Chevy Tahoe - Good or Bad?

[Wanttohuntmore]

Thinking of picking up a 2000-2008 Tahoe, with around 70k miles....  Good or Bad?  Consumer reports says nothing good about them...  Then I look on craigslist and see tons of them with close to 200k miles???  Wife want's a 3rd row seat for the kid's friends and nephew/nieces, and I figured if we are going for a different rig (from an 02 xterra), I might as well have one that can pull a trailer.

[bwhntr2819]

My wife drove an 03 Tahoe for a couple years. I have nothing bad to say about it. On fact I kinda wish we still had it. We only got rid of it because at the time gas prices were really high and we were driving it and an 03 2500hd 4x4 crew. The third row is nice but you lose the cargo area. I might consider a suburban the way my wife uses the cargo area. Instead she now drives (gasp) an 09 Honda Odyssey.

[Pathfinder101]

I bought my wife the Yukon Denali last year (a 2005 with about 70,000 miles on it).  Nothing bad to say about it except that the Denali comes with the 6.0 liter motor that is a bit of a gas hog (12 to 13 mpg).  We bought it on the advice of my brother in law, who was a GM Mechanic for years.  The thing handles like a dream on ice and snow.  Better than any other vehicle we have ever owned.  I have always been a Ford guy, and we have also owned several Toyotas (my wife's last car was a Landcruiser), and it is the best snow/ice vehicle we have ever had.  You almost can't make it go squirrely on slick roads...

[Hunter mike]

We bought an '07 Tahoe about 3 months ago.  Found out the wife's pregnant with twins so we traded in my Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 

So far we're loving it.  To pretty to take into the woods (yet) for me but it drove awesome on the snow.  Ours has an auto 4x4 so the wife can drive it around in slick conditons without having to worry about going in and out of 4x4 as road conditions change.  It has a pretty good amount of cargo room - the 3rd row seats are not too bad to get out.  Overall it's a very easy to drive and smooth riding rig.

We started out looking at mini vans - neither of us were feeling it.  I'm sure the increased towing/hauling capacity will come in handy as well.

[FC]

Get one with the 5.3l and you will love it.

[7mag.]

Get one with the 5.3l and you will love it.

I agree, my wife has a 2000 Tahoe. We've had it for 7 years, great rig. My wife still loves it after all this time.

[GlennGTR]

I own a 1996 Chevy Tahoe, oil changes, brakes, tires, tuneup and going strong at 256,000

[willie_81]

get a ford excursion they run like a champ only think is gas milage a woppin 12 on a good day lol

[Stickerbush]

I have a 1996 tahoe with 147k, the push button 4x4 has been kinda sketchy though. But all in all its a great comfy rig, plenty of room for gear and passengers

[WDFW-SUX]

just bought an 11 at dave smith for a gift for someone they love it so far!

[Wazukie]

I have an 03' yukon XL 5.3L lifted running 305-75r16 tires. It gets about 15 hwy and about 11 in the woods.  The only problem with the GM Tahoe/Burb/Yukon is they have a fuel pump module problem.  Check to see if its been fixed in the one you are looking at.  There isnt a recall but there is a tech bulletin on them.  Love mine and it goes where I need it to go, even hauls bear out  of the woods real well

[markts]

We had a 2003 and the wife loved it-rebuilt a wrecked 97 Accord and the Tahoe sat Gas mileage was not the best

[Rick]

My wife has 80,000 trouble free miles on her '07. They do like their fuel. The lifetime average on hers is 15.3 mpg.

My wife feels very safe in hers. Last summer she was rear ended on the freeway. The Camry that hit her was totaled,her Tahoe had less than $1000 in damage.

The Tahoe/Yukons from '07-current are a different breed from the earlier models. Much better build quality. Some of the best vehicles GM has produced IMO.

[jackelope]

2000-2002 will have the 5.3L in it with what GM calls the "normal" tap  noise at cold startup. It lasts about 30 seconds then goes away.  My 2002 1500 truck is the same running gear, has the normal noise and it's been the same forever. 2003 they fixed the noise. I put a transmission in mine at 120k miles which is not abnormal. I hate the noise but it is what it is. I'm at 150k miles now, truck is solid.
2007 and newer will be the new body style. Definitely nice.

