GMC Yukon / Yukon Denali

erinsquared

There used to be more measurable differences between the '01-'02 Denali and a loaded Yukon, but I think that in '03 the decontenting of the Denali and adding the availability of more options to the Yukon may have reduced these differences even more. When I priced out the differences, I came up with approximately $3000 difference in price. Unless you can order one, I found it difficult to find a completely loaded Yukon with the autoride. I really think the only thing you can get on the '03 Denali that you can't get on the '03 Yukon is the drivetrain (the 6.0 AWD handles much differently than the standard 5.3 - drive them both and you will know what I mean) and cosmetic trim inside/out (I'll include the 17 inch wheels with this). Is this worth the $3000 difference? That's for you to decide.

On '01-'02 models, in addition to what orwoody explains above:
1. Custom Denali interior: two-piece center console with courtesy light and lock; faux black cherry trim on dash, console, switchgear; two-tone leather upholstry with Denali stitching, patterns, and custom headrests, color-key leather steering wheel and passenger grab handle; courtesy lights in footwells on rear outside mirrors.
2. 12-V accessory cigarette style ports throughout front & rear.
3. Trip & fuel computer
4. 6 disc CD with steering wheel mounted controls for radio/cd/tape
5. Larger disc brakes with performance pad material.
6. Projector style headlamp and foglamps.
7. Upgraded materials and sound deadening?
8. Michelin Cross-terrains on 17 inch wheels (these tires are awesome and I am disappointed GM opted to go with cheaper tires on the new '03).

avolvofan

In addition to orwoody and erinsquared posts, an additional differentiator for the Denali is the quality of the ride. You can only appreciate the difference by conducting side-by-side tests of the base Yukon versus the Denali. (And do the comparison on washboard surfaces if possible - the Yukon will be bouncing around (and you with it...), while the Denali will not; it is that simple.) For me, the ride difference was the final item that made the decision for the Denali. I believe that Autoride is available on the base Yukon. However, the rear suspension (coil with air bags for self-leveling) on the Denali seems to be the reason for the superior ride. Is the value proposition still there? I personally think so for 2003 (since GM has not dropped the transmission cooler as yet). Indeed, I am negotiating for a 2003, since I learned that the StabiliTrak system was in fact a true four channel implementation.

erinsquared

avolvofan, do you have any links or sources that indicate definitively that the StabiliTrak is a four-channel system? All of my searching has yielded no such results and I would be extremely interested in seeing this since a four-channel implementation is far superior to the previous two-channel setup. IMHO a four-channel StabiliTrak system would indeed be a technological advance for the Denali over the previous AWD with LSD differentials.
 
For you guys negotiating on new Denalis, one distinct advantage you have is that you are getting a new vehicle for significantly less money than what guys were paying new in '01 & '02.
Definitely test drive a Denali back-to-back with a loaded Yukon and decide if the difference is worth the extra money. One distinct advantage of the AWD is that power is applied smoothly when accelerating through turns and instills quite a sense of confidence.

Just an update on gas mileage after a trip over Memorial Day weekend. Trip computer indicated 17.5 MPG @ average speed 67.5 MPH running 87 octane over partially hilly interstate. This is 100% freeway driving mileage where I cruised about 8 MPH over posted speed limits (traffic permitting). Overall mileage 17.0 MPG with approximately 95/5 hwy/city driving. This is better than my 3.5L V-6 Isuzu Trooper which used to get about 16MPG for the same. This speaks well for the Vortec 6.0L and Denali drive train efficiency.

jtbuff

Have a 03 Yukon Denali XL. Sticker price was 52,349.Paid 47,000. Got it even below Edmunds TMV.

y2kgts

We went from a 2000 Yukon XL WITH Autoride to a 2002 Denali XL: Night and day. While both had Autoride, the Denali rode and drove much better. It seems to have better noise insulation, as it is much more quiet than the YXL. The extra horepower was noticeable, however the decrease in gas mileage was as well. There were a host of nice little "extras", but much of that is disappearing now (Denali stitching, exhaust tip, etc.). We like the monochrome look of the Denali (all black) vs. the chrome bumpers and trim of the YXL. We also liked the looks of the headlights and front grill a LOT better on the Denali. We even thought about trying to upgrade them on the YXL before we decided on the DXL trade up.

Either way you can't go wrong, as both are GREAT vehicles!

Chris

blockislandguy

Erinsquared and others post about the benefits of stabiltrak. I must admit I've never even considered it. Would it help correct the vehicle if you were to acquaplane? What would be the big deal about a four channel version? I could imagine on a high speed ski trip on icy interstates Stabiltrak would be beneficial but not around town. Yes, no?

