2007 and newer Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon

hardin_thicke

Jerry. Using your suggestion, I pulled up hard and was able to pop the tray out. Unfortunately, there isn't any room under the tray for additional radio gear as the entire space is filled with the Bose subwoofer. The radio's control heads separate from the actual radio and allow it to be mounted out of the way and use an umbilical cable to hook them together. Thanks for the help.

shawnhackett

Man, everyone seems to be so concerned with the MPG.

Think about crazy the discussion is...

Sure, a little Civic could get 15MPG better and would save me half the gas as the Tahoe. Half the gas at 15k miles per year is only 500 gallons saved per year ($1500/year or $125/mo.)

Who driving a Tahoe or Yukon says it's not worth the extra $125/mo? The ride, safety, capacity, and towing power, and overall coolness factor are well worth twice that per month!

Heck, the difference in depreciation alone is nearly 3 times that cost, but that never seems to come up.

Whether I get 12 or 18MPG with the Tahoe, I could care less. The difference in gas cost shouldn't even be a factor in a $50k vehicle.

kimdvm1

MPG is a vehicle expense worth considering, especially if you can still get what you want with better MPG...

Your figures are for 15,000 per year; I drive twice that. Further, who knows where gas prices are going. If they go up to $4, it certainly won't be a good time to try to trade in a big SUV... at that point you are stuck paying high pump prices or getting an extra vehicle for commuting.

Yes, there are plenty of other considerations which is why we are on this forum and not the compact car forum.

rsht

kimdvm1, I had thought about the same questions before I finally decided on the 2007 Yukon Denali, which has been in my garage for the last 4 months, and I love it. Just a quick history, my last 2 SUVs were Ford Expedition for about only 2+ years (can not stand it), then a Toyota Land Cruiser for the last 5+ years (Love its seamless operation and AWD abilities but not enough power...). I finally traded the TLC in for the current Denali for its size, power, and its improved design/structure. Okay, responding to your questions:
1. Fuel economy for my 07 Denali:
6.2L V-8 engine with original factory engine oil, measured cold tire pressure at 30 psi at each tire (or at 33-34 psi according to the gauge displayed when hot)---
Local with Stop-N-Go traffic, at max 40 mph with AC On ~50% of the time => 13MPG
Highway at ~67 mph with AC On 100% of the time => 20.8MPG
Averaged at 16.9 MPG. The average may have dropped some more in the last 2 week or so as I have been pretty heavy footed several times - enjoy the power... Yee Ha!

2. As far as the ride quality between the Yukon and Tahoe, they are about the same (the XL and Suburban are getting close to feel like trucks to me - more stiff with light load); however, the Denali has a much better ride and control than the Yukon/Tahoe. The AutoRide System sure makes a difference, and it keeps the vehicle leveled with heavy load, that is what I like about the Denali besides the 6.2L Engine.

3. I live in the Chicago area, so, having a 4WD or AWD vehicle is sometimes handy. As far as if I prefer a 4WD or AWD, it really does not matter either way, but in this case since I love the 6.2L engine and its only offered in the Denali, I will let the on-board electronics manage the AWD system. So far its been 100% sure footed in snow and it shifts very well even when I accelerate hard - smoooooth.

4. About listening to CD along with playing the DVD... I am not sure about that, as mine came already configured by my dealership so its either or.

5. Although I did not combine the on-board phone system to my Verizon cell phone account, as I recall, its like having a family plan adding an additional phone to your account at ~$10 a month... not bad. I would have joined if I am not stuck in a 2-year contract scenario.

