That's right, after countless years on GM forums with Fords I finally bought a GM. Don't worry though, my Powerstroke is still around.
Anyways, as some of you know, since the fall of 2013 I had been daily driving a 2005 Subaru. Well this past July with less then 100 miles short of 200k, the head gaskets blew and oil consumption finally caught up with it and I spun a bearing. Not having the time or want to put a motor in a car that old with that many miles, that wasn't a WRX or STI, I ended up just selling it. While this was all going on I was daily driving my truck and running the risk of getting fined by my condo association and their stupid rules. To add insult to injury, somebody decided they wanted the tailgate off my truck more then I did so I've been bombing around with either no tailgate or the white tailgate off my buddy's truck for the last two months.
The search had started for a 2011-2014 WRX to replace my 05 and I found a couple, but after thinking long and hard about it, I decided I didn't want a big loan right now because I'm looking at campers for next year and building the motor in my truck, so I didn't want to tie up money elsewhere on a car. I also decided that since I have no garage and my truck is already suffering from being outside all the time and the cautiousness of NJ drivers, I decided to hold off on getting a nice car I know I'll always be worried about.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and I drove 1997 Mustang that needed to much work, looked at a 2002 WRX held together with zip ties and looked at countless other things that didn't fit the bill, I was getting fed up at not knowing what I wanted for a new daily. Tossed around the idea of getting a cheap lease to drive for 3 years till I really figured out what I wanted and where my life was taking me, but the Honda Accord and Acura ILX I looked at were uninspiring and the Fiesta ST was too small and the Focus ST would be cheaper to buy and then I was back where I was with the WRX.
While all of this was going on, I was actually daily driving my buddies 6.0 Powerstroke, because the up-pipe on my truck blew out so it was basically undriveable because it wont build boost and my truck was also backed into his truck and now needs a bumper. so at this point after two months, I was down to 0 driveable vehicles and my vehicle luck was so horrible the jokes were even if I got a bicycle, it would break on me.
ANYWAYS, while cruising some lots near my friends house I stumbled upon what I ended up buying for a new daily. I realized I wasn't going to be happy in a car that wasn't fun, and after being in a truck for a month, I missed daily driving something that wasn't so small.
2001 Chevrolet Tahoe LS
1 owner
garaged its whole life
no accidents, clean carfax
145k miles
Pewter on Tan leather interior
Truck was factory ordered and to me has some weird options, but here are some highlights.
5.3
Leather Interior
Onstar (would love to ditch the buttons for a cubby like 03+)
no third row seats
dual zone climate control front and rear (not sure if that was standard on these things or not, I would think so)
Full console
Tow package
lift gate as opposed to the barn doors (not sure which year they switched)
etc etc.
Few things need addressed, one of the DRL's is amber, the other is clear, power mirrors only work in some directions, there's a squeak from what I assume is the AC belt, seems to be a fuel prime issue as it doesn't always start the first time, if I cycle the key it fires right up. and I think that's it. everything works as it supposed to and there is not one spec of rust anywhere for spending its whole life in PA. a couple imperfections in the paint, but for a 15 year old vehicle its damn clean. I really love it and I've always wanted one of these things so I finally got one.
It's SUPER old man status right now, but I'm working on that hopefully tomorrow. I've only had it for a week and I've been working a lot.
Plans are as follows:
Fix the issues as mentioned above
Remove
Bug deflector
Moldings
Pinstripe
mudflaps
possibly running boards
undecided on window guards
Onstar antenna on back window
lights under mirrors
I think all the badges are gone, unless I find anymore those will go
tape deck for a cubby
Add
Window Tint - unsure what % I don't want to go as dark as my truck which is 5% all around. At the very least, match the fronts and a 5% brow
swap my radio that was in my car over, its just a basic receiver with AUX
new speakers
DL3s with color matched caps
level or a 4"
NNBS Tahoe or GMC 20's
33" Duratracs
Airaid intake tube
BB tune or equivalent
a throatier muffler and dump the exhaust
weathertechs
black or z71 valance
clear heads
new dark border tails
03 console
Paint
Bumper cap
all 5 handles
bowtie
mirror caps
Any other suggestions on what I'm missing? Basically going to do the cheap stuff first make it look better while I gather parts for my truck build and work on finding a camper. This is my new daily and I'm extremely happy with it as is.
