Posted: 7/18/2006 11:04:52 AM EDT
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I'm in the market for a 4wd and need some advice on used vehicles. I'm looking for something to take to my farm for hunting and just for weekends shooting so I need lots of room for carrying stuff. I plan on using a hitch hauler to carry out the deer and pigs so I don't have to worry about getting the inside messy. I also plan on using it 4 or 5 times a year to haul a big trailer of firewood back from the farm to the house. A few times a year I'll use the same trailer to carry a small tractor back and forth. My last requirement is carrying my family of 6 once in a while i.e. for a day when the minivan is being serviced, of possibly for camping. My oldest about to turn 7 now and has been hunting a couple of days. In a very few years I'll have 3 to go hunting with me and then the carrying capacity becomes more important. I don't plan on using it for rock crawling, mud bogging, or other extreme 4wd use. Also, I don't plan on using it as a daily driver, except for a few days a year when my regular car or the minivan are being serviced, so low gas milage is not that big of a problem. I mention these two models because a quick search of local papers and dealers show the following: 2000 Excursion 4wd, 6.8L V10, 126k miles $11,000 1999 Chevy Suburban 3/4 ton 4wd, 7.4L V8, 111k miles, $10,000 How do those two compare in terms of long term use? I like to keep my cars and trucks at least 200k miles. How are they for the small things like reliability of the radio, power windows, etc? Are there any other options in that same price range? Were Tahoes and Expeditions available a few years ago with 3 rows of seats? I am open to other ideas like buying a 4wd pickup but the big SUV seems like it might have greater versitility. When the kids are out of car seats and booster seats I could cram them all into a 4 door cab pickup, but that will be at least 5 years down the road. Please help!! I'm looking for comparisons of the two trucks I listed above and for other options. Thanks for your help. |
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for your stated usage a diesel will never pay for itself. the V10 gets horrible mileage, like 10 to 12mpg in an Excursion. The Excursion is bigger and hauls more. the Suburban (at least 1/2 ton models) get 15 to 17mpg and are just fine for most things. there are many more Suburban's on teh road than Excursions, makes parts easier to get. Suburban's tend to start breaking down at the 150k mile mark, nothing major, but it starts eating you up. Transmissions are a weak point. I'd go Suburban. |
You do realise that the Excursion is nothing more than a F250 4dr pickup with a built in shell? Same for the Suburban and a Silverado. Either silverado or F250 crew cab will fit 3 baby seats in teh back. Both have the same access as the suburban or excursion. We fit 6 adults comfortably in crew cab silverados and F250's. Unless you are hauling 8-9 people, neither SUV is a 'necessity'. Pickup will have more versitility. Toss your kill in the bed. Doesnt need a hitch buddy rack. You can get more wood with a pickup since not only can you fill teh trailer, the bed is also there. Need to carry a tall item like a refridgerator? Some require them to be hauled verticle. Cant do that with a SUV. Need to have a cover over teh bed? Shells (which are removable if needed an open bed) or a tonneau cover which usually rolls up. Also most Suburbans and excusrions come with center buckets (popular option locally). |
My Dad has a 2004 F250 its a really nice truck (Diesel of course) It's a crew cab that is very spacious, its a short bed that has a cap on it, I dont like how the truck looks with the cab, it doesnt stick above it, its flat to it but it might just be the color of the truck (Wedgewood blue) but I will admit they are SO nice to have, just throw anything you want in the backand lock it up very nice for range trips up here cuz it rains quite a bit, I dont know if this helps you choice I just wanted to show off
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Fords and Dodge don't have problems with ground clearance. The Chevy frames sit low not the bumper. |
Doesnt the Excursion use the same parts as a F-250? I was trying to decide between a Suburban and Excursion 6 months back. Unfortunately our car died and we had to buy something quick. I found a nice Suburban and went that route. I'm still trying to decide if I want a Excursion. The Suburban is nice but its a 1500 and I wish it had a bit more power and solid front axle like the Excursion. |
Ford and Dodges bumpers are lower also than the last models. Excursions have an anti-ride bar under teh front bumper to keep it from driving over a small car. Was in the auto manufacturing business for 8 yrs. Ya be surprised what screwy regs are in teh FMVSS books. |
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Anyone know the differences in off road capability? I would think the solid front axle in the Excursion would be better. I know for a fact that there isn't a locker available for the 1500 Suburban front end because its not considered strong enough for it. However there is a locker available for the rear end. Anyone know if there is a locker available for the front and rear of an Excursion. On the Excursion parts similarity thing. I would think that the entire engine bay, drive line, suspension, etc would be the same as the F-250 trucks. |
The running gear and some of the sheet metal and all of the interior from the front seats forward are F-350 parts . That why I said model specific parts will be hard to get . Which is enough to take it off my list . |
I guess I was mainly thinking mechanical stuff. I've also been looking at some of the used F-250 Super Cab pick-ups. They are about the same price as a used Excursion. |
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On the Excursion: I can only comment on the superduty and the engine. I have a 99 F350 with the V10 and a bit over 100K miles through it. It has never had any problem of any kind, it does make alot less power than the newer ones though. I get about 13.5mpg average with my pickup being a supercab 4x4 long bed. It tows very well though and you hardly notice a trailer behind it. I would think the Excursion would last a good while. I have no real experience with the Chevy. We have a 2000 Expedition, it has the 3rd row seating as well but adults do not fit well in the rear seat. It's sized for kids in the far aft. I would rather have smaller (escape for mileage) or much larger ( excursion for room and towing) the Expedition is nice but too much of a compromise vehicle. The Expo has been trouble free since new 80K ish miles so far. |
Oh come on, you aren't taking either one of these off-road they are both 20' feet long and set to be comfy They are designed to go down dirt roads at most. |
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i have bought a new chevy every three years or so from 1989 and up. after i finish my father or someone known to me takes the car. they run great. have been ultra reliable and have gone thru 26 inches of snow, deep mud, sand. i have pulled cars out of dirt, mud HEAVY snow etc. i drove an excursion on a trip to N.H. and hated the ride. (front leaf springs) horrible mileage. i have friends that work for ford and they did not recommend ford trucks. 
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Yes but its nice to have the option. I guess I was wondering because I was curious which would make a better platform to build off of. |
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Just got a 2001 Suburban LS 1500 . Love it family has plenty of room, rides geat on the road. Wife didn't even know we going 85 mph on the freeway. Smooth quite ride, even up to 100mph. Been on dirt roads going up the mountians in the Sawtooth and it was great! Soaks up the bumps. Been 100 degrees out and going up the hills with a/c on high without the 5.3 Vortec temp not even moving up! Get one with "Barn door" back end , much better than the "hatchback" style. Also the split center seat, I took out the single passeger seat to allow easy access to the back seats. Still could carry 8 people if needed. But now can put a cooler for long trips for the kids to have access to. My brother has one for 5 years and uses it on his ranch year round in MT. He loves it. FORD.........I have had three of them, never again, transmissions are weak, and everything else just slowly will nickle and dime you to death!!!! eta: spelling |