[AviD]

My Jeep is on its way out, and I am in need of a new ride. Definitely looking for a bigger SUV and have my eye specifically on a 2000-2003 White Chevy Tahoe Z71 with less than 50,000 miles.

I need a good amount of storage space in the back for my hobbies, carting an asston of gear around. I plan on laying the seats down in the back or removing them entirely and building a custom wooden drawer based storage box in the back for certain gear.

This SUV will be off road quite a big, nothing malicious...but expect some rough trails, some rock terrain, alot of sugar sandy terrain, some beach terrain, and LOTS of water and mud...from flatlands to mountains. 4WD IS A MUST. Also, some gear toted around during certain times of the year will be heavy and put some weight on the suspension, so there are plans for a suspension lift, nothing major 3-4", and upsizing the tires a bit. I figure the Tahoe Z71 package is a good start if I get lazy and never get around the the lift/tires...but I guess I should make a decision early and maybe save on the Z71 goodies if I am going to put lift/tires on it as I might be saving money (instead of getting the Z71 add-ons).

To give you an idea of size range...

A School Bus, although big pimpin', is TOO BIG
A Milk Truck is TOO BIG
A Suburban is TOO BIG
***I want to be in here somewhere***
A Pathfinder is TOO SMALL
A Jeep is TOO SMALL
A Geo Tracker is TOO SMALL
A Tricycle, although excellent gas mileage, is TOO SMALL

Price range is relative, but for a Z71 Tahoe 2000-2004 I'd be looking to pay in the 18-24K range. Definitely looking for under 50,000 miles.


Anyway, anyone have any other recommendations for a solid SUV in this size range?