- #895 of 939
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Re: Thinking of a Suburban. [murphy4]
by ahightower
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Jan 12, 2009 (6:01 pm)
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Replying to: murphy4 (Jan 11, 2009 8:00 pm)
Well, I'll jump in too. We have an '05 Yukon XL and love it. Very comfy, roomy, surpisingly fuel efficient for its size. The next vehicle will definitely be another Suburban or YXL. The differences, as has been noted, are just a matter of cosmetics and trim levels. For some reason, GMC and Chevy package things differently, slightly different standard equipment. Pay close attention and you'll eventually figure out the right model and trim level to get only what you need and nothing else. We went with GMC (SLT trim) because our vehicle had some things unavailable on Suburban LS, but did not include some of the extras we didn't want from the Suburban LT.
If money were no object, I'd get a new YXL Denali fully loaded and be done with it. But it is.. so here are my present thoughts regarding:
-gears - I'll go with the 3.42 again. With our 4-speed, I do wish we had the 4.10 as it tends to be indecisive (3rd vs. 4th) at higher speeds when towing. It doesn't lack for power, but occasionally likes to drop into passing gear for very moderate inclines. But with the new 6-speed transmission, I wouldn't expect that to be an issue, and would like the better fuel economy for the majority of trips we take without a trailer. (We rent a camper every few months, and may eventually buy one.)
-Autoride air suspension - I wouldn't say I need it, but everyone who has it seems to like it a lot. I have never seen our rear end sag, even when towing, and I am very satisfied with the ride comfort. But I would like to try it out and see if it's worth $1100 to me.
-2WD vs 4WD - We have no need for 4WD. No offroading expected, very little snow in our area. As long as you get the locking rear differential and good quality tires, 2WD with the standard traction control is just fine for wet and occasional ice, and gets slightly better mpg.
-engine - The 6.0 is a beast, and not much more expensive. But, the 5.3 has never wanted for power in my experience, and again with the 6-speed tranny, I imagine it's very responsive and great for towing. I'd rather have the better gas mileage.
-bench vs buckets - we have buckets now and it's been great. We have three small kids in booster seats. It's really nice having two of them in the back seat and able to walk through the middle row without having to flip and fold anything. However, as they get older and are able to handle it, it would be nice to have the 8th seat on occasion, or to remove the 3rd row entirely and have that much more space for camping gear and luggage. We have managed just fine with all three rows in place and the hitch haul platform for coolers, gear boxes, folding chairs, etc., but I can envision scenarios where removing the third row and still seating the five of us would be very convenient. Also, we may add to the family at some point and the more seats the merrier.
-gadgets - We have the power pedals and they are great. I'm 6'3", my wife is 5'2". Wouldn't go without them on the next vehicle. I do wish we had sprung for the top trim level (SLT2, I think) because while we have power seats, mirrors, and pedals, we do not have the memory function. It only takes a moment to get set when we switch drivers, but it would sure be convenient to press just one button, or better yet, be identified and automatically reset from my key fob. Also wish we had the power folding mirrors as we have "grazed" the side of the garage a few times... Also would like remote start and bluetooth next time around, I believe those are standard on all but the base models these day. I don't need navigation or satellite radio, but I would like a USB port for the iPod. That may require an upgraded stereo.
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- #896 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [aggie10]
by ahightower
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Jan 12, 2009 (6:04 pm)
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Replying to: aggie10 (Jan 12, 2009 1:40 pm)
If you use all three rows and need cargo space, the Traverse will not cut it. 60K is not a lot of miles and your Suburban may be very reliable for years to come. And you won't get much on a trade. Maybe you'd feel at ease with an extended warranty for a couple thousand bucks? If you must have something new, consider a lightly used 2008, or wait another year for an 09 with the 6-speed transmission. That's what I'm holding out for.
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- #897 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [ahightower]
by aggie10
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Jan 13, 2009 (7:30 am)
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Replying to: ahightower (Jan 12, 2009 6:04 pm)
Thank you all for the feedback! This is such a great resource. I have one last question. Someone mentioned an extended warranty.....can I buy that now even though I have 60,000 miles? Sorry if that's a stupid question. Thanks again for everything.
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- #898 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [ahightower]
by tsf7
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Jan 13, 2009 (8:34 am)
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Replying to: ahightower (Jan 12, 2009 6:04 pm)
I would second the opinion that 60k isn't a lot of miles for these trucks. Is there something potentially wrong with it? Our '04 now has 83k and has not missed a beat. My bro has an '02 Tahoe, 110k miles, no problems. My dad has a '99, 270k miles, no problems (of course, things like batteries, alternator, fuel pump, ect. have been replaced. But major stuff is still sound). His '96 before that, 170k miles when he traded it in (only traded it in b/c '99 was the last year they were putting the 5.7l in them, and he loves his Chevy 350s!). If you have maintained it properly, I wouldn't be worried about anything major breaking on it.
