shopping for a Suburban

Ok, I will try to give you what I know. I have had 8 GM products in my drive way over the last 6 years. Some got sold, some blew up, some are company vehicles. When we had the 3rd child, we couldn't fit 3 car seats in the back of the Grand Am, so we started looking at mini 'utes with the 3rd row. They suck...there is no room behind the 3rd seat when it's up. This is also the truth on the Tahoe and Expeditions...they are full size, but with the 3rd seat, there isn't much room in the back. I wanted something that the wife could drive, so after much looking and concideration, we purchased a Poontiac Montana. I know...it's a mini van. But the thing has some style and a lot of go...smoked a couple go fast ricer cars more than once!! The down fall is the towing capacity, which is why I kept my '96 GMC truck. The problem with that is it only had 2 seats...found a '97 Suburban K1500 with a 350!!

Anyway, I know the bodystyle 'burb I have was from '94 - '99. I know in the trucks, they went from TPI to multi-port in '96, I think the subs did it at the same time, although I'm not positive.

I can tell you , look for leaks around the manifold gaskit...very common. Also try out the transmission...if you get 100K from one, you are concidered lucky. The brakes will feel mushy...they work great though, just feel bad. The fuel pump is another common part that breaks. Unfortunatly, there is know way to tell when it will go. Brake booster...same thing.

They seem to be good trucks and aren't too hard to work on...internals on the engine are a pain to get to...and a lot of stuff has to come off to get to them. It varies on the kind of driving I do as to the gas mileage. I would say anywhere from 14 to 17 mph city, maybe as high as 20 or 21 highway. Not great, but it gets you there.

It's also not as big as everyone thinks. The standard cab/ long bed GMs are actually 3" longer, so of course the extended cab and crew cabs are longer!

Any year Burb is good, we have had them since 90, now have 2 in the stable, 86 and 94.

No matter what year you buy you may find problems, hey it’s used.

The most common ones have already been covered here. A good way to check for a head gasket leak it check the engine for white residue and any smell of antifreeze after it has warmed up to operating temp.

Fuel pump replacements can be a pain but doable for the novice. Head gaskets are easy enough if you have a good memory or a digital camera. Just a lot of work.

Brakes can be a dealer only repair if it is the antilock system with that monster of a brake module under the hood. The thing looks like something from doctor Frankenstein’s lab. Has about 20 brake lines going in and out of it and is right on the driver side fender well.

We will never be without at least one Burb, they are the perfect vehicle for us, even thought we have never left the third seat in any of ours.
We haul horse trailers, car haulers, hay wagon, and just about anything that will fit inside.

They also hold 18 square bails of hay when the need arises.