Without trying to argue with Mr. Storm, but there are some considerations regarding the 20" wheels, when applied to a 2007 GM SUV.
The 2007 line-up's suspension is designed to handle the 20" wheels, with the 275x55x20 tire. (The diameter is the same, around 26").
The factory suspension is tuned for 17" and 20" wheels, since differentiation would add cost to the production line.
The new SUV platform uses a strut front suspension, which provides better control of the additional unsprung weight that comes with larger wheels. The older torsion spring did not allow the suspension to act "fast" enough to dampen the extra weight of heavy wheels.
On the subject of weight however, there are aftermarket wheels which are as light as the smaller wheels. Weld EVO provides a small line-up of 20" forged wheels, that are much stronger than factory, and lighter. Provided you DON'T go with a 305 wide tire, you will not feel that much difference.
The wider 305 tire will require a wider wheel (like a 20x9.5, meaning more weight). The wider road contact will cause the road surface to translate to the vehicle, meaning rougher ride, and a tendency to follow ruts.
The reasonable setup (for an '07) would be a 20x8.5 wheel, with 275x55x20 tires, using at least a 18mm to 31mm positive offset.
Jungle George, I purchased Catchall mats from USSpeedOnline.com. I got them for the front and second row. The second row mat is particularly great because it is in one piece and goes across the entire area. My son seems to always get the middle dirty, where the regular mats don't cover and this prevents the carpet from getting any soil. They are carpeted, but can be scrubbed and hosed off. They have a rubber backing that doesn't allow anything to soak through and also a small lip around the entire mat. They are custom fit and let me say, they fit EXACTLY. I got the beige and it's identical to my cashmere carpet color. Also, they come with anchor attachments, but I don't use them. I didn't want to screw them through my carpeting. They stay in place just fine without any anchoring. USSpeedOnline was also the cheapest place to get them and I shopped around. There's no shipping charge and there was no tax (I'm in CA, so I don't know with other states.) I highly recommend these mats.
I'm still trying to decide on the cargo liner. I want a liner that is rubber (I have two labs) and will fit when I have the third row seats tumbled forward or down. Any suggestions from anyone would be great.
The liner I purchased was the one designed for the LS - which doesn't come with the third row of seats - so the liner doesn't have any cut outs - which is what I wanted (for picking up gardening/yard work supplies I didn't want any leaking bags to have access to the seat pockets) There is a GM rubber mat for the rear area that is available though, that is cut out to go around all of the seat tracks. I didn't price that - but it looked like a nice piece. The only issue I had with that is that it left the seat pockets open - but from the sounds of it, that may be exactly what you are looking for. Hope that helps! TuscoTodd
I will repeat here, what I have said elsewhere. I am really disappointed in GM for putting this ... about the whole approach to fuel effeciency.
GM had (perhaps still has) an opportunity to provide far and away class leading fuel effeciency and instead they decide to provide more power through a larger V8. AS IF the 5.3 of today WASN'T large enough! At last report the new and improved Tahoe/Yukon is slated to receive a 6.0 liter motor! So GM has decided to take the effeciency gains from their new Displacement On Demand technology and drop in more power - because we just didn't have enough before! Yes, this was the wisdom that came out of GM headquarters in this - the time of $3.50 (and climbing) a gallon regular unleaded. Let me put this another way. Instead of going for the gold - in fuel effeciency - GM settles for a pitiful 2.1 mpg improvement in fuel economy. This assumes the optomistic prediction that Edmunds quotes of a full 15% effeciency gain and 14 mpg city driving.
No wonder GM and the other domestic auto makers are in such trouble.
Anybody else still wonder why Toyota is posting such huge sales increases?
I'm afraid you need to do your homework. GM leads the class in standard hp yes, but they also lead the class in fuel efficiency. That's right, the gmt900 SUV's achieve better mpg than Ford, Dodge, Nissan, or your beloved Toyota. You sit here and criticize the fact that GM isn't doing enough to increase the fuel efficiency of their large trucks and Suv's, and you say that Toyota is better, and no wonder they are doing better?! First of all, GM far outsells Toyota in large SUV and truck sales,secndly, Toyota offers a much smaller engine that gets worse mpg, and third, lets not forget that Toyota is now going t o offer a 5.7 L engine in their redesigned Tundra and presumably the Sequoia when it's redesigned, and they have made no attempt to offer such fuel saving technology as DOD. Add to that the fact that GM will have hybrid versions of these vehicles in a matter of months, and these engines can be run on ethanol( a clean burning, cheaper, American made fuel), and it's very clear that GM's large SUV's and trucks are superior in fuel efficiency and power to Toyota's large SUV's and trucks.
