GMC Yukon XL and Yukon XL Denali

meredith

This topic is a continuation of Topic 2658....

2001 Yukon XL/Suburban. Please continue these
discussions here. Thanks!

Front Porch Philosopher
SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarket and Accessories Host

michigander1

Mike, I live on the west side of town in the motor city and believe me there is not alot of YukonXL's on the lots here. I put my order in on Sept 25th for my YukonXL at a big dealership and I still don't have a allocation. Although about 5 things that I ordered ( 8.1 vortec engine,autoride,assist steps,onyx black,graphite cloth ) are on limited supply. I think that I am going to have to wait along time before I get mine.
It's nice to finally see someone from Michigan on this site.
Jerry

fellers

Can anyone tell me what to expect for the interior
color of the Denali with respect to the color
"Pewter"? On the 2000 Yukon, Pewter Ultra Soft
Leather was a Taupe. However, on the Sierra Pickup
SLT for 2001, Pewter Ultra Soft Leather is a light
grey. Which will it be for the tone on tone
seating surface with the Denali. The description on the website is "Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali seating surfaces in Flint Gray with darker grey accents and Sandstone with Shale accents." My order sheet, however says Color 922, Pewter. Help, Clifford!



Also, anyone have any definitive information as to
whether they are building any Denali's as of this
writing, presumably in Janesville, WI? My TPW has slipped from 11/6 to 11/13 to 11/27. Thanks.

cwmartin

I believe the build location for the Denali and Escalades will be in Arlington, TX., but I will have to confirm this with some paperwork I have at home (not with me while at work). As to the actual color vs. the names, only GM knows for sure what will be what.

rhwoodpecker

We ordered a 1500 LT 4.10 axle, with liftgate and sunroof, pewter, neutral int. the first week of Sept. It arrived today and we are going to pick it up now. If it came without anything I will post tonight. The sales manager did not mention any constraints.

kalexander2

I just spoke with the dealer and he said that there is nothing for me to really worry about as far as getting the onyx black truck. He said that it is on available on a limited basis which simply means they make a bunch of them then stop, make a bunch then stop. I feel better now. Thanks for calming my fears yesterday. We'll be ordering by Friday.

krey

My friend who owns the local Chevy dealership tells me that he (the dealer) has no control ("zero" was his exact word) over the assignment of the factory TPW. He's had "about 10" Tahoe and Sub. customers who've been assigned TPW's in a matter of days, and he said he has "about 4" that have been ordered for over a month and no TPW has been assigned yet. The only difference has been the configurations.

He tells me that his queries to GM have resulted in finger pointing, as in, "it's all supplier related problems...but don't worry, they're being resolved as we speak." He said that in truth we probably know about as much as he does.

He did say that if you absolutely have to have a car within 90 days, "tell the salesman to keep his nose in the locator and that he agree to make the customer the same offer on dealer-trade vehicle...and, if necessary, be a little flexible on color and/or some of the options."

pcarolan

Tried to order a Garnet Red Yukon XL last week, but was told it was on constraint. Had them try again this week (I was ready to switch colors) and it went through. However, I got an estimated Feb 01 date! Does any one have or has anyone seen a Garnet Red Yukon XL? I've scanned through these posts and don't believe I've seen anyone who has one.

bgould1

Did you also order Z55 autoride and rear liftgate?

iwanna1

I appreciate all the info. Yes, I agree w/the dealer, I think you guys in this townhall know more than a lot of these dealerships.

It sure makes it convenient. When I have a question, I just get online, and get an answer w/o the run around or the head scratching!

Thanks

manserv

Yes Jerry it nice to see someone from Michigan on this site.
I was at Pat Moran in Rochester Hills on Thursday of last week and they had 5 on the lot. 3 3/4 ton and 2 1/2 ton units. If I am remembering it right, 1 was a 3/4 ton with 8.1 in blue with the SD1.
Let us all know when yours comes in and how it looks.

aprilpa

Before I took delivery of my '01 Tahoe, I talked to the sales manager who said that it would be built in Janesville, WI. When the Tahoe arrived, it was interesting to see the sticker on the inside of the driver's door that said "built in Arlington, TX". Guess that plant is up an running now.

