I just bought one for a year-long review and I have driven many different Silverado and Sierra in both HD and LD trucks with diesels over the years. Watching this video, it seems like you are talking about apples and oranges use cases. For example, this is not in anyway a HD diesel like the 6.6L and is not meant for towing goosenecks all day. That's a 6.6L's job. Instead, this is a fuel economy truck with a towing component. The discussion on maintenance is really related more to the 6.6L oil change prices and not the 3.0L prices. Also, you don't have to remove the cab to service the belt and people who buy this aren't putting the miles on that quickly since it isn't a 6.6L Duramax. Instead, this is like a consumer version of a diesel vs the commercial diesel usage you describe. Just a different use case for a different consumer.
So people are saying that the difference in fuel saving is not that much maybe it’s not but the real difference is being able to go 6 to 700 miles without refueling that saves a lot of time in a road trip.
Also if you are evacuating a natural disaster, the lines for diesel will be a lot shorter and you can sit for traffic for hours while it just sips fuel.
2021 Tahoe owner here, we have the 3.0. Quiet, fast and smooth, the 10 speed transmission is outstanding. 26 combined on average. 30,000 miles. It is fun to drive! I would love a gear indicator and toggle for downshifting in the mountains. Thanks for the video.
We use our 1500 3.0’s for work, my dad has 85k on his Denali and hasn’t had one problem hauling trailers etc. I have an High Country and use it every day for hauling my 11k spray foam trailer every day. It pulls it insanely well and getting about 14-16 mpg with the trailer and getting 29-34 mpg @75 without the trailer. With the trailer It pulls it 75mph @1550-1600 RPM. My mom also has a Yukon, we love all 3 and haven’t had any problems.
Went from an 04 LLY to the 3.0. Fuel savings alone is worth it. I average around 30mpg constantly. Fill up once a month. Tows my camper very well. Torque for days. Smooth, quiet, and comfortable. Nothing short of impressed.
@@kiddoxFPS 500 miles per tank. Not everyone cruises around looking for hookers. I will fill up about 1 1/2 times per month. The 5.3 didn’t get 300 per tank.
When I drove a bit more highway with cruise on 75, I got 624 miles on my last tank with the 3.0L. This worked out to be 27 mpg overall. Coming from an 11mpg 6.2L Raptor….I’m happy ..
I don't own one@ but I'm a gm diesel tech and I don't find em to be too hard ti work on. That coolant manifold is funky to get in and out if the truck, and some repairs are more involved, but over all they're pretty easy to work on.
Love my 3.0 SLT. Just fantastic. Smooth power delivery, great economy. On a side note, my truck was optimized to tow just under 13K lbs with the Max Trailering Package.
I have a 23' GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation. Just got past the first service. LZO Burned Exactly 1 Qt of oil in 1st 7k Miles. I live at 7300 ft Elevation and travel up and down hill. I regularly pull a 12' Dump Trailer with a Small ASV Track Skidsteer. I Average between 32-37 mpg on the highway not pulling a trailer. I have had a couple instances of going easy on the highway downhill at 68mph from Larkspur CO to Pueblo CO and made 49.6 MPG! I get about 14-17 mpg pulling full capacity GVW and the computer regularly reminds me that I am close to exceeding it's capability. You have to drive the truck like a diesel and not have expectations of a gas engine when it comes to RPM's. You have to understand the torque curve and let the truck lug at lower rpms a little more than you would expect. I feel the exhaust brake is nearly useless and paddle shifters on the steering wheel are maddening because you have to put it in LOW mode to get them to work. When you put the truck in Low (manual) mode, it downshifts 2x gears which makes no sense whatsoever. The good outweighs the bad on this truck though and I will put 100k on it and see how it does. I am a former truck driver and compared to my Ram 1500 1/2 ton the truck is a good improvement as far as towing. I also recommend Sumo Springs for pulling campers and light duty trailers like I do. I have used Timbren springs on my Ram and they are stiff compared to Sumo Springs. Final Statement is being a former Ram guy, this truck is actually a great combo for 1/2 ton lovers that want a nice diesel. The engine is an Isuzu platform and well proven for longevity and durability. My average mileage combo over the first 7k miles including Pulling my Skid, Highway, Stop and Go and cold weather idling is 26mpg combined. I hope this helps if anyone has questions, feel free to comment or reach out.
One year later... How has it been now? I am looking for a towing solution. I need to deliver 2500lbs in a 7.5x14 cargo, 1000 miles a week; all HWY miles. Could you help me estimate the MPG result for this situation?
Follow up... Mine was a lemon. I am now back in a predictable Ram 1500 hemi. Bummed mine was a failed experimwnt. Endless issues and waiting for backprdered parts.
@@LargeCarjw what a nightmare. Hard to understand how so many people have NO problems with it and you had so many. Heck if I’m gonna take a chance on one.
No matter what, the driveability of a diesel engine is just better on every level. I use my 3.0 as a work truck and I love it. All the power I need, no searching for the right gear, all the low end snort... It's just miles better than the 5.3. The 6.2 is awesome but still has to pull revs to make power where these 3.0's just make power right away. She's no hot rod, but the power is so smooth, it doesn't matter.
@@thetechlibrarian The V8s are too complex and have lifter issues. I’d rather have the turbo 4. The turbo 4 has fewer parts to break and has proved to be much more reliable. The V8s are anemic in the mountains when you need the most power.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q hmm that’s a tough one. I keep seeing 2.7 problems but also see 6.2 problems. I definitely get the elevation argument I guess it depends on what ownership time frame we are looking at 0 to 150 I’d probably take either one that works best. 150k and above i would want the unstressed engine personally
Love the 3.0 diesel. Bought an AT4 in march 2021. Pulls our 27' trailer at 6800lbs without effort. Mostly we pull our toys on a trailer with a combined weight, around 4500 lbs.
I Absolutely Love My ‘21 RST Z71 CC SB. I’ve had it a year and a half and it just keeps on impressing me. I had to tow my 37’ 10k Camper from LI New York to St. Petersburg Florida in October. Absolutely NO Issues. Tow Police can Keep Scrolling, I’m Not a Newbie.
I upgraded to a ‘22 Silverado 1500 Crew Standard Box 4x4 Z71 with the 3.0 Duramax this Fall from a ‘19 1500 Silverado with the 5.3 V8. I have just under 8000 miles on the truck now and I am loving it compared to the 5.3 V8. I use the truck in the field for agricultural operations and have a 500 pound four wheeler in the bed at all times along with tools and a complete mobile office in the cab with laptop, printer, etc. I spend a lot of time slow driving often in four-wheel-drive around farms and a lot of time sitting and idling working in the truck. In between farms, I often have over an hours drive as well. So far I am averaging 20.5 miles per gallon across-the-board in this truck which for the way that I use it is great. The 5.3 that I had prior to this only averaged 13mpg. additionally, the 22 gallon fuel tank in the 5.3 was obnoxious because I was filling up with fuel sometimes every day usually every other day. I personally like the torque curve of the 3.0 Duramax because it makes its power in the mid range and doesn’t require slamming your foot to the floor to make any power like the 5.3. It also tows better because it holds its speed with the much higher torque rating and I’ve averaged 14 to 16 1/2 miles a gallon towing around 6,000 pounds, whereas I only got 6-9 miles a gallon towing with the 5.3. If I need to tow something heavy we keep a 2011 6.6 Duramax around for towing tractors and other equipment. Also, your tow numbers aren’t quite up-to-date because you can now get the 3.0 with a 3.73 rear end that’s rated to tow 13,300lbs.
I just picked up my new at4 with the 3.0 after putting 140k miles on my zr2 Colorado with the 2.8 diesel. The Colorado gave me zero issues after hearing so many people bash it just like they are saying about the 3.0. A Tahoe or suburban with the 3.0 to me is the best SUV you can get. I also think you are forgetting it’s a 1/2 ton and need to take that into account, if you need a heavy duty truck buy that and don’t buy a 1/2 ton if you need a HD
That's the double cab not the crew cab. The crew cab has more room then my 2006 LBZ crew cab. We have a 2021 RST Z71 Duramax on the farm. It's been amazing so far. Only has 100,000 on it
I was ab to say the same thing...crew cabs are big...I have a double cab and it's plenty plenty big for me...but I came from a nissan frontier...I've been teetering on the looks of these trucks...some days I think my dbl cab looks better than the crew and some days I look at it and it looks strange
I got one of the first one delivered just over 3 years ago. I had zero problems with the engine so far. I live in Wisconsin and get 31mpg in the summer and about 27 in the winter. The Def is about 1 tank per oil change, so to me that's not a big deal.... however when towing it uses 10 times the amount of Def. This is definitely my biggest complaint. My mpg goes down with the boat attached to 13 but the Def usage goes up 10 fold, it just seems to be excessive. I do love the power when towing, it rarely goes over 2000rpm and stays around 1600 at 65, so it's a quiet rides while towing. 8 9 10th gears are all overdrive gears, so it does feel like the engine is never really working hard. My last truck was a 2010 6.0l gas half ton, I like both for different reasons, but would definitely recommend the 3.0 for every day driving and the occasional towing, which I think is what gm was designing it for.
I think the big reason a lot of people are going to this Duramax's because the V8's are having a lot of issues with lifters and engines because of that stupid cylinder deactivation BS. If General Motors would just get rid of that in their V8, they would be more reliable. If you can get over 300,000 miles on that Duramax and not have any issues like the V8 has that would be a far better deal.
When my 06 duramax broke down I used my mom's at4 with the baby duramax to tow mine home I got 14.1mpg that sold me on it right then. The best mpg she's got was 37.4 on the intestate but usually around 30.
I am the diesel tech at Cadillac and can say that these engines will be just fine as long as you do oil changes every 6k MAX. Every 3.0 with timing chain issues has had a lack of maintenance at some point in its life that I can usually go back through service history and find. I wasn’t one to want one when they first came out but now I think they are decent as long as you take care of them. Also short drives will cost you big money for exhaust repairs.
My son bought the first generation 3l Duramax several months ago and so far no problems thus far. I was impressed with it at first but I don’t want to mess with the DEF bull. I still have my 6.2 L.that I bought new in 02. It has 95k. On it with the original injectors. I do all the maintenance on it but at 76&3/4 years my “get up and go has just about got up and gone”. Always kept inside so not a speck of rust. Just a couple of mods like the pump rub kit in the xfer case and a big fuel filter kit. My next truck will be a gasser 5.3 L with the least amount of options as possible. Any suggestions? Thank you for your service. My son retired last year after 30 years in the Army. I love the fact that your wife is such a big part of your channel y’all keep up the good work.
I bought a 2023 bady duramax. I like it a lot but I've never ever heard of oil consumption. That's going to drive me crazy. Oil consumption tells me there's a problem. I hope somebody comes up with a fix/solution. At 4500 miles, the oil was low on the stick. GM changed my oil. At 6400 miles now, it was on the low/ add oil. I hope this is not the norm. Other than that it's a good truck
I truly think the Sierra looks better in my opinion and that's why i chose the 20214x4 crew cab model. I did not like the front end of the Silverado. Regardless i absolutely love the 3.0 Duramax. Got mine with 7 miles on it. and i put A/T tires on it and Bilstein 5150 shocks on it and leveled the front end and what a night and day difference compared to stock setup, although i lost about about 2mpg doing that. i have 30k miles on it now and not one issue with the engine or the truck. i routinely get about 24-28mpg per tank and can easily go 500 miles before thinking of putting fuel in her. i also can go about 3 months before adding any def as i usually add when gauge reads 50percent left. i think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages of the diesel
I think you'd both appreciate the new Silverado interior. The DEF needs refilling every 5K miles or so as reported (unless you're towing). The fuel costs are incredibly different depending on region. Colder areas will always pay more because of the competition of diesel and fuel oil cut from every barrel of oil. Near me diesel is 30% higher than regular. I suspect that the mileage improvement will be better than that. I've heard that these smaller diesels aren't the service nightmares that the large Duramax's are. For a normal user, that 150K belt service (which will increase with the new LZ0) can be budgeted over a nearly 15 year life.
