These two guys are trying to make off with my Suburban...

[Alice]

You might have seen me here before. Owner since it was born of a 1995 6.5l diesel 3/4 ton suburban. Oh shes had her problems, but at the moment is being good to me. I swear if it wasnt for this place, I might have given up a break down or two ago and let her go. But I get her back on her wheels everytime, no matter the cost, and now I'm very attached to my suburban. Even like that old square style, nicer than those mid 2000 ones I see everywhere.

Well somethng has come up and I need to know if I should make this move. My brother has a 1999 GMC 5.7 l V8 w/scfi Yukon Denali for me, all the way across the country. I just have to pick it up. Free, dont know what it's worth, dont want to ask since it's a gift. Whats my 95 6.5l worth? Well apparently $3000 if I'm lucky. Husband says as soon as they hear what engine is in it.... they'll hang up the phone.

Yes I know Denali means Luxury package, it's got it all - I checked the stats on it. But my old 1995 is as lux as you can get too. Wheel moldings, running boards, foot of chrome all the way around. Leather everything including the steering wheel. I already have every single option the denali has except: Bose sound, on star, cell phone (I havent a clue how that works), and heated mirrors. I got everything else, electric mirrors, dimming rear view mirror, compass, lift glass back door.

So my brother calls me. For some reason he loves this Denali. ?? I dont under stand, it's only 4 years newer. And gas, dont diesels run longer than gas engines? Shouldnt a gas engine be nearly dead by now. Oh no he says, been sitting in a quanset for 5 years, tires have no wear on them. Okay I figure, hope it has low miles. Also too afraid to ask, it's a gift right.

So I ask, if it's not all used up... and it's been sheltered. The chrome wont be falling off like mine is from sitting in the sun all these years. But it's gotta have rock chips no? Mine sure does. Nope he says, it's beautiful just stinks a little from sitting. Gonna need two interior door panels though he says. See someone once got their kicks out of having his dog attack the doors by teasing it when it was in a parking lot. The reason the owner parked it actually, then never did fix it. He started driving his car then and just never looked back. Okay so it'll cost me two interior door panels. He said to get the ones that dont have the DENALI embroidered on them, they are cheaper. So the denali is 4 years newer than my suburban, am I suposed to add the 5 years it was sitting to that when I'm trying to compare it to my suburban? I've driven tha suburban every day for 14 years. Husband says the suburban is already dead. Like how? 350 000 kms is dead? I blew it up 5 years ago, but it got new heads. Isnt that new again?

What is wrong with my suburban I ask myself, other than the glued on things coming off the outside in the sun? Well not much, but I wouldnt drive it too far, no more long trips. The drivers seat is wearing starting to crack, the denali leather is supposed to be perfect. My air conditioning is plugged in the rear and really shity on super hot days. It was "changed over" by coating the lines and a new type of coolant used, but still blows warm air in the back. My power steering pumps leaks, always did. My transfer case leaks, I have the tranny shop check it every 4-6 months. And thats it, oh one rear door handle needs to be replaced but thanks to you guys I have my own tool and can do that in a day and... I just cracked a chunk off plastic off my console just recently. What else do I hate about the sub? the brakess in the rain, they like to grab, always did that too. And a tiny clunk in the steering which is taking forever to just break and show me what it is. Everything else is good, better than good.

So why is this Denali something I am told I'm gonna love? He said the previous owner loved it and added a lot of stuff. I cant imagine what, it comes with everything. He also said he really likes the 99 style. It's apparently different than my 95 and 2001s. Interior too I wonder? Also said it's made in the states, where as my sub is made in mexico. He thought that was a big deal, I havent a clue why. So what should I be excited about here? What is it that is causing the brother and the husband to say it's a deal, trust us you wont want that old suburban any more?

[Alice]

and one more thing, my suburban has an exaust leak on one side of the engine. Needs a new muffler and hangers too. Okay okay... maybe it is getting old. Please tell me.

[mishalah]

Why don't you get a bunch of pics of the Yukon and go from there. Surely, he wouldn't object to sending you pics. Hang on to your Diesel until you actually get the Yukon if you can, then make the decision.

