Second Tahoe owned...first time on the forum.

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Grover70

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My last Tahoe was a 2004 Z71. Tough SUV with GMC rims and all the bells and whistles. Got from a dealer for...$3700...yes, $3700. Had high mileage at 204k, but it ran like a caddie. HVAC problems galore, torn driver seat (which I sewed up pretty nicely) CD player didn't work, and it had an aftermarket hood with poor painting skills in plan view. But...it loved Florida beaches and easily rode past stuck Fords. Then, along came my nemesis...a woman speeding in a Prius hit the back of the Tahoe, lifting it and throwing it 180 degrees up and onto a media. I drove away, but she was totaled. The three tons saved me. But it wasn't worth fixing so it became a mudder in Georgia for a nice family.

What to do next? I could not stand the Honda Pilot that replaced it. What a lukewarm car with absolutely nothing masculine about it. Blue and grey and boring. So, like any good husband, I passed it down to my wife after a year so I could get an '07 LT with all the options except sunroof. Purchased in Orlando for $8500 cash and 180k miles. New wheel bearing, transfer case, alignment, door control module, brake job, balance the rims out, fluid changes, and a few more things. The hardest thing I did was strip out the interior and replace all of the carpet and baffling. Cleaned out dead cockroaches, a joint, and the smell! Also, I don't like chrome 20" rims on a tough truck, so I blacked those out, removed the discolored molding, added a few decals and the USA flag and voila! A very nice ride indeed.

I've noticed on the '07, with the ability to switch between V8 and V4 while cruising, and on cruise control, I am getting great mileage. The bucket seats and the third row make this Tahoe into a veritable limo. The 4x4 has been smooth and reliable as well. So far, so good.

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Miami-Dade

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Welcome from Miami Andrew... You definitely got your 07 Tahoe online..Looks awesome..Those blacked out wheels look great.

I agree with you on the Pilot..There is nothing masculine about it.
 
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Grover70

Grover70

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Thank you! Hard work paid off. If only I could get around to putting that effort into painting my deck!
 
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Grover70

Grover70

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Welcome from Miami Andrew... You definitely got your 07 Tahoe online..Looks awesome..Those blacked out wheels look great.

I agree with you on the Pilot..There is nothing masculine about it.
Thank you.
I tried the plasti-dip first on the rims to see if I liked the look before I did anything permanent. The aluminum wheels were in need of repair anyway. Starting to corrode a little around the edges where the clear coat was peeling. I was going to bring them to a powder coater I know but then I liked the matte black finish with a little texture. So...I stripped them myself, sanded, primed with sandable Dupli-color, and then used a truck-bed-liner spray to give it texture. I was pleased with the look and the fact they are as touch as a truck bed now. Lots of time spent but worth it...for about $30 total.
 
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Grover70

Grover70

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I like the decals it's giving me ideas hmm!
There are so many types available it took me some time to whittle my ideas down. When I removed the molding there was some overspray from a dent that was repaired. I was bummed because the cost of replacement moldings is exorbitant and the cost to re-paint was about $600. Then I thought, why not use those camo vinyl decals along the lower portion of the door that go from wheel well to wheel well? I wasn't crazy about the look though. Then I thought about a sticker, and finally, stock back molding. While looking around I saw this solution by accident on eBay for $71. I watched a few lessons on how to apply them on YouTube...voila...new decals. Easy, cheap, and the Tahoe stands out amongst others.
Thanks for looking!
 

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