Tundra or Silverado?

I’ll offer some first hand experience…

I recently saw a new 2020 Silverado Trailboss - and I have to admit, its a sharp looking truck. I used to drive Chevy’s in 90s and early 2000s until they ruined the body style. I decided to see what I could get for my 2019 SR DC - and was really surprised when Vroom offered me $31k, about $500 less than I paid for it with 9800 miles. So I test drove a 2020 Trailboss today and here is my opinion:

I really like the styling - they got away from the box-like look of the previous generation of Silverados, I hated the boxed front end and square wheel wells. What really drew my interest is the full crew cab with 6.5' bed...I really wish Toyota would build that configuration, then all the threads about the DC vs. the Crew Cab would stop!

Engine: 5.3 V-8 was peppy, but I hated the 10-speed transmission - constantly hunting for gears at 40-50 mph, and has a hesitation between 2nd and 3rd that really was irritating. Hated it - that was the deal breaker. Hated the engine idle/auto stop feature too, but I was told you can disable that. Also had a 24 gallon fuel tank!

Ride: Decent ride with suspension - felt planted on the road. Goodyear Duratracs were LOUD…enough said on that.

Braking: the braking was soft - needed to apply pretty good pedal pressure and it didn’t feel solid.

Seating and interior: Seating was very uncomfortable for me. Interior felt “cheap” - the infotainment system was busy and cluttered.

Overall, it really made me appreciate my Tundra, its a proven platform with a solid powertrain (and has a little better towing capacity as well). The salesman I spoke with was drooling over the prospect of me trading my Tundra, he was more interested in whether I wanted to trade the Tundra than selling me a Chevy! I think car dealers know that used Tundras command a premium resale price.

 

Mechanical engineering at its best!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8XfdlodwA4s

 

I think you're the first person I've heard of who doesn't love that 10 speed. I don't say that to discount your opinion/ experience, I just find it interesting. Makes me wonder how big of a blind spot all the guys on the GM forum I'm on have for anything made by the General. I've already heard of many guys saying the hard 1-2 shift in their 8 speeds is normal, as designed and not a concern.

 

The best transmission in a truck that I have driven is the ZF 8 in my ram, kinda ironic.

that thing was butter smooth and fast

in no way shape or form am I knocking the tundra 6, just liked the 8 ZF better a bit

 

ZF8HP is the transmission all trucks should be measured against. Arguably the best and most versatile with greatest reliability ever produced.

Truly is the sweet spot between the old school 6-speed we have in our Tundras, and the constantly searching and less than reliable 10-speeds in ford / GM. Drivability and fuel savings of the more advanced transmissions, while retaining reliability.

 

I've heard that the Ford 10 speed is always searching but the GM version is supposed to be butter smooth.

 

I was surprised too. I pulled out of the dealer lot and gave it gas and immediately said “whoa” after the hesitation. I really wanted to like the truck - I love the styling of the TrailBoss.

I drove it for about 20 minutes on city streets and highways and it was anything but butter smooth. Others may disagree but that’s why we have choices. A quick search of the GM forums suggest that dealers report that a new vehicle needs to “learn” your driving habits, that’s a cop out to me. Probably overly conservative torque management on the low end gears.

 

I’ve owned three modern gm trucks, no thanks. Get the tundra.

 

That was the same line I was told when I tested a 2018 f150 with v8 10speed. Did not like the shifting at all. Gears 7 through 10 felt great above 50mph but around town it hunted for gears. I read some tuning would clean it up but I was not be willing to void a warranty on a ford for smoother shifting. I put approx 100miles on it over 3 days with multiple full cycles trying to get it to settle to no avail, hence the Tundra purchase.

 

Do we really need more than a 6 speed Transmission especially with a V8 hooked up to it. I don’t.

 

Consumer Reports? What the hell do the consumers know. Ask a mechanic. I have been through the torture working on other peoples Chevy's, and others, why would I torture myself. That's why I drive a Toyota.

 

5 speeds are enough for me. I grew up driving a three on a tree, and Powerglide. Three speed automatics were a big deal at one time.
Anyone lucky enough to drive a Toyo-glide 2 speed?

 

https://youtu.be/dT66HD65lSQ

 

Get Silverado... you will never regret it. Govt bail outs are never wrong. Sitting in the lobby waiting for your tuff truck to get done with an engine overhaul is great

 

Personal preference. Drive them all. Ford. Chevy. GMC. Ram. Toyota. Nisan. Buy the one you fall in love with. Chances are it’ll be a good truck, it not like any company is putting out Yugo-quality these days. If you end up hating what you buy in a year, whatever. Life is short.... trade it in for something different. It’ll cost you a bit more or a bit less depending on trade in value, depreciation, etc but I would think for most people, it isn’t the end of the world and you won’t be at the soup kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner. I know this much, no matter what you end up with if it’s a higher end truck, you’re going to be dropping $50K on it. It damn well make you smile every time you’re in it for whatever reasons you decide to buy it.

 

Some of the front end on those trucks remind me of the Griswolds station wagon.

