Silverado or Suburban (2018)?

VictorLin0725 · January 16, 2019

11 hours ago, Ira1976 said:

I'm not going to pretend that I know much about trailer brakes except that they can be installed aftermarket, or how important that 3:42 axle actually is especially if you're only going to be towing a few times a year . I wouldn't opt for any of those so called suspension upgrades like magnetic ride or air, a headache down the line , I wouldn't be afraid of it either , those can be converted to a standard suspension pretty easily, Arnot , Rancho , Bilstein have some great deals and they out perform oem.

Let's talk reliability lol . I've seen the good ,bad and ugly over the 166k , I can tell You what's going to fail at exactly what mileage . I use mine for a luxury car service, drive with the seats and cargo at capacity all the time and dont have any complaints of the performance under heavy load btw. I know plenty of other guys doing the same , we all repair the same exact things at the same mileage , just keep an ac condenser stabilizer links and brake vacuum pump handy after 60k, til you enter the wonderful world of rods and lifters at 100k. Dont get me wrong, it's a reliable vehicle, but you'll be replacing things you'd never expect to fail , and get a long life out of parts that you would . If you want superior reliability then buy a Land Cruiser.... yeah I said it, just keepin it real.

Oh yeah , and the suburban is due for a redesign for 2020 , so might wanna keep that in mind since itll be available in another 8 months .

Nothing beats a good old american SUV in my books so won't be going to Toyota anytime soon. Since the suburban and the silverado share the same platform I'm guessing the issues you listed goes for the trucks too. Is the A/C condenser something you can fix by yourself on the side of the road or is it a major repair?

crushNchowda · January 16, 2019

My opinion is that if you do not need to haul around a group of grown men/family regularly then a truck makes more sense. For starters mechanically/architecturally they're nearly the same vehicle, get made on the same assembly line, yet you get a $8-$10k upcharge for another row of seats, lower towing capability, & no bed - that is all gravy for GM, always has been. The intrinsic value of the 2 vehicles based on the sum of the parts + R&D is nearly equal....so I'd prefer to not overpay GM if I don't have to.

The first 2 rows of cabin space in the 1/2 ton pickups > first 2 rows in the Suburban

If you don't have a huge family or a contracting crew regularly riding around w/ ya I've found my "need" for a 3rd row is once in a blue moon relative to the amount of times I'm glad I have a pickup w/ a bed to throw stuff in.

The pickups are a little lighter, handle better, feel sportier. You can get deeper gears in the pickup vs. the suburban if you want. Pickups look cool w/ a level or lift & bigger tires + increases your offroad/snow driving ability....suburbans look "weird" when they're lifted and/or run w/ big tires.

not apples to apples, but while I drive a CC sierra my wife has an MDX, we've had it for 4 years. I think we've used the 3rd row twice in that time span & I have a 3.5 year old and a dog lol, sometimes I even forget its there, its always folded down. Bet you'd do the same. If you DO intend to try & use a suburban like a truck when it comes to hauling stuff in the back you WILL "destroy" that section of the interior ultimately no matter how careful you are if you actually try & haul some of the same stuff the carpet/sides/headliner will get soiled/torn/scuffed.

crushNchowda · January 16, 2019

On 1/14/2019 at 9:38 PM, VictorLin0725 said:

It's a little difficult for me becuase I ride 80% by myself and carry my GF once in a while for errands and such. The thing that is a struggle for me is that I regulary make 500 miles trips (monthly) which the suburban would be awesome at but still want the utility (and manliness) of the truck haha. Coming from a crossover I guess I'm just a little freaked out that my gear is going to be disconnected from my cabin and exposed to the elements. How would you say your silverado handles on the freeway for long distances? Also what colour is your truck, that looks awesome!

I'll also chime in w/ this: I'm either using my truck for quick errands around my neighborhood, OR I'm taking it on LONG road trips (in sales but work from home) - it would be routine for me to drive straight to Philly from Boston & back in the span of 2 days. The truck is PLENTY comfortable for me as far as that goes. I go into some of the worst parts of the worst cities for my job #1) the "urban jungle" is actually a great place for a slight lifted truck w/ beefier tires, while you may not be trudging through muddy backroads I AM hopping up on curbs/medians to get around infuriating NYC traffic to make a right on red, caring less about destroying my front end/wheel on the numerous potholes (& absorbing the impacts in general much better), & for lack of a better word a truck in congested city traffic allows you "muscle" your way around if you know what I mean.

#2) as far as gear in the bed is concerned I have a Advantage hard-hat tri-fold cover (same or similar to the GM version) & while yeah you could use a crowbar/heavy duty saw/knife to get through it, once its tightly secured & I lock my tailgate its just as secure, if not more so, than leaving stuff in the back of an SUV anyone could look through the window to see if its valuable & subsequently smash & grab quicker & easier than sawing through or prying open my tonneau.

