Buying a 1500

[kdlopez01]

Hey everyone I am looking at buying my first truck 2005-2007 single cab short bed with a 5.3 I am active duty military and I have 4 month left until my honorable discharge. I am stationed in Delaware, but I am driving back home to California 3,256 miles. I want to know what gearing to get and how to identify the gearing. I will be towing my S2000 which weighs about 2,700 pounds plus about 400 pounds of personal items. I am not sure how much it will all weigh with a U-haul flatbed trailer, but these fuel trip calculators say it will cost $750.00 in gas at 12mpg.I appreciate everyones suggestions thank!

OH one more thing is there anyway in the VIN to see if its a 5.3 or a 4.8?

[smokinsilverado]

If you can find one with the 3.73 that would be best a lot of them have 3.42's which will tow it. The RPO codes in the glove box will tell you what gears it has. The RPO code for the 5.3 is the LM7 (most common)but in the VIN the engine code would be a T

[MitchellDeMoor]

Thank you for your service.

[bad2006z71]

rpo codes for the 5.3 are LM7, L59, and L33. LM7 is just the regular 5.3, L59 is the flex fuel version, and the L33 is the aluminum HO version. THe first 2 will have 295 hp and the third will have 310hp. Im not sure if the L59 is available in reg cab form, i know the L33 is not. only availble in ext cabs.

the most prominent gears in a 4x4 of that year range is 3.42, rpo code gu6, they are good on the highway but not for much else, in my opinion, you could have 3.73, GT4, or 4.10's, GT5.

i it is a two wheel drive, 3.23's are common, not sure of the rpo code.

good luck with your purchase.

[oneloudz71]

What are your plans for the truck after you get home? I would hate to see you buy something specificaly for one trip and then not be completely satisfied with it when you get home. Most of the trucks out there with 5.3's whould have 3:73 gears which will do fine for you. If you happen to find a truck setup with 4:10's it might be better for this truck when you start pulling hills with a load, but might not be the best for you when you are home and unloaded. However, if you plan on lifting it and/ putting bigger tires on it down the road you may want to be looking for the lowest gears (higher numbered) that you can find to handle the extra weight of the tires later.

[east302]

You'll live in California, right?

I'm probably wrong (and think this only applies to new cars) but check to make sure that you can title the truck in California. If it's not originally from California, it may not have been manufactured to meet the California emissions certification needed to title it.

[smokinsilverado]

Originally Posted by east302

You'll live in California, right?

I'm probably wrong (and think this only applies to new cars) but check to make sure that you can title the truck in California. If it's not originally from California, it may not have been manufactured to meet the California emissions certification needed to title it.

For the years he is looking at they are all built to meet Cali emissions standards, so unless someone has hacked it up he should be just fine

[east302]

Originally Posted by smokinsilverado

For the years he is looking at they are all built to meet Cali emissions standards, so unless someone has hacked it up he should be just fine

Good to know. I figured it was kind of an urban legend but you never know what kind of regs California thinks up.

[smokinsilverado]

If your going to be keeping the truck for a while, I would get an extended cab. Even if you have to get one thats a couple years older then you want. You may not need the back seat for people to sit but the extra room to carry stuff makes a huge difference.

[smokinsilverado]

Originally Posted by kdlopez01

How many miles are to many miles on the truck? What is the Z code for the engine in the VIN I find alot of Z instead of T

I believe the Z code is the 4.3V6 which is pretty common in a regular cab half ton you don't want that.

My buddy has a 6.0 in his HD and he gets 10-11mpg, it's a crew cab so a regular cab might get 11-12mpg. The motor is good though and at 67k miles that is just getting broke in, there shouldn't be a problem with that motor going 200-300k miles

[DURAGAS 8.1]

that sounds about right that 16 might be a little high but it could happen i would go with a ext cab no matter what you get just for the fact that its nice to have somewhere in your truck to put things that are secure and out of the weather

*edit i take back what i said i did a quick search and found this
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

[oneloudz71]

No way will you see 12 city or 16 highway out of a 6.0! Those things are very thirsty! I have a 5.3 and if I baby it I MIGHT get 16 highway and 14 city.

[DURAGAS 8.1]

i get 10 or 11 everywhere no matter what so i didnt think it was that far outta line

[ksukats57]

Originally Posted by oneloudz71

No way will you see 12 city or 16 highway out of a 6.0! Those things are very thirsty! I have a 5.3 and if I baby it I MIGHT get 16 highway and 14 city.

um no 12 city is what I ALWAYS get. and usually 14.5 hwy driving 75. I was getting 10 city till I got it tuned though.

[smokinsilverado]

Not all Z71 are 5.3 you can get them in a 4.8 which is vin code V

[skierZ71]

Originally Posted by kdlopez01

Well I found a 2005 z71 with 59,000 miles on it for $17,980 from a dealer... but the VIN does not have a T in it, but i thought all z71 were 5.3?

It could have the 4.8, but the 5.3 was more common in Z71's.

i took these quotes from the thread about if all Z71s had the 5.3. Also look at the RPO number to see if it's a 5.3.

Originally Posted by Quyonmob

VIN B=5.3L as well, 2005 and up (L33 RPO).

Originally Posted by gmonez

Just look at the VIN T=5.3 V=4.8

[smokinsilverado]

comes down to personal choice... I think that you could get the auto 4x4 with the push button. I have the floor shifter I personally like knowing that it's in 4wheel but otherwise it all works the same.

[skierZ71]

Originally Posted by kdlopez01

What about a B in the VIN

B in the vin would indicate a 5.3 then.

You posted before i was able to get my other post up. Props for figuring it out.

[bad2006z71]

Originally Posted by kdlopez01

is a tow package a must? and what is the flex fuel 5.3?

the tow package is nice, it has a hitch and comes pre-wired with a 7pin connector.

the flex fuel motor can run on either gasoline or E85. it has 295hp on gas.

[jro909]

make sure its a z85 or z71..tranny cooler and locker(most of the time g80 is the rpo) i get 14-15 in city with my 5.3 and about 18 on the highway..its 2wd so maybe got a little gain out of it..6.0 is a nice motor long as you can feed it