6. My garage can also fit a XL, but, it gives too little room in the front and back to walk across to the other side of my garage, and like I said before the XL is bit close to driving a truck so I give up the XL for the standard length Denali. As for the third row flip-up seats, be careful as they can flip/come-back down when you accelerate if they are not secured. I hate to see any thing gets hurt by them seat - Can be a major Ouch! Either you decide on a Denali or a Denali XL, I recommend you to checkout the website/URL below, it offers all kinds of floor mats and a full coverage cargo liner for the entire rear section (cargo area and as a third row seat floor mat). I got one in my Denali, and it catches everything my kids can leave on it from mud, snow/water, and go figure...

http://www.weathertech.com/store/mvproduct.aspx?ItemGroupId=1&VehId=272&Year=200- - - - - - 7

I hope my reply will help you a little, Best wish!
FYI, I have also looked at the Audi Q7, MB GL-405, and Sequoia, Neah! Oh, and please forget about them Rovers as their overall reliability $*@%$, unless you have money and time to burn...

lobsenza

The major differneces are all wheel drive, more powerful engine, and 6 speed automatic. The 6 speed auto should improve power and economy. I think the autoride should be the smae in both vehicles. Make sure the tire pressure is the same when comparing them.

jerrywimer

1) AFM probably won't be active very much, if at all, for heavy-footed drivers. That doesn't mean the fuel economy results won't be better, just that the AFM only kicks on with extremely light throttle application. Lots of discussion around the internet on this technology and most owners' lack of enthusiasm. Most say it just doesn't work. (works fine for me with my 07 Av 5.3l 4.10 rear end 4 speed auto, but it could probably still engage more often than it does). One or two mpg difference is really so small a cost difference (even for an entire year's driving at ~$3/gallon) that I wouldn't worry about it. Now 4-5 mpg difference is a whole 'nother ballgame..
2) No input. My LTZ has the autoride, and I like it much better than the other non-autoride Avs I've tried. The single Yukon I test drove felt about the same as my Av though (top-of-the-line dealer demo back in February / March of last year).
3) The 4wd systems have a 4WD Auto setting. This'll let the truck decide whether / when to engage all four wheels because of slippery roads, but at the cost of a bit of fuel economy. I've had this particular 4wd system on each of the 3 GM truck / ute's I've owned so far, and it's been great with all of them (03 Trailblazer, 04 Silverado, 07 Avalanche). The real advantage in my opinion is that you can set the system to 2Hi when not needed (doubt you'll have much concern of slippin' 'n slidin' in the middle of June!). That is supposedly up to 5% better on fuel economy that when running in A4WD mode, even without ever having all four wheels kick in. This is simply because there're more drivetrain components turning in A4WD mode (ALL the time).
However (big one), as pointed out above, the six speed tranny is only available in certain vehicles and with certain engines (I believe ONLY 6.2L vehicles at the moment). That could be a good equalizer, as well as providing a little bit better feeling 'power / throttle responsiveness' thanks to having more options of which gear to be in in a given situation.
3) I'd doubt there's that much difference. Other than that you have to decide to run in A4WD / 4Hi / 4Lo with the 4WD system, while the AWD is always on the job. (I'd go in A4WD and it'd be pretty much just as moot). Also, if you can't get around with the 4WD system, the AWD system is pretty much guaranteed to do no better.
4) Yep. My wife's 05 Terraza has the ability to play CD / MP3 CD up front while the kids watch their DVD movie in the rear, thanks to the DVD slot being *in* the overhead dropdown. NONE of the GM 900s have this setup (strange). Instead, DVD capable units use the same slot for ALL CD / DVD / MP3 CD media. Even the NAV system, which has two slots. The second slot on these is behind the screen, and is a dedicated Nav-DVD slot (not capable of playing CDs or DVDs).
5) OnStar combined with Verizon. Can't say. I pay for the OnStar and the phone minutes, but haven't even considered linking it to my Verizon account. I move around too often to guarantee that my cell provider will remain Verizon anyway.
6) My Avalanche fits nicely in the current guarage with maybe 3 feet excess total front and rear, even *after* I set up a ~2' deep workbench at the rear of the garage. But I think the builders went supersized on this guarage (too bad I rent and plan to move to IL eventually- this garage is my favorite part of this house). Heck, my 04 Silverado extended cab standard box (6'5") fit with inches to spare. I'm not sure what's considered a "standard" size garage, but I'd always heard that GM engineered the Suburban (Yukon XL) to be just short enough to fit in one lengthwise. If that's true, I doubt the liftgate would open with the garage door closed, and even with the door open you'd need to pull in so the gate opens through the garage opening.

