Silverado or Suburban (2018)?

VictorLin0725 · January 14, 2019

Hi there, new to the forum here and was hoping to gain some wisom from you folks. I'm in a dilemma and am having a difficult time choosing between the Silverado or the Suburban. I'm currently a paramedic in the great white north and like to go fishing, hunting, mountain biking, etc. The space in both is more than enough for me but I'm wondering which is the better vehicle? Most of the gear I'll be carrying will need to be dry so If I do get a pickup I'll have to add a shell to the back. So the question is: do I buy a suburban or a silverado with a decked out bed (what functionality do I lose going either way)? I'll be daily driving this car/truck so it will need to be a great all rounder (city driving, long road trips, light offroad, driving empty, etc). Do I lose any ground clearance/off road capability if I get the suburban, and do I lose any creature comforts if I get the silverado? Specifically looking at the LT or the Suburban and the LTZ for the Silverado.

Bonus question: Do you think its worth upgrading to the GMC lineup? (ex: Yukon XL vs Sierra) They seem pretty similar give or take a few cosmetic things.

Would love some insight into this issue. Thanks in advance!

Mandalorian · January 16, 2019

Both are good options. If you're going to be carrying dirty bikes/equipment, a truck with a shell might make more sense because you can hose out the bed, although you can always put a tarp down in a Suburban. Both are great daily drivers, and I don't think you really lose any creature comforts between the two.

As for GMC, it's your choice. The differences are cosmetic.

VictorLin0725 · January 17, 2019

7 hours ago, Mandalorian said:

Both are good options. If you're going to be carrying dirty bikes/equipment, a truck with a shell might make more sense because you can hose out the bed, although you can always put a tarp down in a Suburban. Both are great daily drivers, and I don't think you really lose any creature comforts between the two.

As for GMC, it's your choice. The differences are cosmetic.

Ya it's a toss up really. How does the Suburban do in rough roads (city/country) with snow, mud, rain, and whatnot? I think I'm just afraid of scraping the front end on potholes, rocks, and curbs...

Mandalorian · January 17, 2019

Suburban has a front air dam spoiler that can and should be easily removed if you plan on doing anything beyond driving on a dirt road, the approach angle is terrible with it on.

Otherwise the ride depends on your suspension type and of course wheel size and tires. The Premier trim and Yukon Denali get the Magnetic suspension which is different than the lower trim levels. Likewise wheel size makes a big difference. In my experience with 20” wheels and Mag Ride on terrible New Jersey roads, the ride is fantastic. However, I’ve heard the optional (and common) 22s can make it a lot rougher.

I can’t speak for the suspension setup on lower trims.

Silverado of course has many different configurations that change specs, especially the Z71 package. Unfortunately for the Suburban, Z71 isn’t available on Premier trim (only LT) , but it can be had on LTZ Silverados.

VictorLin0725 · January 17, 2019

21 minutes ago, Mandalorian said:

Suburban has a front air dam spoiler that can and should be easily removed if you plan on doing anything beyond driving on a dirt road, the approach angle is terrible with it on.

Otherwise the ride depends on your suspension type and of course wheel size and tires. The Premier trim and Yukon Denali get the Magnetic suspension which is different than the lower trim levels. Likewise wheel size makes a big difference. In my experience with 20” wheels and Mag Ride on terrible New Jersey roads, the ride is fantastic. However, I’ve heard the optional (and common) 22s can make it a lot rougher.

I can’t speak for the suspension setup on lower trims.

Silverado of course has many different configurations that change specs, especially the Z71 package. Unfortunately for the Suburban, Z71 isn’t available on Premier trim (only LT) , but it can be had on LTZ Silverados.

Ah gotcha. Is the Z71 package supposed to make the ride stiffer or softer? I guess different manufactures make offoad versions differently, where Fox makes it silky smooth others make it rock hard.

Mandalorian · January 17, 2019

23 minutes ago, VictorLin0725 said:

Ah gotcha. Is the Z71 package supposed to make the ride stiffer or softer? I guess different manufactures make offoad versions differently, where Fox makes it silky smooth others make it rock hard.

I couldn’t tell you, but I haven’t heard any complaints. I don’t think it really changes the on-road ride much, the best way to find out is take a test drive.

