Our latest AskTFL segment brought in an interesting question from a viewer: buy a Silverado Trail Boss or a basic Work Truck model and modify it later?
The first part of this equation in our minds is that adding aftermarket modifications can yield poor results if not done correctly, but you can also build something way better than stock if done right. So first you must decide if you are willing to take on the project, or if you just want to trust what the factory engineers designed.
ALSO SEE: Watch the Silverado Trail Boss Off-Road in Moab, Utah
In this case, the buyer is thinking about getting a Silverado, which starts at $29,745 for a Work Truck and climbs to just over $49,000 for an LT Trail Boss Crew Cab. You can also get the cheaper Custom Trail Boss for around $43,000. Adding the Z71 package to the Work Truck is also an option to start with adding a bit more capability to the suspension and making the truck a little more expensive.
So with the somewhere from $12K-$19K you would be saving buying a basic truck, you could very likely afford to replicate the Trail Boss’ two-inch lift and unique suspension setup which includes calibration work and Rancho shocks. A set of solid off-road tires also needs to be part of the mix, as the Trail Boss comes with Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs.
The one disappointing part about the Trail Boss is that currently you can’t get the big 6.2-liter V8 under the hood, only the 5.3-liter V8. And to get the engine, you have to get a LTZ or higher trimmed truck, so getting the big V8 really isn’t an option here. But, if you modify it yourself, you can always add on some engine components to make more power.
So the choice is certainly a personal one, but if you ask me, I would go for the Work Truck. I think having a one-off rig that’s all your own is cool, and the fact that you can probably create something nice for less money than a proper Trail Boss have me leaning towards the Work Truck route.
What would you do in this case? Let us know in the comments below.
And if you want to see Andre and Nathan discuss it, skip to the 29:20 in the video below.