Final thoughts- I love my Avalanche. But if I were going mainly for people friendly family hauling SUVs (including the dog), I'd be seriously considering those Lambdas that you marked off your list. All the carrying capacity (or 9/10s anyway) of the 'burb and its twins (definitely a bit better packaged than the Tahoe), with decent towing at ~5000 pounds (where the Tahoe'd win my decision if I need MORE towing), better highway fuel economy (enough that I'd consider it significant), and in general, very up-to-date-all-around platforms. If my wife ever trades her van off, one of those will be the replacement. (The Avalanche stays- I NEED the extra towing capacity, plus the flexibility of being a standard pickup / long box or a crew cab / short box at the spur of a moment puts it over the top).

jerrywimer

Glad I could help. I'm personally debating whether I like the look and concealed storage ability of the woodgrain inserts enough more to justify the loss of actual space and utility of the black insert (w/CD slots, etc.). Somewhere down the line I'll probably replace the speakers too, and the Bose subwoofer is something that'll most likely be high on the hitlist, if I can find something that fits where it does but performs better..

gfraigun

1. I think the AFM is a great Idea but I've got to admit, I think they implemented it wrong. They default it to V8 unless it doesn't need the power... I think they should've defaulted it to V4 unless it does need the power. I think it would be way better if the truck Idled in V4 rather than V8, plus I often notice that when coasting downhill the truck stays in V8 mode, this obviously uses twice the gas than V4 mode. The one think I noticed is that if I let the car control the speed then everything works a little better. I use cruise control as much as possible... My daily driving I average about 15mpg, but on the weekends when I am in better conditions I've had my Tahoe up in the 18-19 mpg.
5. I think the cost of Onstar is way too high... the only thing I find of value is the montly email that they send. Plus I'd like to be able to use the red button in an emergency... Is that work $200 a year, I don't think so.. I emailed Onstar suggesting a more basic plan, but unless others do as well its going to stay expensive and I will never pay that price just for a monthly email and 911 services that are already on my cell phone.

ahightower

My thoughts on your #6:

I have a 2005 Yukon XL which is 219.3". The 2007 is a bit longer at 222.4". I think the standard garage size is 20'x20', or 240", so there ought to be room to spare. I can fit mine in the garage with space to walk around the back - not a lot, but enough. The garage door must be up to open the tailgate (I've put some foam insulation along the bottom edge of the garage door, so it doesn't scratch the paint). But, I can lift just the rear glass with the garage door closed, which is fine if you're tall enough to reach in.

I am a big fan of the XL length. Our third row is in use every day, so we truly need the extra cargo space. Got three growing boys, so a week's worth of groceries pretty much fills it up! As for the dog, I really believe using a kennel/crate is much safer. Depends on how big your dog is, of course. Plus it keeps the fur and slobber from getting everywhere. Our plastic travel kennel is pretty big, we can put both dogs in there together (one beagle and one shepherd mix mutt), and it fits very easily. As for luggage, there are roof top carriers and platforms that attach to the trailer hitch. You could even buy a small utility trailer with the extra money saved, looks like about $3K more for XL versus regular Yukon. But I like being able to fit everything inside for a weekend camping trip.

kimdvm1

Thanks to all who have commented on my questions; the insight is indeed very useful! I will probably decide this week but am glad I didn't decide Saturday, as I came home and found a coupon in my mail for $1500 off a Yukon! That's a good bit better than the usual coupons I get in the mail!

The dealer said he would let me take home an XL for a night to see how it fit in my garage, etc so that will be helpful. I think I'll decide to get by with the regular length, though. By the time we add our bicycles on the back of an XL we would have a lot of length to deal with parking, etc.

Roof racks/trailers are pretty easy to add for the occasional family trip.

