Peak quality large SUV

[eric1115]

I've always driven older vehicles, the thought of a loan/payment on a $50k++ depreciating asset makes me break out in hives.

We have a 2011 Expedition EL that is getting pretty long in the tooth. I've been looking at late teens to maybe early 2020's and it seems like major issues are there with both the newer Ford (cam phasers in the 3.5) and GM (continued AFM shenanigans). Have any of you had experience bulletproofing either of these?

At this point I'm thinking a mid-teens 5.7 Sequoia might be my best option. I don't need all 8 seats as often anymore, but do need that capability still from time to time. If I didn't need some cargo space behind the 3rd row I'd get a late 100 or early 200 series LC and be done. As is, the Sequoia feels like it might be on the edge of being too small.

I consider myself a Toyota guy at heart, I have a 2005 Sequoia with some go-fast suspension (Fox coilovers, Camburg control arms, etc) and an old Land cruiser that I love, but the space in a Suburban size vehicle is so nice with a big family.

I had been considering holding out for Ford/GM to get their shit together and sort out their mid to late teens issues, but it seems like reliability on both (and Toyota as well) is continuing to decline as complexity due to emissions/fuel economy restrictions increases. My gut says the wündertürbo motors (and hybrid power trains) are here to stay and the last of the NA V8's are going to represent the peak of the curve, with low mileage good condition examples getting harder to find.

 

[hunt25]

Understand what your talking about with the gmc issues lifter issues on those are absolutely hit or miss on if you’ll get a good or bad one but transmission wise on the gm’s as long as you keep up on maintenance like changing the fluids you’ll be good. Also only buy one if the the original owner has been doing maintenance on the transmission, I don’t know why but I’ve always been told if your fluid hasn’t been changed regularly on the transmission don’t start because somehow it will make it worse

 

[dbarrett4053]

I have a 2015 Suburban that i have put a 3 inch lift on and upgraded some suspension and other components. I have 238k miles on it and it runs like new. I expect I'll get another 200k out of the engine at least. If not I'll put a new engine in it. If I were to sell it I'd just buy another one so I may as well fix anything that goes wrong with it. That 5.3 engine is a piece of cake to work on and parts are cheap. I have atv's, a boat and 30' camp trailer that I tow with it many times a year. My son and I can sleep in the back of it when we go out and all of our gear stays dry. It's great. If I bought a pickup I would just put a topper on it anyway so in my mind the suburban is the best of both worlds.

 

[Nuggynuggs]

Could you not use a sequoia or 100 LC with a large roof box for extra gear? You should be able to haul a ton of gear with that and the third row removed and then have that option for your family when you're not hunting. I just feel like the reliability and easy repair-ability of the toyotas are worth it

 

[eric1115]

Could you not use a sequoia or 100 LC with a large roof box for extra gear? You should be able to haul a ton of gear with that and the third row removed and then have that option for your family when you're not hunting. I just feel like the reliability and easy repair-ability of the toyotas are worth it

I have a 60 series LC and a semi-built 1st gen Sequoia for off-road/hunting, don't need this car to fill that role to any meaningful degree.

We have 6 kids (oldest is 16) and occasionally do long family road trips. Large roof box is somewhat of a given, but even with that the ability to toss some stuff behind the 3rd row for a day going to town or to the lake is really nice, and a week long or more trip typically has us stuffing a Suburban size vehicle with a rooftop box fairly full. I need to go check out a 2nd gen Sequoia, if there's a little bit more room behind that 3rd row it's probably enough.

If there was a Sequoia "XL" that was Suburban length, I would absolutely own one already and pay whatever Toyota Tax is needed vs a Ford/GM.

 

[Nuggynuggs]

I have a 60 series LC and a semi-built 1st gen Sequoia for off-road/hunting, don't need this car to fill that role to any meaningful degree.

We have 6 kids (oldest is 16) and occasionally do long family road trips. Large roof box is somewhat of a given, but even with that the ability to toss some stuff behind the 3rd row for a day going to town or to the lake is really nice, and a week long or more trip typically has us stuffing a Suburban size vehicle with a rooftop box fairly full. I need to go check out a 2nd gen Sequoia, if there's a little bit more room behind that 3rd row it's probably enough.

If there was a Sequoia "XL" that was Suburban length, I would absolutely own one already and pay whatever Toyota Tax is needed vs a Ford/GM.

That makes a lot of sense. I tested out a second gen sequoia and it seemed pretty roomy behind the third row. I've never owned an American vehicle mostly because I come from a GMC family and my dad and brother have both seen very early transmission failures. It might be worth it if you can find a GM with an already rebuilt transmission. I know lots of people preemptively replace the bad torque converters which is the biggest issue as far as I know. Can't speak to Ford products at all

 

[180ls1]

I have a 60 series LC and a semi-built 1st gen Sequoia for off-road/hunting, don't need this car to fill that role to any meaningful degree.

We have 6 kids (oldest is 16) and occasionally do long family road trips. Large roof box is somewhat of a given, but even with that the ability to toss some stuff behind the 3rd row for a day going to town or to the lake is really nice, and a week long or more trip typically has us stuffing a Suburban size vehicle with a rooftop box fairly full. I need to go check out a 2nd gen Sequoia, if there's a little bit more room behind that 3rd row it's probably enough.

If there was a Sequoia "XL" that was Suburban length, I would absolutely own one already and pay whatever Toyota Tax is needed vs a Ford/GM.

They are nice but lack the headroom I needed (I'm 6'2").

The modern full size SUV market is a dumpster fire. I've been trying to replace my GX 470 for a while now but cant pull the trigger. I think we're going to get a minivan for family duties, they are still well made and incredibly comfortable. Some even come with a factory lift.

 

[Nuggynuggs]

They are nice but lack the headroom I needed (I'm 6'2").

The modern full size SUV market is a dumpster fire. I've been trying to replace my GX 470 for a while now but cant pull the trigger. I think we're going to get a minivan for family duties, they are still well made and incredibly comfortable. Some even come with a factory lift.

I'm also 6'2 with a 470 and I have nothing I'd really feed good about replacing it with. I will say I had a minivan for a while and it was incredible as a utility vehicle. For moving people its obviously the best and it made MTB trips to moab with friends so easy. We could put several bikes directly in without taking the wheels off and had all the space we needed for glamping gear. If I could justify a second vehicle I'd get another one

 

[eric1115]

I have a 2015 Suburban that i have put a 3 inch lift on and upgraded some suspension and other components. I have 238k miles on it and it runs like new. I expect I'll get another 200k out of the engine at least. If not I'll put a new engine in it. If I were to sell it I'd just buy another one so I may as well fix anything that goes wrong with it. That 5.3 engine is a piece of cake to work on and parts are cheap. I have atv's, a boat and 30' camp trailer that I tow with it many times a year. My son and I can sleep in the back of it when we go out and all of our gear stays dry. It's great. If I bought a pickup I would just put a topper on it anyway so in my mind the suburban is the best of both worlds.

Have you done anything to bulletproof or disable the AFM system? I've known multiple people who have had serious oil consumption and cam/lifter issues in '07+ motors.

I wouldn't mind a mid teens suburban or Yukon XL if I had confidence I wasn't buying a ticking time bomb. Transmissions seen hit or miss as well, but I haven't really dug into those issues since I had more or less written them off as a good option from talking to people who owned them, more than half said they would never buy another one.