GMC Yukon XL and Yukon XL Denali

jonkao · October 2002

I just got my 2003 Yukon XL and it is very comfortable. Traded in a 1997 GMC Suburban for this new one. It's definitely added tons of improvements and features.

I would like to replace the stock tires (Firestone Wilderness LE 265/70R16) with Michelin LTX A/T 265/75R16 tires. Does anyone know if the tires will get in contact with the structure when the steering wheel is turned to the extreme.

Your information will be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

Jon

bwillet · October 2002

My 2000 Grand Prix had the same problem - the AC drain hose was plugged. You can probably fix it yourself if you are comfortable digging around back behind the passenger dash.

lobsenza · October 2002

Check out Michlien CrossTerrains. I have them on mine and love them. I would get H speed rated, if they are available (better heat dissapation and handling).

jonkao · October 2002

Cross Terrain tires do look attractive. It's got favorable reviews from http://www.tirerack.com

I used to use LTX A/T and M/S for my 1997 Sub. maybe I will try CrossTerrain this time.

What size of the tires do you use?

Thank you.

lobsenza · October 2002

I have a Yukon XL Denali and it came with the tirs on 17" rims, so the size you would use would be different. I would probably go with the 265 width that come on most of these vehicles. You could go wider if you want. I would check with Tire Rack and see what sizes they recommend.

kawazar1 · October 2002

I recently purchased a 94 Suburban. The truck did not come with a owners manual which I am trying to get now. Can anyone tell me the tire pressures for the stock size tires? the sticker on my door jamb is fadded so bad I can't read it.

wkohler · October 2002

You didn't mention what side of the vehicle was causing problems, but you're going to have to scroll back quite a way in the messages. There was a problem with wet carpeting that GM recognized and applied a fix to. If I recall, the right rear wheel well wasn't sealed properly allowing water to seep in and cause the carpeting to get wet.

xyz71 · October 2002

You will not have any problems changing from a 265 70 16 up to 265 75 16.

I looked at making the same change on a Tahoe, but with only 12K miles I think I will wait a while.

Even though both tires have the same section width at 10.7 inches - the Firestone 265 70 16 have a wider tread width, maybe 1/2 inch difference.

The Michelins are taller - 31.9 inches VS 30.6. Revs per mile are 657 VS 681. So your speedo will only be off by 3.5%.

I have 285 75 16's A/T's on my 1999 Silverado Z-71 - I plan to swap the 285's from the PU to the Tahoe (wheels and all) - for a trip this winter - I can't imagine driving the Firestones in the snow.

jgmilberg · October 2002

Ok several things could cause the problem. GM did release a service bulliten on this issue, it says to replace the lower door weather strip. If you take the truck to the car wash a lot that could cause it. It could also be a disconnected sunroof drain in the pillar. The A/C unit for the rear A/C is in the far rear right by the cargo door, so unless the capet is in the cargo area that is probably no the issue. If it is then check the drain under th right rear quarter panel behind the rear tire. The lines are run under the floor so the condensation from the lines would not be inside the truck at all.

Here is the TSB number and description-Front Floor Carpet Wet/Musty Odor (Replace Rear Door Water Deflector) #01-08-64-001A

If that fails try another dealer, they are not all equal!!!

greenbld · October 2002

what is the latest with regard to tire wear both of my two front tires are wearing out inside is there any updates since July 2002 thanks

jonkao · October 2002

Thank you, xyz71. I just called Discount Tires and asked if they are willing to take trade-in for 2003 yukon XL's stock tires (Firestone Wilderness LE). They immediately declined and stated that no one wants to put Firestones in the vehicles. I guess nowadays only Car manufacturers are using Firestones and they must have got a great bargain. My Toyota Sienna also came with Firestone tires!!
The 1997 Suburban I had came with GoodYear Wrangler A/T tires and I traded them in for a set of Michelin at 17K miles. Still got $24 for the 17K-mile Goodyear tires at that time.
Are Firestones tires really that inferior to Michelin/Goodyear, etc?

skries · October 2002

Anyone know of a resource of how to retrofit rear a/c on a '99 gmc suburban. We already have rear heat and from a/c.

jogiii · October 2002

Besides the Chrome molding, Is there a real difference between XL or Suburban? Is the price higher in the GMC? Were getting ready to trade in the 96 suburban. Why would you choose one over the other? Opinions appreciated.

