Thinking of getting a Chevy Tahoe

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clifish

Master of the Pit
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May 25, 2019
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Long Island, NY
Looking at a 2023 Tahoe premiere, 17K on the clock. A dealer friend can get it from Canada for me (have done this many times with him). Other than my 1981 Corvette, I have not had any Chevys. It has the 5.3 engine, and magnetic ride suspension along with most, if not all the bells and whistles. Anyone have or had a Tahoe? General thoughts or concerns. I don't spend $60k often on a vehicle....actually never, not even close.
 
Looking at a 2023 Tahoe premiere, 17K on the clock. A dealer friend can get it from Canada for me (have done this many times with him). Other than my 1981 Corvette, I have not had any Chevys. It has the 5.3 engine, and magnetic ride suspension along with most, if not all the bells and whistles. Anyone have or had a Tahoe? General thoughts or concerns. I don't spend $60k often on a vehicle....actually never, not even close.
I'm not sure about the SUVs, but I know that Chevy trucks around here all get severe cases of leprosy around the rear wheel wells. It seems even with undercoating this is a major problem.

Chris
 
Check the under side for Canada trucks. They can tend to have a lot of rust due to the salts.
 
I'm not sure about the SUVs, but I know that Chevy trucks around here all get severe cases of leprosy around the rear wheel wells. It seems even with undercoating this is a major problem.

Chris
We do not get near the snow and salt as you, I would probably invest in a monthly car wash subscription with under carriage wash.
 
If it has AFM, disable it. The 5.3 has a history of problems that damage the engines that the AFM is active on.
I will have to look up AFM, don't know what it is or does. Edit, seems GM dropped the AFM in 2015 for the 5.3.

Check the under side for Canada trucks. They can tend to have a lot of rust due to the salts.
This is less than 2 years on the road, Stuff I have gotten before where pretty clean.
 
I will have to look up AFM, don't know what it is or does. Edit, seems GM dropped the AFM in 2015 for the 5.3.
Best thing GM has done in years! I have a 99 5.3 waiting for a swap into my Blazer, and it was a great engine in my dad's truck. Just waiting for that 4.3 to die, if it ever does. I have 300K miles on it and it just keeps on going.
 
I will have to look up AFM, don't know what it is or does. Edit, seems GM dropped the AFM in 2015 for the 5.3.


This is less than 2 years on the road, Stuff I have gotten before where pretty clean.

The lady that lives next door has a 2022 that is loaded as well, I maintain it for her, seeing that she is a divorcee with two young boys. I'm teaching them how to check the oil, tire pressure, and other under the hood engine fluids.
It's a great vehicle, I drive it quite often, running errands for her, I take her boy to home depot with me, to get them out of her hair for a while.
I've owned nine Chevy's, and one ford, all of them have run great well over 200.000, with three over 350,000 miles. All but one, which was the F.O.R.D, it blew up at 60.000 miles, I'll never own a F.O.R.D again, that thing flat out ate front tires as well.


The 5.3L engine is basically an LS-1, which is highly desired in the hot rod world.
One of my trucks had the 5.3 in it, they are zippy little engines, that baby could lay rubber for half a block after it was chipped with just a few little tweaks.


A word to the wise, even though you say this is a friend, don't pay one red cent until you've inspected it yourself. I have a good friend that got burned by a so called buddy. He bought a 3 yr old truck that was supposedly inspected by two outside mechanics that signed off on the truck. When it was delivered to his house it was a complete disaster, the read 1/4 panels looked like Swiss cheese, that had bondo'ed over and painted. If the truck you're buying was ever around salt, don't necessarily walk away, F'n RUN AWAY from it !!!

Good luck, I'd own one in a heartbeat!!!

60G's is pretty steep for that truck though, IMOP!!!
If it was the diesel engine in it I'd pay 60G for it, with the 5.3L I wouldn't pay a dime over 50G for it, but that's just my opinion.

Good luck.
Dan.
 
Best thing GM has done in years! I have a 99 5.3 waiting for a swap into my Blazer, and it was a great engine in my dad's truck. Just waiting for that 4.3 to die, if it ever does. I have 300K miles on it and it just keeps on going.
A buddy of mine owns three 99s that they use on their rice farms, all three trucks have over 700,000 miles on them, one of the trucks was up to 763,000 about this time last yr. And they beat the snot out of them on rock roads, and in muddy rice fields. But they are on the same oil change regiment as his combines, tractors and tender trucks. He uses commercial grade Amsoil* in everything he owns.
 
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The 5.3L is a great engine. We had a 2018 Tahoe with the 5.3L, only issue we had was the driver side seat moving, which is a known issue and they fixed it. Only other issue was my wife not waiting for the garage door to fully open before backing out....

- Jason
 
I have had several (8) GM pickups with the 5.3 and only one (2009) had an issue with AFM that was covered under warranty. Just traded a 2022 for a 2025 a week ago. I have never had any issues with the engines or vehicles except the 2009 warranty claim above. Great vehicles if you ask me.
 

The lady that lives next door has a 2022 that is loaded as well, I maintain it for her, seeing that she is a divorcee with two young boys. I'm teaching them how to check the oil, tire pressure, and other under the hood engine fluids.
It's a great vehicle, I drive it quite often, running errands for her, I take her boy to home depot with me, to get them out of her hair for a while.
I've owned nine Chevy's, and one ford, all of them have run great well over 200.000, with three over 350,000 miles. All but one, which was the F.O.R.D, it blew up at 60.000 miles, I'll never own a F.O.R.D again, that thing flat out ate front tires as well.


The 5.3L engine is basically an LS-1, which is highly desired in the hot rod world.
One of my trucks had the 5.3 in it, they are zippy little engines, that baby could lay rubber for half a block after it was chipped with just a few little tweaks.


A word to the wise, even though you say this is a friend, don't pay one red cent until you've inspected it yourself. I have a good friend that got burned by a so called buddy. He bought a 3 yr old truck that was supposedly inspected by two outside mechanics that signed off on the truck. When it was delivered to his house it was a complete disaster, the read 1/4 panels looked like Swiss cheese, that had bondo'ed over and painted. If the truck you're buying was ever around salt, don't necessarily walk away, F'n RUN AWAY from it !!!

Good luck, I'd own one in a heartbeat!!!

60G's is pretty steep for that truck though, IMOP!!!
If it was the diesel engine in it I'd pay 60G for it, with the 5.3L I wouldn't pay a dime over 50G for it, but that's just my opinion.

Good luck.
Dan.
Thanks, this is probably the 14th or 15th car I have bought through him in the last 30 years and several have come the northern route and all where pretty much perfect. He does not deal with crap, he is more picky than me. If he had any concerns it would be back on a truck north before he sold it to anyone, let alone me.

The 2024-5 version of this truck is approaching $80K. Dealerships here are getting full MSRP on Tahoes, even the left over 2024. There are no deals going on around me...oh Lincoln is supposedly doing 0% on the Navigator but that is $111,000...lol
 
My son had a pickup with the 5.3 that was one of the disaster cases. Luckily he bought the side warranty and it covered a complete new engine.

Personally, I think the 5.3 is good for daily driver, but a bit light for towing
 
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I know with Chrysler, any vehicles that come from Canada has no warranty.
 
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I know with Chrysler, any vehicles that come from Canada has no warranty.
All these carry full factory warranty, fully converted to US measures and standards. Not my first rodeo doing this...but have not done it with a Chrysler product though and probably never will...lol - Thanks for the heads up.
 
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All these carry full factory warranty, fully converted to US measures and standards. Not my first rodeo doing this...but have not done it with a Chrysler product though and probably never will...lol - Thanks for the heads up.

I thought I would mention it for everyone watching this thread though. All the ones we seen wasn't converted, they was just bought and brought over the boarder.
 
I thought I would mention it for everyone watching this thread though. All the ones we seen wasn't converted, they was just bought and brought over the boarder.
Totally understand and thanks for the perspective. My dealer friend is not just buying them from Canadian auctions and bringing them here.

There is a legitimate network to bring them here with the blessing of the major manufacturers, through a major company in Boston. Done this enough times to feel comfortable. I can also get a 24 Tahoe with 280 miles this route but, ... it is black, not making that mistake again...lol
 
Not made 100% American. Hard no
I wouldn't drive any of the so called American made trucks, both Dodge and Fords stink in my personal opinion. I'll take my chances on the Canadian or Mexican made Chevys until something changes drastically with Dodge or Fords. I've seen and heard way too many horror stories about them.
 
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I would drive any of the so called American made trucks, both Dodge and Fords stink in my personal opinion. I'll take my chances on the Canadian or Mexican made Chevys until something changes drastically with Dodge or Fords. I've seen and heard way to many horror stories about them.
I was a Ford person for a long time, my last
explorer changed that!
 
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My Dad was a die hard Ford man until he got three turds with in a 6 yr period, after the third F2500 4x4 blew up his business partner laid down the law and said no more Fords. Pop's got a 2500 Silverado, and he's never turned back.
 
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