- pickup 142,927
- 3,428 below average
- 3,995 great
- Harvey, IL
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- autoshopper.com
- 3,428 below average pickup 142,927 flex fuel
2001 chevrolet silverado 1500 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Advanced engineering in a familiar package. introductionford may have the best-selling pickup in america, but a whole lot of americans still prefer a chevrolet. While dearborn's most recent light-duty pickup has taken on a windswept, aerodynamic look, and dodge has carved a niche with its vaguely retro, little big-rig theme, chevrolet has stuck with a more conservative shape, bluff in the nose and square in the shoulders. Chevrolet feels its customers are more comfortable with traditional truck styling. So when the chevy pickup was totally re-designed, re-engineered and even re-named for 1999, its styling was updated but not radically changed. at the same time, however, chevrolet caught up with (or even surpassed) the technology and refinement of the more radical looking ford and dodge. The silverado, as chevy calls its pickups now, is a great achievement, better than the previous 'c/k' truck in every respect. It rides better, handles better and stops quicker; it's faster and it's more comfortable. In fact, the silverado ranks as one of the most luxurious pickups we've ever driven. for 2001, silverado adds even more power, convenience and durability. All extended-cab models now have two auxiliary rear doors, rather than just one on the curbside. Onstar is available on newer lt models. Three trim levels are available: base, ls, and lt. The 'half-ton' range includes both the 1500 series, with actual payloads ranging from 1593 to 2334 pounds (depending on bed, cab, and drive configuration), and the heavier-duty 2500 series with payloads in the 2612-3224-pound range. Just to make things as confusing as possible, there's also a 1500hd model with a crew cab body. silverado 1500 models are available with a 4. 8-liter v8, a 5. 3-liter v8, and a 4. 3-liter v6. The 2500 is powered exclusively by a 6. 0-liter v8. three-quarter-ton silverados are badged 2500hd and 3500, and offer payloads up to 6089 pounds. Look for those in a separate nctd. Com test drive. walkaroundsilverado's frame is the stiffest and lightest truck frame general motors has ever built. The front frame rails are hydroformed, a new process that uses high-pressure hydraulics to shape relatively large and complex components that used to be fabricated from smaller stampings. Tubular crossmembers and roll-formed mid-rails increase rigidity further. These feature a delayed-upshift mode for towing. They are excellent transmissions. interioras with the exterior design, the silverado interior reflects traditional chevrolet thinking. The doors and door openings are now the largest in the industry, while the cab is the roomiest. the instrument package looks like a cross between what is found in the new corvette and what was used in the old c/k trucks. All use pleasant white-on-black graphics. the sound-system control panel is located above the climate controls. Air conditioning outlets and a set of drop-down cup holders are built in for rear-seat passengers. A compass is incorporated into the lt model's overhead console, along with three storage areas for sunglasses, garage door opener, and small items. When cargo capacity is more important than hauling passengers, the entire rear seat assembly can be removed with a wrench and lifted out through the side door. about the only thing we didn't like was the design of the interior door handles, which operate in an up-and-in arc and felt loose whenever we used them. The system calls for assistance automatically if the truck's airbags have deployed. driving impressionwe loved every mile we put on the silverado lt. It drives like a luxury car and is supremely smooth and quiet. That smooth, quiet, unified feel is largely due to the new chassis, which provides a 23-percent increase in stiffness. New mounting and isolation hardware reduces noise and vibration. A cast magnesium beam behind the instrument panel and a lateral steel beam between the magnesium beam and the right side of the dash further reinforce the stiff body. Squeaks and rattles have been eliminated. This is one strong truck, and its chassis rigidity allows the suspension to soak up and manage bumps and ruts and tar strips so well that its overall ride behavior is near luxury. Even the rack-and-pinion system has a fairly wide dead spot in the center when cruising, which chevrolet says is designed to minimize steering corrections on the highway. That's enough to smoke the rear tires at will. The new engine is a much better small-block than before, and we recommend the 5. 3 over the smaller 4. 8-liter version. the brakes are substantially improved over the old c/k brakes, and it's a welcome improvement. Braking force comes into play only an inch into the pedal travel, a welcome improvement over the mushy pedal on the previous pickup. A new feature called dynamic rear proportioning improves stability under heavy braking, whether the truck is loaded or empty. And it is the newest design from the big three detroit manufacturers. The silverado lt we drove is the smoothest, quietest, most civilized, best equipped, and most enjoyable pickup truck we've driven in many years. Tachometer✔ Bucket Seats✔ Climate Control✔ Air Conditioning
3,995 Harvey, ILHarvey, IL at autoshopper.com