ChristusG Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We are thinking of thinking about a Suburban. :tongue_smilie: Right now we have a Nissan Quest mini van. It seats 7 and seems pretty roomy. We have three kids in car seats. However, here are my reasons for wanting a Suburban.... * Bigger vehicle = safer vehicle * Larger trunk space. We go to Disney several times a year, go camping and bring a BUNCH of stuff, and make other various trips sometimes. We're headed to Alabama in December and possibly to the Smoky Mountains sometime next year. And I'm an overpacker....so trunk space is good. :D We've added a child since last time we went camping. We could previously put both kids in the second row, fold down the third row, and have the entire back for trunk space. Now we must use the third row for seating. So while the trunk is deep...it's not very wide. * Better at towing our pop up camper. Our Quest can and does pull it, but it's pretty much sitting at the maximum weight limit. I'm afraid to carry bikes or anything like that to go camping because of the added weight. * The possibility of fitting all three car seats across the second row. I'm not sure that this is feasible (especially since DD4 sits in a Britax Regent, the mother of all car seats), but I can try. * Leather seats. The cloth in our van gets stained so easily. It would be nice to have leather to wipe off. Yes, I know it's hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but I think I can live with that if they are clean LOL. * A light colored exterior, such as silver. Our current van is black. I think that thing draws in heat due to the color. Pair that with the fact that the air conditioning system has never seemed to blow our very hard and you have a sauna during our Florida summers. I'm hoping that a Suburban has a more efficient A/C system that blows out harder. Does anyone have a Suburban? Hate it or love it? What are the best and worst things about it? Yes, I'd be totally scared of how large it is the first time I get behind the wheel LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katnorman Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have had a suburban for 4 years now and LOVE it!! I say once you have one you won't ever drive anything else :) We have 4 kids, all still in carseats, and have the britax regeant also:D it is huge, but we can put all 3 seats across if the middle seat is rear facing. We do have 2 seats in middle row and 2 in back. We love the room in the suburban and regularly take lots of trips with our 7, 4, 2, and 1 year olds (aka, A LOT of stuff)! It really gets pretty good gas mileage at about 22 mpg, and we are really happy with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 The only reason I don't drive one now is because I really don't need the room anymore. I have been seriously considering a Tahoe though. :tongue_smilie: I LOVED all 3 of my Suburbans and recommend them very highly. I had a 1993 model that was totaled in an accident in 2001. We purchased a new 2001 after my wreck. I LOVED it, but it was a stupid decision at the time because we made a note we didn't need. I sold it after a year and paid cash for a 1995 that I drove until about 4 years ago. The worst problem we ever had with any of them was needing a new water pump. Miss my burbs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have 8 people and here are the reasons I won't get one over my Honda Odyssey. Honda is more reliable. A Suburban does not fit on our garage! Navigating into the back seats is not that easy like it is with captain's chairs in the van. Less interior space/head room Gas mileage You can easily put a trailer hitch on a van and throw a rack on for travel. They don't hold their value as well They are not safer based on crash test ratings over most of the mini vans-bigger does not equal safer;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom28kds Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I had a Yukon which is basically the same car. I loved it. We did have to make the decision to get rid of it to get a car with better gas mileage. We got a minivan instead. If I could afford the gas I would get one in a hearbeat. It was the best ride we'd ever had. So smooth and comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5forMe Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I have a Yukon XL and I love it. We have 5 children and it totes us all and all of our equipment just fine. I don't have a mini van because all of the mini vans I test drove felt like I was sitting on the road. I had a Land Rover Discovery for many years before my Yukon and after sitting up so high, I feel safer in a truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I think I need a cup of coffee. I read this thread's title as "Do you have a Sunburn?" and was very confused when I started to read the op. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have been driving Suburbans/YukonXL for 20 years now. We bought our first when our two youngest were in car seats. We took many many many road trips with all 4 kids. Love the space! We have had only to use a car top carrier once and that was we had 7 ( 5 adults, two toddlers) people in the Yukon and were traveling in the winter. (More winter clothing, coats, etc). We love having the ability to pull out the back seats and put in a refridgeratior, or washer and dryer. We use it like it a truck and we call it our truck, even tho it is my car. We have never ( in 4 vehicles) had a really major issue. Seriously. The dealership once time ruined an engine during service, but that doens't count. Truly the only con in our book is the gas mileage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 So glad to hear about all the happy Suburban owners! I really think I'd