pcarolan

No autoride or liftgate. Details: Yukon XL 1500 2WD with SLT (1SD), panel doors, and a sunroof. We decided on the panel doors because it's easier to open them in the garage. Not sure how I'll like the view out the back and no rear wiper.

slpete

We ordered ours on 8/7, TPW was pushed back several times, but finally was produced on 10/9 and shipped on 10/12. Dealer still hasn't gotten an invoice and can't give me any real idea of when we should receive it. Said they usually only get the invoice a couple of days before the vehicle arrives. Is this true? I thought they usually got the invoice about a week or so before the vehicle's arrival. Anyway, even though he still hasn't gotten the inovice, he says we'd probably get the Yukon later this week, early next week at the latest. Does this sound right? I'm beginning to get REALLY frustrated.

lovemygirls

Soudns right. My dealer told me he usually gets invoice 3 days before arrival. When he first told me the TPW (weeks of 8-25) , it arrived around 9-15 -- within 3 weeks of TPW. Guess he was right.

kalexander2

What doew TPW stand for? I was thinking it stood for, maybe, tenative production week. I want to know all the lingo I need to know so that the dealer won't be able to tell me anything I don't already know about. Also can anyone recommend a TV/VCP brand. We want a system installed in the headrests and would like to get a couple of quotes.

I want to close by telling you all that a salesman at the GMC Truck Center in Alameda, CA told me that I was by far the most educated potential buyer he had had in his showroom. He said I knew more about what was on constraint, etc. than he did. That's only because of this site. I've said it before and I'll say it again that those who post here are great and I appreciate all the info I get here! Kim

cwmartin

If you look at the FAQ (frequently asked questions) page of my web site, you will find a list of all of the appropriate abbreviations and what they mean. The web site is at http://suv.s5.com

slpete

Wouldn't you know, the day I decide to gripe to you all a little bit, the salesman just called and told me that our 01 Yukon has arrived and we can pick it up later this evening. As of yesterday, he still didn't have the invoice, but magically, the vehicle has arrived today. At this point, I don't even care!! Can't wait to go pick it up. Thanks for the info guys - and Clifford, your site has been like a Bible to me since we ordered the vehicle back in August. Thanks for the info you have provided.

bodie1

We are just about to order a 2001 Burb, K2500, 8.1L, Autoride, etc. We pull a trailer now with our '96 Burb. I was wondering if the autoride interferes with the setup of a weight distributing hitch (i.e. setting the spring bar tension). Can the autoride be "turned off" manually. This is a great list, very helpful for collecting information. Thanks in advance.

bigkahuna13

just wanted to make a comment based on the barn doors vs. liftgate opinion...the barn doors look terrible, provide a much worse view out the back window, don't have a wiper, and did I mention look terrible?...

I know that some of you are concerned about opening it in the garage but

A: mine opens fine (try one at the dealer and you will see that it opens almost straight out...I am 6'4" and can still stand under it)

B: you can also just open the glass and not the entire door for light/small objects which gives you even more clearance

just my opinion

rickhess

bodie1:

Just ordered a K2500, 8.1L with Autoride and 4.10 rear myself. I had the same question. The Autoride is totally automatic and cannot be turned on or off. My understanding is that on the 3/4 ton models, Autoride affects shock damping only and does not include a load leveling feature (available on 1/2 ton models). Therefore, the autoride itself should not interfere with weight distributing hitch setup, however, you may end up with a different ball height with the 2001.

Out of curiosity, what rear gear do you plan to order and what (weight) are you towing. I've been looking for feedback from anyone who has taken delivery of a K2500 w/ 8.1 L, Autoride, etc., but only saw one or two postings. I'd be interested in knowing anything you have heard about the big block.

Rick

msncowtn

My dealer is telling me that ordering procedure has been changed to Mondays only. So when do they get their allocation info?

BTW...I live in the DFW mid-cities area, and have yet to see a Garnet red Yukon of XL. However I am almost positive I have seen that exact color on some Pontiacs. Interesting .....

Mike/DFW

bodie1

Rick:
Thanks for the explanation of the Autoride damping. We have the EazyLift weight distributing hitch that is adjustable in height. I have yet to verify the measurements but assume only a few inches difference between our '96 K1500 and a new K2500.

