Found my Hoe (i think?) Q about adding heated seats.

[chadwick02]

Hey everyone,
You may remember my recent topic about trying to find a z71 with a 2nd row bench. Well, while searching for one, I stumbled across a 2007 LT2, black on black, with a 2nd row bench seat and 3rd row. Its got 45,000 miles (very high for an 07). It is certified and I like the dealer (went and saw them yesterday, they let me “try” the hoe for a few days, so its sitting in my driveway now. We agreed on a price of $26,800, but I have NOT signed anything yet, and left on the terms that it was “subject to my mechanics inspection”. It is missing a few things that I really had wanted. Most of them can be added fairly easily later on (wheels, turn signal mirrors, chrome running boards…etc). But I am wondering about adding heated first row seats. They are not heated, and this is a must for me! So, I have 2 questions:

A) What is involved in adding heated seats aftermarket? The dealer said they could add them for me “at cost” of $250 a seat, but that it was outsourced to an upholstery company and has a “lifetime warranty”. Both the seat and the back would be doen. I’ve never done anything like this before. If it is done aftermarket is it as good as from the factory? Is this something I can do for a lot less than $250 a seat? Any ideas here? They are leather bucket seats.

B) does $26,800 sound reasonable for a certified 07 Tahoe LT2 with 45K miles?


Thanks,
Chad

 

[uofmz71]

A) i really dont know about adding aftermarket heated seats, but when i had my maxima i wanted to do that and they said it wasnt worth it. BUT it does seem like you have a good price for about 1000 for all the seats and a lifetime warranty! also i really like the factory look so if they could do it that way, that would be cool... i have the front headed seats and kinda want to get my two buckets in the back done aftermarket (resales better!) but again price to me sounds good but i really dont know

B) the price according to NADA sounds good but thats for a 4X4 ($30,000 - $34,000) and i dont know what that has... i would check both KBB and NADA since you know all the specs and go from there. it does sound like a really good deal but i would def have a mechanic look at it! just to be sure!

 

[Vrrooom]

If heated seats is a must, find a Tahoe with heated seats. In my past experience of owning cars and modifying them to replace some factory options, it's just not worth it. Buy it the way you want it.

The $26,800 is a decent price, but dont think there arent others out there at that price. The market is hurt, people aren't buying cars like they have been. Shop around for what you want and negotiate from there.

 

[gmcul8r]

I agree with Vrroom! I always have regret if I settle for something.

If the options you speak of are a must (which it sounds like they are) I would tell the dealerhsip to add them to the vehicle and then you will take it for $26,800. Doesn't hurt to try!

 

[ugachs24]

You do not want to hear this, but don't buy it unless you really love everything about it. You will be really happy with it when you get it and then you'll look back when the new starts wearing off and wonder why you didn't wait for the perfect one. I've dont that before :ack: , not a good feeling.

These things are not bringing the money right now, so just look around. A buddy of mine is a GMC car salesman and told me that they mark all of their cars $3500 over KBB, so unless it is a fresh unit for them, you can usually talk them down a ton. Try and find out how long they have had it when you see the one you're interested in at the dealership, they usually start trying to get rid of them (by sending to an auction or taking a loss) around the 80 day mark. You're going to get a better deal if they can't get it to sell.

Just a couple tips.

 

[MCF34]

Do you have to have heated seats? I live in Houston and it is nice when you auto start the car and the outside temp is below 50 deg F it automatically puts on the heated seats, but anything above the lowest level is toooo hot for me. I like the higher end cars that have infinetely adjustable heated seats between min and max settings...now that would be nice

 

[ugachs24]

Do you have to have heated seats? I live in Houston and it is nice when you auto start the car and the outside temp is below 50 deg F it automatically puts on the heated seats, but anything above the lowest level is toooo hot for me. I like the higher end cars that have infinetely adjustable heated seats between min and max settings...now that would be nice

I don't even use the heated seats, I would just assume not have them. However, I don't remember about the NBS, but on the OBS, the heated seats came standard when you got the 10 way adjustable seats, which I couldn't live without, those things are awesome.

My wife, on the other hand, uses them religiously, every time she starts it up in the winter.

 

[chadwick02]

Thanks for all the input guys!

Yes, it is a 4x4. This is a must.

For me, heated seats are a must also. I am noticing you guys who say you don't use them live down in the south or in warmer climates. If I lived in a warm climate i wouldn't use heated seats either! But when you've been out side all day in sub-zero weather, a heated seat is really really nice!!


I think I found the deal breaker however:
I took it to a local chevy dealer today - their service department has been awesome to our family and business for years. Great people, always willing to go beyond the call...etc. I really cant say enough good about them, and I wanted their opinion on this Hoe. I for the past few months I have tried to buy my car from them, but they are a smaller dealer and are having a tough time finding what I want (for the price I want), which is why I started to look elsewhere. ANYHOW, back to the point, their service crew took a good look at the truck, and said everything in it was in perfect shape, EXCEPT for the fact that the transmission had a complete over-haul done about 500 miles ago. It was warranty work, but it was not done at the selling dealer (which is also where it was purchased new), but at another GM garage a bunch of miles away. The description said it was unscheduled service, and that the problem description was would not shift at all. It was towed to the closest GM garage , and was in there for about a week.
He couldnt find out any more info, but that both the service records and a look at the actual tranny indicate that it was completely removed and rebuilt. Now, 500 miles later, the truck is for sale. This scares me.

He also pointed out that the purchase date was in august of 2006, which made him conclude that it was probably one of the first off the assembly line. First production year, first production model, first batch to be produced... that scares me too.