gunfghtr13 · October 2002

I purchased a 2002 Yukon XL and have the pewter exterior/interior which gets extremely dirty .. Does anyone have any recommmedations for replacement mats ?? I have club seating and a 100 Pound Shepherd that likes to ride. I have been looking at Catch All or Husky in black but have not seen if the lighter colors will match. Any help would be appreciated .. Thanks .. SEAN

lobsenza · October 2002

The 2 vehicles are very similiar. The pricing difference really depends on the options you want. The 2 models group the options differently, so the price difference will depend on what option groups you need to get to get the options you want. I would start with Edmunds pricing and price each model the way you want it. Overall, the price difference will probably not be that great. The GMC will probably end up being $300-$400 more expensive. If you find a very large pricing difference, you either have a very unusual option configuration or you made a mistake (more likely).

lobsenza · October 2002

I have Catch alls. The color match is not perfect, but is close (we have gray). We are happy with them. They wear well. Make sure you install the anchors or the mats will slide and get damaged.

jk66t · October 2002

Just purchased a 2001 Yukon XL with 17k miles. I cannot find in the manual any reference to the oil pressure range. My gauge tends to ride to the far right. Is this normal?

christophers1 · October 2002

I have been offered a z71 completely loaded:
bucket seats
custom dvd with two screens
sunroof
heated seats
dcp
security package

Offered at $41983, MSRP $47800

What type of deals are people getting on suburbans or yukons? At invoice or below?

jonkao · October 2002

FYI, After warmed up, the oil pressure of my 1997 Suburban and 2003 Yukon XL is usually a little over the middle (to the right).

Regards,

wkohler · October 2002

Please remember that the gauges in your suburban are simple, UNcalibrated instruments (that's why there are no numbers associated with the gauges). Readings will most likely be a little different from vehicle to vehicle. I have a 2001 suburban. When the engine s cold, the gauge reads farther to the right. Once the engine warms up, the gauge then reads just at top dead center during idle. During acceleration, and higher RPM's, the gauge reads about at the 3/4 mark. If you're in doubt have a garage do a pressure check for you.

mhanley · October 2002

My 94 GMC Suburban 4 wheel drive door sticker says for LT245X16 tires should have 50 LBS. cold. That's what I run in my Bridgestone Dueler's HT's.

eran1 · October 2002

with the slup in auto sales...see the Wall Street Jrnl...i would not buy above invoice. Even a GM guy said the incentives will not go away soon esp. as US manuf. are not gaining market share in proportion to the incentives offered. insist on the lowest prices. if you're looking at an '02... $6k off is even more depressing.

sandy9191 · October 2002

I'm looking at 4WD 1996-1999 Suburbans as our next family vehicle. I would appreciate any shopping advice, mechanical or electrical problems to watch for, or options you reccomend. We live in Pennsylvania.

Thanks!

tommusser · October 2002

5.3 liter V-8 in 01 Yukon XL stumbles at idle, often dropping 300 rpms for several seconds, then picks back up. Problem isn't noticable at road speed.

Any ideas?

jgmilberg · October 2002

I had the same problem with my '01 it was a bad coil pack. Does the service engine soon light come on? If it does and it just flashed have the dealer check the misfire data in the computer - it will tell them what cylinder/s to check first.

petersweden · October 2002

Hello, my name is Peter from Stockholm, Sweden.
Maybe my post is in the wrong discussion ?
Can you guys recommend any serious dealer that holds a large stock of used (01, 02) Yukon xl/Suburbans and that are used to export to europe ?

What is the differnce between Suburban and Yukon xl ?
What is the difference between 1500 and 2500 ?

Best regards
Peter

jgmilberg · October 2002

Between Yukon XL and Suburban there are few differences. The base Yukon XL comes bundled with a bunch of things that are options on the base Suburban.

1500 means 1/2 ton
2500 means 3/4 ton

Only thing I can think of to get one to you is to find a GM dealer that imports GM cars, they are the best chance because they should be able to hook up with a dealer here and be able to bring it across with a shipment of new cars. Try a Cadillac dealer, I know for a fact that we export those to Europe. You might also request a model from Canada or Mexico because they are set up for KPH speedo and odometer.

petersweden · October 2002

Thank you jgmilberg.
Yes ther are a few dealers here that import cars from the US and Canada. But it´s very expensive to buy through them. Around 75.000 us dollar for the Suburban. I thought it could be a bit cheaper to "go around them". But maybe not, i´ll have to check.

Thanks again.

