88-98 Chevy / GMC CK Truck Buyer's Guide (GMT400 Common Problems and Options) Stick Shift Stories E1
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Published 2020-04-17
Welcome to another stick shift story! In today's episode we're going to cover the 1988 through 1998 GM pickup trucks. Are these old body style pickup trucks any good? Are they worth what people are asking for them? Should you buy one? And what are the common problems to look out for. Stay tuned because this is your complete buyer's guide on the 88 to 98 Chevy or GMC CK1500 trucks.
The 88 through 98 trucks we're dubbed the GMT400 line. Their predecessor was the square body or box body trucks that were built from 73 to 87. These trucks had what GM called a "rounded line" exterior mated to a fleetside or stepside box. They had modern interior saying for their day with soft touch materials and an available all-weather HVAC system. There was a 292 Ci V6, 305 cubic inch, a 350 cubic inch, 400 cubic inch and other engines available in the range.
Developing a great product requires understanding who the buyers are and developing something that they would want to buy. With the GMT 400 series, General Motors designed a classic American pickup truck, modernized. The vehicle had squared off proportions, a strong, old stance, really great color options, and lots of different cab and bed configurations. GM catered the design and functionality of this truck to their buyers, creating a very popular and functional pickup truck.
By 1988, trucks were becoming much more comfortable and offering consumers lots of Creature Comforts that they weren't used to getting in a pickup truck. GM understood that a lot of clients were purchasing these vehicles as lifestyle trucks, something to take the family cruising in while still being able to fit large items in the bed. Because of this, they had to focus on making an interior that was much more modern than before and I offered much better levels of noise vibration harshness and comfort.
The Engines used TBI until 1996, when the engine lineup was changed to the Vortec line. The base engine was a 4.3L V6, followed by a 5.0L V8, the popular 5.7L V8, and the huge 454ci 7.4L V8. Transmission options included a 3 speed auto, a 4 speed auto, and either a 4 speed or 5 speed manual. There was an available 4x4 system called insta-trac that allowed you to shift in and out of 2wd or 4hi at any speed!
The trucks were offered in a stepside or wideside beds, with the straight line beds being offered with 6.5' or 8' lengths. The stepside was only available as a 6.5' bed and had fiberglass sides.
These GMT400 trucks are GM are their finest. Watch this video and find out everything there is about the 88-98 GM trucks!
All Comments (21)
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******292 is an I6, not a v6******** OTHER REVIEWS TO WATCH Chevy: 1994-2004 S10 Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmfgCOxW6XA 1999-2007 Silverado / Sierra Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmN6_ubzyuI 2007-2013 Silverado / Sierra Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UXTc5BGxsM Ford: 2004-2008 F-150 Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duNWJA7m63s 2009-2014 F-150 Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IpC-mHY0xM 1997-2004 F-150 Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaKffURoFQY 1998-2011 Ranger Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fELUyrKY1U4 Nissan: 2004-2015 Titan Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VFdZeEyGnA Subaru: 2014-2018 Subaru Forester SJ Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir694Wah9PA Toyota: 1995-2004 1st Gen Tacoma Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtyhiOD8Jm4 2005-2015 2nd Gen Tacoma Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZOhD0KU_gA 2000-2006 1st Gen Tundra Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pIyUcFGf4c 2007-2020 2nd Gen Tundra Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhH4UnFvJuI Mercedes: W211 E-Class Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpplQTp2DSQ W212 E-Class Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYZSnLzdNp8 W204 C-Class Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCbbrsQQ-Y W205 C-Class Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHVDM7AfKfM W222 S-Class Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E9U0zEkWdg Porsche: 2010-2016 Panamera Buyer's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3giueysuXdU 1999-2005 911 996 Buyer's guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvdMzS8XdXk
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I have a 1995 K1500 Z71 extended cab that I purchased new. I have 300,000 miles on it. No engine or transmission problems. As of Nov. 2023, I still drive it everyday.
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I love my 98 Silverado but why the hell would they put the only cup holder right in front of the dam heater vent.
