Does Your 21+ SUV Hold Any Sentimental Value... What's Your Story?

I'll start... I bought my first GMC Denali in 96'. I ordered it brand new through an Auto Tuner that installed headrest tv's with a PS1 and VCR. It didn't last long because someone broke into it while I was a car show. I was young, making good money, and enjoyed flexing it whenever I could. A few years later I met my wife, and we brought our first born home in it. The happiest (and most stressful) day of my life. I ended up trading it for a Subaru WRX in 2004 due to overheating issues. We had some great times, but never really traveled much in the Yukon since the kids were too young to appreciate and enjoy the travelling experience.



Fast forward to 2021 and my kids were teenagers. I was in the market for an SUV and I liked the newer generation of the GMC, so I spent almost 2 years researching all American SUV's. I narrowed it down to the GMC AT4 because I liked the offroad capabilities and preferred black window trim over chrome. During the pandemic and supply chain issues around that time, I was lucky to find mine in a small town in Mississippi and had it shipped to California. Since then, we've done a lot of travelling within California, Arizona and Vegas, and the kids (now young adults) are old enough to appreciate the views. It also ended up being the last vehicle my mom was able to ride in before she passed. And because of that, I may or may not sell it.

I can see where an SUV can hold sentimental value for families.

Not related to ‘21+ GMC SUV’s…

@ProfeZZor X
The first car I bought on my own with my own money was an ‘02 WRX, 2 yrs later I traded it in for an ‘04 STI. Great fun cars in their time for year round use, midwest winters, and snowboarding road trips.

A Subaru?
Are you kidding me bro?

Not judging just saying that the Subaru is not even on my radar if I had kids and wanted to downsize.
When I was living in California in the late 80’s the Subaru was a great car for single guys who wanted something that would go in snow for mountain activities and hold gear for surfing etc but basically a 1 person vehicle with room for gear lol !
Plus painted on gaskets? Never understood that!

A lot of my kids friends in the early 2000's had those turbo Subarus and everyone increased the boost and convinced the pistons to vacate their bores.

My son and I are working on his project car, a 2004 Subi Impreza WRX (Blobeye) with the 2.0 turbo. Waiting for the engine builder to get done with a 2.5L that will replace the 2.0, and keeping the turbo on it. Should be a fun car; his brother bought it new and it has over 200k miles on it. Sentimental value weighs in.

Pretty sure I made several babies in the backseat of my 00

I had a nonturbo 1980 4 speed GL Subbie wagon I bought new. I had to row the 4 speed between 2nd and 3rd to get it uphill in CO. Cool car otherwise, but the engine was totally underpowered.

As far as the Tahoe goes, it's love and hate, love to drive it, hate to wash it; so huuuge! The 2025 dwarfs the 2013 I had. I won't miss the 2025 when it's time comes. The only car I have any sentimentality for is a 900 SPG, wish there was a current equivalent.

Ha Ha I hand wash both of my vehicles every week. They've never seen a car wash. I actually enjoy doing it. Use DI water on them and they dry spotlessly.

Waterless wash is really a time saver versus the old way of doing it.

This is an interesting question. Sometimes, I sentimentally think about certain cars, but as a car guy, I also enjoy the prospects of different cars.

But there is one car that stands out for me, my 1997 Chrysler Cirrus LXi, loved that car!

None of my vehicles have any sentimental value. They are all gone at the right price or when they are beyond economical repair….

There is always a better and newer car waiting.

I have not frown attached to my 2023 GMC Yukon Denali, because my 2003 suburban refuses to die, so I drive that most days and the Denali sits in the garage.. The 2003 was our family rig for years and now I don't know if I can ever give it up!

Jocko PDX said:

I have not frown attached to my 2023 GMC Yukon Denali, because my 2003 suburban refuses to die, so I drive that most days and the Denali sits in the garage.. The 2003 was our family rig for years and now I don't know if I can ever give it up!

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Sweet boat.

ReaperHWK said:

None of my vehicles have any sentimental value. They are all gone at the right price or when they are beyond economical repair….

There is always a better and newer car waiting.

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So does that mean to say you prefer leasing your vehicles over owning them? ...I've had 9 vehicles in my life, and I've only leased one of them. They've all held a special place in my heart, but none more than my current Yukon.

BlackHC2025 said:

Waterless wash is really a time saver versus the old way of doing it.

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Agreed. I've been going waterless for years, unless the occasion calls for it.

ProfeZZor X said:

So does that mean to say you prefer leasing your vehicles over owning them? ...I've had 9 vehicles in my life, and I've only leased one of them. They've all held a special place in my heart, but none more than my current Yukon.

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I have never leased a vehicle. I said I keep them until they are beyond economical repair. My last truck was a f150 I owned for 20 years as the original owner.


I’d hope to have this 2026 for 20 years as well!

It does, have always been a GM person but until 2011, my only GM was a 1970 LeMans Sport given to me when it was 20 y.o. I pretended in my mind that it was a GTO. My dad was a GM man back to his first car. So flash forward to being married without kids and with dog. Got a Buick Enclave, did not even consider body on frame as it was "scary." What if the ride was too harsh? Well, along the way we were given Tahoe and Suburban loaners (2 different gens, Tahoe was 2011 and Suburban was 2017), and I remarked both times, these things are V8, not lacking power/torque, yet the fuel economy is ashamed to say it, better? So without anything she did, the Enclave was a total loss in May 2025. Ordered a 2025 Tahoe, I think it took 9-10 weeks? It did not get the final price increase of 2025 but was produced the week that took effect. I have all the paperwork, the correspondence, the GM order (like the Germans the mfg has the customer's name), the chevy emails, etc. etc. I even reproduced the window sticker on a Canon imageRUNNER and made like 5 copies lol So I'd be lying if I said it had no sentimental value. The paint jobs are a severe disappointment and the order process is nothing to GM, it's no way the same as when you order a German car. But, it is what it is and add the Chevy Tahoe to the list of vehicles that I love. Don't need an Escalade nor a Denali, fine with a Tahoe. No plans on ever replacing it let's just hope the 6.2 hangs in there, so far, so good, it's been 9 mos. daily driven by my wife.

Not particularly. We purchased our 2021 GMC Yukon because we needed more space for car seats for babies. Our previous vehicle was a 2019 GMC Canyon. I had planned to keep that truck for the long long time. It was paid off, and offered all the utility we needed. But life happens.....



Now.......my first vehicle was a 2002 Silverado. It was a black, LS, 4x4, extended cab, standard box, 5.3L 4L80E, the previous owner had installed a Borla catback exhaust on it. So it HUMMED. I was gifted this truck in 2004 by my parents for having good grades and keeping my nose clean. My sister took her car to college and I needed something to get to school and work. I worked at Jimmy Johns and construction to pay for gas and insurance. The truck had 48,050 miles on it when we drove it home from the dealership. I LOVED that truck. Did all sorts of stuff to it, wheels tires, lift. I knew it inside and out. It was my baby. Kept it all thru high school, all thru college. I think the last mileage i remember was around 119,000 miles. Ended up trading it in after college in 2010 for a Camaro (DUMB). Only had the Camaro for 10 months then I went back to trucks. But that 2002 Silverado still frequents my memories even now today. I think about it from time to time. And even have dreams about it occasionally. I miss that truck. I still keep my eyes peeled for a GMT800 truck that is similar so I can buy it one day for a project vehicle.

Here is one of the last pictures I have of it. I wish I still had her.