After 3 blue Expeditions and 10 yrs, there's a Suburban in my driveway

[J86]

I have had a fair amount of experience with my dad's 4wd F-250 LWB. That's about as big as it gets and I really do enjoy driving it. It's everything you say and more (for example: you have to be very gentle with the throttle if the road is even the slightest bit wet, else the rear will step out, not a pleasurable experience in a 3+ ton truck), but there's just some intangible pleasure I get from driving it.

Bullshit.  I LOVED getting the ass end out on my buddy's father's fleet of worktrucks

[SVT_Power]

  No matter how you slice it, these things eat gas, but it's still better than driving 2 cars everywhere! The gas mileage so far is very close to the Expedition. Only 150 pounds more, plus basically the same engine.  I figure we'll average 14 - 15 mpg on this one too.  Besides, the gas tank is around 30 gallons - absolutely huge!  The Expedition was only 23 or so.  So I guess we'll be spending less time at the gas stations! 

holy smokes. 30 gallons?

[Rupert]

I have had a fair amount of experience with my dad's 4wd F-250 LWB. That's about as big as it gets and I really do enjoy driving it. It's everything you say and more (for example: you have to be very gentle with the throttle if the road is even the slightest bit wet, else the rear will step out, not a pleasurable experience in a 3+ ton truck), but there's just some intangible pleasure I get from driving it.

I liked driving them at first (well, after I got used to the size), but after the novelty wore off... Meh, just a big annoying beast. 

[Rupert]

Bullshit.  I LOVED getting the ass end out on my buddy's father's fleet of worktrucks

[RomanChariot]

I'm feeling sympathy pains for your transmission as I read this.  4500 foot climb?  I feel bad for my vehicle when I climb 1,000 feet in our little White Mountains up here in NH.  I'm surprised you get as high as 7.5!

I wish GM still put diesels in the Suburban but the big block serves me well.  We bought it about 2 years ago as a designated tow vehicle.  I got the most heavy duty version I could find because when we haul the trailer we usually go about 180 miles one way to get to our destination and very little of it is flat.  I would have loved to have gone with a fifth wheel trailer and pickup combination but like you I have 37 kids and can't fit them all in a crew cab pickup and I don't want them riding in the trailer as I have seen what happens to trailers in even a mild accident.

[saxonyron]

I wish GM still put diesels in the Suburban but the big block serves me well.  We bought it about 2 years ago as a designated tow vehicle.  I got the most heavy duty version I could find because when we haul the trailer we usually go about 180 miles one way to get to our destination and very little of it is flat.  I would have loved to have gone with a fifth wheel trailer and pickup combination but like you I have 37 kids and can't fit them all in a crew cab pickup and I don't want them riding in the trailer as I have seen what happens to trailers in even a mild accident.

Damn, you've got 37 kids too?  It's not every day I meet someone else with as many offspring as I. 

[RomanChariot]

Damn, you've got 37 kids too?  It's not every day I meet someone else with as many offspring as I. 

Some of us are just more driven than the rest!

[saxonyron]

Some of us are just more driven than the rest!

  Inquiring minds want to know...so how many do you really have?  I don't really have 37 - only 5 - from 7 yr old twins to 17.  We just sold our popup camper and are going to step up to a larger hybrid trailer.  The popup was 24 ft long with a slide out, so it was as big a popup as you can get.  But now that the kids are all getting bigger, it became obvious this year that we had outgrown the camper.  I spent the whole trip sleeping in the tent with my 2 sons.  We were banished from camper life by the girls. 

[the Teuton]

That's rough...about as rough as popping out 37 kids.

[RomanChariot]

  Inquiring minds want to know...so how many do you really have?  I don't really have 37 - only 5 - from 7 yr old twins to 17.  We just sold our popup camper and are going to step up to a larger hybrid trailer.  The popup was 24 ft long with a slide out, so it was as big a popup as you can get.  But now that the kids are all getting bigger, it became obvious this year that we had outgrown the camper.  I spent the whole trip sleeping in the tent with my 2 sons.  We were banished from camper life by the girls. 

