Is a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado a Smart Buy?
I have a confession: I grew up driving Dodge trucks and now I drive an F-150–I’ve never been a Chevy fan. But then I borrowed my friend’s older Chevrolet Silverado and was very impressed with the truck. As I began researching how 2007-2013 GMC Sierras/Chevy Silverados perform by modern standards, I was astounded. If you are considering a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado, you’ll be happy to know that it is a reliable truck that is at home on today’s roads.
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado reliable?
Every vehicle has quirks and components that may wear before they should. But when 1A Auto wrote up the most common problems of the 2007-2013 Silverado/Sierra, it didn’t list a single major powertrain malfunction.
My colleague Nathaniel Ehinger covered the most common Silverado problems reported to RepairPal by truck owners. This list also didn’t include a single major powertrain issue. Perhaps this is why Consumer Reports gave the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado an “excellent” reliability rating. It also earned an above-average (4/5) on its crash tests.
See the full list of the top 2011 Chevrolet Silverado problems.
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado a good truck?
The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is still a good truck by modern standards. Its maximum towing capacity was 10,300 pounds, and it was even available with a full four-door crew cab.
By modern standards, the truck’s steering is heavy, its ride might feel a bit rough, and its six-speed automatic lags behind every current truck transmission. The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado also has notoriously low fuel mileage. But it offsets this with its exceptionally low maintenance costs.
When the “Nothin’ But Car Reviews” did a recent review of a used 2011 Silverado, it concluded that the truck is at home on modern roads. The Youtube reviewer was pleased with the truck’s ability to keep up with modern highway traffic and its lack of wind noise. You can see the entire review at the end of this article.
How much is a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado worth?
According to CarGurus, the average 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is currently reselling for $14,926. That’s down from $17,414. Of course, there’s a vast range in used truck configurations and conditions.
It is challenging to ballpark what a used pickup truck is worth. One reason is that such a range of configurations were available new. You could buy a 2011 Silverado with a V6, a short bed, and a two-door cab. You could also configure it with a full crew cab, 6.0-liter V8, 4WD, and a leather interior. Unsurprisingly, the original MSRPs of this truck ranged from $21,235 to $42,160.
The condition of the used truck you buy also significantly impacts its price. Many 2011 Chevy Silverados did hard duty as plow trucks, tow rigs, or work vehicles. Trucks in an especially salty climate or suffering paint damage from the sun will also be worth less.
Today, a new crew cab truck with both a V8 and 4WD from any manufacturer starts at nearly $50k. Considering that you could configure a 2011 Silverado with a 6.0-liter V8 for a 10,000+ pound tow rating, a crew cab, and 4WD, a used 2011 Silverado in good condition could be a very smart buy.
Next, read up on the 1998-2006 Chevrolet Silverado or watch how a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado with 160k miles measures up to modern standards in the video below:
