Buying a used Tahoe - possibilities

[JKaechler]

After many years of good service, my 2001 Suburban is ready to be retired. I have recently crossed 500,000 miles with it. It had an engine swap in 2018, and the transmission was rebuilt at the same time. It still runs pretty good, but the rest of the truck is breaking down around it. If I retire it now, i can still sell it for a bit and put that $ into my next vehicle.

So, I want to switch down to a Tahoe/Yukon. I am looking at the 2011-2012 models for a couple of reasons. One is price. Also, up till 2012 they still used the 8.6 differential, and i can put an Eaton TrueTrac in it same as my outgoing burban has. best diff ever!

I also want to be sure and get the 6l80E 6-speed auto. My general plan is to buy used, and immediately take it to the tranny shop and have a trans rebuild service done.

It is my understanding that the 2011-2012 models are going to be the most reliable ones that meet my desired spec:
- 5.3 engine
- 6 speed tranny
- can put a trutrac diff in it
- in the 10,000 dollars ballpark (if i buy from an individual. several are on facebook market in my area)
- black if possible.
- most i see have around 200,000 miles on them. thats just barely broke in for one of these.

so, my question is: am i missing something? a couple articles i read indicate that the 2010 years had some reliability issues with electrics and such.

Being the guy who did his own engine swap, did his own diff rebuild... im not afraid to do some wrenching. But i will avoid it if i can.

What about the 4WD models? is that 4WD system reliable? I dont particularly need 4WD, but if all other things are good should i avoid a 4WD system in the name of reliability?
i have never been in a situation where the limited slip diff wasnt enough to get me moving.

what about the used police vehicles? How badly are they generally treated? They seem to all be missing the center console, but that should be replaceable on ebay.

Thanks for whatever input you can give.

 

[OR VietVet]

Welcome to the forum but IMO, the NBS 2000-2006 years are the best. You have a NBS rig that proves that.

 

[JKaechler]

what is NBS?

 

[OR VietVet]

New Body Style 2000-2006 years. Your 2001 Suburban is considered a NBS rig. Starting in 2007, IMO, quality starts downhill and more gadgets mean more problems. The engines then had AFM, Active Fuel Management, in that same 5.3 you talk about and that causes numerous problems that are documented here. Don't get me wrong, there are members here that swear by the NNBS, New New Body Style, rigs from 2007 to 2014. I looked at them but the damn seats were uncomfortable.

 

[JKaechler]

well, AFM disable is the first item on the list anyways. what a stupid idea to switch off half the engine.

two problems that keep me from trying to extend the 2001 - I hit a deer at 65mph- the grill guard saved my bacon, and it only broke the headlight and crunched the fender... but i later discovered that the frame is slightly bent. so, its resale value is only as a parts car now...

also, the clearcoat and paint are all peeling away.

I did find the seats in the 2010 i drove to be very nice

 

[OR VietVet]

You said Tahoe and I love my 2005 Z71. IMO, rock solid are the 2005 and 2006 years.

 

[Fubar0715]

Had a 2003 that I bought new - my niece has it now and she took it at with nearly 260k on the clock. Reliability was top notch but as you have noticed, paint/clear coat was less than stellar. IMO, that thing was rock solid but I moved and needed 4wd so moved up to the NNBS. The NBS, to me, looked more muscular in appearance but was time for a change. Look for something in the SW or WAY south to avoid rust and rot.

 

[JKaechler]

Had a 2003 that I bought new - my niece has it now and she took it at with nearly 260k on the clock. Reliability was top notch but as you have noticed, paint/clear coat was less than stellar. IMO, that thing was rock solid but I moved and needed 4wd so moved up to the NNBS. The NBS, to me, looked more muscular in appearance but was time for a change. Look for something in the SW or WAY south to avoid rust and rot.

I am in Waco Tx
Of all the abused, ragged out trucks i have looked at, there hasnt been much rust. Even my crunched fenders have barely any rust on them 2 years after hitting the deer.

thats the difference made by not having salt spread on the roads i guess. round here, when we get a bit of ice they put a bit of sand on the roads, and thats it.

of the 2010-2012 Tahoe's I am currently seeing on the market, none of them seem to have rust.

