It’s hard to believe that this 1989 Chevrolet Suburban V2500 4×4 is over three decades old already, it appears to be in fantastic condition. Chevy had a winner on their hands with this generation Suburban and the bidders are all over this one. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Sparks, Nevada and the current bid price is $17,100 but even at that price, the reserve isn’t met yet.
The Chevrolet Suburban is reportedly the longest-lasting vehicle name in history, at least for US vehicle production. The first model year was 1935 so that’s 86 years and counting, pretty amazing. This is a seventh-generation Suburban and they were made for model years 1973 through 1991 (1989 through 1996 in Brazil, in case anyone is still paying attention). They were made in both 2WD and 4WD and this one is clearly 4WD and it appears to have been given a bit of a lift at some point in its history.
This one also appears to have been repainted and checking and rechecking… the seller’s description, that’s the case here. I was wondering why it was debadged, I have never quite understood why people don’t put badges back on after painting a vehicle but there are a lot of automotive trends that I don’t understand. Such as not using any punctuation at all in an eBay listing and I mean not one period or comma. It makes it incredibly hard to understand what the story is on this Suburban but the bidders don’t need no stinkin’ punctuation! (“We don’t need no stinkin’ badges”, a debadging joke there) (whew, tough crowd)
I had airbags in my vehicles by 1989 but this is a truck and they had different rules. There is something nice about a simple steering wheel from the pre-airbag era. The interior looks great in this Suburban and you can fit a dozen or two of your friends in here easily. Maybe not legally but… I guess it’s not 1989 anymore so we should be following the laws, eh? Ok, this one will haul seven of your friends in comfort. The back seat looks perfect as does the cavernous rear cargo area. I bet that the super clean underside is bringing those bid prices up, it looks perfect under there. For the record, Hagerty had better redo their values after this one sells, they’re at $15,100 for a #2 excellent condition Suburban. This example is almost two-grand above that and the reserve isn’t even met yet, whoa.
The engine is also super clean and it’s Chevy’s 350 cubic-inch V8 which would have had just under 200 horsepower. This is a 3/4-ton Suburban and it would be a nice vehicle to tow a trailer or almost any purpose other than getting good gas mileage. One thing that’s a little puzzling is the mileage which is listed as being 22,364 but if you click on the eBay vehicle history report the mileage bounces all over the place. Any thoughts on that? Or, on this Suburban, in general?
If the vehicle history report is correct, it appears that it had 120k on it in 2007. If that’s the case, my guess would be that the odometer is currently at 220K. It is possible to keep a very high mileage vehicle in nice condition, as this one is.
Shouldn’t the model read K2500. I like this generation as well as the one that followed. Very desirable to have the 3/4 ton chassis which gives you a more robust drivetrain and brakes. I know the K1500 brakes and rear differential was not up to the task for any type of hauling duties. Truck has been well kept and should provide service for another 30 years if maintained.
Alpha, Chevy changed the lingo from K to V for 4×4 Suburbans and from C to R for 2WD Suburbans between 1987 and 1991. It went back to “normal” for the next generation that came out in the fall of 1991 for the 1992 model year.
Thanks Scotty, I never knew that. Now I do.
It’s more or less like how the RWD A-bodies were redesignated G-body in 1982 when the FWD As came out, because the new generation (GMT400) C/K started in 1988 but only as a regular pickup.
And almost as perplexing as to why they did this two-step instead of just giving the new designation to the new model.
31 Gallon Tank, 12 MPG. $3.50 A Gallon. I had a 1990 it was over $125.00 to fill it up when I got rid of in 1997. NUFF SAID
The price is astounding for an SUV with mysterious mileage that is almost certainly more than 120,000 miles, quite possibly by a lot. A friend bought a really nice Suburban about five years older than this one in 2017. It had actual low mileage, and I think she paid less than four thousand dollars. If it’s still as nice as it was when I last saw it, she should auction it off while the getting is good. Suburbans are capable enough that they still make sense when gas is $3.50 a gallon, provided you’re using one to haul several people or large payloads. They’ll be pure luxuries when the government succeeds in making gasoline $7.00 a gallon by late spring next year.
The government does not set the gas prices. The economic conditions promulgated by both parties influence the prices to some extent, but the market sets the price. Artificially low gas prices are compensated in other ways. In the immortal words of Milton Friedman (et al.), “There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
lol
We had energy independence a year ago. The chosen regime stopped it through anti-fracking laws and denying leases on government land. Not only are we paying almost twice as much for energy, we’re exporting a meaningful amount of the money we’re spending on energy. You couldn’t be more wrong if your job was explaining away the expenses of open borders.
There is something WAY more important and principle based regarding the oil policies in this country, and its not the cost per gallon.
YES, the government doesnt set the gas prices,
for those of you suggesting the current President does, and the last one did, and that the last guy had any true interest in saving you low income, un-educated, pale folks money at the pump.. heres your sign.
That last guy was a humiliation of a human, no less a leader.
Anyway, back to cars, and this Suburban is one of the finest, well built, made in USA vehicles ever. Its good to see them valued as such.
You really believe that, don’t you?
Of course the government doesn’t “set” the gas prices, but the current administration’s policies sure as heck do affect them! As a nation we’ve gone from being energy independent, to once again being dependent on foreign oil, almost over night. Give me a break…
Had a ‘89 K1500. Great wagon, except the rear end and transmission couldn’t take towing a 4000 lb. deck boat!
The suburbans of this era and the immediate following design are probably some of the greatest trucks GM ever built. I had a ‘91 powered by a 454 2WD. and I averaged 12 miles per gallon while towing a car on the trailer across country. I’ve had a 94 and currently on a 98 and they average in the 15 mile per gallon range.What’s crazy is when you think about how big these vehicles are is when you pull up next to a new one and see how small they actually look next to new obnoxious stuff…John p
It might surprise you to know that the newer suburbans really aren’t that roomy on the inside. The back seat is ok for kids but short on room for adults.
Looks like a piece of crap to me. Incorrect front bumper, and probably a cheap repop like the grill. Very poor paint job, and the 2 tone white should go to the bottom of the fender in front of the front wheels on 89-91 examples. Chrome missing off the bottom of the barn doors. Mismatched front seats, passenger front seat is a different trim and not 89-91 Suburban upholstery. Wood trim missing off the passengers side dash. Really not a very good example at all. 89’s have a 5 digit odometer so likely rolled over 2 or 3 times. My 91 is in far nicer shape than this and has 289k miles on it.
Auction update: this Suburban sold for $20,600!