Forum Member Seeks Advice on Buying a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban
Prospective buyer is worried about a transfer case problem that doesn’t apply to the Suburban being considered.
While scrolling through the forum, we came across an interesting thread posted by new forum member “Neuner”, who is in the process of shopping for a used Chevrolet Suburban. He doesn’t state his budget, but he points out that he is looking at rigs from the 2011 through 2014 model years, leading to a 2012 Z71 model.
Upon finding that 2012 Suburban Z71, the OP came to ChevroletForum to ask other owners and enthusiasts if there is anything specific to watch for when buying one of these big sport utilities in the used market. So far, the input from the community hasn’t included anything that would lead this buyer to shy away from the 2012 Z71.
The Introduction
When the OP first posted his question to the forum, he offered some background on his search along with speaking briefly about the 2012 model that he found right away. That led him to a variety of questions that can best be answered by owners and enthusiasts of these big SUVs.
First time poster and considering the purchase of a Suburban.
We are actively looking for a used SUV to add to our lineup and are leaning towards a Suburban. Due to our price limits, we are considering one in the ’11-14 year range with 85k-115k miles. The majority in our area are 2wd. If a very rare 4wd pops up, it is quickly sold for about $2k-4k more.
For the immediate, I have found a ’12 with 98k miles and a Z71 4wd package. So far looks good with exception to a cracked dash which sounds typical? Would there be any concerns with this year, package and this many miles?
In general, are there any trim packages, years, mileage, issues, etc you can warn us about?
I am able to do mechanical repairs but would be reluctant to work on this vehicle since my old Jeep CJ7 takes up most of my time in the garage.
Thanks!
The Community Responds
The first person to reply to the OP was “oilcanhenry”, who offered some basic tips on used vehicle shopping.
You can check out “Car Complaints” on the internet for that vehicle. Some of the plastics could be better on most cars, but a simple dash crack isn’t a deal breaker. Checking it out by you or a tech you can pay is a good deal. If they won’t allow for that just walk away. They have something to hide that you don’t want to deal with.
The OP then replied twice, clarifying his question;
Yes I’ve checked the complaints but just like any other car review, they consist no more than a bunch whiners with minor cosmetic complaints. What I was looking for was more a mechanical review. Haven’t really seen any issues browsing the internet or forums.
Transfer Case Concerns
The OP then posted, asking about a possible problem with the transfer case of the Chevy Suburban.
“Heard that Suburban’s Transfer Cases have a pump in them that rubs and creates a pin hole leak that continues to get worse. Major cost to repair. What years does this affect?”
“Irish Alley” replied, pointing out that it was all four-wheel-drive General Motors SUVs, not just Suburbans. However, the common “pump rub” issue doesn’t impact vehicles as new as the 2012 model year.
From 98-07 from the blazer to the 3500 pickups (NP136, NP149, NP236, NP246, NP261, NP261HD, NP263, NP263HD, NP261XHD, NP263XHD). pretty much the pump rubs a pin hole in the case only real way to fix is to get a kit ($99). you can JBWeld but that’s a band aid
The OP is right in believing that this could be an unavoidable and expensive problem, but with the pump rub problem affecting vehicles from the late 1990s through 2007, someone considering a 2012 Suburban wouldn’t have to worry about this issue.
In other words, there doesn’t seem to be any obvious reason why the OP should avoid buying the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban Z71. Click here to provide input of your own.
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