Stuck in a rut, or time to move on to another vehicle?

Hey guys,

Lately my 04 Suburban has been giving me sort of the blues. I still like the vehicle, and it does everything I need it to do, but for some strange reason I keep thinking it has to go. On top of this my wife deserves a new vehicle more than I do even though she doesn't say anything about her car. I've had the Suburban for almost 5 years, and she has had her 06 Sienna almost 10 years. Both have long been paid for, and both are mostly reliable. Hers is stone reliable, mine is getting tired it seems. Her Sienna has around 130k, my Suburban has 161K. We bought the Sienna with 17K on it as a CPO car in Jan 07. I bought the Burban at 117k from a guy who had just moved up from TX. The Suburban is a 2wd, and is still mostly clean.

Over the past year the Suburban has had issues. First, no A/C all Summer. An HVAC system that seems to have a mind of its own now. A blown out brake line on Sunday that almost caused a collision, and cost $620 to repair as I didn't have time to do it myself. Possibly a sticking thermostat as the temp gauge will fluctuate sometimes slightly above 220 degrees, and then back down to 200 before settling in around 190 or so. On top of it looking worse and worse as time in the New England area has done it no favors. It has needed tires for about a year as well. Beyond all this though it starts all the time, and only the blown out brake line has left me stranded. The HVAC, and A/C stuff just sucks, but I can live with it I guess, but it is annoying.

I hate car payments, and having none for the past almost 5 years has been great, but I see the things that the Suburban is doing only getting worse with more mileage, and time. Then I see commercials on TV for a brand new Tacoma DC 4wd lease for $238 a month. Now I know leasing probably doesn't work for everyone, but then I think wow I can have a bad ass brand new truck for 2 years, and only pay $2800 a year! That's only $1000 more than what I've paid to repair the Suburban over the past year! I still need new tires that will most likely run me $500+. Oh yeah with that lease you get free scheduled maintenance. Well the lease is way more expensive when you factory in the $2k+ down payment you have to come up with, but maybe the Suburban is worth that much in trade(probably not).

That is just the Toyota commercial I saw, I bet there are even better deals out there, but you get where I'm coming from. I do love my sisters 14 Tacoma though. A lease may work for me as I don't drive the Suburban much with the Delica, REPU, and RX-7, but I just don't know what to think about leasing. I probably put 10K a year on the Suburban. We have leased before, but it was several years ago. I don't like payments so leasing probably isn't good for me as then you have to lease again, or buy the vehicle at the end and finance it for just as long as you would when buying it new. Which then means your paying for the car over 7 years or so.

Again I think my wife deserves a new/newer vehicle more than I do as she has been driving the same thing for 10 years. So do I get her a new Sienna, and take her Sienna over? Get her a SUV/truck so we have something to haul the camper(Suburban's duty), and take over the Sienna, or just ride it out, and see what happens. Granted I need something to haul the camper. It's only 3500 lbs, but also I'm not sure how much longer we will be able to use it as it is getting small for our growing kids. I'm guessing we may upgrade it to a much larger unit at some point. I only towed the camper once this past season though, so who really knows. I hate camping, but my kids, and wife love it.

She hasn't said anything about needing a new car, but I know she would like one after seeing almost everyone we know with new/newer cars over the past year or so. We're not keep up with the Jones's type of people, but I know she wouldn't mind a new ride. Nor would I. Remember we hate car payments though. Sorry for the huge post.

Six paragraphs!?

It's a Suburban - it is, by definition, vehicular boredom.

Buy any used car that weighs less than 3100lbs and has a manual and you will be less bored.

With regard to Tacomas. I just bought a '17. There are no deals on them. They sell everyone they make and they can't make enough. That lease will cost you $2k down, and $2.8k/yr. A low miles 2014 Tacoma is selling for only about $4k less than a brand new one. So, the lease is a huge rip off. Buy the truck with 1.9% financing, use it, and sell it yourself when it's 3yrs old and it will have been much cheaper to own and there won't be any bullE36 M3 fees or costs to you at the end either. The free 2yr maintenance is included too.

You take the Sienna, Lexus GX for the wife? The GX wouldn't necessarily be newer, but it might at least be a nicer place to be.

I'd recommend figuring out the camper situation first, and then make your vehicle decision. How big you go on the camper may dictate your options for a tow vehicle.

Sounds like it's time for 2 "new" vehicles! Get you something that makes you happy and her as well

Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up;

Make SWMBO feel good about driving a new car, and you will be rewarded the next time you get that GRM feeling.