Dear Tourguide, As I read of your diaappointment, I was compelled to reply.Even though your statemnts were made in Sept. 05, long before the actual release of the various GMT900 SUVs, I felt a few more comments to your statements were in order. As the previous owner of 2 V8 Tundra 4 x 4s and now the own of a 2007 GMC Yukon, I am totally impressed with the GM fuel economy vs the Tundra fuel economy. Over 6 years of Tundra ownership, I averaged +/- 14.5mpg in all conditions.Currently, I am averaging 16.1 MPG with the 5.3 Yukon after 3000 miles. I am averaging 23.4 with my GM 5.7L Corvette. I never averaged that high with my V6 Camry! Yes, reliability and resale may be other topics for debate, but time will tell. GM has improved, Toyota is flat.
Not to jump onto this one late.... but isn't the Tahoe/Yukon ultimately slated to have a 4.8 V8 by year's end to replace the 5.3? Only the Z71 and Denali get the bigger engine... unless I missed the latest memo, which is entirely possible.
I do not think the RKE module and the Nav DVD are related items. When the DVD running, you should hear spinning sound of the disc in the DVD player. Whereas the RKE cycling should have some sort of solenoid clicking on/off.
Next time, you exit the vehicle, have your windows down and lock up your truck. Then listen to the noise from the outside after 5-10 minutes. GM vehicles used to have option that let you listen to radio even with ignition key is out as long as you still in the vehicle. Now if you are out of the vehicle, everything should shut down gradually after some minutes to save battery. If the DVD keeps on spinning all the time, the longevity of the battery will be affected.
Ok Compare the Camry to the Impala SS. 5.3 engine with 28mpg. 303hp and 323ft-lbs of torque.
Back to the Tahoe 15/21mpg 320hp 340ft-lbs
Other 4x4 with standard engines
Toyota Sequoia 15/17mpg 273hp 314 ft-lbs Nissan Armada 13/18mpg 305hp 385 ft-lbs Ford Expedition 14/18mpg 300hp 365 ft-lbs
The Sequoia's tow rating is 2000lbs lighter than all the others. I'd give up the 30ish ft-lbs of torque for the extra 3 or 4 mpg. If you need your exra HP and torque well the Denali should do it then...13/19mpg and 380hp 417 ft-lbs. Highway mpg still better than the competition.
Has anyone experienced a situation where their 2003 (or other similar year/mileage) Yukon had the front differential need to be replaced, along with the front wheel bearings at 85,000 mi? This just recently took us by surprise after buying it used with no known defects and a clean maintenance record (corporate fleet). The dealer tells us that we need to replace the diff. and at least one wheel bearing....$2100!.....This isn't an AWD Yukon, just 4 WD on demand. Any thoughts? Any cheaper solutions? Any warranty? Would love to hear some ideas and comments.
I noticed today that, I think just when the lights are on and the interior is illuminated, that the knob to switch between 2WD, Auto and 4WD was really hot. Anyone notice this?
Loving my Tahoe. 550 miles and it's great. Getting just over 16 MPG in mixed driving. I know that'll improve a little more.
I have a new 2007 tahoe..lease. I'm very disappointed. I have been to the dealer 5 times and tomorrow will be my 6th time in there. Car radio shuts off..on-star stops working, the a/c stops working???? Air bags not on...safety..gone down the drain. I'm just simply disappointed.
I love my new Tahoe. I have just under 1000 miles on it and, knock on wood, I haven't had any problems. I do, however, have a fine black dust that accumulates on the rear lift gate after driving it only a short distance. My Tahoe is white and it is really noticeable. It only covers the back lift gate/window, no where else on the vehicle. I don't know if it's exhaust or tire dust (if there is such a thing) or what. My other Tahoes never had this problem. If your car is any other color, it may not show up. It's discouraging to wash it and have it looking great and then drive for a few minutes and have the back looking dirty. Any ideas as to what this is or if it happens on anyone else's besides mine? On another note, I love that Chevy enclosed the wheel wells with the black plastic. They are so easily washed and kept spotlessly clean. This may seem funny, but it's something I totally appreciate and have never seen before.
So I just got the yukon a few days ago and I am lving it...But the only thing I cant seem to find is where is this whole "centerpoint" and Other settings like autopilot and other options for the sound all I see is "TALK" so if any on has found an answer let me know cause I am going insane trying to figure it out....I am starting to think they forgot to add it in the program
I just found this on another site what a load of CRA* ............Thanks for the suggestion of calling Bose. It turned out to be the most knowledgable contact.
