I want to drive an '89 suburban 700 miles home, what should I know?

[tater dog]

wow !!! id love to do that one day . id advise to only drive in the day , broken down in the pitch dark with other drivers falling asleep or on their phone .
every single old vehicle ive bought in the last 35 years has never ever had a decent aired up tire with it so think about that .
owner should be more helpful with your questions if hes a real car guy . if he really wanted a sale its nothing to take a bunch of pics and videos of the truck running .
sleep in the vehicle and burb and save money .
take as many tools as you can . look up towing company's on the route before you go . you may not have service in the middle of nowhere to get on the internet to look one up .
oh and most importantly take lots of pics and share on here so we can see your progress . good luck bud

 

[SirRobyn0]

I personally think the driving during the day or night thing, that for me it would depend on where I was driving. But I agree breaking down at night is definitely worse.

For example and I realize he's not driving an RV, but I still think this is a little food for thought. If I've gotta drive my RV though Tacoma, past the bases and though Olympia, I'll leave in the evening to get though those cities when I can drive right though VS possible hour or more delay during the daytime. And then I'll park in a rest stop or Walmart to sleep. But the same thing can applied to driving the Suburban, and once your though the major cities, if there are any on your route, pull into a motel for the night.

So for me driving at night is nice because there is less traffic in the cities, but also as I get older I don't see as well in the dark, if it's rainy. The glare has become an issue. But definitely prefer driving during the day if something were to go wrong.

 

[tater dog]

I personally think the driving during the day or night thing, that for me it would depend on where I was driving. But I agree breaking down at night is definitely worse.

For example and I realize he's not driving an RV, but I still think this is a little food for thought. If I've gotta drive my RV though Tacoma, past the bases and though Olympia, I'll leave in the evening to get though those cities when I can drive right though VS possible hour or more delay during the daytime. And then I'll park in a rest stop or Walmart to sleep. But the same thing can applied to driving the Suburban, and once your though the major cities, if there are any on your route, pull into a motel for the night.

So for me driving at night is nice because there is less traffic in the cities, but also as I get older I don't see as well in the dark, if it's rainy. The glare has become an issue. But definitely prefer driving during the day if something were to go wrong.

Yep . i should say that personally i hate night driving for those reasons you stated . older guy here and cant drive 12 hours straight any more like i used to . also more chance of hitting wilds animals and lets not forget the boogyman comes out at night

 

[squaredeal91]

Yep . i should say that personally i hate night driving for those reasons you stated . older guy here and cant drive 12 hours straight any more like i used to . also more chance of hitting wilds animals and lets not forget the boogyman comes out at night

The black dog

 

[Ricko1966]

And remember drive on the right side of the road,don,t drink and drive,wear clean underpants,look both ways before you cross the street, brushbyour teeth twice a day sorry .man that's all I got,I think everything else has been covered.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Yep . i should say that personally i hate night driving for those reasons you stated . older guy here and cant drive 12 hours straight any more like i used to . also more chance of hitting wilds animals and lets not forget the boogyman comes out at night

Ya that's another thing for me, is drive times or # of hours behind the wheel. I hear you on that. I was just talking with a friend and telling her I used to do these trips to California that were routinely 800 - 1,000 miles from home, and I'd leave at night and drive straight down. Might catch a few hours in a rest stop. Last time I did that drive I left in the daytime and took a motel room 1/2 down and again back up, and I think that would have been 2019ish, it's a rare trip for me to go that way anymore. If I had all the time on my hands I needed and money was no object I'd leave early evening after traffic dies down, get south of Olympia grab a motel for the night, drive half way down the next day, take another motel room and complete the drive on the third day lol.

 

[Thesiger]

Great hub of information and encouragement! Hey, if this isn't the suburban and it becomes evident the owner is hiding something from me I'll listen to my "gut", and pass. I'm always looking, maybe it'll be 3 years from now, but I WILL get a 'burbun one day.

 

[Matt69olds]

Ya that's another thing for me, is drive times or # of hours behind the wheel. I hear you on that. I was just talking with a friend and telling her I used to do these trips to California that were routinely 800 - 1,000 miles from home, and I'd leave at night and drive straight down. Might catch a few hours in a rest stop. Last time I did that drive I left in the daytime and took a motel room 1/2 down and again back up, and I think that would have been 2019ish, it's a rare trip for me to go that way anymore. If I had all the time on my hands I needed and money was no object I'd leave early evening after traffic dies down, get south of Olympia grab a motel for the night, drive half way down the next day, take another motel room and complete the drive on the third day lol.

I’m glad I’m not the only one that has these problems as I age!!

I use to be a huge snowmobile fanatic. Usually twice a month, me and a group of friends would leave Friday evening, drive the 10 hours to the U.P. Of Michigan, ride all day Saturday, sleep a few hours and drive the 10 hours home Sunday. Granted, with multiple drivers the drive isn’t that big a deal. There is no way in hell I could do that today.

 

[Matt69olds]

Great hub of information and encouragement! Hey, if this isn't the suburban and it becomes evident the owner is hiding something from me I'll listen to my "gut", and pass. I'm always looking, maybe it'll be 3 years from now, but I WILL get a 'burbun one day.

If the truck is solid, and the price is right rent a uhaul and trailer to bring it home.

My dad had some really desirable cars when he was younger, but is not a gearhead. He told me years ago “engines and transmissions are easy to fix, bodywork is expensive. Find the most solid rust free car you can”.

Sound advice then, even more so now.

 

[SubDominant]

Any updates?? Got my interest! I road tripped mine from San Bernardino to Phoenix with a blown head gasket!! I think I wanted one so bad I sort of ignored the warning signs.

Was 118* in Blythe that day by the time I went through. 5 hour trip took 9 but this beast chugged its way there. Hydro-locked when I parked but I made it.

Two days later, tried it out just to see. Fired up like a champ. Changed the oil and drove it like that for months after putting in block seal. Bad idea. Stopped driving when water was coming out of the exhaust faster than I could pour it into the radiator.

Hunted down a good set of used tbi heads, flushed the block real good. Slapped the heads on and I have been driving for about two years with no problems and it runs better than ever.

Really love this burb!

 

[Khayward]

Not sure if this trip happened yet. I bought my '90 sight unseen 300 miles away in Montana, hadn't been driven in years, tires were new in '07. Drove out, put a battery and some fresh wipers and drove back. Didn't need half of what little I bought along. Same story with my first one 15 years ago, except that one had no driver's window (it was winter) and had the special brake pads up front, the steel only kind.
In the end you have to enjoy the adventure. Maybe you can meet folks from here along the way!

 

[Cyrillious]

Bring a multi-meter and spare belts. Portable air compressor and tire plugs. Is the engine fuel injected or carbureted?

 

[Radiohead]

If he isn't back by now, someone call the search team.

 

[SirRobyn0]

If he isn't back by now, someone call the search team.

No doubt!

@Thesiger Did you go get the truck and if so how was the trip home?

 

[SubDominant]

No doubt!

@Thesiger Did you go get the truck and if so how was the trip home?

Looks like he found a truck and started a new thread:
https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/finally-did-it-bought-a-suburban-what-now.40039/