Aging 2004 Tahoe dilemma

[lbooker726]

I need to have my rear differential replaced on my 2004 Tahoe with 197000 miles. It is expected to cost around 1500-1600 and the idea of repairing it ourselves is not an option. Is there anyone that has experienced this natural slow death of their vehicle with this high mileage that saw the life of their vehicle extended for a good amount of time? Or does everything just start going down from here? Can anyone give me a "ballpark" timeline as to how much more life we have with this vehicle? The transmission was replaced in 2015, so I'm not worried about that as much as the steering,suspension,driving, etc. Thanks for any advice! We also have twin babies, so safety is important to us, and our next purchase would have to be another suv or minivan (the minivan i would not be so excited to buy, but it is more economical)

 

[Scottydoggs]

a bad rear wont last to long, its gonna eat its self.

everything you mentioned are typical wear items/parts, at some point they all need to be replaced.

i look at things this way sometimes. you own it out right by now im sure. so if it cost you 1500 a year in maint, just to toss out a random number, thats still a lot better then a car loan of 500 a month or more for 5-6 years.

unless it just turned into a money pit of course, then you might want to jump ship lol

in the end you know whats been fixed and some of its history. keeping up on normal maintenance is not a deal breaker in my book.

and id say most of your normal wear items can be DIY stuff in your driveway. even a rear, id swap that myself in my driveway for sure before i paid someone to do it. its just nuts and bolts. nothings gonna jump out and bite ya lol

 

[00'BlueSteel]

Like Scotty said you’re the only one who knows what’s been fixed, how it’s been driven, does it have lots of rust, or is the underside clean and rust free. There is a lot that plays into how long a vehicle will last. Driving habits, regular maintance, even where you live like desert or mountains, does it see a lot of snow and road chemicals and so on....

For the most part it is an educated guessing game based off all of that information. Like you said the rear is going out and needs to replaced now. What else is going out? Are there any other problems, random check engine lights, weird little things that happen here that have you worried.

But mostly I would say it comes down to $1500 a year in maintance versus $2000 - $5000 a year in loan payments. If you think the vehicle will hold up with general maintance and replacing a few big things here or there it will definitely be cheap than a new car.

 

[Matahoe]

As for the expected life of your truck...it all depends on how the vehicle was treated in the past and how it is being treated in the present. With the proper amount of inspections and scheduled maintenance a vehicle will last indefinitely. I've seen people on this forum and others where the engine lasted well over 350k miles. Granted you are guaranteed to be burning a bit of oil by then but its all relative. When people drive vehicles with no regard to the care and maintenance of vehicles...then you can expect a short lifespan in return.

In short...if you can afford repairs and it makes fiscal sense to do so then by all means do it. You can find mechanics that work on anything nowadays. From the oil change guy at the quick lube down the street....to the guy downtown with the car restoration shop who can bring any vehicle back from the grave!

There are articles out there if you do a search that provide information regarding break-even or cost/benefit type stuff. There are certain times when repairs or condition of a vehicle may give you pause to think twice. (i.e. accident/wreck/totalled, etc)

Anything can be repaired. So the question comes down to...can you afford the total cost of the vehicle which always includes expected maintenance items. Repair-wise a diff replacement at 200,000 miles doesn't sound too shocking given that the vehicle was not properly maintained. If it had been maintained and operated properly this really shouldnt have happened.

Obviously cost-wise it is a shock and expensive but there isn't much that can be done at this point. I would get a second and third opinion from a well respected shop. When big ticket items come your should never accept just one explanation.

You need someone to tell you how your vehicle is doing. Is it on its way out? Do you have metal in the engine oil? How would you know? Did the transmission shop tell you to come back after 500 miles to check the condition of and change the transmission fluid and filter again? Its stuff like that which will dictate how much more life you can expect to get out of the vehicle. If you dont have a relationship with a trusted well known auto shop with likeable ASE certfied mechanics....now is the time.

Obviously your family needs a dependable vehicle. As a family man myself with kids I get it.

Give it some thought, dont make snap judgements and dont run out and get a new car with huge payments and insurance when you could just as easily have sold this one and bought an upgrade used car that is perhaps 5 years newer with good maintenance history and no major accidents....something like that. In practice, the age of the vehicle itself rarely tells you the whole story about its condition. How it was cared for is usually far more important.

Also...don't be ashamed to sell the vehicle if thats what it comes down too. You never know...your trustly mechanic may tell you its best to let it go. Foreseeable repairs may be too much for your budget. Especially if you arent a shadetree mechanic and you can limit your total ownership costs that way. There are people out there (like some of us) that dont care if you sell them broken stuff. We have fun fixing em up, caring for and then driving. Thanks for your story and good luck!