I reached a very helpful support person at Bose Automotive group who really took ownership of the issue. She researched it and found something very disappointing. The Bose functions mentioned in the manual are not available on the Chevy Suburban, only on the GMC and Cadillac versions. The same is true for the Tahoe (only available on the Yukon and Escalade). The Bose system in the Suburban LTZ is a Bose 5000 which only has a four channel amplifier. Even though it's a "nine speaker system", the two speakers in the D-pillars (rear of the truck) are tied to the rear door speakers and the two speakers in the A-pillars (sides of the windshield) are tied to the front door speakers. Then there's a subwoofer in the center console. On the GMC and Cadillac versions, when you order the Bose system you get the Bose 6000 amplifier which is a true 7.1 amplifer (some speakers must still be tied together).
It's only with the Bose 6000 that you get the extra DSP, Centerpoint and AudioPilot features.
I asked whether the speakers were still all wired individually back to the amplifier but tied together at the connection. Then I felt I could convince GM to swap out the 5000 for the 6000 since the manual claims the Suburban has the features. She was pretty sure it was an entirely different wiring harness with the speaker tied together in the chassis and all that made it back to the amplifier were the four speaker connections.
I have faxed copies of the relevant manual pages to Bose. They're very disturbed by what appears to be a mistake on Chevy's part, claiming certain Bose features are in the vehicle when they're not.
The (navigation) manual, which is for the Chevy and GMC versions, simply states if you have the Bose speaker system, you have these features. Unfortunately it should qualify it to say not applicable in the Chevy Suburban (or Tahoe).
My dealer, after reaching Engineering in Detroit, confirmed the very same information.
I haven't been able to confirm it, but from what I can find on the web, only the Denali and Denali XL have the advanced Bose system (and probably the Escalade as well). Not the basic Yukon. The difference is that on the Yukon the option is described as "Bose premium 9-speaker system, with subwoofer in center console (UQA)" and on the Denali it's described as "Bose luxury 9-speaker system, with enhanced performance amplification, Audio Pilot noise reduction feature and subwoofer (UQA)". I guess it's the difference between Premium and Luxury.
Interestingly, both the dealer and Bose asked me if I had ever experienced AudioPilot. I told them I hadn't but that it sounded pretty neat, automatically adjusting volume based on actual background noise rather than just based on speed (SCV). They both feltt that the basic SCV worked much better than AudioPilot and that AudioPilot was too subtle to hear the effects. The support person at Bose said they get a lot of complaints on AudioPilot from customers feeling that it's not working.
So, I didn't get what I thought I was getting, but I might be better off.
I'll keep you posted if I find anything else out. Until then, I'll just enjoy everything else the new truck brings us.
jnrz, WOW!!! The new exhaust is on and it sounds awesome! Installation was a breeze (did it in my own garage and the Zoomer's packaging and instructions were great!) and the difference is notable right out of the gate! My computer is still learning what to do with the new found power, but it definitely seems to be staying in V-4 mode more and part throttle acceleration is notably enhanced! I will be taking it on a long rode trip next weekend, so I will get a better feel as to what impact it will have on the milage but right now I am VERY pleased! :shades: (Hope to have some pictures available of the install this weekend) Have a great weekend guys! -- TuscoTodd '07 LT3
Hey TuscoTodd, what kind of exhaust is this? Which one did you order? CatBack or the whole exhaust. I found the website from an earlier post. I would love it if the Tahoe stayed in V4 mode a bit longer. Let me know your MPG after your trip. Also what
jjmjgnx - Looks like your message got cut off - but to answer your questions... This is the Zoomers cat back system for the '07 Tahoe. (I think the part number is API-1015-07 if I am reading the invoice correctly). The system came with EVERYTHING needed for installation and after removing my factory exhaust, installation of this system took about 20 minutes start to finish! The system is set up where it uses all the factory rubber mounting points and fits like a glove with pleanty of clearance around suspension components, heat shields, etc! (Also included in the package were full installation instructions and also of note - the pieces were VERY well packaged!!)
From the functionality side, I am definitely looking forward to seeing what type of an improvement it makes in the highway milage, but from what I have seen thus far, with it appearing to be staying in V-4 mode more, it should be notable! Also - I do have to commend Zoomers on the fact that the system definitely lives up to their claim of no drone. I have noted NO drone or resonance at any speed/rpm, whether it is in V-4 or V-8 mode! This was one of the things that I researched prior to purchase and is part of what led me to choosing the Zoomers system over some of the others current available out there. Needless to say, I am VERY happy with it so far! -- TuscoTodd '07 LT3
I have a white Tahoe and am seeing the exact same thing. Doesnt have anything to do with how far or long you drive it. Mine is covered with the same thing. I suspected it was exhaust and dirt "flow" around the rear of the vehicle.
My other question was if it was cat back. You answered that.
So, you haven't seen much difference in the way it sounds? I'm not looking for sound. I would like it to be about the same. I want to have a little more power, but what's most important is stay in V4 longer to get better MPG. I'm at about 17 now mixed, but I would like more.