Incidentally, can you feel/hear it engage? Can someone enlighten me? We have 2001 Volvo XC with what I think they call DSC or some such. Unlike ABS, I've never felt the DSC engage. (I hear/feel the chatter of the ABS every winter morning when I slide down our driveway in a Jeep Grand Cherokee.)

avolvofan

StabiliTrak can best be considered as an assist in fighting a spin. As GM and Mercedes point out, technology can not re-write the laws of physics. That said, technology can respond much more rapidly when things start to go wrong and hopefully can avoid a spin. The benefit of four channel versus two channel is that with four channel, the brakes at all four corners can be applied to fight a spin. Volvo has a similar product known as Dynamic Stability Traction Control (distinguished from Stability Traction Control). Whether Active Handling on the Corvette, DSTC on Volvo's, StabiliTrak on other GM products, or whatever, the technology works.

The best way to see the technology in action is in a very large empty parking lot during a heavy rainstorm: drive into a puddle at around 35 mph and immediately crank the steering wheel hard left or right as the car starts to hit the water. Depending on how the system is programmed, you will notice an abrupt reduction in engine power along with selective application of brakes typically on either the right front and left rear or left front and right rear depending on whether you turned left or right. The net effect is that the vehicle does not spin around in a series of 360 degree turns.

StabiliTrak will work on ice as well as water. The key is whether the on-board sensors detect an impending spin. Next to ABS, I believe that StabiliTrack (and the other variants) is one of the most compelling safety technologies available on automobiles and trucks. Some would argue that airbags should be first; however, I would respond that the airbag is relevant after a crash has started, while ABS and StabiliTrak give you a fighting chance of avoiding the accident in the first place.

erinsquared

I would like to add that as an increasing number of manufacturers are coming out with stability systems and not all systems are created (engineered) equally. The problems we face as consumers is that we do not have an empirical means to judge which systems are better than others. Car magazines tell us 0-60 acceleration and 60-0 braking distances, but they do not gauge the effectiveness of ABS and stability programs. In my old Isuzu Trooper and my wife's Millenia, the ABS on those systems pulse so slow that stopping distances are increased significantly at the benefit of maintaining directional control. On my BMW M3 and on an old mid-80's 635Csi I used to have, the ABS is awesome and pulses noticeably quicker. So how is Joe consumer able to distinguish what systems are superior without taking a test drive in a frozen parking lot and thrashing a car around (might be a good price negotiating technique

The first StabiliTrak system offered by GM on full size trucks was a two-channel system which applied brakes to the front wheels to help correct driver errors and assist in low traction situations. In a 'Death Valley Comparison' test done by MotorTrend, a 2002 Cadillac Escalade with this system was the only SUV in the test fleet that needed to be pulled out of deep sand and the editors attributed this to the ineffectiveness of StabiliTrak. If StabilTrak has indeed gone to a true four-channel system, it would be a much warranted improvement. Manufacturers like Mercedes and Toyota have been using four-channel stability systems for a number of years with great success and this is definitely the future/now for AWD since you can reuse the componentry for ABS, traction assist, and stability assist. These are all fantastic safety features when well executed and well worth the premium if you can afford it.

jahuff

When going up a steep hill at slow speed I hear a grinding sound coming from the left front. The dealer checked the front wheel bearing and it was fine. Any suggestions?

erinsquared

Sometimes brakes dragging on the rotor can make some grinding or squeaking sounds. If your mechanic did not find something, it is likely not anything catastrophic. You should just monitor this carefully and if there is a real issue, it will likely get more noticable to the point where it will be easy for the mechanic to identify.

Just finished a long trip this weekend in my '01 Denali; I added a K&N drop-in filter since the factory filter was dirty @ 40k miles and I have had good experience with these filters in the past. Butt-dyno indicated slightly more power at higher rpm and the transmission did not downshift on long uphill grades with the cruise control set at 80 MPH (this may indicate slightly more torque/power gained). Benefits may be due to the fact that I am now using a clean filter versus a filter with 40k miles. Regardless, the K&N will pay for itself in the next 40k miles since it is about 2X the price of a paper element. Highway mileage dropped to about 16MPG, since I was cruising mostly 80-85 MPH except for a few stop-and-go construction areas.

Just purchased a set of front/rear Stillen Metal Matrix brake pads to replace the worn factory pads. These ared adverstised to offer reduced braking distances and still be low-dust and rotor friendly. I'll let you guys know if these are worth a darn once I've completed the upgrade.

stacy

Anyone have any thoughts on that rear wheel well clicking noise I asked about in my previous post?

mjwills

Finally fixed. Dealer replaced ring and pinion gears and re built differential. I had this noise when maintaining a speed above 40mph.

