What Year is Reliable

As much as "I" would love a 2500, it would be a hard sell for my wife's daily driver with 4 kids. Once my '01 Tahoe kicks the bucket, which I hope is a long time from now (210K miles) I will probably inherit the bourbon, so I'm thinking long term.

I'm in SC, so I'm only looking in states below the Mason Dixon line to avoid, as much as possible, the rust that comes from salted roads. I may even pull VA off my list.

Thanks for the super detailed reply!

 

It has the third row. And two 10” Kicker subs behind it in the cargo area. I’m not letting you off that easy!

 

I would avoid the 15 and go with a low mileage 14 or jump up to a 19-20, 15 was new design year and they also did a re-design mid-year, if you are really set on the k2xx platform try to find one with either the 6 speed or the 10 speed (if they exist) and avoid the 8 speed. just my .02 cents
the 14 would be a solid truck as it is the end of the nnbs design run.
there are reports of various issue's with all the designs but that doesn't mean it's absolutely going to happen to every truck out there so the best advice is to make a informed decision and take the middle warranty if one is offered, never take the cheap warranty.

 

73-87 were pretty damn good... LOL!

Square FTW!

 

Also keep in mind the math/logic at work here when discussing mileage as a metric for reliability. In 10 years some of these '15's may have 250k miles without many issues too.

 

2008 Tahoe; so far so good. Typical old age non-maintenance items replaced: shocks, struts, one front hub assembly that mechanic said Chevy trucks are known for. Everything else holding up. Not bad for 100,000 miles and our highest mileage vehicle to date.

 

Gmt900 get a Yukon xl Denali or Escalade Esv, AWD 6.2 can’t go wrong. Like someone mentioned. The early model 6.2 did not have afm which is better in my opinion. Of course you could always tune it out on the 09+.

 

I really like the 99-06 vortec 5.3 motor. I bought a 2000 Yukon new. Put 400k on that motor, replaced one trans. Bought 2005 with 191k on it. Ran it up to 300k on original motor and trans and gave up on it when the trans went. Just bought a 03 with 150k and it runs like new.

I also have a 2012 Tahoe 4wd that I got with 77k on it. It has 180k now and runs like new. It has been a really solid vehicle. I don’t love the AFM on the 2012 though. Feels like it can’t get out of its own way sometimes compared to the 3 vortec Yukon’s I’ve had. Great solid well built family vehicle though. Zero issues through 180k miles. Drive it from NC to FL all the time and I never think twice about it. Same goes for the old Yukon too.

 

The Yukon XL Denali seem to be most plentiful. 2008 is when they began to offer 2WD, it’s uncommon but not impossible to find. 2WD will save you on maint and operating cost down the long road but not provide the glued on the road feeling on rainy days. As others have said 07-09 is the preferred year as there’s no AFM / cylinder deactivation and it potential ails to contend with.

I mentioned the Denali because they’re plentiful and they’re standard equipment level is close to the Escalade. The 6.2L motor and 6SP man trans in the Denali are tuned perfectly whereas the Escalade is a bit more spongy without a tune introduced through the ECU. The air bags are throughout the vehicle and this is by far the safest rated way to tote your family. It has mass, power, control, and side curtain air bags all the way to the back in 08 & 09.

The Denali 2nd row bench option seats 8 vs. captain’s chairs seating for 7. The leather in the 07-09 Denali is tough and cleans up with a professional cleaning back to new. The Denali is also commonly equipped with heated 1st & 2nd row seats even in the bench seat option where the outboard two seats are heated. Both the captain and bench seats have an electric tumble switch in the driver/pass overhead console so third row occupants don’t have to mess with the levers when entering.

09 Denali fully loaded will get Mom all the bells and whistles as well as the BEST year to own nomination your looking for. Options for Air conditioned front seats, blind zone indicator in side view mirrors, retractable running boards, 3row DVD screen and integrated trailer brake controls in the dash. It also gets a bump from 385 to 403 hp and fitted to run inexpensive ethanol as a flex fuel vehicle with no AFM. GM also addressed an issue in the 6SP trans seals to cure a 2nd to 3rd gear shift issue to prolong the trans life. It’s a truck that’ll go 300k mi and not blink when serviced and optioned almost at the Escalade level.

It’s only Achilles heels are a roll of the dice in the 07 & 08 with the trans seals and possible slip. Some vehicles may have already had that replaced though. All 07-14 have issues with the clear coat failing and the dash cracking after approx year 7-9 from new. Chrome clad rims may also cause a very slow leak in the tires. Either a bead seal or rim replacement is the fix.

We had an 08 AWD Denali for our family of 5 and the wife & I are 6’3”. Purchased used at 96k mi in 2014 for $19.5, it was the top of our budget but a service contract later purchased for $2.4K paid for almost $15k in serviceable maint & repairs most would never know to address. It was a keeper until I discovered I’d eventually need to fix the 08 trans issue and had spent $1.2k on paint corrections on the hood & part of the roof.

We sold the 08 Denali last Feb in its prime, private party for $11.5k after 6 years of ownership @ 140k miles. For $2.5k more and a lot of knowledge gained I drove to TX and purchased an 09 Escalade Platinum AWD for $14k @ 130k mi. With no AFM, yes on flex fuel and originally stickered at $86k, it made sense. Platinum, as I accidentally discovered, have Tehama leather covered dashboards immune from cracking and tricoat paint immune from peeling. Platinum have LED headlights superior to most of today’s trucks.

So, even spending $16 - $20k on a loaded 09 Denali or Escalade, your way ahead of the game as maint and service is based on a GM truck platform. We’re in the Escalade for another 5-7 years until we get a CPO turbo diesel or full EV Escalade. Good luck in your hunt. Post questions if you have more.




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I have a 2007 LTZ 4x4, 219,000+ Miles, no major problems, just an axle bearing at 180,000 miles. If you get one and are more interested in reliability, I would deactivate the DOD/AFM system. You can get it done for $50 by some places, + shipping of course, all in all it cost me $85 by the time I mailed it, and got it back. Got my DOD removed in my pcm by https://www.lt1swap.com/ and turn around was fast.

I have read that 2007 is probably the most problematic, due to any car the change over year is the one to avoid unless they are late in the production year, they started production early in 2006 on the 2007's.

2008 I think was the last year for the 4 speed transmission which was used for decades, 2009 was the new 6 speed, so I might avoid 2009,

2013 or 2014 I have heard they integrated more things into the computers and things that you could just swap on earlier cars, like the airbag sensors that do go bad, especially the front two. Starting in 2013 or 2014 they need to be flashed to the computer, where my 2007 did not.