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

[saxonyron]

Those black Suburbans look awesome.  Nice pick.

Thanks!  I feel a little like Secret Service when I climb out of it. 

Congrats, nice truck!  I'm jealous of your tow vehicle.

Congrats, nice truck!  I'm jealous of your tow vehicle.

Thanks!  Unfortunately there's no sailboat left to tow.    Just the nag trailer.  Haven't towed it yet, but I figure it'll be solid without a lot of tail wagging. 

[Rupert]

 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!  

Just more time when you do go. 30 gallons take for-freaking-ever to fill! You'll be able to wash all the windows, vacuum the interior, get a snack, listen to some tunes, take a nap, post on the 'Spin, call home to say you'll be late...

[saxonyron]

I'll never own a black vehicle again though.  Unless it's a 3rd car that's garaged all the time.

I really like a black car though.  They look so nice.  My emotions seem to override the obvious problem with black cars on dirt roads.  We'll just be hitting the carwashes a lot, I guess. 

[saxonyron]

Yeah, black vehicle and a dirt road is just a bad, bad combination.  But black cars look fantastic when they are clean.

Congrats on the truck, Ron.  I really like Suburbans a lot. 

Thanks Adam!  I'm loving all the extra room. I'm probably in the 20% minority of Suburban owners who actually need all the space. But in the world of huge SUV's this is a pretty well-engineered and well-made piece of work. 

[saxonyron]

Just more time when you do go. 30 gallons take for-freaking-ever to fill! You'll be able to wash all the windows, vacuum the interior, get a snack, listen to some tunes, take a nap, post on the 'Spin, call home to say you'll be late...

  Yeah, filled it last night and I kept checking the ground to see if it was spilling on the ground.  10 minutes, 30 gallons and around $75 later, we were good to go!

[saxonyron]

NIce pick! I just rented on last month for our adut weekend at my cabin. I really enjoyed that yacht! 

Thanks!  Land yacht it is.  I had the dog in the way back, and I could barely see her.  It was like she wasn't even in the car.  Poor Ruby felt very left out, so we let her sit in the middle row. 

[Catman]

I really like a black car though.  They look so nice.  My emotions seem to override the obvious problem with black cars on dirt roads.  We'll just be hitting the carwashes a lot, I guess. 

Swirl marks.

[saxonyron]

Swirl marks.

Not if you do it just right.  And if you don't do it just right, you just need to squint a lot.    It came from the dealer swirly-free.  I might have to drive it back over routinely for cleanings. 

[the Teuton]

  Yeah, filled it last night and I kept checking the ground to see if it was spilling on the ground.  10 minutes, 30 gallons and around $75 later, we were good to go!

Sweet Baby Jesus!  The taxes on the SL2 were less than that.

[J86]

Thanks!  I feel a little like Secret Service when I climb out of it. 

Thanks!  Unfortunately there's no sailboat left to tow.    Just the nag trailer.  Haven't towed it yet, but I figure it'll be solid without a lot of tail wagging. 

well, with that towing capacity you can buy something bigger!

[S204STi]

Grats.  I like the current C/K trucks a lot.

[Xer0]

I really like a black car though.  They look so nice.  My emotions seem to override the obvious problem with black cars on dirt roads.  We'll just be hitting the carwashes a lot, I guess. 

Some places offer gas/wash combos were you save like 20-30 cents a gallon by purchasing a wash with your gas.  At 30 gallons thats like a free wash!  Keep that truck looking good 

[cawimmer430]

  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! 

[RomanChariot]

  Yeah, filled it last night and I kept checking the ground to see if it was spilling on the ground.  10 minutes, 30 gallons and around $75 later, we were good to go!

A 30 gallon tank is nothing.  I have a '99 Suburban with a 454 and a 43 gallon tank.  I bought it cheap but nicely loaded and use it to tow a 31 foot camper.  It pulls the 7500lb beast well through the mountains of Utah but I try not to think about the fuel economy.

[TBR]

Nice ride.

When does the A6 get replaced? Seems like you normally buy in pairs so shouldn't it's time be up pretty soon?

[saxonyron]

A 30 gallon tank is nothing.  I have a '99 Suburban with a 454 and a 43 gallon tank.  I bought it cheap but nicely loaded and use it to tow a 31 foot camper.  It pulls the 7500lb beast well through the mountains of Utah but I try not to think about the fuel economy.

Probably measured better in gallons per mile, eh? 

[saxonyron]

Nice ride.

When does the A6 get replaced? Seems like you normally buy in pairs so shouldn't it's time be up pretty soon?

No way!  Only 50 k miles on the A6 - I'm keeping this one for at least another couple years.

[TBR]

No way!  Only 50 k miles on the A6 - I'm keeping this one for at least another couple years.