 

[Fubar0715]

I am in Waco Tx
Of all the abused, ragged out trucks i have looked at, there hasnt been much rust. Even my crunched fenders have barely any rust on them 2 years after hitting the deer.

thats the difference made by not having salt spread on the roads i guess. round here, when we get a bit of ice they put a bit of sand on the roads, and thats it.

of the 2010-2012 Tahoe's I am currently seeing on the market, none of them seem to have rust.

I got mine out of AZ - small little dealer that has many ex-LEO vehicles. If you are not needing all the fancy gadgets-they might have what you a looking for. Disclaimer - no vested interested in their business but they were helpful in getting my Tahoe. https://www.deusmotors.com/suvs-for-sale-b100037

 

[ukrkoz]

I'd stay away from 5.3 with AFM. Period. Get 6L engine.
Otherwise, I know, it's not quite your year but - most of the problems he's describing carried over into the later models. GM is not known for taking quick action to fix their issues:

 

[Rayyy]

I'd stay away from 5.3 with AFM. Period. Get 6L engine.
Otherwise, I know, it's not quite your year but - most of the problems he's describing carried over into the later models. GM is not known for taking quick action to fix their issues:

Agreed! Though 6.0L was discontinued after 2009, while the Denali and Escalade got the 6.2L (which I wouldn't mind as well).

2009 was also the first year of the 6L80E transmission, which would be nice to have with that bigger engine. Either way, AFM delete for sure.

Although somehow I'm still partial to the NBS trucks... Easy to work on, great parts availability, super reliable, and I just like the way they drive compared to the newer clunkier rigs.

 

[JKaechler]

i find it amusing that i posted this in the section for the 07-14 models. specifically said that i was looking at 2011/2012 models (tho i will likely expand that to include 2010 models), and that i was looking at the 5.3 engine.......

and yet every comment has been a variation of "you should go for an older model!" "you should go for the big engine!"

and that one video that was posted with mr super negativity saying how "THIS WILL BREAK"!.... of course things will break. these are old trucks! I would hope that anyone buying any of these trucks is going in with their eyes open and knows that they will have to be either doing the repairs or paying for them. it is inevitable and just part of the process.


For what its worth, I much much prefer the NNBS style of body. I am very comfortable with the 5.3 engine, i have had a few of them apart over the years, and i know that the AFM stupidity will eventually bite me. no problem. it aint nothin that cant be fixed. its just a dumb design decision. so be it.

the 6.2 engine would be cool, but not a single one of the Tahoe's i have looked at this far have one. I am not going to increase my budget just for the extra displacement. I do a little towing, but its nothing that the 5.3 i already drive cant handle, and the 6l80e has an even lower 1st gear.

what i probably didnt state with any decent clarity is what i am actually looking for: input on what to expect in the transmission / transfer case department.
Should I plan on taking a new-to-me tahoe straight to the trans guy and getting it rebuilt? the trucks i have so far looked at, none have specified any work that has been done on the trans. so i have to assume its factory original. That implies repairs incoming right?

and what about the Transfer case? I have never had a 4x4 before, how durable is that transfer case? Should that extra maintenance prompt me to stick with a RWD model?

of the entire truck, the only thing that i am not fully prepared to tackle myself is the transmission or any extensive body work. All the rest of the things can be managed, and since i plan to run this truck out to at least 500,000 miles i expect to be doing a lot of fixing over the next few years. That is still better than buying a newer Tahoe with fold flat seats that waste valuable cargo and tools space. or that HIDEOUS thing that has been labelled the 2022 Tahoe. What a pig.

 

[Rayyy]

i find it amusing that i posted this in the section for the 07-14 models. specifically said that i was looking at 2011/2012 models (tho i will likely expand that to include 2010 models), and that i was looking at the 5.3 engine.......

and yet every comment has been a variation of "you should go for an older model!" "you should go for the big engine!"

and that one video that was posted with mr super negativity saying how "THIS WILL BREAK"!.... of course things will break. these are old trucks! I would hope that anyone buying any of these trucks is going in with their eyes open and knows that they will have to be either doing the repairs or paying for them. it is inevitable and just part of the process.


