I have a 23 2500 LT gasser. A white “basic, outdated truck” everyone has told me. It’s done everything for us perfectly, except fit in a small parking spot. I will hopefully keep it forever.
@@Mach141 The HD trucks get the L8T 6.6. No Cylinder deactivation no stop start but dose have the direct injection which the jury is out on the carbon issue. I also wanted a 23 vs 24 to get the old 6 speed trans which is uncool but been around forever.
@@shuttlepilot_ good move on the trans. Nobody needs 10 gears making the trans more likely to failure with minimal if any real world fuel economy improvement
I used to be a tow truck driver, I had a 2019 4wd Chevy 6500 single cab roll back with the side pullers. That truck was a tank! Haul heavy loads and not even flinch, even in the deep snow I would have a truck on the deck and car on the wheel lift. I miss that truck.
Its painfully obvious this isnt the world i grew up in or want to live in. That 2500 is a 20,000 dollar truck. Nowhere near worth 53k. For 53k it should have every bell whistle and haul the whole family. What a joke.
Yep inflation, that's what happens when they keep interest rates artificially low to boost the economy and follow it up by shutting the country down and pay people to sit at home.
Thank god for inflation, or the us would be bankrupt a long time ago. And there is no reason a truck like that should be 20k. Not only have wages risen the last few years, 20k doesn’t buy you anything anymore so don’t blame it on the truck manufacturers. It’s really not that difficult to earn close to six figure wages these days so better step up your game.
THANK YOU for finally doing 2500 HDs and bigger! Most people who actually do work use a 2500 HD whether Ford or Chevy or Ram. They last the longest, and are the best value for the money, always. I personally like GMC's more than Chevy's.
Yes, if you make a 36k gvwr truck it must be able to be parked on 8% (this changed to a higher grade I believe) and parking pawl in auto trans is not it. That drum is a powerful enough brake. Ford Super Duties got an increased gcvwr and they changed to electric apply drum in rotor park brake that is auto applied. No way the cable linkage on any of the big 3 pickups will sustain a fully loaded truck parked on a hill with a wimpily applied p brake that lets parking pawl get loaded and not break the cable end trying to wrestle it out of Park.
I'm surprised they didn't recognize that given the similarity to some classic vehicles which also employ driveshaft-based e-brakes. You'd think they'd have seen that on the classics channel.
The 6500 is heavy duty for sure. I have a 5500 and it's 4wd, single cab. The more weight we added and pulling over the course of the last year has finally eased the suspension up a bit. At first it would hurt your back and you could barely talk! But now I enjoy it. Very capable truck and gets compliments everywhere being it looks lifted and has big polished aluminum wheels 😁
Fun Facts: the 4500, 5500, & 6500 use the headlights and cab from the 2014/2015 Silverado. The last Kodiak/TopKick trucks used the cab of the Express/Savanna vans & before that it was always an older cab from previous generation pickups.
If you ordered zero options except for 4x4 its $49,195. That price gets you 4x4, steel wheels with highway tires, base tow mirrors, vinyl seats, power windows and locks, ac, etc.
yeh need 25k trucks again. reliable ✅ I6 diesel / petrol V8 ✅ 6 speed manual ✅ 4-6 speed auto ✅ basic interior no fancy stuff but decent materials still✅ 7ft bed✅ large payload ✅ like come onnnnn they can do this no problem idc what people say they can make this for next to nothing!
@@SamFBM The "tech" won't change the prices. They could go back to screen-less radios like the 07-13 trucks and they'd still be charging the prices they are. 6 speed manuals? Nobody was buying so gone. 4 and 6 speed autos? Outdated and inefficient.
This is the best video you have made in the last 6 months..... you don't have to fly to Hawaii to see Tacoma launches to make good videos.... Also, thank you for having young kids on your videos, and not just old geezers like me (I'm 54 y/o)
@@TFLtruck Young kids seem to notice things that we older folk don't notice. Older folk have wisdom, but young folk notice things we don't. Remember when you were young, and what you saw.
My town has a brand new 6500HD with a dump bed. I had it out plowing this past winter. With a plow and a packed sander in the bed it actually rides damn good. Driving around for 12-18 hours straight thru was not bad at all. Comfortable truck
Like the one guy said, I don't have kids or anyone else to worry about, and I would still get the crew cab (applies to both, the 3500, and the 6500), because the back seat area can be used as storage space for additional stuff you might want to have on hand, and if you need to, you can carry up to 5 others with you. Having the crew cab just adds to the options of things you can do with either truck (3500 / 6500).
Really puts our economic situation in perspective when I can be SURPRISED that you can get an almost fully loaded diesel dually for ONLY $91k. I was honestly thinking it was going to be well over $100k, considering we've seen Ford and GMC high trim diesel 1 ton duallies push $120k. $91k isn't bad, considering you get all of the capability of those more expensive trucks without giving up too many of the tech and luxury features. P.s. I really like that 6.6 gas V8. I'm glad that GM and Ford both saw the increasing complexity, declining reliability and increased cost of the diesel power plants and came back out with large displacement gas V8s. I'm not a Ford guy but I commend them for coming out with a true big block. If GM put a big block like idk a 7.4 in 2500+ trucks, they would officially be on my dream truck list❤. That 6500 is just too cool. I'm glad that GM got back into the medium duty market after abandoning it years ago. Crazy to think that the big 3 made everything from compact trucks to semis at one point...I'm glad GM recognized their mistake and cane back out with these medium duties. Great video as always guys!
I test drove a 4cyl 1500 elevation with the updated interior... And while I never had any real complaints with the old interior, the new one absolutely blows it away.
It is amazing how large the heavy duty trucks actually are. I recently started working at a ford dealership as an inventory and lot manager. I drove an f150 for the first time (i learned to drive 8 years ago in a silverado 1500) after driving very small cars for a long time. That felt large, but then i drove the f250 platinum superduty, that made the f150 feel small. Then i drove the f650 crew cab dumptruck upfit we had on the lot, and boy did the f250 look tiny.
