anything to look out for on newer Burbs?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

flyboy1100

Full Access Member
Joined
May 23, 2014
Posts
1,024
Reaction score
9
Location
UsA
First Name
me
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
k1500
Engine Size
305, 700r4??, 3.42 gears
He came back at 11k. Getting closer to what it is worth i think.
 

flyboy1100

Full Access Member
Joined
May 23, 2014
Posts
1,024
Reaction score
9
Location
UsA
First Name
me
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
k1500
Engine Size
305, 700r4??, 3.42 gears
I think they would have met me at 10,5 On the red one. But due to a few factors, im passing on it. They have lowered the asking price to 12,5 now. Not a bad truck at all, just won't fit my needs (needs to fit easily in garage, easier access to 3rd row)

I think this time around we are getting a minivan, probably an Odyssey, unless i can convince her to trade my subaru for a van, i drive the jetta for a while and then i get a burb sooner then later.
 
Last edited:

flyboy1100

Full Access Member
Joined
May 23, 2014
Posts
1,024
Reaction score
9
Location
UsA
First Name
me
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
k1500
Engine Size
305, 700r4??, 3.42 gears
sooo, back looking for newer burbs! think I am going to trade in my Subaru :)

completely undecided as to trying to find a '00-'06 with 100k or less (few and far between) or 07-11 with 70-90k on it.

will be my primary vehicle plus backup kid hauler if the van needs work. not 100% necessary, but would be nice to have a spare vehicle that can actually haul 4 kids in car seats. would be nice to have the storage capacity of a burn but I suppose i could look into a Tahoe/Yukon as well with the intention of never needing it to buy groceries or anything with the family on board.

main requirement though is a 60/40 2nd row bench. no buckets
 

Old77

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Posts
28,458
Reaction score
9,434
Location
Kansas City, Mo
First Name
Jacob
Truck Year
1977/1990/1991
Truck Model
C10 longbed/R1500 Burb/R3500 Dually
Engine Size
350/350/454
We LOVE our 07 :love62:
 

Georgeb

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
3,259
Reaction score
214
Location
Wisconsin
First Name
George
Truck Year
2003
Truck Model
K10 Burb Z71
Engine Size
5.3
And I love my 02 'Burb so far.
 

Old77

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Posts
28,458
Reaction score
9,434
Location
Kansas City, Mo
First Name
Jacob
Truck Year
1977/1990/1991
Truck Model
C10 longbed/R1500 Burb/R3500 Dually
Engine Size
350/350/454
Really go wrong with a clean version of either
 

mistaake

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2015
Posts
651
Reaction score
18
Location
SF Bay Area, California
First Name
Michael
Truck Year
1999
Truck Model
Crown Vic
Engine Size
4.6
And for what it's worth my 95 Suburban that I got for free, 4x4, half ton, 5.7L TBI, 4L60E, is running perfectly with 175k miles on it. I know you're not looking for one that old but clearly they do last. I get about 13MPG overall.
 

flyboy1100

Full Access Member
Joined
May 23, 2014
Posts
1,024
Reaction score
9
Location
UsA
First Name
me
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
k1500
Engine Size
305, 700r4??, 3.42 gears
How hard is it to add heated seats to leather that doesn't have them?
Drove an '11 w/82k on it today that I liked, just no heated seats which is a no go for me.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 

Old77

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Posts
28,458
Reaction score
9,434
Location
Kansas City, Mo
First Name
Jacob
Truck Year
1977/1990/1991
Truck Model
C10 longbed/R1500 Burb/R3500 Dually
Engine Size
350/350/454
I know they have kits but don't know anything about their quality or how well they work
 

flyboy1100

Full Access Member
Joined
May 23, 2014
Posts
1,024
Reaction score
9
Location
UsA
First Name
me
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
k1500
Engine Size
305, 700r4??, 3.42 gears
Price is like 26,9xx not sure of that dealer with deal or not.

Then again I could try to find an older one too and keep my Subaru. It would just be a back up vehicle. A suburban would be a lot of vehicle for me to drive 400/miles week by myself

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 

mistaake

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2015
Posts
651
Reaction score
18
Location
SF Bay Area, California
First Name
Michael
Truck Year
1999
Truck Model
Crown Vic
Engine Size
4.6

Very nice, but according to the Carfax it was a rental for a while. Everybody has their own opinion about whether that's a bad thing or a good thing. "drive it like a rental" mentality vs scheduled fleet maintenance. I personally wouldn't buy a used rental vehicle unless it was a super good deal, but a friend's 2013 Spark he bought from Hertz is doing well and his brother bought a 90s Explorer from them quite a long time ago and it's done well for him (he still drives it every day).

I've read a lot of problems on forums about AFM/DOD (active fuel management, aka displacement on demand) which GM introduced on the 5.3L V8 engines sometime around 2007. That said, you know how it is - people who do not have problems do not rant on forums about it. So I don't know how big of a problem it really is. Plenty of high mileage GM trucks with AFM/DOD engines that still work fine. I would think by 2011 they had all that sorted out, if it even ever was a problem. But, when AFM has problems, they are expensive to fix and noticeable. Found this on YouTube - doesn't it sound lovely? Not... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt4ZzbqtC3g

Also, those engines like to consume oil. That in and of itself is not really an issue. Toyotas like to do that too and those go to 200K+ miles all the time. The problem is if the driver does not know to check that once in a while and it is run low on oil it might have a problem.

