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Ford Excursion vs Chevy Suburban/GMC Yukon XL - The battle of the titans
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Comments
Does anyone know if this distance is published anywhere so purchasers can compare different models with this in mind?
I have not driven the 2000 Suburban because we were not going to buy another GM product due to the experience of our '96 GMC Suburban. The Suburban was a 3/4 ton with a 454 engine and 4.10 limited slip rear-end. We got 12 mpg on the highway and 10 mpg in the city. We had problems with the brakes wearing out initially at 30K, then 10K, now at about 25K. This is not too big of a deal, but it would have been nice to know that these brakes wear that fast and I never heard the squeaker to warn me so the rotors were scored the first two times. Had to replace a water pump, two blown tires two batteries, distributor and rebuild a transmission. I didn't have too much out of pocket expense because I got an extended warranty but one time we were on vacation and it broke down and had to spend vacation in the Wal-Mart parking lot from Thursday until Monday when they got a new distributor then I had to turn right around and go home. Other times, it seems that to repair a problem requires at least two trips to the dealer to get it fixed and one time it took three trips. Our only other car has a Honda and we had to cram all 6 on us into it (there were 2 baby seats as well). So our patients ran out on the Suburban and GM. Of course Ford is not without it problem. When I drove the Excursion home I found out that the heater was not blowing hot air (too late to turn around). It was a cold drive home. Finally when I got home and was filling up, I decided to wiggle the vacuum hose to the heater control valve and magically there was heat (one mile from home). The heat continued to be intermitant and so finally had to take to the Ford dealer. Turns out they had to replace the heater control valve and did not have one in stock so it took another four days to get it back (didn't want to pick it up since we still had the Suburban).
I do not think that it is necessarily fair to compare a 1/2 ton Suburban to an Excursion which is build on a 3/4 ton chassis. The ride in the 1/2 ton Suburban will be significantly better. And if that you are looking for a smooth ride, the 1/2 ton Suburban is the way to go. I do think that it is fair to compare to the Excursion to a 3/4 ton Suburban. I understand that the 3/4 ton Suburban still utilize the same suspension as the previous year so I assume that the ride will still be similar to our '96 3/4 ton Suburban. In my opinion the ride quality is similar, that is STIFF. There seems to be more power with the 454 engine, but it had a 4.10 rear-end, and they don't offer it anymore and I suspect the 6.0l will be anemic for towing purposes because the torque is lower and is up higher in rpm's.
The Excursion is quieter and has more interior room. My wife can actually sit in the 3 seat with two childeren's booster seats in them. This does come at some price in that the Excursion feels alot bigger than the Suburban. It will fit in any regular parking space since it is only a few inches wider, but it just feels bigger. Everytime I park, I look to see if I fit in the space and it does. It also fits in our garage. The turn radius is bigger in the Excursion, but have not found this to be a problem. We originally got the tow mirrors, but my wife did not like them and actually ran them into the garage as she was backing out (unfortunitly they do not retract in that direction and broke the plastic off on the mirror). They were $200 to replace the mirror, so we opted to buy the regular mirrors (both sides for $200) instead. I glued the plastic back together on the tow mirrors and plan to use them when we tow (4 nuts to unscrew).
Overall, if your looking for ride quality, the 1/2 ton Suburban is the way to go. Power and room go to the Excursion (vs 2000 Suburban). Had bad experience with the GMC so it has tainted our feelings for GM, although I can remember a Mercury Station Wagon my parents had as a kid and it was a piece of junk. I guess time blurs the memory. I hope our Excursion doesn't run into as many problems as we had with the Suburban. I wish Toyota had an SUV that would hold 9 and pull our 30' trailer.
Van
the Excursion and Yukon XL, finally decided on a
White Limited 4X2 with V-10, 6 CD Player, heated
seats,standard--not limited slip 3:73 rear end, bug
shield and molded mud flaps (paid $124 for the
molded Ford flaps and that price included
installation). Picked it up out of state while on
business and drove 850 miles (mostly highway) and
used 54.304 gallons of gas, that works out to a
little over 15.6mpg, not bad for being brand new,
and that is almost the exact same as our '91
Suburban got on the highway. A few notes, yes the
Excursion is a little stiffer than the 1500 Yukon
XL. The Excursion is less than 1/2 inch wider and
only a couple of inches longer than our '91
Suburban 4X2. The Excursion interior is the closest
to our '91 Suburbans, it does not give you that
enclosed feeling like the '00 Yukon XL when ordered
with bucket seats and a console, plus the wood
trim really makes it look sharp (same as it did in
our '91 Suburban). Also like all the storage areas
in the doors and the large center console with a
door that opens to the rear rather than to the side
(just like our '91 had). Our '91 Suburban gave us
no problems and after 9 1/2 years, we were able to
sell it for 10K. Hope the Excursion is as trouble
free. If not for some of the quirks, as mentioned
above with the Yukon XL interior, this decision may
have been in GM's favor.