I have a 21 Silverado with the 3.0L duramax with crew cab. Very roomy for me and my kids. I haven’t had the truck haul over 5,000 yet but I love the truck and great fuel economy. But yes, DEF sucks especially in availability in my area but with low mileage I only have to purchase DEF twice a year at most (every 6-7,000ish miles)
Bought my 21 crew cab 4x4 RST with the baby Duramax new and it has been one of the best vehicles I’ve ever owned. I don’t really need it to haul stuff around but have used it to pull my Subaru around, well because it’s a Subaru and for some other common stuff you don’t throw into your car. Best feature is it’s comfortable and I average 600 miles a tank with the occasional heavy foot so this has been a great purchase for me and my family.
Like everyone else has said, use case is what it is all about. If you are not looking for show, and are not consistently hauling around 10k it is really hard to beat. I am a GC and stepped down from 3/4 tons to this and don't regret it. I commonly haul my tool trailer coming in around 6k, and my dump trailer loaded with demo debris around 8k. And it works great. But for 75% of driving it just me, my basic tool set, and some material and it really shines. I am 90% around town driving and around 21-22 like that and around 25mpg on the highway. In the rare cases I am empty I have seen as high as 36mpg on the hwy. I drive like a grandpa though. Set the cruise @67mph. It does appear to require more turbo if you cruise above 70 and that seems to cut your fuel significantly. At least it does in my truck. I am putting some bump stop springs to help with the rear sag under load, and I do get the dreaded tat-tat no start 1-2 times per year. And I sure wish the seats were a bit more comfortable. But other than that--great truck. And I sure don't miss the bigger trucks, with their challenges and expense.
I have a 2016 LML stock 100%. If I’m not towing it gets 25 mpg at 65 mph and if I slow it down to 55-60 mph it’s up to 28 mpg. The half tons will sway a lot more than the HD pickups. If you put anything in the half trucks bed and towing a walleye boat you need to put air bags in the rear to compensate. What sucks is they are getting away from leaf springs and solid axles.
I've had one for a year. It's definitely not a race car but compared to my 2014 5.3, its quicker off the line and lower speed driving. Once you're above 50 and get on it the 5.3 did feel stronger but I think some of that has to do with the higher RPMs of the v8 and the bigger gear difference when dropping down in the 6 speed. There are things I miss about my v8 but overall the 3.0 is a much better driving experience. It also tows and hauls better and smoother. I towed a Jeep 600 miles and averaged 18MPG on that trip. It fits my lifestyle because the heaviest towing I do is around 6500lbs so yeah even the base 2.7l can do that no problem but this drivetrain just does it better.
I also have a 2014 5.3. While I know, the engine is pretty stout, the thing feels gutless the way it is tuned. I am considering ordering a new LZ0 to replace it. How many miles are on yours so far and what have you been averaging empty? Also, any oil consumption?
I’ve put 5,000 plus in my 2022.5 and I’ve only put one box of DEF in it and it’s still almost full. I get 30 avg out of it. The top end isn’t crazy. That bro g said it still will get out of the way for a normal daily driver. If you want 1000hp it’s not for you or maybe it is. I’ve had a 2000+hp Cummins and still love this 3.0. The bottom end has plenty of power up to 70mph. I’ve had several high hp diesels and I still love this 3.0. I look forward to the tuning capabilities and ph increases coming in the future and trans turning from OZ tuning would be an awesome idea. He is the man at fords 10speed version.
I have a 2021 GMC 3.0 Duramax I absolutely love it. I pull a 16 foot trailer with my side-by-side on it. We take it on trips and the miles per gallon is phenomenal so for my personal self this was a win I’ve owned a 5.3 Gasser in the Duramax is just so much more fuel efficient
I just picked up a used one 2021 Denali crew Cab it has 86,000 km (53,000) miles. Regular filter and oil maintenance consistently, the guy put a lot of km’s/miles on the truck. Any advice or tips you have with the truck? Do you leave it in 2wd? For better is it that much of a difference having it in auto 4wd
You nailed it ... its an awesome daily driver pick up. Had a 2021 - traded it off on friday for the new LZO 300hp -- Main reason i traded it off ... it sounded like it had an injector tick ... and it burned 1 quart of oil between oil changes. (if this 2023 does the same thing ... I'm off these 3.0's forever) Its really capable 5000lb tow-er we haul 3 horses around and it works just fine. Don't pretend it will replace a Big Duramax because it just won't . My advice use the 80/20 rule ... what do you need a truck to do 80% of the time -- and buy "That Truck". Only caveat ... is the truck you buy has to be able to do the 20% at least poorly. OR ... like me have an old farm pickup. I enjoy the videos -- thanks for making them
I've got an ecodiesel and I will say even the smaller diesels are plagued with emissions problems. Once the EGR and DPF fall off driving down the road and tuned they are super run and amazing fuel mileage. Also, hello from 🇨🇦
My 21' ecodiesel has its dpf relocated. Id like to see the 3.0 duramax's deleted so we could actually compare these engines themselves without the emissions plugging them up
my grandfather has a 3.0 21 silverado in a crew cab 6.5' bed configuration and we did a 900 mile round trip for a fueneral, avg speed was 80mph and fuel economy going south was 25 avg. fuel economy going north 26.5mpg, again avg speed of 80mph
2020 AT4 3.0l Oil patch pulling trailers and i love it, started this morning with out being plugged in at -32 C. Tows well and runs great. i have had 5 2500Hd Duramax before this with over 200,00 km on each of them and have loved every one of them with no major mechanical issues. my 2020 3.0 is awesome and not disappointing in any areas.If i could delete DEF it would be perfect.
I have a 21 Sierra elevation with the 3.0. It has about 13k on the clock and I’ve had it since 8/21. It’s been in the shop 6 times in less than 4k miles with emission issues from egr sensor, nox sensor, wiring harness pigtail for diff pressure switch, def gauge software problem, and catalyst converter. Lucky it has been all warranty work. I tow a 29ft camper and it does good for what it is. I love the truck when I can drive it but I’m glad it’s a lease…they will be getting it back in exchange for a 2500HD in 2024!
I bought mine back in 2020 it has 130,000 on it now it hasn’t skipped a beat yet, uses vary little def so not really a big deal there, fuel saving alone were worth it, would never go back to a V8 gas truck.
One correction, there are no longer diesels being offered in 1/2 ton trucks from Ram and Ford. GM is the only game in town. Your tow ratings also incorrect, with the Max Tow package the 3.0 is now up to 13,000 lbs
Preferred the 3.0 Duramax but ended up getting a 5.3 gas in my 22 Silverado. Crunched the numbers and really it was a wash so just ended up getting the truck that was available and checked all the other boxes. BTW towing capacity without the Max Tow Package is 9200. Max tow package is hard to find.
And as Tim stated, this isn't an HD diesel. It's been tuned for fuel economy, not towing capability so you're actually no further ahead in that department.
I had 2022 limited 3.0 gmc and I loved it, I drove down to bull shoal Arkansas to pick up a boat and drove back on around $270 of fuel round trip, I had 137 miles on her before I did that trip, I didn’t burn anymore fuel pulling the boat. Fast forward I pulled my walleye boat with my 3.0 and it’s way heavier than the one I bought in AR and I could tell when pulling it to the Detroit river from central MI. But I did pull my camper back from upnorth 2.5 hours away from my crib and only sucked up quarter of a tank, my travel trailer is a duel slide 26ft so probably 28-29ft actually. I was impressed with that. Over all I owned it for about 6 months an sold it for way more then I owed (GM discount) I own 2 LBZ’s and miss the fuel mileage I was getting out of the 3.0 lol. I owned a 2.8 duramax for a couple years and man that sucker was sweet on fuel 30-40mpg depending on the season. But the dead pedal and no get up an go sucked.
I got a buddy that has the 3.0 Duramax and has had nothing but problem's with it going into limp mode alot for no reason also had issues with the wiring harness twice and it's a brand new truck
2024 GMC elevation with the 3 L Duramax. Zero issues great on gas and tows whatever I hook up to it. I’m in Canada and diesel is about $1.55 per liter. My very best litres per hundred was 5.2. Definitely recommend this Truck. Great video!!
I have a 2020 Silverado with the 3.0L Dmax. Just hit 140k miles on it. Overall I love this engine, but there’re some issues that are annoying. As in a coolant leak in the 5psi system, that nobody can find. Ever since I bought it I had to refill the small coolant reservoir every 3-5 weeks. Also the CEL is on with several codes including DEF, and a couple of glow plugs. I average 23mpg, full with my work equipment, canopy and Bedslide.
Good morning. Just bought a 2022 Duramax Silverado Z71/RST and absolutely love it. 500 mile trips with not towing go by in a breeze and still have 1/4 tank left of fuel. I did get towing package so that ups the lbs to 13k. Good luck with everything.
I just bought a new 2023 GMC SIERRA AT4 with the 3.0 Duramax Diesel and I love it so far I've put 2500 miles is 2 weeks and excellent gas mileage and no problems what so ever!!
I’m on my second 3.0. I tow my 8500 pound camper and my pontoon boat. This thing has stupid power on take off and little effort on grades. Your not having to mash the accelerator just slight moderation. Love the fuel economy and hardly ever have to put def in. Don’t bite on the lack off take off claim! It’s a solid truck and the noise a gasser makes is half the enjoyment of taking off. The diesel walks softly but carries a big stick!
I think weight is underrated I tow my camper 10,500lbs 1000lbs tongue weight a quad in box and honestly pulls it like nothing like u feel it obviously but it has no problem pulling it
The lifters or whatever on the 5.3 and 6.2 were another reason I didn’t go gasoline. While typically gas trucks are simpler to maintain, the 3.0 LM2 was the best for reliability in what i found. I almost sold if for a 6.2L zr2 a few months ago but I didn’t & told them nevermind on that zr2 i ordered because of the 6.2 issues
I bought a tuner for my 2013 5.3L due to the DOD lifters. I bought it with 52,800 miles and traded it in at 102,000 miles. The truck performed way better than my dads 5.3L being it was stuck in V8 mode all the time. I did experience a 3 month period prior to trading it in where the truck would act up and then would be fine. 6 shops later 8 mechanics later no one could figure out the issue. They could see the issue when driving the truck but the truck had zero check engine lights. Fast forward to the day I traded up and the tuner was removed, the truck took 24 hours for the lifters to collapse. Hence the ghost issue no one could find being the ECU was locked in V8 mode vs allowing it to derate to V4. Stupidest idea for GM and the biggest joke ever used in a motor. I honestly would not go back to a 5.3L. I bought a used 3500HD 6.0L work truck and I haven’t regretted it.
I was looking at a 6.2L in the Tahoe but not one dealer (including service manager) could look me in the eye and tell me that the 5.3 & 6.2L lifter/pushrod issue is fixed (2019 and newer). Silence speaks volumes….so Im Im going back and forth between 6.2L and 3.0L. I do pull a 6K camper over 10,000’ mountain passes routinely during the summer months and do 6K miles from late spring to late summer with commutes to town of about 50 miles round trip but during the winter most of my driving is just 2-3 mile trips a few time a week. This reduction in miles during the winter worries me with regards to regen. Not sure if the 3.0L is a good choice given my driving habits.
Completely agree with all of you guys. Knock on wood, my 3.0 LM2 & every other one i have known of around me (friends/customers) have been working great 🤷🏼♂️
I have a 2021 3.0L duramax @ 72000km absolutely stunning engine with no issues, great power all the time. Love thus engine. Also, I get 1000km per tank! Every fill up.
I have a 2021 crew cab Z71 rst standard bed 4x4 3.0 duramax. I am getting 34 mpg all day long and have had zero mechanical issues. I love my truck & have no regrets going diesel
My neighbor has a 3.0 in his pick up and all in all he said it is mediocre. He hasn’t reported any troubles, but told me he would probably get a gas if he had to do it over for a light duty truck. I appreciate your videos when you compare the pros and cons and do reviews! 👍🏻 I hope all is well my friends!
@Jeff W well seeing how the 3.0 has more torque,you know for towing purposes. I usually don't buy a truck for speed, we actually use our trucks for trucks around here
I just purchased the LZO. I previously had a 06 Silverado with the 5.3. Close to 200K miles on it, and it was still running great. If it were just for me to have and use for hauling loads of mulch in the spring, or the boat back and forth to the lake in the summer, I would have been fine keeping it. But I started a business and tow a small 6x12 trailer around, and it's nothing to put 200-300 miles on it a day during our busy season. Getting 10-11 mpg with my old one was gutting me, and I'd fill up the tank just about daily. Just pulled a 24 ft pontoon boat, to the lake and back, averaging a tick under 17 with the new LZO, and that included waiting at the ramp, and loading/unloading, etc. Haven't done a trip with the work trailer, but after pulling the pontoon with it, I'd be shocked if I didnt get 20-22 with my enclosed trailer. (I'll come back and update if I'm wrong). But for me, the '23 Silverado with the 3.0 checked the boxes. Some additional things I noticed. 1) the service intervals have been updated for the oil pump belt. LM2 was 150,000 miles. With the LZO that changed to 200,000. 2) The truck you were driving appeared MUCH smaller in the back seat than the '23 I just got. My '06 was 12" from the back of the driver seat to the front of the rear seat. The '23 is just over 14". I get that I'm comparing a 13 year old truck to a new one so it's maybe not the best example. I'm also not towing massive things daily, but for me, I got 200,000 out of my old one because I took care of it and didn't ever let small problems turn into big ones. I expect that I can do the same with this one and have the same experience, just get better mileage along the way.
The 1st generation 3.0 is sluggish. People wanted the equivalent of the big Duramax squeezed into the smaller package. Well it's a no brainer it's not going to happen. However GM did step up with the new second generation. It is much snappier and you can feel the difference. You had a four door truck. Not a "crew cab"... Truckmaster 🤔... the "crew cab" is the same size cab as your Denali. It is as big and the biggest difference is suspension and frame... Truckmaster 🤔... all Chevrolet trucks are virtually the same except the badging and suspension... however you are absolutely correct. The 1500 half ton is not setup to haul a big 5th wheel and heavy load. However I will tell you that my 1500 High Country 2021 with a 6.2 is capable to say the least. I also pull a cargo trailer with no issues. But it doesn't have the sticker rating as a 2500 or 3500 HD. Another note on the 3.0. It really shines and was built for the Colorado. However the most important thing you said. Anyone looking to buy a truck or SUV. But you can't decide between gas or diesel. First DRIVE one... stock diesel engines are work horses not race horses. How. much and how often are you going to tow and or carry a load ? What are you towing and or carrying ? Look at the load rating on the door sill. Is diesel fuel readily available where you are ? Some areas are secluded and have gas pumps but no diesel. Price out the cost of maintenance having someone else do it... not everyone can or has the facilities to work on their own vehicles. Bottom line DO YOUR RESEARCH AND DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE YOU BUY. DON'T BUY WHAT YOUR FRIENDS THINK ARE COOL. BUY WHAT YOU WANT AND WILL DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT IT TO DO. good video Truckmaster as always 👍 How are the other builds coming along ? Btw... thanks for this episode on the 3.0. A Sub is a great vehicle $$$$$. Comfortable and capable.
@@TruckMaster Fully understand that. Good old Uncle Joe lol... Btw... I hope you and all your family and the guys at Kodiak and RDS... pass it on to them.. have a very Merry Christmas... yes I said MERRY CHRISTMAS... because it is the holiday ! Lol.. enjoy and looking forward to seeing what's next and your new Sub with the Christmas ribbon on it lol... keep up the great work 👍 Top out
Dude… did you do any research before this video? 2022 1500 with 3.0 and max tow package can tow 13,300lb. Also you were in a double cab… the crew cab is much bigger with 8” more legroom. And why the heck are you evaluating a 2020, when 2023’s are out?
I have a 2020 RST. I bought it in July 2024 with 35,900 miles. It's awesome. I do a ton of highway driving. Since July 11, 20204, I've put 10k miles on it, averaging about 22-25 highway. Where it really shined was when I towed a 5000 lb trailer with an additional 1000 lbs in the bed about 60 miles from Verde Village to Prescott Valley AZ. It climbed I-17 like nothing and used very little fuel doing it. Also, mime is the crew cab. The backseat is so roomy.
I’ve owned a 21’ Tahoe for over a year now. Diesel fuel has been outrageous lately, but it gets such good MPG, it’s still pretty cost effective. Over 11k miles it’s lifetime average is 25.6mpg and I made a 2 hour drive through eastern Kentucky and averaged 35.
I bought a gmc at4 about 3 months ago and I’m looking to get rid of it already the truck doesn’t even tell you when it goes into regeneration I pulled up at home the other day and I got out it smelled like it was on fire so I went on UA-cam and I saw videos saying the temperature goes up and mileage goes down that’s how you know shouldn’t it come up gauge cluster telling you to continue to drive
I have a 2021 Sierra 1500 GMC AT4 with the 3.0 and we have temperatures below -40 C in the winter no issues with the engine, just DEF tank freezing even when plugged in. Highway driving I average 8.4L/100 kms. As for pulling we have a 20.5, 1979 travel trailer. traveling through the mountains I can easily maintain 105 km/hr and average 17L/100km. We have a family of 5 with a lab and no issues with room. Prior to this truck, I had the 2015 F350 crew cab 4x4 with the 6.7 liter and it was a pig on fuel
I have a '21 that I bought in December of '20. It's by far the best vehicle I've ever owned. I pull a 7000 pound travel trailer effortlessly and get 14 mpg doing so. I have just under 30k miles and it's only been back to the dealer for oil changes.
I personally have owned a 3.0 for just over a year now and here is my take. First off I tow a 29ft, 7200 pound travel trailer in the summer time and for the most part the engine does well. Fuel mileage is not so great towing but that is to be expected and it doesn't seem to lack for power in most situations however I have run into the temps getting up there on long uphill pulls.Empty this thing gets great fuel mileage but I still struggle with keeping it long term due to being a new design. Only issues I have had so far have all been emissions related. I had to return to the dealer 4 times before they finally figured out I had a bad connection to the DPF sensors. The advertised exhaust brake is about as effective as a fart in a wind storm! If I found a good deal on a 6.6 I think I would trade this one in but at the moment they are just priced way too high for this guy.
I have a 22' Suburban with the 3.0, only 15k miles on it but so far I have no complaints. I had a 20' Silverado 2500 and I don't miss it at all. I tow a tritoon 26 ft with a 200hp motor, downriggers and all my gear, id say roughly 5500lb, I live in the mountains and lakes I fish I way up over 5k ft , 3.0 pulls it no problem with my family in it. One thing I will say is if you tow often like I do keep an eye on your oil filter, mine has come loose from vibration and luckily spotted oil the day it did it and changed it myself. I have heard of others having this happen. Overall the size of the cab on the suburban and the 3.0 engine I am very happy.
I own a 2020 crew cab 4x4 1500 crew cab with the 5.3 and the 8 speed. I have driven the same truck with the 3.0 as well as the gas with the 2.7 turbo 4 cylinder. The 5.3 seems to have way more guts than either of the other 2 engines. When we think of a diesel truck, especially a duramax, we think of a powerhouse towing and hauling monster, and that isn't the case here. The only advantage there is to the little diesel is mpg savings, but the 5.3 has dynamic fuel management so will feed as few as 2 cylinders while cruising on the highway, and at 70 mph average I can get 19 maybe 20 mpg on gasoline, which... is $3 per gallon, and I didn't use a drop of Def, vs an extra 5 or so realistic mpg on a fuel that combined with Def is over twice as expensive, I fail to see the advantage. Combine this with the overall design of the engine that as a professional mechanic looks to me as extremely failure prone, and is proving to be in the field. The small advantage that I did see has slipped away into a disappointment.
Absolutely. And on top of that the higher cost of maintenance and problematic emissions system. Trucks with these engines will be all over used car lots in 6-8 years and the only buyers will undercut because they know they're going to have to do a delete.
I’m a mechanic at a Chevy dealership. These engines are awful. Electrical problems, hard to work on, pcv leaks, injectors and harness issues, timing chains issues and much more. Many other dealers are doing engines on them for spun bearings and cracked pistons. We don’t see many, but the ones we do see have some major issues. Can’t forget the emission control related problems.
GM certainly questions all the re wiring I perform on them. But if we write a good explanation on the repair order, they don’t seem to be too nuts about it. I’m sure many other dealers down south where more people have trucks (my dealership is is MD) have problems with GM audits.
I don’t usually comment on stuff but I agree. We bought a 2020 LM2 brand new for my wife in Oct 2020. It spun a #2 rod bearing at 35k in July 2021. Took 3 months for us to get the truck back from the dealer with a new engine. Gm fought the dealer for warranty the whole way. We ordered a 2022 5.3 and traded the Duramax with 46k on it.
Depends on what you want but Fuel saver YES , get up and go "NO" !!! Drive the 3.0 and jump in a 6.6 or 6.2 and there's "NO" Comparison !!! The Dodge diesel is the same if not worse. Not to rain on anyone's Parade or be a bad guy but just a opinion .Really like your channel !!!
I have two. An Escalade with the 3.0 and a Denali with the 3.0. ZERO PROBLEMS WITH BOTH! My Denali is a 21 with 32K miles. Wonderful fuel mileage. 33 on Hwy and 30ish in city. Same on my Escalade. Both are 4x4s. I love the low end grunt these engines have. I just love engine and 10 speed combo. Go test drive one. You will love it. This is the ONLY way to go. The 355 HP is not a match for the grunt of the Diesel. The full Torque comes in at idle! DEF fluid is a non issue. I add it every couple months. Trust me. Get the 3.0 It’s the only way to go. Take it from me. 2 years and no problems on two of them. Ask any questions. I’m happy to answer. Good luck!
Concerns of pulling max trailer weight daily doesn't seem like a concern, because anyone regularly towing over 9,000lb isn't buying a Fullsize pickup; they are buying a Heavy Duty. Also, "pulling a trailer for work" does not equal "pulling 10,000+ lbs". Plenty of "work" consists of pulling light weight trailers (6,000lb or less) and these engines shine compared to a naturally aspirated gas, especially at elevation. And for the occasional recreational towing up near the max trailer weight, which requires weight distributing hitch, etc. they do fine and better than a gas V8 that has to run at screaming rpm to go over a pass rather than nice lazy "turbo diesel" rpm. Much more relaxed towing with the 3.0 diesel than a gas V8. When empty, the 3.0 won't accelerate as fast as a gas V8 at WOT, but I submit two things: I am not typically driving around accelerating at WOT when unloaded and also, when towing, it will accelerate at about the same rate as the gas V8 because it's less effected by the weight. Also, the LZ0 belt inspection is now every 200,000 miles which is fairly infrequent in my opinion. Probably only one or two replacements over the life of the average pickup, which covers 400,000 - 600,000 miles. I definitely agree that a 3.0 duramax isn't the right engine for everyone, but then a Fullsize pickup with any drivetrain isn't the right pickup for someone needing an HD. But there is a place for a Fullsize with a diesel and that is not only for towing, but for overlanding/backcountry exploring, because one can get much further driving range (100+ more miles) out of the same sized fuel tank compared to a gas engine. Huge market for owners that tow less than 6,000lb (flatbed or enclosed trailers for motorcycle, ATV/UTV, snowmobiles, etc. for recreation and for lawn care business, tradesman parts trailers, etc. And vast numbers of boats/trailers in that weight range.
I have a 2023 baby max. O, GM did good with this one. My upgrades are a new oil pan (the factory doesn't drain all the oil out.... 1qt), new trans pan, trans bypass (temp stays 140 ish), and trans cooler. Banks Idash/ pedal monster.... o my it woke up the max. Pulling my 4k pound boat, no problem. Change all fluids to amsoil
None of these new trucks will get their listed MPG once YOU mess with the tires and wheels... Just sayin' ! Great video ! PS Many countries have diesels in All their cars, probably why they are trying it.
I use gas Gmc 5.3 and 130k mi one of the valves lifter spring broke and destroyed engine, truck was used mostly empty highway plus city mi, dealer services and engine fail. Now I am on GMC 3.0 diesel and can not be happier, 50k mi already. Gas mileage is outstanding, towed my trailer with car for 2k mi trip and was getting 14-18 mpg doing 80-85 with trailer and car. Highly recommend
I have a 22 highcountry with the 3 l diesel. So far no issues with 14k mikes. Already 2 oil change and 2 def fill ups. It’s very nice. I love this truck
Truck master it seems someone is trying to scam me. Telling I have won a prize and I need to send $500 for shipping. They said I should dm on telegram to claim prize.