10,000 trucks on the lot because no one buys the expensive trucks. The wonderful Duramax no one said ever ! The basic Single cab is still over $50,000 ! Diesel engines do get better MPG's but at least where i live is $1.60 a gallon more. Plus the cos of DEF. More maintenance. No thank you !
Don't know why anyone in canada or where you get salt would argue that boxed is better than c channel. That c channel frame could last forever, even if you try to keep a boxed frame clean it will not last 15 years in the salt belt and it'll be scrap.
Here in Qatar it is mostly 2500s and some 3500s. The 2500s are used for towing heavy things such as campers to the beach or to the desert while the 3500s are used as wreckers by the police or as larger tow platforms. Saw one or two F 650s used as boom trucks..that is it. F 350s - F 550s are used as fire engines and recovery rollback/box trucks (also some old GMC topkicks as well).
I’ve always wondered why GM never offered a 4500 to compete against Ford & Dodge. Why is that? To me it seems they are missing a market. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a pick up bed on these medium duty trucks. Our ambulance district has a 5500 Chevy chassis on the rig. Seems nice.
I thought Ford was the only one who made a "450" pickup. Both Ram and GM make chassis cab 4500s but perhaps there just arent enough customers to try and tap into that market.
I drive a 2023 Chevy 6500 rollback truck for one of my jobs and it doesn't even have 7500 miles on it and it already has issues with the exhaust system. It has some check engine code for a Catalytic converter heater that causes the truck to start rough and idle rough until warm. The engine pulls strong with the 6 speed no complaints there and the exhaust brake is useless outside tow/haul mode. And it gets pretty good gas mileage for a truck that size with the Duramax. I would never ever buy one but hey my employer is somewhat happy with it.
When I worked for Caltrans Tarzana Road crew. We had a '06 Chevy 4500 Cone truck. With the straight frame the doors would open just above the guard rails. The best truck for grabbing problem debris off the busy US-101 & I-405. Drove a variety of straight frame GM & Ford trucks when working at Caltrans. I wish Ram had a straight frame 4500, with a Cummins and the ZF Powerline transmission. As a class A licence holder, I found the straight frame GM & Ford trucks rather "sporty" to drive, compared to the air brake equiped larger vehicles. I meet a guy with a Chevy 4500 Crewcab 4wd with a flat bed camper, that he had upgraded to a set of 22.5" wheels with wide base tires. With no other modifications, he handled overland situations rather nicely. He had less trouble on rough terrain than the highly modified 3500 trucks.
It’s insane what the truck market has become, giving people close to 1000 ftlbs of torque, in a close to $100,000 truck, that most likely doesn’t have the experience to handle that kind of task, is why insurance rates are at record highs. Semi trucks in the 70’s made less power than the modern 3500 truck.
I bought a 1985 Chevrolet Kodiak C60 with a CAT 3208 and 4 speed Allison regular cab and gravel dump box (low side) to use as my pickup. I use 1983 Chev B60 42 passenger bus with a 8.2l Detroit Diesel and Allison as my family van and a 1997 Chev c2500 Suburban with a 6.5l diesel as my runabout. Guess which truck I liked.
The only issue with the Chevy tail gate step is that if you keep a hitch/ball in your receiver, as most work trucks will, you can’t lower the step without hitting it on the ball. Ford’s step doesn’t have the same issue. Do like how Chevy gives the option to have lights and speakers integrated into their step though, pretty sweet.
I would get the 6500 too because I'm a Truck Driver and everything on it is similar to a semi truck but In a small version the hood opens the same as a semi truck lots of room to work on the engine components. I would put a pickup bed on it swap those small car mirrors to chrome trucker mirrors swap the wheels to aloys and put bigger tires and do a HighCountry interior...
My dad’s 2003 7.3 powerstroke ZF6 xlt 4x4 crew cab short bed was 60k back in 02. Sad but true. Nowadays that’s an 80k truck. He just got a new 6.7 F-350 super cab long bed 4x4 and it was an about 65k. If you can configure your own, it’s still possible to get a decent price on a 3/4 to 1 ton truck from ford and I’d assume you can do the same with GM and Ram
Yeah ford and dodge use solid front axle... GM has been using IFS for years and if you are in rough terrain consistently the front ends used to fall apart real fast.
Great video guys! One other advantage of the new 2024s is that guys are trading their low mileage 2020 to 2023 HDs in to get a nicer interior. This allows folks like me more options to find a better deal on depreciated, lightly used trucks
@@anthonyc1883 not where I live. Underpaid, held hostage by the health insurance companies, with facilities that will make you cry. Many of them are leaving because of the poor conditions
The dealer can sell them without a body. You'll save quite a bit of money by bringing your truck to a body outfitter yourself. On just a flatbed dump for a 3500 cab and chassis I saved $10k.
I just bought all of them from that dealer.......I wish ... but back in the 2000 I owned 5 Chevrolet Silverado 's and a s10 boss truck.extended cab 4x4. They were the years you can still get that wt 2500 lt reg cab z71 with that HG Country front end . ,KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.....😅 MAYBE AFTER I SELL MY HOME IN NJ I WANT TO BE A EMPLOYEES OF TFLTRUCK... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK UNTIL THE NEXT TIME.😊
I just bought a nearly identical 3500 high country. I love the truck, but it has a few annoyances. It would be perfect if GM fixed these. (Albeit, I have not towed with it yet) 1) The Bose audio is less than premium. It's probably better than the base audio. 2) The seats look, but don't feel like high line. Pretty firm. 3) Zero 12v outlets. I get this in a family car, but not in a truck. 4) Can't see a numerical coolant temp gauge. Feels like the engineers are either hiding something or don't understand towing. 5) Rear seats don't fold flat. I'm sure this is a safety thing, but coming out of a GMT800 I really miss that. Great video guys!
Newer semi-trucks/gvwr vehicles 26k+ are all air brakes/transmissions, but the older machines can be hybrid hydraulic/air or pure hydraulic. When you go to take the clp-a (commercial learners permit) test in Nevada, you have to request the air brake endorsement, and combination endorsement separately. All of the tests have overlapping knowledge requirements from the other endorsements, but are graded separately.
