I'm going to go look at a truck on Friday. It is a 2003 3500 SRW, 4x4as follows:

KMs : 267,000
Engine : 5.9l
Body : Crew Cab
Transmission : Standard
Cylinder : 6
Fuel : Diesel
Drive : 4x4
Passenger : 6
Interior Color : Dark Grey
Exterior Color : White
Type : Crew Cab
Options : 4th Door, Air Conditioning, All Equipped, AM/FM Stereo, Anti-Lock Brakes, Anti-Starter, Anti-Theft, Auto Dimming Mirrors, Block Heater, CD Player, Cruise Control, Driver Air Bag, Dual Climate Controls, Intermittent Wipers, Keyless Entry, Long Box, Power Brakes, Power Locks, Power Mirrors, Power Seat, Power Steering, Power Windows, Rear Defroster


Can I get some tips on what to watch out for? Its got lots of KMs but the price is fairly low. I had been looking to get a 2nd gen truck but this caught my eye. Will it have a passenger airbag?

Will the stick be a 5spd or 6? How had are the sticks to drive? My wife will also be driving this truck. Thanks!

 

ive had my 03 2500 for about a year now and i love it. as for the mileage mine had 140,000 miles on it. no problems yet (knock on wood). sorry i cant give any advice on the tranny cause mines an auto. if you like the truck and the price id say go for it you are the one who is going to drive it.

 

I think the "4th Door" means its a true 4-Door, that is nice. I'm not sure what an "Anti-Starter" is.

Hmmmmm.... Passenger airbag? and you are married? My 94 Geo Metro had a passenger side airbag....

As far as your wife driving this 6-Speed, my wife is short and about 115 Pound (52 Kilos) and she had no issues driving my truck the 3 miles or so through town once.

Before you get it, take it for a drive. Make sure the engine is warmed up and then test the heater to see if you get even heat on the passenger side vs the driver's side. Also, check to make sure you can move the air from floor to dash to defrost. Make sure the A/C works. Expensive issues here.

Does it have gauges? Does it have the original lift pump or a replacement? Does the oil smell like oil or diesel?

Just a few items to check, good luck.

 

THanks for the tips! As for 5spd vs 6 spd I did so research and it looks like 5spds came with the 250hp engine and the 6spd came with 300hp. Is the 250hp engine capable of the same hp levels as the 300hp engine? Any mpg differences?

 

Is this thing a Laramie? If so it may also have power adjustable pedals, which can be helpful for shorter drivers.

I'd also look for cracked alternator bracket (stamped steel ones can break across the top) and for the updated power steering hose (look for a large metal thing in the middle of the run between the power steering pump and the hydrobooster). Some of them also had issues of water leaks at the door seals, or at the cab lights.

The stick is quite easy to drive. The common rail injected engines seem to adjust fuel quickly to keep above 750 idle, so it is very difficult to stall the engine. The NV5600 does shift like a truck, though.

I presume "anti-starter" is the vehicle imobilizer thing- the microchip built in the key so the rig can't be hotwired or started by punching out the ignition.

In the US pickups were required to have dual airbags well prior to 03, so I would guess they would put them in regardless of destination country...

 

And you can't turn off the air bag in a 2003 crew cab. 2002 QC was the last year with this option.

 

I didn't think the 3500 came with a SO (250hp), just an HO (305 or 325hp depending on '1/2 year), but I could be wrong. Check the driver's side of the valve cover, there is a large sticker that will tell you lots of stuff, including HP rating. Then, you will know what you have.

 

Yeah, I think in the quad cabs anyway, they did away with the switch for the passenger side air bag. I would presume that was because a child safety seat could (and should) be placed in the back seat, and I would also guess it has those smarter airbags, that don't inflate as forcefully when someone short is scooted up close to it?

I know the SO was an option when I ordered my 3500, but I don't remember if you could get a 5 speed, or just the 6 (which was the only option for the HO until the 48RE was released).

 

Thanks I'll check those things.

Any comments on boosting the HP on SO vs an HO?

 

I had an 03 I went with the 6sp for the ho motor could not get it with auto. and the exhaust brake under warr,and I could not shut off air bag.great truck just went through ball joints,

 

ClayH, The SO could only get the 5 speed or auto. Since the trucks in Canada, this probably won't apply, but the HO's weren't sold in CA, ME or MA in 03, just in case the truck was originally sold there. If you can get the VIN, if the 8th digit is a "6", it's an SO. (5 sp) A "C" means it's an HO. (6 sp)

 

Considering your in little Texas like me, my first concern with the mileage would be ex patch truck or hot shotter (probably in the patch). Look for signs of it's past life, maybe marks on the flor where a radio was installed, or a spot on the roof where an antenna would have been, sometimes they get put on the front fender as well, just pop the hood and look along the edge. Does it have a fifth wheel, or holes where one was? If it's an ex patch truck, it hasn't had an easy life.

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure its been in the patch or an ex-lease(Pattision or something) truck to have that many kms. I checked out the company selling it and it looks like a mechanics shops that does lots of work for leasing companies. Hopefully I'll see it this morning and get a better idea.

 

Well I gotta say between 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen trucks I think I like the 3rd gens the least, the only thing its got going for it are the full four doors. This truck was a pig to shift. It had the 6spd and you needed to shift ALOT. Just when you got the clutch pedal up it was time to shift again! AND I kept missing the gate! Then at 60mph the engine was roaring at 2000RPM. I think it must have had 4.10s in it, not sure why. I don't see my wife driving it.

Power wasn't anything special either, maybe slightly better than my modded first gen. Also wasn't very impressed with the heater, it was -15C out and two of us in the truck and the heater barely cleared the windows. It did start up great though, almost no smoke.

Thanks anyway for the tips, the heater contols didn't have dual controls and the defroster/vent controls seemed ok. About all I noticed was that the ABS and brake light kept coming on and the steering lines were leaking to the cooler. Also it had some sort of Rancho lift kit on it. The guy called it a system and it didn't seem like it was lifted but the lower arms were red and there were spacers above the coils so I'd say it was a lift kit. It had been cleaned very well but there was a fair amount of mud on top of the fuel tank.


If I find a deal like this with an automatic I might be tempted beacuse I relly like the full 4 doors but that 6spd reving at 2000rpm turned me right off. Do the autos rev that high?

 

Well i'm on my second '03. I decided to stick with the '03 after my wreck. It seems to be the most reliable of the 3rd gens. My first one had 3.73 gears this one has the 4.10's, I like the 4.10's better, the truck is just more drivable in traffic. The rpm's are a little higher, but this truck gets way better mileage then the old one. Plus my new one has got leather seats.