Me too. Love that engine. Couldn't talk my wife into the high country though haha. LT for me. But no complaints at all. A pleasure to drive every day. That comment is a scammer btw, just a random bot typing comments. Just ignore it.
@@79champions yes it’s a very nice engine. Love driving it too. I got my highcountry through a default. I bought a raptor from a Chevy dealer and had to take the raptor back because of issue with it, I told them I need my money back of a new truck. They offered me the highcountry which I have no regrets
@@79champions yes it’s a very nice engine. Love driving it too. I got my highcountry through a default. I bought a raptor from a Chevy dealer and had to take the raptor back because of issue with it, I told them I need my money back of a new truck. They offered me the highcountry which I have no regrets
@@79champions yes I realize it’s a scam. But they are using truck master profile it’s crazy. They want me to send $500 for shipping tell me about customs fee. So I ask what customs fee if the truck is already here. Stupid people
I have a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 with the 3.0 Duramax. I bought new in April 2021. I have 32,xxx miles on it. The avg. mpg for those 32,xxx miles is 22.0. Plenty of power even pulling a 32 ft. travel trailer. Once I hit about 20,000 miles and put load range E Firestone Destination XT tires on it, the mpg increased. GM replaced the intercooler at about 6,000 miles. Been trouble free every since!
That truck is a double cab, not a crew cab, that is why it is smaller inside. The 10 speeds are awesome imo. I have a 6.2, acceleration is much better. Maybe you should run a 6.2 up against your Denali?
I had a 6.2 GMC AT4 for a work truck and that thing was a monster. I had to tow an enclosed trailer with a Honda pioneer in it plus all of our fire fighting gear up the mountains is AZ and it was a great truck. Wish i didn’t have to give it back but I changed jobs.
@@TruckMaster would make some good content I think. Of course your Denali will obviously out tow a 1/2 er, but I would like to see an unloaded acceleration run
I went from a 2021 GMC AT4 3500 Duramax, since I no longer have a camper, I ordered and traded that for a 2023 GMC AT4 1500 with the 3.0 liter and could not be happier with the ride of the smaller truck and incredible fuel economy. I no longer tow heavy, a boat or jetski, that is about it. I would have kept my 3500 but it only got 23.9 on the highway, around town it burned a lot more fuel, also turning radius is so much better on the 1500. They are both great trucks, but they each have different uses, the 1500 fits my basic needs perfectly now. Also you can not get the 5.3 in the AT4 only 3.0 and 6.2 and 6.2 eats fuel. Also Dodge and Ford did away with their 3.0 diesel, GM made this right with 305 hp and 495 tq
I just dropped my 6.2L Denali (after stuck lifter and bent pushrods) for the 3.0L Denali. Towing is a dream compared to my gas, when in its range, I pull an 8500lb boat & trailer, unbelievably smooth and very nice. Averages towing about 15mpg, not towing, easily getting 30mpg. Not towing a 5th wheel nor a gooseneck. Love it so far. I don’t tow giant trailer but do tow a skidsteer sometimes. It’s all I need, dont need a 2500 so it fills the gap of towing, MPG, and reliability.
At 8500lbs, how big is your boat? I ask because I’m looking at the 3.0L and my plan is to get a boat in the next few years and I want to make sure this truck will be capable. Your comment makes it sound like it is.
@@andyhudson6299 I still have no complaints. Great truck with a great engine. Short trips, long trips, no problems. Diesel here is 2¢ less than gas too, for now. Boat is about 5,200, got 2,000 of lead (surf boat) and trailer is another 1,200 to 1,500. Tows like a dream for a half ton. Kinda the best of both worlds, great mileage and very decent towing.
Owner of a 2022 LT Z71 . Put a six inch lift on it with a wench tray and a pedal monster . These kids alone this thing is a monster off-roading so much fun. The pedal monster is night and day
The tow packages with different axle i think it can pull up to 13k , i got the refresh rst chevy…I’m actually happy and scared at the same time, all the known issue and emission issue kinda scare me, but so far 18k and I haven’t got many issue..
I wonder what they would sound with a free flowing exhaust and a tune. Then it get even better mileage. Great review. I’m digging the van footage haha.
We just picked up a 21 Tahoe and went on a 2300 mile road trip. We avg 27 mpg. And a couple tanks gave us 32 mpg. I was never left with the impression that I need more punch when passing other cars.
I have a 2020 Silverado 1500 RST with the 3.0 liter engine. The engine has been awesome. No mechanical issues. Starting at 20K I started having issues. First the fuel injector wiring harness failed and was replaced. Next the main wiring harness rub through on the AC pipe and was repaired, but then it failed entirely and had to be replaced. Replacing the main harness required them to lift the cab on the truck. A neighbor has the same year and model truck and they have had the dreaded crank-no-start issue. So good mechanical truck that has a shitty electrical system.
I have a 2021 Silverado with the LM2. I love the thing. I came from a Toyota Tacoma, so the LM2 was a upgrade for me due to the fact I have a 3,750 pound travel trailer, the Tacoma hated it.... I am very impressed with the LM2... The 5.3 gm engines still have the lifter dropping issues so I'd never get another gm v8
@@TruckMaster also for the oil pump belt, its NOT a cab off job, just the trans and transfer case. I daily drive a vw golf diesel and I've seen other UA-cam channels compare the cost of the belt job to my golfs timing belt job. Now if it suffers from the extended crank issue, its a crank trigger wheel problem, and that is a cab off fix... I got the LM2 just because I am a huge diesel fan and wanted back into a GM. No other reason. It fits what I tow perfectly and me and my family can go camping with one vehicle now instead of taking two due to the Tacoma's stupid low payload capacity. 965 pounds VS 1785 pounds.... For what you do, no way would it work. But I am a fan.
@@slocavky the baby duramax is a good engine. Definitely works for someone that can use it to its potential. I personally can’t because I don’t have any diesel vehicles anymore. It just wouldn’t make sense for me.
I have a 2022.5 High Country LM2 with the 13k max tow package, and it pulls 10k trailers much better than my 2015 5.3 gas does. Fuel economy is 50% better with the diesel vs gas both empty and towing.
My Grandfather is real old school when it comes to vehicles, he had an 05' LLY that he wanted rid of because it hit 100K. So I bought that off of him and was helping him find a new truck, he didnt want a 3/4 ton and didnt want diesel. He wanted fuel economy, so naturally he started looking at the 5.3's, and I told him, if you want 25+ mpg, youre going to want the new 3.0 duramax, long story short he got one, his best fuel economy was doing 80mph on the highway and got 30.6 mpg. He absolutely loves the truck and it offers better power and fuel economy than the 5.3 ever couldve. If you want a comuter truck/suv, the 3.0 dmax is the way to go from my experience.
I agree with you. My dad has a 17 silverado with the 5.3. Great truck, but I bought a 22 with the 3.0. We both have travel trailers for camping and we truck swapped so he could try out my diesel. We both agreed the 3.0 is in it's own league. I think he's gonna go get one.
I have one rst 3.0 .. for me work perfectly for what i do , framming houses...a lot space in the back for tools and full economy , here in Ontario my frieds with 5.7 lts are been killed with price of gas.. So far no problems in 65 k... Thanks for your videos..
I feel like they were reaching with calling it a duramax when they came out. We all know its not a true duramax. It seems like it has alot of failure points that would be a pain in the ass to repair. The idea of it is cool, but GM proved their halfton gassers are built to last. The 5.3 and 6.0 motors are workhorses. Granted the torque isnt as much as a diesel, but they have no issue pulling, and have plenty of power. Im sure with a tune on the babymax and some parts it would gain, but the chain driven pumps is where my concern would be if you ramped up power. Cool idea in the tahoe if it could handle that big camper you got, but idk that it can. I think if they made an actual v6 version of the original duramax platform and put that in the halfton or tahoe, then you may have something there.
I have the LM2 in a 2022 GMC Sierra SLT and absolutely love it! My truck is a Texas Edition crew cab, X31, 4WD, and loaded, yet still gets 30-31 mpg on the highway. Admittedly, I don’t always see that kind of mileage. The conditions have to be just right. But I’m always going to get at least 28-29 mpg on the highway. I used a truck hauler to haul a Ram 1500 back to LA from TX a couple of weeks ago and still got just over 20 mpg! Very peppy, even in normal driving mode. (There’s a sport mode but I almost never use it) As far as DEF is concerned, it isn’t really a concern. The engine doesn’t use a lot of it and the 5 gallon tank will last you a really long time. I’ve had the truck for 40 weeks today and rolled over 20k miles today. I use my personal truck for work and put a lot of miles on it. So far, it’s great! I love my truck and I love my Duramax!
For me the Toyota tundra has been a good truck for me,I’ve driven it 4 years no problem it’s a 2019 had it for four years already , I installed Duel exhaust and a K&N filter And it helped with my gas mileage.
I just drove the 2024 and I was impressed with how quiet and it was a max tow which will pull 13,000. It had great power and rode great. According to everything I’ve read the 5.3 is all you will ever need for towing. Parts availability is good on the 5.3 but very limited on the 6.2 and the 3.0 duramax. I was excited about it when I drove it but unless you get the max tow, the 5.3 is way more practical and cheaper to maintain.
I just bought one for a year-long review and I have driven many different Silverado and Sierra in both HD and LD trucks with diesels over the years. Watching this video, it seems like you are talking about apples and oranges use cases. For example, this is not in anyway a HD diesel like the 6.6L and is not meant for towing goosenecks all day. That's a 6.6L's job. Instead, this is a fuel economy truck with a towing component.
The discussion on maintenance is really related more to the 6.6L oil change prices and not the 3.0L prices.
Also, you don't have to remove the cab to service the belt and people who buy this aren't putting the miles on that quickly since it isn't a 6.6L Duramax. Instead, this is like a consumer version of a diesel vs the commercial diesel usage you describe. Just a different use case for a different consumer.
I’m loving my new ‘24 3.0. More power. More torque. My best 50 mile avg has been 33mpg with it.
So people are saying that the difference in fuel saving is not that much maybe it’s not but the real difference is being able to go 6 to 700 miles without refueling that saves a lot of time in a road trip.
👆 Thanks for watching expect more videos soon
Message me on telegram I have something for you 🏅🎁
I regularly get 700 miles out of a tank and can easily average
30. My best is 40.1. Says it right there on the dash.
Who are these people 😂
Also if you are evacuating a natural disaster, the lines for diesel will be a lot shorter and you can sit for traffic for hours while it just sips fuel.
2021 Tahoe owner here, we have the 3.0. Quiet, fast and smooth, the 10 speed transmission is outstanding. 26 combined on average. 30,000 miles. It is fun to drive! I would love a gear indicator and toggle for downshifting in the mountains. Thanks for the video.
We use our 1500 3.0’s for work, my dad has 85k on his Denali and hasn’t had one problem hauling trailers etc. I have an High Country and use it every day for hauling my 11k spray foam trailer every day. It pulls it insanely well and getting about 14-16 mpg with the trailer and getting 29-34 mpg @75 without the trailer. With the trailer It pulls it 75mph @1550-1600 RPM. My mom also has a Yukon, we love all 3 and haven’t had any problems.
34mpg???
@@mica122213yup
It’s crazy how efficient even the newer version gets at speed. A recent trip had me over 30mpg at 77 on the freeway.
@@ryanfreshour3259 Yukon with 3.0 or V8?
Yep. Doesn’t matter if you’re going 65 or 75. It gets the same. 30-34
Went from an 04 LLY to the 3.0. Fuel savings alone is worth it. I average around 30mpg constantly. Fill up once a month. Tows my camper very well. Torque for days. Smooth, quiet, and comfortable. Nothing short of impressed.
@@kiddoxFPS you can get 580 miles on a tank while your gasser gets 350 if your luck
@@kiddoxFPS 500 miles per tank. Not everyone cruises around looking for hookers. I will fill up about 1 1/2 times per month. The 5.3 didn’t get 300 per tank.
When I drove a bit more highway with cruise on 75, I got 624 miles on my last tank with the 3.0L. This worked out to be 27 mpg overall. Coming from an 11mpg 6.2L Raptor….I’m happy ..
@@Deanwam8 how I like the truck ? Any issue ? I got 10 mpg with my Titan lifted and 35’s. I really consider 3.0 dura max only for the economy
@@watchmanexpert I’ve had no issues at all so far. It drives great and has plenty of power/torque for my needs.