Times must have changed at Bose since the '02 TrailBlazer came out. Mine had a Bose system that had an "Auto Volume" function that sampled the interior noise level and adjusted the volume to match the original level. Never worked. :mad: Chevy replaced the head unit to no avail and then told me it was working as good as it could. (which was imperceptible). Bose told the service tech that the amplifier max input for this function was 30 millivolts. He measured the microphone output and it was 30 millivolts. This means the ampl was always saturated and couldn't function as intended. I suspect Chevy substituted a cheap mike for the one Bose spec'd. Tried to contact Bose to no avail. My 2007 Tahoe has SCV and at least it actually varies the volume level. Honda used to have (and maybe still does) a auto-volume system that detects cabin noise level. Do not have personal experience or know who makes it but I'll bet it works. Good luck! Let us know what you find out. Does this mean my Tahoe doesn't have the subwoofer?
Was there any noticeable sound level change at idle, part throttle, and full throttle? Did you buy direct from Zoomers or somewhere else? The picture on their website looks like you have to cut existing system behind flex joint and then clamp it. Is that accurate? Thanks.
Supposedly the Bose 9 speaker system (incl subwoofer) is standard on the LTZ. I sure don't know where the subwoofer is. If it's in the console, it's well hidden. As far as my 02 TrailBlazer goes, the Bose system in it worked and sounded very good. Just the Autovolume didn't work.
Does your truck have a center speaker on the top of the dash? I'm thinking that might be an essential part of the centerpoint marketing? My 07 Denali has the center speaker and I do have various sound fields I can access such as driver, surround, back and so on. I do have audiopilot and it seems to work fine without issue.
No center speaker. Appears to be 2 tweaters in the A-pillars, 4 speakers in the doors, and 2 speakers in the rear corners (D-pillars ?). So maybe there is a subwoofer hidden somewhere. I realize you can put one anywhere as lo-freq sound will travel thru things but on the subwoofers I've seen in home entertainment systems always have a grill opening.
07denali, Just to let you know I bought a 2007 Tahoe LTZ maxed out.It has the premium Bose system with Nav & rear entertainment.I was told when I bought it that it had the Bose Digital Signal Processing system with Center Point.I have not been able to access it.I know how to access it but it's not there.No one at the dealer can answer the question why. Also Chevrolet has not been much help. One person at the dealer told me that it was incorperated in the nav dvd and that the next generation of dvd's would have it on them.(Far fetched but all I have to go with) If any one could help it would be appreciated.If anyone that has the Bose DSP could read the actual part number off the Dvd and post it that also might help. Thanks to all Ron
The sub is in the floor center console of my Denali, you can easily zone in on it by turning the bass up and fading to the rear speakers but leave it one notch from being all the way back, the bass will still come from the center console.
Ron, I can only guess center point is part of the denali/escalade system with the center speaker on the dash, it makes the soundstage sound like it's in coming from the center vs the doors. Ithink I access it by selecting the "surround" soundfield.
I have a 2007 Tahoe LTZ on order, and stopped by two dealerships in Dallas and Amarillo this weekend to refresh my memory. I was really ticked to find that 8 out of 10 had loose L trim mouldings on the rear doors, many with broken or poorly fitting tabs. The remainder could be easily peeled off with my fingers (a little glue had been added to the top portion to tack it down). I probably upset some salesmen, but this is clearly a design defect and reflects lousey quality control. $49K+ would seem to me to buy a vehicle equal to any European or Japanese SUV. This may be a deal-killer for me. I think attention to detail is crucial. Does anyone know if GM is taking the issue seriously, or is that the best they can do? Will this be a festering sore to new owners? Who do we contact at the GM plant in Arlington to ensure that our vehicles don't have the same problem?
I'd take some trim being loose if they could get the darn 6-speed into the Suburban and Tahoe!!!!Even if it's just in the LTZ, I'd step up to that from an LT3!
GM ARE YOU LISTENING (I know they aren't, just ranting.)
My trim seems to be on fine, washing it this weekend I noticed the rear pillar pieces being off. My rear hatch window is rubbing on one side and the other has a huge 3/4 inch gap large enough to see the hydraulic cylinders. I'll probably try removing them and reposition them this week on my own. Any other owners with the same issue?
jjmjgnx - I can't say for sure what the milage is going to do as I have only put 40 miles of in town driving on it - but right now I am getting about 5.5% better milage according to the DIC. I don't want to hang my hat on that though, as 40 miles isn't a long enough run to get a true comparison. I think the 700 mile road trip this upcoming weekend will be a real good indicator though, as I made the same trip a week ago, and unless it rains, the conditions should be fairly similar and should provide a good back to back comparison of stock verses the Zoomer's system.