We plan to order the 4.10. We want the highest GCWR for the Suburban. Would love to entertain the idea of a K2500 with the Duramax diesel and the Allison 1000. Great torque, better gas mileage than the 8.1L and better acceleration when pulling the trailer. Oh well, maybe next year.

I am slightly concerned about the 8.1L and the K2500's transmission. I understand that the system will limit the torque output. Not being a car mechanic, that raises questions in my mind about over working the transmission. Does anyone have thoughts on that subject?

Rick, our current trailer has a GVWR of 6000, with a typical load around 4500. That's okay for our K1500. The next trailer (the next toy is always on the horizon) will be in the 7000 to 8000 GVWR. Thus the reason to be buying a new K2500. A 8000lb trailer should not tax the K2500 with the 8.1L.

rickhess

bodie1:

Check out some of the postings at http://forums.vmag.com/suvsuburban0900/. There is a fair amount of discussion about the torque limiting controls on first gear by some guys that sound like they know what they're talking about. The 4L80E trans is GM's heaviest trans for this type of vehicle and, in fact, is the same trans they put in motorhomes. I don't think it should be a concern.

I currently have a 2000 Suburban 1500 with the 5.3 L and 4.10 rear. We absolutely love the vehicle but it falls short when towing our travel trailer with a dry weight of 6630 lbs. We bought the Suburban before the trailer and put too much stock in the 8800 lb towing capacity rating. The 1500 can tow the trailer, but there are interstate grades in eastern PA where I can't even hold 50 mph. I also think the 3/4 ton suspension will give us a more solid and secure ride.

I have ordered virtually the same vehicle (colors and options) except it is 3/4 ton with the 8.1L.

smithsc

When I open my liftgate, the wiper arm touches the edge of the open garage door in the garage. I have partially solved this by keeping a foam swim "noodle" leaning nearby and place it between the lifgate and the garage door while it's open.

Love the view out the back.

rhwoodpecker

Bigkahuna is right on the money again! Every post is like I am reading from my long lost brother from Long Island. I agree with your assessment on the liftgate. We have had ours a couple of days and in the garage the lift glass is all I have used for strollers, boxes, soccer equipment etc. I like this lift much better than the one on our soon to be ex Town & Country. No more scabs on top of my head. If the T & C sells maybe I can get the video equipment Bigkahuna talks about. Now if can figure out why I can't get Gilligan's Island off my mind.....hmmmmmm, bigkahuna rings a bell...anyway stay in touch kahuna, I enjoy your posts. Maybe publishing is in your future!

figmoman

Another comment on the liftgate. For those liftgates that are hitting garage doors, if you have a deep garage as we do, backing in solves the proplem. This also allows--fast gettaways--:c) The Figomoman

pothole

but dont't sit in your garage with it running while you wife is in the house looking for her purse .

bigkahuna13

****SORRY IF THIS POST APPEARS TWICE...SENT IT ONCE AND IT DISAPPEARD***

yeah, I know I talk too much...my wife reminds me all the time...hoepfully I can help others like I was helped when I was looking a year ago...people like Cliff Martin and many others helped greatly...it seems most drop off the site after they get their vehicle because the problems are basically the same...you would figure that GM could get it together after 15 months or so of production...I came back after months away because I wanted to see if GM had their act together...then I saw a few things that pertained to me and as a 9 month owner I figured I could save some people the time...and now I'm like Pacino in GFIII. "Every time I try to get out, they drag me back in!" Seriously I love the postings. Too bad GM is too big and slow to address all the problems.

Mr. Woodpecker, where are you located? I have to go now, there is a World Series in town that I must attend. I hear the Prez will be there tonite. Anything you want me to tell him?

retract

Yuck! I hate the minivan looking liftgate. The barn doors are so easy to open, they have very good detents to hold them in position, you can only open one, and best of all you can open them and step up to wash the last 1/3 of the roof. It look better as well.
I (my wife's vehicle) have a expedition with the liftgate. In the Exped, you open the thing and all of your stuff falls out. One thing is for sure, if the Exped didn't have a wiper the rear window would be so dirty that you might as well paint it to match the truck. My barn door Burb's rear glass stays very clean in comparisom. Due to better air flow, the GM's don't "have" to have the wiper. Liftgate=minivan Panel Doors=Truck Of course this is my opinion

lovemygirls

Does anyone's oil guage read high? With engine off, mine still reads 40 or so, if I bump the key it will go down to near 0, then while running - it near 65/70. Actual oil level is fine. Guess gauge needs replacing? 01 XL 5.3 L

jw

burbjcc

I want to order a 2001 Suburban with the liftgate. However, the dealer is telling me there is a constraint on that item and so it can't be ordered until the constraint is lifted by GM. Anyone know why the constraint? Anyone hear when the constraint may be lifted?

