Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Why does GMC even exist?

I mean it's just a Chevy Truck by a different name right? What's the point?

Technically, GMC carries a bit more QC than Chevrolet. I have had both & appreciated my GMC much more. I currently drive a Chevrolet & it makes me miss my GMC.

I don't know why they exist today but there was some quality differences in the old trucks. Some of the GMC trucks in the 1950's had Cadillac V-8's and 4-sp hydro-matic transmissons. The 6 cylinder engines in the GMC pickups were also bigger than the ones in the Chevy trucks and you could the hydro-matic transmission with it.

If it werent for chevrolet, all the people in the trailer parks would be pushing a ford. So they claim. Yeeeeehawwww you muddafuggas

Funny ain’t it. I can see no discernible diff between them and the bow tie these days

And yet I still prefer to drive a gmc over a Chevy. Makes no sense, course a lot of what I do and think makes no sense.

I’m pretty consistent that way

$$$. It's all in the marketing. Any difference between a Chevy and a GMS is in perception. Ditto for the Cadillac versions, just more high margin jewelry.

In days gone by, GM dealerships were split up. You didn't have Chevy, Olds , Pont, Caddy, etc. all at the same dealership. Having a GMC truck gave all the non Chevy dealers a truck to sell.

Now...... ?

Some do say that they are a God Made Chevrolet.


Some think that GMC's have heavier frames, etc. Getting into a conversation about the two is kin to a Ford vs. Chevy or 9mm vs. 45 argument.

A GMC pickup is no more than trying to get the point across that I have more money than you do. About the same for a Lincoln, or Cadillac pickup.

You folks are over thinking the question. The answer is quite simple. The brand GMC exists to make General Motors more money.

Or at least, GM's business managers think so.

Not sure how that makes an "I have more money than you do". My uncle was able to work a deal on a new GMC that beat the local Chevy dealers price.

So people can buy an obamatruck.

Truth!

+1 me as well,the Chevy's ok,but not the same .

This.

Most Chevy Dealerships usually only sold Chevy. Were as other GM Dealerships sold multiple brands like Buick, Pontiac, Olds. So having GMC Trucks gave them the option to sell trucks too.

The higher end GMC's have some fancy luxury options that Chevy's might not have. However, for the last 50 years or so, they both use the same engines, transmissions, transfer cases, front and rear differentials ect. GMC did have their own 6 cyl. eng. during the 60's to the mid 70's. They're both built on the same assembly lines.

In 2015 I was in the market for a new 3/4-1 ton truck. I could get similar equipped Chevy and GMC trucks for the same price. These were entry level heavy duty work trucks w/plow and tow set ups, not high end luxury trucks.

NYH1.

THIS is why the brand exists. Years-and-years of "professional grade" marketing to "differentiate" the same Chevy models under a different name.

I thought it so the stand alone Buick and Pontiac dealers had a truck line to sell?

Same same as Camaro and Firebird.

Back in the '70s and '80s I had two full sized station wagons, a Chevy and an Oldsmobile. Oldsmobile was supposed to be the second "highest" GM brand, after Cadillac. The only differences were that the Oldsmobile had (supposedly) a sound deadening panel in the roof and a little fake wood inside. The Chevy actually had some better luxury touches, like a lighted vanity mirror instead of just a cheap mirror stuck on the visor.

I also remember all the fuss when it was discovered that Cadillacs actually had Chevy engines in them. GM had to pay off a lot of irate customers. After that, their brochures admitted that engines might come from other GM divisions.

I knew a guy who was a service manager at a Cadillac dealership. He bought his parts for his own cars at the Chevy dealer. The only difference was that GM put a different part number on them to disguise the fact that they were the same. The "Cadillac" parts cost more, of course.

Personally I think a lot of people are dumb. GM (and others) should stop the pretense and just have one brand.

Makes sense for back then. How they continue today is beyond me. I mean Oldsmobile and Pontiac couldn't.