I have a friend that has a 21 3.0 Duramax Diesel 4x4 it currently has 110k on it now & he's averaging 29 mpg on the highway, LOVES IT
I don't own one@ but I'm a gm diesel tech and I don't find em to be too hard ti work on. That coolant manifold is funky to get in and out if the truck, and some repairs are more involved, but over all they're pretty easy to work on.
Had your opinion changed since on the 3.0 or no ?
Love my 3.0 SLT. Just fantastic. Smooth power delivery, great economy. On a side note, my truck was optimized to tow just under 13K lbs with the Max Trailering Package.
I have a 23' GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation. Just got past the first service. LZO Burned Exactly 1 Qt of oil in 1st 7k Miles. I live at 7300 ft Elevation and travel up and down hill. I regularly pull a 12' Dump Trailer with a Small ASV Track Skidsteer. I Average between 32-37 mpg on the highway not pulling a trailer. I have had a couple instances of going easy on the highway downhill at 68mph from Larkspur CO to Pueblo CO and made 49.6 MPG! I get about 14-17 mpg pulling full capacity GVW and the computer regularly reminds me that I am close to exceeding it's capability. You have to drive the truck like a diesel and not have expectations of a gas engine when it comes to RPM's. You have to understand the torque curve and let the truck lug at lower rpms a little more than you would expect. I feel the exhaust brake is nearly useless and paddle shifters on the steering wheel are maddening because you have to put it in LOW mode to get them to work. When you put the truck in Low (manual) mode, it downshifts 2x gears which makes no sense whatsoever. The good outweighs the bad on this truck though and I will put 100k on it and see how it does. I am a former truck driver and compared to my Ram 1500 1/2 ton the truck is a good improvement as far as towing. I also recommend Sumo Springs for pulling campers and light duty trailers like I do. I have used Timbren springs on my Ram and they are stiff compared to Sumo Springs. Final Statement is being a former Ram guy, this truck is actually a great combo for 1/2 ton lovers that want a nice diesel. The engine is an Isuzu platform and well proven for longevity and durability. My average mileage combo over the first 7k miles including Pulling my Skid, Highway, Stop and Go and cold weather idling is 26mpg combined. I hope this helps if anyone has questions, feel free to comment or reach out.
One year later... How has it been now?
I am looking for a towing solution. I need to deliver 2500lbs in a 7.5x14 cargo, 1000 miles a week; all HWY miles. Could you help me estimate the MPG result for this situation?
Good report! Thanks!
@@LargeCarjw I don’t know but 1 qt of oil for 7,000 miles seems like a lot to me.
Follow up... Mine was a lemon. I am now back in a predictable Ram 1500 hemi. Bummed mine was a failed experimwnt. Endless issues and waiting for backprdered parts.
@@LargeCarjw what a nightmare. Hard to understand how so many people have NO problems with it and you had so many. Heck if I’m gonna take a chance on one.
No matter what, the driveability of a diesel engine is just better on every level. I use my 3.0 as a work truck and I love it. All the power I need, no searching for the right gear, all the low end snort... It's just miles better than the 5.3. The 6.2 is awesome but still has to pull revs to make power where these 3.0's just make power right away. She's no hot rod, but the power is so smooth, it doesn't matter.
Lame
I’d rather have the gas 2.7t especially since gas is $2.90 and diesel is $7.00.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q id take the 5.3 or 6.2 for long term. Dpf problems get expensive real quick
@@thetechlibrarian The V8s are too complex and have lifter issues. I’d rather have the turbo 4. The turbo 4 has fewer parts to break and has proved to be much more reliable. The V8s are anemic in the mountains when you need the most power.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q hmm that’s a tough one. I keep seeing 2.7 problems but also see 6.2 problems. I definitely get the elevation argument I guess it depends on what ownership time frame we are looking at 0 to 150 I’d probably take either one that works best. 150k and above i would want the unstressed engine personally
Cab does not have to come off for belt to be serviced just tranny and it’s easy to access
Love the 3.0 diesel. Bought an AT4 in march 2021. Pulls our 27' trailer at 6800lbs without effort. Mostly we pull our toys on a trailer with a combined weight, around 4500 lbs.
I Absolutely Love My ‘21 RST Z71 CC SB. I’ve had it a year and a half and it just keeps on impressing me. I had to tow my 37’ 10k Camper from LI New York to St. Petersburg Florida in October. Absolutely NO Issues. Tow Police can Keep Scrolling, I’m Not a Newbie.
Lol, i feel you!! Just have to be smart and know limitations and take it easy!
Do you have max trailering on your rst? Gmc claims the 3.0 duramax can tow up to 13k with max trailering.
I upgraded to a ‘22 Silverado 1500 Crew Standard Box 4x4 Z71 with the 3.0 Duramax this Fall from a ‘19 1500 Silverado with the 5.3 V8. I have just under 8000 miles on the truck now and I am loving it compared to the 5.3 V8.
I use the truck in the field for agricultural operations and have a 500 pound four wheeler in the bed at all times along with tools and a complete mobile office in the cab with laptop, printer, etc.
I spend a lot of time slow driving often in four-wheel-drive around farms and a lot of time sitting and idling working in the truck. In between farms, I often have over an hours drive as well. So far I am averaging 20.5 miles per gallon across-the-board in this truck which for the way that I use it is great. The 5.3 that I had prior to this only averaged 13mpg. additionally, the 22 gallon fuel tank in the 5.3 was obnoxious because I was filling up with fuel sometimes every day usually every other day. I personally like the torque curve of the 3.0 Duramax because it makes its power in the mid range and doesn’t require slamming your foot to the floor to make any power like the 5.3. It also tows better because it holds its speed with the much higher torque rating and I’ve averaged 14 to 16 1/2 miles a gallon towing around 6,000 pounds, whereas I only got 6-9 miles a gallon towing with the 5.3. If I need to tow something heavy we keep a 2011 6.6 Duramax around for towing tractors and other equipment. Also, your tow numbers aren’t quite up-to-date because you can now get the 3.0 with a 3.73 rear end that’s rated to tow 13,300lbs.
I just picked up my new at4 with the 3.0 after putting 140k miles on my zr2 Colorado with the 2.8 diesel. The Colorado gave me zero issues after hearing so many people bash it just like they are saying about the 3.0. A Tahoe or suburban with the 3.0 to me is the best SUV you can get. I also think you are forgetting it’s a 1/2 ton and need to take that into account, if you need a heavy duty truck buy that and don’t buy a 1/2 ton if you need a HD
That's the double cab not the crew cab. The crew cab has more room then my 2006 LBZ crew cab. We have a 2021 RST Z71 Duramax on the farm. It's been amazing so far. Only has 100,000 on it
I was ab to say the same thing...crew cabs are big...I have a double cab and it's plenty plenty big for me...but I came from a nissan frontier...I've been teetering on the looks of these trucks...some days I think my dbl cab looks better than the crew and some days I look at it and it looks strange
I got one of the first one delivered just over 3 years ago. I had zero problems with the engine so far. I live in Wisconsin and get 31mpg in the summer and about 27 in the winter. The Def is about 1 tank per oil change, so to me that's not a big deal.... however when towing it uses 10 times the amount of Def. This is definitely my biggest complaint. My mpg goes down with the boat attached to 13 but the Def usage goes up 10 fold, it just seems to be excessive. I do love the power when towing, it rarely goes over 2000rpm and stays around 1600 at 65, so it's a quiet rides while towing. 8 9 10th gears are all overdrive gears, so it does feel like the engine is never really working hard. My last truck was a 2010 6.0l gas half ton, I like both for different reasons, but would definitely recommend the 3.0 for every day driving and the occasional towing, which I think is what gm was designing it for.
I bought a 3.0l silverado and i love it. The mileage is unbelievable. I average 34 mpg on the highway. It uses a lot of DEF when towing
Try hot shot’s everyday helps a lot mpg and def consumption when towing.
@@solis4920 what's hot shot?
Delete time.
I think the big reason a lot of people are going to this Duramax's because the V8's are having a lot of issues with lifters and engines because of that stupid cylinder deactivation BS. If General Motors would just get rid of that in their V8, they would be more reliable. If you can get over 300,000 miles on that Duramax and not have any issues like the V8 has that would be a far better deal.
When my 06 duramax broke down I used my mom's at4 with the baby duramax to tow mine home I got 14.1mpg that sold me on it right then. The best mpg she's got was 37.4 on the intestate but usually around 30.
I am the diesel tech at Cadillac and can say that these engines will be just fine as long as you do oil changes every 6k MAX. Every 3.0 with timing chain issues has had a lack of maintenance at some point in its life that I can usually go back through service history and find. I wasn’t one to want one when they first came out but now I think they are decent as long as you take care of them. Also short drives will cost you big money for exhaust repairs.
My son bought the first generation 3l Duramax several months ago and so far no problems thus far. I was impressed with it at first but I don’t want to mess with the DEF bull. I still have my 6.2 L.that I bought new in 02. It has 95k. On it with the original injectors. I do all the maintenance on it but at 76&3/4 years my “get up and go has just about got up and gone”. Always kept inside so not a speck of rust. Just a couple of mods like the pump rub kit in the xfer case and a big fuel filter kit. My next truck will be a gasser 5.3 L with the least amount of options as possible. Any suggestions? Thank you for your service. My son retired last year after 30 years in the Army. I love the fact that your wife is such a big part of your channel y’all keep up the good work.
I bought a 2023 bady duramax. I like it a lot but I've never ever heard of oil consumption. That's going to drive me crazy. Oil consumption tells me there's a problem. I hope somebody comes up with a fix/solution. At 4500 miles, the oil was low on the stick. GM changed my oil. At 6400 miles now, it was on the low/ add oil. I hope this is not the norm. Other than that it's a good truck
Hopefully, there's soon to be a part to replace. All of my years of being around engines, I've never heard if that/this happening
I truly think the Sierra looks better in my opinion and that's why i chose the 20214x4 crew cab model. I did not like the front end of the Silverado. Regardless i absolutely love the 3.0 Duramax. Got mine with 7 miles on it. and i put A/T tires on it and Bilstein 5150 shocks on it and leveled the front end and what a night and day difference compared to stock setup, although i lost about about 2mpg doing that. i have 30k miles on it now and not one issue with the engine or the truck. i routinely get about 24-28mpg per tank and can easily go 500 miles before thinking of putting fuel in her. i also can go about 3 months before adding any def as i usually add when gauge reads 50percent left. i think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages of the diesel
I just got a 21 baby duramax and i absolutely love it. I do wish it had a lil higher tow rating but it is so quiet and drives like a car.
I think you'd both appreciate the new Silverado interior. The DEF needs refilling every 5K miles or so as reported (unless you're towing). The fuel costs are incredibly different depending on region. Colder areas will always pay more because of the competition of diesel and fuel oil cut from every barrel of oil. Near me diesel is 30% higher than regular. I suspect that the mileage improvement will be better than that. I've heard that these smaller diesels aren't the service nightmares that the large Duramax's are. For a normal user, that 150K belt service (which will increase with the new LZ0) can be budgeted over a nearly 15 year life.
Maybe it’s a extended cab instead of a crew cab
I have a 21 Silverado with the 3.0L duramax with crew cab. Very roomy for me and my kids. I haven’t had the truck haul over 5,000 yet but I love the truck and great fuel economy. But yes, DEF sucks especially in availability in my area but with low mileage I only have to purchase DEF twice a year at most (every 6-7,000ish miles)
Bought my 21 crew cab 4x4 RST with the baby Duramax new and it has been one of the best vehicles I’ve ever owned. I don’t really need it to haul stuff around but have used it to pull my Subaru around, well because it’s a Subaru and for some other common stuff you don’t throw into your car. Best feature is it’s comfortable and I average 600 miles a tank with the occasional heavy foot so this has been a great purchase for me and my family.
Like everyone else has said, use case is what it is all about. If you are not looking for show, and are not consistently hauling around 10k it is really hard to beat. I am a GC and stepped down from 3/4 tons to this and don't regret it. I commonly haul my tool trailer coming in around 6k, and my dump trailer loaded with demo debris around 8k. And it works great. But for 75% of driving it just me, my basic tool set, and some material and it really shines. I am 90% around town driving and around 21-22 like that and around 25mpg on the highway. In the rare cases I am empty I have seen as high as 36mpg on the hwy. I drive like a grandpa though. Set the cruise @67mph. It does appear to require more turbo if you cruise above 70 and that seems to cut your fuel significantly. At least it does in my truck. I am putting some bump stop springs to help with the rear sag under load, and I do get the dreaded tat-tat no start 1-2 times per year. And I sure wish the seats were a bit more comfortable. But other than that--great truck. And I sure don't miss the bigger trucks, with their challenges and expense.
