Just purchased a 2004 Sierra SLT 1500

[schnur7]

I've been looking for a full size truck for several months now and just purchased a 2004 Sierra today. I've never bought a vehicle from a dealer until today. I gave them what I thought was a pretty low offer and we settled for just a bit higher. They were asking $13K and we settled on $11,400 plus a new set of tires. Edmunds has the private party clean listed at $13K. So I think I did pretty good. I still don't know if I'd do the dealer route again. What a hastle with them trying to sell their warranty packages and load packages.

Curious to hear what others feel on the price paid.

It feels weird going from my 1995 Nissan to this full size extended cab...

I'd post photos, but there's nothing fancy about it. Just your run of the mill Sierra.

[hotrodpc]

Welll, doesn't sound you like got hurt on the price. Depends on the mileage and condition a lot too. Hopefully they are a good set of tires on it for you. That in itself is probably all of $500 unless they put cheapies on which they might do. Yep, dealer purchases are terrible. I am pretty experiecned at it though. I bought lots of new vehicles. I just go in with the attitude, I am going to work them, they are not going to work me. And I let them know right up front, it is my money, so I will be the one controlling this transaction and if you don't like it, there are 100's of other dealers willing to sell me a vehicle too. With that, then we usually get down to business, and they stop all the wool over the eyes BS. I have even got up before and walked into the sales managers office and sat down, and told him right in front of the salesman, since we are playing this back and forth game, I just thought I'd come in here and quit all the games, because if you can't do what I want, the other dealers close at 9pm, and I AM buying a truck TODAY. hahaha, they don't like me, but several of them know me by first name basis, and if I go walking in, they are already prepared. If yours is 2004 and a SLT, it should be loaded and leather isn't it? Last year of rear disk brakes before they went back to rear drum. 05 is when they stepped up to the electric fan which I liked. You could always convert yours to that someday. hahaha, going from a Nissan to this.... You just reached maturity is all. Now you get to drive a real truck. You drive that Sierra for a couple months, you will hate getting in the Nissan. You will feel clostraphobic.

[schnur7]

I forgot to mention it had 76,000 miles on it and it was in good condition. The body is straight (couple minor dents/scratches), the interior is leather and clean - the carpets were cleaned but there's a few stains. But other than that, it's in great shape.

Although my wife road it in across town and back and now her neck and back are sore. She had a bad car accident (broad sided by a semi going 55mph) and her back is pretty sensitive to getting jostled around. I wonder if I'll need to find one with the Z71 suspension - or is that more for offroading?

At the dealer I basically told the guy there are only two things that will sell me the truck - if it's what I want and it's the right price. He was trying to tell me it was originally selling for $16K and wholesale was $13K. I said I don't care about that I just know what I'll pay for it. If you don't like my offer no hurt feelings, I'll just keep looking.

[stumpuller454]

the only diference with the Z71 is they put bilstien shocks and an extra skid plate on, and I`ve actually heard that the bilstiens ride a bit rougher than the plain ole OEMs. just try lowering the tire pressure abit and go from there...

[hotrodpc]

I have back issues too, I am suprised your wife is in pain from the ride in the truck. If this is SLT, it should have the 8 Way power seats, the power lumbar and what about heated seats? All of my trucks had leather and heated memory seat packages becuase of my back issues. One of the few vehicles I could get comfy in and not be in server pain. She may have to play with the seats to get them where they work for her. That is also another reason why I wanted the memory seats. Took me to long to find the right position for my back. So when my wife would drive it, them my daughter drove it, I did not have to go thru all of tha again to get the seat in the right spot. Of course that only works on the driver side and why I always drove unless we were on a trip to Laughlin, then I just reclinded the passenger seat and went to sleep. Its a comfy truck, it may just take her some getting used to. In her condition, try one of the memory foam neck cushions. They work great for me and I keep one in all of my vehicles. My vehicles were Z66 and Z71, I had not had a problem with the shocks. All Z71 is, skid plate, oversize air cleaner/breather and Blistein shocks. You didn't mention this was a 4x4 Vehicle. Is it 4x4? I'd say the seat has more to do with your wife's comfort than the ride, especially in the GMC. The GMC usually has comfort ride as standard equpment as with Chev its an option.

[schnur7]

Whoops - forgot, it's a 4x4. But it doesn't have the power seats or heated seats - just the driver side is power. For her it's more of the jostling of the truck which she notice compared to our Subaru outback. And for her it's more of the muscle pain in her neck and shoulders. Maybe I can make her a memory foam seat cushion to absorb the shock...

[hotrodpc]

yeah, you can do that. You may only have the 6 way power seat then. There is 3 differant packages in the SLT 1, 2 and 3. I always got the 3. If you are going to have bells and whislte, by god have the bells and whisltes. Sounds like you have the 1 package. But the truck should be wired so you can upgrade the seats to the 2 package, where you get the more seat adjustments and on both sides driver and passenger. Here are some pics of my 03 Avalanche with the same features as my 04 Crew Cab pickup, with exception, the pickup did not have the adjustable pedals. I'd imagine your seat adjuster on the driver side is only 2 long switches.

[hotrodpc]

I should not have played with those pics. Now I want to cry. I loved that truck. Of all of my trucks that was my favorite. And comfy, Man !!! Nothing more comfy as the seats, and ride of that truck. Unfortuneatly, divorce hurt the finances and I had to give it back to the bank a few months later after trying to keep it. Just couldn't do it.

[hotrodpc]

You know I hate to say this, but what was the purpose of you getting a truck? Avalanche does ride much smoother than a pick up. Reason being, the Avalanche is has a rear coil spring suspension, and is built on the Suburban Chassis with the longer wheel base than the Tahoe. Differance of night and day in the ride. Of course the leaf spring rear is going carry more for certain. I did tow a tralier with my AVY and it towed nice too, unlike My Eddie Bauer Expedition 4x4 with coil springs. Very unstable in the Expedition, but not so on my AVY. I have a feeling your wife would be better off riding in an AVY or SUV type vehicle than a truck. The AVY fit both my needs as a truck and comfort family ride vehicle. We went on several vacations in the AVY with the kids. It was nice to travel in. This is also the one if I kept my foot out of it and the wind with me, I could get 21.5mpg at 73mph with 3.73 rear gears. Wind not with me, I'd get 19.75mph at 73mph. Not bad for an 03 with 5.3. My 2002 AVY did not do that well.

[leolkfrm]

how much air did they put in the tires? if you don't load it much 75% of max is fine