Pre-Owned: 1992-1999 Chevrolet Suburban

Chevrolet's long-lived Suburban has been a staple among buyers needing a sturdy vehicle that can haul hefty amounts of cargo and people or a combination thereof.

For decades, the Suburban has handled boats, horses, and RVs, but in the late '80s, Chevrolet felt the time had come to incorporate new technologies on a platform that had more growth potential. Built on a modified C/K full-size GM pickup-truck chassis, the improved Suburban hit showrooms for the '92 model year.

Available in 1/2- or 3/4-ton models, and 2x4 or 4x4 configuration, the Suburban utilized an independent suspension with upper-and-lower control arms. The rear underpinnings consist of a live axle with two-stage leaf springs. Underhood, there are a few choices, including a 5.7-liter/210-horsepower V-8, with some 190-horse versions going into some 2500-Series units.

Need more power? A 7.4-liter/230-horse gasoline V-8 was in the lineup for Suburbans weighing more than 8600 pounds. With up to 410 lb-ft of torque, depending on model year, it could pull your house off its foundation. No diesel was on the menu for '92-'93, but that changed in '94 with the introduction of the 6.5-liter/190-horsepower V-8 turbo diesel. With the installation of the new Vortec 5700 and Vortec 7400 V-8s in '96, fuel economy, never a Suburban strong point, improved, as did smoothness. A driver-side airbag became standard equipment in '95.

With a hanger-like 149.5 cubic feet of storage space (rear seats removed), the Suburban can haul everything, including the kitchen sink. For such a full-size platform, the Suburban delivers a near-sedan-like ride. Rapid changes in direction result in no small amount of body lean, but anyone driving a vehicle of these zaftig proportions soon realizes the Suburban's forte is bringing a lot of anything along and not canyon carving. Its turning circle of 46.4 feet requires planning for U-turns.

Problem areas? Door hinges are prone to rust, injection pumps on diesels tend to fail, and the clutch as installed with the 6.5-liter diesel isn't reliable. No year was immune from recalls; your best bet is to log on to www.nhtsa.dot.gov to see the recall list, as well as check for myriad Technical Service Bulletins.

Being vehicles designed to work for their supper, Suburbans tend to have led hard lives. Get a trusted mechanic to inspect a possible purchase. It's money well spent, as repairs aren't getting cheaper. Test drive a potential buy in the types of conditions you expect to be in. The '92-'99 Suburban, and its GMC clone, are solid, reliable workhorses when maintained. Don't buy one that hasn't been. TT