Do I keep it or sell it?

[intheburbs]

How many miles? With the exception of the diff, this is all to be expected in the 80-100k mileage range. If you haven't replaced your shocks, expect to do that too. I just did all of this on mine at about 90k miles. From my experience, it's standard maintenance on a half-ton truck.

Yeah, that's my point. Mine has 130k on it. OP is asking keep/sell? I'm advocating sell.

I've gotten totally spoiled by my 2500 Burb. Damn thing is brick-sh1thouse tough and all-original with 200k+ miles, despite my best attempts to break it.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yeah, that's my point. Mine has 130k on it. OP is asking keep/sell? I'm advocating sell.

I've gotten totally spoiled by my 2500 Burb. Damn thing is brick-sh1thouse tough and all-original with 200k+ miles, despite my best attempts to break it.

Please bear in mind that some of your list is considered wear items and will eventually wear out. You listed "ball joints, brakes, hubs/bearings, axle half shaft, front diff."

Of those, I consider the ball joints, brakes, hub/bearings and axle shaft as wear items and will always wear out within a certain mileage interval with OE parts. The front diff is not in that list IMO and neither is the engine and transmission within a reasonable mileage and maintenance schedule. All vehicles have their quirks and items that will wear. It depends on you maintenance schedule, how it is driven, quality of components used for maintenance and repairs, area and outside temp and salt on the roads, towing and how it is driven. Also, did the vehicles all start out new in your possession or bought used?

 

[Baggerjim]

I would keep the Tahoe unless you’re just tired of driving a truck and want something with the same space but drives more like a car. The new body style Traverse is actually a pretty good vehicle but it doesn’t appeal to me to spend $15k to get one. A Traverse is also FWD so yo my will basically be able to do nothing yourself without rolling around on the ground. I’d out $5k into the Tahoe without thinking about it and get it set for another 100k miles.

Thank You, I am starting to put together a "To do" list and get some cost together.

 

[OR VietVet]

If you get the good quality parts at RA there are discount codes available before you order.

 

[Aeterna]

Hi Guys,
Looking for some advice. I have an '08 Tahoe LTZ with 150,000 miles, truck is well maintained, little to no rust underneath, engine, tranny, transfer and diff all seem in good shape and it has been serviced and repaired regularly as needed by me (Mostly). I do not tow anymore and my traveling is much less then it was a couple of years ago. It needs some minor body work and paint, be cleaned real good and some other "Stuff", total about $5,000. If I sell it I would end up with a 1 or 2 year old Traverse for $25,000. that would probably last as long as I'll drive. I love my Tahoe but I can't do most of the work anymore without help.
I have been offered $10,000. as it sits.

Thoughts about longevity and durability for another 50,000 + miles.

Thanks,

I had a similar dilemma at 180k miles on my 07 Tahoe. I ended up putting $4200 into it and could not be happier with the decision. This was about 6 months ago, I am at 189k miles now.

I would go for it, this is the car you know which any day of the week is better than the car you dont know. New or used. Ive had too dang many new, lightly used, and heavily used cars to learn they all have problems and trading in a perfectly good car is usually a bad idea.

 

[petethepug]

I see that the NNBS is perfectly happy being serviced by Indi mechanics, there’s plenty of oem and aftermarket parts available and the engineering and maintenance are predictable.

The weak spots like AFM, transmission, dash cracks and clear coat failures are things that are passed on to new owners who gladly tackle them knowing the rest of the truck is sound. Those new owners who inherit all those problems and deferred maintenance probably don’t blink at it because the vehicle is likely paid in full and was a bargain.

With a $280 Tech II, forum knowledge and an Indi technician, the NNBS is a bargain to own for its size and low insurance cost.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[intheburbs]

Please bear in mind that some of your list is considered wear items and will eventually wear out. You listed "ball joints, brakes, hubs/bearings, axle half shaft, front diff."

Of those, I consider the ball joints, brakes, hub/bearings and axle shaft as wear items and will always wear out within a certain mileage interval with OE parts. The front diff is not in that list IMO and neither is the engine and transmission within a reasonable mileage and maintenance schedule. All vehicles have their quirks and items that will wear. It depends on you maintenance schedule, how it is driven, quality of components used for maintenance and repairs, area and outside temp and salt on the roads, towing and how it is driven. Also, did the vehicles all start out new in your possession or bought used?

Again, I think you're missing my point. What you're calling "normal wear items" are things I think should last longer. Axle half shafts, hubs/bearings? Should last longer than 100k under normal circumstances. And yes, two service techs at two different Chevy dealers said the front diff on the Denali is a 100k item, and could go any time from 75k-125k.

My 2500 Suburban has almost double the mileage of my Denali.
Hubs/bearings? Original
Axles - original
U-joints? Original

And the 2500 sees a lot more abuse from towing. I've towed with the Denali once, a short trip pulling a 4,000-lb trailer. The Suburban has logged over 20k miles pulling an 8600-lb trailer.

Denali was bought used with 70k miles in May of 2015.
Suburban was bought used in August of 2013 with 106k miles.
I am super-**** about fluid changes.

Half-ton trucks become money pits starting around 100k-125k. 2500 trucks don't.

 

[OR VietVet]

Ok, I get what you said now but in your earlier statement you said this, "became money pits around 125k-175k" and that is at least 25k miles longer, and likely 2 years, than what you are saying now of, after 100K miles under normal circumstances. And, as I suggested, the 1/2 ton rigs were bought used with no knowing of how they were driven and what work/maintenance was done before you got them. That can shorten life spans of vehicles. I know you know that but I am just agreeing to disagree with a blanket statement of 1/2 tons turning in to money pits at the mileage you were talking about.

 

[The Raven]

Again, I think you're missing my point. What you're calling "normal wear items" are things I think should last longer. Axle half shafts, hubs/bearings? Should last longer than 100k under normal circumstances.

What? No. Where I come from at least, it's common knowledge that you should expect to replace shocks, ball joints, and front hubs in the 80-100k range. CV axles around 100k. I'm sure you and someone you know may have made it a lot longer in some case. But just because a hub or shock isn't broken, that doesn't mean it's not in need of replacement. Shocks are only designed for 50-60k mile service life. I've seen lots of people go well beyond 100k with their original shocks, but those shocks were definitely shot.

My 2500 Suburban has almost double the mileage of my Denali.
Hubs/bearings? Original
Axles - original
U-joints? Original

3/4 and 1 ton trucks are a whole different ballgame. These are trucks that are designed to haul and tow all the time. If you do those things, you should still be doing suspension service by 80k miles. If you tow and haul less frequently, you may be able to get by much longer.

The bottom line is this - a truck that can easily go 200k miles needing nothing more than wear items is most definitely not a "money pit". In fact, having to replace wear items is never throwing away money. The money pit designation is reserved for vehicles that constantly require fixes for things that shouldn't break EVER.

 

[91RS]

Of course suspension and steering parts on a 2500 are going to last longer than a 1500! That’s what you’re paying for when you buy a 2500.

The fact of the matter is, ANY vehicle can become a “money pit” at any age or mileage. I’ve seen plenty of new vehicles just have problem after problem but it’s under warranty so it’s the manufacturer’s money pit. Just look around any forum and you’ll find people with nothing but problems and others who’ve never had a problem.