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Opinion - The 6.5 Diesel Suburban is the greatest vehicle ever made. Discuss.

I was in traffic and this clown act in an AMG was racing everyone to the next stop light. I was in a left lane that was going to merge right in a quarter mile leaving my lane a mandatory left turn on to base which was where I was headed anyway, but the AMG driver didn't know that. With three full bodied adults in my A4 TDI, I buried it when the light went from red to yellow and left the solo occupied AMG in the dust. He came flying out of the black cloud determined to get ahead before the lanes merged. Too funny...his expression as he went by and the two in my car screaming like little girls.
 
I have two in the family, enough said.

Was looking at a friend's '02 4x4 Excursion with 7.3 PS. Problem was he wanted $15K and it was leather (I have dogs), plus the ride was shit. I ended up buying the '99 Burb for $6750 and haven't looked back. The Burbs are the bomb.
 
Problem with the Dmax Burb is alot of states like the one I'm in won't accpet salvage title period. Diesel Burbs are awesome but nothing beats the KING of diesel SUV. 2000-early 2003 Ford Excursion. Say what you want and I'm not a Ford guy but that thing is just a Behemouth on wheels and the 7.3 PS is the way to go. In reality I just don't get it because diesel burbs and Excursions are so coveted yet they don't make them anymore. Stupid.
 
Big T said:
I have two in the family, enough said.

Was looking at a friend's '02 4x4 Excursion with 7.3 PS. Problem was he wanted $15K and it was leather (I have dogs), plus the ride was shit. I ended up buying the '99 Burb for $6750 and haven't looked back. The Burbs are the bomb.
Click to expand...

15k is cheap. They go for way over book if it's reasonably mileaged 7.3PS
 
Big T said:
I have two in the family, enough said.

Was looking at a friend's '02 4x4 Excursion with 7.3 PS. Problem was he wanted $15K and it was leather (I have dogs), plus the ride was shit. I ended up buying the '99 Burb for $6750 and haven't looked back. The Burbs are the bomb.
Click to expand...

You speak the truth. My sister has a 40,000 dollar Excursion with a V10. It is a gorgeous truck with fabulous leather interior. It has enough power to pull a camper just like mine, however it doesn't have any pickup to get out of it's own way, and can't get over 9mpg. The 7.3 option would help a little, but it already tows ok. The mileage difference might be eaten up by the cost of the fuel. But here's the point I'm getting at: It has the crappiest ride you could ever imagine!!! It is a fri**in' boat. Even when brand new it rode awful, Every time I drive it I amamazed what a giant turd it is. I drove it across the Kancamagus last summer, had a stiff neck when I got to Lincoln form the side to side rocking. Every time you round a curve and straighten the wheel it rocks as it recovers. Biggest turd-to-weight value ever.
 
I have the same problem, not sure what I'd buy to replace my Sub. I have 5-7 people in it on a weekly basis, I tow a boat and recently a dual axle dump trailer a bit. I'm converted to diesel, doubt I'll run a gas car any time in the near future.

I looked at Excursions though never test drove one to feel the ride. In comparing specs I thought the Suburban was just a bit smaller, has a tighter turning radius. I think my Sub drives great, really not a problem in parking lots etc., and felt the EX would be more of a behemoth that needed its own pair of spaces.

I'm a firm believer that GM missed the boat by not continuing the 4.5 project. Sure, if they sell a diesel Sub it might take a sale away from a diesel crew cab, but why is that a negative? The question is whether they would sell enough diesel Subs to justify the production, and I don't have that answer. I know I'd be a buyer.
 
And I meant to mention, this weekend was a perfect example - Friday night I gave a ride to my daughter and 4 of her friends, Saturday I towed the heavy dual axle trailer, last night I drove to Boston and back. Pretty versatile vehicle.
 
Dave01 said:
And I meant to mention, this weekend was a perfect example - Friday night I gave a ride to my daughter and 4 of her friends, Saturday I towed the heavy dual axle trailer, last night I drove to Boston and back. Pretty versatile vehicle.
Click to expand...

Exactly my point. A wide variety of possible jobs, and on biofuels no less. It will haul my family and a load from costco, then ski, then tow heavy.
 
Veg_Out said:
It is therefore the opinion, and only the opinion of this writer that no other vehicle can touch it for functionality, power, comfort or fueling options. I hereby challenge any and all comers to locate one vehicle model vehicle better able to fit more situations than a hopped up diesel Burb.
Click to expand...