Are you not driving as much as you used to or am I just remembering wrong? Seems like you have had it for 2 years and bought it with ~10k. Wouldn't that normally put you at 70k?

I guess I am probably just confused since your last one was a lease (how stalkerish is it that I know that?).

[ChrisV]

Nice truck!

Should've got something like this, though... 





Saw a diesel version of this truck towing a really big travel trailer last weekend out at the campground by the ocean. Farking big truck.

[TBR]

Farking big truck extended version or not. When you see one on a freeway or something it just looks a little bigger than a Suburban or Expedition EL, but when you see one on a surface road you realize just how huge the things are.

I don't know what I would do with one, but I want an Excursion nonetheless.

[RomanChariot]

Probably measured better in gallons per mile, eh? 

It feels that way sometimes.  Most of the miles I put on it are with a trailer behind it so I have not measured the fuel economy in daily driving.  On trips towing the trailer I have gotten as high (ha! ha!) as 9mpg and as low as 7.5mpg.  Granted, those numbers include towing the trailer and crossing over mountain passes as high as 9000 feet with the beginning and ending elevations in the 4500 foot range so it gets a pretty good workout.

[saxonyron]

Are you not driving as much as you used to or am I just remembering wrong? Seems like you have had it for 2 years and bought it with ~10k. Wouldn't that normally put you at 70k?

I guess I am probably just confused since your last one was a lease (how stalkerish is it that I know that?).

Stalker alert!!!  You've got a good memory, though.  I bought the A6 in Dec. of '07 and it had only 4,000 miles on it.  I've averaged 26,000 miles per year for at least the last 15 years.  22 months of ownership, 46,000 miles driven, 2,190 mi/month puts me just over 26,000 per year.   I'm hoping to have this one for at least another 2 or 3 years.  We'll see if it still feels good at 100,000 miles and the warranty runs out. 

[saxonyron]

Nice truck!

Should've got something like this, though... 



Saw a diesel version of this truck towing a really big travel trailer last weekend out at the campground by the ocean. Farking big truck.

Yikes!  That's ludicrously large!  I'm sure my wife would enjoy parking that at the supermarket.

[J86]

Nice truck!

Should've got something like this, though... 





Saw a diesel version of this truck towing a really big travel trailer last weekend out at the campground by the ocean. Farking big truck.

These things are awesome.  I've seen one that is used as the boat car...so sick.  Tows the boat AND space for the crew.

[saxonyron]

It feels that way sometimes.  Most of the miles I put on it are with a trailer behind it so I have not measured the fuel economy in daily driving.  On trips towing the trailer I have gotten as high (ha! ha!) as 9mpg and as low as 7.5mpg.  Granted, those numbers include towing the trailer and crossing over mountain passes as high as 9000 feet with the beginning and ending elevations in the 4500 foot range so it gets a pretty good workout.

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!

[Rupert]

Yikes!  That's ludicrously large!  I'm sure my wife would enjoy parking that at the supermarket.

You don't park... You bulldoze.

[The Pirate]

Farking big truck extended version or not. When you see one on a freeway or something it just looks a little bigger than a Suburban or Expedition EL, but when you see one on a surface road you realize just how huge the things are.

I don't know what I would do with one, but I want an Excursion nonetheless.

I know what you mean.  I also pine for a ridiculously large (and preferable diesel) SUV.  I prefer the Suburban, but I do like the Excursion a lot.

Like you, I have absolutely no use for one, though I could quite possibly move out of my apartment, and live in it.

[Rupert]

I don't get the desire for a huge vehicle with no specific use. I drive monstrosities like the Excursion and 2500 series Chevys fairly often, and there is nothing they do well, other than move a lot of people/stuff. They handle like shit, are a bitch in town, pointless on the highway, and are far too large off road. I mean, they have their use (couldn't tow huge-o-ginormous gubment FEMA trailers without 'em), but, if I don't have that use, there is no way you're gonna get me to buy even a full-size pick-up.

[J86]

I don't get the desire for a huge vehicle with no specific use. I drive monstrosities like the Excursion and 2500 series Chevys fairly often, and there is nothing they do well, other than move a lot of people/stuff. They handle like shit, are a bitch in town, pointless on the highway, and are far too large off road. I mean, they have their use (couldn't tow huge-o-ginormous gubment FEMA trailers without 'em), but, if I don't have that use, there is no way you're gonna get me to buy even a full-size pick-up.

Cause it pisses people off

[TBR]

I don't get the desire for a huge vehicle with no specific use. I drive monstrosities like the Excursion and 2500 series Chevys fairly often, and there is nothing they do well, other than move a lot of people/stuff. They handle like shit, are a bitch in town, pointless on the highway, and are far too large off road. I mean, they have their use (couldn't tow huge-o-ginormous gubment FEMA trailers without 'em), but, if I don't have that use, there is no way you're gonna get me to buy even a full-size pick-up.

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.