If you want a Tahoe that'll outlive your mortgage, hunt down a 2000-2006 GMT800, the last generation before GM added Active Fuel Management and turned oil consumption into a lifestyle. Those trucks routinely hit 250k miles with just a transmission rebuild somewhere past 150k. Everything from 2007 forward carries the AFM lifter time bomb: one collapsed lifter means a $5,000 engine teardown, and the 6L80/8L90 transmissions fail even when you do everything right. The 2021 redesign rides better and looks sharper, but dealership techs report transmission replacements at 1,400 miles, and GM's killing CarPlay in 2026, locking you into their buggy infotainment forever. Buy a GMT800 if you want peace of mind, or budget for an AFM delete the day you sign. Skip this if you want a full-size SUV that doesn't require a maintenance prayer circle.
The Yukon used to be the SUV you bought once and drove forever, GMT800s from 1999-2006 still cruise past 250k miles on original drivetrains, but the current 6.2L V8 has a bearing flaw that causes engines to seize without warning, sometimes at highway speed, often under 30k miles. GM recalled 2019-2024 models but 2025s are failing identically; one owner's engine died at 20k after the dealer promised the issue was resolved. If you need a new Yukon, the 3.0L Duramax diesel is the only powertrain worth trusting, though it's had scattered early turbo failures. Otherwise, find a GMT800 with records and accept 12 mpg, it's the last generation that actually delivers on the reputation.