Suburbans - what problems to look for in a used 'burb?

[Beagle]

Before the Ford jokes start running wild in your mind, I love anything that keeps me from walking so it's not really worth the effort to tease me about a Chevy.

I've been looking at conversion vans, step vans, cargo vans, etc. for moving a bunch of junk from A to B, and they're mostly pretty trashed in my budget. Out of curiosity I checked on Suburban pricing and there are a lot of them in what seems to be decent shape for pretty cheap. I guess that means they get really crappy mileage or Mom drove the Miata most of the time. Anyway, I'm giving some serious thought to a Suburban and wondering what y'all think about them and if you have had one, what kind of problem areas should I be looking for?

[SuperBuickGuy]

they're awesome rigs - there's a reason they own the market. They also are really cheap because they are so popular... what years/price point are you looking at? My preference is still the 91 and older, and I love the diesels (which you can get until like 98). As with anything, condition is everything. The last diesel I bought, I paid $300 for, drove the wheels off it and sold for $1200 (the guy couldn't get it started after a pump swap).

[squirrel]

depends what year. The "modern" ones 2000-up are pretty good trucks, the transmissions had a few problems early on, sometimes the fuel pumps go bad, and they have problems with the gauges. The 96-99 type had that funky CFI. 87-95 was a TBI 350, they worked pretty good if you keep up with fuel filter changes. Some of these had the TH400, which was a good reliable transmission, but no overdrive.

When you get back to the years I like, you probably won't find much in your budget range....55-59 Suburbans are getting scarce, and any that you can afford will need a ton of bodywork.

[Dan Barlow]

Your in texas, get a 73-91 . They are cheap. A lot cheaper than a blazer simple to work on. If you like power windows and locks they are more common in the latter ones. If you want a carb instead of injection go back to 86.

[Scott Liggett]

I would stay away from the model change of 2007 and 2008 for a used one. Our company bought six those two years and every single one had multiple electrical issues. This is the year that the ONstar was connected to everything, including the hood. All six had ABS, gas gauge, and tire pressure monitor problems. All six had these problems over and over. Other issues included the power tailgate that liked to open and stay just long enough for you to step under then it decides to close. Or, they didn't function at all. I always just turned the damn thing off and used my muscles. Again, it failed over and over. Door lock mechanisms quit regularly. I honestly think most of these problems were because of shitty ground connections. Known a few companies that had every ground cable removed and the paint ground off behind it and reattached. They also moved the battery from behind the driver headlight under the passenger side windshield. The battery was reduced in size and capacity, yet the truck has much more load on it.

Interior issues with the door panels, specifically speaker covers. The leather interior isn't really leather anywhere but where you ass sits. The rest is vinyl. Hence, GM's term Leather Seating Surfaces. Also, the third row seats were notorious for being stolen. Black market value was over $3000 for them in LA two years. Makes you wonder a new one costs. The seat pockets behind the front seats is limited to how much crap you can stuff in it before it rips off.

One thing that I really hated about these trucks is how the auto headlights would not turn off if you turned the key to Acc position. Ever, until the battery died.

The later ones had a lot of this stuff fixed.

I really liked the 2006 and older models. I would buy one of these over the newer ones for all the electrical problems of the ones mentioned above. I also liked the barn doors on the back, see Chad's rig. So much more useful and less irritating.

[Barry Donovan]

cfi is not funky, it is at 344k and climbing.
external injection ready to plode like a bomb is ridiuclous..I stayed with carbs until 2015 for a reason.
with opinons aside, the facts of ob2 onward are damn good.

the last drama left is those damn 40 amps in light bulbs just to turn on the parking lights..and that is fixed with LED today.
No tough 4x4 transfer cases anymore, and a really nice quiet ride anyway.

if that obd2 machine is written as 21mpg..you are going to get it.
I still see the 1995 tbi sucking like a carb and still starting perfectly.

I fell for the spider injection, very smart. 96-99 or so.

[Deaf Bob]

Love my 90.. Only thing I HATE is electric windows.. Would rather have barn doors in back.. The window moves sooo slow.. Gonna have to clean it nd see if that helps.. Driver's window is up.. Electric locks are wonky. Easy enter/exit for me.. I added 3/4 ton leaf packs to the rear of th half tonner.. Didn't make any difference.. Shocks next.. Other rigs I drive are 77 flatbed and soon, an 85 dualie crew cab..
Sub gets 15 ishy mpg with 350/700-r4 and 3:73.

[1badmonkey]

i love mine... had it approx 15 yrs.
window motors suck.

[squirrel]

The 87 we had was manual windows (except the tailgate). The power locks give trouble though

[Russell]

We have a 2005 love it 5.3 4wd. There is something funny with the AC doors makes a clicking noise. the auto trans is going to need a Rebuilt sooner or later.

[squirrel]

I fixed the AC doors in my son's 99 silverado...replaced the Mode Door Actuator. Although it was completely inoperative.

[yellomalibu]

Had a 79... probably not in the realm of what you're looking for, but it was a great truck... but it had a lot of body roll compared to what I was used to, so I hated driving it.

[JOES66FURY]

I can only speaqk for the 1991. While a great truck overall there were a few issues that seemed to plague this partucular year.

This was the first year for the 4L80E and if you look at one with high miles that trans should have been ovehauled and updated, if not I feel it is something that should be done.

Also, computers...If the trans shifts hard then it could be the computer and not the transmission itself.

A high mile truck with a TBI 350...change the oil pump...


That was my experience with a 1991 Suburban 3/4t 4X4...overall I loved it, absolutely loved it. It was a freaking beast on and off road, in the snow, rain, mud...it went everywhere I pointed it but that transmission became the straw that broke the camels back...

[Matt Cramer]

I used to have a '90 with a big block. They're pretty basic trucks; just give them the sort of basic checks you'd do with any older Chevy and you should be fine.

[BigAL]

My wife's 2004 suburban has been nothing but good to us. Though at 160,000 miles I did have to replace the drivers front wheel hub, actually did that last week, as it started making noise. I'm going to have to replace the ball joints and tie rods as a few of them have the dust boots torn, but other than that, it's been a trooper, regular maintenance and that's about it.