Good luck it's a tough decision and drive safe.
And a comment earlier in here said that they laughed at the front end of the Suburban and then they bought an Excursion. I can't believe you actually like that blunt "side of a building" look of the Ford over the Chevy. But to each his own I guess.
Obviously GM would not put this event on without knowing it could beat the competition, but I was amazed at how different the rides were. Even the 3/4 ton Yukon with carried over rear leaf springs had a sports car like ride.
The GM had better acceleration, much better stopping, the turns were no competition and you could barely feel or hear the tire strips, where in the Ford, you could really feel it bounce.
I wish they had a trailer towing test, because I find it difficult to understand how the Yukon wouldn't win that one too.
The one thing the Excursion does have in its favor is SPACE. Its huge inside. Too huge for me, but some people do need that space. Its too bad they have to suffer so much in the ride department. Sorry Ford people, until this competition, I was giving you the benefit of the doubt that the Ex was an tolerable drive, but not at all compared to the new Yukon XL.
The reason the Test didn't compare towing is because results published by AutoWeek (will get back on the issue) favor the Excursion, 0-60, etc.
Also, just because GM claims the 2500 2WD Yukon XL will tow more than any Excursion, that don't make it so. Fords 10k limitation is the max that any responsible authority places on tag trailer towing. Any more and a fifth wheel hitch is required.
Edmunds review takes the approach that these vehicles are built for grocery getting, which a large percentage will be purchased for. Without any purpose for heavy duty towing or hauling hefty or bulky items, the Yukon XL may give you a softer ride and a tighter turning radius.
The Excursion is a truck, and some people will not be happy with it's truck-like characteristics, but for truly heavy duty usage, it's the only choice.
LDR - you are comparing the old Suburban to new Excursion - I would say that is a fair and closer comparison. But its not the same comparison when you look at the new suburban. Old burb and new burb are two completely different vehicles.
I would not buy an old burb. They ride too much like, like, like an Excursion...
Also, the Excursion (or CHUNKY as we call it)
had more interior room, and a great diesel engine.
The only problem I have with the Chunky is that it don't fit in my garage!
I have a Ford Windstar and it's a great machine. I expect that the Ford Excursion will be as well.
The only thing I like better than an Excursion is a '99 4x4 3/4 ton 'Burb with the 454. That's just been my preference. One point about SUV's. I can fit in them. I'm 6'5", 265 lbs. and wear a size 17 sneaker. The last time I sat in a car, I needed a can openener to get our. Comfort, security, and safety is provided by these SUV's.
I will not go back to a car
end. I wanted to offer input on towing issues.
We purchased our Suburban for many reasons but one
big one was towing capacity (5500 lbs for my set
up). I have not been satisfied with my towing
performance at all and have done quite a bit of
research.
The issue is instability at higher speeds
(50-65mph). Post # 53 addresses this very well but
I wanted to add/support. I pull a 23' T/T that has
a GVWR of 4500lbs, well under my tow capacity. My
sway was ridiculous - to the point where I had to
slow to 20-30mph's to calm it down. I had the
dealer where I bought the T/T re-adjust my set up
at the tongue and load levelers...no improvement. I
went to local chevy dealers and towing is not
their strong suit. I went to a few local
hitch/trailer companies and they got me straight.
I was told that this problem is a big issue on
Burbs. And, recently when I went to get some
accessories they told me that the Excursion has it
too.
The cause is a few things but like #53 said the
distance from your tires to the ball is a big deal.
I have a fiend who has a similar T/T and pulls it
with a 98 Dodge Van - you barely even know the T/T
is back there. I had to invest ina anti sway
control and a different load level set up to get
mine under control and I am still not satisfied.
Now, to be fair...I am not an engineer and I am
certain there are other issues involved. I will
tell you this - On my camping trips I have asked
other "Burb"" owners and they ALL say they have a
similar issue.
I think Chevy and Ford need to adress this.
I leased a 97 F150 S/C when they first changed to the new style because I liked the looks of it. It didn't give me any problems, but the ride itself wasn't great, and the engine was a little weak.