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Whish they still made trucks like this; simple, reliable, minimal tech bs, easy to work on, and plenty of engine, transmission, color, bed and cab configurations that were affordable. What the heck happened?!
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My 95 k1500 350 tbi is the best vehicle I've owned. I would drive it anywhere without hesitating. It has over 400,000 miles on the original engine. Transmission was rebuilt at 175,000 miles. These trucks will be on the road for a long time to come.
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We had a 97 regular cab long box 5.7 vortec that broke 1 million km. The motor was pretty tired and didn't last too long after that. But thats extremely impressive.
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No, don’t buy them. That drives the price up 😂😂😂
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These might be the pinnacle of GM trucks. I see them all the time on the street and online. It still boggles my mind with the endless configurations they came in. Single cab short bed (fleet or step), extended cab shortbed(fleet or step), single cab long bed, ext cab long bed, quad cab shortbed, quad cab long bed, they even had single cab with an extended frame for 10ft utility beds and lets not forget the blazer, tahoe and suburban. You had every engine you could want. The 4.3 v6, the 5.0 v8, the 5.7v8, the 7.4 v8, and the diesel v8. Every engine came with an auto or stick. Every engine was available with 4wd (except the v6 i believe). They came in different load capacities. 1500, 2500, 2500 hd, 3500, 4500 etc. Duallys were badass. Chevys and gmcs had 4 different faces each. They look better than the old trucks with extended and quad cabs. They look better than the new trucks as a standard cab. There are factory hotrod versions. The aftermarket is endless. When youre driving one and you see another obs its instant friendship. Like you just know they get it. You both know exactly why you own one. Plus we have a theme song! If you've never driven down a country road in your obs blasting "like a rock" you aint doing it right.
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The 1993-1995 Silverado and Sierras Z71 4x4 models were and have been the most solid built and most beautiful trucks ever made. They were awesome and practical inside with minimal electronic crap and just ran forever. Indeed they are so desired still.
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“The trucks have really good rust resistance” Michigan: okay, my turn
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88 to 98 chevy trucks were and still are some of the best pick up trucks out there. imo
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Nice work, just needs Bob Segar "LIKE A ROCK" playing in background haha
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The vortec 5.7 350 small block V8 was the best motor GM had ever produced
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I’ve 6 of the GMT 400 trucks, 1 1988, 1 1993, 1 1995, 1 1996 & 2 1997’s. All of them were bought brand new except for the 1988 & 1996. I never had any major trouble out of any of them, I still own the 1996 C1500 & 1997 C2500. The 1997 C2500 truck is literally the best money I’ve ever spent in my life, 464K miles with well over half of those miles being with a 25ft dual tandem gooseneck trailer hooked behind it that was routinely overloaded for the rating of the truck….yet it’s never let me down. That truck has paid for itself 100 times over, just wish my 2012 2500HD duramax Denali was half as reliable as what my 1997 C2500 has been !!
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My 98 1500 chevy truck has 370.000 mi.and still runs great best truck i ever had.and i do all my own repairs.
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I just got a 98 stepside crew cab with very minimal surface rust in only a few spots on the frame. It was a Virginia truck but im still amazed at its apparent resilience to aging where it matters most
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0BS LIFE 🤘🏁
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Those were pretty good trucks with a build quality much better than GM's new ones today.
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Before my 1998 k2500 I owned a 93K k1500 And I loved both trucks sold the 1993 and got the 1998 Extended cab Short bed clean interior and AC blow better than 2020 I live in Florida so it’s very needed and I wouldn’t trade my baby for nothing in the world best truck Ever my 1998 k2500 Have a Lotta friends with the new Chevys no the truck give them problems but mines still going hard like a rock
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I have 2 of these generation trucks, both 1998 models. My ext-cab short bed Z71 I bought new and currently has 139,000 miles on it and has the 5.7L/4L60E. My reg cab long bed K3500 has the 7.4L/4L80E with 119,000 miles on it and I bought it in 2007. I love how this generation looks and have no plans to sell either one of these.
