To anyone...

Howdy everyone.

I am brand new here. I tried looking for the question I am about to ask, I even used the search button! LOL.

I hope I can get away with this one time new thread.

I currently own a 1989 Firebird. 2.8 etc. Pretty much anything that could go wrong with it has done so.

I am going to get myself a truck soon, and based on looks and apparent popularity (and hopefully reliability) I have settled on a 89-98 GMC 1500.

I hope information readily available online, and I like to hear things from people who use the truck every day.

What do these trucks usually have for typical issues? I'm not really looking for a list of recalls or every possible thing that could go bad, just the most common things to look for when looking to buy one of these trucks used.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I don't have any direct experience but I have a 92 Olds wagon with the 350 TBI engine and automatic which was in the earlier trucks in your range. It has 140k miles and uses no oil and runs real well. As with all GM products of that vintage, watch the paint for peeling due to the primer problems.
You didn't say what your budget was but you could find a 2004 4X2 reg cab work truck for about $15000 brand new this time of year. I bought mine a year ago and am very pleased.

the 99-2004 definately have better motors, but overall the build quality is not the same as the 88-98 gm trucks.

I belive intake gaskets(coolant leak), and piston slap(knock) are the most common problems on that model. Slap seems to be worse on 99-03. my 2-cents.

I currently own a '90 Sierra 1500 2WD, Ext Cab as well as a'99 Sierra 1500 SWB Step Side Z71.

Both trucks are great, i have a few problems but nothing that was really odd.

At around 250,000 kms I pulled the 305 out of my '90. It was leaking every fluid you can think of and then some...but still worked good and as an added bonus i was getting undercoated while the rear seal was leaking haha.

The 305 was a great motor though underpowered when i had that many kms on it, keep an eye out for the rear seal leaking though, fairly common i think.

When i pulled the 305 i had a 350 built with a couple added touches. A bit bigger cam, bored out .030, Edelbrock performer intake, some light clean up work to the heads, headers (later removed and manifolds put back on due to warping) with flowmaster exhaust and topped with a K&N. Talk about a rocket compared to the old 305! Trouble was that my old tranny wouldn't stand up to the new power and about 20,000kms later i was rebuilding the tranny and adding a light shift kit.

The trucks themselves '88-'98 are great, in my opinion. The older TBI engines were good (keep an eye on coolant due to some intake gasket problems) but the Vortecs in the newer ones (95-98 i think, please correct me if i'm wrong) we're even better. The 305 Vortec seemed to have as much power as a stock 350 TBI and got better gas milage to boot.

Good luck on your search, by the way my '90 is for sale if your anywhere near eastern Canada haha, the trucks are solid, no real surprises if you keep a close look out while looking.

P.S. on a 4wd model i pay close attention to the skid plates. Sometimes that can tell alot about how the truck was used.

Transmission problems. Really not problems but expect to replace or rebuild around 120,000 to 150,000 miles. I know some get more and some get less but I think most everyone will agree the trannies are a problem area.
96 or newer will have more power and better mileage because of the vortec engines. Drivetrain is pretty much the same from 88 to 98.