About to purchase a new truck.

[bstrang6]

Well new to me. I am about to trade in my Cadillac SLS on a 2003 Escalade. The Truck looks very clean, and service records dictate it was always serviced ( like every oil change ) at a dealer. It has brand new tires, Viper Alarm w/ remote start, Alpine monitors in the head rests and an aftermarket Alpine flip out 7 inch screen in the dash. I would be installing my own car audio equipment, but it will be nice that the dash harness is already there. The truck has 129k miles on it, and that sort of scares me, thats a lot of miles, how far do these trucks really go? What kind of repairs can I expect to have to do in the near future? What are repair costs going to be? Are most parts the same as the Tahoe ( wheel bearings ECT ) It's the short body escalade, with the 6L vortec in it.

 

[SnowBuck]

Of the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade clan...doesn't the Escalade not only get the worst gas mileage and on top of that - it requires Premium fuel? I was looking at one cheap, but it didn’t have the room of the XL AND had worse mileage.

 

[Jonah52]

Denali and escalade are same platform with a different front clip and some other cosmetics. Same mpg, don't have to use premium.

 

[SnowBuck]

Just what the salesman told me and on the web:
The vehicles that require premium fuel in the Cadillac line up are the Cadillac SRX 2.8L V-6, the Cadillac CTS 6.2L V-8, all models of the Cadillac Escalade
Read more: Cadillac Fuel Requirements | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7638260_cadillac-fuel-requirements.html#ixzz2LNsV35dP
and: "In 2005, all but the base 2WD 5.3 liter model use premium. Since 2006, all use premium."

I was looking at a 2005. Got the 2005 Yukon XL instead - very happy for the room.

 

[Jonah52]

Well I have the same motor in my denali and it doesn't require premiums the 6.2 is a NNBS

 

[bstrang6]

I'm not concerned with fuel, mileage or type. This truck has the 6.0L BTW But thanks for the information.

I was wondering more so on the life left in this truck, and things that I need to worry about going out. Will the truck hold up another 70K miles? Will it go 200K?

 

[Jonah52]

In its simplest form it's a suburban and the 5.3 and 6.0 are incredibly similar. If treated right and cared for it should last 300k miles atleast. They're tanks and reliable as all get out. The only thing is on the denali a and escalades you have to worry about air ride and awd. But if taken care if properly they last forever. The 6.0 is a great motor.

 

[bstrang6]

What things can I do to maintain the awd and air ride? When these things have failures is it catastrophic, to where the truck wont be able to be driven until repaired? What sort of cost am I looking at if one of these systems have a failure?

 

[Jonah52]

My rear air ride shock is blown and it still rides fine. To maintain it just keep it clean and hoses and sensors clean, and you should be good.

For the awd just keep up on your differential services. I'm at 162 and the only major things I've done is wheel bearings last week and an ac condensor that's it.