Manufactures IMO need to STOP making changes for the sake of changing crap for the new year. Make a truck, box frame, durable drive train, with more than enough cooling for the engine and transmission, keep everything simple, I do NOT need or really want messaging heated and cooled friggin seats! I do not need most of the gimmicky bull crap, I want physical HVAC controls and radio controls! build a solid work truck, in huge massive numbers, keep it simple reliable durable, and DO NOT CHANGE IT unless it NEEDS to be changed, so in quantity you can massively reduce the cost to manufacture! 55k for a low end full size HD gas burning pickup is insane And I’m not saying don’t make these $ trucks but in addition to, having a low cost durable full size AND do the same thing for a small truck like bring back the S10 and do the same thing, if you got a full size like above in the mid 30k range and a S10 that’s durable and reliable well built like above but simple and not changing a low 20k S10, I’d be all over that like a bun on a hotdog.
The automotive industry peaked in the 2010s. Nowadays they've run out of actually useful features, so they add stupid expensive gimmicks instead to pretend they're "updated."
@@yissibiiyte You know they said similar things in 2010 about cars in the 90s right? Every 10 years the same conversation gets recycled. It is the same concept as parents hating their kids music.
@@djb1634 alright, let's compare the W222 S-class of the 2010s to the current W223. The W222 debuted with road-sensing suspension, the first car ever with only LED lighting, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, rear wheel steering to name a few. The W223 debuted with rear seat airbags and... that's pretty much it. It also replaced all the previous gen's buttons and haptic controls with touchscreens or capacitive controls, which are cheaper and harder to use. Unless you call cost-cutting an innovation, it is clearly incomparably less impressive than it's predecessor was, yet costs substantially more. A sentence that applies to practically every modern car when compared to it's previous gen.
To my understanding, repair shops at truck stops won’t touch a Ram with a Cummins neither nor even change a tire. I’ve heard they only service class 8 vehicles.
I'd love to see you guys do a $70k used tow rig challenge comparing a 3500 dually vs Class 5 vs Class 8. You can buy really nice used Class 8 for under $70k. This is the decision I've been trying to make. I currently live in a diesel pusher motorhome but I'm selling it and buying a 5th wheel. I think this would be great content for the channel. You could even do an Ike Gauntlet towing a 20k Lbs. 5th wheel.
I bought a 2024 F350 SRW 6.7 HO Platnium Tremor short bed to tow a 2024 Brinkley Z3610. Loaded up we are pushing 18k pounds. I am just within limits all the way around other than tow capacity. I absolutely love this set up. When I am not towing the truck is my daily. I wanted to be able to use car washes and still park in normal parking spots. The F450’s are cool but they are also long and wide. There is my two cents on the subject. TFL helped a lot with my decision. We Love the Brinkley too!
@24:50... That's the parking brake. Also, very few states, if any, require an air brake endorsement any more. All CDL's are based on GCVWR. The Feds say no special license is needed for a vehicle under 26001 Lbs. GCVWR with air brakes. @25:50... Just the tip. The exhaust is 3". @28:40... This is why so many people buy the F450. It's the only pickup available with the wide front axle and high angle steering.
I was about to comment about the parking brake, most Japanese trucks like a Hino or Isuzu a similar size have a similar drum behind the gearbox like a RangeRover classic. For a truck channel not knowing that is extremely poor. They (Japanese trucks) also have air or air over hydraulic brakes, an air brake endorsement is fuking ridiculous to drive any truck equiped, the 6500 should be air or air over hydraulic. In my country there's a famous accident in the early 60's with a 49 Mack bus with failed hydraulic brakes that killed around 30 people, couldn't really blame Mack but poor maintenance. Actually the 6500 could be illegal here without airbrakes. Love from New Zealand.
The air brakes endorsement was just to teach you how to adjust your brakes and all the trucks now have automatic slack adjusters so no need for this anymore.
All the medium duty trucks have old interiors...... I rented a early 2000s Ford dump truck one time and it had early 80s interior in it.... I was blown away
I completely tune out when you guys start talking about number of cameras, touchscreens, and driver-assist systems. They add to the cost without adding to the value. Once you get larger than 1500/2500/3500 mass-market pickup trucks, the bragging point changes. Weekend recreational truckers brag about horsepower. Full-time truckers brag about uptime. So don't talk down the 350 hp Duramax in the 6500.
Facts. Uptime and fuel efficiency are the two most important factors when looking at a commercial vehicle. Torque is a nice safety feature for pulling out into traffic, but horse power only effects how fast the truck goes, and the faster you're going, the more fuel you're burning.
When Chevy first came out withe these trucks it was just the 4500 & 5500 on 19.5 inch wheels. They announced the 6500 and we were hoping for a more capable truck with 22.5 inch wheels, but we were disappointed. GM needs a 26,000 lb 7500 & a 33,000 lb 8500 model for dump trucks & municipal plow trucks and to compete with the F650 & F750.
White is easier to sell when it comes to fleet vehicles, and easier to sell when they are used. As a few people already pointed out, the drum on the axle is the parking brake. Also, since the 6500 is a commercial truck, they don't update the interiors as often. Medium duty trucks also share the same frame specs, so if you have a service box bolted to a truck that the cab is totaled out on you can just bolt the service bed to a new truck with no modifications because frames are all standard. I think between 2000 and the current model Kenworth T800 the dash has changed maybe three times, and the basic cab shape has only changed once. I can tell you between 2007 and 2023 the dash in a Mack Granite has only had one change. How many updates or major changes to the big three's pickups in that same time frame? Dodge was still making the 2nd Gen in 2000.
You were talking about needing a crew crab for pulling a trailer. It seems to me that most people that get one to pull a trailer get a short bed. That is only just over 2" longer than a standard cab with a long bed. And if you are not pulling a trailer, you can't haul much. So if you are actually looking for a work truck, a standard cab long bed is the best.
Don't see many single cab 8 foot beds around here, local dealer has none on the lot ever, They say no one wants them. You should show off the cab forward trucks sometime, The 6500 and 7500 have Cummins in them.
