Overview & Reviews
The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 has long been the monster hauler in the Silverado lineup. Serving as the go-to vehicle for towing and hauling huge loads across America, a 3500 "dually" is a truck that many people consider essential for tugging a Boston Whaler or the family's fifth-wheel Coachmen.
Although Chevrolet has used the "Silverado" name as a trim level on its old C/K pickup, it didn't decide to make it an official full-size truck name until 1999. Even then, it wasn't applied to the 3500 until Chevy's heavy-duty pickup trucks were completely redesigned a couple of years later. (Further information about the current-generation 3500, the 3500HD, is available here.)
While the Silverado 3500 could have benefited from better interior materials, its durability and tremendous hauling and towing abilities have kept generations of Chevy loyalists coming back to the gold bowtie. For shoppers interested in a used heavy-duty pickup that can take on just about any towing or hauling task, the Chevy Silverado 3500 is a solid choice.
Most Recent Chevrolet Silverado 3500
The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 was sold from 2001-'06 and lived for one final year in 2007 as the "3500 Classic." These trucks came in standard, LS and LT trim levels. Changes to this truck were minimal during its run. There were updates made to exterior styling and the interior for 2003, while a Work Truck trim was added for 2004. Further exterior tweaks were made for 2005. For 2006, there were three variations of the LT trim level. The 3500 was initially available only with dual rear wheels until the 2004 model year, when a regular rear axle version debuted.
The standard engine on the Chevy Silverado 3500 was a 6.0-liter V8 that made 300 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. There were two optional engines: an 8.1-liter gasoline V8 producing 340 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque and a 6.6-liter turbodiesel producing 300 hp and 520 lb-ft. This diesel was upgraded in 2006 for more power and refinement and fewer emissions. It was rated at 360 hp and a whopping 650 lb-ft of torque. These engines carried over for the Classic. A five-speed manual transmission was standard with the 6.0-liter V8, with a four-speed automatic being optional. The 8.1-liter V8 and the diesel engines came with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. (It became a six-speed for 2006.)
As is the case with the current 3500HD, we were always impressed by this generation's powerful engine lineup and substantial towing and hauling abilities. It was a reasonably comfortable truck for everyday use, but don't expect the plush ride of its light-duty siblings. Any of the three available engines will provide swift acceleration (for a huge truck) and ample towing power, but the diesel V8 is probably the best choice for those who tow heavy loads -- especially if it's the updated version. Our principal beef with the Silverado 3500 concerned the shoddy interior design, materials and build quality. Chevy improved it gradually during its lifespan, but it was never quite up to snuff.
Past Chevrolet Silverado 3500 models
The previous-generation Chevrolet heavy-duty pickups ran from 1988-2000 and were simply known by their number nomenclature -- 2500 (3/4-ton) and 3500 (1-ton). In keeping with tradition, one could choose either rear-wheel drive (indicated by a "C", e.g. "C3500") or four-wheel drive (indicated by a "K"). Trim levels for these C/K3500 trucks include the base Cheyenne and top-line Silverado, which later changed to base and LS for 1999. Strengths of these trucks include strong, durable powertrains, while weaknesses center on sketchy build quality and materials within the cabin.
User Reviews:
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3500 Silverado Dually - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By Fred Thomas - December 20 - 12:36 pmI recently purchased a Silverado 3500 Vortex Diesel 6.6. I find this vehicle to be responsive and a pure pleasure to drive. The interior of this truck fits a person of my stature. My wife enjoys the heated seats, the OnStar feature, the leather interior and the DVD player. My future endeavor with my vehicle will be to see how a 39 foot Montana fifth wheel trailer is pulled. Cant wait. I recently took it out of town about 300 miles pulling through the grapevine, was a dream while leaving the other vehicles in my rear view mirror. Looking forward to taking it to the snow in Nevada. I looked at the rest and this is the best.
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Chevys Rule - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By Lauren - October 25 - 9:26 amI have put the Banks powerpak and the exaust system on this truck, and it is unbeleivable. The Allison transmission is great and has saved my life many times by stopping my 9 horse rig. Awesome truck!
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Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By KH - September 9 - 9:06 pmWe love our truck! We pull a 4 horse trailer everywhere with it and really dont even feel it back there, even fully loaded. It is solid, runs great, and looks good going down the road.
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Reliable - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By dickies320 - August 23 - 10:00 amThis truck is reliable and can pull anything. A great buy and a good truck to drive.
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Chev 3500 4x4 Dually - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By Bubba Camper - March 12 - 2:00 amNever had any problems with this truck, which I use to commute to work and carry my Lance 1161 model camper. Gas mileage is 9 MPG without the camper and about 8 MPG with the camper. Power to spare. Can be a rought ride on a bumpy road.
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Duramax 360hp 650 torque stock - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By Rich - March 4 - 2:23 pmIf anything, better than my 2002 2500 hd 4door long bed. Pulls my Montana 5th wheel like a dream, and as a new vehicle not broken in, I got nearly 11mpg between Albany and Syracuse, NY, but down to 9 through the Catskills. Most comfortable seats ever (my other car is a Ford ambulance). It seems to be the quietest diesel out there. OnStar is great and hooks right in with Verizon with the family plan. OnStar safe and sound is great. Love the heated seats, and the dual zone AC is great. It means the wife and I are both comfortable. The DVD keeps the grand kids occupied. Multiple mode sound means I listen to my CDs, the kiddies can use wireless for the movie, and 2 headphones for others.
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Awesome - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By racer_1 - February 26 - 2:00 amDamn nice truck....best on the road
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Engine warranty - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By mike - October 31 - 12:33 pmThis is a work truck and a daily driver. I tow a 7500 lb trailer 300-700 miles per week and it does the job. Mileage: 10 mpg w/ the trailer, 15-17 mpg w/out. Dealer performed all service Duramax diesel head gasket failed at 118k miles. Even after months of negotiations GM REFUSED to honor the Warranty! The repair cost $7500 out of pocket! I CANNOT recommend GM to anyone EVER again!
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Nice ride, too many problems. - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By libertynh - October 31 - 9:50 amTransmission position sensor failed just out of warranty. Truck starting shutting off while driving at 40K. GM no help. Found online info re: bad crank position sensor and replaced to fix. Both problems known to happen on other trucks. Exhaust stud broke and flange warped. Tailgate latch rusted inside gate and does not catch. Transmission slipping after stop and go. Toyota went 3 times as far with no problems.
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Chevy 3500 Crew - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
By Kenneth - September 5 - 1:30 amVery comfortable truck - could enjoy better mileage in this pricing climate. Will PULL ANYTHING and still get decent mileage.
