What do I do with my 2003 Z71 Suburban?

[Jocko PDX]

OK here is the scenario. I just bought a 23 Yukon Denali to replace my 03 Z71 Suburban. I really did not need the new one quite yet, but the exact rig I was looking for with all options was finally for sale in my area so I bought it as I had been looking for 6 months. I still have the '03 Suburban as it still runs very well, and I am driving it every day. It has 277K miles on it and does leak oil.. I would sell it, but could prob just get $3K for it. My fer is selling it to someone that needs it to run, then the tranny goes out or something like that... I would not want that. We could keep it and I could just drive it and use it on occasions that I don't want to gum up the new rig.. But there is a cost associated with keeping it mainly insurance. I also have a 95 Jeep Cherokee I inherited from the parents when they died and its too cool and clean to part with.. So I really should get rid of the Suburban. I could just drive the burb till it dies then donate it to PBS which takes them on donation.. I am somewhat attacged to it as it has been the family rig for over 20 years and has never broken down. It has been so faithful! Sorry for rambling

 

[S33k3r]

Donate it now -- unless you need the money.

 

[tooleyondeck]

I just couldn’t see myself getting rid of a paid off Z71 in running condition even if I didn’t need it. You could just continue to daily drive it to keep miles off of the 23. I can’t imagine that insurance is that much of an impact when you just bought an 80K car. Consider dropping the coverage down to liability to minimize the payment and drive it til it dies (which could possibly be never lol)

 

[Jocko PDX]

I just couldn’t see myself getting rid of a paid off Z71 in running condition even if I didn’t need it. You could just continue to daily drive it to keep miles off of the 23. I can’t imagine that insurance is that much of an impact when you just bought an 80K car. Consider dropping the coverage down to liability to minimize the payment and drive it til it dies (which could possibly be never lol)

this is exactly what I have been doing. Still driving the '03 most days and its just a treat once a week that I buy the new rig.

 

[03yukXL]

I would keep it for dirty work. Towing, hauling, spare car for when people come into town. The cost to buy somebody else’s ‘03 and get it to the condition and reliability of the one you already own is way more than 3k. It’s worth more than you could sell it for. If you want to decommission it for a while you could always take the insurance off and then reinstate it when you need/want to drive it again. Pl/pd insurance on those is pretty cheap.

 

[tooleyondeck]

this is exactly what I have been doing. Still driving the '03 most days and its just a treat once a week that I buy the new rig.

That's my tentative plan, I'm in the market for something newer for my wife and I'll daily the '03 and keep the Camaro in the garage. I've been on several 6hr+ trips in the '03 and it's just too damn comfortable and reliable to sell.

 

[OR VietVet]

Being from the PNW myself, Eugene, I know there is not a rust concern on the Suburban. It is dependable and can be used to haul stuff you don't want to throw in the nicer/newer vehicles.

 

[Jocko PDX]

That's my tentative plan, I'm in the market for something newer for my wife and I'll daily the '03 and keep the Camaro in the garage. I've been on several 6hr+ trips in the '03 and it's just too damn comfortable and reliable to sell.

The seats in the 03 can't be beat. They are like Lazy boy chairs!

 

[Jocko PDX]

Being from the PNW myself, Eugene, I know there is not a rust concern on the Suburban. It is dependable and can be used to haul stuff you don't want to throw in the nicer/newer vehicles.

yes for sure.. Like wet fishing waders/boots and lumber and plants etc..

 

[Trey Hardy]

Keep it! Best model ever IMO

 

[B-train]

Agreed with ^^^^^^

If it's rust free like I assume, then just keep basic insurance on it and keep using it. Or, let it go reasonably to someone who might appreciate a clean truck that needs some maintenance. That thing would sell quickly in the midwest without rust.

