Results from Road Trip (1100 miles) in Recently purchased 145K Miles 2012 Tahoe Z71

[Bill D]

Before this road trip I want sure I did the right thing purchasing a very high mileage Tahoe. I got the Truck for 3 weeks ago, just finished a 1100 mile road trip and I wanted to do a brief High Mileage review for those people that think you will need to be on Xanax with worry. I will not ever give it a thought again.

First, the truck was mint when I bought it, great carfax and all maintenance on time even over maintained at the dealer.

Second I had the dealer drop the transmission pan, show me what was in there and it was very cherry clean. I had them change out the rest of the fluid. Changed the oil and Air filter, replaced the coolant cap.

The trip was from Ohio to New York and back over this past weekend. NYS Thruway speed 65 - 80. Smooth shifting, tight steering easily runs centered down the road. Drives so much better than my Cadillac DTS. I drove highway, mountains, city, heavy downpours, snow, wind. It basically felt like a vehicle with 50K miles. No fatigue, similar to a trip in a Mercedes E class but not quite!

It drives great, feels so safe. Water on the road at highway speed means nothing. It could use a little more power. The Plugs and wires are original. Will replace them both along with the hoses and belts shortly.

AFM was active about 15% of time. Checked fluids after the return and 1100 miles, coolant, oil, PS , Transmission fluid all same as when I left. My friend told me worrying about AFM failures in a 2011+ 5.3 is like worrying about getting hit by a comet. Im not sure I fully agree, but after all the highway miles the oil is still at the top of the stick.


I love this vehicle and that Z71 option just looks bad as heck in black in the snow!

 

[Tonyrodz]

View attachment 211793

Before this road trip I want sure I did the right thing purchasing a very high mileage Tahoe. I got the Truck for 3 weeks ago, just finished a 1100 mile road trip and I wanted to do a brief High Mileage review for those people that think you will need to be on Xanax with worry. I will not ever give it a thought again.

First, the truck was mint when I bought it, great carfax and all maintenance on time even over maintained at the dealer.

Second I had the dealer drop the transmission pan, show me what was in there and it was very cherry clean. I had them change out the rest of the fluid. Changed the oil and Air filter, replaced the coolant cap.

The trip was from Ohio to New York and back over this past weekend. NYS Thruway speed 65 - 80. Smooth shifting, tight steering easily runs centered down the road. Drives so much better than my Cadillac DTS. I drove highway, mountains, city, heavy downpours, snow, wind. It basically felt like a vehicle with 50K miles. No fatigue, similar to a trip in a Mercedes E class but not quite!

It drives great, feels so safe. Water on the road at highway speed means nothing. It could use a little more power. The Plugs and wires are original. Will replace them both along with the hoses and belts shortly.

AFM was active about 15% of time. Checked fluids after the return and 1100 miles, coolant, oil, PS , Transmission fluid all same as when I left. My friend told me worrying about AFM failures in a 2011+ 5.3 is like worrying about getting hit by a comet. Im not sure I fully agree, but after all the highway miles the oil is still at the top of the stick.


I love this vehicle and that Z71 option just looks bad as heck in black in the snow!

Best highway cruisers imo. Glad the trip was uneventful. Now just get it tuned and you'll love it even more.

 

[shreksbrother]

View attachment 211793

Before this road trip I want sure I did the right thing purchasing a very high mileage Tahoe. I got the Truck for 3 weeks ago, just finished a 1100 mile road trip and I wanted to do a brief High Mileage review for those people that think you will need to be on Xanax with worry. I will not ever give it a thought again.

First, the truck was mint when I bought it, great carfax and all maintenance on time even over maintained at the dealer.

Second I had the dealer drop the transmission pan, show me what was in there and it was very cherry clean. I had them change out the rest of the fluid. Changed the oil and Air filter, replaced the coolant cap.

The trip was from Ohio to New York and back over this past weekend. NYS Thruway speed 65 - 80. Smooth shifting, tight steering easily runs centered down the road. Drives so much better than my Cadillac DTS. I drove highway, mountains, city, heavy downpours, snow, wind. It basically felt like a vehicle with 50K miles. No fatigue, similar to a trip in a Mercedes E class but not quite!

It drives great, feels so safe. Water on the road at highway speed means nothing. It could use a little more power. The Plugs and wires are original. Will replace them both along with the hoses and belts shortly.

AFM was active about 15% of time. Checked fluids after the return and 1100 miles, coolant, oil, PS , Transmission fluid all same as when I left. My friend told me worrying about AFM failures in a 2011+ 5.3 is like worrying about getting hit by a comet. Im not sure I fully agree, but after all the highway miles the oil is still at the top of the stick.


