The Case for the 2.7L Turbo Silverado 1500
Half-ton pickup trucks and the grumble of an off-beat V8 go together like chocolate and peanut butter. There is almost no other way to put it. A vehicle built to tackle your most difficult jobs needs a tough soundtrack to herald the arrival of a low, determined wave of torque that is going to get the job done – whether it is pulling old stumps or your brand new boat. So naturally, pulling up to a light and seeing a Cajun Red Silverado 1500 double cab that sounds like a Singer sewing machine is a bitunnerving.
That juxtaposition of a hard working half ton with all of the bells and whistles and the soundtrack of a Honda Civic is too much for a lot of buyers, and we totally get it. But underneath that dim clatter lies some genuinely great engineering that not only makes the 2.7 powered Silverado 1500 a great contender in the forced induction truck wars, but could also make it the next generation of cheap power junkyard engine swaps much like its 5.3 forefathers. Now it’s time to answer the internets most pertinent questions about Chevrolets forced induction half-ton.
2021 has been a wild ride and there are still a few months left. However, despite the many challenges, we still have a lot to be thankful for as we round the back straight and get on the power towards 22.
We asked around the office and shop for what people were thankful for in 2021, and we got the normal results: health, family, solid employment- things like that. Unfortunately for everyone, that is not very effective keyword bait. So we went back to the drawing board, did some research, and got a little help fromAutoBlogas to what people are actually thankful for!
What are People Actually Thankful for in their Cars?
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto:
Even when you have to plug in, these are two of the most searched features when it comes to any vehicle on the planet. People want to know if their car is going to have this awesome technology that really has taken car-to-phone compatibility to the next level. When bluetooth first came out in cars it was often seen as a major luxury feature, but it was also a pain! You needed a degree in advanced electronics to make it work right in some models.
Now it is so simple your grandmother can use it- and she probably does! We love Apple Carplay and Android auto equally, because they both do exactly what they are designed to do. They both make pairing your car and vehicle for everything from calls to podcasts extremely simple! 53% of people looking for a car are looking for one with Apple Carplay or Android auto depending on where their cell phone allegiances lie.
Remote Start:
Remote start is a feature that is popular when you get to extremes in climate. In places where it gets really hot or really cold- the searches for this feature spike. Here in Rochester you can look out your window right now and figure out why people search for cars with remote start. No one likes getting into a frozen car on a dark morning, after scraping the thing off for half an hour, before having to dig a hole at the end of your driveway so you can get to work!
With remote start though, you can have your interior set to the temperature you like, with the heated seats on- dig yourself out and get straight into a toasty warm car. And that’s without the inevitable avalanche that comes from trying to get into your car to turn it on. Remote start- no avalanche onto your seat and you get into a warm car every time. That’s a win-win.
Heated Seats:
According to our parts department, the first heated seats debuted on the 1966 Cadillac de Ville. Now you can get them on just about anything from the factory instead of just the high end stuff. The aftermarket arena has even made it so that you can put heated seats in older vehicles powered from the cigarette lighter, or wired into the fuse box. Keep this one in mind, because Chevrolet just announced that they are axing heated seats due to a lack of semiconductor components. We’ll tighten you up.
The heated seats on modern cars are far superior to their predecessors. The heating elements get up to temp in a hurry and the heat is evenly distributed throughout. Some of our vehicles even have dual zone heated seats for when you want some heat on your back, but dont need to toast your buns. This is the heavy hitter when it comes to search, with 66% of all people looking for a car looking for one with heated seats.
All Wheel Drive:
Statistically this one can be divided almost straight across the Mason-Dixon. People in the north are very thankful for their AWD and search it almost 10x more often than people in the South. The number of searches involving AWD when you get into snowbelt cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Watertown, and even into the Adirondacks in areas such as Saratoga Springs and Lake Placid.
Why fight it? AWD genuinely makes your life easier especially when it comes to getting into/out of the end of your driveway after the plows go by. 54% of all shoppers are looking for something with AWD, but most of them live somewhere like Rochester!
Blind Spot Monitoring:
For a feature that is relatively quiet (except when it is working and someone is actually in your blindspot) 60% of people who are looking for a car right now are looking for one with blindspot monitoring. That seems really high, but it shows that it is one of the most useful features that we put into cars right now.