White paint pigment is titanium dioxide which is really cheap compared to other colors so never the upcharge. Saves a lot of money if you're buying a fleet of vehicles and that's a good point on making your business logo stand out too.
aack! the tailgate step on the 08-16 super dutys was game changing but the stripper pole had to go. now chevy has reimagined it in a different erect position.
Medium Duty trucks typically are never rated higher than 350hp no matter what engine they have and that huge drum that was on the rear diff is actually the parking brake. Medium duty trucks with hydraulic brakes typically have the parking brake on the driveshaft.
have a 23 high country 2500 and while I kind of miss the new interior I had in the 1500 I have to say I prefer my front grill over the new one....just not a fan of the lights of new gen
The drum close to the rear end is the parking brake. As far as the special license for air brakes, you don’t need one in the state I live in just as long as the gvwr is under 26,001
Here in Georgia we don’t need special licenses for that too, I work in a towing company and usually use a Hino flatbed with brake discs(!) in the four corners, but we have a international backup truck with a air brake system
The best bang for the buck is the Custom. The 4 banger is fine for 90% of people. “Needing” the V8 if you aren’t towing is silly. The best bang for the buck overall is the 2500 Chevy Custom. Mid 50k for a 2500 is a steal compared the $$90k price tags on some other trims.
That High Country badge gets super hot on summer days and can be painful if you rest your arm on it. Looks good but not best place for it there on the armrest.
Back in 2016, Ford was introducing their next generation of full-sized trucks with I think 150 to 550 now having aluminum bodies. No idea if 650 and higher did or not. I went onto Ford's website to see how high I could get the price to go and topped out a little over $90,000. This was likely a 450 or 550 with everything I could add. I joked that it won't be too long before the price is well over 100,000, ..., well here we are. I can't get too mad at the companies raising prizes, got to with inflation, but if it's not a company truck, I'm not buying a 2-door for $53k, even if it had a diesel. To me, that Truck is worth under $40k. Hell, even under $30k. I got to have a 4 door. All my dad had was 2 doors, and that got old really fast.
Doesn't recommend a regular cab for towing heavy but to actually tow heavy you need the regular cab to actually have the needed payload to tow with the proper weight distribution. Yes the 3500 is going to have a higher payload because its a different class of truck. The max payload with the base work truck is like 7,4000 lbs so you lose almost 2,000 lbs of payload with the high country over the W/T
I have a 23 2500 LT gasser. A white “basic, outdated truck” everyone has told me. It’s done everything for us perfectly, except fit in a small parking spot. I will hopefully keep it forever.
Hear! Hear! I have a basic white outdated 2001 Dodge Ram diesel. It works for me.
Im right there with you. Xlt f250 with a 6.2 has done everything ive needed it to.
If it has multiple cylinder deactivation your days are numbered as it will need an overhaul
@@Mach141 The HD trucks get the L8T 6.6. No Cylinder deactivation no stop start but dose have the direct injection which the jury is out on the carbon issue. I also wanted a 23 vs 24 to get the old 6 speed trans which is uncool but been around forever.
@@shuttlepilot_ good move on the trans. Nobody needs 10 gears making the trans more likely to failure with minimal if any real world fuel economy improvement
I used to be a tow truck driver, I had a 2019 4wd Chevy 6500 single cab roll back with the side pullers. That truck was a tank! Haul heavy loads and not even flinch, even in the deep snow I would have a truck on the deck and car on the wheel lift. I miss that truck.
throw 10,000lbs on the back with no problems at all
I really like the way the “hood” comes off and gives you access to the entire engine, for that it’s my favorite
Definitely the easiest to work on when the emission system “wears out”
Its painfully obvious this isnt the world i grew up in or want to live in. That 2500 is a 20,000 dollar truck. Nowhere near worth 53k. For 53k it should have every bell whistle and haul the whole family. What a joke.
Yep inflation, that's what happens when they keep interest rates artificially low to boost the economy and follow it up by shutting the country down and pay people to sit at home.
My 1990 k2500 was 25k off the lot single cab manual 4 speed 350. That’s over 40k today I’ll take that truck for 53k all day
💯 agree with you. The prices on trucks are out of hand….
Go to McDonalds and get a job.
Thank god for inflation, or the us would be bankrupt a long time ago.
And there is no reason a truck like that should be 20k. Not only have wages risen the last few years, 20k doesn’t buy you anything anymore so don’t blame it on the truck manufacturers. It’s really not that difficult to earn close to six figure wages these days so better step up your game.
THANK YOU for finally doing 2500 HDs and bigger! Most people who actually do work use a 2500 HD whether Ford or Chevy or Ram. They last the longest, and are the best value for the money, always. I personally like GMC's more than Chevy's.
Just so you know, the F350’s and 3500’s SRW trucks are just 1,000 more.
I agree, the new GMC's are WAY better looking than the Chevy variant!!!
The drum at the u-joint of the rear axle is the parking brake
Yes, if you make a 36k gvwr truck it must be able to be parked on 8% (this changed to a higher grade I believe) and parking pawl in auto trans is not it. That drum is a powerful enough brake. Ford Super Duties got an increased gcvwr and they changed to electric apply drum in rotor park brake that is auto applied. No way the cable linkage on any of the big 3 pickups will sustain a fully loaded truck parked on a hill with a wimpily applied p brake that lets parking pawl get loaded and not break the cable end trying to wrestle it out of Park.
Correct. My old Deuce and a Half has the same setup but the drum is on the transmission side of the drive shaft vs. the diff side.
That’s good to know!
@@jimmyaber5920I have one on my F350 SRW and just thought it was convenient. Good to know why they actually did it.
I'm surprised they didn't recognize that given the similarity to some classic vehicles which also employ driveshaft-based e-brakes. You'd think they'd have seen that on the classics channel.
The 6500 is heavy duty for sure. I have a 5500 and it's 4wd, single cab. The more weight we added and pulling over the course of the last year has finally eased the suspension up a bit. At first it would hurt your back and you could barely talk! But now I enjoy it. Very capable truck and gets compliments everywhere being it looks lifted and has big polished aluminum wheels 😁
post it lets see it!
