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Hads930 Hads930 is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 310
If you are dead set on a Yukon/Tahoe disregard the advice, but a few things to consider if you're still looking at options.

In December I got rid of our 08 Tahoe 2WD LTZ, (135K Mi). We bought it new when we had an infant and wife drove it until the summer of 14, she got a new MDX and I got rid of my Honda Accord that I owned since new and started driving the Tahoe because it was newer and fewer miles. I hated that thing and regretted getting rid of my 190K mi Accord.

It was nice, big, comfy, etc, but just huge and cumbersome and drove heavy. There's the cracked dash phenomenon that will cost you a grand if you cant live with it or buy one that has already been replaced. I am a nut about maintenance but nothing seemed easy. I thought about setting on fire in my driveway when I was changing an oil sensor, something that should have been simple drove me nuts. LTZ has the air/auto suspension that has a pump that is always going out and the shocks are expensive.

I am writing this after spending the past 10 hours changing the timing belt and a bunch of "while you're in there" parts on my new to me 04 Lexus LX470. You can imagine the conversation in December when I told my wife I bought a 12 year old car sight unseen 1800 miles away in FL. Low miles, I think I bought it fair and could make money on it. I really wanted a LandCruiser but found this one and could not pass it up, one owner, low miles, great service history, blah, blah.

It drives a lot lighter, its heavy but not too cumbersome, the driving experience is completely different, and it is 4WD. Archaic LCD screen but I love this thing, will never get rid of it. It also has a fairly specialized suspension that is expensive to fix but I will upgrade with mechanical LandCruiser stuff when it starts to fail, I never checked into doing the same with the Tahoe but I would assume there is aftermarket stuff available for it as well.

Found IH8MUD forums with lots of help like here on PP. Have a resource for dirt cheap parts from a Toyota dealer that has a 'Cruisr expert that is wonderful to deal with, and did I mention he's cheap.

My wife came out this morning to check on me and asked how things were coming and I told with the exception of a couple of boneheaded things I had to run to the dealer for, it was really a breeze to work on and a bit enjoyable.

Anyway, food for thought, I wanted that Japanese reliablilty and am very happy. To be fair the Tahoe did what we bought it for and never stranded us, thats about the nicest thing I can say about owning it.
Old 02-27-2016, 02:17 PM
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