I really need some honest answers here. I am going to buy, maybe, a 2000 Chevy Tahoe Z71 from a local dealership here tomorrow. I have been doing some research and have a lot of bad things about the tahoe. I test drove it and it drove nice. I just don't want to pay $17,000 and have it breaking on me with 3 small kids in the truck.
Is this a good idea to buy it? Is it really a bad truck?
Thank you:)

I havent heard many lemon stories bout the tahoes, as long as it was maintained and you keep it maintained it should do great

How many miles? $17,000 seems alot for a 2000 Z-71(which is the older body style while the 2000 LS and LT are the newer styles). Tahoe are very good truck. One of my dad's customers has a 96 with 174,000 on it.

Reliability shouldn't be that much of an issue so I wouldn't be too concerned over buying it assuming that it's been well maintained. The only things that come to mind are the intake manifold gasket leaking (common on the 1996+ 350 V8s) and the bad circuit board for the windshield wipers. Figure around $600-800 for the manifold gasket and $40 for the circuit board. Major engine failures (cracked blocks, etc.) aren't that common and the transmissions seem to hold up pretty well.

Check out the forums under the C/K and Tahoe for more input from others.

$17000 seems high...$14000 sounds better assuming 70k miles or so. You could probably get into a newer style (2000+) for around the same price...a more refined vehicle in my opinion as I've had both. I don't think you'd go wrong either way so good luck with your purchase!