[gremlin96]

if its been sitting that long it may not run. the fuels used now unless he used something like stab-all in the gas. its going to need some TLC.

be for you drive it at all your going to need to drain the gas, new filters, lube up the front end and inspect, change the oil and filter. new air filter. nor than likely your going to need a new battery for the truck to.

check it over very good to see if any thing has made a nest or tried to eat the wiring in the truck. one mouse on a cold winter day did 2 grand in wiring damage to a truck at work. it was only parked for a week when we were getting all the insurance and license plates.

[Alice]

I looked at this thing up and down all over the internet. It's okay, I like the flat panel square corner style that I have, have always thought it was the nicest. It appears in 1999 that they had changed that year to look more rounded like they do now, even saw people mistook the 1999 Denali Yukon for a newer vehicle because of the style. The interior remained much the same.

So I go looking for door panels yesterday. Finally I had to start asking where the hell these 1999s all were. No wreckers had the panels, dealership said $800-2000 per panel I need a VIN # to find out which exactly. And I was told there are none laying around, they are all still on the road, people fix them because they like them. Also heard something about them being one of the last real 4X4s before things started going AWD. Dont know if thats good or bad. But did not hear anyone say, oh those are hard to come by, do grab it if you see one. So there is nothing to be wanted about a 1999 Denali??

Also, thanks Grem. I will make a list from your post. It has been running, I know that. The brother has a new battery for it. Husband said he definately will need a half a day to get fluids changed. I'll will mark down the other things you mentioned for a check list if this is gonna happen. Just wish I was more excited.

Husband says I'll be thanking gawd, when that dam 6.5 pulls it's next devastating $1500 breakdown. Says it would be nice to just have sitting here. Maybe... I really love my old 95 war horse. And I was thinking, it might be a safe vehicle for my new teen driver one day. It is a full size.

[mishalah]

You can thank Mr. Obama for the lack of parts. Remember the "Cash for Clunkers" program that everyone thought was so neat? Yeah....they crushed hundreds of thousands of cars....especially those not meeting current fuel guideleines. So, the millions of parts we used to be able to find for our older cars no longer exist. Obama/left wing enviro-nuts goal of getting rid of older cars is working.....to our great cost and disadvantage.

I have my original passenger door with glass and panel that I replaced on my '96 Sub LT. It's tan with all the power connections and speaker. If that's the same I could let it go.

[gremlin96]

its not only the cash for clunkers. the old cars have a lot of steel, copper and alum in them. the prices for metals went up so the cars are worth scraping out. heck the last spike on alum, caused a lot of motorcycle scrapers to get rid of there stock. one bone yard i have been to a few times got rid of running motorcycle motors, becouse they could get more in scrap than they could for selling them out right.

oh if you look around chances are you can find a wrecked truck around that still runs. keeping it around for parts mite be a good ideal or getting the better parts and installing them on your truck. hitting up some of the milltary surplus sites they have tons of chevy parts. you just need to make sure it will cross over to yours.

places like this have some parts cheep. http://www.saturnsurplus.com/ if your search there are tons of sites, a lot of them have old parts, still in the boxes.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by mishalah

You can thank Mr. Obama for the lack of parts. Remember the "Cash for Clunkers" program that everyone thought was so neat? Yeah....they crushed hundreds of thousands of cars....especially those not meeting current fuel guideleines. So, the millions of parts we used to be able to find for our older cars no longer exist. Obama/left wing enviro-nuts goal of getting rid of older cars is working.....to our great cost and disadvantage.

I have my original passenger door with glass and panel that I replaced on my '96 Sub LT. It's tan with all the power connections and speaker. If that's the same I could let it go.

quick look at cash for clunker I thought was a good idea to get some people low on cash to purchase a new high mileage vehicle. then I found that the vehicle could not be used for part salvage. that is something I did not like !

today the U.S. has the highest petroleum inventory ever recorded. price for a barrel of oil is dropping @99.oo.

perhaps the OBAMA plan did have some effect on this record.

the auto part stores are doing quite well stocks are up.

