Any Advantage to a Suburban over a Tahoe/Yukon???...

[Pinger]

If a suburban is good an Express/Savanna van is even better. Suburban is selling yourself short.

Suburban is easier to work on - no?
Particular to where I am (UK), a van would have a lower speed limit (50mph). Get caught doing 81mph in a 70mph and on account of being 30mph over the limit, an immediate driving ban is imposed. In a Suburban that would only net 3 penalty points. (The ban comes at 12). The same probably applies to pick-ups but I'd need to check to be sure.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

If a suburban is good an Express/Savanna van is even better. Suburban is selling yourself short.

4WD Express/Savanas are not very common, and up here in the snow/ice/mud country I live in...it's necessary. I have 1.5mi of poorly maintained rock road before I see pavement.

I know for a travel rig, full-size vans are awesome. We had a big conversion Econoline back in the 80s. Just doesn't suit my needs anymore with just the 2 boys at home.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Suburban is easier to work on - no?
Particular to where I am (UK), a van would have a lower speed limit (50mph). Get caught doing 81mph in a 70mph and on account of being 30mph over the limit, an immediate driving ban is imposed. In a Suburban that would only net 3 penalty points. (The ban comes at 12). The same probably applies to pick-ups but I'd need to check to be sure.

The van is not as bad as you would think and actually easier in some ways and some things.

 

[95burban]

Vans are awesome. I like conversion vans with fancy lights and a big tv. Perfect road tripper.

 

[Cadillac Bob]

Random thoughts...

From the ones I've seen in the treasure yards, I'm left with the impression the Tahoes commonly got the 10" rear drums and the Suburbans (always?) got 11" drums. (I could be very wrong, here, @SUBURBAN5)

For some reason I'm thinking the L31 Tahoes typically got 3.73 gears and L31 Suburbans got 3.42. Others may comment (as @SUBURBAN5 did prior). Otherwise, it's something to look for.

On the Suburban it's easier IMHO to get in and out of the back seat w/o the intrusion of the rear wheel well into the leg area.

The Suburban's 8" bed comes in handy.

Honestly it’s the same room because rear seat is in same location vs further back only bigger door opening I guess you could say is easier but I know from years of experience with both types but leg room is the same that’s why newer Gm SUV’s last 2 gens are different because they don’t share rear doors with pickups as was always the case up to gmt 900’s. Yes ride will be smoother because of the length mpg idk it always seemed the same. But this is pretty much the usual case that suburbans are in better shape taken care of more and lived in/at same family longer usually burb buyer was more well off as they were top dog of biggest vehicles on the road at that time!! So owners had business’ or second homes big families etc.. that justified the extra expense of burb over a Tahoe/Yukon! And the nameplate was more prestigious then as was top dog. No luxury full size SUV’s range rovers are big now but we’re more what’s considered midsize now then. But that’s a separate storylol! but you should buy a burb vs Tahoe Yukon for the simple fact that IMHO more burb sellers are like vette sellers attached to they vehicle and want a good home and more are just generally in better shape with things working. IMHO lol

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

About 9yrs ago we were in Charlotte for some races and drove the Suburban. A friend of mine needed some help returning some worn parts, so we put the Suburban to task.

Size matters.

A short block, two pairs of heads, headers, and some misc parts all fit nicely in the vast expanse of rear cargo area, shielded from the elements. Tie downs to the cargo hooks in the bed helped secure the short block and its dolly.

All our own personal stuff got thrown-in on top.

It would have been tight in a Tahoe, if even do-able.

 

[Cadillac Bob]

You’d be surprised what you can fit into a Escalade/Tahoe/Yukon if you pack it in right and that’s even with me toting around a tool kit and other things along with my cargo shade I’ve put a whole china cabinet in mine it barely fit but it was width not depth. But like I said suburbans are/were more taken care of from this era because of how Gm food chain was set up at the time and spending 45-55k on a utility vehicle per say was a big sum of money then as that’s Cadillac money for a truck necessarily and not until the excursion came and went was the suburban out sized but we all know how long that lasted but that’s going into gmt800 territory. But in general older buyers were the ones buying the burbans life was different in the late nineties suburbans were status symbols they still are but not like the 400’s they are the last of the line to be truly that a symbol of living the good life you look back at old videos only people driving burbans had money from the 60’s-99. That all changed when gmt800’s came technically 400 Escalades/Denali’s because now they’re was a premium suv vs just the couple options and size. Alnow I was told this so don’t shoot me down if I’m wrong but 400’s are the last to have they’re own suburban frame not built on a truck frame as 800’s onward are. But all in all go for a suburban vs Tahoe/Yukon simply because they are easier to find in really good condition.

 

[95burban]

About 9yrs ago we were in Charlotte for some races and drove the Suburban. A friend of mine needed some help returning some worn parts, so we put the Suburban to task.

Size matters.

A short block, two pairs of heads, headers, and some misc parts all fit nicely in the vast expanse of rear cargo area, shielded from the elements. Tie downs to the cargo hooks in the bed helped secure the short block and its dolly.

All our own personal stuff got thrown-in on top.

It would have been tight in a Tahoe, if even do-able.

Looks like an all aluminum hemi blower motor with two mags?

 

[Erik the Awful]

If a suburban is good an Express/Savanna van is even better. Suburban is selling yourself short.

Vans are awesome. I like conversion vans with fancy lights and a big tv. Perfect road tripper.

I have long legs, and I've never driven a van that had as good legroom nor driving position as a Suburban. The doghouse is just too much of a compromise for me. I agree that vans are awesome, and I would totally prefer one if I could get past the seating position.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I have long legs, and I've never driven a van that had as good legroom nor driving position as a Suburban. The doghouse is just too much of a compromise for me. I agree that vans are awesome, and I would totally prefer one if I could get past the seating position.

I am 6' tall and my dad was 6'3. Neither of us ever had an issue in a conversion van. I could see the GM seats having a problem but a 7' tall guy could drive my conversion van comfortably. On long trips my feet are on the floor while cruise hums along at the set speed. The conversion companies typically move the seats back from the dash and have long tracks for ample adjustment and also away from the vans centerline giving alot more driver comfort.