Buying an 01 Chevy 2500 HD

Frozenhosehead · 03-21-2007, 03:30 PM

I was just wondering what everyone's opinion might be on this vehicle? I am currently in the process of buying the following vehicle, here in Alaska and I put down some money on a 2001 Chevy 2500 HD Crewcab LS with 6.6 Duramax and only 34,500 miles. The person needs to pay off his loan for a divorce and he gave it to Affordable used cars here in Fairbanks on consignment. I got the carfax report and it is clean and if everything goes through I will be the fourth owner. The truck is in really good shape as you can see from the pictures below and runs and sounds good to me. I have it scheduled to go to a local shop called the Diesel Doctor here in Fairbanks for a free pre-purchase vehicle inspection on Thursday. This is the truck I have have been lusting after for a long time

Since I wrecked my 97 GMC 32500 7.4L 454 last week this truck showed up on the lot about 6 days after and I think that this truck was meant to be. This will be my third GM truck and 2nd Chevy and all have been a GREEN color of some sort.

I feel the 23K I am spending for it is a great deal and is alot less than other newer models with short or long boxes or gas engines with more miles or not a crewcab are going for in the area, except for the Dodge 2500 next to it but the wife didn't like it and I am glad to be sticking with a GM product. They were asking 25,995.00 for it but they accepted my offer and I am just waiting for my financing to go through. I think this will be a great vehicle for me as a new diesel owner.

I have been around diesels a long time on the farm and the firehouse but never owned one so any advice or info would be greatly appreciated.

Brad

**ob_1jr** · 03-21-2007, 05:27 PM

You will love that truck...it looks good and miles are pretty low. The only worries would be injectors, but they are covered for a little longer depending on when it was first put into service. (7yr/200,000 miles) Make sure that the Diesel doctor checks the injector balance rates. I would also check the oil for diesel fuel. I don't think you will have any problems with it though since it has low miles and the circumstances on the owner getting rid of it. Let us know how it goes.

**aggar** · 03-21-2007, 06:53 PM

Hey sounds like a hell of a deal. I'd buy it if it were down here. I was gonna say about $22-23k would be good. Low miles and looks to be in excellent shape. I'd lose the Topper if it were me. Does the coke can on the front tire cost extra? lol. J/K. Goodluck and keep us updated. Welcome to the site!

Frozenhosehead · 03-22-2007, 08:49 AM

I had to put my spit can down

to take the picture. I will leave the topper on for a while until I am ready to put the slide in camper in for the summer and then put the topper back on in the winter to keep my ice fishing gear from getting snowed on. I just don't care all that much for the snow in the bed.

**bnkrupt** · 03-22-2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frozenhosehead

I had to put my spit can down

to take the picture.

LOL you're telling me you diesel boys cant gut in Alaska?? thats a classic!

the truck looks good, buy it and we will help you pick out some mods! what do you want the truck to "do" puller, daily driver, Sunday rig... ect!

you are at the right place for Duramax help! WELCOME to the DuramaxFourm!!

Frozenhosehead · 03-22-2007, 12:08 PM

Well since I'm a

firefighter

I get enough stuff in my body and don't need the extra help of some Kodiak or Grizzly jousling around in my pits. Getting back to what ob_1jr was saying about checking the injector balance that is going to cost 140 bucks and I told them if the mechanic feels they need to be checked then I would think about it. I explained to them the rest of the issues I was told about or have read about on here like the cruise high idle and the cold temp sensornot working after not hearing the rig idle up after it was started with an auto start. So they should hopefully give it a good once over

I hope.

Now bnkrpt, I just want a cool rumbleish whistling sounding rig that can handle pulling the slide in camper and toy hauler up and down our roads and mtns. or dirt and rocks in the bed. I would like for it to get good fuel mileage (a wife requirement) going to and from work or to go fishing or whatever especially since I like to romp

on down the road 65-70 mph. So we will see and take it from there. I already have another set of tires for it off my other GMC which are Toyo Open Country 265/75/R16 siped I will either put my existing riderite airbags on this one or just get an entire new setup of the 5000lb bags for the rear of the truck.

Thanks for all the help so far and I'm glad to be here.

Brad

**ob_1jr** · 03-22-2007, 04:34 PM

I wish I was up there right now...I could do it with my predator for free. (I am at Elmo in the NCOA until 30 March). I think what the diesel doctor would do would be to check your return rates too, but I am not positive on that. Your truck will not run the idle up unless you have the mod that I replied to you about. It is not automatic, you have to push the set button twice to get it to rev up to 1200 rpms.

Frozenhosehead · 03-22-2007, 05:02 PM

Probably by the time you get back up here I will have my truck. I just talked to the doctor and they said the left rear seal was leaking and the power steering and also about the rough running at a cold start is probably a problem with the injectors. It's a 140 for the injector balance and also to run the codes but does not include a pressure test.

Talk to you later. I have to do do some auto salvage on the old truck before it's to late.

**ob_1jr** · 03-22-2007, 07:10 PM

My truck runs pretty rough if I don't plug it in and that is when it isn't too cold. Down here in Anchorage it hasn't been that cold, but with the truck sitting outside all the time, well, needless to say it didn't like it too much. I also run synthetic oil and it made no difference. So, now my truck just stays plugged in since they don't have the policy about plugging in down here at Elmendorf. I can hook you up with the injector balance rates and to pull codes after I get back.

Frozenhosehead · 03-23-2007, 08:59 PM

My friend told me that he got Auto Trim Design to get his truck to high idle after he started it with his one way remote. Don't know if that's possible after we did that upgrade or not because he has an electonic high idle. I also talked to the Chevy dealer about the warranty and gave them the vin. They said only the cat til 2009 and my tailgate cables with the recall is all he had right now. No factory extended warranty is availbale because it's to late. I asked about the injectors and he said to bring it buy and they would look into it

Have to drive 800 round trip in one day to pick up my uncle in Anchorage who is coming in from Cali. That will be one long day, would be nice if I had the truck taken care from the car dealer to drive it there and back