 

[RED TAHOE LS]

Leslie to the forum from Georgia. Good info from the previous posts, you never know when something is going to happen, it just does whether it's your hoe or a 2015. As mine is just past the 202k mark, it's not in my vocabulary to get rid of my hoe, going strong and comfortable . Good luck to you.
David g................

 

[05alive]

I'll roll 300,000mi before the end of the month I believe.
There are lots of wear items. BJs, seals, sensors, gaskets, they all start to go and need to be replaced. You can do things as they need to be replaced or you can tear everything apart and do most of it in one swoop. It'll be more money up front to do everything but it will go for a while and have less downtime. You can do things as they break but you never know when something is going to go. There's still a lot of life left in your truck but it does require more maintenance and vigilance than a new or like new vehicle. Little quirks happen all the time. I spend a lot of time and money I'd rather spend repainting it or upgrading it on chasing things like a faulty wheel sensor, fixing brakes, reprograming tpms, fixing lights, doing bj's, or chasing leaks and squeaks. But I got the truck for a song and it's lasted me for a long time and should still have a while to go.

 

[95escahoe]

197k is nothin on these trucks, it’s just getting broken in, it comes down to this overall what kinda shape is the truck in? If it’s been regularly maintained oil changes, front & rear diff service, transfer case etc. I wouldn’t hesitate to keep it, it’s the trucks that have been neglected are the ones you gotta look out for those could be problem after problem, have a shop you trust look the whole truck over and see if there is anything you need to have repaired anytime soon and depending on how that goes make your decision, I wouldn’t get rid of it if everything is fine but that’s just me


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[Doubeleive]

you didn't say if that price was a dealer quote or not, but you can get a very very decent Eaton Detroit put in at a rear end shop for the same price or possible even less, you could even save more money by buying the parts your self and then just paying labor if you are unable to do it yourself. that will end your rear end problems till the wheels fall off. I rolled mine over 300k before I had a ******* for a newer one otherwise I would still have it, it's still rolling around town I see it once in a while.

 

[ScottyBoy]

My Burban is a 2001 and I take damn good care of it (or at least I THINK I do. Lol) I do all the maintenance and nothing is neglected except washing it. I admit that I should probably wash it more than once every 2 months. I live in the South so no issue with rust. Im starting to have some paint clearcoat peeling but thats not a huge problem yet. I keep up with the brakes, shocks, and suspension. (I will need new ball joints and bushings in the next year or so) My truck is so reliable that I would not hesitate to jump in it and drive cross country at the drop of a hat. I always check my fluids and change them regularly, I had my rear differential rebuilt in 2008 and then my transmission rebuilt in 2012. I drove it over 3,000 miles last year taking my family on vacation to Disney World. We could have easily taken my wife's new Altima, but would YOU want to ride for 16 hours each way cramped up in an Altima when you can sprawl out in a big ass Suburban?
Like mentioned above, if you spend money on your truck every year, then you can keep it in great shape. In the past year I have replaced my brakes, my tires, and my shocks. That's about $3000 total. I can't remember what all I did the year before that, but I am sure it was at least $2000 for the year. ANY vehicle you buy is going to need maintenance done on it. And only YOU know what all has been done to your truck and what all it still needs. I've owned my Suburban since 2006, and I know what all has been done to it over the years. I know it's not neglected, so I know it's not a money pit either. If my engine went out tomorrow, I'd pay $3000 or $4000 to put a new engine in it before spending $3000-$4000 on another used vehicle because I KNOW the history of my truck. Yes, I could easily buy another truck for the cost of a new engine, but I won't know jack about the history and maintenance of that truck. Or I could have a NEW engine in my truck that I know the history of and know how well it's taken care of. It's a no brainer for me.

 

[sonic_the_hedgeh]

I need to have my rear differential replaced on my 2004 Tahoe with 197000 miles. It is expected to cost around 1500-1600 and the idea of repairing it ourselves is not an option. Is there anyone that has experienced this natural slow death of their vehicle with this high mileage that saw the life of their vehicle extended for a good amount of time? Or does everything just start going down from here? Can anyone give me a "ballpark" timeline as to how much more life we have with this vehicle? The transmission was replaced in 2015, so I'm not worried about that as much as the steering,suspension,driving, etc. Thanks for any advice! We also have twin babies, so safety is important to us, and our next purchase would have to be another suv or minivan (the minivan i would not be so excited to buy, but it is more economical)

If the fluid hasn't been changed I would change the differential fluid and the transfer case.