For what its worth, I much much prefer the NNBS style of body. I am very comfortable with the 5.3 engine, i have had a few of them apart over the years, and i know that the AFM stupidity will eventually bite me. no problem. it aint nothin that cant be fixed. its just a dumb design decision. so be it.

the 6.2 engine would be cool, but not a single one of the Tahoe's i have looked at this far have one. I am not going to increase my budget just for the extra displacement. I do a little towing, but its nothing that the 5.3 i already drive cant handle, and the 6l80e has an even lower 1st gear.

what i probably didnt state with any decent clarity is what i am actually looking for: input on what to expect in the transmission / transfer case department.
Should I plan on taking a new-to-me tahoe straight to the trans guy and getting it rebuilt? the trucks i have so far looked at, none have specified any work that has been done on the trans. so i have to assume its factory original. That implies repairs incoming right?

and what about the Transfer case? I have never had a 4x4 before, how durable is that transfer case? Should that extra maintenance prompt me to stick with a RWD model?

of the entire truck, the only thing that i am not fully prepared to tackle myself is the transmission or any extensive body work. All the rest of the things can be managed, and since i plan to run this truck out to at least 500,000 miles i expect to be doing a lot of fixing over the next few years. That is still better than buying a newer Tahoe with fold flat seats that waste valuable cargo and tools space. or that HIDEOUS thing that has been labelled the 2022 Tahoe. What a pig.

But, did I mention that the 6.0L and the 6L80E were both available only in the 2009 model year?

All jokes aside, no work being listed on the trans isn't necessarily a big red flag... The fluid is supposed to be good until 150,000 miles (I believe), and aside from fluid exchanges, what else would you like to have seen done? If it ain't broke, why mess with it? If anything, depending on the mileage, just a fluid exchange would suffice imo.

Regarding the transfer case, I haven't heard of any problems to be worried about. That being said, I would not consider a 2WD (personally), but to each is own. However, if you do get the 4WD, take it off dry pavement and put it in 4x4 mode at least every couple months, so it can properly engage regularly.

 

[JKaechler]

But, did I mention that the 6.0L and the 6L80E were both available only in the 2009 model year?

All jokes aside, no work being listed on the trans isn't necessarily a big red flag... The fluid is supposed to be good until 150,000 miles (I believe), and aside from fluid exchanges, what else would you like to have seen done? If it ain't broke, why mess with it? If anything, depending on the mileage, just a fluid exchange would suffice imo.

Regarding the transfer case, I haven't heard of any problems to be worried about. That being said, I would not consider a 2WD (personally), but to each is own. However, if you do get the 4WD, take it off dry pavement and put it in 4x4 mode at least every couple months, so it can properly engage regularly.

ok, that was another thing i wanted to find out about.

excercising the transfer case.. i get taking it off the pavement because that could break stuff. Should i simply turn into a field, switch to 4wd, and drive in a couple of circles? is that enough, done every month or two, to keep the function healthy?

given the terrible condition of my driveway, and it being a mile long and unpaved... i could just use the driveway as the 4wd excercise

 

[BG1988]

well, AFM disable is the first item on the list anyways. what a stupid idea to switch off half the engine.

two problems that keep me from trying to extend the 2001 - I hit a deer at 65mph- the grill guard saved my bacon, and it only broke the headlight and crunched the fender... but i later discovered that the frame is slightly bent. so, its resale value is only as a parts car now...

also, the clearcoat and paint are all peeling away.

I did find the seats in the 2010 i drove to be very nice

but you can save 0.01 gallons of gas per tank x 10 million units

 

[Geotrash]

i find it amusing that i posted this in the section for the 07-14 models. specifically said that i was looking at 2011/2012 models (tho i will likely expand that to include 2010 models), and that i was looking at the 5.3 engine.......

and yet every comment has been a variation of "you should go for an older model!" "you should go for the big engine!"

and that one video that was posted with mr super negativity saying how "THIS WILL BREAK"!.... of course things will break. these are old trucks! I would hope that anyone buying any of these trucks is going in with their eyes open and knows that they will have to be either doing the repairs or paying for them. it is inevitable and just part of the process.