be happier in something that sat higher off the ground. Our van is not much higher than a regular car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 I think I need a cup of coffee. I read this thread's title as "Do you have a Sunburn?" and was very confused when I started to read the op. :lol: Hahaha! Yes, what are the pros and cons of having a sunburn? :lol: I misread titles ALL the time LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We just bought a suburban and I love it! I don't have any negatives with it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I love my suburban! Granted, it's older (1991) but it is one of the best things we ever bought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have a 2003 Suburban. We use it to tow a 18 foot boat and regularly go camping. We have a car seat and a booster in the second row and can fit a full size adult in between comfortably. I will agree that getting to the third row can be a pain since the flip up seat is also the one with Latch (this may have changed in more recent models). My oldest is usually the one who rides in the 3rd road on long trips and she just hops over the seat. If we didn't have a car seat in that position, it is very easy to flip the seat up and back. There is about 5 feet of cargo space in the back with the third row in. Without the third row, you could fit a foam mattress and sleep comfortably in the back. We were in a pretty bad accident in 2007 in our Suburban. We hit a patch of standing water and the car slid into a concrete divider going about 65 mph (we didn't have the 4wd on). The car had $17,000 worth of damage but still had a book value of over $30,000 so the insurance company paid to have it fixed. Other than breaking my arm due to the airbag because we had enough time to see it coming and I grabbed the dashboard, the passenger compartment stayed intact. My son was in a rear-facing car seat in the second row and was completely fine. As for the air conditioning - there are separate controls for the back where air can come out side vents in the cargo area (we put those on when the dog rides back there in summer) and top vents over the 2nd and 3rd row. According to dd, it works well cooling off the 3rd row. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommatomany Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have a Yukon XL! We love it!! Although, with #6 due in August we're going to be very cramped...but we also have 4 kids in carseats and 2 in boosters...someday we'll have room! BUT, we love it. I love my heated seats, the leather interior, the cargo space, and it drives so nicely, very very easy to drive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Mine is a 2008, I think. I love it. DH, not so much, lol - he thinks the buttons and such are not in intuitive places, which annoys him. But, it's not his regular car; he only drives it when the whole family is going someplace. We have six in carseats (two convertible, four boosters). There is no other car I'd rather drive in the snow. When we go to the mountains (often), we keep a tow strap in the car, and pull other cars out of ditches about twice per month. What I don't like: backing up (make sure you get one with a rear-view camera!), especially out of parking spaces. Also, get the auto-fold mirrors if you are planning to pull into a garage with a single-space door. It's a big car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have a Suburban and Odyssey. They were bought new at the same time in 2005. I have to say that GM's quality is quite good. The service at the dealer was quite good. It is cheaper to fix the GM than the Honda. The Honda service always tries to sell me all this maintenance stuff every time I bring it in and I have had a couple of recalls on the Odyssey. The oil change for the Honda is twice that of the Suburban. I prefer the height of the Suburban over the minivan. It clears the snow while the minivan gets the stuck. The minivan has low clearance, which can be a problem in deeper snow even with All wheel drive. The Suburban has a more comfortable ride than the minivan. The gas mileage on the two vehicles is the same and the Suburban has a bigger engine. If you are carrying a lot of people and equipment, which we do with hockey/skating equipment, the Suburban has better pickup. Safety wise, the Odyssey has side airbags and the Suburban does not. But I feel both are pretty safe cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 We have a Suburban and Odyssey. They were bought new at the same time in 2005. I have to say that GM's quality is quite good. The service at the dealer was quite good. It is cheaper to fix the GM than the Honda. The Honda service always tries to sell me all this maintenance stuff every time I bring it in and I have had a couple of recalls on the Odyssey. The oil change for the Honda is twice that of the Suburban. I prefer the height of the Suburban over the minivan. It clears the snow while the minivan gets the stuck. The minivan has low clearance, which can be a problem in deeper snow even with All wheel drive. The Suburban has a more comfortable ride than the minivan. The gas mileage on the two vehicles is the same and the Suburban has a bigger engine. If you are carrying a lot of people and equipment, which we do with hockey/skating equipment, the Suburban has better pickup. Safety wise, the Odyssey has side airbags and the Suburban does not. But I feel both are pretty safe cars. Thank you for this comparison!! The Honda Odyssey would actually be our second choice if we decided we wanted something smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Lee Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 My ex-husband had a couple of Suburbans and I have driven mini-vans for years