73shark - The factory system on mine was nearly whisper quiet at idle and even more so during full throttle (lots of noise from the intake side - whooshing sound from the exhaust side). With the Zoomer's system there is an actual distinct exhaust note under all three of the conditions. The sound quality is very nice - it has a deep rumble type note that puts me to mind somewhat of my friend's C-4 Vette (if that helps). Inside the cabin with the windows up, you can hear the note at idle and part throttle but it is not annoying and doesn't generate any funky resonance/drone. At full throttle it is a little louder than part throttle naturally, but it also competes with the noise that comes from the factory intake system. I will say, that as far as I am concerned, the note is very rich sounding under all of the above conditions. (I am trying to get a couple wav/mpeg files made up of each of the three conditions - but my camera isn't co-opating with me too well at the moment.)
To answer the sorcing question, I purchased my system directly from Zoomers as part of a group purchase.
Installation does not require you to reuse any part of the factory system after the cat. The new system comes with a new flex joint installed and all that is required is to bolt up the system to the flange after the cat, place the mounts into the factory hangers and install the supplied clamps. Hope that helps! If not, feel free to drop me a line. Thanks! -- TuscoTodd
Yep this is my third Topic in less than 15 minutes...lol...
Now I noticed last night that the steering wheels of my 07 tahoe is kinda loose. Is it normal? If you do't know what I am talking about just go ahead and take a couple of minutes of your time and grab the Steering wheel with both hands and try like pull in out the steering wheel. NOT HARD just something smoth. If you feels like is kinda loose this means that it is normal. I already called my Local Dealer for an Appointment tommorrow morning but if I get some feed back tonight it will save me the trip and a little hassle.
I also just got mine installed in my 07 Hoe. What CC told you is true if you plan in changing your radio. I first had my original radio with a cleansweep two alpine amps and a 10" Solo-baric Kicker box. It sounded very nice, but the annoyance was that the chimes and turning signals were also amplifed...very load and embarrassing. The onstar and everything else worked.
So I had them take out the cleansweep and change my radio for an Eclipse AVN6600 and I love it. So doing that the Onstar, chimes, turning signal sounds and my parking assist sensor where gone. They told me that they (PAC-aftermarket modules/interface/adapters)are working on it and supposably it was going to be out by the end of the month. With that we can hook up all our chimes, onstar and parking assist. I paid another $80 for the steering wheel controler, witch can be handy. I hope this helps. :shades:
A large internet Web site is looking to interview consumers who are SUV owners. Please send an e-mail to ctalati@edmunds.com no later than Tuesday June 20, 2006 by 2:00 PM PST/5:00 PM EST containing your daytime contact information and the SUV you currently drive.
Just tried mine and no movement at all. Hope that helps. Let us know what you find on lowering. I've seen several on-line but none for the air ride shocks that are on mine.
Thanks for the info. Sounds like about a 30-60 min. job. That's great! The Zoomer video sounded pretty good on the outside shots but the interior shot was kind of muddy. Wasn't really sure what I was hearing. Hope you get your video working so we can hear yours. Also would like to hear the GM perf. exhaust system but haven't heard of anybody that has one yet. Did you look into it or the Gibson?
Thanks for the quick reply guys. I hvae almost all Eclipse, inculding the DSP surround system with the central channell aswell. Now my question to you dirtywork is? Bestbuy will not have that PAC-aftermarket modules/interface/adapters yet?... If so what would be the cons as far as installing it with out the PAC-aftermarket modules/interface/adapters.
P.S.- They told me they need it to order the part (forgot the name) in order to make Onstar work etc. WHo did your install dirtywork?
-----
And for the reply for the steering weel I gues i will take it first thing in the morning to have my Tahoe fixed!
Comments
The 2007 line-up's suspension is designed to handle the 20" wheels, with the 275x55x20 tire. (The diameter is the same, around 26").
The factory suspension is tuned for 17" and 20" wheels, since differentiation would add cost to the production line.
The new SUV platform uses a strut front suspension, which provides better control of the additional unsprung weight that comes with larger wheels. The older torsion spring did not allow the suspension to act "fast" enough to dampen the extra weight of heavy wheels.
On the subject of weight however, there are aftermarket wheels which are as light as the smaller wheels. Weld EVO provides a small line-up of 20" forged wheels, that are much stronger than factory, and lighter. Provided you DON'T go with a 305 wide tire, you will not feel that much difference.
The wider 305 tire will require a wider wheel (like a 20x9.5, meaning more weight). The wider road contact will cause the road surface to translate to the vehicle, meaning rougher ride, and a tendency to follow ruts.
The reasonable setup (for an '07) would be a 20x8.5 wheel, with 275x55x20 tires, using at least a 18mm to 31mm positive offset.
