Anybody have a Trailblazer SS
#12
Registered
My buddy has an 07 2WD SS in St Louis. Truck runs hard but he has a clunk in the tranny and check engine lights as 1st year troubles. He is very hard on anything with a gas pedal. A few times he has mentioned he should have bought the AWD version instead. At 25K miles in the first year it is ready for a set of tires.
#13
Registered
I have a 06 awd and the only complaint i have is THE GAS MILEAGE SUCKS,but otherwise its a great truck. i tow my 30 velocity with it and no problems. i think the crappy gas mileage is from the awd,im gettin 12.5 according to the computer,i got out of a 2000 yukon that was bigger,heavier,not as much fun,and got 15. i drive it easy and wish it was a 2wd,but ive had no problems but that the radio died??? good luck tripps
#14
Registered
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ormond Beach, FL
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've got an '07 2wd and like it. I tow a 4500 lb boat/trailer and a 3000 lb enclosed MC trailer with no problems. The auto leveling system in the rear is great.
I have, however, already been through 1 rear end and this is a known problem. The transmission on both the 2wd and 4wd is the older 4 speed that is only rated a 360 lb-ft of torque and the motor puts out 400! Transmission failures are an issue.
BUT, the drivetrain has a 100,000 mile warranty so they can keep replacing rears and trannys for the next 5 years as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and I don't have a secondary trans oil cooler. If it's needed to tow at the published rating to prevent tranny failure then GM will be installing one for free or continue to replace the transmissions, it's their choice.......
BTW, the truck is not a handfull in 2wd, it's just fine. I think too many people have gotten used to FWD or AWD and have forgotten what a RWD car/truck drives like. They also torque limit the motor off the line and on shifts so sometimes it doesn't feel like it's really making the 395 hp they claim. With traction control and stabilitrack I have no issues in the rain and trust me, it rains in FL. As for snow, that's a function of the tires and the Goodyear RS-A's that come on the truck are about the biggest pieces of **** I've ever had on a vehicle. I swapped in the Goodyear F1-GS D3's and the truck was transformed. If I lived up north I would have a set of winter treads and that would solve all the snow issues. 4wd with the stock tires OR performance tires WILL NOT get you around up north in the snow, you need real winter tires regardless of the number of wheels driven.
Fuel and economy cannot be used in the same sentence. Without a trailer the best highway mileage I've seen is about 17, with the MC trailer that drops to 13 and with the boat it drops to between 11 and 12. The 4wd only loses about 1 mpg from what I've heard.
Check out:
http://www.trailvoy.com/
http://www.trailblazerss.com/forums/
http://www.tbssowners.com/forums/index.php
I have, however, already been through 1 rear end and this is a known problem. The transmission on both the 2wd and 4wd is the older 4 speed that is only rated a 360 lb-ft of torque and the motor puts out 400! Transmission failures are an issue.
BUT, the drivetrain has a 100,000 mile warranty so they can keep replacing rears and trannys for the next 5 years as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and I don't have a secondary trans oil cooler. If it's needed to tow at the published rating to prevent tranny failure then GM will be installing one for free or continue to replace the transmissions, it's their choice.......
BTW, the truck is not a handfull in 2wd, it's just fine. I think too many people have gotten used to FWD or AWD and have forgotten what a RWD car/truck drives like. They also torque limit the motor off the line and on shifts so sometimes it doesn't feel like it's really making the 395 hp they claim. With traction control and stabilitrack I have no issues in the rain and trust me, it rains in FL. As for snow, that's a function of the tires and the Goodyear RS-A's that come on the truck are about the biggest pieces of **** I've ever had on a vehicle. I swapped in the Goodyear F1-GS D3's and the truck was transformed. If I lived up north I would have a set of winter treads and that would solve all the snow issues. 4wd with the stock tires OR performance tires WILL NOT get you around up north in the snow, you need real winter tires regardless of the number of wheels driven.
Fuel and economy cannot be used in the same sentence. Without a trailer the best highway mileage I've seen is about 17, with the MC trailer that drops to 13 and with the boat it drops to between 11 and 12. The 4wd only loses about 1 mpg from what I've heard.
Check out:
http://www.trailvoy.com/
http://www.trailblazerss.com/forums/
http://www.tbssowners.com/forums/index.php
Last edited by mjw930; 03-07-2008 at 08:21 PM.
