The day has arrived, me, my wife, 2 boys ( 7 & 5 ) and a great dane - must get something larger than the ML-430. We have looked at most FULL size SUV's ( Seqouia, Navigator, QX-56, Armada, Expedition ) and it looks like the Yukon XL Denali is going to be the winner. We desperately need 3 full rows of seats and storage behind. This requirement eliminates about 98% of the SUV's ( Pilot, Pathfinder, etc...). And definitely NO minivans. Our new State law requires ALL children must be over 8 AND over 80 pounds when riding in a car. This means car pool, play dates etc.. must have car seats also. Thus the reason for more seating and storage. I have researched the technical stuff and that is why I have selected the XL Denali. 6 litre motor and AWD with all the nicer finishes. I excluded the Escalade because I think it looks awful and it is not worth the extra money. Please offer any opinions or experiences I should know about before I pull the trigger. Thanks !! P.S. I can also use it to pull the f-car to track events.
I'm in a similar situation w/o the pets (yet). Looked at a loaded '04 Tahoe for about $35.5k down from $46.9K sticker. 2 buddies are in the junk business and they both swear by GM suvs/pickups. One also swore by BMW also but he says their new cars (5 & 7 series) are garbage. You can learn a lot about how a car is made by working in a junk yard.... The deals are amazing, and the full size GMs are considered great values. Factor in the deep discounts and it becomes a no brainer. A Range Rover LR3 that I test drove yesterday drove nicer than the Tahoe but not $12K nicer (difference in price) and had less equipment in it. No dealers near me carry any 3rd row MLs as they are about to build the successor, which initially will only have 2 rows.
I don't know much about them but I can say this..I think a white or black Yukon XL Denali is one of the best looking vehicles on the road...They are gorgeous trucks, and Very versatile.
The XL Denali is a great car. Id go for the QX56, but I think the Denali has more storage room behind the 3rd row, so it might work out better for you.
I work for a GMC dealership as a technician. The Yukon/Denali/XL's are pretty much as close to bulletproof as GM has gotten in the last 10 years. The only repeat issues I have seen are nitpicking things.(small trim pieces,switches,and other little stuff). Nothing major like engines/transmissions etc. If you like you can PM me if you have any specific concerns/questions. Dave
Thanks for the input - Unfortunately I can not wait for the ML replacement which is due out as a 2006 - They will have a regular and extended version. Maybe by 2008 they will have the bugs worked out. There are a lot of good deals on 2004 and 2005 models right now. The dealers have over 90 days inventory sitting so rebates have pumped up. they added another $1,000 on Friday. My total rebates are $5,000 on a 2005 model and $7,000 on 2004. This is deducted from your best negotiated price. My deal for an every option available 2005 is over $13,000 off MSRP. Check this site out for any GM product before you buy : http://www.gm.com/automotive/vehicle_shopping/currentoffers/reg_incent.html My research supports no major problems, glad to see someone else saying this. I just can't wait for the new design in 2007 so I have to buy know. Any others with experience or views please chime in.
Here is wher I found the information: They are calling the new platform the GMT900 - will be used on Full size trucks, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon, etc.. Spy Shots: 07 Chevy Tahoe/Yukon http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?n=178&sid=178&article=7703 Article describing the changes and a better photo: http://forums.gminsidenews.com/showthread.php?t=5660&highlight=gmt900
Dave-thanks for the input. You have confirmed what I've been told-small nitpicking issues such as switches and trim quality but mechanically they are pretty solid. JD Power give them a 5/5 for mechanical quality. My sister had a '99 ML 320 and that was a disaster.
I'm always glad when these subjects come up. Then I feel like I can "give back" to the board that has helped me so much over the years. Dave
"....I have researched the technical stuff and that is why I have selected the XL Denali. 6 litre motor and AWD with all the nicer finishes......" worth-it - any particular reason for GMC over Chevrolet? my (old 99) GMC is 100% identical inside - grille/headlights only diff externally. i think 04/05's are prteey much the same? Or are there more differences that I'm not aware of? GMC is more expensive, right? Just curious......
My dad always told me that a GMC was a Chevy with lock washers! LOL! Seriously though, the main difference is Chevy doesn't have a high end luxury model comparable to the Denali. And yes, GMC's are generally more expensive than Chevy's. Not sure why, since they are basically the same thing save for some interior pieces and exterior trim. My guess would be it's GM's marketing plan to have the GMC's come across as "family" trucks/SUV's and Chevy's are the "work" vehicles. Dave
Go for the 04! Trust me! There are no differences between the 04 and 05, we checked at the dealership and the salesman said it wouldn't be worth it. Our 04 had tons of rebates and all kinds of stuff, and was more than 12 thousand dollars off what we would have paid for the same 05. We've had our 04 for almost two months and loving it! BTW, go for the big TV that flips down from the roof to shut your kids up, worked for my dad. My dad has owned 5 or 6 conescutive Yukons/Suburbans and keeps coming back for more. It will be worth it, like several said the car is bulletproof!
