Buying My First Tahoe/Yukon

[D-Joc]

What's going on?

Been researching and shopping for either a Yukon/Tahoe for the last two months. Family is growing and my Cadillac is getting smaller. With that being said, I have been on the fence on which one to get. I have been a big fan of the NBS style Yukon/Tahoe's and, more importantly, the reliability on these SUVs. I've been finding many in the 03-05 range and I am excited to grab the right one.

I think I will be making the big purchase tomorrow (6/20/23) but I am a bit stuck on what to do. This guy has a mint condition Yukon Denali that has been stored mainly in the garage with a lot of parts that were replaced and running perfectly. Also I have my eyes on a Z71 03 Tahoe as well. In great shape with lower mileage but not as babied as the Yukon. Not sure if I should see the Yukon Denali on one day, and then take a look at the other the next and then make a decision, or just make the purchase on the Yukon if it checks all the boxes on the first visit.

Anywho, doing all the research and aspirations of customizing my new family mobile lead me to this forum where I gain to gather a lot of resources from. So far this site is great, and see that this community is very helpful. I plan on getting my hands dirty by taking on hands-on projects and would love to learn some new methods from the brilliant minds within this forum. I will be posting pictures soon as well.

Hope to get to know some of you on here and I am excited to build this Yukon/Tahoe up to something that can take my family around as well as my daily driver.

I will be in touch,

Alex

 

[OR VietVet]

You didn't say what year Yukon and just the words "low mileage" doesn't say much. IMO, if the Yukon has been garaged and has paperwork to back up the parts install and has no rust and especially if it has the 6.0 engine, that may be the one. Are there CarFax reports for both of them?

 

[Miami-Dade]

Welcome from NYC!

 

[Hoesgottaeat2]

Welcome to TYF from NY!

A vehicle with documentation is preferred over one that is not imo. It shows care by the former owner. And that, I can always appreciate.

Don’t feel hurried in pulling the trigger on one. A well thought out decision is one you typically don’t regret in buying a used vehicle. They all come with inherent risks. So don’t beat yourself up if the one you finally decide on has an issue or two you couldn’t see ahead of time. But we all hope you find the crème puff you’re looking for!

There’s nothing you can’t overcome with these rigs!

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

You are already receiving sage advice from the knowledgeable folks on this Forum.

 

[TNBob]

Welcome, Alex!

I am a newbie, too, and appreciate the great community here as well as the chance to share what I have learned.

I used to have a GMT800 2001 Tahoe. It got totaled, and I miss it still. They are great trucks. I would always favor a vehicle that has been babied and impeccably maintained. Has either one been used for heavy towing or off-roading? If so, some caution is warranted. As HGE2 said, wait for the right ride.

Your choices are really two different vehicles. As a family hauler/daily driver, the Denali gets the nod. The Denali is a luxury trim, similar to Escalade. I believe it is an AWD vehicle even back then- full-time 4WD, all the time, no 2WD, no 4-Lo granny gear. The AWD and the 6.0L engine will cost you a couple mpg, but there is never uncertainty about traction, and you'll have plenty of power. Drivers who are not gearheads (wife, kids) can just drive it without worry. The Denali probably has the AutoRide suspension - very nice for comfort and handling on the road. It will also have every luxury feature and creature comfort available at the time. It will be very capable at towing and suitable for mild off-road driving.

The Z71 is an off-road trim. It will ride a little higher and harsher, and it may or may not have luxury features like leather seats, power accessories, etc. It might have things like a skid plate not needed on the highway. How important are those to you? Do you want assist steps (shorter people appreciate them, big guys don't need them). The Z71 probably has the regular transfer case with selectable 2WD, auto 4WD, 4-Lo and 4-Hi gearing. Off-roading purists favor that configuration, but if the vehicle is not going off-road, it is not so important, and going into 4WD mode requires driver intervention (twisting a knob) . It may have a 5.3L engine instead of the 6.0L - fine as a daily driver, a little sluggish in 4WD mode, somewhat less capable at towing depending on rear axle ratio (3.08 vs 3.73). The higher ratio gives more pull, but higher rpm on the highway (more noise and wear).

 

[TNBob]

Oops, posted before closing. Good luck!

Bob

 

[RAMurphy]

Welcome to this great forum.