rdtaylor

1) Autoride is aware of trailering (uses the tow/haul transmission mode setting as input to the suspension computer), but does not adjust the ride height because leveling is not required due to the heavy overload springs. It is very stable and corners well. No interference with equalizer hitch.

2)The torque limiting in 1st gear is not an issue for towing, since you will be in 2nd or 3rd for the steep grades anyhow. The torque in first gear is not bad - even with 1000lbs of trailer tongue weight, you can spin the tires on launch if you are not careful. The 8.1L is very strong on the hills - outpulls the diesels.

3) The acceleration for the DuraMax is not likely to be better than the 8.1L. In tests, the 8.1L beats every time. In the Suburban, the Duramax will be derated even further and will likely be a dog (but gets good mileage).

4) The ball height with 1000lbs equalized tongue weight is about 1.5" to 2" higher than '96 1/2T.

5) The liftgate is the way to go if you can get one. A good compromise between the old tailgate and barn doors. Plenty of clearance for most trailers.

6) When in doubt, go for the 4.10 ratio. If you get the 3.73 and it is not good enough, it is very expensive to upgrade ($1500).

tasillo

I have to weigh in on the rear doos issue. Had a '97 Sub with barn doors. Grew to like them because they were convenient, however I found if my hands were full, it was difficult enough to open the first door, let alone reach the handle mounted on the inside of the 2nd door and release it. Also, hated the blind spot in the middle of the rearview (hides poles and trees when backing at an angle). However, the old tailgate/liftgate arrangement was a joke! Open the tailgate and you couldn't reach into the back of the vehicle!

My new Tahoe has the liftgate. It is perfect! A lift of the handle an the gate rises by itself to load. Wiper/Washer mean no need for the deflector my old Sub needed. Ability to open the glass is excellent for light packages or packing the cargo area to the gills. Finally, an unobstructed view out the rear with no blindspots.

Just turned 10k and except for an occasional transmission glitch as reported in these forums, no problems at all.

liquidlab

Do anybody know how to do it using a bathroom scale (250lb max)
Thanks

daclark1

Place scale up to chin... Lay tongue on scale.

Just kidding...

How about using two or more scales to share the weight with some wood blocks?

heatwave3

I recently placed my order for a Garnet Red Denali XL. My Dealer expects TPW within 2-3 weeks. He contacted me today to let me know their first Yukon Denali arrived today. Planning to take a peek tomorrow.

For those interested, it has the factory sunroof. salesman informed me that there are no climate controls accessible to the second row seats and that the rear controls are located between the rear view mirror and the sunroof. the controls are manual with fan and temp controls. The front climate controls are on the center dash console.

The earlier discussion with bigkahuna 13 and my dealer make it a clear choice to go without the factory sunroof and put in the aftermarket. The aftermarket, which uses the GM sunroof frame and motor is the way to go. You'll end up w/ "true" climate controls in three locations 1) dash for front seats 2) ceiling near rear view mirror for driver to control rear climate controls and 3) an additional controller (true climate controls) for the rear passengers to control. The driver can lock out the rear controller to avoid pesky little fingers from playing with the rear controls. Hope this helps anyone considering a new Denali and considering the sunroof.

Will update once I get my TPW.

bhinott

... yesterday afternoon! It is of the more proletarian variety (LS with cloth seats (40/20/40), but it was built to my specs (premium ride, trailering pkg, pwr seats, locker, fender flares, ..) so it is obviously just the ticket.

Purchased through my employers' fleet leasing program so got an exceptional deal.

I had the dealer change the LEs to Michelin LTX 265/75R16 before delivery - looks and rides real nice now. did not get much credit for the LEs, but I am happy with the outcome.

Have been watching this board for awhile and must thank all participants for the excellent information and commentary.