Ventilated Seats:
50% of people surveyed have searched for vehicles with this feature and we think that this is probably where the south really comes into the fray with our data sources. Ventilated seats are awesome in Rochester, NY in July and August. In Death Valley California, I would imagine they get used every single day!But we want to hear from you: what features on your car are you most thankful for?
When it comes to some of the high dollar consignment units that we took from one of our favorite auction houses, we have heard absolutely everything. People see the near 6-figure price tags and scoff, that costs more than my first house! and then proceed to tell us about their start in Real Estate.
In many ways it is easy to chalk up the eye-watering price tag to the brutal semiconductor shortage, inflation, and a variety of economic factors that are rapidly driving the price of EVERYTHING up. However, in this article we are going to explore the real reason why these vehicles command such a high price.
A modern philosopher once stated, you can live in a car, but you cant drag race a house! in regards to his first home purchase versus what he wanted to buy (Dodge Hellcat). We cant really dispute the logic there. Yea it wouldnt be fun, and the utility costs get measured in very low MPG figures, but you could do it.
With the High Country 2500HDs that we have though, it’s less about living in it (and Drag Racing) and more about everything you need to pull with it. Sure, you can get a bog standard 2500Hd with a 6.6L gasoline engine starting in the low 50k range. And lets make no bones about it, that is a very good truck. There are a lot of really good reasons why they are all sold before they even arrive at most of the Chevrolet dealerships in Rochester.
However, these bare bones trucks miss out on the key improvement of vehicles over the last few decades: refinement.
This is the main difference between the one for 50k and the one touching 80k. Its not all about the stuff that you get with them, although the features that we are going to get into in a later paragraph are arguably enough to justify the price.
When you get into a base Silverado 2500HD, there is no doubt that you are in a very capable, very sturdy work truck. But it’s that modifier before the word truck that takes center stage. Work. The base 2500HD does all of the things that you want it to, but it doesn’t do it with the same level of poise and intelligence that the uptrim models do.
When you get into the Silverado 2500HD High Country, it feels less like you’re climbing into a truck and more like you’re climbing into a genuine luxury apartment. The seats are well appointed, the space is enormous but well enough laid out that everything falls to hand easily, and it is bristling with technology.
Of course you get the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment, but with an increased screen size and considerably more inputs. There are more cameras on this ton than in some sporting venues, and that comes in handy because these Silverados are BIG. In a crowded parking lot it would be easy to lose a Fiat 500 in one of the wheel wells. Do not fear though. The surround view camera system with the option to project an image of your truck in a 3rd person view on the infotainment screen feels straight out of a Playstation. Additionally, they are set up with multiple trailering cameras to keep whatever youre pulling in line and out of danger.
Speaking of pulling, the real reason behind the cost of these beautiful beasts is the powertrain. Both of our Silverado 2500HD High Countries are equipped with the 6.6L Duramax turbodiesel mated to an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission with power takeoff assist. What does this mean for me? you ask. It increases the torque at takeoff and keeps you in a lower gear to make the turbos spool and give you more power without sacrificing forward momentum or grinding gears. In this configuration, the Silverado 2500HD can tow over 15,000 pounds.
So what? You can get a diesel work truck with the same specs.
Yep, you can and it will do it all with the same level of capability.
The difference comes with the level of comfort while doing all that work. Work smarter, not harder they say. Not a lot of vehicles can do that while still being quiet, comfortable, and offering all the creature comforts you would expect on an upscale Mercedes Benz, and then some! Starting from the driver’s position, all of the seats are heated and the steering wheel is too. The heads up display will give you whatever vehicle data points you want it to without having to take your eyes off the road. The front seats are also air conditioned for those summer months, because the High Country trim package wants you to be as comfortable as humanly possible while you tow a building behind you in all four seasons. The console will charge your phone when you set it down on the charging pad, and there are tons of USB charging ports found throughout that will keep your passengers’ devices charged as well. In the back, the seats are also heated and they have the little smugglers holds in the seatbacks.
We completely get the argument that no one needs any of this stuff. When you need something huge with a ton of towing capacity and low down torque, you dont really care if your seats are heated.
However, as an experience- it’s pretty ridiculous. Here you are, in a truck that weighs well over three-tons, with enough firepower at the disposal of your right foot to pull a bank off its foundation, and the truck is telling you how many RPM its using and the vehicle yaw and orientation on the windshield. All while showing you the 360 degree camera view of whatever youre doing and keeping your back, tush and hands warm or cool. Whatever your little heart may desire.
