u/Left4DayZGone

Been busy whipping it back into shape.

Done so far:

1. New steering gear due to leak
2. New oil pan, oil cooler etc gaskets to fix oil leak
3. New shocks all around
4. New pads and rotors
5. New lower ball joints
6. New driver side headlight housing
7. Replaced GMC center caps with bow ties
8. Swapped stock grill for black grill
9. Replaced K&N cold air intake with stock intake assembly
10. Replaced a rust and rattling exhaust clamp
11. New front and rear wiper blades
12. Removed seized license plate light screws, new bulbs and lenses
13. Odds and ends here and there

Still needs:

1. Pass side headlight housing (reflector inside is broken)
2. Fix front tire rub
3. Fix some rust concerns before they develop further
4. Fix power lumbar in driver’s seat
5. Detail exterior

First pic is after, second pic is the day I bought it. Minor changes so far… but I think it looks WAY better already.

Work done so far:

1. Replaced GMC center caps with bowties

2. Swapped grill with blackout grill

3. Replaced cloudy driver side headlight housing

4. Removed from license plate holder

5. Tweaked front metal around a little to line it up better (still needs hood and core support adjusted just a smidge)

6. New windshield (old was pockmarked so bad it was nearly opaque in direct sunlight

7. New pads and rotors all around

8. Eliminated brake pedal squeak

To do:

1. Replace Cold Air Intake with factory assembly

2. Get rust fixed while it’s in its beginning stages

3. Replace passenger side headlight housing

4. Replace license plate lightbulb lenses (screws are seized so I have to remove the entire rear appliqué panel)

5. Fix power steering and oil leaks (ps line, oil filter adapter leaking)

6. Address front tire rub issues (or learn to ignore it)

7. Claybar and wax, polish wheels

I’ve had a hell of a time finding an 07-14 Burb here in Michigan that doesn’t either have well over 200k miles, or a ton of rust. Can’t even find them on Carvana and local dealers can’t source them, they tell me they’re too hot and nobody wants to ship them out, they’d rather sell direct.

ANYWAY… had to settle a bit. 165k miles, lifetime maintenance records… was in a deer collision when owner by the person before the current owner, and the right front isn’t lined up quite right but it was cosmetic damage only… I can tell that just put a new fender, hood, bumper and headlight on and shipped it. Gonna need to straight it out a little better unless I can learn to ignore it. Most people don’t even notice.

Build sheet says 1LT, but it has power everything, including sunroof and middle row seats, Ebony leather interior, basically everything except auto leveling suspension and heated seats… maybe it came from the factory with the smaller wheels or something, I honestly think the distinction between 1LT and 2LT is a pretty fine line.

Interior is immaculate. It doesn’t look as if the rear seats were ever used, at least the third row. Middle row has minimal signs of usage. Carpet is spotless and nothing is broken. Just some button wear on the HVAC and one outlet cap missing, no big deal.

Minimal rust! Only the beginnings of rust in the usual spots, not too late to save and I plan on doing exactly that. Don’t plan on driving this in the winter very much, and I will avoid salty roads as much as possible. This is a camping and summertime road trip vehicle.

Yes, I’m well aware of the issues with AFM and the transmissions. I worked for a Chevy dealership with these things were brand new, I’m intimately familiar with them and I also have some GM master mechanic friends who can do the job in their sleep, save me a little money when the day comes. I figure it was either take a gamble on this model that I might need to replace an engine or transmission someday, or buy the 2015 and up and still have the same concerns, plus a whole lot more, plus more expensive parts.

And no, 1999-2006 do not exist in a minimal-rust or well-kept condition anywhere within reasonable distance of this state, and if they do, the seller wants ridiculous money for them.

I’m probably overpaying for it at $10,500, but I’m OK with it because everything else I’ve looked at hasn’t been much cheaper and has been in WAY worse condition with many more miles, or is twice as much money with only 30k less miles. Except for one, which only has 65k miles for $11k, but it’s a rebuilt title, it’s an hour away, in the owner swears that it was just two doors that needed to be replaced and nothing else is wrong with it. I don’t feel like two doors would total out 65,000 mile suburban, but I guess I could be wrong.

My ultimate plan is to take care of the small issues, address the rust that’s starting up before it becomes a problem, maintain it religiously and keep it in the garage, except for when we go on our camping and road trips. Should last a good long while if kept out of the road salt and not daily driven.

Anyway… wish me luck!