She was road hard and put away wet.

As practical as the warning is against living above your means sometimes having a third vehicle in the driveway can be a real treat. We recently rented the 2005 Silverado Half-Ton Crew Cab Z71 for seven days and seven nights enjoying all the power and rugged agility this truck had to offer. My experience with the Silverado was impressive and enjoyable. Once the leasing agent handed me the key and black illuminated keyless remote control it was awesome as I now controlled the door locks, and alarm. I knew that I was in hog heaven. After climbing into the truck we immediately noticed the comfortable seats and spacious legroom and interior.


This time GM embraced the family with open arms offering a hybrid family friendly 4-door pickup. The truck seats four people comfortably but can set up to six if needed. The trucks cab and its 40/20/40 split-bench front seat offers lots of roomy space and various cubby holes with a sport soft mid-section where you can rest your arms while driving and also deposit CD's and all sorts of goodies like maps and business cards. We loaded our small travel bags under the roomy back seats, and dropped the cell phone in the storage compartment on the door and hit the road. Diving this truck over our 7-day rental period was breeze especially in the Tennessee mountains and flat roads of Illinois. The front wheel steering is so responsive that I forgot I was driving a big truck as the engine purred softly under the hood. Considering the trucks 590 lb.-ft of torque, the sprint to 60 miles per hour is less than 8 Mississippi's; which is quite respectable for this big truck. Under the hood of the Silverado, lies a massive gasoline 5.3-liter V-8 engine, which handles the terrain well. To complete the package the truck also features a front stabilizer bar and rear springs suspension system that ensures a comfortable ride. When driving through the mountains we noticed a pronounced rollback, which made me feel as though we were driving a manual, not an automatic. Of course the most notable feature of this particular four-wheel drive truck was its transforming ability. When it started raining in the mountains there was no rear-wheel slippage as the truck automatically transferred between the front and rear wheels. As the rain continued to pour, the wipers and defroster really came in handy, keeping our visibility sharp. The trucks four-wheel antilock disc brakes stopped on a dime allowing me to ensure the appropriate amount of driving distance needed when pacing myself with the tractor-trailers on the road. We all felt safe driving this truck especially with the Silverado’s day running lights, dual air bags, and brake system.


The Silverado's instrument panel is easy to read and lights up well in the dark. The instrument panel is state of the art with its ergonomic design and easy to read display. We were impressed with the trucks power, and towing ability (12,000 lbs) and the large bed, which was excellent as we transferred our belongings from storage. Other features we enjoyed were the dual heating system and inside automatic day/night mirror. The luxurious leather interior was comfortable, and plethora of electronic control systems including the Bose audio system was extremely pleasing.


The only two major cons’ with this particular truck is the fact that there is no trunk, or child safety locks. After driving it for 7 days I walked away with the feeling that there was more I needed learn about this truck. I recall it took me a few minutes to adjust to the display panel and instrument gages before driving it. However, at $79.00 dollars a day, our budget was stretched to the limit; so it was time to turn this baby in. I do remember, I indulged in a brief blaze down the open highway for a few minutes but sheepishly stayed within the speed limit after a few glances in the rearview mirror as I drove through Illinois (no tickets this trip!). Finally the trucks fuel economy is average as it gets about 15 mpgs in the city and 19 on the highway.


I have not had a truck since high school and don't consider myself an expert, which means I won't be able to comment on the models improvements over the years. What I do know is that this truck offers a lot more features compared to what I drove in the 80's in fact I don’t remember seeing any 4 door Chevy trucks back then. In my humble opinion the Silverado 4-door truck is marketed to entice those non-traditional, truck drivers who want to take the family with them. With the comfortable interior, child-seat tethers and a rear center three-point seat belt system, what more could the mobile family ask for? Our particular truck was white. The trucks sparkling white exterior merged seamlessly with the gray matching interior offset by shining silver panels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The truck is a looker and had passer-by’s stopping to comment: "Nice truck", while others muttered, "You must be making the big bucks now." Final thoughts: Our 2005 Chevrolet Silverado was road hard and put away wet. The spacious Silverado looks nice, goes pretty fast, and can haul lots of stuff. Our 7-day rental experience was marvelous as we drove it night and day through the rain, snow and cold.


Overall, the truck handled well on the road while driving in the city but shined on the highway. The seats were comfortable and driving it was exhilarating as it moved with ease on the open road. While my big truck experience ended after our 7-day rental, you can either rent one or own the experience for a base price of $19,040.


To learn more, visit http://www.chevrolet.com/trucks and request a quote.