Spidey 993

OT: Way off topic, so pardon me.

Ok, wifey is hooking me up, says Dad needs a manly SUV for winter family driving. A total score, and load off my mind thinking I would ruin the 993TT. Pouting is still an effective negotiation skill at my age.

I don't have many options since I need:
- seating for 6
- walk-through configuration (second row buckets)
- pull my RV of around 4500lbs with room for upgrade
- 4WD

The Chevy Tahoe LTZ really fits my needs. Planning on used (say 2008) under 40k miles, around $30-35k w/CPO.

Any Tahoe owners on the board? What are the gotchas, any years good versus bad, must have options?

firesm

I drive a Silverado, so I can't help you out on the Tahoe. All I can say is thank god you're not driving the TT this winter - it was stressing me out just thinking about it... seriously

Spidey 993

LOL, You and me both. I was stressed.

Texas993 (Patrick), sent me this PM that basically said, I don't care what you do, but you can't drive that car in the winter and ruin it. He was right, and I plan on storing when it starts snowing.

993 770

I have an '03 with 40k on it, haven't had any many issues, the new ones get better milage. You should have no problem finding one at a decent price. I need to change out the stereo, but really that's been it. You know what they say... "like a rock"

Texas993

Tony!

We leased an '07 Escalade for 3 years and had relatively good luck with it. We had a wiring harness burn up after a couple of months that sent it back to the factory for repair! But the factory is 20 miles away. That issue later became a recall. Once that was fixed, we had absolutely no issues for 3 years. I mention this because the escalade and Tahoe are basically the same, except the motor.

We had the short wheelbase model. It is a truck in every way and the 22" wheels didn't help the ride. But it is tough and would be perfect for your needs. '08 is a good idea. I would own one again.

Btw, we went for a Mercedes GL350 diesel because we are out of car seats (3kids), live in town and wanted something a little smaller but that could still tow, easier on gas, long lasting, and more luxury with less truck-like handling. However, I wouldn't buy a used one in that price range.

I am glad that you are making the "right" choice in tucking the 993TT away for the winter.

firesm

I was going to send you the same pm, but you made it sound like a done deal, so I didn't want to add to your stress level. Your pouting skills are top notch - but that's pretty obvious - seeing as how you and your wife just had another baby...

louwill

I have a 2008 Tahoe LTZ that I purchased new. Current generation is leaps and bounds beyond previous generations. Mine currently has 48K and overall has been a solid car. A few minor problems encountered with the navigation system replaced under warranty but beyond that has been very reliable with no mechanical issues. So far the only maintenance items I've had to do are rear brakes and regular synthetic oil changes every 5K. When I purchased mine, I bought at a deep discount (out the door for 40K brand new) because dealers couldn't push them off the lot... I like that it blends into the crowd.

Some things to keep in mind.. 2008 and under did not have Bluetooth built in to the OnStar system. 2009 and newer do. Would have been a nice feature to have. Navigation system is decent enough for an OEM system; I really like the backup camera for loading the trailer. Bucket seats are nice. I have completely removed my third row seats. I just found them to be a hassle because they don't fold flat against the floor. Cargo space is abysmal when they are in and upright. So realistically I can only carry 3 passengers. If you need more cargo space while carrying passengers the Suburban or Yukon XL is the obvious choice if you want to stick with Chevrolet. All LTZs are equipped with Auto Ride love it or hate it. I think the only options mine has is navigation and bucket seats.

If you have any specific questions I'll be glad to answer them.

FisterD

Awesome. The tt stays! That is good news. I can't help on the Tahoe front, just glad the black beauty is going to be snuggled in during the winter.

Spidey 993

Thanks Patrick, I appreciated your PM even though I was trying to act tough at the time. I will add the Cadillac and Yukon to the search. All very nice!

Have you ever seen a grown red headed man cry? It's not pretty, but I guess it works.

Thanks Darin, she'll be tucked away and covered in a local non-heated garage, but thats 1000 times better than being the neighborhood snow plow.

That's very helpful, I appreciate it louwill. You got a great deal at $40k. Sweet spot seems to be around $35k with around 35k miles. I will take some of my questions offline and send you a PM. Many thanks

PNogC2S

We have a slightly older Yukon Denali (basically luxed out Tahoe) ours is an '04 with just over 80K mi. I can provide some quick impressions on that which may be helpful.
The basic vehicle and drivetrain are very solid...the only mechanical issue we've had since new was a leaking seal on one of the front driveshafts about 20K mi ago (Denali is full time all-wheel drive, so I don't think it's even the same transfer case as Tahoe) ...other than that it's been just regular maintenance... very reliable!
Now for the negatives - I hate the damn thing, but it's my wife's car and she likes it, so it stays -- The electronic gizmos are basically cr@p. The nav had to be replaced under warranty twice and the current one works, but is very poorly designed. The seat memory has been whacky since new but the dealer never could fix it so I gave up on it, the fuel guage doesn't read accurately when the tank is less than 1/2 full (ranges from empty to 1/2 readings depending on the angle of the vehicle when you switched on the key) dealer couldn't fix that either and said it was "normal". The interior hasn't held up very well to daily use, the leather feels like vinyl, and it drives like a sloppy American truckster. The biggest negative, as mentioned by louwill - is that the third row seats don't stow away, they fold up and take half the cargo space, or they have to be removed and stored in the garage... a HUGE pain compared to many others the fold away under the cargo area.
So, bottom line, if you like the way they drive (float) and you don't mind the seat issue, get as "plain jane" stripped down version as you can live with, so you won't have to deal with the poorly executed electronic "features".

louwill

I'm ***hoping*** the electrical problems don't creep up but I have a feeling they will sooner or later. I think the diffs between the current Denali and the LTZ/LT3 and Yukon equivalent are much less than in the previous gen, namely larger engine and AWD. Interior should be about the same with the exception of a different wood pattern.

In the end it's still an American SUV. No they aren't perfect and can't compare to German SUVs in terms of handling or creature comforts but I think they are a pretty decent compromise for the $$$.

VNTGSPD

I had an '07 Tahoe LT3 for 3 years and 40K miles with no real issues except a rear diff failure when towing my 5K pound trailer on vacation. Kind of freak think though. Great truck and definitely opt for the new models with the 6spd transmission - way better than the 4spd.

I traded up to an MB GL450 that has nearly the same utility but WAY better to drive. Just a thought. You can't get a walk through second row but the 3rd row is much better designed than the Tahoe. The reliability stats on the '08+ models is on par or better than the Tahoes but maintenance is higher. Money is not much more than Tahoe either (I paid $39K for '08 with 28K miles in Nov). Just a thought...

Good luck!

Spidey 993

Thanks PNogC2S, tell me how you really feel! Seriously, I appreciate that honesty, good to know.

Thanks VNTGSPD, I plan on staying at 2008 or above for that reason. You're right, I think there are better SUV out there like the MB, but I have some unique hard requirements with the 2nd row walkthrough and my 4 kids. However, I'm sure they would love to climb over my new leather seats.

BTW, two days into the looking/buying process. I now remember why I can't stand dealers. Gross.

3healey

For what it's worth, I put 120k trouble-free miles on a '02 Denali. Loved the thing. Then I bought a new 30 foot Haulmark to haul the race car around, and the Denali was just working way too hard trying to move that barn-sized trailer through the air. So I sold it to a friend, who loves it. Great truck.

Greg H.

Expedition? I like the way the third row seats fold flat into the rear deck. We're on our second with no problems.

Greg H.