I love this vehicle and that Z71 option just looks bad as heck in black in the snow!

I just completed a round trip Detroit to upstate NY trip and agree with your sentiments other than calling 145k miles "very high". You should be able to double that odometer [emoji4]

Congratulations on the new (to you) Tahoe!

Sent from my Galaxy Note9 using Tapatalk

 

[dnt1010]

Bill D Sounds you got a good solid well maintained vehicle. What MPG's did you get on your 1110 mile trip?

 

[dnt1010]

Woops double post. Either the site is lagging or my end sry about that.

 

[Bill D]

Bill D Sounds you got a good solid well maintained vehicle. What MPG's did you get on your 1110 mile trip?

That was the only disappointment. I could only get 18 mpg from Ohio to NY, and 17.6 on the way back. I am assuming that the Original plugs and wires at 145K mi might be the cause. Just myself and 1 passenger, not much luggage, third row seats in. I thought I would get at least 19 or 20?

 

[intheburbs]

Not quite an apples to apples comparison, but my Suburban has 185k miles. I would not hesitate for even a second to hitch up my 8600-lb trailer, load up the family, and head out for a 5,000-mile road trip out west. And I would expect the trip to be problem-free and that the truck would do everything I ask of it.

In fact, my avatar pic is from the last time we did that - truck is parked at the edge of the canyon on White Rim Road in Canyonlands NP in Utah.

 

[swathdiver]

That was the only disappointment. I could only get 18 mpg from Ohio to NY, and 17.6 on the way back. I am assuming that the Original plugs and wires at 145K mi might be the cause. Just myself and 1 passenger, not much luggage, third row seats in. I thought I would get at least 19 or 20?

Winter blend fuel kills your gas mileage, not the same as during summer. Driving over snow covered roads, and rain on the road also reduces mpgs. I've watched mine drop about 1 mpg just hitting a wet road from dry on the instant and then lose another 2 mpg when we went under the storm clouds and into the rain on the highway.

So having said that, yours is perfect. Did you put the transfer case in Auto for the runs through snow or rain? That'll cost a little too.

 

[Bill D]

Not quite an apples to apples comparison, but my Suburban has 185k miles. I would not hesitate for even a second to hitch up my 8600-lb trailer, load up the family, and head out for a 5,000-mile road trip out west. And I would expect the trip to be problem-free and that the truck would do everything I ask of it.

In fact, my avatar pic is from the last time we did that - truck is parked at the edge of the canyon on White Rim Road in Canyonlands NP in Utah.

That sounds great to me! I hope to pull a Travel Trailer sometime next summer across the east to the Maryland shore.

 

[Bill D]

Winter blend fuel kills your gas mileage, not the same as during summer. Driving over snow covered roads, and rain on the road also reduces mpgs. I've watched mine drop about 1 mpg just hitting a wet road from dry on the instant and then lose another 2 mpg when we went under the storm clouds and into the rain on the highway.

So having said that, yours is perfect. Did you put the transfer case in Auto for the runs through snow or rain? That'll cost a little too.

Good points on the road conditions and the winter blend. Completely forgot the bad fuel this time of year.. Lots of rain and sleet both ways, some wind. There is snow in the background of the picture I took but it had fallen overnight so I didn't have the chance to do 4WD. I have run it on a snow covered road and it feels awesome in 4Lo.

 

[swathdiver]

Good points on the road conditions and the winter blend. Completely forgot the bad fuel this time of year.. Lots of rain and sleet both ways, some wind. There is snow in the background of the picture I took but it had fallen overnight so I didn't have the chance to do 4WD. I have run it on a snow covered road and it feels awesome in 4Lo.

It's a great photo, should enter that in the next contest! Yes, 4LO has gotten me out of a couple of jams! I tell my wife, and I do too, during heavy rain, to put the transfer case into Auto and if the computers sense the need for more traction up front it'll do so.

 

[Miami-Dade]

You were Blessed to find that AWESOME well maintained Tahoe Bill. It is also awesome it went to a good home like yours. Glad you bought it before it was gone.

 

[dapapa]

Bill D
Comparing apples to oranges, I recently took my Yukon Denali from Southern Connecticut to The Canadian side of Niagra Falls. About 1200 miles round trip. And the weather was cold and heavy rain for much of the trip. Like you, I felt totally safe and comfortable. With the trans in auto 4wd I never worried about the super wet roads. Gas mileage averaged 21highway on the way up and 22 on the way beck (auto4wd off much of return trip). If you want more power you should have gone Denali with the 6.2L. Smooth and very powerful. I have the Range AFM plugin to keep it in V8mode so I don’t have to worry about oil or the lifters.

