Tahoe or expedition

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Hi All,

I need advice on vehicle choice.

Useage: towing small boat/trailer, or 6x12 utility trailer, plus have decent cargo area.

Driving conditions: northern Minn

winters.

I am considering 2001-2005 Tahoe or Expedition. Any pros /cons for either?

Is there a better year for either?

Which v8 engine has better mpg and or life span?

Any other choices I should consider?

2

Either.
For people AND cargo get the long truck.
Mine is an 08 Expedition EL. Though it can seat 8, my family of five sits in there nicely. With the third row folded down there’s still a boat load of room back there.

Put the third row up and the kids can bring friends.

For shopping trips to Albuquerque ( 140 miles one way ) nothing beats it for space.

3

That’s probably pretty close to a toss up for me. I’ve been driving Chevy trucks with a few Fords and Dodges thrown in here and there, but i must admit the next truck I buy will probably be a Ford. In my experience working on these things daily I like the overhead cam engines in the Ford. Tahoe feels like a little firmer ride, but that probably has to do with Expedition air suspension. The GM engines have a tendency to leak coolant at the water pump, gaskets. Some of the GM engines have a porosity problem at the rear of the block causing an oil leak. If you’re gonna pick a Ford though, make sure nothing but the right oil is used. Too thick an oil will cause problems with the cam phasers. They will all go the same distance if properly maintained. As far as MPG goes I can’t really help you in that area. Happy Hunting!

4

You might consider a minivan as well. Most any minivan can be equipped with a class 3 trailer hitch and tow what you are intent on towing with either of these trucks. Most minivans have towing capacity around 3500 lbs. Check manufacturer specs to be sure though. Between the Tahoe and Expedition, they are both nice trucks and I would have trouble choosing. I like the looks of the Chevy better, but the Ford seems more luxurious. Both are quite reliable, mechanically speaking. You can’t really go wrong. Your best bet for mpg will probably be 5.4L for the Ford and 5.3L for the Chevy.