Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 |
The General Motors Corporation, formerly known as GMC Truck is a name that is very well known throughout the world. In 2007 this company was GM’s second largest selling vehicle division coming in close behind Chevrolet. GMC was originally dubbed the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company by Max Grabowski when he established the company in 1901. This was when some of the earliest commercial trucks for sale were designed. By 1909 the company was turned over to General Motors which then formed the basis for General Motors Truck Company.
Since that time GMC has been manufacturing trucks that are used throughout the world. Thought their personal and smaller vehicles are very popular, the trucks from this company are highly appreciated by truck drivers around the world. A book was released by GMC in 2002 that details the company’s history, their ups and downs and the process by which General Motors acquired the truck division.
The main commercial vehicle distribution is in vans, light duty and medium duty trucks although fire trucks, ambulances and heavy duty trucks and buses have been manufactured under the GMC Truck name in the past. Although GMC and Chevrolet trucks are virtually the same they do have some distinctive differences that have survived throughout the years. The trim, engine options and typically the price are a few of the differences that are very evident between the two. Once the production of the quad headlight designs were halted, the two truck brands became even more similar, much to the point of confusion for many drivers.
Of course serious truck drivers will know the difference immediately. While Chevrolet trucks for sale have a distinct look about them today, GMC commercial trucks will always bear the same quality that has endured form more than 100 years. Drivers who choose this brand of truck are typically not easily swayed to other models. With features ranging from standard power outlets and cruise control on the inside to heated and lighted mirrors, running lights and roof mounted air deflectors on the outside, General Motors is producing top of the line trucks that all drivers are proud to sit in and drive. From the smaller personal sedans and SUVs to the heavy duty freight haulers, these trucks have withstood years of history to become one of the top chosen truck brands for truck drivers everywhere. It is not completely surprising that the GMC name has become somewhat synonymous with commercial driving.
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Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 |
The pickup truck has long been a mainstay of American byways and highways, and GMC has been there from day one. Originally used and respected by farmers, construction workers and small-business owners, GMC’s hauler was a basic workhorse known for its reliability and longevity. More recent times have seen GMC’s full-size truck adopt the name Sierra, which was previously an upscale trim level.
As with its rivals, the modern-day GMC Sierra 1500 full-size pickup is available with a wide variety of body styles, powertrains and trim levels. Thanks to this flexibility, the half-ton Sierra pickup is just as adept at serving as the weekday family car as it is at transporting home-improvement supplies or towing a boat on the weekends.
Older versions of the GMC Sierra 1500 pickup have been praised for their strong work ethic, but soundly criticized for their bland, often overly plastic-endowed cabins. With the current model, fit and finish has improved to the point where the Sierra now stands proud in that area. Of course, there are other choices in the full-size pickup truck market, but the half-ton GMC Sierra remains a solid pick no matter what the intended use.
The current GMC Sierra 1500 truck for sale, is much improved over the past version in terms of cabin materials and build quality. Where there was once an abundance of lackluster design, hard plastic and uneven panel gaps, there’s now richly grained upholstery, softer materials and precise fitments. The lineup offers three body styles (regular, extended and crew cabs) and trim levels ranging from no-frills “Work Truck” to ultra-plush Denali. The most popular trim is the midlevel SLE, which provides most features people want as standard, including air-conditioning, full power accessories and a CD player. A recent addition to the lineup is the rugged “All Terrain,” which is essentially a fancier version of the Z-71 Off-Road package.
Past GMC Sierra 1500 models :
Most of these pickup trucks considered by used-vehicle shoppers will be the previous-generation truck, which was sold for the 1999-2006 model years. Underneath the handsome styling, a family of new V8s debuted, ranging in size from 4.8 to 6.0 liters. They offered output ranging from 255 hp with the smallest 4.8-liter, to 345 hp from the high-output 6.0-liter V8 in the Sierra Denali. A base V6 was also available, but as expected, most Sierras came fitted with one of the V8s. A unique four-wheel-steering option (called QuadraSteer), came on-line about midway through this generation and cut the truck’s turning circle down to 37.4 feet — around 10 feet less than a typical full-size pickup. Unfortunately, QuadraSteer was discontinued for 2006, as buyers were put off by the high cost of this option.
Consumers more interested in function than flash should be happy with a half-ton Sierra from this era. The truck offered plenty of performance and work capacity, but was hampered by a dated cabin design fraught with cheap materials and below-average fit and finish.
The previous generation of GMC Sierra 1500 pickups ran from 1988-’98. Standard cab and extended cab body styles were offered, as was a crew cab, though the latter was actually from the previous 1981-’87 generation. Although six-cylinder and diesel V8s were offered, chances are strong that most GMC trucks from these years will have either a 5.0- or 5.7-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic. In keeping with tradition, one could choose either rear-wheel drive (indicated by a “C”, e.g. “C1500″) or four-wheel drive (indicated by a “K”). Trim levels for these C/K1500 trucks include the bare-bones Special, base SL, midlevel SLE and top-line SLT. Strengths of these new and used trucks include powerful, durable powertrains while weaknesses center on sketchy build quality and subpar materials within the cabin.
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