Dave
I purchased Catchall mats from USSpeedOnline.com. I got them for the front and second row. The second row mat is particularly great because it is in one piece and goes across the entire area. My son seems to always get the middle dirty, where the regular mats don't cover and this prevents the carpet from getting any soil. They are carpeted, but can be scrubbed and hosed off. They have a rubber backing that doesn't allow anything to soak through and also a small lip around the entire mat. They are custom fit and let me say, they fit EXACTLY. I got the beige and it's identical to my cashmere carpet color. Also, they come with anchor attachments, but I don't use them. I didn't want to screw them through my carpeting. They stay in place just fine without any anchoring. USSpeedOnline was also the cheapest place to get them and I shopped around. There's no shipping charge and there was no tax (I'm in CA, so I don't know with other states.) I highly recommend these mats.
I'm still trying to decide on the cargo liner. I want a liner that is rubber (I have two labs) and will fit when I have the third row seats tumbled forward or down. Any suggestions from anyone would be great.
There is a GM rubber mat for the rear area that is available though, that is cut out to go around all of the seat tracks. I didn't price that - but it looked like a nice piece. The only issue I had with that is that it left the seat pockets open - but from the sounds of it, that may be exactly what you are looking for.
Hope that helps!
TuscoTodd
for putting this ...
about the whole approach to fuel effeciency.
GM had (perhaps still has) an opportunity to provide far and away class leading
fuel effeciency and instead they decide to provide more power through a larger
V8. AS IF the 5.3 of today WASN'T large enough! At last report the new and
improved Tahoe/Yukon is slated to receive a 6.0 liter motor! So GM has decided
to take the effeciency gains from their new Displacement On Demand technology
and drop in more power - because we just didn't have enough before! Yes, this
was the wisdom that came out of GM headquarters in this - the time of $3.50 (and
climbing) a gallon regular unleaded. Let me put this another way. Instead of
going for the gold - in fuel effeciency - GM settles for a pitiful 2.1 mpg
improvement in fuel economy. This assumes the optomistic prediction that Edmunds
quotes of a full 15% effeciency gain and 14 mpg city driving.
No wonder GM and the other domestic auto makers are in such trouble.
Anybody else still wonder why Toyota is posting such huge sales increases?
I'm afraid you need to do your homework. GM leads the class in standard hp yes, but they
also lead the class in fuel efficiency. That's right, the gmt900 SUV's achieve
better mpg than Ford, Dodge, Nissan, or your beloved Toyota. You sit here and
criticize the fact that GM isn't doing enough to increase the fuel efficiency of
their large trucks and Suv's, and you say that Toyota is better, and no wonder
they are doing better?! First of all, GM far outsells Toyota in large SUV and
truck sales,secndly, Toyota offers a much smaller engine that gets worse mpg,
and third, lets not forget that Toyota is now going t o offer a 5.7 L engine in
their redesigned Tundra and presumably the Sequoia when it's redesigned, and
they have made no attempt to offer such fuel saving technology as DOD. Add to
that the fact that GM will have hybrid versions of these vehicles in a matter of
months, and these engines can be run on ethanol( a clean burning, cheaper,
American made fuel), and it's very clear that GM's large SUV's and trucks are
superior in fuel efficiency and power to Toyota's large SUV's and trucks.
As I read of your diaappointment, I was compelled to reply.Even though your statemnts were made in Sept. 05, long before the actual release of the various GMT900 SUVs, I felt a few more comments to your statements were in order. As the previous owner of 2 V8 Tundra 4 x 4s and now the own of a 2007 GMC Yukon, I am totally impressed with the GM fuel economy vs the Tundra fuel economy. Over 6 years of Tundra ownership, I averaged +/- 14.5mpg in all conditions.Currently, I am averaging 16.1 MPG with the 5.3 Yukon after 3000 miles. I am averaging 23.4 with my GM 5.7L Corvette. I never averaged that high with my V6 Camry! Yes, reliability and resale may be other topics for debate, but time will tell. GM has improved, Toyota is flat.
The 4.8 is the "econo" engine, available in 2wd LS versions.
The Denali will remain with the 6.2, and the Suburban 2500 will have the 6.0.
Next time, you exit the vehicle, have your windows down and lock up your truck. Then listen to the noise from the outside after 5-10 minutes. GM vehicles used to have option that let you listen to radio even with ignition key is out as long as you still in the vehicle. Now if you are out of the vehicle, everything should shut down gradually after some minutes to save battery. If the DVD keeps on spinning all the time, the longevity of the battery will be affected.
jt
Back to the Tahoe 15/21mpg 320hp 340ft-lbs
Other 4x4 with standard engines
Toyota Sequoia 15/17mpg 273hp 314 ft-lbs
Nissan Armada 13/18mpg 305hp 385 ft-lbs
Ford Expedition 14/18mpg 300hp 365 ft-lbs
The Sequoia's tow rating is 2000lbs lighter than all the others. I'd give up the 30ish ft-lbs of torque for the extra 3 or 4 mpg.