I have a 2016 LML stock 100%. If I’m not towing it gets 25 mpg at 65 mph and if I slow it down to 55-60 mph it’s up to 28 mpg. The half tons will sway a lot more than the HD pickups. If you put anything in the half trucks bed and towing a walleye boat you need to put air bags in the rear to compensate. What sucks is they are getting away from leaf springs and solid axles.
👆 Thanks for watching expect more videos soon
Message me on telegram I have something for you 🏅🎁
I've had one for a year. It's definitely not a race car but compared to my 2014 5.3, its quicker off the line and lower speed driving. Once you're above 50 and get on it the 5.3 did feel stronger but I think some of that has to do with the higher RPMs of the v8 and the bigger gear difference when dropping down in the 6 speed. There are things I miss about my v8 but overall the 3.0 is a much better driving experience. It also tows and hauls better and smoother. I towed a Jeep 600 miles and averaged 18MPG on that trip. It fits my lifestyle because the heaviest towing I do is around 6500lbs so yeah even the base 2.7l can do that no problem but this drivetrain just does it better.
I also have a 2014 5.3. While I know, the engine is pretty stout, the thing feels gutless the way it is tuned. I am considering ordering a new LZ0 to replace it. How many miles are on yours so far and what have you been averaging empty? Also, any oil consumption?
I’ve put 5,000 plus in my 2022.5 and I’ve only put one box of DEF in it and it’s still almost full. I get 30 avg out of it. The top end isn’t crazy. That bro g said it still will get out of the way for a normal daily driver. If you want 1000hp it’s not for you or maybe it is. I’ve had a 2000+hp Cummins and still love this 3.0. The bottom end has plenty of power up to 70mph. I’ve had several high hp diesels and I still love this 3.0. I look forward to the tuning capabilities and ph increases coming in the future and trans turning from OZ tuning would be an awesome idea. He is the man at fords 10speed version.
Sorry for not checking my spelling “being not Bro and hp not ph. 😂
I have a 2021 GMC 3.0 Duramax I absolutely love it. I pull a 16 foot trailer with my side-by-side on it. We take it on trips and the miles per gallon is phenomenal so for my personal self this was a win I’ve owned a 5.3 Gasser in the Duramax is just so much more fuel efficient
I just picked up a used one 2021 Denali crew Cab it has 86,000 km (53,000) miles. Regular filter and oil maintenance consistently, the guy put a lot of km’s/miles on the truck. Any advice or tips you have with the truck? Do you leave it in 2wd? For better is it that much of a difference having it in auto 4wd
@@antonioromano9919 leave it in 2wd. Only use auto or 4wd if the condition call for it.
You nailed it ... its an awesome daily driver pick up. Had a 2021 - traded it off on friday for the new LZO 300hp -- Main reason i traded it off ... it sounded like it had an injector tick ... and it burned 1 quart of oil between oil changes. (if this 2023 does the same thing ... I'm off these 3.0's forever) Its really capable 5000lb tow-er we haul 3 horses around and it works just fine. Don't pretend it will replace a Big Duramax because it just won't . My advice use the 80/20 rule ... what do you need a truck to do 80% of the time -- and buy "That Truck". Only caveat ... is the truck you buy has to be able to do the 20% at least poorly. OR ... like me have an old farm pickup. I enjoy the videos -- thanks for making them
I've got an ecodiesel and I will say even the smaller diesels are plagued with emissions problems. Once the EGR and DPF fall off driving down the road and tuned they are super run and amazing fuel mileage. Also, hello from 🇨🇦
Don’t you just hate it when the emissions equipment falls off and it automatically tunes itself and puts in bigger injectors
They all have problems with the same thing
That’s because the eco diesel is a Giant POS under the hood of another POS ram made by POS fiat
My 21' ecodiesel has its dpf relocated. Id like to see the 3.0 duramax's deleted so we could actually compare these engines themselves without the emissions plugging them up
Waiting for my 3.0 egr to fall off when I get some free time 😆
my grandfather has a 3.0 21 silverado in a crew cab 6.5' bed configuration and we did a 900 mile round trip for a fueneral, avg speed was 80mph and fuel economy going south was 25 avg. fuel economy going north 26.5mpg, again avg speed of 80mph
2020 AT4 3.0l Oil patch pulling trailers and i love it, started this morning with out being plugged in at -32 C. Tows well and runs great. i have had 5 2500Hd Duramax before this with over 200,00 km on each of them and have loved every one of them with no major mechanical issues. my 2020 3.0 is awesome and not disappointing in any areas.If i could delete DEF it would be perfect.
What’s the Km on your 3.0?
You understand the only thing your HD diesel has in common with the 3.0 is that they run on diesel?
@@jeffw6894 yes i am well aware of what it is and what it is capable of.
I have a 21 Sierra elevation with the 3.0. It has about 13k on the clock and I’ve had it since 8/21. It’s been in the shop 6 times in less than 4k miles with emission issues from egr sensor, nox sensor, wiring harness pigtail for diff pressure switch, def gauge software problem, and catalyst converter. Lucky it has been all warranty work.
I tow a 29ft camper and it does good for what it is. I love the truck when I can drive it but I’m glad it’s a lease…they will be getting it back in exchange for a 2500HD in 2024!
Unfortunately, your story is closer to the norm then some of the fairytales I've been reading.
I bought mine back in 2020 it has 130,000 on it now it hasn’t skipped a beat yet, uses vary little def so not really a big deal there, fuel saving alone were worth it, would never go back to a V8 gas truck.
How did you initially break in the engine?
One correction, there are no longer diesels being offered in 1/2 ton trucks from Ram and Ford. GM is the only game in town. Your tow ratings also incorrect, with the Max Tow package the 3.0 is now up to 13,000 lbs
Preferred the 3.0 Duramax but ended up getting a 5.3 gas in my 22 Silverado. Crunched the numbers and really it was a wash so just ended up getting the truck that was available and checked all the other boxes. BTW towing capacity without the Max Tow Package is 9200. Max tow package is hard to find.
And as Tim stated, this isn't an HD diesel. It's been tuned for fuel economy, not towing capability so you're actually no further ahead in that department.
I had 2022 limited 3.0 gmc and I loved it, I drove down to bull shoal Arkansas to pick up a boat and drove back on around $270 of fuel round trip, I had 137 miles on her before I did that trip, I didn’t burn anymore fuel pulling the boat. Fast forward I pulled my walleye boat with my 3.0 and it’s way heavier than the one I bought in AR and I could tell when pulling it to the Detroit river from central MI. But I did pull my camper back from upnorth 2.5 hours away from my crib and only sucked up quarter of a tank, my travel trailer is a duel slide 26ft so probably 28-29ft actually. I was impressed with that. Over all I owned it for about 6 months an sold it for way more then I owed (GM discount) I own 2 LBZ’s and miss the fuel mileage I was getting out of the 3.0 lol. I owned a 2.8 duramax for a couple years and man that sucker was sweet on fuel 30-40mpg depending on the season. But the dead pedal and no get up an go sucked.
I got a buddy that has the 3.0 Duramax and has had nothing but problem's with it going into limp mode alot for no reason also had issues with the wiring harness twice and it's a brand new truck
2024 GMC elevation with the 3 L Duramax. Zero issues great on gas and tows whatever I hook up to it. I’m in Canada and diesel is about $1.55 per liter. My very best litres per hundred was 5.2. Definitely recommend this Truck. Great video!!
I have a 2020 Silverado with the 3.0L Dmax. Just hit 140k miles on it. Overall I love this engine, but there’re some issues that are annoying. As in a coolant leak in the 5psi system, that nobody can find. Ever since I bought it I had to refill the small coolant reservoir every 3-5 weeks. Also the CEL is on with several codes including DEF, and a couple of glow plugs. I average 23mpg, full with my work equipment, canopy and Bedslide.
Unfortunately these LD diesels are best to lease and return.
If the leak is not on the driveway ! It's burning in the piston ! Bad news for engine failure . A head gasket issue
Good morning. Just bought a 2022 Duramax Silverado Z71/RST and absolutely love it. 500 mile trips with not towing go by in a breeze and still have 1/4 tank left of fuel. I did get towing package so that ups the lbs to 13k. Good luck with everything.
Thanks for the review
I average 1100-1200kms per tank with my 3.0! Long love the diesel 🇨🇦
I just bought a new 2023 GMC SIERRA AT4 with the 3.0 Duramax Diesel and I love it so far I've put 2500 miles is 2 weeks and excellent gas mileage and no problems what so ever!!
I made a video about the MPG my 3.0 duramax gets with 34 tires.
So far 30k miles and no problems. Really good little diesel engine 👌
The only negative experience i had with this engine is the DEF. Drinks it like crazy when towing
I’m on my second 3.0. I tow my 8500 pound camper and my pontoon boat. This thing has stupid power on take off and little effort on grades. Your not having to mash the accelerator just slight moderation. Love the fuel economy and hardly ever have to put def in. Don’t bite on the lack off take off claim! It’s a solid truck and the noise a gasser makes is half the enjoyment of taking off. The diesel walks softly but carries a big stick!
I think weight is underrated I tow my camper 10,500lbs 1000lbs tongue weight a quad in box and honestly pulls it like nothing like u feel it obviously but it has no problem pulling it
The lifters or whatever on the 5.3 and 6.2 were another reason I didn’t go gasoline. While typically gas trucks are simpler to maintain, the 3.0 LM2 was the best for reliability in what i found. I almost sold if for a 6.2L zr2 a few months ago but I didn’t & told them nevermind on that zr2 i ordered because of the 6.2 issues
The lifters issues are from active fuel management dropping to 4cly 60mph
I bought a tuner for my 2013 5.3L due to the DOD lifters. I bought it with 52,800 miles and traded it in at 102,000 miles. The truck performed way better than my dads 5.3L being it was stuck in V8 mode all the time. I did experience a 3 month period prior to trading it in where the truck would act up and then would be fine. 6 shops later 8 mechanics later no one could figure out the issue. They could see the issue when driving the truck but the truck had zero check engine lights. Fast forward to the day I traded up and the tuner was removed, the truck took 24 hours for the lifters to collapse. Hence the ghost issue no one could find being the ECU was locked in V8 mode vs allowing it to derate to V4. Stupidest idea for GM and the biggest joke ever used in a motor. I honestly would not go back to a 5.3L. I bought a used 3500HD 6.0L work truck and I haven’t regretted it.
5.3L is a great engine, pre 2007. once they put in the AFM it destroyed the lifespan of this great engine.
I was looking at a 6.2L in the Tahoe but not one dealer (including service manager) could look me in the eye and tell me that the 5.3 & 6.2L lifter/pushrod issue is fixed (2019 and newer). Silence speaks volumes….so Im Im going back and forth between 6.2L and 3.0L. I do pull a 6K camper over 10,000’ mountain passes routinely during the summer months and do 6K miles from late spring to late summer with commutes to town of about 50 miles round trip but during the winter most of my driving is just 2-3 mile trips a few time a week. This reduction in miles during the winter worries me with regards to regen. Not sure if the 3.0L is a good choice given my driving habits.
Completely agree with all of you guys. Knock on wood, my 3.0 LM2 & every other one i have known of around me (friends/customers) have been working great 🤷🏼♂️
I have a 2021 3.0L duramax @ 72000km absolutely stunning engine with no issues, great power all the time. Love thus engine. Also, I get 1000km per tank! Every fill up.
A couple of friends have them, and they love them.
I have a 2021 crew cab Z71 rst standard bed 4x4 3.0 duramax. I am getting 34 mpg all day long and have had zero mechanical issues. I love my truck & have no regrets going diesel
My neighbor has a 3.0 in his pick up and all in all he said it is mediocre. He hasn’t reported any troubles, but told me he would probably get a gas if he had to do it over for a light duty truck. I appreciate your videos when you compare the pros and cons and do reviews! 👍🏻 I hope all is well my friends!