NOT FIXED: on full acceleration there is a noise like a belt squeal or air pressure release when shifting from 1st to 2nd. Dealer said they couldn't reproduce, I did it when I left the dealer. Any thoughts? Thanks.

erinsquared

I'm glad you got your gear noise fixed - hopefully for good. It's funny that you mentioned the belt squeal, since I experience this on my '01 Denali. This is my take: when running wide open throttle, the engine revs up to close to 6000 rpm in first gear (actually quite impressive for a 6.0L pushrod actuated engine). The transmission gear spacing between 1st and 2nd gear is the largest of all the gears, so the resulting drop in engine speed over the short interval it takes to change from 1st to 2nd gear is going to be the largest. There is a single serpentine belt that drives all of your accessories; AC, power steering, alternator, water pump,... and all of these things have mass and momentum. My guess is that attempting to quickly decelerate this inertial mass causes the belt to slip (chirp) as momomentum overloads the total friction of the belt surface on all of those pulleys. This may in fact help absorb the "shock" these elements experience from the quick change in acceleration at the expense of belt life. This is akin to how a clutch in a manual transmission vehicle allows some slip in order for you to get the car up to speed without stalling the engine. I doubt this was designed that way, but I also doubt there is much you can do to prevent it. Perhaps having a new belt and all of the pulleys perfectly aligned would increase the friction to the point where this chirp does not occur. In '01, there was a factory recall notice issued for belts that squeaked at idle and under normal operation that was due to improper belt alignment from the factory, but I believe this was resolved in '02. My belt squeaks at no other time except during the WOT situation you mentioned, so I plan to leave as-is.

murphydog

Looked at an 03 Denali and really loved it, however was troubled by the alarming amount of rust I found on the underside (yes I looked!) Checked out several more and they were rusty as well. All were new, less that 10 - 20 miles on 'em.

Any thoughts on why? I am not excited to throw down $45K+ for a rust bucket.

Thanks

ejw5

Looking to buy an '03 Denali XL.

Has anyone been negotiating lately and have some good pricing data?

Also, when do the '04's come out?

avolvofan

murphydog, don't know about the rust you have seen. I am going to be taking delivery of a 2003 Denali (non-XL) this weekend (dealer is installing a Corsa exhaust tip). When the truck arrived, I gave it a thorough inspection (including checking the underside), and no rust. Where was the rust on the trucks you looked at?

ahesq

Was this the front or rear differential?

I would be interested to know if your howling/whine noise comes back after your new gears break in (est in a thousand miles or so). See my other posts re this issue.

How loud was the noise? Could you ever make it stop (change speed or coast)? And was it a long drawn out process to convince the dealer to undertake this large rebuilding task under warranty?

Many thanks for your reply.

mjwills

Thanks for the replies.

erinsquared: I had an 01 and also had the belt recall done. No problems after that. I never noticed the squeal between shifts though. I am no auto guru, but what you say makes sense to me. It does only happen above 5500 rpm and I cannot reproduce it all the time.

ahesq: I took it into the dealer and said I have a howling noise coming from the front maintaining a speed at 50+ mph. It really occurred at 35+ but was most noticeable at higher speeds. When I took my foot off the gas, it would go away. I could feel it in the gas pedal and floorboard though. I called to see if my vehicle was done and they said they needed it one more day that the differential was apart and they were rebuilding it. No problems getting it done. I hope it doesn't come back, it is so quiet and smooth.

Thanks for your input.

murphydog

The denalis I looked at were rusty all over, shocks, frame, drive shaft. Not just rust, but big pits as well.

erinsquared

I live in the SE (i.e. no salted winter roads). That being said, I am impressed with the undercoating and attention to rust control except for driveshaft and a few massive mounting bolts/hardware which all have a layer of surface rust. I have seen a few Denali undersides during my shopping experience and these are not rust buckets, but have well executed measures to prevent rust except for in a few areas. Granted, a little more attention and expenditure by GM could have also eliminated these areas, but I figure these parts lost out on the cost-benefit analysis. Most of the attention looks to have been spent on the frame and sheetmetal. I had similar areas of rust on my Isuzu Trooper that I replaced, so I do not think this to be an "alarming" amount of rust.

avolvofan

murphydog, I am surprised at what you saw. When I inspected the 2003 Denali, there was no rust on the frame at all (not even where the tie-down hooks were attached for transportation - which was an issue on the 2001 Denali that I presently own). The sheet metal on the underside of the body was painted with no sign of rust. The firewall exterior was completely painted and rust-free. The inside portions of the fenders (that are not covered by spray shields) were painted and rust-free. Even the suspension mounting points and driveshaft mentioned by erinsquared were rust-free. (The driveshaft was painted, bolts were painted as well.) In summary, it looked like a very dilligent effort at rust prevention.

