I've posted a few threads here and there about my dilemma. I figured a more concise thread is in order.
I've got a relatively stock/original 1999 GMC Yukon SLT 4x4. I am the third owner, the previous owner was a mechanic and seems to have taken pretty decent care of it.
Here's what I got from him when I bought it in July 2013 for $3,400 :
-163k miles
-Original motor and transmission
-He said something about have the heads rebuilt but nothing specific. The motor runs well and burns a quart every 1,500 miles.
-He said he had serviced the transmission every 50k miles. The transmission shifts well and doesn't do anything funky.
-New front brakes within 10k miles of my purchase
-New 265/75/16 tires and wheels within 30k miles of my purchase
-He didn't tell me about any accidents, nor did I ask. There is evidence of a partial respray on the top of the passenger doors and the SLT badge on the side. This was noticed by a body shop guy when I asked about some clear coat that is failing.
-I think he may have fixed the transfer case for the known wear issue. I say this because the bolts in the case look like they have been removed and reinstalled.
Here's what I've done since I bought it:
-New oil cooler lines, o-ring on the oil filter adapter, o-ring/gasket on the oil pickup sensor(?) and both front axle seals ($1,200).
-New cat (~200) and O2 sensor ($45)
-New wiring harness between steering column and firewall ($600)
-New front main gasket/seal ($200)
-New ball joints (4) and sway bar links ($800)
-Transmission service, both differentials and transfer case ($225)
-Rear backup camera ($100)
-Front seat covers ($165)
-Z71 transfer case plate ($50)
-New head unit and 4 speakers ($400)
Here's what I "need" to do if I'm going to keep the truck:
-Have the paint fixed that I noted above. I don't want it to start rusting. (~$400)
-Replace all shocks with new (~$250)
-Replace all 4 tires with new (~$600)
-Replace door hinge pins a second time (~$100)
-Add overloads or airbags to the rear (~$300)
-Fix master window switch (~$50)
I'm thinking these upgrades may help my desire for more power:
-Better exhaust (~$300)
-Better intake (~$250)
-Cam? (~$300)
What I bought the truck for is towing my camper which weighs about 4,500lbs. It did well enough on my 5,600 mile trip to Maine and back from Colorado with me, my wife and our dog on the way out, plus my mother-in-law and niece on the way home. I have gone West on one trip, up to about 9,500 feet, and it did OK.
What I'm torn about is keeping this truck and putting the money into or, or selling it and "upgrading" to a 2005ish and do upgrades to it. My main thought behind "upgrading" is to get a lower mileage Tahoe/Yukon with the 5.3l engine. I don't tow a heavy load, but I'd like to tow what I have easier. So, it comes down to either making some more power with what I have or replacing it with something newer that has better numbers from the beginning.
I know I run the risk of having mechanical troubles with either my truck or the next one at any time given the mileage. I've thought about going to a 383 motor if/when my 350 fails, but I'm not going to do that until it is necessary. There's also the chance that other things will break, regardless of what I have. Everything on my truck is high mileage...
So, all that said, what do you all recommend I do? How much of a change can I expect with the 3 performance upgrades I listed? I'm using a budget of about $10k if I sell and buy a different vehicle.
I've got a relatively stock/original 1999 GMC Yukon SLT 4x4. I am the third owner, the previous owner was a mechanic and seems to have taken pretty decent care of it.
Here's what I got from him when I bought it in July 2013 for $3,400 :
-163k miles
-Original motor and transmission
-He said something about have the heads rebuilt but nothing specific. The motor runs well and burns a quart every 1,500 miles.
-He said he had serviced the transmission every 50k miles. The transmission shifts well and doesn't do anything funky.
-New front brakes within 10k miles of my purchase
-New 265/75/16 tires and wheels within 30k miles of my purchase
-He didn't tell me about any accidents, nor did I ask. There is evidence of a partial respray on the top of the passenger doors and the SLT badge on the side. This was noticed by a body shop guy when I asked about some clear coat that is failing.
-I think he may have fixed the transfer case for the known wear issue. I say this because the bolts in the case look like they have been removed and reinstalled.
Here's what I've done since I bought it:
-New oil cooler lines, o-ring on the oil filter adapter, o-ring/gasket on the oil pickup sensor(?) and both front axle seals ($1,200).
-New cat (~200) and O2 sensor ($45)
-New wiring harness between steering column and firewall ($600)
-New front main gasket/seal ($200)
-New ball joints (4) and sway bar links ($800)
-Transmission service, both differentials and transfer case ($225)
-Rear backup camera ($100)
-Front seat covers ($165)
-Z71 transfer case plate ($50)
-New head unit and 4 speakers ($400)
Here's what I "need" to do if I'm going to keep the truck:
-Have the paint fixed that I noted above. I don't want it to start rusting. (~$400)
-Replace all shocks with new (~$250)
-Replace all 4 tires with new (~$600)
-Replace door hinge pins a second time (~$100)
-Add overloads or airbags to the rear (~$300)
-Fix master window switch (~$50)
I'm thinking these upgrades may help my desire for more power:
-Better exhaust (~$300)
-Better intake (~$250)
-Cam? (~$300)
What I bought the truck for is towing my camper which weighs about 4,500lbs. It did well enough on my 5,600 mile trip to Maine and back from Colorado with me, my wife and our dog on the way out, plus my mother-in-law and niece on the way home. I have gone West on one trip, up to about 9,500 feet, and it did OK.
What I'm torn about is keeping this truck and putting the money into or, or selling it and "upgrading" to a 2005ish and do upgrades to it. My main thought behind "upgrading" is to get a lower mileage Tahoe/Yukon with the 5.3l engine. I don't tow a heavy load, but I'd like to tow what I have easier. So, it comes down to either making some more power with what I have or replacing it with something newer that has better numbers from the beginning.
I know I run the risk of having mechanical troubles with either my truck or the next one at any time given the mileage. I've thought about going to a 383 motor if/when my 350 fails, but I'm not going to do that until it is necessary. There's also the chance that other things will break, regardless of what I have. Everything on my truck is high mileage...
So, all that said, what do you all recommend I do? How much of a change can I expect with the 3 performance upgrades I listed? I'm using a budget of about $10k if I sell and buy a different vehicle.
