'05 & '06 4x4 Tahoes - Where Are They ?

[Ironhorse]

Wife and I have a '99 Tahoe 4x4 LS 5.7L with cloth interior, 182K on the clock. Been a pretty good ride, have had it 10 years come this Dec. Bought it used with 66K on the clock. Since owning it have done the fuel spider replace, replaced the intake gasket and converted to the "green stuff" anti-freeze. Replaced cat. converter, trans mission hard shift 2nd to 3rd fixed and new compressor and service on the A/C. Usual batteries and tires. This in ten years time so guess not too bad considering. Really like it since it still has the manually shifted transfer lever instead of the push button on the dash. That and it has a biggie for us a----"CLOTH INTERIOR" !! Why does everything now days HAVE to have leather. Don't like it, don't want it !! Never have seen decent leather sets with 100K plus miles that aren't cracked out like a road map !!

Have been looking for maybe 8 month to a year for a decent low mileage '05 or '06 Tahoe 4x4. Local dealerships and craigs list both locally and within 250/300 miles. Nothing unless it has 180-220K miles. Why trade up years for vehicle with same mileage we have now on our '99. Don't want a '07 or newer because GM in it's wisdom (insert heavy sarcasm) decided that the rear seats don't need to fold flat anymore, just roll it up against the front seat back. Sometimes use the Tahoe for swap meets and that means can't put a 6' table in the cargo area anymore.

Sorry for the long rant but really having a hard time finding what we want in a vehicle and these newer vehicles just have way too much in the bells and whistles dept and aren't user friendly in their designs. What happened to actually being able to haul something? I sure miss my ol' '91 RV style 4x4 Suburban.

Okay, rant off now

[BR3W CITY]

I literally went through a similar search, looking for a well-appointed Tahoe/Yukon (I also included high-optioned pickups, but those are rare too). I finally got one yesterday, after like 2 years of casual-turned-agressive looking. Finding something with no rust up by me is a feat. In my case, I wanted the leather etc....but regarldess of equipment, clean non-XL Tahoes and Yukons are just not around much.

[Ironhorse]

Thanks for the reply, guess I was just needing to lose a bit of frustration looking for what seems to be a needle in the hay stack. Not sure why I see so many '07s, '08, '10s and newer for sale but when I do they generally have as many miles or more as our current '99 Tahoe does. I sometimes think maybe folks with the '05s and '06s are satisfied and not wanting to up-grade? Seems I have read and heard that the cars and trucks produced at the end of a design/model before the next generation run have most if not all the "bugs" worked out and finally end up being a pretty good vehicle.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Been looking for a 00-06 tahoe or yukon for my Dad too. People want crazy money for them, like $5k for a 2002 with 250k miles?? What? Also seems people get 250 to 300k out of them before upgrading, which is likely why you aren't seeing many 05-06 yet.

[BR3W CITY]

Yea, I think especially with the 05-06 you get the advantage of end GENIII Engine/ECM tech (DBW, some GM LAN controls) but still with the non-TPS wheels.

I bought mine from a retired firefighter who owned it since 20k ish, and there just aren't many "owned since new dealer maintained" trucks around on the used market anymore. The new ones are so expensive no one wants to take the loss on the used ones. There is a gap from 14-19k$ range of used trucks; everything "good" from a semi current Gen is 19k+, and everything under $14k is entering its last leg of life if you aren't careful. I remember about 2009ish you could pickup one under 100k mi for the 15-17k range, but those days are gone.

[Ironhorse]

Guess will just be patient and keep looking. Really don't want newer than an '06, even have considered going with the leather interior as much as don't want to. Would maybe even do an '04 if it was very nice and very low mileage. Would like to find one in the 10-11K miles per year if at all possible. Guess as they say it's the thrill of the hunt, huh? The hunt continues.