Exceptional condition and camping fit out.
What a fabulous time us two Aussies have had exploring the USA and Canada in this amazing Suburban, with stints of 3, 5 and now 3 months over the last 3 years. What was originally going to be a once only 3 month camping tour in our Chevy, was just so good we had to come back for more.
This Suburban exceeded all our expectations and was just so perfect for our needs. There are an unlimited number of absolutely magnificent free camp sites to be found with a vehicle like this. No need to book a campground or live in hope you might find a vacant site. With the 4 x4, high ground clearance and without the size of a ‘Sprinter Van’ or larger RV, meant that every night we were able to find a wonderful place to securely spend the night, rain or shine. Out on the freeway or going through the towns and cities our Suburban was just so much easier to drive and park than any other camper out there. Visiting family and friends we had our own separate self-contained comfy space.
Pop the back hatch door open and immediately we had protection from sun and rain to cook up a feast or make a quick espresso. It has bench space, stove, frig, water and basin, pots and pans and drawers for all the immediate necessities. Cooking and prepping outdoors made easy. And with no kitchen floor to sweep! Cunning table with fold out legs sits a top the timber kitchen unit and can be setup on the ground level when you really want to settle in and spread your wings.
Lots of space under the laid flat seats to stash all sorts of goodies and supplies. Cargo nets in the rear gobble up huge amount of stuff which remains visible for when needed. The Thule roof box holds an enormous amount of the less often used gear. With a door and window open its easy and safe to climb up on the roof rack and rummage around in the roof box.
Double bed mattress is very comfortable and of good quality. Anyone over 6’ would have to look at removing one or both of the folded up, rear seat bases to be able to fully stretch out. If sleeping single, an over 6’er would be fine diagonally.
With no rust and no accident history this Suburban has proved to be very comfortable to drive on and off road, as well as being very tough and reliable. For this DIYer mechanic, with a bit of help from YouTube, basic tools and readily available and moderately priced parts, I have come to love our Chevy very much. A vehicle most mechanics and parts stores across the continent could easily have back on the road quickly for most eventualities.
Before departing Australia and while still planning our trip after much ‘Google’ searching for campers to fit our needs, I became convinced a 2000 – 2006 Suburban 4×4 would the perfect vehicle for us. The mechanic in me appreciated what others were reporting. Many believe this 5.3l V8/4speed auto is one of best Chevy ever made. This was the model to find, not too old and not to new with all the inherent problems of each. Check out www.suburbancamping.com/why-suburban. Certainly ours never missed a beat, started instantly every time and used no oil between changes and cruised along like a dream.
When this vehicle came up online, with such a good service record and an owner who had taken such good care and much loved this clever camper that he created, we jumped. We bought her while still in Australia, as this Suburban was just too good to miss.
With 3 wonderful visits to this amazing continent almost completed its sadly time for us to return to Oz. We are currently in Hood River, Oregon. We fly home from San Francisco some time in the next few weeks/months, once our Suburban has a new home. With international banks/currencies for us, we would require a cash settlement at the time of handing the Title over to our Suburban’s new owner.
Features of Note
• The back seats fold to provide a flat platform to lay out the comfy, quality, double mattress. The original 3rd row of seats have been removed. Should you need to provide 5 legal seats with seat belts, there is plenty of room behind the back seats for the folded mattress and gear.
• Full-length heavy duty roof rack
• Thule Mountaineer Cargo Roof Box
• 8ft Awning which is quick to erect and roll back up on the drivers side. This can be moved to the other side should you wish.
• Dometic CF18 12v fridge w/insulated cover to improve performance
• Window vent-visors – all 4 windows – so you can leave the windows cracked for ventilation when sleeping in the vehicle without getting rain inside.
• WeBoost Drive Reach cell phone booster in center console (new 7/25)
•4 LED recessed puck lights installed in rear hatch, wired to secondary battery really lights up the meal-prep area at night
•Trailer hitch and wired socket
•Cruise Control
Power System details;
• Dual battery system with smart disconnect
• 1000w Xantrex pure sine inverter in custom center console with dash switch & monitor – outlets in center console and at rear hatch
• Dual wireless phone chargers in center console
• Renogy 100w solar panel (with quick disconnect) mounted on roof rack
• Renogy 30a solar charge controller in custom ceiling mount
• 12v outlets wired to secondary battery in center console, as well as rear back hatch (for fridge)
• USB outlets wired to secondary battery in center console, as well as USB outlets wired to main battery for rear passengers
The solar panel keeps secondary battery topped off when parked to run the fridge, lights, charge our phones, boiling water for a coffee with plug-in heater element, and charging our laptop off the inverter. The secondary battery auto-disconnects from the main battery when you turn off the vehicle, to prevent accidentally draining both batteries. Then reconnects when the vehicle is running, so that both batteries charge off the alternator.
Vehicles Upgrades:
• K&N air filter
• 2” lift with Bilstein front & rear (front pair new 8/2025)
• Larger tires (about 33”) 285/75 R16 BF Goodrich AT KO2
• Z71 heavy duty rear coils
• Gauge cluster converted to LED
• Dome lights converted to LED
• Black Bear ECU tune for better mpg
Maintenance highlights:
• Documented service history. Regular oil changes (Engine, Transmission, Diffs and Transfer Case) Top quality fully synthetic oil and filters. Engine Oil and Filter and Rear Diff just completed (201,000mls)
• 4wd switch module replaced (2018)
• TPMS sensors replaced (2018)
• Tranny flush and new internal transmission filter (2019)
• All 4 O2 sensors replaced (2019)
• New water pump (2022)
• Replaced transfer case (with similar mileage used one) (2022)
• New Edelmann Steering Box, Pitman arm and reconditioned Hydro Steering and Brake Booster (2024)
• New starter battery (7/2025)
Also included is an array of quality tools and pots/pans/utensils.
For foreigners like ourselves we can’t recommend enough – Matt at web site: visitor.us whose business makes it easy, possible and affordable for non residents to buy and own a vehicle in the USA.