#15
Registered
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ormond Beach, FL
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a 06 awd and the only complaint i have is THE GAS MILEAGE SUCKS,but otherwise its a great truck. i tow my 30 velocity with it and no problems. i think the crappy gas mileage is from the awd,im gettin 12.5 according to the computer,i got out of a 2000 yukon that was bigger,heavier,not as much fun,and got 15. i drive it easy and wish it was a 2wd,but ive had no problems but that the radio died??? good luck tripps
#16
Registered
Not too off topic but I just bought a Jeep SRT8 and yes it doesn't tow,but I have an F-350 for that. Fuel economy first week (not broken in) is about 11-13. BUT, they have a $99 kit that disengages the front drive axle (for fuel economy+1 mpg est. and dyno runs) and i'm looking into a few other mods to help the wife live with the fact that her daily driver gets less than half the fuel economy of her traded in Honda Accord v-6. I have never drove the Chevy. I know it tows more,is cheaper, and has more room,but you only live once and I liked the design of the jeep and the 4.7 sec 0-60(or lower in some cases) vs. 5.3-5.5 on the SS. C-ya Mike
#18
SeaRay Sundancer
Gold Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SW Missouri
Posts: 2,914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not sure the input torque number is correct. The trans is a 4L70E (new in 06').....same as what I have in my Vortec Max. 385ftlbs. It addressed many of the weak links found in the 60 and 65 and is quite stout. My truck is heavier and I pull 7200lbs of boat often. I dont know of any premature trans failures from a daily driver staying in the limits. I do understand that an SS is stop light raced and thats probably the issue. The only problem I had with my trans is a bad torque convertor vein that made a whistle noise. Replaced for free and was a known problem. For the past 8k miles Ive had a zippy shift kit, and a computer with zero torque management. Love it. Dont worry about the trans.
#19
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Thread Starter
Well I just got back from test driving both of the trucks.
We drove a used 2006 SRT8 with 33000 miles on it, fully loaded. The wife liked it a lot and thought it was very "peppy" ( her words). Back seat seemed very small. The avarage MPG according the the drivers information center was 11.5. I liked the interior layout and the passenger seat was comfortable and I had lots of leg room (I am 6' 200 lbs). The exhaust sound was noticible if you stood on it, but during normal cruising it was not annoying. When I drove it I liked the acceleration. Brakes were VERY responsive. After driving it for about 10 minutes, my butt cheeks started to hurt. The ride was not too bad compared to my winter car (Oldsmobile 98 touring sedan).
We then drove a 2008 AWD Trailblazer SS with the 1SS package. Our first impression was the back seat was considerably bigger. When she was driving it we both noticed that it has a much softer ride than the SSRT8. The ride was even softer than my touring sedan. Leg room in the front seat was the same as the SRT8. he exhaust note was quiter than the SRT8. I may go drive a 2008 SRT8 to see how the seats and ride are in that one.
We drove a used 2006 SRT8 with 33000 miles on it, fully loaded. The wife liked it a lot and thought it was very "peppy" ( her words). Back seat seemed very small. The avarage MPG according the the drivers information center was 11.5. I liked the interior layout and the passenger seat was comfortable and I had lots of leg room (I am 6' 200 lbs). The exhaust sound was noticible if you stood on it, but during normal cruising it was not annoying. When I drove it I liked the acceleration. Brakes were VERY responsive. After driving it for about 10 minutes, my butt cheeks started to hurt. The ride was not too bad compared to my winter car (Oldsmobile 98 touring sedan).
We then drove a 2008 AWD Trailblazer SS with the 1SS package. Our first impression was the back seat was considerably bigger. When she was driving it we both noticed that it has a much softer ride than the SSRT8. The ride was even softer than my touring sedan. Leg room in the front seat was the same as the SRT8. he exhaust note was quiter than the SRT8. I may go drive a 2008 SRT8 to see how the seats and ride are in that one.
#20
SeaRay Sundancer
Gold Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SW Missouri
Posts: 2,914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SS.......period. Chrystlers suck to deal with when they break. If you need that extra half second the match an SRT get a CAI, catback, HSRK, and tune from vector. you were already going to do that anyway probably. SS's look soooooo much better.