4burb

Regarding #4...My 07 Sub is equipped with a single CD/MP3 jack and the rear entertainment package, no navigation. The 6 disc changer is removed and replaced with a single CD when the rear ent is ordered. If the kids are watching a DVD through the stereo I cannot listen to a CD because the movie is coming through the speakers. However, if they are watching a DVD using the headphones I can listen to a CD, MP3 or the radio. There are two slots on the dash in this configuration, one for the DVD up top and one for the CD below. Not sure how it works if navigation is ordered. Hope this helps.

gfraigun

The Nav system is very similar. Also, I understand that there can be three different listening experiences going on at the same time. I've not tested it but from what I have read the Speakers can play one audio source, the wireless headphones another audio source and then the wired headphones a third audio source.

With the NAV system the second disk slot is behind the NAV screen and the NAV disk is usually kept there.

mrowl1

Had a strange problem over the weekend. When I got in the Yukon, I knew that there was at least half a tank of gas.

But, within minutes, I am notified that I have low fuel, and the driving distance is low...

Thinking to myself, thats impossible...

And then, a few minutes later, it corrects itself. Shows that I have half a tank left...

Anyone else see this problem on the new models?

jerrywimer

Thanks for the correction. I was under the understanding that the non-Nav RSE package didn't have two slots. Now I know better. My bad.

jerrywimer

There can actually be three sources with just the wireless headphones and the speakers. There's a 1-2 (A-B) switch on the wireless headphones that allows one wearer to be hearing the audio from a DVD while the second uses the audio controls to choose a different radio / sat source than the speakers are playing and listen to that. I only know this because my kids have accidently changed the switch and then complained that they weren't hearing the DVD, but were hearing music.

However, with the Nav, you most definitely cannot play a CD *and* and DVD at the same time. As I said, while there are two slots, the one behind the nav display is for the Map DVD *only*, leaving you to choose whether you want to have a CD or the kids' DVD playing in the top slot.

jerrywimer

Yep. You were probably parked on a downhill slope? My space at work is like this, and I sometimes get the same thing when I first crank up the Av in the evening.

4burb

Agreed on the 3 sources. My kids have been watching a DVD with headphones while wife was listening to a CD with headphones while I was listening to XM over the speakers. Whatever happened to family time on the family trip ?

kimdvm1

What are the benefits/disadvantges of adding the larger wheels on a Denali (I am only considering factory wheels, not aftermarkets). I hear mixed opinions on ride, stability, mileage, etc.

obravada

The woodgrain console arrived today. Took me longer to unpact the part then it did to install. It was very easy to remove the original console (held in by 4 clips) and re-install the new one. Looks great. Total cost including delivery to Connecticut was $112.

73shark

"I think it would be way better if the truck Idled in V4 rather than V8"

Go out and pull four plug wires and see how it idles, then you'll see while it idles in V8 mode.

jamesfletcher2

gabatta,

I just got a second e-mail from Chevy Marketing today and they said that building of the 2008 Tahoes will start on 6-25-07 and that they will be available at dealers in September. I was asking them if the 6-speed will be available in both e-mails and also they would not commitment they did say the dealers would have information on the 2008s soon. I read that to be in May.

My feeling is that the 6-speed will be available but possibly only with certain engine combinations.

jerrywimer

Larger wheels generally add to the feeling of stability during cornering, because of shorter sidewalls on the lower profile tires that flex less as the vehicle corners. This is pretty much a certainty.

Ride usually becomes a bit harsher than smaller wheels for the same reason (the larger sidewall flex actually acts as part of the suspension, helping absorb bumps a bit). This is also practically guaranteed.