I get NO WATER leakage w/ this cover. None. Zero. There are others less water tight but more low profile & there are so many options & variations for rolling, solid, locking, folding etc. tonneaus the list is endless you'll find one that suits your needs well.

The new trucks have lighting in the bed which is nice.

2017Darkness · January 16, 2019

I would recommend the truck for what you are looking for. Check out some of the bed drawer storage systems for your guns and whatnot...pretty cool, I personally can't justify them, but sounds perfect for you. The first time you stink up the interior of your Sub you will regret it from there on.

VictorLin0725 · January 17, 2019

deleted

VictorLin0725 · January 17, 2019

8 hours ago, crushNchowda said:

My opinion is that if you do not need to haul around a group of grown men/family regularly then a truck makes more sense. For starters mechanically/architecturally they're nearly the same vehicle, get made on the same assembly line, yet you get a $8-$10k upcharge for another row of seats, lower towing capability, & no bed - that is all gravy for GM, always has been. The intrinsic value of the 2 vehicles based on the sum of the parts + R&D is nearly equal....so I'd prefer to not overpay GM if I don't have to.

The first 2 rows of cabin space in the 1/2 ton pickups > first 2 rows in the Suburban

If you don't have a huge family or a contracting crew regularly riding around w/ ya I've found my "need" for a 3rd row is once in a blue moon relative to the amount of times I'm glad I have a pickup w/ a bed to throw stuff in.

The pickups are a little lighter, handle better, feel sportier. You can get deeper gears in the pickup vs. the suburban if you want. Pickups look cool w/ a level or lift & bigger tires + increases your offroad/snow driving ability....suburbans look "weird" when they're lifted and/or run w/ big tires.

not apples to apples, but while I drive a CC sierra my wife has an MDX, we've had it for 4 years. I think we've used the 3rd row twice in that time span & I have a 3.5 year old and a dog lol, sometimes I even forget its there, its always folded down. Bet you'd do the same. If you DO intend to try & use a suburban like a truck when it comes to hauling stuff in the back you WILL "destroy" that section of the interior ultimately no matter how careful you are if you actually try & haul some of the same stuff the carpet/sides/headliner will get soiled/torn/scuffed.

7 hours ago, crushNchowda said:

I'll also chime in w/ this: I'm either using my truck for quick errands around my neighborhood, OR I'm taking it on LONG road trips (in sales but work from home) - it would be routine for me to drive straight to Philly from Boston & back in the span of 2 days. The truck is PLENTY comfortable for me as far as that goes. I go into some of the worst parts of the worst cities for my job #1) the "urban jungle" is actually a great place for a slight lifted truck w/ beefier tires, while you may not be trudging through muddy backroads I AM hopping up on curbs/medians to get around infuriating NYC traffic to make a right on red, caring less about destroying my front end/wheel on the numerous potholes (& absorbing the impacts in general much better), & for lack of a better word a truck in congested city traffic allows you "muscle" your way around if you know what I mean.

#2) as far as gear in the bed is concerned I have a Advantage hard-hat tri-fold cover (same or similar to the GM version) & while yeah you could use a crowbar/heavy duty saw/knife to get through it, once its tightly secured & I lock my tailgate its just as secure, if not more so, than leaving stuff in the back of an SUV anyone could look through the window to see if its valuable & subsequently smash & grab quicker & easier than sawing through or prying open my tonneau.

I get NO WATER leakage w/ this cover. None. Zero. There are others less water tight but more low profile & there are so many options & variations for rolling, solid, locking, folding etc. tonneaus the list is endless you'll find one that suits your needs well.

The new trucks have lighting in the bed which is nice.

7 hours ago, 2017Darkness said:

I would recommend the truck for what you are looking for. Check out some of the bed drawer storage systems for your guns and whatnot...pretty cool, I personally can't justify them, but sounds perfect for you. The first time you stink up the interior of your Sub you will regret it from there on.

Appreciate all the input guys. I was originally 100% set on the truck but when I started thinking about the things I'm adding on- Hardtop shell, Decked drawer system, maybe a bedrug ontop for my bags, gear, rifles, whatnot...I realized I'm basically converting my "hypothetical" truck into an SUV. That's when I saw the Burbs and Yukons on the road and thought to myself why go through the hassle of putting a shell and carpeting in the truck when there's an SUV available. Will miss the spray down/utility feature of a truck bed though. Right now I think I'll just have to drive them both again and try to make up my mind. I'll be buying used so maybe that will also be a factor depending on what deal I can get on each! As a side note, I personally find the 2014-2015 Silverados to be the best looking. Something about the front end just looks tough and solid. Are there any year of Silverados I should AVOID?

