We have an 04 GMC Denali XL- so the gmc/denali version of the suburban. I love it. I was so against it at first, wanted something smaller, but now I love it. We have the 2nd row captains chairs which are nice- makes it easy to get to the 3rd row. I like that my kids can be in their carseats, and my husband and I can still fit 2 other adults in the car. And unlike the tahoe or shorter version- you still have all of that trunk space. The short versions, when you put the 3rd row in, you've lost all of your cargo space. We bought it used in 06. Speed sensors were having issues about a year ago, we had them taken off and cleaned, and have been problem free ever since. Other than that- in the 5 yrs we've had it, just regular maintenance. Tows great. We used to have a 28 foot powerquest boat, towed it no problem. Pulls the wakeboard boat without an issue. Been up north (even to Canada) who knows how many times pulling sleds. Not so great gas mileage, but it's a big V8, that's what you get.
Last generation Suburban - pros/cons
- Thread starter Hoosier
- Start date
We have a 2001 1/2 ton Burb. 215,000 miles and I'm still on the original front wheel bearings, water pump, alternator. I had to put a fuel pump in at about 185,000. That said it is probably one of the best things I ever bought!! We don't have any kids but we still manage to find people to put in it. Took it out to Yellowstone with 6 people and a top carrier, everybody was totally comfortable with plenty of room to sprawl.
Yeah it's got the piston slap but what GM with a v-8 from 99-at least 06 doesn't. Start it, let warm up a minute even in summer and you'll never know you have piston slap.
I run Amsoil 5W-30 100% Synthetic and run their by-pass filtration system, , drop oil and filters at 25,000 or a year. At 215,000 miles I add maybe a 1/4 of a quart of oil every 4,500 miles.
If you do buy a Burb, open the hood and look at every exhaust manifold bolt. GM had a real problem with heads of the exhaust manifold bolts popping off, then you get an exhaust leak. If you get the rest of the exhaust manifold bolts out you basically have a 50/50 chance that you can grab the broken bolt with a vise grip and turn it out. Likely it will break off flush with the head. Oh and it will be the bolt closest to the fire wall so you will have to pull the head. Ask my how I know,
THe updated bolts have begger heads, probably a better bolt all around.
I'm tellin ya, if you buy one you'll love it. THe wife says she'll never be with out one, and again, it's just the two of us.
Yeah it's got the piston slap but what GM with a v-8 from 99-at least 06 doesn't. Start it, let warm up a minute even in summer and you'll never know you have piston slap.
I run Amsoil 5W-30 100% Synthetic and run their by-pass filtration system, , drop oil and filters at 25,000 or a year. At 215,000 miles I add maybe a 1/4 of a quart of oil every 4,500 miles.
If you do buy a Burb, open the hood and look at every exhaust manifold bolt. GM had a real problem with heads of the exhaust manifold bolts popping off, then you get an exhaust leak. If you get the rest of the exhaust manifold bolts out you basically have a 50/50 chance that you can grab the broken bolt with a vise grip and turn it out. Likely it will break off flush with the head. Oh and it will be the bolt closest to the fire wall so you will have to pull the head. Ask my how I know,
THe updated bolts have begger heads, probably a better bolt all around.I'm tellin ya, if you buy one you'll love it. THe wife says she'll never be with out one, and again, it's just the two of us.
thanks for the input nic. My wife will be driving, so good to hear from you about it. We will soon have 3 in car seats, so the middle row buckets will be a must. Just trying to figure out big suv vs minivan. We've driven some minivans, but they are more expensive than I thought they would be and the gas mileage isn't all that great (and that shouldn't be a surprise, as they aren't very "mini"), so that's why we're also looking at suburbans.
skiroule
Well-known member
Just in case someone hasn't mentioned it, the Suburban middle bench seat will handle three car seats. We had our 99 set up with three seats for the grandkids and it was no problem putting all three in a row. In some ways it was more convenient than climbing through the middle to the back (which our son has to do on his Acadia).
I'm still hoping that people assume they are our grandkids....