 

[Bill D]

You were Blessed to find that AWESOME well maintained Tahoe Bill. It is also awesome it went to a good home like yours. Glad you bought it before it was gone.

Thanks Miami Dade! Today I replaced all the interior lights with LED's and they look sweet.

Although Ive come a long way since I was a 20 year old finding out that he purchased (2) different Body Frame Integral vehicle half's that were welded together by an unscrupulous dealer into (1) car (and the welds covered over by undercoating), I still feel that same negative feeling very single time I walk into a dealer or negotiate to buy a used or even new vehicle.

I have a permanently arched eyebrow about anything dealing with buying a car. Quite frankly its not fair to any honest salesmen at a reputable dealer, its a PITA for them. However, in my defense I really cant control it because it is driving me at a subconscious level. I do everything I can to be straight forward in the transactions, but always lingering in the background is ...don't even think about screwing me!

With that said, I do my best in advance to investigate every possible angle about a vehicle before I even set out to visit a dealer or individual to buy. Its a OCD type of thing from that old wound, but it saves me time and money and saves the salesmen a lot of wasted time deploying selling techniques that have 0 chance of ever working with me.

The Truck I purchased was truly a 1 / Million find. I spent a total of 1 week searching for it. Everything that normally shows wear and tear on these vehicles between 80 - 150 K miles was either maintained meticulously or was replaced on this Tahoe. Dash, Climate control knobs (no stickers!), Chrome interior trim, steering wheel trim, leather, Seat covers, latches, window regulators, everything under hood etc. works as it should and is cosmetically similar or significantly better than similar equipped 07 - 13 Tahoe's for sale in my Zip Code with 70K - 100K+ miles and listing for over 10K$ more.

Although salt is used on the roads in Michigan, all the brake lines are shiny, black and new looking (not painted, sanded or or modified in any way they are OEM e-coated. ) Fluids / Oils? - Over maintained. No Rust. Did Joe, the former service manager for the dealer now a retired part time driver in his 70's treat this truck like it was his very own? I think so, and its obvious he also treated the Mechanics very well to get all those new parts! As I said, this is a great vehicle, I am in Love!

To me the art of purchasing any vehicle, new or old comes down to the benefits of intentionally and obsessively seeking out vehicles and deals that are the opposite of the wreck I bought as a 20 year old with nothing but my clothes on my back. It always means buying them at a price giving the sellers an absolute minimum, but fair profit.

Interestingly, rather than being bored or embarrassed by my techniques, my Wife tags along and appreciates the process I use. She told me I should have had a GoPro on through out the process in order to share with others how to do it! (Sorry, now that is bragging, I apologize!)

Im not sure if all this helps anyone wanting to buy one of these vehicles used, but IMHO it all comes down to Research..research research, timing, timing, timing.... and at the end of the day ...the Grace of God!

 

[383z]

Op, this was a refreshing read.
I'm going to buy a 2009 Tahoe Z71 this week. It has 95,000 miles and I'm a little nervous about the high mileage, but I know the 5.3 last for 200,000 and the 2009's and newer have better transmission than the older Tahoes. Hopefully, the small thing around the engine will hold up well too like alternator, clutch fan, water pump, etc.

 

[swathdiver]

Op, this was a refreshing read.
I'm going to buy a 2009 Tahoe Z71 this week. It has 95,000 miles and I'm a little nervous about the high mileage, but I know the 5.3 last for 200,000 and the 2009's and newer have better transmission than the older Tahoes. Hopefully, the small thing around the engine will hold up well too like alternator, clutch fan, water pump, etc.

That's like 30K compared with a 1980s auto. Keep the fluids clean and get a Tech2 so you can monitor and work on it.

 

[08HoeCD]

OP, if you dig the vehicle in stock form, get a Black Bear Performance tune and fall in love all over again. No exaggeration.

Enjoy.

 

[sneasle]

Op, this was a refreshing read.
I'm going to buy a 2009 Tahoe Z71 this week. It has 95,000 miles and I'm a little nervous about the high mileage, but I know the 5.3 last for 200,000 and the 2009's and newer have better transmission than the older Tahoes. Hopefully, the small thing around the engine will hold up well too like alternator, clutch fan, water pump, etc.

Don’t stress. I just bought a suburban with 214k on the clock. Yes, I put a new transmission in it, but hey, now I have a 100k mile warranty on it and don’t have to worry about it.

Overall she was in great shape, very little wear in the high wear areas. And while the transmission hurt and I was hoping it wouldn’t needed it, I priced it in when I bought her so it wasn’t a surprise.

Treat it well and it should last a good long while.