Peter

jgmilberg · October 2002

Take a vacation and come over here, buy one and have it shipped back. I don't know how much that would cost, but I bet it would be less than 75 grand. If you have any friends or relatives that are in the US military you might be able to get them to ship it over at minimal cost, using military transports. I think they have to be stationed there for at least 4 years in order to get the car shipped over.

mjm13 · October 2002

What is Stabilitrak? Is it recommended on a Suburban LT?

jgmilberg · November 2002

Check out http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/models/seville/stabilitrak.html It is all explained there. Pretty much it is a slide control system, it uses the brakes and wheel speed sensors to help correct a slide. It's a really good system, I would get it if I was in the market for one.

chevys_r_crap · November 2002

I have an 01 Suburban, The front is always out of alignment, and now it won't even pass a safety inspection becuase the Horn has stopped working, probably a clock-spring issue, which will be expensive and difficult to repair. I wonder if the airbag which uses the same clock spring works ?

Working with the Dealer to resolve these issues has been painful.

I won't buy another Chevrolet simply based on the attitude of their service departments.

bc13 · November 2002

Someone had a question regarding 2 wd vs 4 wd. Did not see any responses. I am in the same circumstance and interested in any info. They were considering buying a 98 Chevy Suburban Lt. It is 2WD. They lived in Michigan and have bad weather, while I live in NY and the weather is not as bad. Realistically, How does this vehicle perform in bad weather? Snow, rain, sleet, ice, etc...

beatfarmer · November 2002

I have a '99 LT 4WD. I purchased it used this past July. I live in MD so my winter weather is a bit milder than NY. The worst weather I've driven in so far has been rain, so I can't comment on the bad stuff. But the weekend before Halloween I took the family (wife, three kids, grandparents and a sister-in-law) to a local farm to pick up some pumpkins and do a hayride. Anyway, it had rained heavily the night before and the parking lot - basically a field behind the barn - was a little rutted, soft and muddy. Just as we parked, a guy in a new Trailblazer started to pull out of his spot. He made it about twenty feet before his rears started to spin. I shouted for him to put it in 4, but it was just a 2WD. He was stuck good and only digging himself in farther. One of the farm workers saw him stuck and pulled him out with a nice 2500 HD Duramax (it didn't even break a sweat).

Later we returned to our Burb and the area behind it was even more rutted and muddy. My father was worried that we would get stuck too. No problem. I put it in 4hi and pulled out like it was dry ground. Saved me from having to wait for a tow.

jgmilberg · November 2002

Have you checked out the horns themselves to make sure they are still good? I had to have mine changed because water got in and killed the factory units. The one on the passenger side can be reached from under the truck, but the drivers side you need to remove the headlight and parking/running lights to get at it because it's behind the washer fluid bottle.

As far as the alignment goes who is telling you that it is out of whack? Is it the inspector, or does it actually pull to one side. Just asking because in VA I know that some shops tell you that something is wrong just to get some extra cash out of the deal because they don't think they make enough $$ from the inspection. In my friends case his headlights were always needing adjustment, along with a lot of others that went to that shop.

adplusone · November 2002

Is anyone running plus 1 or plus 3 on their Z-71 Suburbans? If so what size/brand tire and wheel? Any pics? Love our new Z-71 but it looks like everyother one on the road. Have already swapped the grill (white) for a grey painted from a Silverado work truck...emblems are gone now too.

cathykel · November 2002

I am looking at a 2003 LT and I have several questions. One question is the price and another has to do with the LT preferred equipment group. The price listed on the sticker before options is about $39,000 with an MSRP of $45,100. I may have some of the option prices wrong since the figures do not add up but it is close to the $45K.

The SUV has the following options.

Option MSRP
LT Pkg 3245
Sun Roof 988
Wheels 125
Trailer Pkg. 260
Cargo Pkg. 204
Lift gate 250
Driver C. Pkg.232

I was quoted a price of $37,000 this includes the rebate and the dealer's discount. I was told that this was $800 under invoice. If I go by Edmunds the Regional Base Price is $37,063.

What I cannot understand is the LT package (code 1sm) is listed at no charge and the items listed are standard for the LT. So why the $3245 price?

Is the $37,000 a good price? This is the price listed in the paper so do you think there is room for negotiations? I am not doing a trade in with this purchase.

I heard there will be new incentives announced this week.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

lobsenza · November 2002

My guess is that the $3245 upgrades an LS to an LT.

cathykel · November 2002

That makes some sense but I still cannot understand why some sites write that this PEG price is already included in the base and why other sites list it.