murphydog

Went to another dealer and found plenty of Denalis with no rust, not sure why the denalis at the first dealer were rusty.

jbohney1

I have a 2003 Denali xl with 4000 miles purchased new. After the vehicle has warmed up I can hear a puddering noise in or near the right engine area. This sounds almost like a pumping noise and does accelerate with engine rpm. I does not sound particularly healthy. thup thup thup. Your thoughts are appreciated.

avolvofan

It could be the brake system pump. The 2003s have a hydraulic pump that powers the brake system. The benefit of the hydraulic pump approach is that there is no adverse affect on braking performance as you increase in altitude. If you are not noticing any problems (such as an increase in stopping distance, or the pedal sinking to the floor, etc.), I would wait until a regular maintenance visit to mention the puddering sound.

bimmers

I'm looking to purchase a 2001 Yukon Denali with 24k miles. Are there any significant problem areas that I should be attentive to that GM/dealers have not been able to correct under warranty?

Do all Denali's have have moonroofs? Are Denalis available with barn doors? Or were they options?

I'm replacing an 02 Bravada that was full of uncorrectable issues, and hate to get socked with another lemon. Luckily, GM bought the Bravada back after 15 months of ownership.

Thanks!!!

erinsquared

By this time, most of the recall work and initial quality issues should have been resolved. At 24K miles, the D is still under factory warranty, so not too much to worry about except for accident damage. If the vehicle test drives fine, has a good verifiable service history, and looks well maintained, I say go for it. You can have an experienced body shop man look it over and pay a mechanic to look it over for an added degree of comfort.

jkpsaras

We haven't discussed after market warranties in a while.
My 2001 has 31000 mile. It's time to add an extended warranty. Has anyone recent experiences to report.

avolvofan

My vote would be for the GM Protection Plan Major Guard. It appears to have the lowest number of coverage exclusions and there is coverage for "wear-and-tear" - meaning that if something is starting to go bad (such as an alternator bearing), they do not deny coverage until there is an actual failure.

orwoody

Just returned from a four day foray to Montana for a niece's wedding. Close to 38k on the 2001 Denali and all is still looking good.
bimmers - I bought my 2001 Denali new and have had hardly anything to gripe about. They had two recalls that I remember, and I have had nothing else to speak of in 2 years and 38k miles. I'm very happy with mine.
This road trip put on 1626 miles in 4 days. Stopped and bought petrol 6 times.
Overall the DIC measured 59.6 AMPH with 17.2 AMPG (94.4 gallons) over the 1626m. My calculated AMPG is 17.7
Trip included mountains, headwinds, road construction, some city and hauling a trailer on one lick(wedding rental chairs,tables, tents.)
Best leg: 19.52mpg all hwy but 3 mtn passes and 20-25m of construction.
worst leg: 16.3mpg mostly hwy but against strong headwinds most of that leg.
With speed limits in WA, ID and MT at 70/75 for the most part I was driving 70-80 mph except for the construction areas and had to slow up and down some of the passes.
I did run it up to 110/107(speedo/DIC) in a couple of straight stretches, and the D was very stable and felt like it could still pull higher speed.

bberisford1

Anybody have any luck or suggestions with adding a factory look exhaust tip to an '03 Denali?

Thanks !

Barry B
'03 YXL Denali

lobsenza

I purchased a Chrysler warranty on my 01 DXL. There were several reasons:

1. I was much more comfortable with a car manufacturer's warranty than aftermarket (even though it was not an OEM warranty).

2. The GM warranty was way to pricey. The Chrysler warranty cost about half of the GM warranty for comparable coverage.

3. Chrysler offered a 7 year 100,000 mile warranty and GM didn't.

4. Chrysler offered an option for first day rental car coverage which GM didn't.

5. Chrysler offered a $50 deductible which I thought had the best cost vs benefit ratio.

avolvofan

Try the Corsa (www.corsaperf.com) tip. It is a dual tip, and in my opinion, looks better than the original tip that was on the 2001 Denali.

erinsquared

I've been driving for about 2 weeks on my new Stillen Metal Matrix pads. My subjective take is that I cannot say I notice an appreciable improvement in braking over the stock pads, but they are at least just as good. When replacing the rear pads, I noticed that one side was worn out and the other side was not. On one of the Speed Channel auto shows, I happened to catch a brake upgrade segment that mentioned that this could be caused from the calipers binding (they need to slide smoothly on the caliper pins to apply equal pressure to both pads). I will pull apart the rear brakes and apply a synthetic lube to insure proper caliper operation in addition to readjusting the parking brakes which are still not adjusted as tight as they need to be. Are we having fun yet?

