I have been offered 2 suburbans by family members for the same price. They are both within my price range but I cant decide which to get. I will mostly be using it in the mountians around seattle and sometimes will pull a trailer. I work at a ski resourt so there will be many times a month when I will be in deep snow and snowy mountain roads. My options are a 1999 Suburban 1500LT with 133,998mi, 4x4, 350 small block and absolutly nothing wrong with it, no rust or anything. My other option is a 1997 Suburban 2500, 100,000mi, 454 big block, 4x4, and 4.10 gears. It is also an LT so it has the same interrior (leather and lots of nice stuff), eccept this one has some rust, it has a big dent on the corner in the rear where it had been rear ended, and the a/c needs work. I would take the 1500 in a flash but i dont know because of the bigger brakes and larger towing capacity of the 2500. Which one should i buy???

 

maybe talk the 2500 down a little? tell them you are interested but you need extra $$ to fix some of the things wrong with it.. i'v always wayed a 4x4 454 surb. lol..did you drive them both? get up to 65 mph... there maybe be something wrong with the one or the other.. just saying good luck on which ever you choose! oh and post pics!

 

I did drive them both. They are both my dads. I am coming back to the chevy tradition. I was always a chevy kid, in a chevy family, then i bought a powerstroke. Worst decision of my life. Now im getting a burb. I have gotten them both to 80mph on the highway to make sure the gearing is good. They both have the electronic shift transfer case. I really want the 454, i am just worried about the stuff wrong with it and gas mileage really. It will be a daily driver and i dont want to make another mistake like i did with the ford

 

welll the 454 wont help at all with mpg!! lol..

 

Welcome to the forum.

I'd check the tow rating for both and unless the 1500 wouldn't hack it then get the 2500. But the 2500 will ride like a ten ton gravel truck w/ no load and get about 8 mpg while it's doing it.

 

thats my delema. There will be times when i will want to tow a large trailer (30ft pintle equiptment trailer with a track hoe), but that would not be very often. I will be in the mountains all the time and would like the extra braking power, im just not sure if the 2500 would be better than the 1500. Is the 1997 454 TBI or multiport injection?

 

I'm guessing the 454 is TBI but not sure. Is the 1500 tow rating enuf for ur trailer?

Also not sure the 2500 brakes are any bigger but they might be. Can u c the rotors to c if they're the same size?

 

Yes, and no, Its a 35ft Rocky mountain edition travel trailer that weighs 18000lbs, and or an equipment trailer that weighs 3000 dry and could have anything from a bobcat to a full size track hoe on it. I know that the 1500 350 will definitely pull it on flat ground but i don't know through the mountains in the snow?

 

Are either trucks rated for 18,000 lbs?

 

lol... not rated, but the suburban 2500 has 1ton spring packs in the rear for the heavier body and it will pull almost anything. I also use a weight distribution hitch though. I know for a fact that the 2500 will pull it, but im not sure if the 1500 will through the mountians. My friends 1500 pick up pulled it with weight dist. no problem on flat ground.