I'm still hoping that people assume they are our grandkids....
indy_500
Well-known member
Jesus, I can't believe you guys can have those problems and still call them good vehicles? My dads 02 F-150, 100,000 miles, done nothing but changed oil, new tires and brakes, and a new air filter a week ago.
hoosiersmit, i see you said still trying to figure out big suv vs. minivan, what's wrong with a smaller suv? say a tahoe or trailblazer? Too hard to buckle up kids i'd take it? my mom hates how vans drive, but she doesnt know what she'd do without one due to all the space. her 02 chrysler town and country has been downright terrible. Probably have $3000-4000 in repairs in the last 4 years, and none of those were motor or tranny. And the trannys on them dont last long, so it'll probably go out soon. Gas mileage is 22 mpg, again, not very good. I would stay away from minivans as I think they drive terrible in snow, and they seem so front loaded. But that's just my opinion.
hoosiersmit, i see you said still trying to figure out big suv vs. minivan, what's wrong with a smaller suv? say a tahoe or trailblazer? Too hard to buckle up kids i'd take it? my mom hates how vans drive, but she doesnt know what she'd do without one due to all the space. her 02 chrysler town and country has been downright terrible. Probably have $3000-4000 in repairs in the last 4 years, and none of those were motor or tranny. And the trannys on them dont last long, so it'll probably go out soon. Gas mileage is 22 mpg, again, not very good. I would stay away from minivans as I think they drive terrible in snow, and they seem so front loaded. But that's just my opinion.
Awesome set up! I run that in my vehicles as well. I love the 25,000 mile intervals!
Minivan vs. SUV (long)
Hoosier,
We've got both a Honda Odyssey and a Ford Expedition. To compare:
Minivan
- More interior room for stuff. The floor to ceiling space is much larger so you can haul a lot more stuff in the vehicle.
- Easier to get in/out, especially with kids and car seats
- Better, but not great, gas mileage
- "uncool"
- Moderate winter weather capability. (Work pretty well as long as you have decent tires and take it easy but not as good as an SUV. We have driven minivans to northern MN many times without major problems.)
- Moderate towing capability. I wouldn't tow more than a two place with one, and the Chryslers and some Hondas have known tranny concerns.
SUV
- Less interior room for stuff
- Poor gas mileage
- Great towing capability
- Great winter weather capability
- More challenging with kids/car seats. Harder to get around in the vehicle with the seats. More areas for "stuff" to fall out of reach. (Dropped toys, dropped food, etc.)
- More comfortable for a "full house" of passengers. (8 adults can comfortably ride in my Expedition, six adults comfortably in the van.)
- Drivers seat/position more comfortable for me (6'3") than any minvan I've driven
- Easier to park and maneuver
SUV is my daily driver and van is hers. I prefer driving the SUV, but am OK with the van. My wife is happy to drive either. She's really attached to her Odyssey (165k and she still won't talk about getting another one.) In fair weather and day to day the van is easier for the family hauler. In bad weather, towing the trailer, and for comfort I prefer the SUV. Even though mileage isn't great in the van it is still ~50% better than the truck so we tend to take the van for daily driving. We are an active scouting family so I use the SUV as a truck a lot in addition to towing the sleds. Towing trailers, going off road, etc. I’m towing the troop trailer to Virginia on Friday to hike on the Appalachian Trail.
Bottom line: We really like both. If the vehicle is for your wife as a daily driver with the young kids and you won’t need it for towing much I’d go with the van. If you will use it for towing the sleds then I’d go with the SUV, but know you will need a car top carrier and/or hitch rack for those vacations with the kids.
I’d also seriously suggest checking out the Expedition. I’ve had great luck with mine and can’t complain about anything but the gas mileage (which all of the large SUV’s suffer from.) I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love theirs. Look for the EL model if you can find one for more cargo space.
Hoosier,
We've got both a Honda Odyssey and a Ford Expedition. To compare:
Minivan
- More interior room for stuff. The floor to ceiling space is much larger so you can haul a lot more stuff in the vehicle.
- Easier to get in/out, especially with kids and car seats
- Better, but not great, gas mileage
- "uncool"
- Moderate winter weather capability. (Work pretty well as long as you have decent tires and take it easy but not as good as an SUV. We have driven minivans to northern MN many times without major problems.)
- Moderate towing capability. I wouldn't tow more than a two place with one, and the Chryslers and some Hondas have known tranny concerns.