We have an '03 XL. We looked at Chevys etc. Big difference was AWD and the nicer interior/finishes. It also has a more powerful engine then the Chevys and regular Yukons - noticeably better. We also got huge rebates as we bought in September of 03 and they were preparing for the '04s. I love the truck with one exception: the gas pedal is very soft such that every speed bump or pothole causes you to depress the pedal. It is actually a little dangerous but I think you can get used to it. We complained to the dealer etc but seems to be the same for all of them. Maybe its been addressed.... But, definitely something you should look for and see if it bothers you. And, get the DVD player if you have kids - it is a God-send. We didn't get the navigation stuff but I wish we had.... Good luck. AML
You probably have the drive-by-wire throttle body. It does take some getting used too if you've never driven one, but it is normal. The cable actuated throttle allows you to "feel" the heavy spring used to close the buterfly. The DBW has just a tiny little spring to return the pedal all the way up. And all I can say about the DVD nav system is.....SWEEEET!!!! Dave Oh and BTW David, definitely get the extended warranty. The prices on even the most innocous module, etc. would even make us Ferrari owners blush! And absolutely positively DO NOT let them sell you anything other than the General Motors Protection Plan.(GMPP) It is the closest thing to a continued bumper-to-bumper warranty offered for GM vehicles.
I bought an '02 Sequoia new -- it's lease is up in April. Absolutely zero mechanical problems; I've only put in gas & oil for 42,000 miles (yes, I'm going to get whacked on the return charge for excessive mileage). I like it so much I'm thinking about trading it in for an identical '05. Very nice vehicle with lots of room. The '05 offers captain's chairs in the second row. That's a pretty nice feature for your boys. BTW, I averaged 18.3 miles per gallon over that 42,000 miles. Unbelievable for such a big vehicle. My commute is about 30 minutes of highway, but all of my city driving is mixed in as well. Brad
Thanks to everyone for their input. Brought home the 05 Yukon XL Denali on Thursday. Fully loaded with the DVD, Navigation, Sunroof and Quad Bucket seats. My deal was approximately 13,000 off sticker after rebates. The 04 was only 3,000 less so I took the 05. As stated no major changes from 04 to 05 except the Navigation is improved and is touch screen now. We picked the GMC over the Chevy mainly because I wanted All Wheel Drive and the bigger engine doesn' hurt ( 6 litre ). It only gets 1 mile per gallon less than the 5.3 litre 4 wheel drive Chevy and it also uses Regular fuel. The air ride suspension and traction control are standard which gives a much smoother ride. Remember "smooth" in a big truck is different then "smooth" in a luxury sedan. As for the Sequoia and LX-470 they are just not big enough behind the 3rd seat as the Great Dane needs her space also. The gas mileage on the Sequoia is similar as the smaller engine is asked to pull a lot of weight. SO far the family is enjoying the Rear seat entertainment as kids can watch / listen to one thing while the adults can listen to something else. That is worth 40,000 + . Thanks for all the posts on this.
Congrats! Sounds like I should look at the Denali when it comes time to replace the Sequoia. If you think of it, please post the fuel mileage you experience. I know that's not the only consideration for a new vehicle, but it is an important one nowdays! Brad
Dave-Congrats-I'm picking up my loaded Tahoe LT on Tuesday. Did not get DVD as I have a portable one that hangs between the seats. Any idea as to how much $$$ the GMPP extended warranty is? I may add it... Thanks!
We went with the Burgundy on Gray - or in GMC lingo "Sport red Metallic with Pewter" interior. Wanted the gray inside ( not Tan ) because my wife thought it looked better with the fake Graphite console and dash pieces. Also, the gray should show less dirt then the tan after the kids do their part. As for gas mileage, I will let you know. Ineresting calculation I did on this topic: Consider this - We also have a Mercedes ML-430, it gets around 15 mpg in town and 19 hwy. Say the Denali gets the 13 city amd 18 hwy the sticker says. What is my cost for driving 200 miles in city and 200 mile shwy. ( I will try not to bore you ) ML-430-200 miles city @ 15 mpg=13.33 gallons @ 2.00 gallon Premium $26.67 Yukon XL -200 city @ 13 mpg = 15.38 gallons @ 1.80 gallon Reular $27.69 That equals .005 cents per mile difference or $75 MORE per 15,000 miles to drive the Yukon ML-430-200 miles HWY @ 19 mpg =10.52 gallons @2.00 gallon Premium $21.05 Yukon XL -200 city @ 18 mpg = 11.11 gallons @ 1.80 gallon Reular $20.00 That equals .005 cents per mile difference or $75 LESS per 15,000 miles to drive the Yukon. The short story is that if gas prices stay .20 per galon more for Premium then Regular and if my highway and city miles are 50% each then it will cost me the same to drive either vehicle. Kind of interesting I thought. The key is that the Yukon uses Regular gas - this calculations falls apart if you try it with an Escalade, Hummer, etc... that requires Premium gas.
I think they quoted me $1,995 to go 6 years 75,000 miles from the standard 3 yr 36,000. I did not buy it. I will self insure for this but I hope I am correct. Time will tell.