Cpl_Punishment · January 19, 2019

On 2019-01-16 at 6:59 PM, VictorLin0725 said:

Appreciate all the input guys. I was originally 100% set on the truck but when I started thinking about the things I'm adding on- Hardtop shell, Decked drawer system, maybe a bedrug ontop for my bags, gear, rifles, whatnot...I realized I'm basically converting my "hypothetical" truck into an SUV. That's when I saw the Burbs and Yukons on the road and thought to myself why go through the hassle of putting a shell and carpeting in the truck when there's an SUV available. Will miss the spray down/utility feature of a truck bed though. Right now I think I'll just have to drive them both again and try to make up my mind. I'll be buying used so maybe that will also be a factor depending on what deal I can get on each! As a side note, I personally find the 2014-2015 Silverados to be the best looking. Something about the front end just looks tough and solid. Are there any year of Silverados I should AVOID?

I wouldn't say "avoid" but the 2014-2015 don't have good headlights on the lower tim levels (LT and lower), so if you're not going for an LTZ or higher, consider looking at a 2016-2018 (headlights upgraded in 2016) or a Sierra (which have better headlights on all trims).

VictorLin0725 · January 19, 2019

Might just get a truck for the badassness of owning a truck haha. I'd feel to much like a taxi or a mom driving around in an SUV anyways. Still single so have the freedom to choose whatever I want. I think I'm set on a 2016 Silverado LTZ Midnight Edition. Looks pretty sleek!

unhappy camper · January 19, 2019

When I was looking at the suburban I was disappointed to find the the back of them no longer have a flat area. it has a slope to it and the seats are not the removable kind. They probably can be, but you would have to remove the filler they put in it or build a platform to make it completely level. And make sure you test drive whatever you get very completely. Look for the info on the Chevy shake in these and other forums before purchasing anything!!! If it has any shake to it, dont let the sellers try to convince you it is just due to flat spots from sitting etc. DO your homework. they are amazing vehicles for sure. but if you end up with this shake it ruins any excitement for buying something new. Hope this helps. and good luck!

unhappy camper · January 19, 2019

1 hour ago, VictorLin0725 said:

Might just get a truck for the badassness of owning a truck haha. I'd feel to much like a taxi or a mom driving around in an SUV anyways. Still single so have the freedom to choose whatever I want. I think I'm set on a 2016 Silverado LTZ Midnight Edition. Looks pretty sleek!

please read my post if you haven't already purchased something

VictorLin0725 · January 19, 2019

1 hour ago, unhappy camper said:

please read my post if you haven't already purchased something

Hey thanks for the help! I'll definetly look into that on my test drives. So the Suburban is not flat? From photos I've seen online it seems to be pretty flat at least with the third row down...

unhappy camper · January 19, 2019

27 minutes ago, VictorLin0725 said:

Hey thanks for the help! I'll definetly look into that on my test drives. So the Suburban is not flat? From photos I've seen online it seems to be pretty flat at least with the third row down...

unfortunately its not, has a slight slope and that is one of the biggest complaints for the interior. some of the ladies that won them said they didnt like it because if they buy groceries and put them back there they slide to the tailgate and sometimes falls on the ground or sometimes putting kids stuff there does the same. not a smart idea at all. older ones do from what i have been told tho. I wanted one for traveling and to sleep back there on occasion. would be ok for that but not what I wanted. online is deceiving for sure. best of luck in your search. if you haven't, read the shake and vibration thread on this forum for these years of vehicles. something you really need to watch for. I have been fight issues for over a month on a brand new silverado. wish i had found this info before i purchased to at least be informed about it.

VictorLin0725 · January 19, 2019

6 minutes ago, unhappy camper said:

unfortunately its not, has a slight slope and that is one of the biggest complaints for the interior. some of the ladies that won them said they didnt like it because if they buy groceries and put them back there they slide to the tailgate and sometimes falls on the ground or sometimes putting kids stuff there does the same. not a smart idea at all. older ones do from what i have been told tho. I wanted one for traveling and to sleep back there on occasion. would be ok for that but not what I wanted. online is deceiving for sure. best of luck in your search. if you haven't, read the shake and vibration thread on this forum for these years of vehicles. something you really need to watch for. I have been fight issues for over a month on a brand new silverado. wish i had found this info before i purchased to at least be informed about it.

Thanks for the heads up. Hope you get your problem solved.

VictorLin0725 · January 20, 2019

Alright thank you guys for all the help. I'm going to go down to a few dealers and see if I can strike a deal on a 2016 Silverado LTZ Midnight Edition. Should come out to about $55 000 CAD. I personally think it looks awesome (especially all black) and the handling was really nice on my test drive. One thing that drew me away from the Yukon XL was the fact that there are so many women driving them (not kidding). I haven't seen a single guy driving it on the road (unless it was a taxi) which kind of turned me off. I'm not someone that really cares about the image my car shows but I don't think I want to be driving in an SUV looking like either a taxi or a snobby rich guy haha. I'll put a 2 in lift + leveling kit on my new Silverado and it should look perfect!

NWI Denali · January 20, 2019

Get a Suburban if you want the 7 passenger seating. That's the main thing that differentiates it from pickups. Don't get it because you are afraid to have your gear separate from the cabin. You can do plenty of bed organization systems with a topper.