We also have 5 kids ranging from 18 months to 12 years old.  We have 4 girls with a boy as the caboose.  We bought some recreational property about an hour away from where we live and my wife insisted that it have restroom facilities (it already had a small pavilion, fire pit, etc.) so I convinced her that getting a trailer would be the easiest way to go.  We got a great deal on a 31 foot trailer with 4 bunkbeds so we could sleep everyone easily (we have had as many as 12 people sleep in it at one time).  Now my wife likes the trailer more than the land so we drag it all over the state and she is starting to want to extend our camping trips.

[saxonyron]

We also have 5 kids ranging from 18 months to 12 years old.  We have 4 girls with a boy as the caboose.  We bought some recreational property about an hour away from where we live and my wife insisted that it have restroom facilities (it already had a small pavilion, fire pit, etc.) so I convinced her that getting a trailer would be the easiest way to go.  We got a great deal on a 31 foot trailer with 4 bunkbeds so we could sleep everyone easily (we have had as many as 12 people sleep in it at one time).  Now my wife likes the trailer more than the land so we drag it all over the state and she is starting to want to extend our camping trips.

Nice!  As long as your wife is on board, life is good.  A 31 footer is huge!  And having a permanent camp is a great idea.  A guy I work with has one in northern NH and he uses it quite a bit in summer.  Congrats on the big family.  I always wanted one - my wife is one of 8, I'm one of only 2.  So we met in the middle.  

My wife is a reluctant camper, but I've been camping all my life, and my kids love it.  A hybrid is a good compromise since I can sleep with canvas over my head in the fold out bunks, and she can have the standup kitchen, microwave, big fridge, etc. that make it easier for her enjoy the week.  Camping is one of those things that if you don't grow up with it, it's tough to transition to.  She'd prefer a condo or hotel.     But she gets that during the other vacations, so it's a good compromise.    

[ChrisV]

My wife is a reluctant camper, but I've been camping all my life, and my kids love it.  A hybrid is a good compromise since I can sleep with canvas over my head in the fold out bunks, and she can have the standup kitchen, microwave, big fridge, etc. that make it easier for her enjoy the week.  Camping is one of those things that if you don't grow up with it, it's tough to transition to.  She'd prefer a condo or hotel.    But she gets that during the other vacations, so it's a good compromise.   

Hybrids area  great compromise, though as I found out recently, setting them up in a heavy rainstorm is a PITA. Almost as much as a tent (except you don't float away when inside it). And since we tend to travel with our two dogs, generally condos and hotels are right out.

[saxonyron]

Hybrids area  great compromise, though as I found out recently, setting them up in a heavy rainstorm is a PITA. Almost as much as a tent (except you don't float away when inside it). And since we tend to travel with our two dogs, generally condos and hotels are right out.

Nice trailer!  It's never fun setting up in the rain.  I've done it so many times, I think I'm cursed!  I imagine the fold out beds collect a bunch of water between the time you fold the beds out and sets the roof supports up.  It's still worth it - I really need that little bit of canvas so I can feel like I'm an honest camper.  Besides, I'm looking at a 23 footer hybrid that has almost as much room as a 30 footer.

[nickdrinkwater]

Nice truck Ron.  Congrats!  I find the Chevy trucks really cool.  And to me at least, they sound absolutely awesome with that big V8 roar.

The Suburban is way cooler than the Escalade or Lincoln trucks.

[saxonyron]

Nice truck Ron.  Congrats!  I find the Chevy trucks really cool.  And to me at least, they sound absolutely awesome with that big V8 roar.

The Suburban is way cooler than the Escalade or Lincoln trucks.