Fuel economy is the one area that isn't really guaranteed. Optional larger sized wheels through the manufacturer usually keep the outer diameter of the tire pretty much the same (hence the lower profile and the two effects above). The issue with fuel economy is that the wheel itself generally has more rotational mass than the tire mounted on it. Ironically, even if you put two wheel / tire combos of different sizes on a scale and they come out the same, it's how far from the center that the mass is located that has the big effect on braking and acceleration. The more of it located toward the edge, the harder it is to get it moving and to get it stopped again. This is why most experts recommend upgrading brake systems if you go with larger aftermarket wheels. GM is fairly conservative with safety issues, so I highly doubt you need to worry about the brakes being lacking with factory optional wheels. Fuel economy might suffer too, but probably no more than 1 mpg. Then again, depending on the actual mass of the larger wheels and tire, it might not. In either case, your driving style and conditions will have a greater effect than the wheels and tires.

The best way to decide is to try out a Denali with each size of wheel for yourself if you can. If you already own the vehicle and are considering this as an upgrade to it, just keep the above points in mind.

jerrywimer

73shark makes a very good point about how it'd feel to have it idle in V4 mode. Trust me, he's right- kill your battery so the computer system's all mixed up when you jump it, and you might feel the engine switching back and forth at idle, as my Av did once. Not a pleasant experience. Fortunately, once I was able to turn it off and restart it with a good charge, everything returned to normal.

Besides that point, idling is wasteful period. Better would be to add the mild-hybrid system GM has on some of their other small vehicles right now, that completely shut down the engine at a stop, and then use the modified alternator / battery system to get moving and restart the gas engine when needed.

Secondly- you'd be surprised. I don't know exactly what conditions the engine computer is using to decide whether to use V4 or V8 mode on downhill grades, but it doesn't always do just one or the other on the single steep 6 mile stretch of interstate I travel daily. While I haven't figured out what makes it decide to use V4 or V8, I've paid close attention to the instant mileage readout on that mountain.

What I've found is consistent with what I'd seen with the 2004 Silverado Z-71 5.3l 4 speed auto on the same hill in V8 mode:
1) The truck and my Avalanche both normally unlock the torque converter (seeming to almost completely freewheel), allowing the engine RPMs to drop to slightly lower than even a normal idle speed.
2) Fuel economy goes WAY up on the instant readout. Since this seems to be used for the average mpg readout, and since my average that I manually calculate at the pump every fillup is relatively close (no more than maybe 1 mpg off in either direction) to that readout, I assume the instant isn't too far off either. Gotta admit, 99mpg (max it can display) is a rush! :P

In V4 mode with the Avalanche, the same things seem to happen. However, the instant readout doesn't go quite as high, and I've noticed that fillups bear out a slightly *lower* overall average for tanks where the Av went into V4 on that steep downhill most of the time versus tanks where it spent most of the time in V8 mode.

My Guess: It's been rumored elsewhere that there's some sort of coasting fuel cutoff (really, not completely cutoff, but only enough to keep the engine going). Mainly because the engine doesn't need to do anything to keep the vehicle moving. It appears that V4 mode doesn't use this, while V8 mode does, at least on downhill slopes. Result: V8 mode with the cutoff's lower fueling actually takes less gas than V4's four cylinders getting fueled more normally..

On more level ground, where the engine actually has to push to maintain the speed, V4 and V8 modes do as expected, with V4 being better than V8.

Personally, I'd rather see it get the mild hybrid system added to the existing setup, and allow it to use it not only for situations where the vehicle's stopped in traffic, but also for any real downhill coasting (use regenerative breaking too for the battery, since it's free). After all, *really* shutting off the engine in that situation should best even the V8 fuel cutout scenario (assuming it's true).

csprick

:mad: Got a special $4 basic carwash the other day and when I walked around my '07 Tahoe, I saw that the rear wiper was moved downward, below the stop. Sure enough, the bracket had snapped. A stop by the Chevy dealer resulted in a $43 replacement, which is the entire assembly arm and cover (but not the blade portion) that attaches to the drive motor with one nut.

Yep, it was one of those "soft touch" car washes with the flappy foam strips, and No, the blade was not taped down, like some places do. I should have known better! I had a Ford Explore in CA and ran it through one of these places every week without any problems, but they generally taped all wipers down.