I was really close to Leasing a 99 Expedition when the F150 went back, but the ride of the new Silverado convinced me to stay with a pickup for one more term. IMHO, I liked the 99 Expo better than the 99 Tahoe, but now the 2000 Tahoe should force Ford to make some changes.
I've also owned a 94 Blazer and a 96 Explorer. Both were small unsophisticated pieces of junk as far as I'm concerned.
They need to redesign the drive train before they produce any other full size trucks.
First thing I notice was that the ride was better with the Excursion. My wife previously described a horse like ride when going over dips and bumps. There was less of this feel in the excursion.
Second, braking was significantly better with the Excursion than with the '96 Suburban. It felt like I could actually stop on a dime. I would assume the 2000 Suburban could stop better than the '96 Suburban, since it also now has 4 wheel disc brakes.
I had to tow in 3rd gear with the Excursion (direct drive) whereas in the Suburban I could tow in over drive. (Of course I had to replace two clutches in the Suburban also).
Overall impression is that towing with the Excursion gives a better sense on control. Part of this is related to the weight of the Excursion in that the tow vehicle is more similar in weight to the trailer and therefore the trailer doesn't push the tow vehicle around as much. I went with the 3.73 rear end because 90-95% of the time I will not be towing and I could live with towing in 3rd the rest of the time vs always having to live with the 4.3 rear end. I did not have any sway with either vehicle at 75-80 mph.
I agree w/you. I don't know why such knowledgable people have to insult each others decisions on which suv. A few months ago, I too found myself trying to decide between the 'burb and the excursion. I have to admit, I loved them both. I thought they both looked great, had comparable gas mileage, price, and features. I made my decision after 3 extensive pages of who had which options. It is my personal opinion that the suburban had more luxurious options-like a high end sedan. However, like I said, it was my personal opinion. You have to write down all the options you are looking for and what you will be using the vehicle for and then "YOU" decide. It really is a matter of personal preference.
The Suburban and Excursion are both great vehicles so you are in a win/win situation.
Good Luck!
But seriously, I have a 2wd LT with Traction package (AKA locking Differential).
I do not plan on towing, my wife loves her garage and this is the vehicle that would fit in the garage and take us with our 2 little kids and a few more people whereever we wanted to go.
But the real reason for the SUV over the Excursion was the $6,200 in GM mastercard rrebate that I was able to use for the downpayment!!!!
Ford dropped their card!!!
The first Excursion that I drove was fresh off the truck. It was a 4x4 Limited, black and it was very nice looking. It had the locking difs and the 4.10 rear. I drove it 100 miles before giving it back to the dealer. I think I would have purchased it except for the mirrors that would not fit in my garage. The v10 was very loud from 0 to 20 mph. The gas mileage was poor at combined hwy and city of 10.5. The engine is half under the hood and half under the dash in this thing and I would hate to have to work on that engine. I think this location is partly to blame for the increased noise. I was very disappointed in the acceleration of this truck. The leather interior made it difficult for more than one conversation to take place at once. Voices really carry inside of the truck.
The second Excursion that I drove was just last week. It was a XLT 4x4 that had 5,000 miles on it. I drove in in the mountains of Utah for 330 miles. The v10 was quieter - break in must have helped. The cloth interior made having 8 people inside much more bearable. The truck "hunted" due a loose feel in the steering - not fun to drive on the mountain roads. With 5K miles on it the truck already had about 3 rattles. It did OK in the snow but I doubt that it had locking difs. Gas mileage was 12.5 for the entire 330 miles which was 80% highway. Saw 14.5 going from Park City to Salt Lake City (almost all down hill) and 10.5 going back up the hill.
I'm glad that I had so much time in this truck and it made my decision easy - It is a no go on the Excursion. I am sure if that first Excursion would have fit in the garage that I would be owning one now. I love those big mirrors! They saved me.
throttle response and mileage. I also left stock air inlet off as it restricts air flow from behind radiator support. Its kind of like putting a straw in your mouth to breathe, it can be done but a heck of alot nicer to get rid of the restriction.....
throttle response and mileage. I also left stock air inlet off as it restricts air flow from behind radiator support. Its kind of like putting a straw in your mouth to breathe, it can be done but a heck of alot nicer to get rid of the restriction.....
grocery shopping, malls to buy clothes, pick-up
lawn food, sacks of manure, hay, plants, dry clean, stop by and see their lovers on side, any number of reasons, or men who commute to work.