jtbuff

Have a 03 XLDenali. Really like the vehicle.7000 miles on it and the stabillity system went out. It's been sitting at the garage for two weeks. They can't get parts to fix it.Said they might have them by the fourth of July. Really a little upset with GM.Was wondering if anyone else is having any problems.

avolvofan

Haven't had any problems with StabiliTrak as yet. If your truck is going to be out of commission until early July, you might want to consider pushing for an extension to your warranty coverage for the amount of time your truck was out of service. Some state warranty laws automatically provide for such an extension; others do not.

orwoody

You got my curiosity up, so I crawled under and around my 2001 D which I bought new and have run for over 38k in two years. I live in the NW which has plenty moisture. I saw very little rust on bolts, shocks, frame, exhaust... my muffler is still nicely galvanized.... not sure what they did to the ones that you saw, but mine is very clean after two years of running.

avolvofan

Orwoody, if memory serves, the Denali's exhaust system back from the converter is stainless. In the particular corner of the S.F. bay area where I live, there is ample fog that rolls in from the ocean every evening. The 2001 Denali that I recently traded on a 2003 Denali was likewise spotless as relates to rust. I couldn't even begin to speculate on how the rust problem that murphydog described occurred.

mjwills

02 DXL - when the system is working (auto, floor, vent) there is a squeaking noise going over bumps and when breaking on a flat road. Sounds like the seat of an old style bike with the springs. Turn off system and the noise disappears. It is coming from the passenger side. If I turn the fan on high and turn down to low the squeak is there until the fan speed slows down. Is it the fan? Any thoughts? Thanks.

denali804

Have a 2003 yukon denali. It has noises that sound like a heat shield and metal settling when the vehicle is warm. If the vehicle is sitting it will continue to make this noise while running or for about 10-15 minutes after parking and turning the truck off. Is this normal and will it go away once the truck gets more mileage on it. Please post answers here. thanks

lobsenza

I had a noise that occurred right after the vehicle was shut off. It was made by the muffler expanding/contracting. The replaced the muffler and it was gone.

ahesq

There is a GM service bulletin on this issue. It involves the muffler heat shield crackling and popping from expansion. The service performed is for the dealer to install straps around the muffler and heat shield. I had this done and it helped a bit, but did not totally fix the problem.

sidway

Just got my DXL with Factory OEM Navigation (GPS) system. I want a back-up camera like the Acura MDX offers but my local dealer says GM didn't provide inputs in the Navi system. Does Anyone hve a way to rig one up to the factory Navi screen ??

csi35

Has anyone bought the GMC Major Guard Warranty for their vehicle?

I priced over the net with Charles Capper Auto Center (Iowa)and was quoted $1840 for 84 months 50,000 miles zero deductible. Local dealers want $2290 plus 6% tax.

This is for a 2002 Denali XL.

Anyone bought the Major Guard? What does it cover?

jkpsaras

Black Pontiac Cadillac www.gmoutlet.com has
84 mos 50,000 miles Zero Deductable for $1655

avolvofan

csi35, the following url is published by GM regarding Major Guard:

http://www.gmprotectionplan.com/majorguard.cgi

Hope it helps.

csi35

After I posted last time I talked to Dave Smith Motors and his cost for GMPP warranty was $2365 but is totally refunded if it is not ever used.

I can't make up my mind on this one. Good deal?

lobsenza

I have never heard of it being refunded if not used. Has anyone elae?

stever

Extended warranties are a form of insurance and therefore heavily regulated in the States. My understanding is that most of them are refundable at any time, although the amount of the refund may be decreased (i.e., pro-rated depending on how long its been in place).

To address your specific question, I have read about some extended warranties being fully refundable if they are never used when the warranty term expires. Can't remember where I read that (most likely around Town Hall). I guess the company is happy to get the float on your money for a few years.

Steve, Host

obyone

I've never heard of it either. I don't think GM is in the business of refunding unused extended warranty. Course a simple phone call to them would solve the mystery. I'd be careful with that dealer.

stever

"and some even have a buy-back clause that makes them a "can't lose" investment."

Extended Warranties: Extending The Joys Of Ownership

Understanding Extended Warranties

Another quote:

"Extended warranties are enormous moneymakers for auto dealers and anyone who sells them. One wrong move could cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

"I think you have to automatically assume a 100 percent markup," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com." Bankrate.com

Steve, Host