Bottom line, if your lifestyle requires you to do serious work but you also appreciate good technology, comfort, and safety, finding a new 2500HD or 3500HD is going to be a major pain in the ass. So yea, these used Silverado High Countries might cost more than your first house, but odds are your first house didnt have half the creature comforts these things do.
If you are looking for a new car right now, most dealerships will remind you more of a haunting episode of Scooby-Doo than the target rich environments full of great deals due to the impending model year ending that youre used to. At the time of writing, we do not have a single new vehicle on our lot that we can sell you. Most of them are sold before they get here. Which brings me to my next point:
Ordering a New Chevrolet:
If you want to dramatically increase your odds of getting what you want in a new car in 2021 and well into 2022, your best bet is to order it! Yep, its gotten to that point. Ford has long since announced that they are going to a build-to-order model in order to contend with the incredible shortage of semiconductors across the entirety of the electronics industry. It makes sense. Why would Ford or any automaker possibly lose money on a vehicle when the parts to make them are in such short supply? Therefore, the answer becomes really simple: build the ones that are already sold!
Back in the day, ordering a car was kind of a big deal. Now its really pretty simple. Use an online configuring tool to decide exactly what you want, figure out how much its going to cost, come in and talk to our sales people to finalize the deal, and wait. Depending on the model, some of the wait times are up there, but others are as short as 6 weeks from order date.
The real problem with tracking how long a certain vehicle is going to take to come in is all in allocations. A dealership’s allocation is how many new units of a certain make that they are allowed to order, typically in the span of a month. Obviously, super high demand vehicles that are made in lower production numbers, such as the Corvette, are going to have lower allocation per dealership. However, understanding this will allow you to understand roughly when you are going to get your new car.
The best thing that you can do if you are looking for a new Chevrolet in Rochester NY in 2021 and well into 2022 is to order from Cavallaro-Neubauer Chevrolet Inc. We will let you know if we have an allocation that month for the vehicle that you want, configure it, and get your new car to you as soon as possible!
Whats the Hold Up:
Quite simply put, there have been a lot of factories closed for quite some time. For example, the Fort Wayne plant that makes the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave has been shuttered since the Trump Administration. Luckily for us though, the Silverado 1500 plant is back online, and the Silverado 2500HD plant never fully closed.
Why were the factories closed, you ask? They didnt have parts!
What can you Order:
Absolutely anything. We have a limited number of orders available each month per model, so if you need something really specific and there is not an allocation for it, you could be waiting a while. What is wild about that is that most of the allocations are similar, so it really wont change the wait time too much if you end up shopping around.
Additionally because of supply constraints, some of our vehicles will not have all of the options available to them. The best source of information on specific model and trim options will be with your Cavallaro-Neubauer Chevrolet Sales representative.
In the meantime, we still have an incredible selection of low-mileageused trucks, SUVs and carsthat fit a variety of needs for a variety of customers. Unfortunately though, no matter what dealer you visit, there wont be many options for people who are looking for something brand new. Your best bet is to order your new Chevrolet through Cavallaro-Neubauer Chevrolet and sit tight. Wellkeep your current car running stronguntil we can deliver you your new one!
The absolute worst part about this for consumers is that all of the brands are affected. There isnt some massive stash of Ford F-250 Super Duties or Ram 3500s with Cummins diesels laying around that nobody knows about. We know where they are, and we also know that they arent moving because they are missing the vital computer components that they need to make them work properly. So the odds that this has really changed anyone’s long-term brand affiliations is highly unlikely. It comes down to supply and demand, and right now the demand so far exceeds the supply that GM has effectively rationed new cars through the end of the year.
Spooky stuff.
A Snapshot of the Chip Shortage: Used Trucks
There are two new 2021 Silverado 1500s on our lot right now. One with two doors, one with four. Spoiled for choice if this was 1955!
There is one upside to this whole chip shortage, at least from where were sitting. Because we have not been able to get new inventory from GM, we have had to go out and buy a lot of different stuff to fill the lot. As a result, the amount of time we have spent exploring some of our competitions product lines has been incredible, and we think it has actually made us better rounded retailers as a whole.
