I have a '04 Suburban with 97,000 miles on it. I'm thinking about putting a couple grand into it or selling it and buying new. At what point should I expect to start making major and expensive repairs to my Suburban? What's the life expectancy for a burb?

 

depends what kind of maintenance you've done and you're driving style/area

 

The first 70,000 were highway and all city since then. Maintenance is good. No towing--treat it pretty good. Inland So. Cal area

 

my 1995 Tahoe had 285,000 on it when I sold it.

Everything worked but the A/C.

 

If you changed the oil and filters regularly, you should be good for another 100,000 miles+. Is there any rust on the body? With no rust you are in great shape with it.

 

Thanks guys

 

Before you decide, you might want to pull the copy of your Burb's most recent smog check vehicle inspection report, especially if you live in what our state considers an "enhanced area." Did it pass on the first try with the emissions well within the allowable range?

At almost 200K my well-maintained '93 still ran so smoothly you could balance an egg on the air cleaner cover and had just had a major service when I brought it in to be tested, so I was floored when it just...barely...passed. I was told to plan on replacing the catalytic converter (best case), or a new cat plus a valve job (worst case) before the next inspection. Once I factored those future expenses in with the nickel-and-dime stuff I already knew about, I traded it in. And with Suburban Number Two I'm still within California's grace period, where a vehicle less than six years old is exempt from the smog check but they stick it to you by tacking a "smog abatement fee" onto your registration renewal fees.

(For those of you who live in states where the inspections are a lot more detailed than they are out here: In CA you can re-register a beater with huge swaths of sheet metal dissolved by rust...with a Fred Flintstone brake system...and one dim headlight. Just as long as it's spitting rose petals out the tailpipe. )

____________________

1988 Mercedes Benz 560SL (Wife's)
1998 Mercedes Benz S420 (Wife's)
1995 Mercedes Benz C280 (Daughter's)

2007 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 3LT (MINE)
1978 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Limousine (awaiting restoration)

 

I am in CA, too. My first smog is due by next month. I was going to have the throttle body cleaned and reg maintenance done but should I wait until after the test?

 

No, go ahead and have the work done if it's due. But, unless your paperwork specifies that you have to use a "test-only" smog check station, see if the tech can do a "pre-test" of the emissions at no charge. This is before the actual test using the computer which sends the results direct to Sacramento.

A well-maintained vehicle should pass easily (didn't mean to scare you ). Mine did, even with the high mileage. But I was warned what to expect two years down the road in order to pass the next test and decided that it wasn't worth spending the money.

____________________

1988 Mercedes Benz 560SL (Wife's)
1998 Mercedes Benz S420 (Wife's)
1995 Mercedes Benz C280 (Daughter's)

2007 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 3LT (MINE)
1978 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Limousine (awaiting restoration) <!-- / message -->

 

I'm thinking of buying a 2004 Suburban with 160,000 miles. it's very clean inside and out, with leather seats, moon roof, dvd, all the extras and dealer is replacing oil pump. any opinions or suggestions?