@@qqqfn8042 I'm sure I have a short on it posted if you check the page out 😁
Fun Facts: the 4500, 5500, & 6500 use the headlights and cab from the 2014/2015 Silverado. The last Kodiak/TopKick trucks used the cab of the Express/Savanna vans & before that it was always an older cab from previous generation pickups.
Yeah, that and K200 interior was a major upgrade when it first came out. Now it looks very plain.
Wow
$53k for a 4x4 2500 reg cab truck is crazy inflation is ridiculous right now
If you ordered zero options except for 4x4 its $49,195. That price gets you 4x4, steel wheels with highway tires, base tow mirrors, vinyl seats, power windows and locks, ac, etc.
@killercan10 insane! When I was looking at base model 2500s 2 years ago they were @ 40-44ish
@@joeinmi8671how tf were they that my 09 was 44k work truck model
yeh need 25k trucks again.
reliable ✅
I6 diesel / petrol V8 ✅
6 speed manual ✅
4-6 speed auto ✅
basic interior no fancy stuff but decent materials still✅
7ft bed✅
large payload ✅
like come onnnnn they can do this no problem idc what people say they can make this for next to nothing!
@@SamFBM The "tech" won't change the prices. They could go back to screen-less radios like the 07-13 trucks and they'd still be charging the prices they are. 6 speed manuals? Nobody was buying so gone. 4 and 6 speed autos? Outdated and inefficient.
This is the best video you have made in the last 6 months..... you don't have to fly to Hawaii to see Tacoma launches to make good videos.... Also, thank you for having young kids on your videos, and not just old geezers like me (I'm 54 y/o)
Thank you for the kind words.
@@TFLtruck Young kids seem to notice things that we older folk don't notice. Older folk have wisdom, but young folk notice things we don't. Remember when you were young, and what you saw.
@@TFLtruck you do not have to have a CDL for a single axle that is 26,000lbs or less even with air brakes. At least in Texas. Just a regular Class C
My town has a brand new 6500HD with a dump bed. I had it out plowing this past winter. With a plow and a packed sander in the bed it actually rides damn good. Driving around for 12-18 hours straight thru was not bad at all. Comfortable truck
New TFL Truck video at 3:30am? Wonderful. Just what I needed on this sleepless night ❤😂
It should put you to sleep!
Ha. Just fell asleep watching!
@@TFLtruck TFL aint bad white noise to drift off to
Like the one guy said, I don't have kids or anyone else to worry about, and I would still get the crew cab (applies to both, the 3500, and the 6500), because the back seat area can be used as storage space for additional stuff you might want to have on hand, and if you need to, you can carry up to 5 others with you. Having the crew cab just adds to the options of things you can do with either truck (3500 / 6500).
Totally agree. They're kinda big trucks anyway, so why go regular cab just to save space?? Give yourself options with a backseat!
Same here day cab out of style 1st time I drove a crew cab it was awesome
24:48 that is the parking brake. large drum brake is required to meet FMVSS requirement to hold full GVWR on a hill
Really puts our economic situation in perspective when I can be SURPRISED that you can get an almost fully loaded diesel dually for ONLY $91k. I was honestly thinking it was going to be well over $100k, considering we've seen Ford and GMC high trim diesel 1 ton duallies push $120k. $91k isn't bad, considering you get all of the capability of those more expensive trucks without giving up too many of the tech and luxury features.
P.s. I really like that 6.6 gas V8. I'm glad that GM and Ford both saw the increasing complexity, declining reliability and increased cost of the diesel power plants and came back out with large displacement gas V8s. I'm not a Ford guy but I commend them for coming out with a true big block. If GM put a big block like idk a 7.4 in 2500+ trucks, they would officially be on my dream truck list❤.
That 6500 is just too cool. I'm glad that GM got back into the medium duty market after abandoning it years ago. Crazy to think that the big 3 made everything from compact trucks to semis at one point...I'm glad GM recognized their mistake and cane back out with these medium duties. Great video as always guys!
I believe the drum on the rear drive shaft is the emergency brake was on a older truck
yes sir, they dont what they re talking about
Nope it's a balancer that helps the turbo spool up.....😂
I test drove a 4cyl 1500 elevation with the updated interior... And while I never had any real complaints with the old interior, the new one absolutely blows it away.
It is amazing how large the heavy duty trucks actually are. I recently started working at a ford dealership as an inventory and lot manager. I drove an f150 for the first time (i learned to drive 8 years ago in a silverado 1500) after driving very small cars for a long time. That felt large, but then i drove the f250 platinum superduty, that made the f150 feel small. Then i drove the f650 crew cab dumptruck upfit we had on the lot, and boy did the f250 look tiny.
Thanks Andre! Love the 6500!
Any time!
10,000 trucks on the lot because no one buys the expensive trucks. The wonderful Duramax no one said ever ! The basic Single cab is still over $50,000 ! Diesel engines do get better MPG's but at least where i live is $1.60 a gallon more. Plus the cos of DEF. More maintenance. No thank you !
Don't know why anyone in canada or where you get salt would argue that boxed is better than c channel. That c channel frame could last forever, even if you try to keep a boxed frame clean it will not last 15 years in the salt belt and it'll be scrap.
I had a 5500 Chevy chassis on a 35' Super C RV. It ha the 8.1 V8 gas. It was a blast driving it. Those 19.5" tires are quite expensive!
there is something about white base work trucks plus a cloudy sky that always get me
Here in Qatar it is mostly 2500s and some 3500s. The 2500s are used for towing heavy things such as campers to the beach or to the desert while the 3500s are used as wreckers by the police or as larger tow platforms. Saw one or two F 650s used as boom trucks..that is it. F 350s - F 550s are used as fire engines and recovery rollback/box trucks (also some old GMC topkicks as well).
I’ve always wondered why GM never offered a 4500 to compete against Ford & Dodge. Why is that? To me it seems they are missing a market. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a pick up bed on these medium duty trucks. Our ambulance district has a 5500 Chevy chassis on the rig. Seems nice.