I've owned a Diesel Suburban since 1995 and a 6.2 Diesel Suburban for 4 years before that, so I would say that, yes a Diesel Sub is a great vehicle. But not the greatest vehicle ever made. IMO, that title goes to the British Mini. Now I'm talking the real Mini here, not the one they make today.

While it does lack the towing and passenger capacity of a Suburban, it was never designed for that. That is why they made Land Rovers. Over 5 million Minis were produced for over 40 years in numerous configurations. It was produced in many plants all over the globe and sold all over the world. Virtually every major car producer on the planet has - and still does - copied the Mini.

Functionality - The Mini was made in sedan, pickup, van, wagon, performance sedan, convertible sedans, upmarket sedan and utility configurations, just to name a few. In the various sedan configurations it could carry 4 adults and a surprising amount of cargo. The wagons had even more cargo capacity, while still carrying 4 adults. The vans and pickups were used in all kinds of commercial applications. Want performance? How about world beating performance? The Mini Cooper S beat all comers in International Rallyes. That is outright wins, not class wins. They were and still are very successful in road racing against more powerful cars. The upmarket Riley Elf's and Wolsley Hornets had wool carpets, leather interiors and even larger boots (trunks). The Mini Moke offered off road capabilities in a Jeep like body configuration. And we haven't even got into the custom coachbuilt or modified Minis, much less the Mini based kit cars!

Power - The Mini was offered in several engine sizes, from 850cc up to 1275cc. While that may not sound like a lot, in a 1500 pound car, it offered plenty of performance. The factory produced single and twin carburetors and on the later ones, EFI. If you wanted to go faster, there are dozens of companies dedicated to improving Mini performance. If you still want more power, there is a burgeoning industry selling Honda Vtec engine conversion kits. I have seen a kit to install a 400HP Vtec engine using a 4WD Honda parts that fits in a Mini. A 4WD sub 2000 pound car with 400 HP is more than enough for most!

Comfort - I suppose comfort is somewhat subjective, but the Mini set the standard for comfort in small cars. With its advanced 4 wheel independent suspension, its more comfortable than most think. As mentioned, there were Minis made with wool carpets, leather seats and wood dashes. Air conditioning was available in some markets. Automatic transmissions (4 speed automatics at that, long before GM had one) were available almost from its introduction. The Mini British Open had a power sunroof. The aftermarket supplied most any comfort accessory you may want, such as power windows, etc.

Fueling options. I'm going to say this is a wash and could really apply to most any vehicle. Stock Minis are pretty much limited to gasoline, but since you are allowing mods in the Sub, diesel Minis are not out of the question. I have seen 3 cylinder Daihatsu diesel engine swaps in a Mini. Plus, BMC made diesel tractors in the 60's. While I have never seen one, its possible you may be able to convert an A Series engine to diesel. So any fuel you could use in a Suburban, could be used in a Mini.

In the late 1990's there was a worldwide committee to evaluate over 700 cars to find the "Car of the Century" When all the votes were in, the winner was the Ford Model T. Second place was the Mini. The Model T cannot be discounted as it allowed the common man to own a car. The Mini was really the first modern car. It showed the world that a well packaged car could offer economy, performance and handling, while selling for a very modest price. It offered reasonable comfort and a roomy interior in a very small package. I think the Cooper S was the first real performance sedan available to the masses. I just don't see how any vehicle (Suburbans included) can match the Mini in innovation or versatility.

MiniRF.jpg
 
I will throw a Mini in the back of the truck for small errands. Or maybe 2-3 in the trailer. ):h

Not big enough to be "the right tool for the job."
 
I agree that diesel suburbans are great.

I love my '89 diesel burb. I wish it had had OD (and i wish it ran).

I really REALLY want to purchase a 6.5l suburban 4x4. Anyone know where I can find a good running one on the west coast?
 
Although I like the mini, I believe that the response misses the mark. I believe that the OP was challenging us to "locate one vehicle model vehicle better able to fit more situations than a hopped up diesel Burb". The situations included "functionality, power, comfort or fueling options". I believe that OP meant:

  • Towing heavy
  • Carrying lots of passengers, like a minivan
  • Comfortable ride, similar to a regular car
  • Ability to use diesel, biodiesel, WVO, algae diesel, etc.