Brian.

msncowtn

Mon 10/23 closed deal on vehicle based on
guarantee of allocation and immed.
order entry. Would call with order
number.
Tues 10/24 no call
Wed 10/25 no call, finally I called at noon and
spoke to sales rep who hem-hawed
around and promised to find out status
and call me back ASAP.
Thur 10/26 no call...showed up unannounced at
dealer and cornered sales rep. When
pressed he could not produce order
number. Listened to lame BS story
about how order procedure "really
works". I made a few negative
references to his character, as well
as my assessment of the dealership,
yanked my deposit, and walked.
Thur 10/26 By 6pm had same deal with another
dealer who appears to have their act
together. We'll see...
Spec note; be sure to pay special attention to "adjustments" line on ProSpec printout...they
vary from dealer to dealer. I found $200.00 diff on one dealers printout.

New dealer; Freeman
750/over + 400 adj

Mike/DW

garry101

Krey asked who I was dealimg with in Oregon. It is Ron Roberts with Friendly GMC. Ordered 3/4 ton XL @ $500.00 over invoice no problem. No TPW yet he's estimating only 30 days afte build date supplied to him. Got CA. emmisions at N/C. I will put in american sunroof here in So. CA. I was told at a tire dealer that 18" wheels were not safe on a 3/4 ton vehicle. Anyone else come across this? Do the Axis Vortex come in 16" if I must stick with 16" . I will used R.W. in sylmar to put monitors in the headrests, as well as nerfbars.

soho52

On September 12 I placed my order for a 2001 Suburban LT. Things included - Black, moon roof, trailer package, locking differential, rear audio, and skid plate.To date GM has not accepted my order due to limited availability and constraints. Every Friday my dealer has me call to place order again because he says Friday his the day he gets his allocations. We tried again today but no go ,however ,GM can make a LS with all the same options except heated seats with memory.
Could someone explain why they can make one and not the other? Are there any other differences? Should I buy or wait? Price difference is around $100. Thanks for your help.

figmoman

Paul, for the hundred bucks, we sure enjoy the heated seats but don't use the memory. The same position works for both of us. GM works in(or doesn't)strange ways. Its hard to make a decision when you have no idea how long the constraint will last. Good luck with your order. Mike

atmospheres

Lever principle -- you need a fixed pivot point (short piece of 4x4 lumber, or a 2x4 on edge if you're careful) and a lever (a ~5' piece of 2x4). For this technique, the precision of distances only matters as much as you care about the precision of the weight measurement. Likewise, smaller pivot areas (triangles) improve precision -- but this a trailer tongue we're talking about.

Put the scale and 4x4 on the ground, so that the distance between their centers is 4'. Put some small scrap material (1x2, 2x2, or similar) in the center of the scale -- this makes the weighing spot the center of the scale, rather than a sloped board resting on the edge of the scale, and can help level out the long 2x4. Put the longer 2x4 across the pivot piece and the scale.

Now you have a ratio scale -- place your trailer tongue 1' from the 4x4, and the scale will read 1'/4' (1/4) of the actual weight; with a 250lb scale, you can measure up to 1000lb. Place the tongue 8" from the middle of the 4x4 and the scale will read 1/6th of the actual weight (8"/48"). 6" from the middle of the 4x4 will result in a reading 1/8th of the actual weight (0.5'/4'), for a limit of 2000lb. Etc. Go weigh an elephant this way, if you can get him to stand on a 2x4. ;-)

Hope that helps, and that I didn't make it too convoluted.

Side note regarding orders/constraints for those still paying attention -- today was my 3rd week trying to order an XL 2500/8.1. Last two weeks hit a constraint on the 8.1 engine. Today, the engine's available but not the autoride. I *don't* *want* the autoride, but it's required with the engine for some reason I still fail to grasp. So the order got bounced again, waiting for an option that I don't want but which is required for the option I won't go without.

atmospheres

After you have the system set up, but before you put the tongue on it, check the weight indicated by the scale. Subtract this weight from the tongue weight measurements you take.