SUV
- Less interior room for stuff
- Poor gas mileage
- Great towing capability
- Great winter weather capability
- More challenging with kids/car seats. Harder to get around in the vehicle with the seats. More areas for "stuff" to fall out of reach. (Dropped toys, dropped food, etc.)
- More comfortable for a "full house" of passengers. (8 adults can comfortably ride in my Expedition, six adults comfortably in the van.)
- Drivers seat/position more comfortable for me (6'3") than any minvan I've driven
- Easier to park and maneuver
SUV is my daily driver and van is hers. I prefer driving the SUV, but am OK with the van. My wife is happy to drive either. She's really attached to her Odyssey (165k and she still won't talk about getting another one.) In fair weather and day to day the van is easier for the family hauler. In bad weather, towing the trailer, and for comfort I prefer the SUV. Even though mileage isn't great in the van it is still ~50% better than the truck so we tend to take the van for daily driving. We are an active scouting family so I use the SUV as a truck a lot in addition to towing the sleds. Towing trailers, going off road, etc. I’m towing the troop trailer to Virginia on Friday to hike on the Appalachian Trail.
Bottom line: We really like both. If the vehicle is for your wife as a daily driver with the young kids and you won’t need it for towing much I’d go with the van. If you will use it for towing the sleds then I’d go with the SUV, but know you will need a car top carrier and/or hitch rack for those vacations with the kids.
I’d also seriously suggest checking out the Expedition. I’ve had great luck with mine and can’t complain about anything but the gas mileage (which all of the large SUV’s suffer from.) I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love theirs. Look for the EL model if you can find one for more cargo space.
I'll give you a pass since you've been driving for about 3 days and I know you mean well, but we will soon have 3 kids 3 and under need as much space as we can get. We have a Jeep Commander and need something with more space. Gas mileage is a secondary consideration. Space and safety are #1.
Looks like great advice. We have looked at the various vans, and will probably look at the expedition el and the newer burbans also. Just trying to figure out space and pricing, etc. Trying not to break the bank but also get the right vehicle.
Do you have the Expedition regular length or the EL? I would think the interior storage space on the EL is probably comparable to a minivan
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3 kids under 3- definitely need a long version SUV. Strollers, groceries, you name it- you need that cargo space.
Personally- I refused to drive a minivan. I just can't bring myself to do it. That being said- if I had 3 kids, I think it's almost a must. If your kids were a bit older and could buckle themselves into their seats, no problems. But- if I had to have a seat in the 3rd row and climb to the back everytime- it would be horrible. My friend has 3 kids under 3 and got the town & country. They essentially put the 2 older ones in the 3rd row- and the middle row, they have the one seat folded down flat- it's like there's only seat in the middle row. And with the big door that opens, she can help the 2 in the 3rd row buckle up without getting in the van- can reach them no problem (and she's like 5'1 100lbs soaking wet).
2 kids- I'd go with the big SUV. 3 kids, I think a minivan is a must if they are all in carseats and need help buckling up.
Personally- I refused to drive a minivan. I just can't bring myself to do it. That being said- if I had 3 kids, I think it's almost a must. If your kids were a bit older and could buckle themselves into their seats, no problems. But- if I had to have a seat in the 3rd row and climb to the back everytime- it would be horrible. My friend has 3 kids under 3 and got the town & country. They essentially put the 2 older ones in the 3rd row- and the middle row, they have the one seat folded down flat- it's like there's only seat in the middle row. And with the big door that opens, she can help the 2 in the 3rd row buckle up without getting in the van- can reach them no problem (and she's like 5'1 100lbs soaking wet).
2 kids- I'd go with the big SUV. 3 kids, I think a minivan is a must if they are all in carseats and need help buckling up.
My brother has a 05ish Dodge Grand Caravan he calls the McVan. Just like anybody else he wasn't really crazy about buying it but aside from the pretty light towing capacity the utility use and inside room is unreal!! The seats fold into the floor so he's got flat floor from the back door to the back of the two front seats. I mean he hauls 4X8 peices of plywood, dry wall, bicycles with just the front wheel off, , it's unreal. Our Burb has a bunch of room too but I have to remove the third seat which is fairly heavy, the second row seats sort of fold flat, , the seat area folds up against the two front seats and the back rest folds flat to the floor.
