Overlandtowater
Well-known member
7-15 from my area for the 100's and about the same as you on the Seq.
1st Gen Sequoia vs GMT800 Suburban Advice
- Thread starter Luckie1999
- Start date
7-15 from my area for the 100's and about the same as you on the Seq.
CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
What part of the world are you guys in? I bought my 2000 Suburban 6 years ago, that would be in 2013 for $4,100 with 108k miles. How is anyone actually paying $10k for a 13 year old Sequoia? I just bought a 2011 Suburban 2500 with 135k miles for the same $11,000. And it was a southwest truck so no rust. Where are those numbers actually coming from the advertised price or the actual sale price?
AutoZealot
New member
Apparently you need to do my searching for me, I can't find squat in the GMT900 2500 chassis that isn't trashed for less than 20K. The GMT800 2500 folks around here are asking five figures for low mileage examples, and holy moly, if it has a big block in it, they think it is worth gold
ZMagic97
Explorer
I’m posting with a lack of deep Toyota knowledge. 100% disclosure.
I have a 2006 Sierra which my wife drives mainly for the family. We had it and a 2005 Silverado until I sold it at 200k for a never Camaro and later a Jeep WJ as well.
The GMC has been amazing. I bought it five years ago with 112k and it at about it current has about 161k. I replaced the upper and lower factory radiator hoses today in Arizona. I’m not mad at all.
It has power, easy to find parts, comfort, and reliability. I’m not saying the Toyota doesn’t. I’m just saying I’d drive this truck to Maine and back without hesitation. I believe this truck will safety move my wife and 3 kids everyday.
My father was a GM mechanic. I have had almost nothing but GM vehicles. I know I’m biased.
But every time I get parts for this thing, the people at the parts department always comment on how awesome this generation of GM trucks is.
Whatever you go with, I hope you enjoy it.
I have a 2006 Sierra which my wife drives mainly for the family. We had it and a 2005 Silverado until I sold it at 200k for a never Camaro and later a Jeep WJ as well.
The GMC has been amazing. I bought it five years ago with 112k and it at about it current has about 161k. I replaced the upper and lower factory radiator hoses today in Arizona. I’m not mad at all.
It has power, easy to find parts, comfort, and reliability. I’m not saying the Toyota doesn’t. I’m just saying I’d drive this truck to Maine and back without hesitation. I believe this truck will safety move my wife and 3 kids everyday.
My father was a GM mechanic. I have had almost nothing but GM vehicles. I know I’m biased.
But every time I get parts for this thing, the people at the parts department always comment on how awesome this generation of GM trucks is.
Whatever you go with, I hope you enjoy it.
I dont know where youre looking but TX AZ and CA were popping up lots of gmt800 2500s 6.0s with under 150k for less than $8k. The 8.1s will command a premium because there just arent that many and the tow power is leaps and bounds over the 6.0s. There is a big demand for all the 2500s I lost out on several to guys that were flying down from the NE to buy them. Even after I reached a deal with the seller some were offeri g more money.
As for Dreis gmt900 2500 its a former border patrol vehicle so while it only has 135k miles on it, it has 10 times the running hours as a civi truck with the same miles because they will be driven out i to the desert and sit there for hours running while the BPA is watching for traffic. Theyre also driven like a rental car and the bare minimum is done to keep them running till their deadlined. There is a very good reason the price is what it was.
CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
Lilkia,
Correct, my 2500 was a former BPA truck, so yes it has 135k overlanding miles on it. Tried and true. 6 months and 20,000 miles later still runs just like I got it. And i still pull a 10,000# trailer with it weekly. Everyone seems to be looking for a babied mall queen that looks pretty and costs twice as much but has never seen dirt other than the occasional curb rash.
Also, if a Sequoia was driven like my BPA truck, it wouldn't last a month.
I guess I just don't understand all ya'll that are working yourselves into the graves spending $20+ for a $10k truck when I am out playing and adventuring after retiring at 35 so I can do what everyone is dreaming of. To each their own I guess.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
California. The big vehicle price problem are our huge Auto groups that buy up used vehicles that under cut their fake inflated used lot prices. My Sequoia was private sale when I bought it. Listed less than day. 4 dealers called on it while I was checking it out and buying it.
Toyota, Subaru, Audi, Rover and some VW are the brands primarily run by the huge Auto Groups in CA. They manipulate the availability of popular models and drive up prices. My local Toyota dealer actually tells you right up front we don’t negotiate prices you can go a head and drive 150 miles out of our “owned / controlled region” to try and buy something for less. Yes its that bad. Monopolistic doesn’t even begin to describe their business practices. Its even worse for qualified Toyota techs they get crap pay and have no options unless they switch to Domestics which are all still family owned for the most part.
CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
Wow, sounds like cali and sounds very sad. Dealers trying to swoop down on private sellers to keep affordable vehicles out of people's hands. Pretty insane.
tacollie
Glamper
They do it in Colorado to. The the last two trucks I sold I got multiple calls from big dealers in town. I sold one to a dealer who wrote me a check for my the asking price.
OP is looking at older vehicles. He should buy the first solid one he can find. Sequoia or Suburban.
Overlandtowater
Well-known member
Far south east Missouri....3 hours to STL and 2 hrs to Memphis not much in between besides dealer ships that's all owned by the same hand full of people.
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First, thank you for your service.
I have a 2001 k2500 Suburban with the 8.1, 4L80E, G80 locker and 4:10 gears. It has 219,500 miles on it and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere.
If yours is going to be an overland build I would say go with the Suburban because if you should break something when your out in East Jesus somewhere you are much more likely to be able to find parts. I have driven 3~4 Sequias and something just doesn't feel right about them. I can't tell you what it is, but it is.
But I really don't think you can go wrong with either platform.
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Ducky's Dad
Explorer
I didn't have time to read this whole thread so I apologize if I'm repeating prior posts. I have not owned a Sequoia, but I do own a second gen Tundra. Have not owned a Suburban, but currently own a '98 GMC K1500 and an '04 Escalade. Also had a 2000 Escalade. For comparison purposes, my old GMC is more "truck" than the Tundra will ever be, in terms of doing real truck stuff and hauling things. The Tundra is faster (5.7), quieter, more comfortable, but the GMC rides better and handles better. Reliability and build quality of all my GM products is questionable, especially brakes and differentials, as well as interior trim. The flip side of that is that GM parts are cheap and readily available, but Toyota parts are pretty dear. The K1500 and the older Escalade have/had real 4WD with transfer case and low range. The K1500 has the G80 "auto-locker" which seems to work better than the G80 limited slip in the old Escalade. The newer Escalade has the AWD system and I hate it. In spirited driving, the computer shuts off engine power if you get the wheels spinning or get one off the ground. When Motor Trend did a comparo test of fancy SUVs back around 2005-ish, the test Escalade got stuck in the sand because all four wheels wanted to spin and the computer couldn't cope with that and shut off torque to all wheels. All my GMs get/got about the same fuel mileage as the 5.7 Tundra, so that's probably a wash.
The advantages of the Sub are lots more interior space, probably better aftermarket support at moderate prices, and perhaps more importantly, you can get a Sub in 3/4 or 1-ton persuasion. My vote goes to the Sub in a 3/4 ton configuration. Depending on the vintage, you can get a solid front axle (my preference), and the rear diffs and brakes are generally superior to the 1/2-ton Subs. I would not buy any Sub (or any other GM truck) without factory hydro-boost brakes instead of the vacuum booster. Vacuum boosted brakes are a weakness of older GM trucks, and you can add hydro-boost, but it's expensive. Avoid the fancy-schmancy rear air shocks because they will fail and are very expensive to repair. Can be replaced with standard hydraulic shocks with the proper kit. Another advantage of the Subs is rear A/C, but that may not be common in the Northwest. The good news is that if you don't have rear A/C, that gives you a factory second battery tray in the engine compartment so it's very easy to set up a dual battery system without having to fab anything. For your stated purposes, it's Sub all the way. Just gotta find the right one.
The advantages of the Sub are lots more interior space, probably better aftermarket support at moderate prices, and perhaps more importantly, you can get a Sub in 3/4 or 1-ton persuasion. My vote goes to the Sub in a 3/4 ton configuration. Depending on the vintage, you can get a solid front axle (my preference), and the rear diffs and brakes are generally superior to the 1/2-ton Subs. I would not buy any Sub (or any other GM truck) without factory hydro-boost brakes instead of the vacuum booster. Vacuum boosted brakes are a weakness of older GM trucks, and you can add hydro-boost, but it's expensive. Avoid the fancy-schmancy rear air shocks because they will fail and are very expensive to repair. Can be replaced with standard hydraulic shocks with the proper kit. Another advantage of the Subs is rear A/C, but that may not be common in the Northwest. The good news is that if you don't have rear A/C, that gives you a factory second battery tray in the engine compartment so it's very easy to set up a dual battery system without having to fab anything. For your stated purposes, it's Sub all the way. Just gotta find the right one.
Ducky's Dad
Explorer
I have driven 3~4 Sequias and something just doesn't feel right about them. I can't tell you what it is, but it is.
That's my sense about the Tundra. Feels like a fast Camry with a bed in back. GMC feels like a truck.
That's my sense about the Tundra. Feels like a fast Camry with a bed in back. GMC feels like a truck.
LRNAD90
Adventurer
It may be worth noting (don't think it has been yet) that the Sequoia is larger than a Tahoe, but smaller than a Suburban. Some may find this 'just right' size wise, while others may find it too small. But the difference is real..
And not that anyone has really bashed the Sequoia, but I also kinda wonder if the comments would be mostly the direct opposite if this was posted in the "Toyota: Tacoma, 4Runner, FJ, and Lexus GX" forum instead of the "Domestic: Full Size and other" Forum? ?♂️
And not that anyone has really bashed the Sequoia, but I also kinda wonder if the comments would be mostly the direct opposite if this was posted in the "Toyota: Tacoma, 4Runner, FJ, and Lexus GX" forum instead of the "Domestic: Full Size and other" Forum? ?♂️
Well not quite. The corrected version would read "Most every autopart store with lights on will have the parts you need, except for anything having to do with quadra steer." Try and find a new pump for the steering system, hell try and find a used one that works. It may be a cool feature, but it was expensive, nobody cared, and now nobody makes parts for it.
And for the record GM does still offer a 3500 suburban from the fleet sales arm of GM. Not all dealers do fleet sales but they are available.