[gremlin96]

its not a effect of obama cash fro clunkers. its the economy, there are cars that normal been running to work here that sit unless there is a run to the store or doctor. i have lost 5 gallons of k1 twice. i fill up the jerry cans be for any major snow event, we lose power a lot and i can use k1 heaters to keep the pipes from freezing. both times i left the can out side the garage and some one used it to fill up there cars. the cops caught them both times less than 3 blocks from my house. the fun part is i have never pressed charges. the cops let me talk to the kids every time. one time the kids dad was going to sue me for damage to the car. it was a fun, till he got a good look at the jerry can. it has a label on all four sides. i cant help it if the kid can not read, smell or knows that his car does not run on kerosene. the local parts suppliers have been selling locking gas caps like mad.

since NAFTA. my area has lost just a bit over 50% of the factory's and the down turn caused the rest to do lay offs. with most of the county not working there not buying fuel or much of any thing.

[Alice]

We have a cash for clunkers program also. This is how I heard it works here.... you get a small amount of cash for your vehicle, then they write it off. As in - can never be insured or on the road again. They then go to auto wreckers who can then sell the parts. I watched a video of someone destroying a 6.5 for your American program and I was surprised that they'd cause these motors to smoke like hell for the 5 minutes or what ever it took to finish them off... for the environment?? Also I did not understand why the vehicle was wasted, made useless when everyone of them had usable parts.

Also, there are no rules about emissions here, nothing I've ever heard. $300 out of province inspections yes, but that doesnt involve emissions or anything. Perhaps that is still coming for us. And one other thing, a month ago some friends drove to California. Well there was a storm on the way sometime after they crossed the border, and the only vehicles allowed to go through had to have tire chains on. ? Gawd, we live in Canada and I dont know anyone who has tire chains. They had to buy some, for their car?? Tire chains for semi tractors in the woods or on an ice road, but never ever seen such a thing on the roads. I can only imagine there is a bunch of rules and laws just to protect the surface of our roads. Roads which are paved with money made off of people who are addicted to gambling and the poorest trying to win just to get ahead for a minute. I'd much rather there were no VLTs even if our roads were the shits. Like they would ever be with this oil buisness going on. We got these tar sands right... well money seems to have changed the people who go there. Oh we all got a brother or niece or more who have moved to Ft Mac. All the women I know came back looking and acting like the women on that show Jersey Shore Women. No saving for retirement or to get the hell out of the bush someday... oh no. They come south for implants, botox, extentions in their hair, gel nails and surgery. Oh and Louis Vuitton. The rest of us wont move into the bush and weather those -38 days for love nor money.

[Alice]

ps: We once heard that some people in the States were having hard times, but it seems the news has faded or for some reason we dont get to hear anymore of it. I've heard other counties say the US. is in a state of collapse, but see no evidence of anything like that. I watch 95% American television also... you'd think there would be documentries or reality shows or maybe even a commercial with a message to people who may be suffering some difficulties. I see nothing, like your all better now.

I do see other things that are unusual though... like little rainbow colored rifles - real guns for kids. Wont see those in a Sears catalog. Commercials for prescription medications, my doctor often asks how I know about that stuff. Swamp people who shoot gators, I gotta ask - what do you do with a dead gator? Whats one worth? And whats a bigfoot fence? Like for the real bigfoots? No need to convince me there, half of Canada is crawling with them. Or is that a name for a fence to keep the Mexicans out?

[j cAT]

being a young man back in the 1960's the air quality was no good here in the US. especially in the larger cities. lakes and other water bodies were getting pretty poluted with automotive / power/ steel emissions. then the EPA was created with laws that slowly reduced emissions. I have to say that in recent years the air quality here in the states is quite good. the sky is deep blue and not brown. driving west toward chicago you could be the polution 300 miles away in the late 60's. A large dome shape brown stain in the sky. lake/stream fishing has improved . water to swim in is also cleaner with less bacteria/acids..

your watching american TV and thinking that all americans live this way is quite common when your from another country. I do find these programs of the poorest quaily, and display how some [very few] of how people live here.

when you live in the middle of no where your only concern is survival .

with big cities you have to enforce polution law. I do not want to go back to the polution of the 1960's. perhaps with the new oil extraction methods in canada the goverment will start taking a more active input on how the land/water is being managed to reduce polution. could end up being a dead zone forever.