From what I know the biggest factor for ride quality is rim size.

One other thing to keep in mind with Suburbans is not all of them come with 2-speed transfer cases. That requires the Max Tow package which is a $500 option. I wouldn’t buy one without it.

VictorLin0725 · January 17, 2019

19 hours ago, Mandalorian said:

I couldn’t tell you, but I haven’t heard any complaints. I don’t think it really changes the on-road ride much, the best way to find out is take a test drive.

From what I know the biggest factor for ride quality is rim size.

One other thing to keep in mind with Suburbans is not all of them come with 2-speed transfer cases. That requires the Max Tow package which is a $500 option. I wouldn’t buy one without it.

Thanks for the input. Just one last thing...does the third row of your Suburban recline? I've always wondered if it did.

JimCost2014 · January 18, 2019

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 7:27 PM, VictorLin0725 said:

Ah gotcha. Is the Z71 package supposed to make the ride stiffer or softer? I guess different manufactures make offoad versions differently, where Fox makes it silky smooth others make it rock hard.

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 7:50 PM, Mandalorian said:

I couldn’t tell you, but I haven’t heard any complaints. I don’t think it really changes the on-road ride much, the best way to find out is take a test drive.

From what I know the biggest factor for ride quality is rim size.

One other thing to keep in mind with Suburbans is not all of them come with 2-speed transfer cases. That requires the Max Tow package which is a $500 option. I wouldn’t buy one without it.

Z71 is a firmer quality of ride, because of the shocks. Depending on the trim level, the wheel size is a moot point because of the shocks and tires that are used make the ride quality very smooth. LTZ comes with the 2 speed transfer case (4 low) and does not need the max tow package. If you want the best of both worlds (it does cost more) go with the LTZ, more bells and whistles on the interior, exterior, and drive train (4 wheel drive system).

99silveradoz71 · January 18, 2019

I think the main question would be what you tend to haul usually- people or gear?

VictorLin0725 · January 18, 2019

26 minutes ago, 99silveradoz71 said:

I think the main question would be what you tend to haul usually- people or gear?

Mainly I ride alone with gear. But the gear I haul (tool bags, trauma kits, rifles, etc) are small and need to stay dry. That's why I think either the Silverado w/shell or Suburban will work fine. Since I work in the city it will see a lot of city roads with the drive to work being mostly rural country roads with a mix of highway driving. I'll haul the occasional friends out but the Silverado should be ok for that. Just wondering if a Suburban is basically a Silverado with a Leer shell?

The Zip · January 18, 2019

1 hour ago, VictorLin0725 said:

Just wondering if a Suburban is basically a Silverado with a Leer shell?

Lil bit more than a Silverado with a shell. One difference with the Suburban, you can haul tool bags, trauma kits, rifles, etc, and the occasional friends comfortably; at the same time. A specialized box made for your gear that fits squarely in the third row of the Suburban would be perfect.

swathdiver · January 18, 2019

The Z71 package is made for off-road and has springs and Rancho shocks that are tuned for going off road and such does provide for a stiffer ride. They all ride a little stiff/bumpy until you put some weight on the rear axle anyhow.

A 4WD Suburban can go anywhere a 4WD Silverado can go when similarly equipped.

i82much · January 18, 2019

most of us probably should have gotten a silverado and a vasectomy before the suburban became necessary ...

Mandalorian · January 18, 2019

16 hours ago, VictorLin0725 said:

Thanks for the input. Just one last thing...does the third row of your Suburban recline? I've always wondered if it did.

No, it does not. I think it’s because of the power folding mechanism.

K2xxSteve · January 22, 2019

If you're not routinely hauling more than 4-5 passengers, I'm not sure why you'd want a Suburban? I'd just get a Silverado and lockable storage or a cap for the bed, or a Tahoe? I think a similarly equipped Suburban is about $10k more expensive than a Silverado. Off-road capability with the Suburban is very limited also. You'll have to pull off the front lip spoiler unless you get a Z71 Suburban, but even then you're still limited due to the terrible breakover angle because of the long wheelbase. You really can't do any serious off-roading with a Suburban without getting a lift. So I would get a Silverado (or a Tahoe if it has enough cargo space) if I were in your shoes.