Tough Choice,. . .
Written: Mar 03 '02
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Pros: Power, mileage, roominess
Cons: Price, interior plastic
The Bottom Line: I still like this truck a lot, I enjoy using it, and I would buy one again.
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| kartattack's Full Review: 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Ext Cab |
. . .as all the manufacturers have pretty good trucks and I like some things in all of them. In the end, the Silverado won and I ponied up the money for it.
I have mine (an LS) optioned out almost like an LT, but I didn't want leather. It ran the sticker up pretty quickly, but with the rebate and a GM discount I get, it ended up about $5700 under MSRP. The sticker price would make most people wince though. I don't know how Ford does it, but they are much cheaper than Chevy for similarly equipped vehicles.
That said, the Silverado has a lot going for it that warrants the extra cost in my mind.
The two available V8 engines soundly beat all challengers in horsepower and match or beat them in torque. I haven't towed anything with mine yet, but based on the loads I've had in the bed, it will have no trouble doing so. And Chevy does this while matching Ford in fuel economy and soundly beating Dodge. I am averaging 16 - 17 MPG in mixed driving and I am not babying it. I am not racing it, but I do dip into the power frequently. This is with the 5.3L engine and 3.73 gears in a 4700 pound truck, too.
The back seat has about 3 inches more legroom than any other extended cab and the Silverado is cheaper than the crew cabs of other manufacturers; although the crew cabs have about as much more room as the Silverado does over the Ford or Dodge extended cabs.
The ride and handling are decidedly untruck like compared to other trucks I have owned and driven over the years.
I have some complaints, but they are minor so far: The steering is vague on-center on the highway. I find myself making many small corrections to keep it going straight(it's fine otherwise). I am getting more used to it, so it is becoming less of an annoyance. The plastic on the doors and the console looks cheap. The dash is fine in that regard. The shifter is too long and blocks the fan and temperature controls when it is in Drive. If they made it about three inches shorter, it would have been fine. The stupid everything-on-the-turn-signal-stalk controls for the wipers and cruise control just stinks. I can't imagine why GM has used this pathetic design for so many years. I understand the 2003 models do away with this, but then they made the Silverado look like an Avalanche for 2003, so . . .
I am somewhat concerned about the numerous problems others have reported with these vehicles on other message boards, but I haven't experienced any.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 24250
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: LS, Pwr bucket seats, Aluminum Wheels, Locking Diff., Towing Pkg.
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Epinions.com ID:
kartattack
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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