And the select few who are die hard campers,
off roaders, (NOT ROCK CLIMBERS, MUD OR SAND
DRAGGERS BUT mild offfroading in desert, etc
you know camping or picknicking with nuclear, extended or regular families....
I think these gas guzzeling behemoths are awesome, I think they are beautiful and make a statement that say, "I am affluent enough to buy them and gas mileage is not an issue.I buy them for the safety of my children and family"
I like small souped up hot rod mini-trucks myself, have owned the
smaller 4X4 S10 BLAZER/TOHOE units, have owned a '77 Toyota Landcruiser and plan to buy
a Suburban or Excursion or Expedition as soon as grandkids start to appear, unitl then I will continue to enjoy seeing these vehicles on my
commute to work..Just my opinion, no diss or slam
on anyone or their comments....
A paradigm by AMORA
Ford - Cons: Too big, rides rough (I did drive one for a full day), fuel mileage, looks of front end. Pros: floor is mostly flat with exception of transmission tunnel, overhead console, dutch doors in back, swing out rear windows, map lights on every row (as I recall), full floor mats on second and third row.
Chevy - Cons: floor is bumpy unlike the older Burb, no more full overhead console, did away with tailgate, did away with map lights above third row seats, cheapo floor mats everywhere especially second and third row.
Pros: looks much better than Ford (my opinion), rides better than Ford (everyone's opinion), still hauls the mail (or in this case my 5500 pound boat), better gas mileage, fits in the garage (although mine stays outside, the Vette and my wife's Jimmy get the garage).
I do intend to write a letter to Chevy about some of the disimprovements (not a word, I know) that they made in this year's model and I have already taken care of one of those by getting aftermarket floor mats. I still like the overall vehicle a lot though and will always own a Burb. The main thing everyone here should realize is that they should be happy with their purchase, whatever they get. And don't try to make yourself feel better by putting down the other person's truck.
Have no idea of cost, etc. For all those who ask why someone should spend additional money, look at what is being spent on roll bars, fog lights and grill kits.
Good luck. I love my Excursion!
I'll be towing a Hi-Lo trailer this summer; it weighs about 4000 lbs. I know the Excursion could tow this trailer, no problem. Just wondering if this burb could tow it okay, OR the 2500 would be better.
Only have about 1500 miles on it so far but very impressed... the sound and ride is trucklike but just what I want. Nothing like the rattle of the PSD on a cool morning. Highly satisfactory power and acceleration, cruising 140 kph is most serene if you know how to handle the old gal. I notice it is kinda thirsty at that velocity, but hey, places to go, things to do, people to meet, you know. I added a Poron reversing aid so far and am looking to doll it up with a few more goodies. Like a stonkin' airhorn that will blow the little BA cabbies right of their crappy little Peugeots and Renaults.
Happy trails folks. All you Fordzilla drivers out there be proud you own the [non-permissible content removed]-kickenest 4x4 made. IMHO, hehe.
Happy customer in Buenos Aires.
p.s. All you Burb pilots out there, enjoy your ride. Different strokes for different folks and all that..... I am not the least bit concerned about the size issue, even my lousy Ranger (thankfully stolen) didn't fit in my driveway, let alone my garage! You want a 4x4 that rides like a Caddy, go for it! I like the mucho space behind the 3rd seat for all of our camping stuff. And GMC/Chevy diesels suck like a $500.... you figure it out.
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO!
I am fairly tired of people telling other people their choices are stupid. It is fine to have a debate, if the object is to understand. But the anti-SUV crowd (and now, it appears, the small-SUVs-are-ok-but-not-big-ones crowd) does not really care about learning at all.
I own a Durango and wouldn't purchase an Excursion (primary because I get a DC employee discount!). But I don't put anyone down for their choices.
Using the reformulated gas in Houston:
City - 14.5 Mpg
Highway - 15.5 Mpg
Unsing the "normal" gas when on a trip
City - 15.5 Mpg
Highway - 17.5 Mpg
My highway driving is usually about 75 MPH with the cruise control set.
As a side note - my suburban hasn't had a single parking garage problem in downtown Houston - but about 60% of them could not accomodate the Excursion!!
To balance out things, I am sure my Excursion can tow my boat better simply because of its weight and length. Thats why I bought it.... BUT to all you staunch Ford vs Chevy people...give the Burb some credit. Its a great vehicle as is the Excursion. Truthfully, I probably would have bought the burb if I had known. My Ford dealer relative probably hates to hear me say that and I am sure he knows that the family discount he gave me kept me from looking elsewhere. SO people.... BOTH Burbs and Excursions are great!