1987 Chevrolet Suburban C2500 from North America - Comments

Master cylinder failed at 62,000 miles.

Original rear brakes replaced at 182,000 miles.

Original transmission failed at 192,000 miles.

4 Radiators replaced, each lasted about 50,000 miles.

Engine rod failure at 217,000 miles.

The 1987 Suburban reliability is extremely high. With a working horse farm, 4H kids, and equine competition across the Northeast, the vehicle has more than earned it's keep. With the 454 engine you can tow anything that you can hook to the vehicle, or wrap a chain around. The throttle body injection fuel system always managed to get 12 miles per gallon, running with a six horse trailer in tow, or just the family in the truck.

The guy who got 34 MPG must be on a mo-pod, not a 1987 Suburban with a 454ci V8 that can tow anything and take 8 people along.

I have put over 80,000 miles on my 1987 Suburban 4 x 2 and basically, I love this truck. Mine has the 7.4 (454) engine, all the toys, and is equipped with the 4.10 rear.

The years have seen some repairs, like a new trans and 2 radiators, and the usual maintenance items, like brakes, batteries, and tires.

Other than the gas mileage (it gets around 10-11 in town and 12-14 on the road no matter if it's towing my trailer or I have the A/C on). But for a truck this heavy and with the engine, rear ratio combination, I wasn't expecting 25 mpg. She ain't a LUV truck, but a real SUV with a real man sized motor.

Overall, I am more than pleased with my Suburban and yes, it could have had a few things better designed from the factory (like my dash pad that cracked, as they all seem to do) and my headliner that is starting to sag, but this is in my opinion a great vehicle that does what it was designed to do. And it's a good looking truck that doesn't resemble today's plastic, egg shaped, and overpriced SUV's.

Hello everyone!

I am looking at an 87 Suburban with 122,000 on a fuel injected 454. The body and paint are perfect, and the interior is the same (for its age, at least), and it seats 9.

I will be using it to transport 9 people plus an 8000 pound travel trailer.

I have heard late 1980's Chevy fuel injectors were poorly designed. Has any one had problems with theirs? Do you know of any other possible problems to watch for?

Would $3200 be a reasonable price to pay for such a rig?

Thank you in advance.

I bought my '87 Silverado 20 454 V8 brand new. Nobody had anything else like it. Probably the most poorly assembled vehicle I have ever owned. Took the first 10 years I owned it to get all the bugs out. The fan belt cut through the lower radiator hose in the time it took me to drive the 3 miles from the dealer to home... hose was installed backwards so it was in contact with the belt. Too many paint peels to count, and was spot painted over the course of the 6 year warranty, and a month before the warranty expired, GM paid for a complete new paint job with a clear coat finish. Trannie died at 90,000, mechanic found some part in the front of the trannie installed backwards... said I should be impressed that it went 90k with almost no lubrication to the front part of the trannie. And I had to have the headliner replaced because it sagged.

Okay, that was the first 10 years. The next 12 years, it has been a champ. Only put about 3,000 miles on it a year as it is our long trip/spare car, and it just turned 129,000 miles. Some of the chrome colored exterior trim is going now due to age, and the manual door lock on one door sticks, but the mechanics have been pretty solid. Did have to replace the distributor last month, the power steering pump 3 years ago, and the A/C compressor 4 years ago. Other than oil changes and a tune up, those have been the only repairs in the last 12 years. Gas mileage... I got 12.7 once in 22 years, going down the Grapevine on I-5 in Southern California... otherwise it is a steady 9 in town and on the freeway.