Thanks for the replies guys. I truly am sorry for the 6 paragraphs. I guess I'm not unhappy with the Suburban as I do like it, but it's getting to that time where it may start annoying me with stupid stuff. The HVAC system is at that point now. It is either hot or cold, no adjustment it seems. Unless you shut the truck off then you can adjust it the other way. So I'm either hot or cold, never just right. I thought this dual zone digital system would suck when I bought the truck. I was right. What is wrong with old fashioned cables, and sliders. Nothing breaks, and it works like you want it to.

I wish the rest of the truck was as reliable, and as nice as the engine in the Suburban. The Sienna is just flat out awesome at doing what it was made to do, and is as reliable as gravity.

I've made up my mind on the camper. I say burn the one we have, and forget that camping even exists! That may not be the same conclusion my wife has come up with, however.

Well tonight on my way to play hockey the suburban started smoking at a traffic light just off the interstate. I limped it about 3/4 of a mile to the rink. Popped the hood and found coolant all over the place. Looks like maybe a radiator hose. Called aaa after the game and waited for a tow. AAA called me back about 40 minutes later and said they couldn't get a truck to me until 5 am. I said there was no way I'm leaving it there unattended in that neighborhood unlocked until 5 am. Just leaving now with my brother. Going to call back in the morning and get over there to meet a flat bed. This thing is really getting on my nerves now.

Chris

Throw $2,000 at the HVAC and call it even?

jfryjfry wrote: Sounds like it's time for 2 "new" vehicles! Get you something that makes you happy and her as well

That's what I was thinking too. Maybe I missed it, but is there a reason that you need both a full-size truck and a minivan at the same time? There very well might be, but it seems to me that one large vehicle that can handle all of the heavy hauling and one that's a bit more interesting and responsive that just meets your minimum daily needs in a typical week might also work well.

Keep driving what you have until they really break. Do you really want to work every Saturday pulling wires to cover the extra cost of paying for a new car? Drive what you have and spend the extra time you won't be working with the boys. And besides, I might need to borrow the Burb in a week or two to haul the girls and their friends down to the cape again.

tr8todd wrote: Keep driving what you have until they really break. Do you really want to work every Saturday pulling wires to cover the extra cost of paying for a new car? Drive what you have and spend the extra time you won't be working with the boys. And besides, I might need to borrow the Burb in a week or two to haul the girls and their friends down to the cape again.

Wanna help me fix this POS on Monday?

WildScotsRacing wrote: Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up; Make SWMBO feel good about driving a new car, and you will be rewarded the next time you get that GRM feeling.

QFT. ever since we got carli that new charger last month she's been enabling the E36 M3 out of my cheap car desires.

$260 worth of water pump, belts, hoses, and coolant later, and it seems the suburban is alive. Still need to make sure I have enough coolant in the system, but I drove it for about 35 minutes and everything seemed fine.

Chris

Why are you asking us this? It sounds like you need to be asking your wife......

I'm thinking a medium sized SUV for the wife with towing capabilities may be the answer. Ford Explorer, Toyota 4Runner, or Jeep Grand Cherokee? Any of these better than the others? I like the 4Runner, but it probably won't tow as much as the others which I believe have V8 options where as the the Toyota only has a V6. The Grand Cherokee even had a diesel correct? Looking most likely at used stuff a few years old. The Toyota is probably the most expensive if my dealings with that brand hold true.

I think its time to ship another car in a box. Diesel land cruiser mebbe

There are v8 4Runners.

I'd love a diesel land cruiser from the land of the rising sun. SWMBO may not be so excited about it though.

I didn't know you could get a V8 4Runner. What years were those available?

Chris

Started in '02 to present, I think. A buddy has one; it's been great for him.

Then again, my parents also have an '03 Tahoe that has been probably the most trouble-free vehicle I've ever seen, so who knows.

I wouldn't be against another gm like a Tahoe or a Yukon, as I love my suburban. The problem is I recently read on here about the displacement on demand issues that more modern Gm's suffer from. It's enough to scare me away.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Tows 7700lbs. Fun to drive. Surprisingly reliable. Cheap to buy.

Diesel Colorado? Just sayin

If the wife has not complained about the Sienna, for Gods sake don't sell a dead reliable, paid off vehicle. Get it detailed and she will be happy.

Suburbans seem to be a love-hate kind of vehicle. If its running good again, fix the AC keep it. Save what you would be making in payments and buy something else down the road. 3500lbs isn't such a heavy trailer.

Not planning on getting rid of the sienna.

3500 lbs isn't much, you're correct about that. A larger camper may be in the future though.