Make the switch or not!

[pruittncrv]

Just looking for your opinions, my current TV is a 99 F250 CC 2wd V10 with 107k miles. Our TT is 32 ft and around 8k miles loaded and on beach trips we do haul our golf cart in the bed as well. Our dilemma, we are a family of 5, as our two oldest kids get older they desire to take friends along, my truck only seats 5. So, the way I look at it is I have 3 options.
1. Drive another vehicle on those trips when friends tag along
2. Buy a 2500/ excursion and leave the golf cart behind
3. Keep the truck and add a front bench seat and just be cramped up for the trips with extra people.
I do have a guy wanting to trade me his 1999 2500 suburban-4x4 122kmiles 7.4- he would give me $1500 boot but afraid I would hate the IFS.
Can anyone respond who has made the switch from SUV to truck or truck to SUV and what are your thoughts. Even with 5 in my truck we are cramped so the large SUV sounds nice in that aspect. To stay in the same price range I would only consider v10 excursions. Thanks. for your thoughts and input!

[pruittncrv]

Not to just haul my kids friends but to haul us as a family more comfortably!!

[KD4UPL]

I don't understand the concern with the IFS. The GM's I've owned include: '01 4 x 4 Dually, '02 2wd 2500, '05 4 x 4 dually, '07 4 x 4 3500 SRW. The only work ever done to the front end of any of them was new tire rods, pitman arm, idler arm to the '05 after 100,000 miles.
The handle and ride great. I think you'd be really happy with the sub.
However, if I had a truck I liked I wouldn't be getting rid of it just to haul my kids friends.

[pruittncrv]

I usually average 8-9 towing the TT and the golf cart. I have read you could really wake up the 7.4 with a few mods, so I could use the $1500 to do a couple items if I decided to. It's really hard to get a real value on vehicles of this age, kbb says there is a $3k difference with my truck worth more, but we all know how that goes.

[Engineer9860]

The old 2 valve V-10 will tow pretty close to the Vortec 7.4L.

The V-10 should get slightly better fuel mileage. I say "should" because I hear reports from V-10 owners and their fuel mileage is all over the map. At the end of the day neither engine is a fuel mileage champ.

What are your concerns with the IFS? I've been running GMs for 25 years without a single issue.

[pruittncrv]

The suburban switch is very tempting and I believe I could get another $500 from him on the boot, he really wants my truck. We only camp 6 or 7 times a year at the most. Is the 7.4 as reliable as my 6.8 ? Will they tow about the same?

[donn0128]

If the Suburban is really nice I would not hesitate to make the switch. The 2500 platform is a really good towing platform and will run for a lot of miles.

[boosTT]

Keep the truck.

[carringb]

Or have it stretched by Tim:

[carringb]

Cab extension?


http://cowtownsleepers.com/index.html

[fla-gypsy]

Hang onto the truck if possible. In a few more years the kids will not want to go any more or will be driving themselves. As a V-10 owner I understand your reluctance to let it go.