For what its worth, I much much prefer the NNBS style of body. I am very comfortable with the 5.3 engine, i have had a few of them apart over the years, and i know that the AFM stupidity will eventually bite me. no problem. it aint nothin that cant be fixed. its just a dumb design decision. so be it.

the 6.2 engine would be cool, but not a single one of the Tahoe's i have looked at this far have one. I am not going to increase my budget just for the extra displacement. I do a little towing, but its nothing that the 5.3 i already drive cant handle, and the 6l80e has an even lower 1st gear.

what i probably didnt state with any decent clarity is what i am actually looking for: input on what to expect in the transmission / transfer case department.
Should I plan on taking a new-to-me tahoe straight to the trans guy and getting it rebuilt? the trucks i have so far looked at, none have specified any work that has been done on the trans. so i have to assume its factory original. That implies repairs incoming right?

and what about the Transfer case? I have never had a 4x4 before, how durable is that transfer case? Should that extra maintenance prompt me to stick with a RWD model?

of the entire truck, the only thing that i am not fully prepared to tackle myself is the transmission or any extensive body work. All the rest of the things can be managed, and since i plan to run this truck out to at least 500,000 miles i expect to be doing a lot of fixing over the next few years. That is still better than buying a newer Tahoe with fold flat seats that waste valuable cargo and tools space. or that HIDEOUS thing that has been labelled the 2022 Tahoe. What a pig.

I personally think it's worth the $1500 (out the door) to have an upgraded billet TC put into the trans and a new rear main seal while they're in there. I had a CVC BU60FHD installed in my 2012 by a local indy transmission shop and it's been great for towing.

And since it seems you're handy, you can bullet-proof the engine by mechanically deleting AFM in a weekend or two with a kit. I did it in my 2012 and gave it even more power in the process.

I'm a fan of the 6.2 because it's so satisfying to drive and just as durable. I had a 5.3 Suburban for a long time, and the first time I test-drove a Yukon XL Denali, I was hooked.

 

[JKaechler]

I personally think it's worth the $1500 (out the door) to have an upgraded billet TC put into the trans and a new rear main seal while they're in there. I had a CVC BU60FHD installed in my 2012 by a local indy transmission shop and it's been great for towing.

And since it seems you're handy, you can bullet-proof the engine by mechanically deleting AFM in a weekend or two with a kit. I did it in my 2012 and gave it even more power in the process.

I'm a fan of the 6.2 because it's so satisfying to drive and just as durable. I had a 5.3 Suburban for a long time, and the first time I test-drove a Yukon XL Denali, I was hooked.

i finally got to talk to the local transmission guy, and his estimate for the transmission work, including the upgraded torqueconvertor is just shy of $4K.
that is manageable, i can budget for that.

he described the billet convertor in detail and why it is the right way to go. he says its the most important part of turning a 6l80e into a longish life transmission.. apparently the orginal convertor had an aluminum back and it would flex.. leading to bushing wear.. leading to little bits of bushing flowing thru the rest of the trans and eating it.

 

[Geotrash]

i finally got to talk to the local transmission guy, and his estimate for the transmission work, including the upgraded torqueconvertor is just shy of $4K.
that is manageable, i can budget for that.

he described the billet convertor in detail and why it is the right way to go. he says its the most important part of turning a 6l80e into a longish life transmission.. apparently the orginal convertor had an aluminum back and it would flex.. leading to bushing wear.. leading to little bits of bushing flowing thru the rest of the trans and eating it.

Yes, and the lockup clutch self destructs and sends more shrapnel through the lines.

$4K seems ridiculously high to me for a TC + R&R though.

 

[JKaechler]

Yes, and the lockup clutch self destructs and sends more shrapnel through the lines.

$4K seems ridiculously high to me for a TC + R&R though.

that is a remove, rebuild, reinstall, and the convertor.

so new frictions and steels, rubber edged piston thingys, seals, the little check balls in the valve body, and all the other bits and bobs, and cleaning out the TCM. He also said about half the 6l80 units come in with cracks on a couple of the drums. so he tig welds those before reassembly.

i see no reason to have a guy pull it out, and put it back with old guts in it. I have been through two transmission fails out on the road... not any fun.

 

[Geotrash]

that is a remove, rebuild, reinstall, and the convertor.

so new frictions and steels, rubber edged piston thingys, seals, the little check balls in the valve body, and all the other bits and bobs, and cleaning out the TCM. He also said about half the 6l80 units come in with cracks on a couple of the drums. so he tig welds those before reassembly.

i see no reason to have a guy pull it out, and put it back with old guts in it. I have been through two transmission fails out on the road... not any fun.

Sounds like a helluva good plan.