Getting 18 - 20 Miles a Gallon: The GMC Savana 3500 for 2003
There’s been a lot of talk about the GMC Savana 3500 for 2003. As a leading van in the extended passenger van market the Savana 3500 (and in this case specically the SLE version) has maintained a good reputation. The 3-door Savana 3500 is especially appealing to broad audience, making it a perfect van to help GMC as a brand in general.
The Savana 3500 SLE is equipped with a General Motors 6.0 liter eight-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The Vortec engine is mated to a General Motors 4-speed Transmission. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for GMC.
The fuel system for the 2003 Savana 3500 is a SFI system, running on CNG . The fuel is controlled by an electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The 31.00-gallon tank provides the fuel storage for longer trips.
The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are disc. Steering is handled through a power-steering gear-style configuration. The Savana 3500 uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. Load balancing is provided by coil front springs and leaf in the rear.
The dimensions of the Savana 3500 SLE are 79.40 inches wide by 224.10 inches long. It sits 81.60 inches off the ground. It seats a standard two passengers, with 3 doors. The wheelbase of 135.00 allows for extra leg room for the rear passengers.
The GMC Savana 3500 lists at $23,255 when new. The dealer cost on the van was $20,348.
The 2003 Savana 3500 gets 18 - 20 miles/gallon on the highway and only 15 in the city. This is subpar for a extended passenger van van.
The vehicle is available in Carbon Metallic, Fire Red, Indigo Blue Metallic, Midnight Red Metallic, Onyx Black, Pewter Metallic, Polo Green Metallic, Sandalwood Metallic, and Summit White.
There is a 36,000 mile, 36 month warranty with this vehicle, including a powertrain warranty of 36,000/36 miles/months. This is normal for this price range.
The 2003 model year was telling year for the GMC Savana 3500. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the SLE version) meant that buyers could find the version that best suited their needs.