- pickup
- Forest, MS
-
- autoshopper.com
- pickup diesel grey automatic
2003 chevrolet silverado 2500 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Substantial changes improve one of the best. introductionchevrolet's full-size pickups get an edgy new look this year. Silverado's aggressive stance is jolting for drivers used to conservative-looking chevy pickups, but it's an evolutionary change and one that was needed. We'll get used to it. hidden beneath are considerable changes. Chevrolet silverado boasts more than 40 major changes for 2003. New audio and climate controls are easier to use and more sophisticated, the latter available with well-designed digital controls. Other changes are harder to discern, but are important from reliability and engineering standpoints, such as the all-new electrical system that eliminates thick bundles of wires and hundreds of connections. V8 engines offer improved throttle response and reliability and reduced emissions, while v6 engines deliver better performance and reduced emissions. (some of these changes were actually made mid-cycle to the 2002 models.) chevy silverado continues to be one of the best full-size trucks available. It shares that crown with the similar gmc sierra. Boxed and hydroformed frame rails give the gm trucks a strong, rigid platform. Silverado is a highly capable truck. It rides, handles, and stops as well as, maybe better than, the best of them. It's quick and it's comfortable. These are still full-size work trucks, however, so don't expect a cadillac ride. technology is really improving life with full-size pickups. Stabilitrak, an anti-skid system, improves driver control in avoidance maneuvers and on slick surfaces. Three trim levels are available: base, ls, and lt. Full-width fleetside beds are standard, but retro sportside beds are available for selected models. payload capacities vary. The 2500-series models offer payloads in the 2600- to 3200-pound range. silverado 1500 models are available with a 4. 3-liter v6, 4. 8-liter v8, or 5. 3-liter v8. 2500 models and the 1500 hd crew cab are powered exclusively by the 6. 0-liter v8. The 1500 hd model combines light-duty 1500-series styling in a heavy-duty six-passenger crew cab with a 300-horsepower vortec v8. (2500hd and 3500 models are covered in a separate new car test drive review.) silverado ss is a special high-performance model equipped with a high-output vortec 6000 designed for exhilarating off-line acceleration. Ss gets a unique high-performance z60 chassis package, 20-inch wheels and tires, full-time all-wheel drive, a lower, wider stance, and special exterior and interior trim. options include xm satellite radio, which provides cd-quality broadcast of 100 digital channels coast to coast, a bose sound system. Crew cab models offer a panasonic dvd passenger entertainment system and rear-seat audio controls. Dual-level frontal air bags are designed to provide an appropriate amount of inflation based on the severity of the crash. It looks similar to the avalanche sport-utility truck, but the trailblazer suv and even the big express van sport the new look. The upcoming replacement for the s-10 compact pickup, called the chevy colorado, will sport a similar look. most noticeable are the new headlights, which angle down at the top, making them look like knitted eyebrows. The grille features a large band running across the middle with a big gold chevy bow tie in the center. It's all smoothly integrated into the front end with the redesigned headlamps. Silverado's new aerodynamically styled hood suggests power and strength and works with the headlights for an almost menacing appearance. Front tow hooks and fog lamps are recessed into the front bumper. along the sides are new front fenders, new body side moldings, and a new wheel line-up. In back, bulging taillamps boast a fresh design that maintains the chevrolet family look yet clearly identifies it as a new silverado. Models with quadrasteer have bulging rear fenders. the doors and door openings are large. Big door handles make getting in easy. Puddle lamps mounted beneath the big side mirrors light the ground along the sides of the truck, handy in the woods and in the city. Running lights on the roof, tailgate, and leading and trailing edges of the bulging rear fenders on some models add visibility for improved safety. Indentations molded into the bed allow use of boards to form two-tier loading and bulkhead dividers. The silverado's load floor is 31. 6 inches above the ground on 2wd models, 33. 7 on 4wd. Short boxes are 78. 7 inches long; long boxes are 97. 6 inches long. Fleetside boxes are 60. 2 inches wide (at the floor); sportside boxes measure 49. 1 inches wide. All boxes are 50 inches wide between the wheel housings. a pro-tec composite box is available for silverado 1500 extended cab short box models. Pro-tec is a nearly indestructible material that's lighter and stronger than steel and resists dents and never rusts. Pro-tec silverado tailgates can support a lot more weight than steel tailgates. . interiorthe chevy silverado is roomy and comfortable. Available in cloth or vinyl, the standard front bench is comfortable and can seat three, giving extended cab and crew cab models capacity for six people. Split 40/20/40, the middle part of the bench folds down to become a center console armrest. There's plenty of head room, leg room, hip room, and shoulder room. available bucket seats are comfortable and adjust every which way. Both the premium cloth and the leather are nice. The seats are separated by a deep center console that holds lots of stuff. The top of the lid features a nice rubber-lined indention handy for small items. It would be even better if the rubber would be an insert that could be removed for cleaning. It would be better still if the top of the console wasn't angled forward: lay a clipboard there and it'll slide off. a redesigned instrument panel for 2003 includes a large speedometer and tachometer. Smaller gauges to the right display oil pressure, water temperature, fuel quantity, battery charge. Heavy-duty models with the heavy-duty trailering package come with a transmission temperature gauge on the left. All use highly legible white-on-black graphics. Headlamps and taillamps turn on automatically when it gets dark. It's more attractive and more sophisticated than the previous system, but just as easy to use. New dual-zone climate controls are standard. Sliders are used to adjust the temperature on base models with manual controls. Better are the available electronic climate controls, which use two large knobs for driver and passenger. A large led displays the mode and fan settings. It's a well-engineered system that's sophisticated, yet easy to operate. Xm satellite radio is a good option for people who want minimal blab interrupting their music or listen to dedicated news or sports channels. We wouldn't want to ride across the state in the back seat, but three adults can ride in reasonable comfort back there. Most of the time, the back seat is used for cargo. Alternatively, the seat bottom can be flipped up to load gear onto the floor. When cargo capacity is more important than hauling passengers, the entire rear seat assembly can be removed with a wrench and lifted out through the door. the back seats in crew cab models are roomy and very comfortable, similar to those in a suburban. The rear seats can be flipped down to provide a big, secure cargo area. This is a great truck for someone who wants a roomy rear seat with interior cargo space and big trailer-towing capability. . driving impressionrevised for 2003, the chevrolet silverado is among the best of the full-size pickups. silverado feels tight and quiet. There's little road noise and wind noise. Those are benefits of the stiff frame, which minimizes noise and vibration from the running gear. The cab is stiffened by a magnesium beam behind the instrument panel and a lateral steel beam between the magnesium beam and the r. Heated Seats✔ Tachometer✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Bucket Seats
Forest, MSForest, MS at autoshopper.com