‘00 Suburban LT 2500 (Gas) vs. ‘01 Excursion Limited (Diesel)

Decisions, decisions.

Okay, I presently own the 2000 Suburban LT 2500 (6 Liter). The Burb has approx 140k +/- miles on it. I’m the second owner, with the first owner being a very good friend who took excellent care of it and just put on highway miles. While the transmission sometimes shifts a little hard, there are no major issues with it (except 3 of the 4 windows motors have crapped the bucket). It tows my 6 x 12 trailer (with 2 race bikes, pit bike, tools and spares) back and forth about 500 mi to the track around 8-10 a season with no issues. I also use it to travel to and from work about 130 mi when it snows, maybe 7x a year. My wife also likes when we take it out on the weekends to run errands. Without the trailer and babying it at like maybe 60 mph I can actually get about 18-19 mpg.

I’ve been presented with an opportunity to purchase a 2001 diesel Excursion Limited (7.3 Liter). The Excursion has approx 170k +/- miles on it. I would also be the second owner of the Excursion ... the first owner is also a very good friend. Within the last 400 mi the front end was completely redone (upper, lower, bearings, bla, bla) and the rear universals were also replaced. The Excursion was basically a “soccer mom” vehicle and used to take the kids to the ski resorts on weekends. The Excursion was very well maintained by the owner’s own truck/diesel fleet mechanics. The current owners love the truck and the only reason they are letting it go is because they are buying a 2004 diesel Excursion with 34k mi.

I've had no experience with owning a diesel. So my dilemma ... assuming purchase price for the Excursion is not a factor (i.e., sale of the Burb and purchase of the Excursion is a wash), should I just keep the 2000 Suburban LT 2500 or go for the 2001 Excursion Limited diesel?

Interested in your thoughts, concerns, factors I should be considering and looking at, what are the :up: / :down: points to both, etc... Please discuss.

 

my thoughts here. You have to see if its worth it too you. with the diesel have 140k miles that motor is just gettin broken in. and has the potential to run for a very long time. Also even though your burb pulls your trailer relatively easy now its a lot more wear and tear on that truck now as the diesel will have no problem. Also where i am located diesel is about 40 cents more a gallon than regular. another thing to think of. Is it worth the extra money to you to spend it thats up to you?

 

The 7.3L PowerStroke is a fantastic motor, about as bullet proof as they can get. Pulling a 6x12 enclosed with a couple bikes in it would be pretty light duty for that motor and drive train so i don't think you'd have to worry too much about being too hard on it.

Not that 140K on the Burb is a lot, but the difference between gas and diesel could be a factor. That motor might be getting tired?

 

I have a '97 2500 Suburban, and really like the truck. That said, would I swap for a 7.3 diesel Excursion?

In a heartbeat.

On those windows, check the switches. They get dirty and stop working. Try pushing really hard while wiggling it and see if it will work.

 

while the 7.3 engine maybe bullet proof... it likes to consume injectors and pumps.
That can get pricey.

If you can get it for under $8k... do it.

 

Yup, on average, diesel is about +/- 30 cents more a gallon than regular. This is one of those factors I'm trying to weigh in the grand scheme of things. However, when hauling the trailer, I figure the diesel's mpg would be less impacted, no?

I've heard the 7.3L PowerStroke is a great, bullet proof motor ... but how about the transmissions that are in the '01 Excursion? They've told me they haven't had any issues, but is there anything to look for?

I'd like to keep and be able to use either one for a while (an additional 3-5 + years [crosses fingers]).

As for the windows on the Suburban, I've tried everything short of taking the switches out and testing them ... which I guess I should just do. Since the motors are such a common problem I figured I would just replace them anyway.

Kurt~ Why would you swap in a heartbeat?

Yes, I believe I can get it for under $8k.

Please tell me more about the consumption of injectors and pumps....

 

agreed. plus its a ford get a duramax if you want a diesel just kidding tho. but seriously is it worth it to have 2 trucks?



I would have already bought it

 

Ha, ha ... I've looked at those places that will install a diesel w/ transmission into Suburbans. That might be a hard sell for the wifey though. While it would be nice to have both trucks, the diveway would be a little too crowded. If I got the Excursion, the Suburban would go up on the auction block.

 

from the 2 trucks we have the drive all over FL with crew/trailer... the biggest issue we've had is injector failure and pump failure.
At first it was onesy twosy. Dont let a dealer service it... find a qualified diesel mechanic/specialist that will keep you running.