I thought Ford was the only one who made a "450" pickup. Both Ram and GM make chassis cab 4500s but perhaps there just arent enough customers to try and tap into that market.
Gm did. They made trucks all the way up 80k gvw. In 09 they stopped making the kodiak and topkick. Those were from a 4500 to an 8500 tandem axle.
No need to compete with “ Dodge” since they haven’t made a truck for nearly 15 years. So there’s that.
They do. I just posted what a POS it was. 2021 chevyv4500hd crew cab LT 4x4
This video was awesome
Thank you for watching.
I drive a 2023 Chevy 6500 rollback truck for one of my jobs and it doesn't even have 7500 miles on it and it already has issues with the exhaust system. It has some check engine code for a Catalytic converter heater that causes the truck to start rough and idle rough until warm. The engine pulls strong with the 6 speed no complaints there and the exhaust brake is useless outside tow/haul mode. And it gets pretty good gas mileage for a truck that size with the Duramax. I would never ever buy one but hey my employer is somewhat happy with it.
It's also a single cab and quite small compared to my other jobs Ford F650 tow truck that has air brakes and air suspension.
When I worked for Caltrans Tarzana Road crew. We had a '06 Chevy 4500 Cone truck. With the straight frame the doors would open just above the guard rails. The best truck for grabbing problem debris off the busy US-101 & I-405. Drove a variety of straight frame GM & Ford trucks when working at Caltrans. I wish Ram had a straight frame 4500, with a Cummins and the ZF Powerline transmission. As a class A licence holder, I found the straight frame GM & Ford trucks rather "sporty" to drive, compared to the air brake equiped larger vehicles.
I meet a guy with a Chevy 4500 Crewcab 4wd with a flat bed camper, that he had upgraded to a set of 22.5" wheels with wide base tires. With no other modifications, he handled overland situations rather nicely. He had less trouble on rough terrain than the highly modified 3500 trucks.
It’s insane what the truck market has become, giving people close to 1000 ftlbs of torque, in a close to $100,000 truck, that most likely doesn’t have the experience to handle that kind of task, is why insurance rates are at record highs. Semi trucks in the 70’s made less power than the modern 3500 truck.
I bought a 1985 Chevrolet Kodiak C60 with a CAT 3208 and 4 speed Allison regular cab and gravel dump box (low side) to use as my pickup. I use 1983 Chev B60 42 passenger bus with a 8.2l Detroit Diesel and Allison as my family van and a 1997 Chev c2500 Suburban with a 6.5l diesel as my runabout. Guess which truck I liked.
The Kodiak?
The only issue with the Chevy tail gate step is that if you keep a hitch/ball in your receiver, as most work trucks will, you can’t lower the step without hitting it on the ball. Ford’s step doesn’t have the same issue. Do like how Chevy gives the option to have lights and speakers integrated into their step though, pretty sweet.
Andre's description of shifting the TC into 4WD was perfect 😂
"It's like, an event." 👍
I would get the 6500 too because I'm a Truck Driver and everything on it is similar to a semi truck but In a small version the hood opens the same as a semi truck lots of room to work on the engine components. I would put a pickup bed on it swap those small car mirrors to chrome trucker mirrors swap the wheels to aloys and put bigger tires and do a HighCountry interior...
My dad’s 2003 7.3 powerstroke ZF6 xlt 4x4 crew cab short bed was 60k back in 02. Sad but true. Nowadays that’s an 80k truck. He just got a new 6.7 F-350 super cab long bed 4x4 and it was an about 65k. If you can configure your own, it’s still possible to get a decent price on a 3/4 to 1 ton truck from ford and I’d assume you can do the same with GM and Ram
We use the 6500 as the body for our larger Ambulances at my company. I personally love them
I like how Alex got andre,s truck doesn't have cruise control in the conversation 😂😂
Ouch.
Never forget
I can't believe they even make a vehicle without cruise control anymore!
For some reason, "Allison" by Elvis Costello is now playing in my head. Great entertaining video, guys! "🎶My aim is true!🎶"
Yeah ford and dodge use solid front axle... GM has been using IFS for years and if you are in rough terrain consistently the front ends used to fall apart real fast.
Great video guys! One other advantage of the new 2024s is that guys are trading their low mileage 2020 to 2023 HDs in to get a nicer interior. This allows folks like me more options to find a better deal on depreciated, lightly used trucks
These "you didn't know existed" headlines just means you didn't know. Real folks know these things.
Proud to be an American Working Man this morning. Another great vid to start the day. Thanks TFL Truck guys
It’s funny people with high paying jobs don’t publicly say I’m proud to be a lawyer or I’m proud to be a doctor this morning🤦🏻♂️
@@Captndarty because those are miserable jobs generally?
@@JoseDiaz-qw7mg because of humility. People often overcompensate their pride and happiness when they’re super fat or blue color.
@@JoseDiaz-qw7mg Being a doctor is a miserable job? Doctors aren't proud of the life-saving work they often do?
@@anthonyc1883 not where I live. Underpaid, held hostage by the health insurance companies, with facilities that will make you cry. Many of them are leaving because of the poor conditions
The dealer can sell them without a body. You'll save quite a bit of money by bringing your truck to a body outfitter yourself. On just a flatbed dump for a 3500 cab and chassis I saved $10k.
I just bought all of them from that dealer.......I wish ... but back in the 2000 I owned 5 Chevrolet Silverado 's and a s10 boss truck.extended cab 4x4. They were the years you can still get that wt 2500 lt reg cab z71 with that HG Country front end . ,KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.....😅 MAYBE AFTER I SELL MY HOME IN NJ I WANT TO BE A EMPLOYEES OF TFLTRUCK... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK UNTIL THE NEXT TIME.😊
Andre on the 6500 driveshaft it's not a Balancer it's the parking brake.
I love the sequential turn signals on the high end models
Amazing video! That dealer is very nice to let you drive their trucks like that!
White paint is the cheapest and best for hot weather/parking outside
I think the white is also popular because it’s easy to touch up with spray paint when work trucks get banged up.
White is actually the cheapest paint to make, that is why you see it on so many fleet vehicles.