Well your neighbor isn't the sharpest tool in the shed
@@robertchampion9692 I will disagree with you on that
Any specific complaints?
@@robertchampion9692 Why? Because he's not drinking the LD diesel Kool-Aid?
@Jeff W well seeing how the 3.0 has more torque,you know for towing purposes. I usually don't buy a truck for speed, we actually use our trucks for trucks around here
I just purchased the LZO. I previously had a 06 Silverado with the 5.3. Close to 200K miles on it, and it was still running great. If it were just for me to have and use for hauling loads of mulch in the spring, or the boat back and forth to the lake in the summer, I would have been fine keeping it. But I started a business and tow a small 6x12 trailer around, and it's nothing to put 200-300 miles on it a day during our busy season. Getting 10-11 mpg with my old one was gutting me, and I'd fill up the tank just about daily.
Just pulled a 24 ft pontoon boat, to the lake and back, averaging a tick under 17 with the new LZO, and that included waiting at the ramp, and loading/unloading, etc. Haven't done a trip with the work trailer, but after pulling the pontoon with it, I'd be shocked if I didnt get 20-22 with my enclosed trailer. (I'll come back and update if I'm wrong). But for me, the '23 Silverado with the 3.0 checked the boxes.
Some additional things I noticed. 1) the service intervals have been updated for the oil pump belt. LM2 was 150,000 miles. With the LZO that changed to 200,000.
2) The truck you were driving appeared MUCH smaller in the back seat than the '23 I just got. My '06 was 12" from the back of the driver seat to the front of the rear seat. The '23 is just over 14". I get that I'm comparing a 13 year old truck to a new one so it's maybe not the best example. I'm also not towing massive things daily, but for me, I got 200,000 out of my old one because I took care of it and didn't ever let small problems turn into big ones. I expect that I can do the same with this one and have the same experience, just get better mileage along the way.
The 1st generation 3.0 is sluggish. People wanted the equivalent of the big Duramax squeezed into the smaller package. Well it's a no brainer it's not going to happen. However GM did step up with the new second generation. It is much snappier and you can feel the difference.
You had a four door truck. Not a "crew cab"... Truckmaster 🤔... the "crew cab" is the same size cab as your Denali. It is as big and the biggest difference is suspension and frame... Truckmaster 🤔... all Chevrolet trucks are virtually the same except the badging and suspension... however you are absolutely correct. The 1500 half ton is not setup to haul a big 5th wheel and heavy load. However I will tell you that my 1500 High Country 2021 with a 6.2 is capable to say the least. I also pull a cargo trailer with no issues. But it doesn't have the sticker rating as a 2500 or 3500 HD.
Another note on the 3.0. It really shines and was built for the Colorado.
However the most important thing you said. Anyone looking to buy a truck or SUV. But you can't decide between gas or diesel. First DRIVE one... stock diesel engines are work horses not race horses. How. much and how often are you going to tow and or carry a load ? What are you towing and or carrying ? Look at the load rating on the door sill. Is diesel fuel readily available where you are ? Some areas are secluded and have gas pumps but no diesel. Price out the cost of maintenance having someone else do it... not everyone can or has the facilities to work on their own vehicles. Bottom line DO YOUR RESEARCH AND DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE YOU BUY. DON'T BUY WHAT YOUR FRIENDS THINK ARE COOL. BUY WHAT YOU WANT AND WILL DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT IT TO DO.
good video Truckmaster as always 👍 How are the other builds coming along ? Btw... thanks for this episode on the 3.0. A Sub is a great vehicle $$$$$. Comfortable and capable.
Thanks again Ron, I’m seriously at the mercy of all the back order parts to finish my builds it’s so frustrating at the moment
@@TruckMaster Fully understand that. Good old Uncle Joe lol...
Btw... I hope you and all your family and the guys at Kodiak and RDS... pass it on to them.. have a very Merry Christmas... yes I said MERRY CHRISTMAS... because it is the holiday ! Lol.. enjoy and looking forward to seeing what's next and your new Sub with the Christmas ribbon on it lol... keep up the great work 👍 Top out
Dude… did you do any research before this video? 2022 1500 with 3.0 and max tow package can tow 13,300lb. Also you were in a double cab… the crew cab is much bigger with 8” more legroom. And why the heck are you evaluating a 2020, when 2023’s are out?
I have a 2020 RST. I bought it in July 2024 with 35,900 miles. It's awesome. I do a ton of highway driving. Since July 11, 20204, I've put 10k miles on it, averaging about 22-25 highway. Where it really shined was when I towed a 5000 lb trailer with an additional 1000 lbs in the bed about 60 miles from Verde Village to Prescott Valley AZ. It climbed I-17 like nothing and used very little fuel doing it.
Also, mime is the crew cab. The backseat is so roomy.
I’ve owned a 21’ Tahoe for over a year now. Diesel fuel has been outrageous lately, but it gets such good MPG, it’s still pretty cost effective. Over 11k miles it’s lifetime average is 25.6mpg and I made a 2 hour drive through eastern Kentucky and averaged 35.
I bought a gmc at4 about 3 months ago and I’m looking to get rid of it already the truck doesn’t even tell you when it goes into regeneration I pulled up at home the other day and I got out it smelled like it was on fire so I went on UA-cam and I saw videos saying the temperature goes up and mileage goes down that’s how you know shouldn’t it come up gauge cluster telling you to continue to drive
On the oil belt situation, service requirement was upgraded to 200k recently
On the new LZO engines
I have a 2021 Sierra 1500 GMC AT4 with the 3.0 and we have temperatures below -40 C in the winter no issues with the engine, just DEF tank freezing even when plugged in. Highway driving I average 8.4L/100 kms. As for pulling we have a 20.5, 1979 travel trailer. traveling through the mountains I can easily maintain 105 km/hr and average 17L/100km. We have a family of 5 with a lab and no issues with room. Prior to this truck, I had the 2015 F350 crew cab 4x4 with the 6.7 liter and it was a pig on fuel
I have a 2023 Yukon XL ordered with the 3.0 Duramax. Can’t wait to get it in.
Nice 👍
6.2 💨💨💨
Update?? I’m thinking about getting Yukon diesel.
I have a '21 that I bought in December of '20. It's by far the best vehicle I've ever owned. I pull a 7000 pound travel trailer effortlessly and get 14 mpg doing so. I have just under 30k miles and it's only been back to the dealer for oil changes.
Some folks just going to gripe about anything
I personally have owned a 3.0 for just over a year now and here is my take.
First off I tow a 29ft, 7200 pound travel trailer in the summer time and for the most part the engine does well. Fuel mileage is not so great towing but that is to be expected and it doesn't seem to lack for power in most situations however I have run into the temps getting up there on long uphill pulls.Empty this thing gets great fuel mileage but I still struggle with keeping it long term due to being a new design. Only issues I have had so far have all been emissions related. I had to return to the dealer 4 times before they finally figured out I had a bad connection to the DPF sensors. The advertised exhaust brake is about as effective as a fart in a wind storm!
If I found a good deal on a 6.6 I think I would trade this one in but at the moment they are just priced way too high for this guy.
I have a 22' Suburban with the 3.0, only 15k miles on it but so far I have no complaints. I had a 20' Silverado 2500 and I don't miss it at all. I tow a tritoon 26 ft with a 200hp motor, downriggers and all my gear, id say roughly 5500lb, I live in the mountains and lakes I fish I way up over 5k ft , 3.0 pulls it no problem with my family in it. One thing I will say is if you tow often like I do keep an eye on your oil filter, mine has come loose from vibration and luckily spotted oil the day it did it and changed it myself. I have heard of others having this happen. Overall the size of the cab on the suburban and the 3.0 engine I am very happy.
I own a 2020 crew cab 4x4 1500 crew cab with the 5.3 and the 8 speed. I have driven the same truck with the 3.0 as well as the gas with the 2.7 turbo 4 cylinder. The 5.3 seems to have way more guts than either of the other 2 engines. When we think of a diesel truck, especially a duramax, we think of a powerhouse towing and hauling monster, and that isn't the case here. The only advantage there is to the little diesel is mpg savings, but the 5.3 has dynamic fuel management so will feed as few as 2 cylinders while cruising on the highway, and at 70 mph average I can get 19 maybe 20 mpg on gasoline, which... is $3 per gallon, and I didn't use a drop of Def, vs an extra 5 or so realistic mpg on a fuel that combined with Def is over twice as expensive, I fail to see the advantage. Combine this with the overall design of the engine that as a professional mechanic looks to me as extremely failure prone, and is proving to be in the field. The small advantage that I did see has slipped away into a disappointment.
...so right !
Absolutely. And on top of that the higher cost of maintenance and problematic emissions system. Trucks with these engines will be all over used car lots in 6-8 years and the only buyers will undercut because they know they're going to have to do a delete.
Had the 21 RST 1500 w5.3. Lifters took a shit at 9k miles. Traded it for 22 LT trailboss w3.0. So far it’s a beast
I’m a mechanic at a Chevy dealership. These engines are awful. Electrical problems, hard to work on, pcv leaks, injectors and harness issues, timing chains issues and much more. Many other dealers are doing engines on them for spun bearings and cracked pistons. We don’t see many, but the ones we do see have some major issues. Can’t forget the emission control related problems.
I bet GM is giving you guys push back on warranty work on these as well
GM certainly questions all the re wiring I perform on them. But if we write a good explanation on the repair order, they don’t seem to be too nuts about it. I’m sure many other dealers down south where more people have trucks (my dealership is is MD) have problems with GM audits.
@@Nic_Adami how about the new LZO 3.0 duramax. They are supposedly fixed the issues in these new generation of the 3.0. Or are they too new to tell?
Hey, Thx Nic, save me the grief 😊
I don’t usually comment on stuff but I agree. We bought a 2020 LM2 brand new for my wife in Oct 2020. It spun a #2 rod bearing at 35k in July 2021. Took 3 months for us to get the truck back from the dealer with a new engine. Gm fought the dealer for warranty the whole way. We ordered a 2022 5.3 and traded the Duramax with 46k on it.
Depends on what you want but Fuel saver YES , get up and go "NO" !!! Drive the 3.0 and jump in a 6.6 or 6.2
and there's "NO" Comparison !!! The Dodge diesel is the same if not worse. Not to rain on anyone's Parade
or be a bad guy but just a opinion .Really like your channel !!!
I have two. An Escalade with the 3.0 and a Denali with the 3.0. ZERO PROBLEMS WITH BOTH! My Denali is a 21 with 32K miles. Wonderful fuel mileage. 33 on Hwy and 30ish in city. Same on my Escalade. Both are 4x4s. I love the low end grunt these engines have. I just love engine and 10 speed combo. Go test drive one. You will love it. This is the ONLY way to go. The 355 HP is not a match for the grunt of the Diesel. The full Torque comes in at idle! DEF fluid is a non issue. I add it every couple months. Trust me. Get the 3.0 It’s the only way to go. Take it from me. 2 years and no problems on two of them. Ask any questions. I’m happy to answer. Good luck!
6.2 BIG BOY 💨💨💨
Concerns of pulling max trailer weight daily doesn't seem like a concern, because anyone regularly towing over 9,000lb isn't buying a Fullsize pickup; they are buying a Heavy Duty. Also, "pulling a trailer for work" does not equal "pulling 10,000+ lbs". Plenty of "work" consists of pulling light weight trailers (6,000lb or less) and these engines shine compared to a naturally aspirated gas, especially at elevation. And for the occasional recreational towing up near the max trailer weight, which requires weight distributing hitch, etc. they do fine and better than a gas V8 that has to run at screaming rpm to go over a pass rather than nice lazy "turbo diesel" rpm. Much more relaxed towing with the 3.0 diesel than a gas V8. When empty, the 3.0 won't accelerate as fast as a gas V8 at WOT, but I submit two things: I am not typically driving around accelerating at WOT when unloaded and also, when towing, it will accelerate at about the same rate as the gas V8 because it's less effected by the weight.
Also, the LZ0 belt inspection is now every 200,000 miles which is fairly infrequent in my opinion. Probably only one or two replacements over the life of the average pickup, which covers 400,000 - 600,000 miles.
