eagle243

Hi, all.

I'm a new user here, and I do not currently own a Chevy. I am interested in a Chevy Suburban/Tahoe or GMC Yukon.

Right now, I tow a popup camper with a Honda Odyssey, but I'm wanting a bigger camper now, so I need a bigger tow vehicle. A VW Touareg would be a great option (7,716 pound towing capacity!) if my family were smaller, but with 3 children (currently ages 7, 10, 11), we need something bigger than the VW. I've been looking around, and it looks like I probably want a Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon.

My budget will be no more than $25k, so I'm definitely looking at something used. I've been considering a 2007-2014 model, and those can be had with anywhere from 90k miles to 200k miles, ranging from $10k (175k-200k miles) to $25-30k (75-100k miles).

My needs list includes DVD player and tow package, and my wishlist includes 4WD (we make an annual trip to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving or Christmas) and backup camera (if it doesn't have one, I will install one). I can also install a brake controller if the unit we buy doesn't have one.

Are there specific concerns I should know about regarding the purchase of one of these vehicles with 150-200k miles on the clock? A local used car dealer has a 2005 Yukon with 197k miles, for $5,000. At that price, I don't really care if it only lasts me a year.

Of course, anything I buy I will have checked out by a reputable mechanic.

I would appreciate your buying advice and tips.

Thanks.

oilcanhenry

What kind of motor in liters is this GMC? What are the axle ratios? Any service records? What is the exact model? SLE? Denali? XL? Any rust beyond surface?

KChevy75

With The 2007+, AFM has been an issue for a lot of people. Oil control rings get plugged up causing oil consumption. The AFM lifters can get stuck collapsed which either requires new lifters or a replacement engine. Many go the replacement engine route because the cost is not much more.

The 5.3L has the highest reported AFM related issues. I've heard of one 6.0L that had AFM related issues.

I've always used fully synthetic in my 2007 Suburban 5.3L and I have 293,400 miles on it. Even with fully synthetic, I started having oil consumption issues. By 180,000 miles, it was about 1 qt every 2,000 miles. I did all the updates to mitigate oil consumption which helped quite a bit. I even went 8,000 miles without the oil low light coming on a couple times. Highway driving seems to cause much higher oil consumption.

The 5.3L in the suburban is a bit under-powered for towing from what I've experienced. I wish I had the 6.0L instead.

However, If anything were to happen to my truck and I could get another 2007+ 5.3L Yukon XL or Suburban for under $10K and it ran well, I'd take it.

eagle243

I replied yesterday but my reply included links to the vehicles I am considering. I'm replying again on the assumption that a moderator won't approve the earlier reply that included links.

According to the VIN decoder on this site, the GMC is a 6.0 w/ 3.73 axle ratio. I don't know of any available service records, but can ask. The 2005 is a Yukon Denali. The ad indicates that there is rust in the rocker panels and that some gauges do not work, but that the unit is mechnically sound. That's all I know on that one so far.

Thanks for the very helpful reply! I did not know about the AFM issue, and this is exactly the kind of information I was seeking.

Quote:

However, If anything were to happen to my truck and I could get another 2007+ 5.3L Yukon XL or Suburban for under $10K and it ran well, I'd take it.

Honestly, this is kind of what I've been thinking: It appears that mechanically sound $10k Suburbans don't come around that often, so if we can deal with its cosmetic issues and the fact that the rear seat is not a bench but rather 2 captain's chairs, then it might be a winner.