2006 Chevy Tahoe
 

I'll be looking at one in the morning, 40k miles, at a dealer for $14,000. it's fully loaded, heavy tow package, leather interior, etc...

Anyone have experience with these? Having not owned a GM in 20 years, I'm a bit nervous stepping into a used one, especially not knowing what to look for.

I drove one recently and had a GMC Yukon XL. What is it you intend to do with this truck? What motor? What is the condition? Trans? Compression?

Excelent condition, full dealer inspection, 5.3 liter automatic, 4X4, LT K-1500 trim package. Purchasing it at a Chevy dealer. Vehicle was traded in 2 weeks ago by the original owner.

Due to the snow, plus the fact that I live in a VERY hilly area, I need a 4X4.

It will start off as my DD, until a transmission is located for my Exploder, then it will become my wife's transportation. Since she doesn't drive much, it's main purpose will be towing the TT and employed for the trips to and from Ohio. Since our 3 boxers come with us and the kids on our trips, we need a vehicle that will allow them a place to be comfortable.

How heavy of a travel trailer? Anything too heavy and I'd rather have the 6.0 vortec.

I've had plenty of tha era and never seen big problems. A friend now has 220k on his 5.3 Yukon xl 4x4 and other than normal maintnenance hes only had to replace a fuel pump.

That's what I was hoping to hear...

The TT is a 1968 Pathfinder 18' tandem axle TT. Not too heavy, it was easily towed with my 2001 Durango with a 4.7 liter when we lived in Utah. I have to go back to Utah this spring so I can bring it to PA.

Hind sight being what it is, I should have kept the 'Rango

Mine was the Vortec 5.3. It was ok towing my 1 place enclosed trailer till we got to some altitude. Past 6000, IIRC, I was doing WOT in 2nd gear. Not sure where you live and if you are towing

I was going up Scenic Bypass 12 in Utah heading to Bryce Canyon. It was scary doing 30mph @ WOT in what I believe was 2nd gear. Was wondering if it would quit and roll back into the long way downstairs.

A friend of mine had one a bit earlier than a 2006 and it was a real highway cruiser. We could blow down the backroads in West Texas at 110 mph and it was just as steady as a rock.

He did go through a fuel pump about every 20,000 miles until a GM mechanic noticed he was on his third one and asked him about it. The GM guy wanted to know how low he let the tank get before he filled up.

Rock bottom. No sense in stopping anymore than you have to.

The Mechanic said he needed to start filling up when the tank was at 25% since the in-tank fuel pump needed gasoline sloshing around it to keep it cool. He never again let it get below a quarter of a tank and drove the thing for a total of 250,000 miles without ever replacing another fuel pump.

2006 was the last year of that body style; hence the decent price for the miles. That generation of chebby's were really good trucks. The 2006 being the culmination of the effort.

I would ask to see warranty history (the dealer can give you all that info, just a couple of keystrokes on GM Dealerworld). Also check it over for any body "fixes" if you know what I mean.

If all is good buy it!

Thats a myth. Fuel flowing through the pump cools it. My bet is on the mechanic finally replacing the harness with the updated one and cured the voltage drop. Lower voltage during cranking and during loads will heat up the pumps and any other motor on board.

I own a 2000 Silverado with 260000 miles on the original engine. Daily driver and in complete working order. Yes AC too.

Watch out for steering clunk during slow maneuvers and drive shaft bind/clunk when taking off from a stop on your 06. Check the power steering pump for leaks at the pulley shaft. Watch out for "autoride" it is a nightmare after 80000 miles or so.

I had a Tahoe and loved it. Was a great truck.

Fuel pump issues along with the updated harness connector were on earlier models-- up to 2004 iirc. The 2006 should have the final upgrade of the intermediate steering shaft (steering clunk in parking lot maneuvers). Also the driveline clunk was pretty well sorted by then (some exhibited it worse than others; annoyance factor only though). The autoride can in fact be a problem, sensor arms snapping, bags leaking, etc.....

They are really good vehicles however.... 300k if you take care of them.

Every car I have runs to rock bottom and sometimes runs out. Never had that issue. Here are some questions:

1. If a pump can generate that much heat that it needs to be cooled, are you sure that is what you want sitting in gas fumes?

2. If the fuel flows, it should cool it. If you run out, doesn't the pump cut off and thus no cooling but no heat too?

I had six suburbans, the last was a 94. I was impressed with the basic quality of it and the reliability of the misc stuff. I bought it with 150K on it and not long after that I heard knocking on start up from the main bearings so had the motor rebuilt and some upgrades like roller cam. After less than a year I heard the main bearings knocking again on start up and bought the 03 Dodge with cummins.

Now I daydream of a sub with cummins power. Maybe a 4 cylinder? With a stick I think it would be very adequate for my current needs.

I really like the utility of a Suburban, though the truck bed is handy too.;)

well beings it is a tahoe it is the short wheelbase,about 13 inchs shorter then the sub.middle seat legroom and 3rd seat if it has it suffers.around 02 and 03 but my 05 has the issue.they had gauge cluster motor failures.gauges would go goofy at will.daughters yukon driving down the road it just peged the speedo and there it sat.dealer wanted about 800 bucks to fix it.i took the cluster out(5 min)and sent it to a guy in minn that fixes them had it back in 3 days cost 125.also the flex fuel model get worse milage.they evidently have a different computer.my 05 is a flex but i have never run it.also mine has a weird issue that i wish i could cure.when warmed up if say i'm driving along and have to stop quick it will throw a cel which turns up a pp420 or bad catalyst code.every time it throws the code my speed is 0 and rpm's under 550.they are a drive by wire and dealer says no way to bump up the idle speed.so i just try to remember and not let the rpm's get that low and lite never comes on.also they are good fro craking the seal on the oil pickup tube.if this happens and it did to mine it will exhibit a weird condition.when cold it will have low oil pressure but as it warms up it will come up.this is about a 500 dollar job to cure.while i was into mine i just replaced the oilpump too.and when putting it back together they do not use a keyway to line up the balancer,evidently it isn't a balancer anymore.

My grandfather has an 01 Suburban with the 5.3, it's miserable for towing. It's got little torque down low, everything happens above 3500 RPM. It's always having to shift gears to get anyplace under load. And the brakes are terrible.

-J

too bad your not closer.i'd sell ya my 05 sub for 6000.