Since its inception in 1935 the Chevrolet Suburban has been the longest running automobile nameplate in production. It started life as a large steel bodied wagon built on the frame of a pickup truck, and that combination is still used today. Though, as you might imagine, the Suburban of today has some serious refinements and luxury appointments that its older brothers didn’t have. Karl Chevrolet is Fairfield County’s largest Suburban dealer with a continuous stock of at least 30 most of the time. More Suburban buyers come to Karl Chevrolet, not just from Fairfield County, but we consistently attract buyers from all over Westchester County, the New York City metro area, and we’ve even had several people move from overseas and upon arrival, come and pick up a brand new Suburban to use as their first American vehicle. But not everyone wants to purchase a brand new Suburban. Finding a quality pre owned Suburban is certainly not hard, if you know what to look for.
If you are in the market for a pre owned Chevrolet Suburban one of the first things you should do is to check out what is at your local (or not so local) Chevrolet dealership. Why is that? Just because you’re looking for a pre owned Suburban why is it a good idea to find one at a Chevrolet dealership? Great question! The truth is, it’s not imperative, but it IS a good idea. Reason being is that a Chevrolet dealer knows the Suburban vehicle inside and out. We’re not just talking about the sales team, we’re also talking about the service team as well. We know what to look for, and what is worth putting our name on.
Sometimes a Chevrolet dealer will get a much older Suburban in with high miles but just so happens to be in great condition (see image below). Though it is becoming more and more rare to see a vehicle like this on a lot like ours, it means that this vehicle has meet our own strict guidelines and we have deemed it worthy to sell to the public. Many Suburbans that are older and higher in mileage tend to go straight to the auction, but once in a while, we find a gem and hold onto it to be sold to a new, loving home. In most cases, what you WILL see a lot of is a certified pre owned Suburban.
Occasionally We Come Across a Diamond in the Rough Like This 2005 Suburban That Was Well Taken Care Of
What makes a pre owned Suburban GM certified? A certified pre owned Chevrolet Suburban must be a certain age and must not have logged over a certain numbers of miles to start. From there, it goes through a rigorous 172 point inspection. If the vehicle meets a certain criteria within the inspection, it is reconditioned at the dealership and placed “on the line” to be sold to folks like you. Want to know what that 172 point inspection looks like, you can check out this example of the inspection sheet. As you’ll see, GM does not mess around!
But what if you don’t want to go to a Chevrolet dealership and you find one down the street at the local used car lot? By all means if it’s what you’re looking for, but a few things you’ll certainly want to look at and look out for. First and foremost ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask for a carfax report to make sure you know the vehicle’s history. If it was involved in a major accident, you may want to consider passing on it. Another key piece of info is any service records. The more service records you have, the better you’ll understand how the vehicle was cared for, and that can make all the difference down the road.
If you can get underneath the vehicle, we would suggest doing so to inspect for rust on the frame that is more than just surface rust (eating away at the metal) as well as leaks. If you see either or the remanence of either, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Finally, have a look around the doors and the wheel wells for bubbling in the paint which is a sign of rust building up under the paint. Also keep an eye out for panels that don’t line up right or are slightly off color from each other, these both signal that it went through a less than trustworthy body shop. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to find yourself a great Chevrolet Suburban that will last you for years! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a ring!