kalexander2

I saw the Axis Vector on-line and the site said it was only available in 18". We ordered a truck from Ron Roberts today too. After being told by two Oakland area dealers that paying MSRP was the norm we decided to look north. We're looking for wheels, running boards and the entertainment center now. I can't wait to get the truck and add all the new accessories to it. Good luck on finding wheels. We're going to go with 17" wheels. My husband said he thinks that's a safe size, we went with a 1/2 ton, 2wd truck.

bonnie21

I work at a large volume dealership, and we special order 75% of our Suburbans and Tahoes. The problems you addressed about constraints from the factory are very valid. The first problem is that GM has gone to a new ordering system that allocates vehicles to each dealership. For instance, every Friday we receive our allocation, which may include 30 LS Suburbans and 10 LT Suburbans. We then use those allocated vehicles to place our special orders. There have been weeks that we didn't receive any allocation for Suburbans, so orders had to wait for the next Friday. In other words, we can't just order what our customer wants anytime. The constraint issues have to do with the suppliers that GM gets their parts from. The liftgate is currently on constraint because demand exceeded their projections, and the liftgates are being used on Tahoes with the third seat option.
It is very frustrating, but if time isn't an issue, your order will go thru. You will be very pleased with the new Suburban or Tahoe. I drive a 1997 Suburban, and the changes in 2001 are definitely tied to a smoother more luxurious ride without loosing it's functionality!
By the way, I saw some of the posting showing prices of $750 over invoice. I sell Suburbans and Tahoes for $400 over, and we have trailers that deliver them all over the country.

jimvee

and it's official: i'm not getting auto climate with the sunroof (1SD + sunroof = no auto a/c). they even changed the sticker: delivered two XLs to the dealer at the same time and the other one was just like mine, but no sunroof. it's sticker had auto. climate listed under the 1SD package, mine did not. Also, i noticed that the map lights/homelink/rear a/c controls on my unit are slightly lower and more forward than the non-sunroof units (to make more room for the sunroof, i guess). hope this doesn't intervere with rear view mirror (was after hours and couldn't get inside the vehicle yet).

since the GMC media site clearly and specifically stated that the sunroof vs. auto climate thing was fixed this year, my theory is that they didn't change anything from the '00s to the '01s. The vehicle was so popular, i wonder if they just rolled through the model change? if you look back at the posts there was hardly a week this summer that someone didn't have a TPW. Hmmm. So that--maybe--explains why it took awhile to get the new colors introduced, and it probably also means that those of us that have bought early '01s probably are not enjoying any of the minor engine upgrades bragged about at the GMC media site, either. By the way: thought I read on Cliff's site that the running boards were being installed at the factory for '01s? Mine and the other unit both had the running boards boxed up and inside the truck--further evidence that the "real" '01s are not coming off the line yet?

Oh well, still can't wait to get in and drive it home!

figmoman

Have fun with your new toy. From what your saying, this sounds like false advertising. How would you know that the engine tweeks are present? Aren't there laws against this? The Figmoman

ekohler

Mike,

I am also in the Fort Worth side of the D/FW area and see that you ordered from Freeman. How much/long did you look around for pricing and would you share the name of the dealer that you were first dealing with and then left?

Please keep your progress posted on your order - between you and Cliff's website, I am considering ordering a vehicle for the first time.

I have enjoyed reading this post over the past few months and I am getting close to ordering my family our Christmas present in time to go skiing.

Thanks to all who take time to share with us "rookies" out here.

smithsc

Well, my new (9 days old, 410 miles) '01 Yukon XL refused to start yesterday morning. It had plenty of battery, spun the starter okay, "caught" and then stopped. Surprised, I tried again and got the same result. I tried all the tricks I knew...accelerator pedal positions, in and out of park, neutral, brake on, brake off, wiggled the fuses and modules in the electrical center and..nothing. I called OnStar and the dealer and sat, waiting for roadside assistance. After 30 minutes I tried it again and...still nothing. (Nearly 50 tries so far.)

Dejected, I went in the house and whined to my wife that I really wished it would start...just once...so I wouldn't have to have it towed to the dealership. As I went outside to try one last time, she said a prayer and...a miracle...it started! I drove it to the dealership where it sits, waiting for Monday and the service department to open.

Bummed in Bossier City

Steve

bgould1

Steve,

Sounds like you've found another bad crankshaft sensor. There have been several reported on this list recently. Bad news is that the dealers didn't seem to have this part in stock.