 

oh i thought i read that you were keeping both. depending on how much you can get for the burb i would do it.

 

I've had a Yukon and Suburban, and have never had a window motor go bad. Lots of switches, though.

Why would I swap? I towed my toy hauler with SmokeSignalRT's Cummins, that's why.

Trailers get bigger, and towing my toy hauler with a full load is getting close to it's power limits. I looked at sticking a diesel in mine, but a concern is that with the stroke of a pen you suddenly have an expensive vehicle you can no longer register/drive.

 

For puposes of the discussion, I was operating under the assumption that the purchase price for the Excursion is not a factor (i.e., sale of the Burb and purchase of the Excursion is a wash). However, the price mention above makes me think this may be an even better deal than just getting into a diesel.

Yeah, finding a qualified diesel mechanic/specialist to keep it running would be the next task. Actually, I guess being unfamiliar with diesels this most worries me. I wish the purchase came with access to the owner’s own truck/diesel fleet mechanics.

....

So how about the transmissions that are in the '01 Excursion? The owners have told me they haven't had any issues, but is there anything to look for?

Also, when hauling the trailer, is a diesel's mpg less impacted by the load?

 

:tut: Can't let the wifey see this post....

 

I'm an assistant hockey coach, and our head coach has a 97 Suburban with 375,000 miles on it. The only thing aside from normal wear and tear he has ever had to do is put an alternator in. Now I'm a Ford guy, but the durability of his Suburban has amazed me. Granted he's not hauling a trailer, but we do have it full of players and their gear going all over the mideast.

 

thats because its a chevy:up:

 

Sure you can. Now the whole family goes to the track instead of just me (which is the big reason I prefer a SUV over a truck), and my wife is actually behind getting another tow vehicle.

Fixed it for you.

Having owned two of these, I have not been so impressed and have found them to be fairly typical GM products (read lots of little and a few not so little problems). I am not a Ford guy, but I would still pick an Excursion 7.3 over anything else.

 

I had a '00 excursion with the 7.3 and it was an excellent vehicle. I bought it with like 115k on it and sold it with 175k. I sold mine for $14k in 2 days so if you are buying it for under $8k and the front end has been serviced I would jump on it!

I got anywhere from 14-18 mpg unloaded depending on where I was driving and how much I was on it-you will find that after you do exhaust, intake, etc you will grow fond of hearing the turbo spool up haha! (trust me, you will mod it-it's impossible to resist the urge!) As for towing I normally towed a 8.5x24' enclosed loaded to the gills and it would generally get about 9-10 mpg because it seems like there are nothing but hills on the way to the tracks around here. I also towed a small 6x10 enclosed a couple times and amazingly it wasn't much better on fuel. Its all about the wind resistance, not the weight is what I have found. Unless you are starting and stopping a lot the weight really doesn't affect it. Also I found doing an inexpensive cold air intake made close to a 1mpg difference in fuel economy-I am sure I can find the link to how to do it, but it was less than $40. I also had a very mild chip. Make sure you put in some gauges for the transmission and egt's to tow safe.

As for the transmissions-mine had zero issues but I would service it at least once a year. I know the '01s had some goofy diode or something in the transmission that would cause it to eat itself for whatever reason. As I didn't have an '01 I didn't pay a lot of attention to that particular problem, but there are a couple good diesel forums that should be able to find a fix for you. Good luck and go for it! My buddies still miss mine-the rear ac and reclining 2nd row makes it a very good truck for towing you and all your friends/family to the races with.

 

eff'em, I'd buy the 2004 Excursion out from under the other people. But, that's just me.

 

I remember you had and Excursion and was hoping you'd stop by and share your thoughts. Thanks!

I'm a little put off by the low fuel economy while towing. I thought it might be better. To be honest, however, I never checked what the Suburban was/is getting while towing.

I'm also concerned about the '01 transmission issue you've espied. Goofy diode or not, a transmission is something I don't want to have to replace....

I'll also look into doing the cold air intake you mentioned. If you have the link handy I'd much appreciate it. "[A] very mild chip"? Please explain.

Also, what's an "egt's"?

Actually, that was my first thought ... then he told me what he was going to pay for the '04 ... that thought quickly left my head ....
.

 

Mine is a 5.7 liter 4x4 with 4.10 gearing, I get 9 towing the toy hauler and 11-12 towing the 6x10. This is running ~65 mph.