I love minis, but I don't think that it makes sense to compare the two.

I think that the comparison to the Excursion or to crew cabs is more relevant.

-Rob :)
 
TurboTahoe said:
Although I like the mini, I believe that the response misses the mark. I believe that the OP was challenging us to "locate one vehicle model vehicle better able to fit more situations than a hopped up diesel Burb". The situations included "functionality, power, comfort or fueling options". I believe that OP meant:

  • Towing heavy
  • Carrying lots of passengers, like a minivan
  • Comfortable ride, similar to a regular car
  • Ability to use diesel, biodiesel, WVO, algae diesel, etc.

I love minis, but I don't think that it makes sense to compare the two.

I think that the comparison to the Excursion or to crew cabs is more relevant.

-Rob :)
Click to expand...

Maybe, I don't know what he meant, only what he asked.
I think I covered the 4 points he addressed.
As for your list,
What is more like a minivan than a Mini Van?
Yes, a Mini has a far superior ride to a regular car so that is an unfair comparison.
You can make synthetic gasoline as well, so is this a fair comparison?
 
Dave01 said:
I have the same problem, not sure what I'd buy to replace my Sub. I have 5-7 people in it on a weekly basis, I tow a boat and recently a dual axle dump trailer a bit. I'm converted to diesel, doubt I'll run a gas car any time in the near future.

I looked at Excursions though never test drove one to feel the ride. In comparing specs I thought the Suburban was just a bit smaller, has a tighter turning radius. I think my Sub drives great, really not a problem in parking lots etc., and felt the EX would be more of a behemoth that needed its own pair of spaces.

I'm a firm believer that GM missed the boat by not continuing the 4.5 project. Sure, if they sell a diesel Sub it might take a sale away from a diesel crew cab, but why is that a negative? The question is whether they would sell enough diesel Subs to justify the production, and I don't have that answer. I know I'd be a buyer.
Click to expand...

Cost to keep the diesel motors emmisons compliant is what killed the 4.5 and similarly Dodge and Fords 1/2 ton diesels.
 
Hi BobbieMartin,

Thanks for responding to my response....

We were considering a replacement to the minivan, but realized that it's impossible to find a 4WD minivan that will seat 8-9 folks. The most I could get was a 7-8 passenger minivan, and then the towing capacity would be something like 3000 lbs, and it wouldn't be a true 4WD, just AWD. I looked at a Dodge Sprinter van, converted to 4WD. That would cost a lot more, parts would likely be a costly pain, and it can't tow anything substantial. On the other hand, it will fit 10-12 people and get decent fuel economy. I doubt it would fit in the garage.

The Suburban diesel has a very smooth highway ride, especially when heavily loaded and/or towing something. We completely gave up doing road trips with 6 people with the minivan, whereas the kids LOVE going in the 'burb, especially when camping or cross-country. The 'burb has the capabilities of taking everyone skiing/snowboarding, and there is room for all. Lots of camping gear? No problem.

The 'burb is NOT the ideal car in the city. It is too long, and not very 'handy'. I am always struggling to find a decent parking space. The minivan (or a Mini!) would easily fit in such places.

On the other hand, when I need to tow something large, or go on a long trip (our maiden voyage in the 'burb was a 4500 mile cross-country trip!) I really can't see a Mini being that comfortable. In the city/suburbs, sure.

Does the Mini really have a far superior ride to a regular sedan? I dunno, I rode in my buddy's Lexus... it seems pretty posh. Is the Mini really better?

I agree you can make synthetic gas, but not easily, not in your garage, and not economically, and I certainly wouldn't want to be putting 100% ethanol in my gas-powered vehicles, but I am very happy to put B100 into the 'burb.

A fun debate. For my purposes, I think the 'burb is hard to beat. I would be loath to replace it with a Mini (although I love Minis).

-Rob :)
 
I can see with the title of this thread "Greatest Vehicle Ever Made" it would make people disagree. I agree, its all application application application. I'm not sure I would agree with the burb being the "Bestest car ever!", to mimic Richard Scary. It's the best for our family right now...

-Rob :)
 
I just wanted to get some discussion rolling. I'm just floored that GM can't get a new one going. Mercedes Benz has 2 diesel SUV's available right now. They are incredible.
 
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