I just bought a nearly identical 3500 high country. I love the truck, but it has a few annoyances. It would be perfect if GM fixed these. (Albeit, I have not towed with it yet)
1) The Bose audio is less than premium. It's probably better than the base audio.
2) The seats look, but don't feel like high line. Pretty firm.
3) Zero 12v outlets. I get this in a family car, but not in a truck.
4) Can't see a numerical coolant temp gauge. Feels like the engineers are either hiding something or don't understand towing.
5) Rear seats don't fold flat. I'm sure this is a safety thing, but coming out of a GMT800 I really miss that.
Great video guys!
Gmt800 were some of the best trucks
The Petro and TA truck stops specialize in the Cummins repairs.
My dad use a to have a 2009 6500 it had luxury sears I loved that thing man
Newer semi-trucks/gvwr vehicles 26k+ are all air brakes/transmissions, but the older machines can be hybrid hydraulic/air or pure hydraulic. When you go to take the clp-a (commercial learners permit) test in Nevada, you have to request the air brake endorsement, and combination endorsement separately. All of the tests have overlapping knowledge requirements from the other endorsements, but are graded separately.
Manufactures IMO need to STOP making changes for the sake of changing crap for the new year. Make a truck, box frame, durable drive train, with more than enough cooling for the engine and transmission, keep everything simple, I do NOT need or really want messaging heated and cooled friggin seats! I do not need most of the gimmicky bull crap, I want physical HVAC controls and radio controls! build a solid work truck, in huge massive numbers, keep it simple reliable durable, and DO NOT CHANGE IT unless it NEEDS to be changed, so in quantity you can massively reduce the cost to manufacture! 55k for a low end full size HD gas burning pickup is insane
And I’m not saying don’t make these $ trucks but in addition to, having a low cost durable full size AND do the same thing for a small truck like bring back the S10 and do the same thing, if you got a full size like above in the mid 30k range and a S10 that’s durable and reliable well built like above but simple and not changing a low 20k S10, I’d be all over that like a bun on a hotdog.
They did, but you weren’t buying. So they catered to who was.
Exactly. Every year they change things. They just care about money and shareholders. I hope it bites them back big time.
The automotive industry peaked in the 2010s. Nowadays they've run out of actually useful features, so they add stupid expensive gimmicks instead to pretend they're "updated."
@@yissibiiyte You know they said similar things in 2010 about cars in the 90s right? Every 10 years the same conversation gets recycled. It is the same concept as parents hating their kids music.
@@djb1634 alright, let's compare the W222 S-class of the 2010s to the current W223.
The W222 debuted with road-sensing suspension, the first car ever with only LED lighting, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, rear wheel steering to name a few.
The W223 debuted with rear seat airbags and... that's pretty much it. It also replaced all the previous gen's buttons and haptic controls with touchscreens or capacitive controls, which are cheaper and harder to use. Unless you call cost-cutting an innovation, it is clearly incomparably less impressive than it's predecessor was, yet costs substantially more. A sentence that applies to practically every modern car when compared to it's previous gen.
Also, it’s been said that the WT trims are derated in power due to being commonly used for fleet vehicles.
The big thing on the pinion of the rear axle is the e brake not a balance thing.
Those are some great trucks. But I'll keep the 4th gen 6.0 without AFM/DFM in my w/t trimmed 3500HD.
To my understanding, repair shops at truck stops won’t touch a Ram with a Cummins neither nor even change a tire. I’ve heard they only service class 8 vehicles.
I'd love to see you guys do a $70k used tow rig challenge comparing a 3500 dually vs Class 5 vs Class 8. You can buy really nice used Class 8 for under $70k. This is the decision I've been trying to make. I currently live in a diesel pusher motorhome but I'm selling it and buying a 5th wheel. I think this would be great content for the channel. You could even do an Ike Gauntlet towing a 20k Lbs. 5th wheel.
I bought a 2024 F350 SRW 6.7 HO Platnium Tremor short bed to tow a 2024 Brinkley Z3610. Loaded up we are pushing 18k pounds. I am just within limits all the way around other than tow capacity. I absolutely love this set up. When I am not towing the truck is my daily. I wanted to be able to use car washes and still park in normal parking spots. The F450’s are cool but they are also long and wide. There is my two cents on the subject. TFL helped a lot with my decision.
We Love the Brinkley too!
How is the hell is a high country a basic truck?? The 2500 was a great bit
@24:50... That's the parking brake. Also, very few states, if any, require an air brake endorsement any more. All CDL's are based on GCVWR. The Feds say no special license is needed for a vehicle under 26001 Lbs. GCVWR with air brakes. @25:50... Just the tip. The exhaust is 3". @28:40... This is why so many people buy the F450. It's the only pickup available with the wide front axle and high angle steering.
I was about to comment about the parking brake, most Japanese trucks like a Hino or Isuzu a similar size have a similar drum behind the gearbox like a RangeRover classic.
For a truck channel not knowing that is extremely poor.
They (Japanese trucks) also have air or air over hydraulic brakes, an air brake endorsement is fuking ridiculous to drive any truck equiped, the 6500 should be air or air over hydraulic.
In my country there's a famous accident in the early 60's with a 49 Mack bus with failed hydraulic brakes that killed around 30 people, couldn't really blame Mack but poor maintenance.
Actually the 6500 could be illegal here without airbrakes.
Love from New Zealand.
The air brakes endorsement was just to teach you how to adjust your brakes and all the trucks now have automatic slack adjusters so no need for this anymore.
Well, I have my Class A CDL and drive a Freightliner Cascadia, I can drive this lol
All the medium duty trucks have old interiors...... I rented a early 2000s Ford dump truck one time and it had early 80s interior in it.... I was blown away
I completely tune out when you guys start talking about number of cameras, touchscreens, and driver-assist systems. They add to the cost without adding to the value.
Once you get larger than 1500/2500/3500 mass-market pickup trucks, the bragging point changes. Weekend recreational truckers brag about horsepower. Full-time truckers brag about uptime. So don't talk down the 350 hp Duramax in the 6500.
