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My Beloved '93 Chevy Pickup Needs a New Transmission...

435 views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  silverado9306 
#1 ·
Just joined this GM Truck forum today and hope someone can steer me in the right direction. My beloved '93 Chevy K1500 Z71 Silverado pickup named "George" needs a new automatic transmission! "George" has 177,000 miles on him. I bought him in April 2003 and he's been very good to me. The transmission started acting up a few months ago and one night it kept slipping between 2nd and 3rd and the engine wanted to overrev. Thank goodness we got home ok! The fluid smelled a bit and is brown (I had the transmission fluid/filter replaced twice since I've owned him). Had two mechanics check the codes and no codes came up... One of the mechanics said it was internal and not to drive very far. I parked "George" at the end of Oct. 2013 for the time being.

Am torn between whether to get his transmission replaced (new rebuilt from Certified Transmission out of Omaha NE for $2600 installed and a 3-year warranty) or look for another GM pickup. George also needs the front drive shaft replaced ($400), A/C compressor and/or clutch replaced (freon only stays in system for about three months) ($?), headliner replaced and a "football-sized" rust spot repaired. He's generally in pretty good shape. The interior is fine except for the headliner. His 350 (w/ aftermarket dual exhaust ) only uses some oil if you do a lot of highway driving at 65+mph. Oh, and the tape deck doesn't work anymore and needs replaced.

Have been reseaching newer GM pickups and have read unsettling stories including:

the electrical 4WD switch changing from 2WD to 4WD by itself and possibly causing COSTLY drivetrain damage
the transfer case oil pump shakes loose from vibration and causes a pin hole leak in the case; then the transfer case fails and needs replacement
the instrument cluster assembly or parts of it fails (i.e. oil pressure, fuel gauge, electronic odometer/gear shift indicator etc.
window regulators and other body parts frequently need replaced
the continued "infamous" 1/2 ton transmission failure problem at high mileage
ABS brake problems especially w/ the rear brakes
brake lines along frame rail rust and the cab has to be removed to get to the lines to be replaced!

George has the gear shift lever to go from 2WD to 4WD. He's got rear drum brakes instead of 4-wheel disc ones. He doesn't have an airbag (which I don't care for) and other fancy stuff like newer pickups do.

I did look at a 2000 GMC Sierra SLE Z71 Pickup just today. It's only got 128,000 original miles w/ a 5.3L V8 (single exhaust) , CD player , airbag , electric 4WD switch , buckets seats w/ console , 3rd door , GMC bedliner , mudflaps , factory floor mats , good tires . The interior only needs shampooed and it would look new. Was told it belonged to a local 91 year old farmer who passed away within the last year. He was the original owner and drove it to the field and back. The price of it is $6,250. This is a very nice pickup and I'd love to get it if I'd decide to go w/ a newer pickup, but right now I have a hospital bill to pay. If I got a newer pickup, I would hope that I wouldn't have buyers remorse down the road. I know it's a gamble a person takes with ANY vehicle they purchase (whether new or used)...

With what research I've come up with, which way should I go: get "George" fixed up or buy another pickup? If I got another 1/2 ton, I would hope and pray that the transmission would not go on me like George's did or some other HUGE expense!

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions. I dearly love "George" and it would break my heart if I had to say goodbye to him. He's one of my "four-wheeled children..."

Maggie
 
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