Fix and Keep My 2015 GMC Yukon SLT or Get Rid of It?

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Trey Hardy

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Thank You. I think I’m going to just take it to a Chevy or GMC dealer and have them quote me everything. Do what’s affordable and then for the big labor hour jobs I’ll pay my friend $50 an hour on the side But he’s a master bmw tech not GMC. I’ve realized you get what you pay for so I’m not going to try to skimp out. Even if I spend more and end up with $15000 in it I hope it’ll last my son and I at least six years
GMC dealership will rip you a new one find a mom and pop shop before you ever go to the dealership… a honest shop will help you out for the least amount possible and not just try to steal your money or up charge you 300% for parts you can get for a fraction of the price online
Breaks sound like their fine from your description And if not shocks are super easy to change on these suvs if you have any mechanical know how you can do it at home in a couple hours if even that long.
My ole girl has over 400,000 miles on her now she’s still going strong however I’ve had to do normal maintenance due to miles like alternator,radiator,heater hoses,calipers,fluid flush’s, plugs wires etc along with a new front end (ball joints tie rods wheel bearings) not all at once but over time after I had bought it and she had 247,000 miles when I first got it. Its a lot cheaper then a 1000$ car payment every month and the new suvs are shit cause of the dod stuff I see all the time on here brand new 90k+ vehicles with less then 30,000 miles having motors rebuilt due to lifters failing
In my opinion if she’s made it to 200,000 throw some love into her and you’ll be able to drive her for another 200,000 miles don’t be quick to jump the gun and AVOID THE DEALER once again unless you got more money then sense to spend because that’s what’s going to be the case when it comes to them… the shop I go to is a family owned one and they still smoke cigarettes in the back type way but they tell you what’s wrong and they fix just that nothing more nothing less their not there to get what they can out of you…
 

Trey Hardy

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Just know if the transmission or engine has not been replaced then you will have to replace soon. The engine is at the end of its life and the transmission is overdue. You are going to need 6-10k each. Sell it and get one with low miles and ask your dealer to get you a warranty power train contract.
My 5.3 with the dod lifters still in it just tuned out on the computer has over 400,000 miles
However the transmission is liable to go I think that year had the bad torque converter maybe have it flushed and inspect the fluid for wear or maybe get a billet converter installed but I wouldn’t worry about that at all until you actually have issues.
Black bear performance can send you a tune to disable the dod stuff aka 4cyl mode and that’ll help and adjusting the ship points in the tune will also help prolong the transmissions lifespan
 
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BringTheNoise

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GMC dealership will rip you a new one find a mom and pop shop before you ever go to the dealership… a honest shop will help you out for the least amount possible and not just try to steal your money or up charge you 300% for parts you can get for a fraction of the price online
Breaks sound like their fine from your description And if not shocks are super easy to change on these suvs if you have any mechanical know how you can do it at home in a couple hours if even that long.
My ole girl has over 400,000 miles on her now she’s still going strong however I’ve had to do normal maintenance due to miles like alternator,radiator,heater hoses,calipers,fluid flush’s, plugs wires etc along with a new front end (ball joints tie rods wheel bearings) not all at once but over time after I had bought it and she had 247,000 miles when I first got it. Its a lot cheaper then a 1000$ car payment every month and the new suvs are shit cause of the dod stuff I see all the time on here brand new 90k+ vehicles with less then 30,000 miles having motors rebuilt due to lifters failing
In my opinion if she’s made it to 200,000 throw some love into her and you’ll be able to drive her for another 200,000 miles don’t be quick to jump the gun and AVOID THE DEALER once again unless you got more money then sense to spend because that’s what’s going to be the case when it comes to them… the shop I go to is a family owned one and they still smoke cigarettes in the back type way but they tell you what’s wrong and they fix just that nothing more nothing less their not there to get what they can out of you…
I work as part of a big dealership group and we have a Chevy dealership 500 feet from the dealership I work at. I get 30% off most AC Delco parts so after shopping the pricing I get at work around on the internet I realized it’s a pretty good deal to get the parts through the dealership or at least most of the suspension components I did get Billstein 5100 shocks and struts over the ac delco ones though.
 