Edit: It is certified, so the warranty is good to 100K, so the tranny would be covered until then. I just dont know much about transmission work, but if the tranny has been cracked open once and worked on, i would assume that it has a more likely chance of breaking again, and with my luck, it will happen just outside 100K...

I think with all of this, this is not the truck for me. What would you guys do?

Thanks again for all the great input!

Chad

 

[MCF34]

RUN!!!!

Thanks for all the input guys!

Yes, it is a 4x4. This is a must.

For me, heated seats are a must also. I am noticing you guys who say you don't use them live down in the south or in warmer climates. If I lived in a warm climate i wouldn't use heated seats either! But when you've been out side all day in sub-zero weather, a heated seat is really really nice!!


I think I found the deal breaker however:
I took it to a local chevy dealer today - their service department has been awesome to our family and business for years. Great people, always willing to go beyond the call...etc. I really cant say enough good about them, and I wanted their opinion on this Hoe. I for the past few months I have tried to buy my car from them, but they are a smaller dealer and are having a tough time finding what I want (for the price I want), which is why I started to look elsewhere. ANYHOW, back to the point, their service crew took a good look at the truck, and said everything in it was in perfect shape, EXCEPT for the fact that the transmission had a complete over-haul done about 500 miles ago. It was warranty work, but it was not done at the selling dealer (which is also where it was purchased new), but at another GM garage a bunch of miles away. The description said it was unscheduled service, and that the problem description was would not shift at all. It was towed to the closest GM garage , and was in there for about a week.
He couldnt find out any more info, but that both the service records and a look at the actual tranny indicate that it was completely removed and rebuilt. Now, 500 miles later, the truck is for sale. This scares me.

He also pointed out that the purchase date was in august of 2006, which made him conclude that it was probably one of the first off the assembly line. First production year, first production model, first batch to be produced... that scares me too.

Edit: It is certified, so the warranty is good to 100K, so the tranny would be covered until then. I just dont know much about transmission work, but if the tranny has been cracked open once and worked on, i would assume that it has a more likely chance of breaking again, and with my luck, it will happen just outside 100K...

I think with all of this, this is not the truck for me. What would you guys do?

Thanks again for all the great input!

Chad

Take the Tahoe up to the dealer NOW and drop the keys in the night service slot and don't look back...get rid of that vehicle NOW!!

 

[ugachs24]

Thanks for all the input guys!

Yes, it is a 4x4. This is a must.

For me, heated seats are a must also. I am noticing you guys who say you don't use them live down in the south or in warmer climates. If I lived in a warm climate i wouldn't use heated seats either! But when you've been out side all day in sub-zero weather, a heated seat is really really nice!!


I think I found the deal breaker however:
I took it to a local chevy dealer today - their service department has been awesome to our family and business for years. Great people, always willing to go beyond the call...etc. I really cant say enough good about them, and I wanted their opinion on this Hoe. I for the past few months I have tried to buy my car from them, but they are a smaller dealer and are having a tough time finding what I want (for the price I want), which is why I started to look elsewhere. ANYHOW, back to the point, their service crew took a good look at the truck, and said everything in it was in perfect shape, EXCEPT for the fact that the transmission had a complete over-haul done about 500 miles ago. It was warranty work, but it was not done at the selling dealer (which is also where it was purchased new), but at another GM garage a bunch of miles away. The description said it was unscheduled service, and that the problem description was would not shift at all. It was towed to the closest GM garage , and was in there for about a week.
He couldnt find out any more info, but that both the service records and a look at the actual tranny indicate that it was completely removed and rebuilt. Now, 500 miles later, the truck is for sale. This scares me.

He also pointed out that the purchase date was in august of 2006, which made him conclude that it was probably one of the first off the assembly line. First production year, first production model, first batch to be produced... that scares me too.

Edit: It is certified, so the warranty is good to 100K, so the tranny would be covered until then. I just dont know much about transmission work, but if the tranny has been cracked open once and worked on, i would assume that it has a more likely chance of breaking again, and with my luck, it will happen just outside 100K...

I think with all of this, this is not the truck for me. What would you guys do?

Thanks again for all the great input!

Chad

Get rid of that one, I wouldn't buy it. Something just doesn't sound right about selling it 500 miles after a total transmission overhaul.

 

[uofmz71]

thats def. a no go!

i had a 98 hoe and my tranny went out and right before i sold it, it started having problems again (fortunately for me i got rid of it before i had to do more work to it) but the initial overhaul had to be done several time (under warranty)

but bottom line is dont mess with a "not good" transmission!

 

[rockrawler]

Yep I agree. Don't get this one. There are plenty of deals out there that are just as good or better than this one. The aftermarket seat heater thing is not a big deal and the $250 is about going rate. The cost of the aftermarket seat heater is only about $75 per seat to the consumer so the rest of the cost would be to the shop putting the time in. I have had these installed in other cars of mine and my wife and I have enjoyed them without any problems. As far as the tranny issue, find another one. Any good salesman should be able to get close to what you are looking for and in the price range as long as they have a good go to guy at the auctions. Just let him know what you want and see what they can dig up. Good luck in the search, you will find what you want just keep looking.

 

[chadwick02]

Thanks guys. I bailed on this one. The dealer was not happy with me, but I honestly don't think anyone could be too mad over the situation. The thing had a bogus tranny.
It was a good learning experience. I had been looking for an 05 or 06 when I stumbled across this 07. Now that I have tried it out I have found the difference between fit, finish & ride is totally different with the new generation of tahoe's. I am now looking for an 07, even though it will cost me a good 10 grand more (give or take...) than an 05. Well worth the money to me.

Thanks again!