Suburban Questions
 

I don't know much about these year trucks since I have yet to own one. I've owned some Suburbans from the '40s, '60s, '70s, and '90s. I drive a '95 now. My sister bought a '99 K2500 Suburban new and still runs it. It's the 3/4t 4wds I especially like and mostly owned. I know the 8-lugs aren't offered any more, but what was the last year? Were manual transmissions offered in these years? I was real disappointed when GM decided to drop the diesel Suburban.

Re: Suburban Questions
 

The 99 K2500 suburban should still be the GMT400 style(same as your 95)

The 2000-2006 2500 suburbans still had 8 lugs. They kept the 2500 suburban/Yukon XL going to the 2013 model year(and it still had 8 lugs). There weren't any manual transmissions offered in the 2000+. After 2000, the only engines were the 6.0 and the 8.1. the only engine offered after 07 was the 6.0.

There is a 3500 suburban offered 2016 to present(and its 8 lug), but they are all goverment orders.

I dont think it made much sense to have a diesel suburban to begin with( at least with underpowered diesels). In the GMT400 platform, the diesel had 420 ft/lbs of torque. The 454 had 410. Is that 10 ft/lbs worth the extra maintainence and cost and noise?

Re: Suburban Questions
 

Nicely done.

One of the motivations for the diesel Suburban (in my mind, anyway) was fuel economy.

The 454 would get 8-10 mpg with the engine shut off coasting down a hill. I had a squarebody 2wd diesel Suburban that was probably in the high 20's for fuel use. When equipped with the 40 gallon tank you couldn't time your bathroom breaks with your fuel stops because your bladder would explode first.

K

Re: Suburban Questions
 

Well, first of all, if they had continued the diesel Suburban it would have been a Duramax. But the sense in the 6.2/6.5 diesel Suburbans was having the largest capacity SUV that got better fuel economy than mid-sized and it had 430 ft lb of torque for hauling. The typical situation is either you get good economy or you get a lot of room and with a diesel Suburban you got both. My sister's '99 is the new body style. You could get either that year.

Diesels are lower maintenance and the noise is relative. To me it is a different sound, not louder. They are plenty quiet on the inside.

Re: Suburban Questions
 

A duramax suburban would be the bee's knee's man. But I have to admit, the 287k mile 5.3L in my 02 moves it with no problems what so ever, better then the 6.2L in the 2015 denali on my lot currently.
A 1ton dually duramax- that thing would be unstoppable. Ahhh to dream.

Re: Suburban Questions
 

I agree, the new gas motors came a long way toward closing the dap btween diesels and gas when it comes to longetivity and fuel use.