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BringTheNoise

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My 5.3 with the dod lifters still in it just tuned out on the computer has over 400,000 miles
However the transmission is liable to go I think that year had the bad torque converter maybe have it flushed and inspect the fluid for wear or maybe get a billet converter installed but I wouldn’t worry about that at all until you actually have issues.
Black bear performance can send you a tune to disable the dod stuff aka 4cyl mode and that’ll help and adjusting the ship points in the tune will also help prolong the transmissions lifespan
I plan on getting that four cylinder mode overridden. A guy at our dealership has the ability to do it. He told me he’d charge me $150.
 

Trey Hardy

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I plan on getting that four cylinder mode overridden. A guy at our dealership has the ability to do it. He told me he’d charge me $150.
That’s not bad but the labor rate they charge is mainly what I was getting at. I do ALL my own work myself and so has my father in law who has a 05 suburban with over 400,000 on her also
He’s in his 70s now though so I try to help him now a days when stuff goes wrong but shit he’s never changed nothing on his suburban at all besides a starter a couple water bumps brake pads and tires! Pretty sure she’s still got the original plugs and wires on the SOB he’s definitely the type who “don’t fix it unless it’s broke” I’m the preventative maintenance type and he gives me hell all the time about it but I drive my Tahoe 4-6 hr at a time every wensday so I’d rather know I’m good then get broke down in the middle of nowhere
 
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BringTheNoise

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That’s not bad but the labor rate they charge is mainly what I was getting at. I do ALL my own work myself and so has my father in law who has a 05 suburban with over 400,000 on her also
He’s in his 70s now though so I try to help him now a days when stuff goes wrong but shit he’s never changed nothing on his suburban at all besides a starter a couple water bumps brake pads and tires! Pretty sure she’s still got the original plugs and wires on the SOB he’s definitely the type who “don’t fix it unless it’s broke” I’m the preventative maintenance type and he gives me hell all the time about it but I drive my Tahoe 4-6 hr at a time every wensday so I’d rather know I’m good then get broke down in the middle
That’s not bad but the labor rate they charge is mainly what I was getting at. I do ALL my own work myself and so has my father in law who has a 05 suburban with over 400,000 on her also
He’s in his 70s now though so I try to help him now a days when stuff goes wrong but shit he’s never changed nothing on his suburban at all besides a starter a couple water bumps brake pads and tires! Pretty sure she’s still got the original plugs and wires on the SOB he’s definitely the type who “don’t fix it unless it’s broke” I’m the preventative maintenance type and he gives me hell all the time about it but I drive my Tahoe 4-6 hr at a time every wensday so I’d rather know I’m good then get broke down in the middle of nowhere
Thank You for your advice and experience. My friends Dad has like 350k on his 06 Burban and he just adds oil to it, brakes, and it won’t die.
 

Bigburb3500

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I plan on getting that four cylinder mode overridden. A guy at our dealership has the ability to do it. He told me he’d charge me $150.
I guess this is what you get when you are on the inside of the stealerships… LOL.

I think you have received lots of great recommendations tho. Hopefully we have supported your decision to keep the truck and drive it! These are good trucks and to your earlier point, many of us, can’t or won’t afford the $1000+/mo payments. These trucks do have “issues” but the forum exists to solve them and talk thru the solutions! Glad to have you hear and hopefully you keep this post updated with what you do and experience. Also, make sure you post on other ppl’s posts too. Many other out there that may need your motivation too!
 
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BringTheNoise

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I guess this is what you get when you are on the inside of the stealerships… LOL.

I think you have received lots of great recommendations tho. Hopefully we have supported your decision to keep the truck and drive it! These are good trucks and to your earlier point, many of us, can’t or won’t afford the $1000+/mo payments. These trucks do have “issues” but the forum exists to solve them and talk thru the solutions! Glad to have you hear and hopefully you keep this post updated with what you do and experience. Also, make sure you post on other ppl’s posts too. Many other out there that may need your motivation too!
Great advice and Thank You everyone. Im planning on going ahead with everything and hoping for the best. I need to remind myself that the vehicle has 200k mikes and I just need to fix the important items and realize how little bit of money this car will be compared to a new or Certified one.
 

Geotrash

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I sound like a damned commercial for these trucks lately because I'm so happy with ours. The guy who bought my '02 Suburban back in 2018 now has 308K on it, still drives it every day. He's a ferry boat captain and he's also my ex-girlfriend's father-in-law, but he still keeps in touch, which tickles me.

248K on our '07 Yukon XL Denali now, and it literally still looks like new. A periodic refresh of the parts that age (e.g. radiator, coolant tees) is the way to keep these things going forever.
 

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