New guy doing research: GMT 800 vs 900?

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MartinCO

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Hi everyone. I don't currently own a Tahoe but I am considering one for my next vehicle, probably some time early next year.

I've been a Toyota guy for a long time, current vehicle is a 2007 4runner V6.

Back in December the wife and I picked up a new travel trailer to replace our old teardrop. The new trailer weighs close to 2,000 lbs and while this is well within the 4runner's rated capacity of 5000, it does sometimes feel like the 4runner is struggling to pull the weight especially when going up high mountain passes (we live in CO, hence my user name.)


Right now we're still paying off the trailer so I would be looking at getting a new vehicle at the earliest some time next year. Would like to try to stay under about $18k if possible for a 5.3/4wd model, and that puts me in a bit of a quandary: Within my price range I seem to be able to find a few 2007-2008 models with moderately high miles (110,000 - 150,000.) There also seem to be a few older GMT-800 models in the 2004-2006 model years with unusually low miles (80 - 100k) for around the same price.

I know the GMT-900 platform incorporated a lot of changes for the Tahoe, and IMO they look better, too. My question is for those who have experience with both platforms, how would you rate them side by side? Would you rather have an older model with lower miles or a higher-mileage newer truck?

Also as a general rule I try not to buy the first year of any major redesign - I figure the manufacturers usually have some "bugs" to work out. Is this true of the '07 model Tahoes? If I'm shopping around are there any known issues I should be watching out for?

Conversely, is it fair to say that by 2006, all the bugs had been worked out of the GMT800 trucks?

Thanks in advance!
 

Dace

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Our 2008 Tahoe has some issues. All 4 interior handles have peeling chrome, the A/C buttons all have paint coming off them so you cant read them anymore, the dash is cracked in multiple places, the steering wheel rubber by the airbag is peeling, the clear coat on the paint has failed in many spots, the front end now has bad ball joints which need to be replaced at 80,000 miles, the A/C oil line blew up and had to be replaced and the power mirrors have stopped working.

Other then those issues we like the vehicle. I feel the the GMT800 series were better and the GMT400 series were the absolutely best.
 

BlessedHellRide

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I have both a 2004 z71 and 2014 z71, both are superb machines thus their high resale values. Gmt900 is great evolution of the older gen, especially in the case of minimalist design and I love the 6 speed trans.
 
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