I just bought a 2004 Yukon XL Denali and it has over 300,000 kms. I am concerned about its future as well. Although the only way I know of preventing these problems is to spent the money changing fluids and lubricating. Hope it lasts a while. If it were me I would be in the same boat.

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[kurtibm]

I am at 300k on a 2003 Z71. Best vehicle I have ever owned.
You don't say what your 04 has option-wise, nor what part of the country..but with a few caveats, a complete used rear axle including the housing runs about $500 to $700 (with about 100k mi.) depending on axle ratios , 4x4/2wd, brake options.... A competent, independent shop should likely charge $400 or less to swap them. Look on car-part.com to check your particular parameters and location.

 

[Flash1976]

I need to have my rear differential replaced on my 2004 Tahoe with 197000 miles. It is expected to cost around 1500-1600 and the idea of repairing it ourselves is not an option. Is there anyone that has experienced this natural slow death of their vehicle with this high mileage that saw the life of their vehicle extended for a good amount of time? Or does everything just start going down from here? Can anyone give me a "ballpark" timeline as to how much more life we have with this vehicle? The transmission was replaced in 2015, so I'm not worried about that as much as the steering,suspension,driving, etc. Thanks for any advice! We also have twin babies, so safety is important to us, and our next purchase would have to be another suv or minivan (the minivan i would not be so excited to buy, but it is more economical)

My 2000 Tahoe 4x4 has 465,000 miles on it, I drive it everyday and everywhere. Never have had to replace the rear end. Replaced the original tranny at 160,000, so the current one has over 300,000 miles on it. Original engine, good compression, and does not burn oil. It is the best vehicle I have ever owned.

 

[MidwestMike]

I know a few people have rolled a lot of miles on, but I look at the repair cost as a percentage of the vehicle value.

If the truck is worth $4000-$4500, you are putting 33% of the value of the vehicle in a single fix. And it's not like your replacing 33% of the vehicle, or replacing a "larger part of" like a motor.

Along the same lines, what would be the max anyone would put in to getting a vehicle back on the road?

Would you put 50% in?
20%?

I know I would not put 2 grand in to a 4 grand vehicle.

(And we all know that this money does not add to the value of the vehicle, it just keeps it running).

 

[swathdiver]

While trucks at this age are about fully depreciated, they cannot be replaced as inexpensively. They are a tremendous value for what they are.

 

[MidwestMike]

While trucks at this age are about fully depreciated, they cannot be replaced as inexpensively. They are a tremendous value for what they are.

What would you cutoff be for a percentage of value to put in to repair?
(other than new motor)

 

[Scottydoggs]

being i still do all my own work, nothing would stop me if i had faith in the rest of the truck or car.

hell my 98 regal with 242,000 on it is all new under the body. i just put a $1400 fully rebuilt tranny in it, new struts, all new suspension front and back, newer wheels it just got new tires. 2 years before i dropped in a 100,000 mile replacement engine. and as it sits its worth maybe $2500, but its also got 2 k in bolt on mods too. so clearly those would have to come off and it put back to stock and the mods sold off, unless someone wants to pay extra for all that fun stuff.

at this point being i got the hoe, now its been reduced to just a toy now. its still got the same tank of gas from when i got the tahoe a few months back now. it gets driven pretty much around the block to get the rust off the rotors every few weeks lol

but even with all ive put into that car, its still cheaper then a car payment all day long. biggest hit i took was that tranny, and the engine ran up a $400 bill after all new gaskets paint and porting tools. and the engine cost me gas to pick it up. aka free. all other repairs fell under or around 200 bucks at a time. aka painless over 8 years time. except tires of course but they had not been replaced in 5 years.

 

[Flash1976]

being i still do all my own work, nothing would stop me if i had faith in the rest of the truck or car.

hell my 98 regal with 242,000 on it is all new under the body. i just put a $1400 fully rebuilt tranny in it, new struts, all new suspension front and back, newer wheels it just got new tires. 2 years before i dropped in a 100,000 mile replacement engine. and as it sits its worth maybe $2500, but its also got 2 k in bolt on mods too. so clearly those would have to come off and it put back to stock and the mods sold off, unless someone wants to pay extra for all that fun stuff.

at this point being i got the hoe, now its been reduced to just a toy now. its still got the same tank of gas from when i got the tahoe a few months back now. it gets driven pretty much around the block to get the rust off the rotors every few weeks lol

but even with all ive put into that car, its still cheaper then a car payment all day long. biggest hit i took was that tranny, and the engine ran up a $400 bill after all new gaskets paint and porting tools. and the engine cost me gas to pick it up. aka free. all other repairs fell under or around 200 bucks at a time. aka painless over 8 years time. except tires of course but they had not been replaced in 5 years.

