99 GMC Suburban-$5000 low miles

[phoebeisis]

Guys,

What do you think.Locally a private owner has a 2wd 1/2 ton GMC SLT Suburban-70,000 miles- for $5000. I kinda wondered why it hadn't sold quickly-plus I would like to upgrade from my 209,700 mile 1998.

Well the driver's seat leather is really beat up-foam showing thru etc-so what, right.
Worse the engine bay looks horrible-grungy with that crusty white aluminum corrosion you guys in the North East and Mid West are so familiar with.

It was only in the NE for 1-2 months post Katrina-in Mass- but that salt is bad stuff.

The underbody looks fine/paint fine/ runs good etc. There is the white grunge in the engine bay, and lots of black oily grunge in the bay also.

What do you think? I don't need it-mine runs fine.I would buy it with the intention of spiffing it up a bit,and spending a couple of months deciding if it was "better then mine" .I would sell the lesser vehicle-hope to make a $$ or two. Yeah,I'm not a car dealer, so buying used-paying sales tax etc-makes selling it for more kinda unlikely.

It does "feel" better than mine-tighter steering etc.Motor/trans on both seems fine. Mine has sprung a few leaks
Intake manifold-coolant
Timing cover- oil
Oil pan-oil ooze
Trans pan-little bit of ooze-the rebuiilders left off 2-3 screws when they rebuilt it for PO at 185,000 miles.How do you do that?? It is really obvious that 2 screws in a row are missing,and one other one!

Pass or take a shot at it for $4000($4800 TTL and 3 months insurance). I sub teach and go to school for teach certification-so I have 2.5 months no pay-lotta time on my hands.

Come summer and evacuation time low cost big vehicles used to be in demand for travel and potential evacuations.With the tanked economy, and rising fuel prices this has changed.Still,I'm fairly sure I can get $5400 for a fairly clean low mile decent body Suburban. Oh, there is also a 130,000 2002 for $5900-maybe a better idea?? 5.3 little more efficient, and 3 years less time-lot more miles
Thanks,
Charlie

[omnisi]

Between the two, I'd take the 99 for $4k...

I just spent 3 months coming the southeast and that price is about right...but I was looking for a 4x4. We were thinking kid hauler, fishing, hunting, and evac vehicle as well. During evacuations, traffic gets backed up, people stall, ect., and I didnt want to get stuck in a fully loaded Suburban going off road to go around, or through a flooded area...

I wouldnt be afraid of a little time up north, ours is a '90 model and it looks like it spent most of its time in WA state (238,000 mi). Body is great, but all running gear parts have salt surface rust. If the engine compartment looks bad, I might pay for a compression check on all cylinders for peace of mind.

The '02 is $2000 more and that would go a long way toward getting the '99 where you want it.

$0.02...

[phoebeisis]

Good point. Of course, the $4000 is what I would like to pay-they want $5000.If I didn't have a Suburban, and was looking for one-I would buy it for $5000.

This is more a project or switch in the hopes of getting a better low cost Suburban. If is hot as heck here now that tends to sap my ambition.I keep thinking if the AC punts before I resell it(if I decide to resell rather than keep it)-it will cost $1000 easy since I don't have AC tools or experience.You can't sell a car in New Orleans in the summer with a dead AC.Dead ac means I lost $$. Mine was replaced at 161,000 miles by PO-cost about $1500-have receipt.
Thanks,
Charlie

[omnisi]

I just replaced the a/c in my '90/w rear air today for $600 including all new v-belts. That was compressor/dryer/orifus/charge.

Your are in the south east hurricane zone like me. If I were to upgrade burbs, I'd look for a 4x4.. My jar-head mentality always says better to have it and not need/use it than need it and not have it...of course that line of thinking costs me a heck-of-a-lot of money!!

[phoebeisis]

4X4 -crossed my mind, but I'm kinda compulsive about mpg, and I never bring a big Suburban on a mud road. Evacing for us is getting on the interstate and trying to point North. Granted it took 14 hours to get 200 miles north for Katrina.We're in the suburbs, not a rural area, so no farm roads etc.

I'm still considering the 1999-wish the engine bay wasn't so grungy.How in the world does a modern vehicle get what looks like grease way up high on hoses etc!! In the old days the crankcase vent grunged up the engine bays with hot oil fumes-now, how??
Thanks,
Charlie

[omnisi]

As far as mpg... my '90 4x4 gets 16 mpg in town and 18.4 or so on hwy...

Doesnt add up to much as little as we drive it, but my Marine mentality wont let me due without it...its a curse.

[phoebeisis]

Omnisi,

Yeah, I understand compulsions from that little voice in your head that says" just in case". It is why I end up carrying waaaay too many tools on long road trips-among other things!

Charlie