The problem though for the past several months is that every time we go to do a serious product dive on one of these oddball, weirdly optioned, or super desirable pickups- the vehicle that we want to feature gets sold before we can finish the article. Yes, theyre selling that fast and our turnaround time is not that slow!
So instead of doing a single dive on one piece of inventory, we are going to do some broad category dives into what is on our lot…for now!
2022 GMC Hummer V. 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning:
Oh the times they are a changin. When the original F-150 Lightning and Hummer were both able to be purchased new at a dealership, they had a combined city fuel economy of about 20 MPG. The Early 00s were a strange time, but here we are now two decades removed from their original build and they are both coming back in radically different configurations.
These former gas guzzlers are coming back as EVs. Cue the2022 GMC Hummerand2022 F-150 Lightningand they both look incredibly promising. The real questions are, will they have a similar joie de vivre as their gasoline predecessors, and will they be as reliable and tough as ICE pickup trucks? To figure this out we are going to examine what we know about both of these EV re-imaginations to set the stage for the first round of the EV Truck wars.
Bad Gas Travels Fast in a Small Town
Over the past week we have seen some of the dumbest things you could possibly do with gasoline. Thanks internet! Thanks to a pretty serious ransomware attack and the relative state of panic experienced by Americans as we deal with the long-term effects of a pandemic, the possibility of gasoline shortages, and the voraciousness of the media to portend nothing but doom; people are hoarding gasoline.
Two big things here: gasoline doesnt have nearly as long a shelf life as those packs of Charmin that youve had since last March, and you really shouldnt transport it IN THE SAME SHOPPING BAGS that you used to bring the 3-ply home.
Were not the OSHA by any stretch of the imagination: but we also know that if someone burns their car, house, or business down due to neglect or stupidity- theyre not getting that insurance payout! So we are going to go over some of the worst ideas we have seen when it comes to getting that sweet go-go-juice, as well assome of the downsides to your carfor using old gas.
Where Have all of the Pickup Trucks Gone?
If you have eyes you have undoubtedly noticed a disturbing trend on most of the car dealership lots in Rochester- a complete lack of new truck inventory. Silverados, Colorados, F-150s, 250s, 350s, and every flavor of Ram are all becoming a hotter commodity than a stack of plywood under a box of 9mm parabellum. This is a rough one for everyone. Trucks have become a mainstream family vehicle in addition to being one of the favorite tools of American commerce. With demand at an all-time high, supply has hit an all time low.
Lets be clear, werestill building trucks. Unfortunately, for everyone involved, were not finishing them because of a lack of the semiconductor components that run everything from the heated seats to the infotainment and engine management systems. This problem is so pronounced that many of the 21 model year vehicles that have been produced skipped getting the engine mode that can turn the 8 cylinder into a 4 cylinder at highway speeds for better fuel economy.
Noises Your Car Probably Shouldn’t Make
Short of using it in the
cold dark vacuum of space, cars are going to make noise. Its a piece of metal with somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,000 parts moving anywhere from 5 to +220 MPH. Some of these noises are fantastic, like the burble of an off-beat V8 or Immigrant Song blaring out of the Bose sound system because the morning were writing this, we woke up to a few inches of snow in the middle of April. Not thrilled.
But thats ok because it is allowing us to do some introspection about the sounds your car may make telling you to stop at Cavallaro-Neubauer Chevrolet toget it checked out.However for some of these noises, the problems can be a bit more serious and you may need to take advantage of our service loaner vehicles for a few days!
Valid question, really. The short answer here is no. The longer answer here is, no, and theres a good chance that you wouldnt want to even if you had to!
Lets break this down. There are a lot of Chevrolet Dealerships in the Rochester Metro that will gleefully take your money when you buy a new Chevy. However, when it comes to protecting your investment with regular maintenance, recall work, or just normal wear and tear repairs- the landscape gets a bit more chaotic.
Modern cars, trucks, and SUVs have paradoxically hit a level of complexity that has made them simultaneously more and less reliable. The odds of catastrophic failure on a new vehicle are nowhere near what they were in the past, but there are more stupid little things that break. However, this has also drastically stepped up the degree of difficulty when it comes to fixing them. As a result, less people can work on their own vehicles, thus becoming more reliant on the dealership to keep their vehicles running and operating properly.
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