Ok, figure the title spells it out. Thinking about selling the Funbulance as a tow vehicle & getting a Yukon to tow with. Not as much interior storage, but easier maneuverability and hauls more people, and drinks cheaper gas instead of diesel. Didn't take the Funbulance to Road America, not comfortable enough for a 13 hour tow, and looking at doing more bucket list tracks further away. Possible overnight stays in hotel parking lots means I should use the enclosed trailer instead to lock stuff up, which means I don't need the storage of the Funbulance. I like the 6.0, and as mentioned in the other thread, SUV's are cheaper than trucks. Found one that I'm looking at tomorrow, 202K miles on it, looks good, no ripped driver's seat bolster, paint has issues on the hood (black paint with a couple of oxidized spots on it). Aftermarket wheels, but everything else looks stock. What should I look for as problem issues on these SUV's? I towed this trailer with an '03 Tahoe years ago, but it only had the 5.3 and lacked oomph on long uphill grades. I'm hoping the 6.0 will provide the extra grunt. I've got a load leveling hitch, so I'm good there, and brakes on both axles of the trailer. If there is not a trans cooler, or just a little one on the Yukon, I'll upgrade, and standard fluid flush from not know what the P.O. has done for maintenance. What other suggestions do y'all have? Thanks!
Jaynen
SuperDork
11/16/17 7:19 p.m.
We have discussed their kissing cousins tons with the burbans especially the 3/4tons. I don't think you have much to worry about I know at least one other GRMer specifically has a 6.0 denali and loves it. The only question is why the Denali and not a 2500 burban with the 6.0? As I am unsure if the Denali also got the beefier trans
My friend's mom has an 03 Denali. It is at ~430k miles at this point. 3rd transmission but otherwise original. They tow a single car trailer with it relatively frequently and a small enclosed utility trailer slightly less often. It's super comfy, quick enough, tows great and still yields ~17mpg highway unladen. Their only complaint is brakes. The GMT 800 isn't known for having the best brakes.
Jaynen said:
We have discussed their kissing cousins tons with the burbans especially the 3/4tons. I don't think you have much to worry about I know at least one other GRMer specifically has a 6.0 denali and loves it. The only question is why the Denali and not a 2500 burban with the 6.0? As I am unsure if the Denali also got the beefier trans
I haven't had any luck finding a 2500 burban that wasn't either super high mileage or out of my budget range. :( I'd love that, but knowing that prices will go up after the first of the year with the tax refund surcharge, I'm trying to find something before the end of the year.
The combination of the 4L65E and the 6.0 scares me off the Denali. I realize the 2500 is out of the budget, but it does come with the much stronger transmission (4L80E).
Jaynen
SuperDork
11/16/17 10:41 p.m.
What is your budget? Around here anything denali seems like they want a couple grand more for
My Sierra Denali has the original motor and trans at 325k. Never opened either. It can pull houses. The trailer hitch is stuck in the receiver so I chained it to the trailer hitch on my wife’s H2. It dragged the H2 on pavement. And no the hitch did not come out.
Gm trucks of this vintage develop intake leakes and toss a p0171 and po174 code. They use up fuel pumps every 100k and there are two plastic box’s in the Evap system that need replacement every 100k. Other than that they a bullet proof. Regular maintenance including oil changes every 3k with Dino oil and trans fluid change and a trans service every 30-40k.
I'm trying to stay around $5K. I've seen several around 300K miles, so I'm figuring if this one has been as cared for as the interior suggests, it should have another easy 100K miles in it, which should be good for me. I've put 16K miles on the Funbulance towing to Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Daytona, Barber, etc. in the last 3 years, so if I get 100K miles of towing life out of it, I'm good. I had the intake leak on my wife's '03 Tahoe, got it fixed & gained 2 miles per gallon of fuel mileage. Pissed me off that it had been that way since new and they wouldn't cover it under warranty since there had been a service bulletin on it.
This one seems a little low on the price range for Denali, but it's got paint issues, which I can live with. If that's the sacrifice/trade off for the affordability, I'm their huckleberry :)
My 2005 Denali XL has only needed some corroded O2 wiring replaced. My only suggestion would be to buy high quality pads, rotors and brake fluid and maybe braided lines, all easy stuff as the brakes have A LOT to slow down.
Otherwise, how can you find a vehicle with more quality factory and aftermarket parts? Maybe a Panther platform?
Mine was purchased for $3,500 with 185,000 mi and now has 203,000
Jaynen
SuperDork
11/17/17 7:22 a.m.
In reply to Jaynen :
Michigan, Utah & California are a little bit aways from Georgia :( In this neck of the woods, the 2500 'burbans aren't plentiful, or at least ones that haven't been used up/ragged out aren't plentiful.
The third one looks like a really nice vehicle for the $$$$$
In reply to dean1484 :
What’s involved in your trans service aside from the fluid change?
Fluid and drop the pan for a filter.
