From the Driver's Seat: Picking the Right Truck PART 2 (based on personal history)

After putting just under 300,000 miles on my 2013 Silverado, the heavy travel trailers I was hauling finally caught up to my truck. My transmission let go. I had to decide whether to replace the transmission on a truck with high miles and other maintenance due or to replace the truck. In hindsight, I should have replaced the transmission, but instead, I made another mistake. In 2016 I purchased a GMC 3500HD Duelly with a 6 liter gas engine. It was my first 4-door truck (the 2013 was an extended cab), so sleeping in the backseat was a luxury. This was a solid truck. Due to being a duelly, wind was handled much better. Being a gas-powered duelly, the truck was underpowered and fuel mileage suffered. It struggled with the West Virginia and North Carolina mountains, which is the route I took regularly. This definitely took a toll on the engine with towing larger travel trailers. After just under 200,000 miles it let go. It was diagnosed with a cam failure, and I chose not to repair an underpowered truck.

The next truck I bought was a 2018 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax Diesel. I installed my 5th wheel hitch and my other equipment required for DOT compliance and off I went. The power of this truck was undeniable. You could put the cruise control on when it was loaded down and it would not even downshift when going up moderate inclines. Driving seemed too easy. The truck was solid, and there was a learning curve for maintenance, but I was happy with my decision. Then little things started happening. On a regular basis, the check engine light came on. I bought a diagnostic reader to turn the light off and diagnose the issue. Nine times out of ten it was related to the DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) system. This started happening around 40,000 miles and was an ongoing issue throughout my ownership. After the warranty ran out at 60,000 miles, I found that repairs and maintenance were just over double the cost for a diesel than it was for a gas motor.

2018 GMC 3500HD Duelly and 2018 Chevy 2500HD Diesel

Then it happened...........On the border of Ohio and West Virgina there was a loud bang! I believe every warning light on the dashboard came on! The truck was shaking and bucking and warning me that it was going into limp mode. After a few attempts to find a dealership with a diesel mechanic, I found one 25 miles down the road. It was diagnosed as failed #4 injector. The cost of repair was just north of $1,500. I replaced the injector and completed the delivery of the travel trailer I was hauling, but I could tell the truck was not right. The truck was hesitating at times and the power was not what it was. This truck was a major disappointment. With 202,000 miles on the odometer, it should have held up much longer.

At this point I was seriously considering changing occupations. I was no longer making the profits necessary to continue due to the overall costs of running this truck. The injector was the last straw.

I deleased from my company after I returned home. I desparately wanted to unload the diesel before something else would cost me a small fortune. I decided on getting a local job; therefore, I wouldn't need a full-size truck. I saw a 2021 Chevy Colorado with a basic package. I haven't had a small truck since my 1994 Toyota, and the Colorado was great! Parking was easy and the truck had great power for the size. I used it for a short time to commute to a local company.

I decided not to stray from my history with trucks, but I must inject a sidebar. After working for a short period at a local job, I felt as if my whole world shrank. I was having a hard time transitioning. I missed the open road almost immediately. I felt as if I made a terrible mistake. After much discussion and a patient and understanding wife, I decided to return to the open road. After my decision, I ran into a major road block - COVID. When looking for a truck, dealerships did not have inventory. After a month of aggressive searching, I found one. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but I made it work.

I purchased a 2020 GMC 3500HD Regular Cab with the new 6.6 liter gas motor (400 ci). With a regular cab, I invested in a truck cap for sleeping purposes and tool storage. I would no longer be able to haul 5th wheel trailers, but I was already figuring on transporting smaller trailers when possible to save the truck as much as I could. Once I got set up and delivered a few units, I realized that, although it had a basic trim package, this was really a great truck. It reminded me of the 2013 Chevy, but with better sleeping. Power was great for a gas engine and being a 3500 seemed to handle windy conditions better than a 2500.

2020 GMC 3500HD

I have to insert another sidebar. If you have read or followed our Blog, you will know that my wife and I decided to start a new chapter. We sold our home and decided to hit the road full time delivering travel trailers across the country. We planned to deliver the trailers using the interstates and see as much of the country as possible on our return trips. To fully commit we decided to invest in a truck camper (see Picking the Right Truck Camper). Now we had to make a decision. Do we use my 2020 GMC or do we invest in something new?

Next Week: Final Chapter of Picking the Right Truck