Looks good! A tough truck, should serve you well.

[92BonneSE]

Nice purchase I looked for a truck when getting a new car but like you said its hard to find a good deal. Even though I financed my car I just wasn't satisfied with trucks I could get for a similar price.

[Zeik75]

Seems like its pretty nice, not so clean you have to worry about using it as a truck, but still worth keeping. I have a family friend with a 99 silverado that has 350xxx miles on it with the original vortec......and it will break the tires loose downshifting to 1st when already going 30....

[94SilverSSEi]

They're tough old trucks. Looks like a good buy. Gotta love the Vortec. I downgraded to a TBI Suburban for a while, that thing was such a slug, I wish I had never sold my Vortec Tahoe.

Good luck, looks like a solid truck for the money. Around here you'd get one with the floorboards rotted out and blown trans for that price.

[1tinindian]

Seems like its pretty nice, not so clean you have to worry about using it as a truck, but still worth keeping. I have a family friend with a 99 silverado that has 350xxx miles on it with the original vortec......and it will break the tires loose downshifting to 1st when already going 30....

Unless it was a 3/4 ton, the 99+ were a completely different engine over the 350 Vortec.

Leon

[CMNTMXR57]

They had the C/K "Classic" in '99 yet.

I heart this body style...

My only complaint with these Vortec 5700 trucks (other than fuel pumps and Kelsey Hayes ABS modulators), is the placement of the oil filter on 4WD versions. It's not bad, just a stupid location. They do oil filter relocations on so many other of their trucks, why not this? So for two days after an oil change, you still get oil drops on the ground despite any best efforts to clean the front U-joint. Vortec 7400's and 8100's were an evern more retarded design.

[swampthing]

I too love the 88-98 c/k style, the only one I like more is the 03-07 body 99-02 was meh and 07+ just looks funny

[2000Silverbullet]

...and I thought the oil filter location for the 02 SunFire 2.2 OHV was bad. I have to remove the right front wheel to get to it on the back of the engine...but they corrected it on subsequent years with the eco-tech.

Nice truck and the colour is fine. Some say going green is the best.
The rust repairs can wait till spring. For the price you paid....insurance here for a year costs more....just drive it.