I am wondering about how many miles I can expect to get out of my '99 Chevy Silverado Z71. I have only had minor issues to date with truck, get regular oil changes and it seems to be mechanically sound for now.

It has 109k miles on it, and my concern is that I need to make long trips to Michigan (from Texas) at least 2x per year. My worst nightmare would be breaking down in transit.

Should I still have some good miles left or is it time to start looking for a new truck? Thnx in advance.

Hard to say.  Highway miles are easy on the driveline, if it doesnt use oil and the timing chain is quiet I'd do it.   BTW the Opsvagen has almost 300K on it.  Ops

impossible to say

I have a 97 that gets VERY abused , 260.000 miles 20% off road and 80% highway miles.
No regular oil changes, and only maitained when absolutly required.
This remindes me , I wonder what my air filter looks like

If you drive like an old man and do regular maintenence it will last forever, and I think this holds true for almost any car or truck.  To make a really quick analysis- I drive normally, don't gun it, follow the speed limits.  My S-10 is a 99, bought it with almost 100k on the odo, now has over 130k, and hasn't had any problems.  Buddy of mine has the same truck, but a 2000, bought almost new, and has had to rebuild the thing- tons of problems.  If you saw the way he drives you would understand.

Most newer engines go 200k + with regular maint. However, don't forget about your trans. Automatics should have a fluid & filter change every 30-40k. Standards also benefit from fluid changes @ 50k.

A shitload,

remember that newspaper delivery guy who put a million on the stock chevy 350??

The thing that sucks about newer cars is you will have some weird sensor go out and that will fuck you.

Quoted: Most newer engines go 200k + with regular maint. However, don't forget about your trans. Automatics should have a fluid & filter change every 30-40k. Standards also benefit from fluid changes @ 50k.

DO NOT change the tranny fluid and filter on a truck with 100,000 miles that has never had it done previously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  this is a definite DON'T.  i have seen waaaaaaaaaay too many trannies decide to go out because somebody got a wild hair to change their tranny fluid at umpteen jillion miles that never had before..............................

Yah, I fear taking it in for a "tune-up" for that very reason. Why screw with something that isn't broken as long as general maintanance is taken care of.

Plus, the fact that when they see a female come in, all of a sudden it will need a bunch of work done to it...

a tune-up is COMPLETELY appropriate for an engine with that kind of mileage on it......................

plugs
wires
cap
rotor

don't let them fuck with anything besides that

That thing is just getting broken in keep driving it

Hey Sig!  My 92 K1500 has 260,000 miles on it, and still runs great.  You may burn up alternators, brakes, things like that, but that engine is good for at least 200k miles.

Edited to add: my miles have been 90% highway.  In those miles over the last 6 years, I have replaced the exhaust twice (WI winters), battery once, alternator twice, fuel pump once, one headlight switch, one radio antenna, and four sets of tires.  The original clutch finally smoked out at 250k.  Changed the oil early spring, summer, and fall.  Changed plugs once a year.  Changed cap, rotor, and wires every two years.

You may eventually have tranny problems if you have not had it flushed regularly.  Mine is a 1995 with 120k miles and I have an occasional 1-2 shift lag (possibly the 1-2 shift solenoid is bad).  Your fuel pump will also eventually die.  Helps to change the fuel filter often.

GunLvr

10-4.

I'll check into a basic tune-up with my next oil change. Maybe I'll even get brave and try to do some of the stuff myself.  I'm glad it sounds like I can expect some more miles out of it, as i'm pretty attached to it and it's almost paid off.

Now I can start getting serious about finding a topper for it since I feel better about keeping it

Thanks guys

Chevy trucks with the 4L60-4L80 trans usually go through a tranny every 100K miles .
Most don't give any warning , they just stop working . Other then that they are a decent truck ,
and only require minor maint ... Oh and they love a bottle of Cheveron Techron every 3rd or 4th tank
if your area uses a 10% alcohol mix in the gas .

I have a 99 Silverado too.  Just rolled 172000 on it, and it still runs/looks new.  (not kidding at all)

It used to be a Sherwin Williams fleet truck before I got it last year at auction (for $3000) so you KNOW it wasn't treated all that well.  I had a problem with the ignition system last week, turned out to be the aftermarket remote start system and nothing that Chevy had intended to even be on the truck.  

Keep it maintained, and yours will run as long as you want it to.  Replacement trannys and engines are a helluvalot cheaper than a new truck anyway!  

My '97 Z71 had 174,000 when I sold it.  (I miss it!)

I still see it on the road around our area.

Do a cylinder leakdown and or compression test the will tell you half-ass what condition your rings and valves are in. If the oil changes and other have been done on a regular basis and its not knocking the lower end should be ok. Its the other things that give you problems on the road such as belts, accessories (altenator,battery,w/pump), u-joints that you should be looking at. If your unsure about these things talk to a good mechanic and also read up about it, like going to the Gates or Dayco belts web pages and reading on determining if your belts are bad or if the pulley also needs replaced it will give pics along with why its happening. About u-joints until they go bad and start making noise its hard to tell and if you do end up replacing one make sure that’s done right as premature wear occurs if not. Look at all the old UPS trucks that were going up and down the road for all them years running a small block Chevy with no problems. So what I'm getting at with all this rant is the engine is the least of your worries its the little things