Anyone else use this type of carwash? Experience?

The parts guy said they sell a lot of rooftop antennas caused by the same problem.

Chuck

rhame13

When I first got my Denali, I ran it through the $20 car wash and the attendants didn't put enough tape on it and the same thing happened. However the arm was dangling off of the back. Snapped it clean off. The car wash manager was very apologetic and told me to get it fixed and they would pay for it. When I took it to the dealership, my service guy before I could even go into the story about what happened told me that he had seen it many times and he ordered me another part under warranty. So I was happy. Since then my car wash guys have been putting a plastic sleeve over the rear washer arm and taping it down before it runs through the car wash. I haven't really had any problems except for the small black plastic cap that pops over the nut where the arm is attached to the decklid. That doesn't want to stay on. In fact my dealership has a new one there waiting for me to pick up. If I remember correctly I think the service guy mentioning something about a design problem with that arm and they are seeing a lot of that. Who knows? I am just glad they are picking up the tab. :shades:

csprick

Interesting that your dealer covered it under warranty. I didn't even consider trying that route, simply went to the parts department and bought the arm, figuring it was my screw-up. You must have a really great dealer.

I'm due to take my Tahoe in for service on Monday so will ask the service rep about reimbursement. I'm sure that the carwash people would tell me to pound sand, since they have all kinds of disclaimer signs up.

What's the considered opinion, Forum Members - warranty item or my loss :confuse:

gfraigun

I would expect it to be a warranty item. You didn't do anything with your truck that wouldn't be expected of anyone with a new car. You went to get it washed. It should hold up..

73shark

Just rec'd a notice from GM that they were rebating $100 of my GMPP (ext warranty) due to the new 5 yr/100K warranty. The funny part is that when I bought it, which was after the new warranty came out, I got the salesman to knock $300 off due to the new warranty. I won't spend it 'til it's in the bank tho.

rockman59

What's the considered opinion, Forum Members - warranty item or my loss
____________________________________________________________
I would go back to the car wash. They can hang all the "disclaimer signs" they want but that doesn't excuse their liability for factory installed parts. There are thousands of Suburbans and Tahoes on the road and their equipment and staff should be able to handle anthing that GM puts on the vehicle. Owner installed after-market items are another thing entirely. Factory parts should be covered by the car wash. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

jerrywimer

I'd go with warranty item too. Just like I'd attempt to get an antenna replaced. If the Owner's Manual doesn't have a warning in it not to take the vehicle through non-touchless car washes because it might damage the wiper arm, it should be assumed to be safe. I have a strong feeling that if this were a common problem there would be *exactly* such a clause in there covering it, and making it a non-warranty item.

Besides, the worst that can happen is you ask for it to be replaced under warranty because you understand the situation to be as I stated, and they tell you 'No', then you pay for it yourself anyway.

gfraigun

GM's are supposed to be good trucks. It should stand up against a simple car wash. I would be pissed if the dealership said it wasn't covered.

ahightower

Well, here I was extolling the virtues of the Yukon XL/Suburban vs. regular length Yukon or Tahoe and fitting everything inside. But I wanted even more space, so I bought a cargo carrier on Friday, to put on my Yukon XL. It's a "Hitch Haul" brand, size 20"x60", and fits into the 2" trailer hitch. That came in really handy for a camping trip this past weekend. Got it at Cabela's for only $65, and I'd seen other brands online for well over $100. I could have squeezed everything inside, but for only $65, it sure is convenient to have even more space. We were required to bring in our own firewood at this park (Dinosaur Valley in Glen Rose, TX), and that would have been a mess inside the car. I put our big rubbermaid tub of camping gear and all our folding chairs and a bunch of wood on the hitch haul. Like I said, I could have crammed it all inside, but it would have stacked high and blocked my view out the back, and required more work. Abundance of space is always a good thing. It's really easy to put on and take off, and only takes a few inches of floor space in the garage, stood up against the wall. The truck rode very smoothly and the rear didn't sag at all from the added weight. It was level, which felt odd at first since it's usually a bit higher in the back vs. the front. As far as I can tell there was no significant decrease in fuel economy. I'd probably overinflate the rear tires a couple pounds next time. I highly recommend this over the rooftop carrier, it's just easier to load, and I imagine more aerodynamic.

csprick

Thanks, rhame13, for mentioning the warranty (and everyone else who responded to my initial post).