Facts. Uptime and fuel efficiency are the two most important factors when looking at a commercial vehicle. Torque is a nice safety feature for pulling out into traffic, but horse power only effects how fast the truck goes, and the faster you're going, the more fuel you're burning.
I expect the dually has cruise control - explains why Andre chose that one !
They used Allison transmission in the early 2000s behind the 8100 vortec...but was a 6spd I think
When Chevy first came out withe these trucks it was just the 4500 & 5500 on 19.5 inch wheels. They announced the 6500 and we were hoping for a more capable truck with 22.5 inch wheels, but we were disappointed. GM needs a 26,000 lb 7500 & a 33,000 lb 8500 model for dump trucks & municipal plow trucks and to compete with the F650 & F750.
I love that 2500 HD. I also love the 3500 HD.
I wanna see them do a 2024 dually(HD) vs a early 2000 dually(HD)
White is easier to sell when it comes to fleet vehicles, and easier to sell when they are used. As a few people already pointed out, the drum on the axle is the parking brake. Also, since the 6500 is a commercial truck, they don't update the interiors as often. Medium duty trucks also share the same frame specs, so if you have a service box bolted to a truck that the cab is totaled out on you can just bolt the service bed to a new truck with no modifications because frames are all standard.
I think between 2000 and the current model Kenworth T800 the dash has changed maybe three times, and the basic cab shape has only changed once. I can tell you between 2007 and 2023 the dash in a Mack Granite has only had one change. How many updates or major changes to the big three's pickups in that same time frame? Dodge was still making the 2nd Gen in 2000.
I’m not in the market for anything, but it would be interesting to see a video about GM cab over engine trucks.
You were talking about needing a crew crab for pulling a trailer. It seems to me that most people that get one to pull a trailer get a short bed. That is only just over 2" longer than a standard cab with a long bed. And if you are not pulling a trailer, you can't haul much. So if you are actually looking for a work truck, a standard cab long bed is the best.
Man you guys don’t know anything about the trucks you’re looking at. Seeing you talk about the 6500 is adorable.
If I were to go do Hotshot trucking? I'd full out and get the 5500 Silverado. I have a CDL-A already so no biggie.
0:08 the best part ever 😂 hilarious Alex well done. The curb parts were my other favorite. Good test. Ps Andre your a great boss
Thank you for the kind words.
Don't see many single cab 8 foot beds around here, local dealer has none on the lot ever, They say no one wants them. You should show off the cab forward trucks sometime, The 6500 and 7500 have Cummins in them.
2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025?
Which year should I buy new off the dealer lot for the most $$ off MSRP is the question one should consider.
White paint pigment is titanium dioxide which is really cheap compared to other colors so never the upcharge. Saves a lot of money if you're buying a fleet of vehicles and that's a good point on making your business logo stand out too.
Love the look of a nice clean white truck.
aack! the tailgate step on the 08-16 super dutys was game changing but the stripper pole had to go. now chevy has reimagined it in a different erect position.
Medium Duty trucks typically are never rated higher than 350hp no matter what engine they have and that huge drum that was on the rear diff is actually the parking brake. Medium duty trucks with hydraulic brakes typically have the parking brake on the driveshaft.
have a 23 high country 2500 and while I kind of miss the new interior I had in the 1500 I have to say I prefer my front grill over the new one....just not a fan of the lights of new gen
I missed the old kodiak forty five hundred where they came looking like irregular pickup.
That 6500 is in the range called "Hot shot" this term lies between heavy duty and full bore semi trucks
I have never seen a drive threw that I could not go threw and the drive up Bank’s are the tightest .
The drum close to the rear end is the parking brake. As far as the special license for air brakes, you don’t need one in the state I live in just as long as the gvwr is under 26,001
Here in Georgia we don’t need special licenses for that too, I work in a towing company and usually use a Hino flatbed with brake discs(!) in the four corners, but we have a international backup truck with a air brake system
Love to see you IKE the 6500
The 6500 would be a hotshot trucking monster
Well truck stops like loves typically do not work on the cummins in the Ram due to hardware connection so it's to the dealer for these trucks
I think it's hilarious when any time they're doing a review they remind andre that he didn't get cruise control😂
The best bang for the buck is the Custom. The 4 banger is fine for 90% of people. “Needing” the V8 if you aren’t towing is silly. The best bang for the buck overall is the 2500 Chevy Custom. Mid 50k for a 2500 is a steal compared the $$90k price tags on some other trims.
That High Country badge gets super hot on summer days and can be painful if you rest your arm on it. Looks good but not best place for it there on the armrest.
Back in 2016, Ford was introducing their next generation of full-sized trucks with I think 150 to 550 now having aluminum bodies. No idea if 650 and higher did or not. I went onto Ford's website to see how high I could get the price to go and topped out a little over $90,000. This was likely a 450 or 550 with everything I could add. I joked that it won't be too long before the price is well over 100,000, ..., well here we are. I can't get too mad at the companies raising prizes, got to with inflation, but if it's not a company truck, I'm not buying a 2-door for $53k, even if it had a diesel. To me, that Truck is worth under $40k. Hell, even under $30k. I got to have a 4 door. All my dad had was 2 doors, and that got old really fast.
I’ve seen those Chevy 6500s with international badges
Might need a 6 foot ladder for those truck-washes.
these look like sensible daily drivers
In fact they’re a daily driver for people that use them for work in a daily basis
They never said what size engines in the 2500 HD.
Chevy needs to add the 5500 and 6500 to their build and price
Stay tuned next week where we take this beast for our first ever show exclusive Ike test, never done before on this channel.
Doesn't recommend a regular cab for towing heavy but to actually tow heavy you need the regular cab to actually have the needed payload to tow with the proper weight distribution.
Yes the 3500 is going to have a higher payload because its a different class of truck. The max payload with the base work truck is like 7,4000 lbs so you lose almost 2,000 lbs of payload with the high country over the W/T
Yeah a new 2024 gas 2 door base model 2500 now costs what a 2019 high country diesel crew cab cost new. That 2door base model should cost $40k.
A 2500 Duramax Max Tow is a beast!