I guess the word "standard" as used in the brochure means to me just that and that the items listed come with the car and not listed as an option.

It has been 10 years since I bought a car and perhaps things have changed.

Thanks for the suggestion.

2489 of 2489 LT by lobsenza Nov 12, 2002 (12:16 am)

My guess is that the $3245 upgrades an LS to an LT.

What I cannot understand is the LT package (code 1sm) is listed at no charge and the items listed are standard for the LT. So why the $3245 price?

lobsenza · November 2002

You need to sit down with a calculator and work the numbers. I think they will come out correctly. I admit, what they put on the window sticker (or web sites) is sometimes confusing. If you take the time to crunch the numbers, you will understand what they did.

grand6 · November 2002

I've found for me that the best sites to determine option/total cost of an vehicle to be carsdirect.com Much better than Manufacturers web sites. They seem to be up to date with rebates as well. No need to buy there but great site for research.

lobbyist · November 2002

The essential question you asked was whether $37,000 is a good price or not. In order to determine that, I would look at the invoice price, deduct the current $2000 rebate, and compare that to the deal they offered. You should be able to get at least invoice less the $2000. You might even be able to eat into the 3% hold back if you are a good enough negotiator and the dealer wants to make the sale. I just negotiated for a fully loaded LT and got about $2500 under the invoice (the $2500 includes the rebate).

kiilew · November 2002

Hey folks...

Perhaps I should post this on the aftermarket equipment board, but I suspect that it will be more visible here.

I am considering floormats for my father's 2000 Suburban to replace the originals that came with the car. Several months back I installed Catch Alls in my 2002 Tahoe, and for the most part, I like them. I particularly appreciate the way they extend all the way up to the door sills, leaving very little of the original carpeting exposed to soiling. However, I do have a few very small complaints about them. Occasionally, the snap covers that protect the anchor points can pop off thanks to an errant foot. Also, if a passenger steps on the containment ridge that borders the mat, sometimes that raised surface will actually turn inside out. The are great for holding water and mud, however.

I might get some Catch Alls for my dad's rig too, but I am also thinking about trying the carpeted WeatherTec brand mats. Various advertisements lead me to believe that they also nicely cover the floor up to the door sills, and that they contain water well.

Any experiences with floor mats and cargo mats for these vehicles that you would care to relate?

ndared1 · November 2002

re: floormats by kiilew
The floormats thing is okay but why not wear out the original interior pieces then cover them up after holes are worn in or just simply replace the carpet sections as they wear? You paid for the new materials don't leave them for the next buyer to enjoy. Mats don't make any more sense to me as do seat covers. No offense just opinion.
re: Pricing of vehicles, micro figures of option packages is a waste of time, if you like what you see (buying from the lot inventory) the bottom line is the only thing worth considering.

Some stats for folks wanting customer feed back on GMC user/owner comments:
2001 Yukon XL SLT 1/2 ton 4x4, 17000 miles, only thing that went bad so far was the tires (Tombstones a.k.a Firestones) and the dealer replaced them under warranty (side force load vector failure).
Avg city mileage 16, average hiwy 19.2 (3.73 ratio), oil consumption 1 pint every 4500 miles.

cathykel · November 2002

Thanks for the advice. I get a different invoice price from the various sites. carsdirect lists the invoice of the LT with 1sm at $37,596 and I will work with that one.

#2491 of 2495 LT by lobsenza Nov 12, 2002 (11:51 pm)You need to sit down with a calculator and work the numbers. I think they will come out correctly. I admit, what they put on the window sticker (or web sites) is sometimes confusing. If you take the time to crunch the numbers, you will understand what they did.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the carsdirect suggestion.

#2492 of 2495 LT/LS pricing by grand6 Nov 13, 2002 (01:27 am)
I've found for me that the best sites to determine option/total cost of an vehicle to be carsdirect.com Much better than Manufacturers web sites. They seem to be up to date with rebates as well. No need to buy there but great site for research.

--------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the advice. I think I am a good negotiator. We have visited several dealers and have told them that we do want to make a purchase as soon as possible. Some of the sales people will not budge from the MSRP. I told one sales rep. that we wanted to buy from him but with a 4K price difference it was not possible. He would not negotiate the holdback or ad costs. He just would not budge from the sticker.

The one who quoted the $37,000 wanted us to sign on the dotted line at that moment. We explained that we needed a day to think and we left. I wanted time to see if this was a good price. The one thing I did not want to encounter was the "let me check with the sales mgr. to see if I can sell you the SUV for this price."

