On August 30, 2010 I bought a 2009 Sierra Extended Cab SLE with 9000 miles, GM Certified.
It came pretty nicely equipped; extras included Westin Chrome side steps, bug shield, non-skid bed rug, and a Truxedo tonneau cover. Missing were the floor mats that came with it...

The truck was quickly pressed into service, moving 53 boxes of books and equipment from our basement to my wife's classroom as we set her up for the school year.

After that, I decided I had to make some immediate changes.

First was obtaining a bedliner – the non-skid bed rug had to go - I couldn't slide boxes into the front of the bed like I used to do with my old truck's bedliner. I also needed sidewall and tailgate protection - I frequently move loads of compost, rocks or firewood.

As I was researching, I happened to find an under-the-rail DualLiner for sale on eBay -- it was within 10 miles of home! Done deal. Installed it at the guy’s house before leaving – took less than 10 minutes. DualLiner customer service was great. I told them I needed to move a liner from one truck to another and they sent me a new installation kit (with the CD), free. I was used having an over-the-rail bedliner, so bed rail caps are going on the list for next.

Future blog posts will cover:

• excursions & commuting,
• joys and pains,
• mistakes & mis-steps
• using the truck,
• experiences with loads,
• towing
• researching and buying some of the other equipment I want to get.
  This will likely be pretty tame - I'm not going nuts on it.
  

1. Bed Rail caps (evaluating: Bushwacker, DeeZee, Wade, EGR, BAK, Stampede/Rail-Topz)
2. Stake pocket tie-downs (Bull Ring Classic Retractable Anchors)
3. Receiver hitch bumper protector /step
4. Underseat storage bin (DU-HA)
5. Floor mats
6. Wheel House plastic liners (rear wheels)
   

So this is going to be my build blog:

We start with a 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4 SLE 77" Bed White on Black cloth.


We get tinted front windows and de-badge the dealer plaque (no disrespect to Norman Gale, in my other post I give them props)
Before:


After:


Before:

After:


Coming up next:
Bed Extender
Bed Liner
Bed Cover
Assist Steps
HIDs
LED Interior

It was a snowy February day in SW Ohio, which means there was a very light snow falling without accumulating and the locals are cowering in the corners of their basements expecting the apocalypse. I however, am returning home with my brand-spankin' new Sierra 1500 SLE.

It was a long haul to actually get the truck as I had been driving a 2000 Impala for 13 years and had grown quite attached to the car. It had carried both of my newborn kids home from the hospital as well as seeing me to work nearly everyday since I picked it up. My next vehicle had a new phase of life to carry me through and big shoes to fill.

For months, I had been researching GM trucks and I was ready to go shopping. I was very lucky in that right as I was ready to start dealing, Truck Month rolled around and GM was having a few bonuses. I developed a set of 'must haves', 'nice to haves' and 'not gonna pay for its' and went to the dealers with a hard price goal. I also wrote down how I planned to approach the bargaining. I could write a book about how some of the salespeople/dealers are as crooked as a country creek. Well, I found two salespeople at different dealerships that I seemed to work well with (honesty goes a long way with me) and we went to work finding a truck.

Three weeks of back and forth, price matching, models selling from under me and endless permutations of options, financing and the like, I finally met my sell point and pulled the trigger on the truck you see below. Now if it sounds like I was Cool Hand Luke through all of this, I was not. I was staying up late at night looking up the trucks I was considering on the internet (my wife was relieved I wasn't looking at other things on late-night internet...) and obsessing over the deal through the day. I had Truck Fever and if I didn't have my list of guidelines to refer to, I would have likely paid more for a much lesser truck.

It was a stressful process, but she's here now. Let the modding begin.....