Photos ( i messed these up) more in next post
Anyways, as some of you know, since the fall of 2013 I had been daily driving a 2005 Subaru. Well this past July with less then 100 miles short of 200k, the head gaskets blew and oil consumption finally caught up with it and I spun a bearing. Not having the time or want to put a motor in a car that old with that many miles, that wasn't a WRX or STI, I ended up just selling it. While this was all going on I was daily driving my truck and running the risk of getting fined by my condo association and their stupid rules. To add insult to injury, somebody decided they wanted the tailgate off my truck more then I did so I've been bombing around with either no tailgate or the white tailgate off my buddy's truck for the last two months.
The search had started for a 2011-2014 WRX to replace my 05 and I found a couple, but after thinking long and hard about it, I decided I didn't want a big loan right now because I'm looking at campers for next year and building the motor in my truck, so I didn't want to tie up money elsewhere on a car. I also decided that since I have no garage and my truck is already suffering from being outside all the time and the cautiousness of NJ drivers, I decided to hold off on getting a nice car I know I'll always be worried about.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and I drove 1997 Mustang that needed to much work, looked at a 2002 WRX held together with zip ties and looked at countless other things that didn't fit the bill, I was getting fed up at not knowing what I wanted for a new daily. Tossed around the idea of getting a cheap lease to drive for 3 years till I really figured out what I wanted and where my life was taking me, but the Honda Accord and Acura ILX I looked at were uninspiring and the Fiesta ST was too small and the Focus ST would be cheaper to buy and then I was back where I was with the WRX.
While all of this was going on, I was actually daily driving my buddies 6.0 Powerstroke, because the up-pipe on my truck blew out so it was basically undriveable because it wont build boost and my truck was also backed into his truck and now needs a bumper. so at this point after two months, I was down to 0 driveable vehicles and my vehicle luck was so horrible the jokes were even if I got a bicycle, it would break on me.
ANYWAYS, while cruising some lots near my friends house I stumbled upon what I ended up buying for a new daily. I realized I wasn't going to be happy in a car that wasn't fun, and after being in a truck for a month, I missed daily driving something that wasn't so small.
2001 Chevrolet Tahoe LS
1 owner
garaged its whole life
no accidents, clean carfax
145k miles
Pewter on Tan leather interior
Truck was factory ordered and to me has some weird options, but here are some highlights.
5.3
Leather Interior
Onstar (would love to ditch the buttons for a cubby like 03+)
no third row seats
dual zone climate control front and rear (not sure if that was standard on these things or not, I would think so)
Full console
Tow package
lift gate as opposed to the barn doors (not sure which year they switched)
etc etc.
Few things need addressed, one of the DRL's is amber, the other is clear, power mirrors only work in some directions, there's a squeak from what I assume is the AC belt, seems to be a fuel prime issue as it doesn't always start the first time, if I cycle the key it fires right up. and I think that's it. everything works as it supposed to and there is not one spec of rust anywhere for spending its whole life in PA. a couple imperfections in the paint, but for a 15 year old vehicle its damn clean. I really love it and I've always wanted one of these things so I finally got one.
It's SUPER old man status right now, but I'm working on that hopefully tomorrow. I've only had it for a week and I've been working a lot.
Plans are as follows:
Fix the issues as mentioned above
Remove
Bug deflector
Moldings
Pinstripe
mudflaps
possibly running boards
undecided on window guards
Onstar antenna on back window
lights under mirrors
I think all the badges are gone, unless I find anymore those will go
tape deck for a cubby
Add
Window Tint - unsure what % I don't want to go as dark as my truck which is 5% all around. At the very least, match the fronts and a 5% brow
swap my radio that was in my car over, its just a basic receiver with AUX
new speakers
DL3s with color matched caps
level or a 4"
NNBS Tahoe or GMC 20's
33" Duratracs
Airaid intake tube
BB tune or equivalent
a throatier muffler and dump the exhaust
weathertechs
black or z71 valance
clear heads
new dark border tails
03 console
Paint
Bumper cap
all 5 handles
bowtie
mirror caps
Any other suggestions on what I'm missing? Basically going to do the cheap stuff first make it look better while I gather parts for my truck build and work on finding a camper. This is my new daily and I'm extremely happy with it as is.
Photos ( i messed these up) more in next post
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