and years, so I have experience with both. I prefer the mini-van, but IMO a Suburban would work well for you if you can handle the fuel expense. The Suburban is much better for towing than a mini-van. A Suburban was built on a pickup truck chassis, while the mini-van was designed starting with a car chassis. I don't like having to climb up into a Suburban and it's much harder to get car seats into and out of a Suburban because it's higher off the ground and does not have sliding doors. As a couple of people have mentioned, the Suburban is bigger so if you expect to park it in a garage, you'll need to check and see if your doorway is tall enough and your garage is long enough to hold it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katnorman Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 2007 and earlier models don't have the side airbags, but 2008 and up do have side airbags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlgirl Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) We have had three suburbans. We have five children. We currently drive a dodge durango btw. Anyway I love love love the space in the suburbans. My husband is a carpenter and we could fit his air compressor and tools, a stroller, a cooler, all of your groceries, you get the idea. :) I dislike the fact that it was a pain to park. Also it has regular doors. No matter how perfectly I park there was always someone that parked on the parking spot line or heaven forbid over it and you literally could not even get into or out of your vehicle. Or, your impulsive five year old "flings" the door open and makes a nice dent in the pretty shiny car... For that reason I normally parked out a little bit and then trekking across the parking lot with five little children is always an adventure. The other thing is you get some really weird looks if you and your husband are out on a date and here you are driving this beast and it is just the two of you. :) In a perfect world I would have my durango for me to drive and when we go places as a family we would have a suburban. I do miss being able to pack bags for certain activities and being able to leave them in there. Also, there is always room for extra coats that you don't get in the durango or minivan. Sorry for the book didn't know I had such long thought! Edited March 8, 2012 by curlgirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett_ashley Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We like our suburban, but the third row bench is pretty small. We have two Britax Frontier boosters in the back and there is no way anyone could sit between them--not even a small child. We're having a fifth baby this fall and well have to ditch our Frontiers for smaller, skinnier boosters so we can fit three across the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We are making the same consideration here. We have a Town and Country and are considering a Suburban to tow. We have 4 kids, all 4 in boosters (2 kids) and carseats (other 2 kids). My DH is 6 feet and at least one of our boys is really huge for his age in height. Is the head room and leg room better for teens in the back of a minivan or suburban? To the OP, our minivan has so little cargo space. I hate that part of it. By the time I get even a small stroller and diaper bag in the back, groceries don't fit well, especially not the Costco run needed for larger families! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We've owned our 1995 Suburban for about 8 years. I LOVE it. Gas mileage is the only drawback for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Thanks everyone! DH is on his way home and we are headed out to look at a 2011 at a nearby dealership to see what we think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misidawnrn Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 We just bought a Yukon XL which is the GMC version of the suburban. I love it, the kids love the TV and not having to sit in the same row as the other. I HATE the gas hogginess (Is that a word?) of it. I got sticker shock filling it up the first time. I had a little Saturn that ran forever on a little gas. This sucker eats gas like crazy! That is the only thing I hate about it. I am used to driving big things because we also have 3 pickups so that wasn't a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Love our Suburban! Never nice to see the total at the gas station, but it's totally worth it when I can climb inside to buckle car seats on a rainy day! Or haul a month's worth of groceries/paper goods (including diapers) home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I don't know which way to advise, as I have a minivan, and I've also owned an SUV. All I would say is, whatever you buy, keep in mind the size of the gas tank. Multiply how many gallons it holds by $5.00, and ask yourself whether it's worth all the size, towing, etc. (This is why we're looking to offload our minivan. Tired of paying $68.00 to fill up, and we're not even at $4.00/gallon yet.) It may not be that bad, depending on what you can afford to budget for gas, but better to consider it now before you purchase, especially as gas prices going up means that more people look to offload bigger vehicles. That can make it hard to sale later on, if you choose to get rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 The only thing I haven't liked is the payment. ;) (I have two left.) I love the Z71 package for when we go off road up north. I love the room for lugging around all the junk, and I love that we aren't all crowded in a minivan. I had minivans, a Caravan Sport and a Town and Country before we bought our Suburban, and I wouldn't go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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