The brother would like to get a Burb but can't justify the fuel milage. I love the Burb but wish I could have his van for the fuel milage these days. It's a vicious circle.
IMO I would waste your time with a Tahoe. Getting into the second row seats is a Beehotch as the rear wheel wells protrude into the back doors. Literally the only thing you'll get with a Tahoe is less towing capacity and a shorter turning radius. Fuel milage will remain the same as a Burb.
What I'm hearing is that the new Burbs really don't get that much better fuel milage in the grand scheme. Look around I bet you could find a butt load of used Burbs for under 12K, , , nice ones too. You'll be back in the 02-06 ara, but if you don't have to have the latest and greatest you'll be totally happy.
The brother would like to get a Burb but can't justify the fuel milage. I love the Burb but wish I could have his van for the fuel milage these days. It's a vicious circle.
IMO I would waste your time with a Tahoe. Getting into the second row seats is a Beehotch as the rear wheel wells protrude into the back doors. Literally the only thing you'll get with a Tahoe is less towing capacity and a shorter turning radius. Fuel milage will remain the same as a Burb.
What I'm hearing is that the new Burbs really don't get that much better fuel milage in the grand scheme. Look around I bet you could find a butt load of used Burbs for under 12K, , , nice ones too. You'll be back in the 02-06 ara, but if you don't have to have the latest and greatest you'll be totally happy.
indy_500
Well-known member
well said
indy_500
Well-known member
uncle_ed
Active member
I drive a 2002 Yukon that has 202,000 miles on it and I would not be afraid to take it on any long trip, wouldn't bat an eye. I have had to perform typical maintainence for a vehicle of that age/milage front wheel bearings, fuel pump, and regular oil and filter changes. I work in the auto industry and work on them and see they all have problems of some kind, who makes one that goes 200,000 miles without some issues?
My wife drives a 2007 Tahoe with the new body style which I do like better. It seems to have more room inside, handles better with the rack and pinion steering and probably gets better milage with the adaptive fuel management system that drops the v8 down to 4 cylinders when cruising. Both trucks have the 5.3 litre engine as well. Hers has 75,000 trouble free miles so far.
Knock on wood!!!!
My wife drives a 2007 Tahoe with the new body style which I do like better. It seems to have more room inside, handles better with the rack and pinion steering and probably gets better milage with the adaptive fuel management system that drops the v8 down to 4 cylinders when cruising. Both trucks have the 5.3 litre engine as well. Hers has 75,000 trouble free miles so far.
Knock on wood!!!!
tealracing16
Member
Wow Indy ripping something again, I'm so shocked (read it with heavy sarcasm). 4000 in repairs in 4 years is nothing compared to payments. I understand you are a professional driver and have 50+ years in a drivers seat with a million miles under the tires, but as someone who only puts on 20K just in my car a year I bow to your knowledge.
I love our suburban, I didn't buy it for mileage. A windstar we rented got 28 running to Panama City for spring break fully loaded with 4 adults. It was anice van, but I can't bring myself to buy one.
Take them all for a test drive and find some older ones with lots of miles, that will tell you how they hold up.
Sorry for the rant at the beginning. Its just getting old.
I know I've vented about a few of the problems I've had with mine but here is the bottom line, in my opinion. Buy a Suburban. I would suggest and 05 or 06 LT with the captains chairs in the second row. If you have kids, shell out for one with the DVD package.
Once you own a Suburban, you'll never want anything else.
Dave
indy_500
Well-known member
how's what getting old? that I was complaining about a vehicle we own? how's that any different from anybody else in the thread?
coldsmokejr
New member
Here we go with Indy's tears again!! It's no wonder I hardly visit anymore! The man is asking advice on how to spend his hard earned money from people who have extensive experience owning/maintaining/operating vehicles, and yet again, Indy (with a week behind the wheel) pops in to wreck another thread? Really? Change the tune...sheesh! We all understand your young, it's cool, but it also means (on most things) you dont know your arse from your elbow.
indy_500
Well-known member
So even though we've spent $4000 in repairs, it's still a good vehicle?