[dewandgin]

Very good rigs got 200k+ out of mine when I sold it. Still going strong has almost 276k on it now. Yea you more than likely will put a fuel pump in it but I towed/wheeled/haul everything with it and it drove awesome.   New one already has 70k on it and is going strong

[SecretSquirrel]

I work in LE and we've been using them for some time. Great all around. Only downfall we've had is with the electrical system but then again we have a high demand for the electrical system. Our rigs have gone through hell and back and have been dependable and continue to be. 

[swanny]

My mom drives an 07 Tahoe. The thing is awesome to drive and has been problem free. The 3rd row seats take away ALL of your cargo space though, so if you plan to actually take anything with you on a trip, plan on it only seating 4 people due to the 2 captain chairs in the middle.

[jackelope]

My mom drives an 07 Tahoe. The thing is awesome to drive and has been problem free. The 3rd row seats take away ALL of your cargo space though, so if you plan to actually take anything with you on a trip, plan on it only seating 4 people due to the 2 captain chairs in the middle.

Captain's chairs are an option. My mom's 07 has a 2nd row bench. Definitely something to consider though...

[wastickslinger]

My wife and I just spent 2 days in Spokane looking at Suburbans and Yukon XL's. We started out looking at the Tahoe and Yukon's. After looking at the storage room, or lack of, in the back with the third row we decided to go with the longer ones. We found several Yukon Denali XL but the problem I have is that I cannot select 4H, 4L, 2H like you can in the Suburban. Does anyone have the Denali with the AWD and care to share if that is an issue? I am leaning towards the Suburban LT Z71 for better suspension, 5.3L, and the option to select the 4L, 4H, 2H or AWD.

We are trying to find and 05-07 with 60K miles or so. Lots of Denali XL's but very few Suburbans, especially when you want leather and captain seats in the second row.

[Rick]

My wife and I just spent 2 days in Spokane looking at Suburbans and Yukon XL's. We started out looking at the Tahoe and Yukon's. After looking at the storage room, or lack of, in the back with the third row we decided to go with the longer ones. We found several Yukon Denali XL but the problem I have is that I cannot select 4H, 4L, 2H like you can in the Suburban. Does anyone have the Denali with the AWD and care to share if that is an issue? I am leaning towards the Suburban LT Z71 for better suspension, 5.3L, and the option to select the 4L, 4H, 2H or AWD.

We are trying to find and 05-07 with 60K miles or so. Lots of Denali XL's but very few Suburbans, especially when you want leather and captain seats in the second row.

You don't get a better suspension with a Z71. You get a couple skid plates and different (not better) shocks.

I wouldn't buy a Denali because the AWD is full time and is going to eat into the fuel mileage, I'd also want the option of low range.

Another thing to consider with the AWD is the need to replace tires in sets of four. If the circumference of the tires isn't the same its hard on the AWD system.

[Widgeondeke]

We have a '99 GMC Suburban and LOVE IT. Wife wants to keep it in lieu of getting a new GMC 4 door truck. Something about not wanting a new $500/month payment.
130k miles on it. Runs great. Only thing repaired in 7 years has been a water pump, serpentine belt and the rear-end(lots of trailer pulling). If you are driving a 4x4 V-8 you don't need to haggle over a couple mpg. 

[jackelope]

My wife and I just spent 2 days in Spokane looking at Suburbans and Yukon XL's. We started out looking at the Tahoe and Yukon's. After looking at the storage room, or lack of, in the back with the third row we decided to go with the longer ones. We found several Yukon Denali XL but the problem I have is that I cannot select 4H, 4L, 2H like you can in the Suburban. Does anyone have the Denali with the AWD and care to share if that is an issue? I am leaning towards the Suburban LT Z71 for better suspension, 5.3L, and the option to select the 4L, 4H, 2H or AWD.

We are trying to find and 05-07 with 60K miles or so. Lots of Denali XL's but very few Suburbans, especially when you want leather and captain seats in the second row.

You don't get a better suspension with a Z71. You get a couple skid plates and different (not better) shocks.

I wouldn't buy a Denali because the AWD is full time and is going to eat into the fuel mileage, I'd also want the option of low range.

Another thing to consider with the AWD is the need to replace tires in sets of four. If the circumference of the tires isn't the same its hard on the AWD system.

Agreed...I'm not sure, but I am pretty sure that the Denali has different suspension than any regular Yukon.

[yakimarcher]

I have a 97 yukon and i love it. but on chevy truck forums i keep hearing that you need to rebuild the trans at around 175k and the water pump goes out about the smae time. also i had a problem with the heater controls.