2007 Tundra vs. 2008 Silverado

[sammyg2]

Just got my tundra back from the body shop, drove a new 2008 silverado rental all last week. Here's some impressions:

The silverado had all kinds of cheap plastic inside, felt like I had to be careful not to break anything. The fit and finish wasn't as nice. Things like the glove box, center console, ash tray, door handles all felt more flimsy.
The gauge layout wasn't as good, some of em pointed to my right and I couldn't see them without moving my head and then the steering wheel was in the way. They should have curved the gauges so that hey all face the driver.
The silverado steering wheel was skinny and smaller, didn't feel as good.
Power was down vs the tundra unless I put my foot in it and downshifted, then more noise that accelleration. The tundra feels likei t has more torque and requires less pedal to take off.
The silverado didn't feel as stable. It tended to wander a bit more and a bump in a turn would send it off-line a little. Might be due to the small skinny tires that are stock on it.
The brakes on the tundra were more confidence inspiring even though the silverado had a firmer pedal.
In the rain the silverado tended to activate the rear anti-locks easier when driving over paint on the road or something. The tundra has all wheel traction control and felt safer when driving a bit more agressive. I didn't drive the silverado hard so that's only during normal spirited driving.
The silverado felt roomier inside because the seats are mounted lower, getting in and out of it was easier for someone my height (6'2") because of the seats and the roof line at the top of the door was higher and I didn't have to climb up like in the tundra. The silverado seats were softer and felt more comfortable for short trips.
Rear visiblility was much better in the silverado, the tundra has big blind spots. I put fish eye mrrors on the side mirrors and that helps.

The silverado had automatic headlights that sometimes would not shut off after I turned the truck off, got out and locked it. Had to open it back up and manually turn off the lights. I probably wasn't doing something right but why make a simple thing complicated? The radio doesn't turn off when you turn off the truck until you open the doors, had to get used to that.

All in all small differences, the silverado is a very good truck but the tundra is better IMO. It's also about $6k more expensive so it should be.
I'd rate them about even as far as value, I'd say the tundra is more reliable based on previous experience (I used to have a 1995 silverado and I'm on my second tundra).

If budget was a big factor I'd buy the silverado, if money wasn't a factor I'd take the tundra every time.
IMO They are both 100 times better than a ford but I hate fords so I'm biased.

[LakeCleElum]

I'll just keep driving my '92 Toyota V6 4WD.....154,000 - Replaced only timing belt, brakes, muffler, and spark plugs. Uses 1/2 qt. oil in 4K between changes (all highway), gets 21 mpg....haven't owned an American car/truck since 1971 and have no immediate plans to get one.

Drove enough American vehicles at work over the years to want to own one.

[Komenda Fan]

There's a reason Toyota's are the truck of choice in all the worlds most inhospitable places...

[Jim Bremner]

what engine did the rental have? More than likely it was the smaller motor.

the lights have a timer that you can ajust. My wife has a Jaguar, I drive a Corrvette and a Silverado.

I can never remember to turn the lights off on the Jag due to it's lack of the auto on/off lights on the cheby.

My 2002 silverado has 150,000 + miles on it. It's been loaned out to 6 or so people. Driven on dirt roads, towed at least 20k miles, and never went into the shop for anything but oil and tires before 100k

It did have the following problems
1. fuel pump failed. 147k miles

2.parking break release cable failed. 120k

3 RECALL. The straps that hold up the tailgate (made in Asia) would rust and snap.

4.the service engine light just came on, I think that it might have something to do with 150k miles

As for the sloppy stearing, it's a bad design on their part, it has something to do with the ball joints are not at right angles but are straight.

It should be re-designed.

My truck has towed well over 8k pounds at a time.

I just took it to my brake man for the first time, he told me to bring it back in
30k more miles.

That and the satisfaction that I own an American made truck is well worth the $25k that I paid for it

[vash]

doesnt the new GM truck have a lifetime warranty? that punts the toyota to the weeds.

having said that, i would still go with the tundra. if they put out a diesel before i buy the dodge2500, i will own a toyota. they better hurry. heheeh.

[legion]

Rentals are pretty beat up, even if they are pretty new.

I have the 5.3L (your rental probably had the 4.8L). Do you know what level of trim it had? Did it have the bucket or bench front seats?

[berettafan]

drove a coworkers newish 1500 not long ago and could not believe that, but for towing large stuff, anyone would drop hard earned cash on such a POS.

it's not entirely about repairs needed either, but the joy of ownership when you actually drive the thing every day. tough to find joy amongst all those cheap, squeeky interior parts and clumsy steering.

[DanielDudley]

I have a GMC. My next GMC will be a Toyota. I preferred my last GMC to this one, and that stinks !

[sammyg2]

It had a V8 but was probably the smaller one. My tundra has the 4.7 liter so it's stil labout even as far as size, just not power or torque (seat of pants only).
It had the bucket seats with the folding center console that could fold to accomodate another passenger in the middle. I don't know exactly what tril mlevel it had but it was comperable in features and materials to my tundra.
It had about 5k miles on it.
I wasn't trying to bash the chebby, it's my second favorite truck.
I put about 150k on my last chebby with only minor maintanance.

BTW I paid $28k for my tundra nicely equipped, if the chebby was $22k I'd say they are an even value. If the chebby was $25k I'd say it was over-priced.
Ofr course I know people who have paid over 40k for a fully loaded tundra and I think they should have their heads examined.

[Vipergrün]

The 1998 Chevy Silverado I had for 6 months was without a doubt THE biggest POS vehicle I had ever owned. In those 6 months, the fuel injection system went out, the AC went out and the tranny was slipping like crazy. Offloaded it and bought a first-Gen Tundra. It was a much superior in EVERY way. The second worst vehicle I ever owned was a Ford Exploder Eddie Bauer edition. I will never own another vehicle from the "BIG three". I refuse to support to overpaid union whiners.

[sammyg2]

My 2002 tundra was a good truck but the brakes sucked, waaay too small for the truck.

My 1995 silverado was a good truck, had to replace a door handle and windshield wiper motor, several batteries (don't know why it ate batteries) and normal stuff like tires, pretty reliable. No such thing as a perfect vehicle.

The worst truck (and worst behicle) I ever owned was a 1986 ford ranger, had it towed to the dealer 3 times, drove it to the dealer for repairs twice.
At 2000 miles it started smoking really, really bad because the intake manifold gasket failed and suched oil into the intake (was informally recalled but they didn't tell anyone). At 10,000 miles the oil pressure gauge stopped working, they tried to charge me to repair it. Their excuse was that it just needed to be adjusted so it wasn't covered under warranty. How do you adjust an oil pressure switch? you don't. They lied.
Had to replace the FI brain once, one fuel pump once and the other twice, had to replace all injectors, and both catalytic convertors once. I paid $8200 for it new and spent almost $5k in repairs and I only had it for 55,000 miles. Total lemon and the dealer tried to jack me around every single time. Never again.