 

[mjgirard]

OK here is the scenario. I just bought a 23 Yukon Denali to replace my 03 Z71 Suburban. I really did not need the new one quite yet, but the exact rig I was looking for with all options was finally for sale in my area so I bought it as I had been looking for 6 months. I still have the '03 Suburban as it still runs very well, and I am driving it every day. It has 277K miles on it and does leak oil.. I would sell it, but could prob just get $3K for it. My fer is selling it to someone that needs it to run, then the tranny goes out or something like that... I would not want that. We could keep it and I could just drive it and use it on occasions that I don't want to gum up the new rig.. But there is a cost associated with keeping it mainly insurance. I also have a 95 Jeep Cherokee I inherited from the parents when they died and its too cool and clean to part with.. So I really should get rid of the Suburban. I could just drive the burb till it dies then donate it to PBS which takes them on donation.. I am somewhat attacged to it as it has been the family rig for over 20 years and has never broken down. It has been so faithful! Sorry for rambling

OK here is the scenario. I just bought a 23 Yukon Denali to replace my 03 Z71 Suburban. I really did not need the new one quite yet, but the exact rig I was looking for with all options was finally for sale in my area so I bought it as I had been looking for 6 months. I still have the '03 Suburban as it still runs very well, and I am driving it every day. It has 277K miles on it and does leak oil.. I would sell it, but could prob just get $3K for it. My fer is selling it to someone that needs it to run, then the tranny goes out or something like that... I would not want that. We could keep it and I could just drive it and use it on occasions that I don't want to gum up the new rig.. But there is a cost associated with keeping it mainly insurance. I also have a 95 Jeep Cherokee I inherited from the parents when they died and its too cool and clean to part with.. So I really should get rid of the Suburban. I could just drive the burb till it dies then donate it to PBS which takes them on donation.. I am somewhat attacged to it as it has been the family rig for over 20 years and has never broken down. It has been so faithful! Sorry for rambling

Keep it, keep it, keep it! My daily driver is a 1996 Jeep Cherokee with close to a 1/4 million miles and my trip car is my 2001 Tahoe that does 80 mph very well. Plus I still own and drive my first car from college, a 1970 Monte Carlo that I will have owned for 50 years this May.

The around town car for my wife is a 2024 Equinox.
My whole car philosophy is that it is cheaper to keep her and the car you have will always be better than any other one you could find.

Plus it is so much easier when you have more than one car to get the others serviced when you have another vehicle.

The insurance on the Jeep is real cheap, $300 a year because it is insured as an antique.

Good Luck with the Yukon! In two years I will start looking for a new Tahoe

 

[SnowDrifter]

Knock insurance down to a reasonable minimum for the value of vehicles in your area

Or, entertain the idea of per-day as-needed insurance. I know those exist, though I have neither experience nor input on providers


For 3k.... The thing's worth more in utility than anything else. Burban has a LOT of space and it's a fairly capable vehicle. If you have a spot to keep the thing, save it for camp trips or when you need to haul around sofas or something. Or going on adventure days with muddy kids and dogs. Let the thing be the beater you take care of but also don't really care about throwing shit in.

Having a larger haul/road-trip vehicle around really frees up the opportunity for a second, more economical car. Then you're not over-buying for something that you need for edge cases.

 

[dps01]

Agree.
I don’t think that I could ever part with my 2003 Z71…

 

[89Suburban]

Donate it to me

 

[RAMurphy]

If you have room, and it sounds like you do - Keep it.

 

[BigDogYJ]

I agree with the consensus. I'd keep it around if logistics are in your favor. but if you really want to get rid of it, maybe you and I should have a conversation. Just sayin.

 

[Bigburb3500]

Another vote for keeping it. That’s also how I wound up with 5 cats while single… finally sold a Jeep I had “laying about” because I was offered something too good to say no to.
But I still have my 99 Toyota. Something about those late 90s and early 00s. Good years for a lot of vehicles.

 

[homesick]

Keep it! Best model ever IMO

I agree. That generation has a good reputation. I was very happy with my '01 Tahoe, and it's still going strong.

joe

 

[OR VietVet]

I agree. That generation has a good reputation. I was very happy with my '01 Tahoe, and it's still going strong.

joe

Exactly why I have a 2005 Tahoe Z71 and a 2004 Silverado K2500HD. Great trucks. Just turned 168k miles on the Tahoe and has 118k miles on the truck. Gobs of miles and time left in both.