I took my Tahoe in to Robbins Chevy in Humble, TX this Am for routine service and mentioned the rear wiper issue. At first the Service Rep told me he thought it was NOT a warranty item, but after I persisted a bit, he said he'd ask the Service Manager. Sure 'nuff, when my Tahoe was ready about an hour and a half later, they DID credit my AMEX card for the $43 wiper arm I bought last week. I'm a happy camper!

It does, in fact, pay to post and read this forum. Thanks again, Guys!

jerrywimer

Does your 05 have the Autoride / load leveling suspension, by chance? This is one of the things I love about my Avalanche.

nosbor77

Has anyone experienced a rattling noise that sounds like there's something loose in the rear door?? I have 07 Tahoe 10 months old. Ive checked everthing I can think of.. Very noticeable when driving over mild bumps in the road.

ahightower

I don't have the Autoride airbag system, but it is the SLT and says it has "self-leveling suspension". I don't know exactly how that works, the shocks stiffen up under a heavy load? I never test drove one with Autoride, and I've heard it's very nice. But I was happy with the standard set-up, and was trying to stay low on the options. I didn't plan to do a lot of heavy towing and hauling, and have yet to make the rear end sag.

Maybe next time we'll go all out on the options. Going slightly off topic, I do enjoy the power adjustable pedals we got as a $120 stand-alone option, as my wife is 5'1" and I'm 6'2". But I do wish we had the memory feature for the seats, mirrors, and pedals. It takes a minute to get things set up when I drive it on the weekends. In fact I wish we had gotten the package that included memory, heated seats, and satellite radio, all for about $1500 more. We checked out the 2007s at the auto show last month, and my wife doesn't like them. She prefers the exterior style and the seats in our 2005. It also feels like they took away some front knee room with that gigantic center console. So I wish ours did have all the extras on it, and I'd be able to keep it 10 years and not want for anything else. Oh well, you have to draw the line somewhere, I guess. At least we got the most important options covered, if not all the little conveniences.

gfraigun

Yes, I've noticed it as well... At first I thought it was the third row because I kept them folded. But I noticed it after I removed the third row. I think its the glass gate rattling...

tom213

With the bottom of your fist, tap up around the dome light over the 3rd row seat. It may be the HVAC duct work, a wire bundle, or the dome light itself. I've traced the rattle in my '07 Tahoe Z-71 that I've had for a little over 4 weeks now to one (or all) of those being the cause. Haven't had it in for the fix yet, but I'm planning to do so soon. On cool mornings I can hear the rattle when I shut the door. After it sits all day in the sun and everything warms up making these materials softer and more pliable, the rattle virtually disappears, but the next morning... it's back!! I'm hoping that all they need to do is push some foam material up in there to put a little pressure between these materials and end this annoyance. we'll see.

blckislandguy

When you get on the GM web site and compare a loaded but not-to-the-hilt Tahoe with a comparable Yukon you see interesting differences. With a Tahoe you get a 10 way adjustable seat. With Yukon it is only 6 way but you get the option of buying a transmission cooler (which I think is very important). The paint selection seems the same although Yukon seems to have a darker grey available.

jerrywimer

The Autoride and load leveling feature seem to be tied together for the 07's. At any rate, the self-leveling part is the important part when it comes to towing or hauling, as it's what takes care of the sag. The system on the Av uses an air compressor and pneumatic shocks in the rear, which is probably the same as your 'burb has.