Thanks Nick!  I'll bet you'd love to have a Suburban for your life in the british countryside!  Plenty of roomy roads to cruise and sprawling town centers to parallel park.  And yeah, the V8 does sound sweet.  Nicer than on the Expedition.

[the Teuton]

Thanks Nick!  I'll bet you'd love to have a Suburban for your life in the british countryside!  Plenty of roomy roads to cruise and sprawling town centers to parallel park.   And yeah, the V8 does sound sweet.  Nicer than on the Expedition.

I have a friend with a Yukon XL Denali. I've seen him parallel park it in busy places like Pittsburgh and in State College (Penn State). If he can do it, you can do it.

He does have a backup camera, though.

[saxonyron]

I have a friend with a Yukon XL Denali. I've seen him parallel park it in busy places like Pittsburgh and in State College (Penn State). If he can do it, you can do it.

He does have a backup camera, though.

I'm looking forward to my first parallel parking event.    I love a challenge.  Fortunately, this one has the backup camera and beeper too.  Seems like cheating, but I know I'll appreciate it when I'm trying to sandwich it into a space with a foot and a half on either end of the bumpers. 

[Secret Chimp]

I really like Suburbans. Even my friend's old 1994 or something rides better than most cars I've been in.

[Rupert]

I was driving a 2002-4(?) Suburban around the woods this week. Seemed pretty good for a big thing. Rides well enough on the highway. You can feel the weight, though. Roll-y and slow to brake...

[Autobahn]

Ron, you really need to go to Europe with this townhouse on wheels - I would love to see how you piss of some busy soccer-moms by using the only 4 parking lots in front of the supermarket 

[Colonel Cadillac]

You should pick up some of those Chevy 20" ers, they look good!

[JWC]

If the Expedition was a 5.4L, you made the right decision.  The shudder is probably coils, they fail constantly until all are replaced, but from my experience, if coils are failing, spark plugs are due to be replaced and that project on a 5.4L made after 2002 is a disaster.

[saxonyron]

If the Expedition was a 5.4L, you made the right decision.  The shudder is probably coils, they fail constantly until all are replaced, but from my experience, if coils are failing, spark plugs are due to be replaced and that project on a 5.4L made after 2002 is a disaster.

Yikes!  They replaced 2 of the coil packs - one at a time, with very little improvement.  The 1st time they charged me $306.  Not covered under warranty!    I complained and insisted it felt like the torque converter since it was so severe when cruising at 40-45 and I gave it a little gas.  They didn't charge me for the 2nd one.  But damn, swapping out all 8 would run $2,500??    And the plugs what, another $800??  Glad I got the bumper to bumper on the Chevy.  I'll tell you, repair bills like that are why I like to buy them slightly used then bail on them at 100k miles before the big bills come due. Sure I'll always have a car payment, but for the miles we drive, that's just the way it goes, I suppose. 

[saxonyron]

I really like Suburbans. Even my friend's old 1994 or something rides better than most cars I've been in.

I was driving a 2002-4(?) Suburban around the woods this week. Seemed pretty good for a big thing. Rides well enough on the highway. You can feel the weight, though. Roll-y and slow to brake...

The ride is amazing.  I just took it on my first highway cruise - 2 hrs to the Cape.  At 75, it's very smooth, quiet and stable.  Impressive.  Not as darty as the Expediter, and the longer wheelbase and soft but firm suspension tuning helps when going over bridge expansion joints .  It feels like it a big boat as it pounces over a wave and settles on the other side.  The brakes aren't giving the A6 a run for the money, but they worked great, hauling the beast down on the exit ramps. 

[saxonyron]

You should pick up some of those Chevy 20" ers, they look good!

  They are real nice, but too much bling for me! The 17's are a little boring, but they look pretty good.

[saxonyron]

Ron, you really need to go to Europe with this townhouse on wheels - I would love to see how you piss of some busy soccer-moms by using the only 4 parking lots in front of the supermarket 

  4 spaces is about right!