I am not trying to turn you away from the newer Suburbans - there are many of them out there compared to the few that are having these problems. The Ford Expedition EL (the main Suburban competitor these days) have their own problems. Just giving you information regarding common problems on these trucks. if you're willing to go back one generation (like a 2006 perhaps) you'll save money and don't have to worry about AFM problems. Make sure you get a warranty if you buy it (if it doesn't come with one, didn't read enough on the page to see if it did) - long enough that you will know if it consumes an abnormal amount of oil or has any other problem. And even though it's from a dealership get it inspected by a trusted third-party mechanic before purchase. That does for any vehicle from any make.

About the heated seats, clearly we do not share priorities - if the vehicle is otherwise mechanically sound and what you want it would be silly in my opinion to forgo it due to one non-essential feature. Heck, my 07 Colorado doesn't even have power locks and windows (which I miss whenever I drive it after I drive my Suburban, but that's how I was able to afford such a new vehicle). On the other hand, if you're spending this much money on something you better love it, so don't compromise on features that are important to you (like heated seats).
 
Last edited:

flyboy1100

Full Access Member
Joined
May 23, 2014
Posts
1,024
Reaction score
9
Location
UsA
First Name
me
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
k1500
Engine Size
305, 700r4??, 3.42 gears
Very nice, but according to the Carfax it was a rental for a while. Everybody has their own opinion about whether that's a bad thing or a good thing. "drive it like a rental" mentality vs scheduled fleet maintenance. I personally wouldn't buy a used rental vehicle unless it was a super good deal, but a friend's 2013 Spark he bought from Hertz is doing well and his brother bought a 90s Explorer from them quite a long time ago and it's done well for him (he still drives it every day).

I've read a lot of problems on forums about AFM/DOD (active fuel management, aka displacement on demand) which GM introduced on the 5.3L V8 engines sometime around 2007. That said, you know how it is - people who do not have problems do not rant on forums about it. So I don't know how big of a problem it really is. Plenty of high mileage GM trucks with AFM/DOD engines that still work fine. I would think by 2011 they had all that sorted out, if it even ever was a problem. But, when AFM has problems, they are expensive to fix and noticeable. Found this on YouTube - doesn't it sound lovely? Not... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt4ZzbqtC3g

Also, those engines like to consume oil. That in and of itself is not really an issue. Toyotas like to do that too and those go to 200K+ miles all the time. The problem is if the driver does not know to check that once in a while and it is run low on oil it might have a problem.

I am not trying to turn you away from the newer Suburbans - there are many of them out there compared to the few that are having these problems. The Ford Expedition EL (the main Suburban competitor these days) have their own problems. Just giving you information regarding common problems on these trucks. if you're willing to go back one generation (like a 2006 perhaps) you'll save money and don't have to worry about AFM problems. Make sure you get a warranty if you buy it (if it doesn't come with one, didn't read enough on the page to see if it did) - long enough that you will know if it consumes an abnormal amount of oil or has any other problem. And even though it's from a dealership get it inspected by a trusted third-party mechanic before purchase. That does for any vehicle from any make.

About the heated seats, clearly we do not share priorities - if the vehicle is otherwise mechanically sound and what you want it would be silly in my opinion to forgo it due to one non-essential feature. Heck, my 07 Colorado doesn't even have power locks and windows (which I miss whenever I drive it after I drive my Suburban, but that's how I was able to afford such a new vehicle). On the other hand, if you're spending this much money on something you better love it, so don't compromise on features that are important to you (like heated seats).
Unsure of rental vs no rental. for sure when looking at those Expedition EL it is dang near impossible to find a used one that didn't start life as a rental. I know how I drive rentals, so hopefully the majority are not like me...The '11 drove great though, I couldn't sense anything wrong from the 40ish minutes I was out driving it.

AFM/DOD: no matter what If i find a truck with it I plan to tune it off. We did that with our Odyssey as more of a just in case for the same reasons. piston rings, oil consumption, etc etc. would rather take the fuel economy hit (in the case of the van it is pretty much a wash and drives way better!)

heated seats on leather are pretty much a necessity for me at this point. been spoiled for the last 3 winters with my Subaru with heated CLOTH seats!! it is great to sit on a nice warm seat even though nothing else is warm yet when it is -15F.

I actually prefer the 00-06 body style, but trying to find one with lower miles is getting tough, and then no rust. There is an 03 tahoe at the same dealer with only 74k on it, but the rear of all the wheel wells are rusted and the rockers are starting to go. I think it did a lot of gravel driving :( but something like that would get me into a vehicle with no loan vs. my current 13mo left on my Subaru.

decisions descisions.
 

Old77

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Posts
28,458
Reaction score
9,434
Location
Kansas City, Mo
First Name
Jacob
Truck Year
1977/1990/1991
Truck Model
C10 longbed/R1500 Burb/R3500 Dually
Engine Size
350/350/454
We LOVE the second row buckets in ours cuz the older boys just walk back to the back row and buckle up. No climbing over seats and all that crap
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,175
Posts
950,925
Members
36,295
Latest member
shamou
Top