2007-2014 Tahoe owners - would you do it all over...?

[NardDog]

if i could go back and do it again i would buy 4 door truck instead

 

[07Burb]

I would not purchase a Tahoe if had to do all over again. Great ride, roomy, and comfortable, but cost of repairs is ridiculous. Major engine issues at 75K miles is not reasonable. Also sick of replacing electric window motors, blend doors, brake switches, computers, audio components, rear hatch parts, etc. My brother has a Highlander with none of those issues.

Weird. I've had mine for 9 years and had NONE of those issues and I'm at 212k LOL

 

[Watertown Rick]

Looking at replacing my Jeep and started looking at the Tahoe. Seem to be pretty reliable - my main concern.
So the question is : having experienced one - would you do it all over again...?

No. The main reason is it was too short and was not stable at high speed. Would maybe buy the suburban. Mine was a 2004. In 2008 the cam and lifters failed at 56,000 miles. I currently have 3 2017 Equinoxes a 2016 Corvette, and 1994 Excab Pickup, all bought new. Design in all these vehicles is between good and excellent. Quality is a 6 out of ten. If you do your own work and can trouble shoot gremlins then have a look at the Suburban. I still buy GM because I believe you get more value compared to Ford or Dodge. However as I am getting too old to work on these I am looking at going Honda.

 

[randeez]

sure i still like my truck... but doing it all over now? i would just get a newer one and eventually will im sure.

looking at comparable vehicles expeditions are a fugging nightmare for these years, id say best in this size/year would be the sequoia for dependability but price for a nice low mileage one could get you in a newer tahoe/yukon

 

[petethepug]

Found the formula for purchasing preloved vehicles. Always purchase the best vehicle service contract (SC) or CPO warr you can find. In 06 we purch’d a a CPO “test drive” Denali XL til 08. Zero issues w/ it. Coming back in 14 we were unaware of the 07-09 deactivated AFM that was in the 6.2 L94 V8 motors. We got lucky [emoji256] n purchasing an 08 Denali XL AWD, 1 owner from a Mopar dealer w/ 96k miles for $19.5k.

The value on the purch made in 14 was getting the $3,750 SC. When it expired last Sat it had paid out almost $13k in repairs that simply had to be located and turned in for service. Having an 08 AWD Denali w/ zero oil leaks and 130k on the clock is amazing.

Transitioning the initial service and repair from the dealer to an Indy was detrimental to the SC paying the claims and NOT using Chinese parts. Whenever the SC wanted to use junk parts we threatened to take it back to the dealer, their higher rates and parts mark up. They folded every time with providing a oem part or waiving a $100 deductible.

Now we have an 11 year old 110% fully functioning, factory / Indy serviced, reliable luxomobile that is light on Insurance, CA registration and future maint. Except for two radiators replaced in the initial 4 years of ownership from 2014 to 2019, all the other $12k in serviceable items were NOT passively discovered. I had to hunt them down. I wanted zero regrets when I had a SC that would fix practically anything at no cost.

The last, biggest and most unexpected covered item was both leaky rear axle seals (by the discs) discovered when I did a brake job. Was not aware the rear diff cover had to be pulled, axles disconnected as well as stripping the rear wheels down to the axles again. Owners of these vehicles MUST go over the chassis w/ a fine tooth comb to be prudent in ACTIVE service prevention vs. waiting for potential cataclysmic failure.


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[Joseph Garcia]

I cannot speak for the Tahoe from personal experience, but I've owned two of its cousins, the Yukon, all used. I had a 1997 Yukon, and I loved it, and I drove it until there was nothing left to drive. Then, I picked up a 2007 Yukon XL Denali, and I love that one, as well. I do prefer the XL over the standard length, as it gives me so much more flexibility in cargo size and volume. Normally, my 'cargo' is three 90+ lb German Shepherds, and they love it, as well.

 

[blownNstroked]

I would not purchase a Tahoe if had to do all over again. Great ride, roomy, and comfortable, but cost of repairs is ridiculous. Major engine issues at 75K miles is not reasonable. Also sick of replacing electric window motors, blend doors, brake switches, computers, audio components, rear hatch parts, etc. My brother has a Highlander with none of those issues.

What were the major engine issues? Only asking because the only engine issue i have had or really seen are the AFM/DOD.
I don't consider this a major issue. The engine platform is powerful, hardy and the parts are plentiful. For my use, packing a family of 6 in a car, hooking up a car trailer and taking it to a race track 100 miles away at times, no platform can perform as well, for the price.
Being a mechanic for 20 years, and speaking with other gear heads im not alone in saying these are easy to work on, and seldom require the work.
As for the regulators and BCM controlled systems, i got nothing other than brand loyalty

 

[swothe]

Looking at replacing my Jeep and started looking at the Tahoe. Seem to be pretty reliable - my main concern.
So the question is : having experienced one - would you do it all over again...?

I would for sure. Depending on the mileage, the thing to really look for is how well it was maintained. I've had a 2009 2500HD Crew Cab LTZ, 2011 Tahoe LT, and 2012 Avalanche LTZ.

Zero issues and very little maintenance required with the 2500, though it didn't have that many miles on it (<75,000).

I bought the Tahoe with about 80,000 on it, and the two things that I needed to take care of by 100,000 miles were the Steering Wheel Position Sensor and the Sway Bar Links. Other than that, just routine maintenance items - nothing more extensive than brakes until I sold it at about 150,000 miles.

No surprise - I had the exact same sensor and links issue on the Avalanche that I bought with 110,000 miles. It was clear after a while that whoever owned the Avalanche before me didn't take care of it at all. I bought it on a rainy/snowy day, and I didn't do the due diligence that I normally would, which I paid dearly for. Before I hit 130,000 miles, I had replaced the transmission, pretty much every bushing and front end or steering part, calipers, lots of nickel and dime stuff, and the Autoride compressor crapped out from leaking shocks shortly after I got it. And there were a couple broken exhaust studs. And it turned out that one of the door handles was expoxied together. And the first time I washed it, some paint started coming off on the rockers. Lesson learned there!

I've had a couple previous generation Suburbans/Yukon XLs that I drove until around 250,000 miles (and sold in good shape at that point), with only routine items having to be done - probably the most extensive was the front wheel bearings (unit) on a 2001 Denali XL at about 200,000 miles. That's only a couple-hour job for both sides, though, so no big deal.

TLDR version - just make sure the previous owner took care of it, washed it, and had some common sense!

 

[liquify33]

FWIW you’ll need to pry my ‘99 from my cold dead hands.

 

[camaroz2887]

I’d do it in a second, learned to drive in an 03 suburban that my brother still has with over 300k. 4l60 in that failed at 80k then the rebuilt trans lasted til just under 300k when the motor chucked a rod and got a new motor and trans.
Bout 6-8 months ago got my 10’ Tahoe trading up from my Ranger(ew Ford I know). I’m absolutely ecstatic over this truck. Power, aesthetics, and... LEG ROOM!!!

Good luck in your decision