You are exactly right!! A brand new $65K Tahoe will depreciate more in year than the worst case maintenance issue will cost you. Plus add in the payments, or cost money, and it is slam dunk. Putting in $2000 to fix a $4000 truck is still the best choice by far.

 

[swathdiver]

What would you cutoff be for a percentage of value to put in to repair?
(other than new motor)

I don't look at it that way Mike. If I like the truck, I'll keep the truck. The only thing that would cause me to move on is rust, major rot type rust. I was talked out of my favorite car thirty years ago for economic reasons and have always regretted that decision and the loss of that car.

 

[sonic_the_hedgeh]

I need to have my rear differential replaced on my 2004 Tahoe with 197000 miles. It is expected to cost around 1500-1600 and the idea of repairing it ourselves is not an option. Is there anyone that has experienced this natural slow death of their vehicle with this high mileage that saw the life of their vehicle extended for a good amount of time? Or does everything just start going down from here? Can anyone give me a "ballpark" timeline as to how much more life we have with this vehicle? The transmission was replaced in 2015, so I'm not worried about that as much as the steering,suspension,driving, etc. Thanks for any advice! We also have twin babies, so safety is important to us, and our next purchase would have to be another suv or minivan (the minivan i would not be so excited to buy, but it is more economical)

Sorry to hear. I just bought a 2004 GMC Yukon XL Denali. It has about 315,000 kms and never had the rear differential replaced. It doesn't burn oil. Only thing I found was the previous owner had not been checking fluids and ran almost every fluid low. Thankfully I don't think it has done any damage. I am getting it into a shop soon for fluid changes on the entire drive train.

Not sure why your rear differential would go that soon. Might have leaked or perhaps previous owner abused it? The only suggestion I have is the check an auto wrecker and see if you can get one for half the price or less. If they want more than 700 I would simply say there is no guarantee that it works. Unless they have a good exchange policy.

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[whymeintrouble]

I need to have my rear differential replaced on my 2004 Tahoe with 197000 miles. It is expected to cost around 1500-1600 and the idea of repairing it ourselves is not an option. Is there anyone that has experienced this natural slow death of their vehicle with this high mileage that saw the life of their vehicle extended for a good amount of time? Or does everything just start going down from here? Can anyone give me a "ballpark" timeline as to how much more life we have with this vehicle? The transmission was replaced in 2015, so I'm not worried about that as much as the steering,suspension,driving, etc. Thanks for any advice! We also have twin babies, so safety is important to us, and our next purchase would have to be another suv or minivan (the minivan i would not be so excited to buy, but it is more economical)

As a father of twins I completely understand the need for safety. I have a 2005 Z71 Suburban. it currently has around 195500 miles on it. Depending how long you have had the vehicle will help you make your decision. Plus having a good mechanic (assuming you don't do stuff yourself) whom you trust is pretty damn important too. I bought the 05' in April '08 when it had 45,678 miles on it. The truck has been fantastic overall, although replacing the rear A/C lines last year sucked and was costly. The biggest part to me is knowing exactly how the truck has been treated and how it was cared for. Do I beat on my truck sometimes, hell yes! But I also spend the extra money to make sure she is taken care of. I make sure I use high quality parts and fluids. The rear main seal just started leaking in the last month, nothing serious yet. I know it will definitely mean a rebuild in the future, but once it is done I know it will be a rock solid motor, with some extras Then a transmission will be needed if/when it dies down the road sometime. But once I've got those replaced I see nothing major in the future. and she'll be able to do another 200k + with ease.

another thing to think about is to participate in a site like TrueDelta https://www.truedelta.com/ I like them because they offer me a place to record things that get replaced and I can tell how much they cost, etc. It does two things, keeps track of my truck for me and helps them gather data, which helps them get more views and hopefully more participation.

summing up, if your vehicle has overall been good for you and you've owned it for a while and know what has and hasn't been replaced keep it. fyi, a new Tahoe would cost an ungodly amount(at least to me) to purchase now-a-days. even a couple years old is still pretty rediculous. I payed $30k for mine in '08 and thought I was crazy then(probably still am ) for paying that much. enough babbling, best of luck to you.