I definitely agree that a 3.0 duramax isn't the right engine for everyone, but then a Fullsize pickup with any drivetrain isn't the right pickup for someone needing an HD. But there is a place for a Fullsize with a diesel and that is not only for towing, but for overlanding/backcountry exploring, because one can get much further driving range (100+ more miles) out of the same sized fuel tank compared to a gas engine. Huge market for owners that tow less than 6,000lb (flatbed or enclosed trailers for motorcycle, ATV/UTV, snowmobiles, etc. for recreation and for lawn care business, tradesman parts trailers, etc. And vast numbers of boats/trailers in that weight range.
VM MOTORS 3.0 ENGINE....I think it's worth it.for light activities....great vid...keep up the good work....
Always appreciate the feedback
I have a 2023 baby max. O, GM did good with this one. My upgrades are a new oil pan (the factory doesn't drain all the oil out.... 1qt), new trans pan, trans bypass (temp stays 140 ish), and trans cooler. Banks Idash/ pedal monster.... o my it woke up the max. Pulling my 4k pound boat, no problem. Change all fluids to amsoil
None of these new trucks will get their listed MPG once YOU mess with the tires and wheels... Just sayin' ! Great video ! PS Many countries have diesels in All their cars, probably why they are trying it.
I use gas Gmc 5.3 and 130k mi one of the valves lifter spring broke and destroyed engine, truck was used mostly empty highway plus city mi, dealer services and engine fail. Now I am on GMC 3.0 diesel and can not be happier, 50k mi already. Gas mileage is outstanding, towed my trailer with car for 2k mi trip and was getting 14-18 mpg doing 80-85 with trailer and car. Highly recommend
I have a 22 highcountry with the 3 l diesel. So far no issues with 14k mikes. Already 2 oil change and 2 def fill ups. It’s very nice. I love this truck
Truck master it seems someone is trying to scam me. Telling I have won a prize and I need to send $500 for shipping. They said I should dm on telegram to claim prize.
Me too. Love that engine. Couldn't talk my wife into the high country though haha. LT for me. But no complaints at all. A pleasure to drive every day.
That comment is a scammer btw, just a random bot typing comments. Just ignore it.
@@79champions yes it’s a very nice engine. Love driving it too.
I got my highcountry through a default. I bought a raptor from a Chevy dealer and had to take the raptor back because of issue with it, I told them I need my money back of a new truck. They offered me the highcountry which I have no regrets
@@79champions yes it’s a very nice engine. Love driving it too.
I got my highcountry through a default. I bought a raptor from a Chevy dealer and had to take the raptor back because of issue with it, I told them I need my money back of a new truck. They offered me the highcountry which I have no regrets
@@79champions yes I realize it’s a scam. But they are using truck master profile it’s crazy. They want me to send $500 for shipping tell me about customs fee. So I ask what customs fee if the truck is already here.
Stupid people
I have a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 with the 3.0 Duramax. I bought new in April 2021. I have 32,xxx miles on it. The avg. mpg for those 32,xxx miles is 22.0. Plenty of power even pulling a 32 ft. travel trailer. Once I hit about 20,000 miles and put load range E Firestone Destination XT tires on it, the mpg increased. GM replaced the intercooler at about 6,000 miles. Been trouble free every since!
That truck is a double cab, not a crew cab, that is why it is smaller inside. The 10 speeds are awesome imo. I have a 6.2, acceleration is much better. Maybe you should run a 6.2 up against your Denali?
I like your thinking
I had a 6.2 GMC AT4 for a work truck and that thing was a monster. I had to tow an enclosed trailer with a Honda pioneer in it plus all of our fire fighting gear up the mountains is AZ and it was a great truck. Wish i didn’t have to give it back but I changed jobs.
@@TruckMaster Just remember the 6.2 requires premium fuel.
@@TruckMaster would make some good content I think. Of course your Denali will obviously out tow a 1/2 er, but I would like to see an unloaded acceleration run
@@HubersRanch they do, but much more smiles per gallon
I went from a 2021 GMC AT4 3500 Duramax, since I no longer have a camper, I ordered and traded that for a 2023 GMC AT4 1500 with the 3.0 liter and could not be happier with the ride of the smaller truck and incredible fuel economy. I no longer tow heavy, a boat or jetski, that is about it. I would have kept my 3500 but it only got 23.9 on the highway, around town it burned a lot more fuel, also turning radius is so much better on the 1500. They are both great trucks, but they each have different uses, the 1500 fits my basic needs perfectly now. Also you can not get the 5.3 in the AT4 only 3.0 and 6.2 and 6.2 eats fuel. Also Dodge and Ford did away with their 3.0 diesel, GM made this right with 305 hp and 495 tq
I just dropped my 6.2L Denali (after stuck lifter and bent pushrods) for the 3.0L Denali. Towing is a dream compared to my gas, when in its range, I pull an 8500lb boat & trailer, unbelievably smooth and very nice. Averages towing about 15mpg, not towing, easily getting 30mpg. Not towing a 5th wheel nor a gooseneck. Love it so far. I don’t tow giant trailer but do tow a skidsteer sometimes. It’s all I need, dont need a 2500 so it fills the gap of towing, MPG, and reliability.
At 8500lbs, how big is your boat? I ask because I’m looking at the 3.0L and my plan is to get a boat in the next few years and I want to make sure this truck will be capable. Your comment makes it sound like it is.
@@andyhudson6299 I still have no complaints. Great truck with a great engine. Short trips, long trips, no problems. Diesel here is 2¢ less than gas too, for now. Boat is about 5,200, got 2,000 of lead (surf boat) and trailer is another 1,200 to 1,500. Tows like a dream for a half ton. Kinda the best of both worlds, great mileage and very decent towing.
@@matlock339 Good to hear you like the truck and that it’s working out for you. Thanks for the response!
Owner of a 2022 LT Z71 . Put a six inch lift on it with a wench tray and a pedal monster . These kids alone this thing is a monster off-roading so much fun. The pedal monster is night and day
The tow packages with different axle i think it can pull up to 13k , i got the refresh rst chevy…I’m actually happy and scared at the same time, all the known issue and emission issue kinda scare me, but so far 18k and I haven’t got many issue..
I have a 2022 with 30 thousand miles. I love it. No issues so far. Plenty of power 28 to 33 mpg on my commute
Seems like a great truck for a daily due to the mpg and nice for a weekend trailer pull.
I have a 2021 sierra 1500 with the 3.0 duramax and 21,000 trouble free miles. It’s smooth and tows our 6000 lbs camper with ease.
I wonder what they would sound with a free flowing exhaust and a tune. Then it get even better mileage. Great review. I’m digging the van footage haha.
I bet it would sound sick
@@hahaadventures4838 oh really lol??
@@curtbernard755 probably 35 mpg
@@adenseay7406 I’d say almost 40 😆
We just picked up a 21 Tahoe and went on a 2300 mile road trip. We avg 27 mpg. And a couple tanks gave us 32 mpg. I was never left with the impression that I need more punch when passing other cars.
I’ve seen someone with one of these 3 liter duramaxs a surburban one he got 43MPG
Wow
I have a 2020 Silverado 1500 RST with the 3.0 liter engine. The engine has been awesome. No mechanical issues. Starting at 20K I started having issues. First the fuel injector wiring harness failed and was replaced. Next the main wiring harness rub through on the AC pipe and was repaired, but then it failed entirely and had to be replaced. Replacing the main harness required them to lift the cab on the truck. A neighbor has the same year and model truck and they have had the dreaded crank-no-start issue. So good mechanical truck that has a shitty electrical system.
I have a 2021 Silverado with the LM2. I love the thing. I came from a Toyota Tacoma, so the LM2 was a upgrade for me due to the fact I have a 3,750 pound travel trailer, the Tacoma hated it.... I am very impressed with the LM2... The 5.3 gm engines still have the lifter dropping issues so I'd never get another gm v8
Thanks for the input Tony
Lifter drop only occurs in cylinder deactivation engines. The auto start/stop engines don’t have that issue.
@@TruckMaster also for the oil pump belt, its NOT a cab off job, just the trans and transfer case. I daily drive a vw golf diesel and I've seen other UA-cam channels compare the cost of the belt job to my golfs timing belt job. Now if it suffers from the extended crank issue, its a crank trigger wheel problem, and that is a cab off fix...
I got the LM2 just because I am a huge diesel fan and wanted back into a GM. No other reason. It fits what I tow perfectly and me and my family can go camping with one vehicle now instead of taking two due to the Tacoma's stupid low payload capacity. 965 pounds VS 1785 pounds.... For what you do, no way would it work. But I am a fan.
@@RadDadisRad interesting 🤔 good to hear that. I still like the baby Duramax 😁
@@slocavky the baby duramax is a good engine. Definitely works for someone that can use it to its potential. I personally can’t because I don’t have any diesel vehicles anymore. It just wouldn’t make sense for me.
My general manager and his wife got 38 mpg with their trip to NJ from PA, it was a crew cab short bed , we don’t see very many issues with it
thank you Melanie, yes the new Silverados are NOT good looking! GM lost me after the 2008-2011ish body style.
2007 to 2019 are my favourite years
I think the K2 trucks 2014-2018 will age really well
I have a 2022.5 High Country LM2 with the 13k max tow package, and it pulls 10k trailers much better than my 2015 5.3 gas does. Fuel economy is 50% better with the diesel vs gas both empty and towing.
My Grandfather is real old school when it comes to vehicles, he had an 05' LLY that he wanted rid of because it hit 100K. So I bought that off of him and was helping him find a new truck, he didnt want a 3/4 ton and didnt want diesel. He wanted fuel economy, so naturally he started looking at the 5.3's, and I told him, if you want 25+ mpg, youre going to want the new 3.0 duramax, long story short he got one, his best fuel economy was doing 80mph on the highway and got 30.6 mpg. He absolutely loves the truck and it offers better power and fuel economy than the 5.3 ever couldve. If you want a comuter truck/suv, the 3.0 dmax is the way to go from my experience.
I agree with you. My dad has a 17 silverado with the 5.3. Great truck, but I bought a 22 with the 3.0. We both have travel trailers for camping and we truck swapped so he could try out my diesel. We both agreed the 3.0 is in it's own league. I think he's gonna go get one.
I have one rst 3.0 .. for me work perfectly for what i do , framming houses...a lot space in the back for tools and full economy , here in Ontario my frieds with 5.7 lts are been killed with price of gas..
So far no problems in 65 k...
Thanks for your videos..
I feel like they were reaching with calling it a duramax when they came out. We all know its not a true duramax. It seems like it has alot of failure points that would be a pain in the ass to repair. The idea of it is cool, but GM proved their halfton gassers are built to last. The 5.3 and 6.0 motors are workhorses. Granted the torque isnt as much as a diesel, but they have no issue pulling, and have plenty of power. Im sure with a tune on the babymax and some parts it would gain, but the chain driven pumps is where my concern would be if you ramped up power. Cool idea in the tahoe if it could handle that big camper you got, but idk that it can. I think if they made an actual v6 version of the original duramax platform and put that in the halfton or tahoe, then you may have something there.
You are definitely on to something with the v6 idea
I have the LM2 in a 2022 GMC Sierra SLT and absolutely love it! My truck is a Texas Edition crew cab, X31, 4WD, and loaded, yet still gets 30-31 mpg on the highway. Admittedly, I don’t always see that kind of mileage. The conditions have to be just right. But I’m always going to get at least 28-29 mpg on the highway. I used a truck hauler to haul a Ram 1500 back to LA from TX a couple of weeks ago and still got just over 20 mpg! Very peppy, even in normal driving mode. (There’s a sport mode but I almost never use it) As far as DEF is concerned, it isn’t really a concern. The engine doesn’t use a lot of it and the 5 gallon tank will last you a really long time. I’ve had the truck for 40 weeks today and rolled over 20k miles today. I use my personal truck for work and put a lot of miles on it. So far, it’s great! I love my truck and I love my Duramax!
For me the Toyota tundra has been a good truck for me,I’ve driven it 4 years no problem it’s a 2019 had it for four years already , I installed Duel exhaust and a K&N filter And it helped with my gas mileage.
I just drove the 2024 and I was impressed with how quiet and it was a max tow which will pull 13,000. It had great power and rode great. According to everything I’ve read the 5.3 is all you will ever need for towing. Parts availability is good on the 5.3 but very limited on the 6.2 and the 3.0 duramax. I was excited about it when I drove it but unless you get the max tow, the 5.3 is way more practical and cheaper to maintain.