Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » 04 Suburban any good? 1 2

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  Jan. 15, 2012 11:12 a.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  Hey guys,

  While my 01 Dodge van rapidly falls apart I have been thinking about its replacement. I stumbled upon this particular 04 Suburban 2wd on the local Craigslist:

  http://worcester.craigslist.org/cto/2773295518.html

  I have traded emails with the seller, and he just told me he has lowered the asking price to $6500. It seems to good to be true. I have not had a chance to look at it yet, but I may try today or tomorrow. Anything in particular that I should look at? Any major problem areas for these? Is the mileage at the point where I shouldn't consider this one?

  Thanks for any and all input.

  Chris

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  Jan. 15, 2012 11:34 a.m. clutchsmoke Reader

  Looks like a good truck to me. Pretty low miles. Everyone on here recommends the Tahoe/Suburban for a large people hauler that can tow and get pretty good gas mileage.

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  Jan. 15, 2012 11:46 a.m. Ranger50 Dork

  2wd= at least a $2k hit on resale over 4wd.

  Probably needs all the normal E36 M3, plugs, wires, water pump, and trans rebuild. I have seen SOME of these vehicles need intermediate steering shafts. Probably has original shocks and front suspension on it. I'd mark doing that sooner then later.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Jan. 15, 2012 11:48 a.m. Ranger50 Dork

  Oh and too far you are forever away, I should could use the van's drivetrain.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Jan. 15, 2012 12:12 p.m. patgizz SuperDork

  Ranger50 wrote: 2wd= at least a $2k hit on resale over 4wd. Probably needs all the normal E36 M3, plugs, wires, water pump, and trans rebuild. I have seen SOME of these vehicles need intermediate steering shafts. Probably has original shocks and front suspension on it. I'd mark doing that sooner then later.

  i dunno wtf crawled up your butt about the 4L60-e but it's getting pretty old hearing it every time. it's like that one time i heard about a cop whose charger hemi puked at 20k then it was all over the ford forums that the chargers were all dying under 30k and police were wishing back their p71's

  somewhere along the line, some 4l60e's - mostly early ones i gather - were put in severe service vehicles like cop cars and trucks that people pounded the snot out of, some of them needed rebuilt around 110-120k, now EVERY 4L60-E is on borrowed time forever if it lasts past 60k.

  When I grow up, I want to be just like Colt McCoy

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  Jan. 15, 2012 12:15 p.m. PeterAK Dork

  At $6,500 that looks like an awesome deal if it has been maintained. Looks like it is in nice shape.

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  Jan. 15, 2012 12:20 p.m. Ranger50 Dork

  In reply to patgizz:

  When you see at least one a week in the dealership with under 50k on it.... Working on them gets old, even when it is easy money. If it isn't the sprag, it is the sun shell, if it isn't one of those it's a pump and or pressure control solenoid....

  It gets old hearing how Chrysler can't build a trans either.....

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Jan. 15, 2012 12:38 p.m. cwh SuperDork

  About the trannys- what is the longest living auto trans? I hear Cherokees have good ones, what else? This question has been in my mind for a while.

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  Jan. 15, 2012 1:03 p.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  Ranger50 wrote: Oh and too far you are forever away, I should could use the van's drivetrain.

  A 318/Auto isn't all that rare. I bet you could find one almost anywhere.

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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  Jan. 15, 2012 1:49 p.m. Ranger50 Dork

  In reply to cwh:

  I have to preface with a few categories...

  No maintenance done domestic: I would say either a GM 4L80E or Ford E4OD.
  PM done domestic: Chrysler's 46/47/48RE.
  After a rebuild with updates: GM 4L60E.
  

  Foreign's, no clue on which lasts longer. Just don't ever see many of them in the independents and if you do, you are better off just sticking in a used or reman'd one then rebuilding it. You will be farther ahead with less headaches, both the car owner and shop owner.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Jan. 15, 2012 2:07 p.m. pete240z SuperDork

  Looks like a decent truck except I can't vouch for the KBB value.

  My wife drives a 2003 Trailblazer 4x2 through all the Chicago winters and never has a problem. I will probably take a price hit when I sell it in 2016-2017.

  Datsun Pete

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  Jan. 15, 2012 2:40 p.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  Anyone have a carfax account? I know they are not the end all for info, but any little thing will help. I plan to go have a look at it tomorrow.

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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  Jan. 15, 2012 6:19 p.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  Ranger50 wrote: In reply to cwh: I have to preface with a few categories... No maintenance done domestic: I would say either a GM 4L80E or Ford E4OD. PM done domestic: Chrysler's 46/47/48RE. After a rebuild with updates: GM 4L60E. Foreign's, no clue on which lasts longer. Just don't ever see many of them in the independents and if you do, you are better off just sticking in a used or reman'd one then rebuilding it. You will be farther ahead with less headaches, both the car owner and shop owner.

  Is there anyway without records of maintenance to tell if the trans is still okay? If there are no records can a simple fresh filter and fluid help it last longer?