If you need your exra HP and torque well the Denali should do it then...13/19mpg and 380hp 417 ft-lbs. Highway mpg still better than the competition.
Loving my Tahoe. 550 miles and it's great. Getting just over 16 MPG in mixed driving. I know that'll improve a little more.
So far no major problems with my '07 LT3.
On another note, I love that Chevy enclosed the wheel wells with the black plastic. They are so easily washed and kept spotlessly clean. This may seem funny, but it's something I totally appreciate and have never seen before.
I reached a very helpful support person at Bose Automotive group who really took ownership of the issue. She researched it and found something very disappointing. The Bose functions mentioned in the manual are not available on the Chevy Suburban, only on the GMC and Cadillac versions. The same is true for the Tahoe (only available on the Yukon and Escalade). The Bose system in the Suburban LTZ is a Bose 5000 which only has a four channel amplifier. Even though it's a "nine speaker system", the two speakers in the D-pillars (rear of the truck) are tied to the rear door speakers and the two speakers in the A-pillars (sides of the windshield) are tied to the front door speakers. Then there's a subwoofer in the center console. On the GMC and Cadillac versions, when you order the Bose system you get the Bose 6000 amplifier which is a true 7.1 amplifer (some speakers must still be tied together).
It's only with the Bose 6000 that you get the extra DSP, Centerpoint and AudioPilot features.
I asked whether the speakers were still all wired individually back to the amplifier but tied together at the connection. Then I felt I could convince GM to swap out the 5000 for the 6000 since the manual claims the Suburban has the features. She was pretty sure it was an entirely different wiring harness with the speaker tied together in the chassis and all that made it back to the amplifier were the four speaker connections.
I have faxed copies of the relevant manual pages to Bose. They're very disturbed by what appears to be a mistake on Chevy's part, claiming certain Bose features are in the vehicle when they're not.
The (navigation) manual, which is for the Chevy and GMC versions, simply states if you have the Bose speaker system, you have these features. Unfortunately it should qualify it to say not applicable in the Chevy Suburban (or Tahoe).
My dealer, after reaching Engineering in Detroit, confirmed the very same information.
I haven't been able to confirm it, but from what I can find on the web, only the Denali and Denali XL have the advanced Bose system (and probably the Escalade as well). Not the basic Yukon. The difference is that on the Yukon the option is described as "Bose premium 9-speaker system, with subwoofer in center console (UQA)" and on the Denali it's described as "Bose luxury 9-speaker system, with enhanced performance amplification, Audio Pilot noise reduction feature and subwoofer (UQA)". I guess it's the difference between Premium and Luxury.
Interestingly, both the dealer and Bose asked me if I had ever experienced AudioPilot. I told them I hadn't but that it sounded pretty neat, automatically adjusting volume based on actual background noise rather than just based on speed (SCV). They both feltt that the basic SCV worked much better than AudioPilot and that AudioPilot was too subtle to hear the effects. The support person at Bose said they get a lot of complaints on AudioPilot from customers feeling that it's not working.
So, I didn't get what I thought I was getting, but I might be better off.
I'll keep you posted if I find anything else out. Until then, I'll just enjoy everything else the new truck brings us.
Marc
WOW!!! The new exhaust is on and it sounds awesome! Installation was a breeze (did it in my own garage and the Zoomer's packaging and instructions were great!) and the difference is notable right out of the gate!
My computer is still learning what to do with the new found power, but it definitely seems to be staying in V-4 mode more and part throttle acceleration is notably enhanced! I will be taking it on a long rode trip next weekend, so I will get a better feel as to what impact it will have on the milage but right now I am VERY pleased! :shades:
(Hope to have some pictures available of the install this weekend)
Have a great weekend guys!
--
TuscoTodd
'07 LT3
Looks like your message got cut off - but to answer your questions...
This is the Zoomers cat back system for the '07 Tahoe. (I think the part number is API-1015-07 if I am reading the invoice correctly). The system came with EVERYTHING needed for installation and after removing my factory exhaust, installation of this system took about 20 minutes start to finish! The system is set up where it uses all the factory rubber mounting points and fits like a glove with pleanty of clearance around suspension components, heat shields, etc!
(Also included in the package were full installation instructions and also of note - the pieces were VERY well packaged!!)
From the functionality side, I am definitely looking forward to seeing what type of an improvement it makes in the highway milage, but from what I have seen thus far, with it appearing to be staying in V-4 mode more, it should be notable!
Also - I do have to commend Zoomers on the fact that the system definitely lives up to their claim of no drone. I have noted NO drone or resonance at any speed/rpm, whether it is in V-4 or V-8 mode! This was one of the things that I researched prior to purchase and is part of what led me to choosing the Zoomers system over some of the others current available out there.