Also second that when you go to trade it in, you will be disappointed at what they offer you. Unless you really don't like the vehicle or are aware of specific potential problems, I'd say it makes financial sense to hold on to it as well. Btw, you won't save much, if any, on gas in an awd Traverse. Certainly not enough to eat a bunch of money trading the Suburban in.
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- #899 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [tsf7]
by aggie10
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Jan 13, 2009 (11:25 am)
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Replying to: tsf7 (Jan 13, 2009 8:34 am)
Thanks, ahightower (and others). I guess I'm probably being paranoid. I love Suburbans. I guess I've just heard horror stories about repairs. Actually, I'm ready for some new tires, but other than that....I don't have any reason to think I'm about to have any issues. In June, we're driving to Florida (from Texas), so it makes me a little nervous long drive. Based on yours and your family's success with Suburbans, I guess I should just chill out and enjoy it. Thanks a lot for alleviating my concerns/fears. You can probably tell that I'm definitely not mechanically inclined. Ha!
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- #900 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [aggie10]
by arrie
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Jan 13, 2009 (7:40 pm)
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Replying to: aggie10 (Jan 12, 2009 1:40 pm)
I have a '04 Tahoe with 102 000 miles on it and I intend to keep it another 3 years. That is when it will be 7 years old and I have to buy something newer because of the policy company I work for has.
In the same company another guy has a Sub with over 250 000 miles and all he had to fix on it was intake "carburetor" assembly and the drive shaft went out just last week...$139 fix at dealer.
Buying a new vehicle involves using a lot of money. Your sub has almost zero trade in value or trying to sell it is very difficult other than when some people hear about it having only 60 000 miles they will get it. It just is hard to get a good pay for it.
Another way to think about all this is to replace the engine and transmission on it both for 36 000 miles warranty and it can be done for $7000 - 8000 with factory parts. You will spend way more for any new car with trade in.
If your truck is in good condition inside and out don't worry. If it breaks you can get it back to almost as new condition for much less than buying anything new.
But there always is that "new car bug bite"...
Arrie
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- #901 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [arrie]
by aggie10
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Jan 13, 2009 (9:31 pm)
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Replying to: arrie (Jan 13, 2009 7:40 pm)
Thanks so much, arrie. That really puts everything in perspective! I'm convinced-I'm totally going to keep what I have. Thanks again to everyone.
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- #902 of 939
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Re: Thinking of a Suburban. [ahightower]
by murphy4
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Jan 14, 2009 (8:50 am)
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Replying to: ahightower (Jan 12, 2009 6:01 pm)
Thanks for all the input. We are seriously heading toward buying either. As I do more research I see the differences between Suburban and Yukon XL is mostly packaging and options. I personally like the way the Suburban looks.
Now it just about getting the best deal. Leaning towards 2009 because of the 6 speed and few other items, although the 2008 are hard to pass up because of the deals.
Anyone have feedback on what a 2009 LT2 should be costing?
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- #903 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [aggie10]
by tsf7
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Jan 14, 2009 (9:27 am)
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Replying to: aggie10 (Jan 13, 2009 9:31 pm)
Good luck. I think odds of several more years of trouble-free use are highly in your favor. In my opinion, virtually every car on the road will run to 150k miles without major problems. I and my family drive a lot (as you can see from the high mileage vehicles I identified above), so nearly every vehicle I've ever had has quickly gotten into the "high mileage" category. My first car, an 83 Ford Escort, ran until about 200k (died as a hand-me-down when my brother didn't put the oil plug back in properly after a change). Three subsequent jeeps all above 150k. My daily current daily driver, an '02 VW Passat, currently has 123k. I name the vehicles b/c some of those are rated lower on the reliability scale by a lot of car people. But I've maintained them religiously, and never had a drivetrain-related problem with any of them. Same goes for pretty much all the vehicles my family has owned. Incidentially, the only car I've had any drivetrain problems with was an '01 Acura TL, made by Honda. It went through 2 transmissions in 50k miles, due to an engineering defect that Honda has admitted to. Of course, freak problems sometimes arise, but I think generally speaking, a Sub w/ 60k miles is just getting started!
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- #904 of 939
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Re: Wanting to replace our Suburban [tsf7]
by aggie10
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Jan 14, 2009 (9:35 am)
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Replying to: tsf7 (Jan 14, 2009 9:27 am)
Thank you so much! Honestly, I don't know a ton about vehicle maintenance. I can follow directions, and I know when to get my oil changed, etc... However, is there anything special that you do to get this type of longevity out of your vehicles? When you say "maintenance," is there something specific you do besides regular oil changes, etc...? This is incredible. Unfortunately, as you can tell from my posts, I get a little nervous when the mileage gets up there. We have traditionally traded our cars in (which makes me feel like a fool now). Thanks for any advice. I really, really appreciate it. I'm excited because we love our Suburban. I was just afraid of having to spend a ton of cash in the near future. Again, I don't have any reason to anticipate any problems...just the mileage. Thanks so much!
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