Again, thanks to everyone for their advice.

#2493 of 2495 Buying Advice on LT by lobbyist Nov 13, 2002 (01:40 pm)
The essential question you asked was whether $37,000 is a good price or not. In order to determine that, I would look at the invoice price, deduct the current $2000 rebate, and compare that to the deal they offered. You should be able to get at least invoice less the $2000. You might even be able to eat into the 3% hold back if you are a good enough negotiator and the dealer wants to make the sale. I just negotiated for a fully loaded LT and got about $2500 under the invoice (the $2500 includes the rebate).

rad714 · November 2002

I get into my 4 month old Suburban and the fuel light is on! Hmmm, I just filled the tank this morning. It keeps jumping from empty to full but mostly empty. I checked the fuses and they all seem good. Any one else have this problem?

gblake1 · November 2002

Cathy, lobbiest, et al; we're in the same boat. Have been trying to purchase a new 2003 LT for about a month now. Dealers in this area are willing to budge much off of the sticker. Looking over the price on some of the options and they are really sticking it to us on several of the items. Ex. We don't need or want the XM 'wart' on top, but since it's part of the package of items we do want. We can burn thousands of hours of music on CD of any type of music we want and can't figure out why someone would want to pay 10+ a month for this.

By the way, I learned a long time ago how to get in and out of the dealership fast. Last vehicle purchase took less than 45 minutes total time in the dealership. Summary; Negotiate every detail online of by fax, deal only with the fleet mgr. or senior sales mgr., buying the vehicle at the end of a quarter or month is sometimes best, have the financing worked out prior to even going to the dealership, close during the day between ten and two pm, and inform the dealer in advance that your schedule is tight that day and that you have a mandatory meeting that you must make and that they are to have the vehicle out of prep and papers ready for you to sign at a scheduled time. Don't sign anything prior to arriving at the dealership unless you're not prepared to walk should they take longer than sixty minutes. May not work for you, but it's worked extremely well for me. I really want to beat my old time by at least fifteen minutes.

If I end up having to get the XM unit I plan on attaching a fake rug to it and posting some pictures.

Greg

p.s. Beat the hell outta t.u. and Simms is a wusey!! Go Ags. No offense t.u. fans, but you gotta admit that the defensive coach for t.u. probably had to clean his trousers after watching the W.A. we laid on OU.

stever · November 2002

If you burn your own music, all you have is your own music, plus it takes a lot of time to collect and put songs on a disk.

The advantage of radio is getting to listen to stuff you wouldn't ordinarily hear or know about. The disadvantage of radio is having to listen to stuff that the 2 or 3 media moguls and their 2 or 3 focus groups think you should listen to. XM (and Sirius) touts its variety and promotion of lesser known artists.

GM owns a piece of XM so your complaint is going to be pretty common for a year or so at least. But it may all be moot eventually:

timadams "XM & Sirius Satellite Radio" Nov 15, 2002 7:21am

Steve, Host

cathykel · November 2002

Greg,
Thanks for the advice. I cannot believe it is so hard to buy a car. How did you ever manage to do all of this over the phone? I guess the trick is to deal with the mgrs.

I called a dealer the other day. Told the sales rep. I was interested in an LT. He said he has two that I may be interested in seeing. I asked what the options were and he said he would have to get back to me.

I have placed two calls to him and still no word! I want to call the sales mgr. and tell him that he has lost a potential customer but will not waste my time to make the call. I am taking this as a sign to find another dealer.

I am still waiting for the dealer that we visited on Sunday to call me. I even spoke with the sales mgr. who reassured me that they could find us the SUV we wanted. Duh, I am still waiting for them to call back.

I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong other than dealing with the sales reps and not writing a blank check.

There is no trade and we have the approval for the car loan so those are not an issue.

I wish you the best of luck with shaving 15 minutes of your record!

Cathy

cathykel · November 2002

I have another question. When I was talking with the credit union I mentioned the high prices of the SUVs and questioned what do people do if they are in a car accident and the SUV is a total and money is still owed.

The credit union rep. told me they offer a gap insurance for $175 (one time fee) for the life of the loan. The purpose of this is to meet the difference in what the ins. co. pays and what is owed. They will even give $1000 toward the purchase of another car if done within 3 months.

Has anyone heard about this insurance?

Thanks,
Cathy

GMC Yukon XL and Yukon XL Denali

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