Needless to say, I am VERY happy with it so far!
--
TuscoTodd
'07 LT3
So, you haven't seen much difference in the way it sounds? I'm not looking for sound. I would like it to be about the same. I want to have a little more power, but what's most important is stay in V4 longer to get better MPG. I'm at about 17 now mixed, but I would like more.
Marc
Does your 07 Audio system has Bose amp option? If not, the SVC is done by the Head unit
jt
Do you have any of the same functions/setup?
Just to let you know I bought a 2007 Tahoe LTZ maxed out.It has the premium Bose system with Nav & rear entertainment.I was told when I bought it that it had the Bose Digital Signal Processing system with Center Point.I have not been able to access it.I know how to access it but it's not there.No one at the dealer can answer the question why. Also Chevrolet has not been much help.
One person at the dealer told me that it was incorperated in the nav dvd and that the next generation of dvd's would have it on them.(Far fetched but all I have to go with)
If any one could help it would be appreciated.If anyone that has the Bose DSP could read the actual part number off the Dvd and post it that also might help.
Thanks to all
Ron
The sub is in the floor center console of my Denali, you can easily zone in on it by turning the bass up and fading to the rear speakers but leave it one notch from being all the way back, the bass will still come from the center console.
Ron, I can only guess center point is part of the denali/escalade system with the center speaker on the dash, it makes the soundstage sound like it's in coming from the center vs the doors. Ithink I access it by selecting the "surround" soundfield.
GM ARE YOU LISTENING (I know they aren't, just ranting.)
I can't say for sure what the milage is going to do as I have only put 40 miles of in town driving on it - but right now I am getting about 5.5% better milage according to the DIC. I don't want to hang my hat on that though, as 40 miles isn't a long enough run to get a true comparison.
I think the 700 mile road trip this upcoming weekend will be a real good indicator though, as I made the same trip a week ago, and unless it rains, the conditions should be fairly similar and should provide a good back to back comparison of stock verses the Zoomer's system.
The factory system on mine was nearly whisper quiet at idle and even more so during full throttle (lots of noise from the intake side - whooshing sound from the exhaust side). With the Zoomer's system there is an actual distinct exhaust note under all three of the conditions. The sound quality is very nice - it has a deep rumble type note that puts me to mind somewhat of my friend's C-4 Vette (if that helps). Inside the cabin with the windows up, you can hear the note at idle and part throttle but it is not annoying and doesn't generate any funky resonance/drone. At full throttle it is a little louder than part throttle naturally, but it also competes with the noise that comes from the factory intake system.
I will say, that as far as I am concerned, the note is very rich sounding under all of the above conditions. (I am trying to get a couple wav/mpeg files made up of each of the three conditions - but my camera isn't co-opating with me too well at the moment.)
To answer the sorcing question, I purchased my system directly from Zoomers as part of a group purchase.
Installation does not require you to reuse any part of the factory system after the cat. The new system comes with a new flex joint installed and all that is required is to bolt up the system to the flange after the cat, place the mounts into the factory hangers and install the supplied clamps.
Hope that helps! If not, feel free to drop me a line.
Thanks!
--
TuscoTodd
Now my question is/are:
I wnet to Circuit city and they told me that if I wanted the system installed THAT my Onstar service will NO LONGER work. Is that true?
Becuase some stores say it will work but some say it won't work. I am kinda confuse here!
Thanks
FJ
I know they have a few kits out there 3"(rear) and 2"(front).
I rather have it lowered 4" and 3" .
Any sugestions?
Thanks
FJ
Now I noticed last night that the steering wheels of my 07 tahoe is kinda loose. Is it normal? If you do't know what I am talking about just go ahead and take a couple of minutes of your time and grab the Steering wheel with both hands and try like pull in out the steering wheel. NOT HARD just something smoth. If you feels like is kinda loose this means that it is normal. I already called my Local Dealer for an Appointment tommorrow morning but if I get some feed back tonight it will save me the trip and a little hassle.
Thanks again.
FJ
So I had them take out the cleansweep and change my radio for an Eclipse AVN6600 and I love it. So doing that the Onstar, chimes, turning signal sounds and my parking assist sensor where gone. They told me that they (PAC-aftermarket modules/interface/adapters)are working on it and supposably it was going to be out by the end of the month. With that we can hook up all our chimes, onstar and parking assist. I paid another $80 for the steering wheel controler, witch can be handy. I hope this helps. :shades:
Thanks,
Chintan Talati
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
Thanks again for the info.
P.S.- They told me they need it to order the part (forgot the name) in order to make Onstar work etc. WHo did your install dirtywork?
-----
And for the reply for the steering weel I gues i will take it first thing in the morning to have my Tahoe fixed!
Thanks
FJ