Pick A Broad-Shouldered Truck: 2005 Chevy Suburban vs 2005 GMC Sierra

Good morning! Today’s platform of choice is the mighty GMT800, which, though GM executives and engineers may not want to hear it, may very well have been “peak truck.” Or at least peak GM truck; they haven’t really improved on these in the past twenty years. These friendly beasts of burden regularly top a quarter-million miles without breaking a sweat. They’re also comfortable, easy to live with, and devoid of the gimmicky bullshit that ruins so many modern trucks.

Yesterday’s platform of choice was not nearly as beloved, or durable. I know K-cars are no one’s favorite, but you were all good sports about it. As I suspected would be the case, the newer Dodge Spirit took the win, despite some reservations about its brush with a bad mechanic.

Between these two, I think I’d rather have the LeBaron, actually. It wouldn’t be my first choice of K-car convertible; I’d rather have a Dodge 600 ES with the turbo 2.2, but it looks like a nice comfy car. It’s a bona-fide piece of automotive history as well; it’s the car that brought convertibles back to US showrooms, which is kind of cool.

I know some people don’t want to acknowledge this, but a full-size pickup or SUV is a damn handy thing to have around. Yeah, the fuel economy sucks, and you have to be mindful of your edges in parking lots, but it’s just nice to know that if you need to haul something, or tow something, you can just do it, without worry. Which shape you choose depends on what you need it for. Need lots of seats? Pick an SUV. Need to haul messy stuff? Get a pickup. Either way, you can’t go too far wrong with a good old GMT800. Today we’re going to look at one of each shape, and you can decide which one works better for you.

2005 Chevrolet Suburban LS – $4,995

Engine/drivetrain: 5.3-liter OHV V8, four-speed automatic, 4WD

Location: Salinas, CA

Odometer reading: 219,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

The Chevy Suburban is a big vehicle, no doubt about it, but the funny thing about it is that it doesn’t really feel excessive. It’s an easygoing vehicle, completely unpretentious, but massively capable. If you can do the work, you don’t have to go around shouting about it. It’ll haul eight people, tow five thousand pounds, and slog through snow or mud with its part-time 4WD system, but it will also do everyday grocery runs with no trouble at all. No wonder these have been popular for decades.

The beating heart of this big beast is a 5.3 liter V8 making a healthy 295 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque. It’s not even the biggest or most powerful option that was available, but I think you’ll find it’s plenty. It drives a 4L60E overdrive automatic and a part-time 4WD transfer case with a low range. It’s being sold by a dealer, so we don’t get many details, but it sounds like it runs and drives just fine.

Suburbans come in a few different interior configurations. This one has a split bench seat in the front, and a third row of seats, for a full eight-passenger capacity, just like your grandma’s old Country Squire. It’s in very good condition, especially for the mileage, but I know the electrical systems in these things, and I would imagine a few things have stopped working over the years. Luckily, all the stuff to fix them is still available.

I specifically chose California cars for today, because GMT800s do have a tendency to rust. You won’t find one of these with intact rocker panels and rear quarter panels here in Michigan (except the Yukon in our garage, which came from Oregon). I see one dent on the tailgate, but everything else looks really good.

2005 GMC Sierra SLE 1500 – $3,350

Engine/drivetrain: 5.3-liter OHV V8, four-speed automatic, RWD

Location: Santa Clara, CA

Odometer reading: 200,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

The pickup version of the GMT800 came out a year ahead of the SUVs, in 1999. At first, only regular and extended cabs were available, like the previous GMT400 trucks. But eventually, two different four-door cabs were offered: one with “suicide doors” and no B-pillars, like a Honda Element, and this crew cab version, with traditional rear doors. You lose some bed length going for the crew cab, but you gain the ability to use it like a normal car, which is why this bodystyle has become the de facto truck shape.

This truck has the same 5.3-liter V8 and 4L60E transmission as the Suburban, but it’s only rear-wheel-drive. That’s not a big deal in most situations, and it makes maintenance and repair a whole lot more straightforward. The pickup version, whether 2WD or 4WD, also has a different rear suspension than the SUVs; it has traditional leaf springs in place of links and coil springs. The seller says it has been worked hard, but it’s still going strong. It just passed a smog test, too.

Work trucks see more wear and tear than family SUVs, and that’s the case here. The seat boslter is worn through, the armrest is delaminating, and there are some scuffs and scratches here and there. But it’s only a two-owner truck, and the seller says neither owner smoked in it, which is not always the case with old work trucks. My truck smelled like an ashtray inside when I first got it.

It’s a little banged-up outside, but stuff happens when you’re working a truck hard. It’s nothing that will keep you from using it as a truck, of course, except maybe the missing tailgate handle. Those seem to break easily on these trucks, but they’re cheap to replace. It has a custom dual exhaust, which I’m sure sounds good; the 5.3 has a nice rumble to it anyway.

Big trucks like these don’t make great only vehicles, due to the size and fuel consumption, but they are awfully handy things to have around as an extra car. Older ones like these are particularly useful, especially if you can buy them for cash and keep minimal insurance on them. And if you’re looking for such a truck, I highly recommend any flavor of GMT800. Which one of these would fit better into your life?