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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  Jan. 15, 2012 6:28 p.m. Ranger50 Dork

  In reply to Mazdax605:

  As about them and drive it. But given the amount of electronics these days, the MIL/CEL knows before you do. But a cursory fluid check doesn't hurt.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Jan. 15, 2012 6:31 p.m. ls1fiero Reader

  My 04 Yukon Xl is having its 4L60E rebuilt as I type this. It lived for 140K miles. Having done a fair share of towing various cars long distance. It has been a specatularly good vehicle. Comfortable, safe and reliable.It is our go to vehicle for nearly every reason. I don't think you could get a better overall vehicle for the money. As for the trans, sniff the trans fluid. If its burnt smelling you will need a rebuild ar some point. Some say to change the fluid, some say not to. I dunno...

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  Jan. 16, 2012 7:31 a.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  I plan on going to see the truck today. Anything else I should check for? Seller told me the rear end was just rebuilt. No idea why, but he said he was getting a odd noise that he thought was the front wheel bearings/hubs, but after they were replaced the noise was still there. Turned out to be the rear end he says.

  Chris

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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  Jan. 16, 2012 9:54 a.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid Dork

  The rear end issue could have been a pre-mature failure, it happens.

  '95 Jeep Cherokee / '80 Mazda Rx-7 / '68 Corvair Monza Coupe

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  Jan. 16, 2012 10:01 a.m. J308 Reader

  I've seen Tahoes with 3rd rows in this price range at less than 85k miles.

  Can't vouch for your area, but these are everywhere and they have depreciated hugely, I definitely would not call it "too good to be true.

  Hope that helps.

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  Jan. 16, 2012 4:29 p.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  Just got back from seeing the 'Burban. It was really in nice shape aside from some nick and dings here and there. Absolutely no rust on the chassis as it has been a TX vehicle up until November. Rode really nice and quiet down the highway and local surface roads.

  Trans fluid didn't smell funny. Coolant was orange, but maybe that is normal. Is it? Brake master was odd looking to me though as it didn't have a power booster, but the brakes felt boosted to me. I can't see how they weren't in a modern vehicle,but there was clearly no vacuum booster on the firewall. The rear doors were both missing a small reflector that mounts in the door panel, but my guess is it is a pretty cheap fix. Rear interior was a little scratched up from tools and such, but nothing that would bother me. Didn't try the AC as it was 23* outside anyway so whats the point? The tires were all in great shape, and looked to be fairly new.

  Had 3280 hrs on the hour meter. Is there any way to equate how the miles were put on the car with this info and the mileage, or am I just wasting time? Could I just divide the miles by the hours and use that as the average MPH of the car? If I do that I get around 35mph. Does that sound like a normal average MPH of a vehicle? Sounds low to me, but maybe it is normal. Math was never a strong suit of mine so tell me where I have gone wrong.

  Chris

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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  Jan. 16, 2012 4:56 p.m. Ranger50 Dork

  The hourmeter is a big thing on diesels...So they carried it over to the gassers. Then there is a point where, on diesels mind you, that can tell you more about the "health" of the motor. 35mph is very normal, but then again, it is easy to berkeley up and input the wrong numbers if the cluster has been replaced. BTDT. Wife's Av only shows like 700 hrs for 134k.... OOOOPS!

  Brakes, it has HydroBoost. Power steering runs the booster instead of vacuum.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  Jan. 17, 2012 12:38 a.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  Could I bring the truck to a local trans shop or the dealer and have them tell me how the transmission is doing? Anything on these ridiculously hard or expensive to repair aside from the trans? I mean is there some part that always fails that cost $3000 bucks to fix and that I should run aay from the truck? Aside from the trans that is.

  What's the better buy of the two vehicles I have looked at so far? This Suburban w/116k and an asking price of $6500, or the 03 Ford E-150 Chateau Club wagon with the 5.4 litre (not sure if this vintage had spark plug troubles) with 55k miles and an asking price of $10995?

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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  Jan. 17, 2012 7:30 a.m. doc_speeder Reader

  The coolant is Dex-Cool. Some people hate it. (I'm leaning that way). It's supposed to be orange. Its when it turns all brown with clumps of E36 M3 in it that you have problems...

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  Jan. 17, 2012 7:38 a.m. Bobzilla SuperDork

  THAT'S A beautiful truck. I'd rock it in a heartbeat. Boss has an 02 'burb, IIRC he had to replace the waterpump at 260k. Original trans, shocks replaced once (with bilstiens), tires and brakes like normal. They are very awesome.

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  Jan. 17, 2012 8:50 a.m. dj06482 HalfDork

  Truck looks to be in excellent shape. Did you check the underside for rust? When I was shopping pickups in CT 1.5 years ago, I was surprised to see how much rust was on the underside of some of the newer trucks.

  '05 Odyssey | '06 RAV4 | '06 Dodge RAM 1500 QC

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  Jan. 17, 2012 9:46 a.m. Mazdax605 Dork

  I looked underneath the truck as best I could with the running boards being so low and such. There looked to be no sign of rust at all. It still has the TX plates on it, and he said he moved to New England back in November so not much if any salt exposure yet. I am working on getting a Carfax report from a friend on it now. Hopefully it checks out. My biggest issue is the reports form Ranger50 about the trans. I would hate to have to get it rebuilt right after buying it. Seemed to shift fine though,and the fluid wasn't smelly.

  He'll go to buy her turtle wax,but in his mind he won't be coming back

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