 

That's a disgrace, comparing the Griswold family truckster to a shitarado.

 

I think the truckster is cool looking

 

Hell yes. It's as iconic as the general lee, the bandit, starsky and hutch, A-Team.

 

You are correct sir. I apoligize for comparing a beautiful piece of machinery(the Truckster) to a horrible monstrosity Gm calls a truck. Thank you for setting me right.

 

No problem. Lol.

That scene his hilarious, love that movie.

 

I just picked up a 2019 TRD Pro. It was new but on dealer lot. Got a decent deal on it.

I cross shopped other trucks heavily. I looked at the GMC and Silverado. The AT4 package and trail boss package. I've been shopping for this truck to replace an old mustang daily driver...for over 1.5 years.

I've read all the forums extensively.

Yes the Ram, Chevy, Ford forums are an absolute insane asylum. Just abysmal. I literally feel for those folks dropping 70k on a truck with a myriad of problems.

However these trucks sell about double or more trucks than the Tundra . The "sample size" is a real thing here. Offsetting this is Tundra's ultra long run for the third gen.

My estimation was that for a Tundra you get a real problem thread about once every 2-3 pages of threads. On the other forums the frequency is literally every 3-5 threads on same page.

This can't all be offset by sample size. no way.

For every "cam tower oil leak" on the Tundra forum, a major problem, you get 3-4 of these on other forums.

Water leaks, abs faults with no brakes, engine noises, oil consumption, cylinder deactivation issues, lifter failures, timing chain stretches, transmission issues in abundance, shuddering/buffeting and chevy shake, wheel balancing and tire replacements, etc..

with that in mind I did seriously look at the trail boss and AT4 because I really like the exterior styling. The interior wasn't that great or at least wasn't substantially better than the tundra in terms of fit finish and styling.

I've driven 8 spd transmissions before and they are maddening in hunting for gears. This was all but a deal breaker.

the straw on the camel was the cost. In my market a TRD PRO Tundra was substantially cheaper than the rough equivalent Silverado or GMC.

So although I really really like the GM styling, there was no way I was putting 15k more into a truck with a huge potential for major downsides.

 

Sounds like me. I’ve been reading way too much for a while. The only two trucks I’m considering at this point are the Tundra and the Silverado (the 6.2L/10speed would be awesome). By the time I make the decision, Tundra’s 3rd gen will probably actually be available, so I’ll just go with that!

 

Yes, you pay more up front and less in the long run. Always been the way with Toyota's.

 

Toyota's historically have been priced a bit higher than competition. They also usually have far less incentives.

What I've seen the past few years is interesting--GM, Ford, Dodge, are really jacking the prices up on their trucks relative to Toyota. Even with incentives the F series, Silverado/Sierra, Ram are more expensive than Tundra in every trim level. Its worse in my area. The Tundra has really good incentives right now because of model change over. So a TRD PRO or 1794 or Platinum is going for less than a Lariat or even a well equipped XLT for example. TRD PRO is like 15 k less than a Platinum F 150 even with massive incentives.

What I'm seeing is Toyota being a bargain relative to domestics for first time.

 

@Backslider, dying to know, did you get your Chevy yet!?

 

Nope. Also considering a Tesla Model S 100d. Also considering waiting for the 2021 or 2022 Tundra.

I dont need a truck, just dont owe anything and can get whatever I want. Want to do my due diligence. Might just buy an 87 4runner and have a fun project. We'll see.

 

Maybe just wait it out for the Tesla truck(?)...
BTW, it's not a truck..



In my lifetime, I've owned 3 Chevy/GMC pickups (1984 Chevy Scottsdale stepside, 1988 GMC stepside, lowered 1994 Chevy ext cab), and 2 Tundras (2005 DC, 2014 DC).
I had far less issues with my Tundras, none with the 2014 (knock on wood).
Bought extended warranties for both Tundras and never had to use them.

I'd wait out the next Gen of Tundra if you can do that..
But even with that, I'd wait a year and get the year after the next Gen.

I like some of the new Chevy/GMC offerings, but some of them look way too busy in the front end.
I considered a 2014 GMC when I bought the 2014 Tundra.
I wouldn't even consider a Ford.
I had a rental Ford truck when my 2014 was in a body shop (hit by a Kroger grocery cart) and I hated it.

Good luck to ya...

 

I'm debating on a Limited or a Trail Boss w/ a 6.2L. Drove a Tundra the other day and it feels like a base model work truck compared to the Silverado. Chevy has gone down hill over the years, so I don't know.

I like the Tundra exterior when lifted on some wheels/tires.

 

I went through the same process when I picked up my Platinum. Grew up in a GM house, knowing those trucks are GM's bread and butter, and knowing how capable they are. I first went off the reservation in the 90's with a 96 Tacoma 4x4 3.4L, drove it over 200,000 miles in 20 years, no issues whatsoever . During that same period, my friends with the 5.3L LS and AFM had nothing but issues...it was sickening to watch. When I went full size I fully intended on Sierra SLT or Denali, but after I drove a few 2 year old Sierra's, I started looking at Tundra. Here I am.