Should I take a 3000 miles road trip w/ 144k miles

[Rick10Tahoe]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

 

[swathdiver]

Three thousand miles at high speed is what 50 hours or so? I think she'll go another 50 miles without issue.

How's your suspension, steering, brakes and tires? How old is the battery?

There are guys on here who make such runs with over 200K miles, mine's at 185K and we're doing a 4K mile trip this year with it.

 

[OR VietVet]

Last July, I took my 2005 Z71-150k miles on a 15 day 5500 mile trip and had absolutely no problems. Up and down passes at full accel. Performed flawlessly annd I do all my own maintenances. I say take it. I would do the belt(s). If is close to next oil change time, do it before you go.

 

[B-train]

Ditto to my brothers above. 2008 with 165K at the time. Did (2) 3000 mile trips out west last year. Off road trails, mtns, etc. Still ticking at 176k now. Just make sure you're up to date on fluids and filters. Tires all balanced, let her rip

 

[steiny93]

The only time I've ever had a catastrophic vehicle failure has been new vehicles (had a Denali toss a harmonic balancer at 1k miles / ecoDiesel went into limp mode at 2k / latest Denali lost a turbo at 20k).

The high milers seem to be less catastrophic, more so issues that build over time and warn yah as they get worse.

 

[B-train]

The only time I've ever had a catastrophic vehicle failure has been new vehicles (had a Denali toss a harmonic balancer at 1k miles / ecoDiesel went into limp mode at 2k / latest Denali lost a turbo at 20k).

The high milers seem to be less catastrophic, more so issues that build over time and warn yah as they get worse.

Unless you're the driver that just turns the radio up louder......

 

[steiny93]

From a preventive perspective
- check the usual's (air/oil/coolant/etc); basically all the fluids
- check the suspension (lift it up, yank on the wheels, up/down and left/right); this will find hub/bearings/tie rods/etc
- check the u-joints

Beyond that, maybe take a scan tool with and simple tools if you are feeling ambitious.

 

[Miami-Dade]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

Welcome from Miami Beach&NYC Rick!

I vote for you to take it on your 3K miles trip. I have 150K miles and still go back and forth to NYC 2-3 times a year. No plans on selling it anytime soon.

If you put more then 2500 miles on since your last oil change I would change it out before you hit the road. I generally change oil every 5K miles but do it before that if I am going on a long trip.

I know you do the basic maintenance yourself but I would let a good independent mechanic change it out before you leave just to do a once over just to play it safe in case you missed something. But that is just me.

Moved you over here from the 2021 section.

 

[Geotrash]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

If your belts are original, replace them for sure before you go. If you haven't replaced your coolant tees at the firewall, that's another good item to have done. They get brittle and fail and you're are due if they haven't been done already.

I have 231K on our '07 and have 8K miles worth of trips planned with it for the spring already, with the first one starting this weekend.

 

[donjetman]

Change the 2 plastic heater hose Ts.

We take or 07 Denali w/186k miles on 2,000 mile trips 5 time per yr. No issues ever.

 

[Trey Hardy]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

I took a 14 hour round trip pulling a car trailer with my 300,000+ mile Tahoe not too long ago and a trip to the Rocky Mountains 9 hours one way earlier last year

 

[iamdub]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

Have some faith in this rig. With proper care, that 144K miles is nothing. That's pushing it on the stock belt, though. Replace it and the A/C belt before you go. Note that the A/C belt is likely a stretch type that doesn't use a tensioner. Don't even try to be creative with screwdrivers, etc. Get the tool or have a shop do it (or loan you the tool and you do it in the parking lot if they're cool like that). AFM is the only real concern with these. Being a 2010, yours might (should?) have all the latest updated parts available for this generation. The key is to keep clean quality oil in it. Don't go by what the DIC says. Or, if you insist on doing so, change the oil around when it says 50% Oil Life Remaining. I'd go by appearance first and foremost.

I was near 220K when I went on a 2,000-mile round trip to Florida last November. Beat on it for the two years prior and kinda beat on it while going to, driving around and returning from Florida, including sustained 90+ MPH cruising and ~140 MPH jaunts. I'd take it again tomorrow.

 

[CaptainAmerica1]

Mine has 235,000 miles on it and I’d jump in it right now for a 5k mile trip without hesitation. Brand new cars break every day.

 

[Doubeleive]

sure why not, I have taken longer trips on much higher mileage
as long as you have actually done the maintenance, the one thing I would address at that mileage if it hasn't been done already is the heater hose "t"'s and hoses
if they are 13 years old they are beyond there useful life and subject to break at anytime.

 

[j91z28d1]

as said, do the belts. maybe change fluids if you've been putting it off. make sure your tires are good. and stuff like that.

only thing that would be really bad to fail on a trip is the afm lifters. if you have either turned it off, or kept up with good oil changes. just ride on.

I had 140k on mine and took it in a 2k mile trip towing a car on a trialed. it did fine, but I do have the afm turned off because it worries me. did all the fluids before I went, don't think the previously owner ever did the t case or front and rear diff. both looked pretty bad coming out. the t case was down right scary, like black water and metal on the magnet, but it seems fine now and since mines is a bit of a electrical contraption, I took my tech 2 scanner and access to prodamand troubling shooting software haha. one of those better to have it and not need it things.

 

[Jhwhite05]

I have a 2009 Yukon XL with 260k and we regularly do 2000+ mile road trips multiple times per year.

My two cents are, if you have confidence in your maintenance history and you are reasonably aware of your vehicles current issues …go for it!!

Additionally, beyond what others have mentioned, having a thorough emergency car kit has been a help
to us over the years with an older car.

Hope that helps! Tell us how it goes!

 

[livingez_123]

I wouldn't think twice about it. Give it a good service before you go and double check your tires and brakes.

 

[okfoz]

I have 274,000 miles on my 2007 Tahoe 5.3 LTZ and I would not think twice about going on a 3000 or 5000 mile trip. Matter of fact Last summer I went on a 3280 mile trip to Bozeman MT without a hitch. Of course it really depends on your truck, how well it is maintained, and if you are showing issues.

 

[rcorwin]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

I took my 2007 Yukon XL Denali with 282,000 miles on it, on a 2500 mile round trip with my 3 buddies and all our gear for the Daytona 500 Speedweeks. Now I’m always up on maintenance and checked everything over pretty thoroughly and we had no troubles. I was a little concerned since we drive the 1000 miles (18 hours) straight but the beast ran flawlessly. I’ve owed it for nearly 200,000 of those miles, so I know just about every noise it ever makes. If you are up on the maintenance, tires are in good shape, oil changed, battery good. I would take it. My wife and I took a 7,000 mile trip to California and back (we live in Indiana) with our 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe that had 150,000 miles on it. No problems and we did that trip in 13 days. If the unit drives well and preforms well everyday, it take it. If you’re having problems, don’t rely on it!

 

[Autowholesale]

I’ve got a 2010 Tahoe LTZ with 144k miles and wondering if I should take the this car or rent a car on a 3000 mile road trip this summer. I do all the basic maintenance; Mobil 1 oil, already changed power steering fluid, flushed brake fluid; tranny and radiator flushed; all spark plugs replaced. Has original engine belt, starter etc. It has been very reliable since bought new. Just finished a 1000 trip no issues. If I take this Tahoe, what preemptive service or part replacements are recommended?

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