I agree with your wife about the seats in the new trucks and SUVs, and the center console taking up space. I miss the wider captain's chairs that were in my 04 Silverado too. Enough that I'd give up the extra humongous storage space in the center console (back to the narrower space in the 04) to get something like it back. That was one of my first comments when I test drove a Tahoe (while preparing to preorder the Av). I've adjusted pretty well now, but the truck did seem a bit roomier.

gfraigun

I noticed this when I was shopping for my truck. I was comparing Tahoe and Yukon and I for comparably equip trucks I could not see a reason to get the Yukon for so much more money. They have pretty much the same features, the same engine, pretty much the same colors. Just not sure what is so much better about the yukon. The lights are different...

ahightower

Yukon seems to have a few more standard features, like the third row seat, locking rear diff. Things may be different now, but when we compared our 2005 Yukon XL to the Suburban, we went with GMC because Chevy packaged the options together including some things we didn't really want.

I guess GMC believes they have some prestige people will pay for as well. I didn't care one way or the other, but going with GMC, with our specific features, actually saved a couple hundred bucks over a similarly equipped Chevy.

I guess the moral of the story is make sure you are really comparing apples to apples. You'll find their trim levels and standard equipment and MSRPs overlap a few times. Also, note that when you go to "build your own", at least in my zip code, the MSRP listed for the GMC is less than on the "compare models" page. And there is a substantial rebate on the GMC that makes it even better.

And of course you have to find the invoice prices and go to a dealer who is willing to negotiate, etc., etc. All that after finding the exact vehicle you want without any extra stuff. I'm willing to bet that you'd get pretty much the same real world transaction price on identically-equipped Tahoes and Yukons, so just decide which face you like better, and take it from there.

gfraigun

I would've thought the same thing... But when I bought my Tahoe this summer, I built it online to the specs. I wanted. I then faxed it and emailed it to all of the local Chevy and GMC dealers to provide quotes. Turned out the invoice price was much cheaper from Chevy for the same specs. I'm prolly one of the few people to fully load an LT2 and not go to the LT3...

seabyrd

I am trying to find the Air Intake module on a 2007 Suburban Z71. 2 mechanics have also looked and been unable locate it.. they even took the air filter off.
Is anyone out there smart enough to tell me exactly where it is..???
Thanks a lot..

firesource

Has anyone had a problem removing the "Flex Fuel", "Tahoe" and "LTZ" tags from their 2007 Tahoe?

I like the vehicle, however am not a big fan of the markings.

Any experiences / advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Bill

seabyrd

These are normally applied with 3M commercial grade double sided tape.. Take a hair dryer on high heat and hold it as close as possible and heat the entire emblem until very warm.. then take a plastic kitchen spatula or something that won't sratch the paint and gently pry it loose while still warm.. Clean up any residue with Goo Gone. You can even pour a little Goo Gone around the emblem if its really stubborn.. You might also want to hold a thin soft cloth over the edge of spatula for extra protection from scratching. The Goo Gone won't hurt the paint its just some type of oil. Good Luck !!

4burb

I did what seabyrd suggests using the hairdryer and goo gone. Instead of a spatula I used fishing line after heating the tape behind the emblem. Used it like dental floss and just moved it up and down as I slid it between the emblem and the truck. Once the emblems and letters were off used the goo gone to remove the rest of the stuff. Just keep at it, can take alot of patience to get the residue off. I have no emblems or letters at all and love the look

73shark

What's an Air Intake module?

tony20fan

I took mine to a body shop to have my gold bowtie removed from the back and the emblems taken off. It was $120 for all. They had to take off the piece that the bowtie is fastened to and fill the holes and then repaint it. It looks GREAT!! Well worth the money. No lettering or emblems looks sleek. No bowtie makes ties the whole look together. In the past, my dad has used the hairdryer and fishing line with great success. But hey, I'm a girl!!

chile96

Anybody know where I can get the chrome honeycomb grill? I've seen it on a few tahoes so I think it may be a factory option with a bunch of other chrome stuff(door handles, side view mirrors) but all I'm interested in is the two grill pieces. My current one has chrome trim but the honeycomb is black. See below for pics: