Suburban vs silverado 2500hd?

[Luckie1999]

Hey everyone,

Looking to get into overlanding with my first non-daily driver rig, 50% me and the dogs stype trips and 50% family of two kids and two dogs style trips so want something full size.
At first was thinking a sequoia, but after a lot of good advice from these forums whittled it down to a GMT 800 1500 or 2500 suburban.

However, I found a good deal on a 2004 silverado 2500HD extended cab (6 1/2 foot bed) with a 6.0L and G80 LSD and thinking that might serve me better. It seems like just the truck version of a 2500 suburban from what I can tell and with a topper I could sleep in the back with the wife and kids could each take a bench seat in the cab.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how the Silverado would do as a light overlander vs a suburban (obviously neither is a rock crawler). Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Martinjmpr]

My only thought is that the back seat in an extended cab is going to get awfully tight for those kids as they start growing.

Here's the space you'd be dealing with.



As long as your kids are OK sitting in that while you drive I think you'd be fine. 2500 gets you the bigger engine, beefier transmission, and bigger gas tank vs. a 1500 so there's that, too.

 

[zachammer85]

If I recall correctly, the Silverado 2500 crew cab comes with a 6.5 foot bed or can be found with an 8 foot bed as well, both of which should be plenty of space for two adults. If seating is an issue in the extended cab, the crew cab rear seats can accommodate adults pretty comfortably. If you're not rock crawling or doing any super tight trails you probably will be fine with the added length.

As for the suburban, the 2500 is basically the same as a 2500 Silverado. The 1500 suburban is a bit underpowered in my opinion and the transmission isn't the longest lasting but your family will appreciate the more forgiving suspension and overall ride quality on longer trips. I'd say test drive all 3 and figure out what works best for your needs.


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[Buddha.]

I've put a queen size matress in the back ofmy 6.5' box for camping. You have to put a bit of a platform under it and slam the tailgate o get it to close but it works.

 

[RedF]

Well... I happen to have both.

2005 Silverado 2500 ext cab short bed 6.0 w/ 4.10s and a 2004 yukon 2500 8.1 w/ 4.10s.

We bought the yukon after our second child, though mostly because I didn't like having two car seats crammed in our car. Both are fine, but I find myself driving the yukon more, though thats likely because I enjoy the big block and the comfort of the higher trim level.

We have slept in the back of both, but neither will be comfortable for more than two people. They get similar mileage. They have similar power, but obviously the 8.1 wins; the 6.0 likes to rev, and the big block just don't care. The truck is capable of seating 6, the yukon seats 7 (though up to 9 was available with three benches). Its handy to have a truck, but the yukon Is great at what it does too - like 75 mph up mountain passes without breaking a sweat.

The 6.0 is fine, but go with the 8.1 if you get the choice - or the Duramax of that's your thing.

The truck sits a little taller and rides a little rougher.

Pick your poison. I don't have to choose, so I'm keeping both for now.

 

[CrazyDrei]

I have a GMT800 Suburban 1500 and can not be happier as a year round hot desert heat and snow covered winter overlander, off-roader and daily driver. I have spent a couple years in a dodge 1500 extended cab before I go my suburban and really liked the extended cab for just me and maybe one other person, Suburban sleeps 4 comfortably inside year round.

Get that 04 2500HD and see where your adventures take you. At least you'll spend time out playing rather than like many people here dreaming.

Good luck!

 

[Doug B]

I have a 2011 Suburban 2500 and couldn’t be happier. With a family of 6 it’s roomy enough to be a family car yet still is a capable rig off road. Gas mileage is not the greatest but that’s just part of having a large vehicle like that. I do miss my truck though.


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[Luckie1999]

I have a GMT800 Suburban 1500 and can not be happier as a year round hot desert heat and snow covered winter overlander, off-roader and daily driver. I have spent a couple years in a dodge 1500 extended cab before I go my suburban and really liked the extended cab for just me and maybe one other person, Suburban sleeps 4 comfortably inside year round.

Get that 04 2500HD and see where your adventures take you. At least you'll spend time out playing rather than like many people here dreaming.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the great info everyone, this a great forum and hope to contribute more instead of being the questions guy in the future.

CrazyDrei,

When you say you can sleep 4 comfortably do you mean two in the back and two in the driver/passenger seats? Is that a comfortable way to sleep in those old suburbans?

 

[CrazyDrei]

Thanks for all the great info everyone, this a great forum and hope to contribute more instead of being the questions guy in the future.

CrazyDrei,

When you say you can sleep 4 comfortably do you mean two in the back and two in the driver/passenger seats? Is that a comfortable way to sleep in those old suburbans?

I am talking about two adults and two kids. My wife and I sleep on a full size mattress in the back and the two kids sleep on the make shift beds that are where the middle row is.

Driver and passenger seat do not recline far enough back for me to ever sleep comfortably in them, it was bearable but not comfortable.

Kids are now 4 and 3 and we also have a 7 month old and have not traveled in just the truck. Have taken our hard sided pop up which sleeps all of us very comfortably.

As RedF said, he has one of each and both are great neither is perfect and he's keeping both.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Hey everyone,

Looking to get into overlanding with my first non-daily driver rig, 50% me and the dogs stype trips and 50% family of two kids and two dogs style trips so want something full size.
At first was thinking a sequoia, but after a lot of good advice from these forums whittled it down to a GMT 800 1500 or 2500 suburban.

However, I found a good deal on a 2004 silverado 2500HD extended cab (6 1/2 foot bed) with a 6.0L and G80 LSD and thinking that might serve me better. It seems like just the truck version of a 2500 suburban from what I can tell and with a topper I could sleep in the back with the wife and kids could each take a bench seat in the cab.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how the Silverado would do as a light overlander vs a suburban (obviously neither is a rock crawler). Any help would be appreciated.

Not sure of your location but we will be selling our 2003 Yukon (Suburban) 2500 SLT pretty soon, we are the second owners and has low miles, we love the thing but our needs have changed. The gmt800 trucks and suvs are very well built and so comfortable, not uncommon to see 300k miles out of these engines before a rebuild and the 4l80 transmission is one of the best ever built.

 

[XJLI]

I daily an extended cab 800 and will be upgrading to something else when kids come along. Not enough room back there for a car seat and the dog. It's wide, but it's tight back there. I'm 6' and my wife is 5' 9"; so YMMV w shorter people in the cab. For just two people and a dog, it's a fantastic config.

 

[britome]

Been using my 2011 2500 with exact specs as yours. It is great. People couldn’t believe that I did imogene. Put fox 2.0 shocks and leitner rack with rtt. Love it.

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