I am interested in buying an extended warranty for my new Yukon XL. I am only interested in the GM warranty. My local dealer is quoting approx. $2500 for a zero deductible 100,000 mile warranty which seems pretty pricey. Can anyone recommend a dealer that is offering great pricing on these extended warranties. Several years ago I learned about a Honda dealer on this Website in Delaware that saved me hundreds of Dollars on my Honda Care warranty. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks
There are several companies that do SUV conversions like the "Denali SS" you saw. Check out the Centurion and Quality Coaches websites, for two of them.
... are arriving at the dealerships here, but I haven't seen one with price stickers. I did see an '04 Tahoe with the sticker, showing no increase in base MSRP but a $2000 increase in the LT package price over the 2003s. Not sure how this will translate to the Suburbans.
Also saw a Silver Birch Suburban, but the silver is very greyish (rather than a bright silver like the silver TrailBlazer) so sitting by itself it was hard to tell if it was Silver or Lt Pewter!
ooops. I meant Southern Comfort conversions, not Quality Coaches (although QC does do pickups, so they likely could do SUVs). And I am sure there are lots more out there. You should be able to purchase them through your local Chevy/GMC dealer, too. glsable
I just got the results back from arbitration yesterday! In summary, I DID NOT GET WHAT I WANTED OR BETTER YET “WHAT I DESERVED”!!!
The verdict is as follows:
Give GM 30 days to fix your concerns. When repairs are completed, drive the vehicle for 30 days and if you are not satisfied we will reconveign the hearing and I will come up with my decision.
This is how it went down:
The hearing lasted 4 hours. (Wow, it was long) I gave my side of the case; GM gave their side of the case BLAH BLAH BLAH. GM did nothing but put up smoke and mirrors. Their main case was claiming that I purposely left me vehicle in the shop to create a paper trail. Please Note: Every time I put my Yukon Denali in the shop I get a Ford Focus to drive. Why would I NOT want to pick-up my car? Anyhow, I used the following problems to support my case:
Noisy drive train: The arbitrator drove my vehicle and recognized the problem. She put in her report that the problem is a manufacture defect and that it impairs the safety, use and value of the vehicle.
Flickering lights: The arbitrator drove my vehicle and recognized the problem. She put in her report that the problem is a manufacture defect and that it impairs the safety, use and value of the vehicle. I also submitted my “Police Warning” issued to me for having a unsafe vehicle. She acted like it was no big deal that I am driving an unsafe vehicle in the laws eyes.
Tranny hesitates when shifting 1st to 2nd: The arbitrator drove my vehicle and recognized the problem. She put in her report that the problem is a manufacture defect and that it impairs the safety, use and value of the vehicle.
GM had their rep drive a new Denali to the hearing to support their case. Reason being, GM claims that all my problems are CHARACTERISTICS of all Denalis. After driving my vehicle, we all drove the new Denali that the rep brought. It performed perfectly. No noises from the drive train, no flickering lights, and tranny shifted perfect. The arbitrator commented to GM and myself that my vehicle has several problems and the vehicle GM brought had NO problems.
Overall, I felt as if I won my case. She recognized all my problems and noticed that the other vehicle (the one GM brought to the hearing) was flawless. Therefore, I was happy because I felt GM’s vehicle helped prove my case. Furthermore, the GM rep stated that he did not want to work on my vehicle for fear of making the problems worse. With all this said the ruling was to allow GM one more chance to fix my truck. Let me state for the record that they have has 3 attempts at fixing my truck and a 4th and FINAL ATTEMPT to fix the truck. Now, the arbitrator wants me to give them a 5th chance to fix the truck.
Any suggestion would be helpful. I guess that GA Lemon Law is next because I do not want them touching my truck anymore. The BBB works in GM favor!!!
Last Friday I took delivery of a suburban Z71. The price out the door came to under 41K, inlcuding tax. I gave them a check for 15K and financed the rest for 0%. I was glad to see that my payments would be under $420 a month. I think it was a great deal. Until now ......
The dealer wants me to come back and redo the paper work, reflecting a price that would make monthly payments close to $475. They are saying that there was an error in the paperwork and GMAC would not approve the loan.
I do not understand that. Everything is clearly stated in the documents I signed. Everything is normal - all typed up and signed. The only error is that the price is not what they intended to sell the vehicle at.
Just looking for opinons and suggestions. Off course my options are:
1) Re-sign @ a higher price 2) Tell them that I am willing to return the vehicle if they give my 15K back. 3) Tell them what is signed is signed ! Would they re-do the papers if I overpaid?
You've just experienced car spotting I think (link).
Most on-line financing companies can qualify people in a matter of minutes so I think it's criminal for this practice to be permitted. If you didn't qualify for the zero percent rate, the dealer should have been able to figure that out in a few minutes - certainly within thirty minutes.
If it were me, I'd tell the dealer to unwind the deal and that if they didn't return all my money, I was going to go the state consumer protection agency (usually at the AG's office), the BBB, the TV, etc.
Check in Dealer Bribes and Surveys - there's been a recent thread about something similar and the hosts there can direct you to other discussions more on point, and with less rabid advice <g>.
I do not believe it has any thing to do with me not qualifying for 0%. In fact, what they are saying is that I need to take a bigger loan to reflect a higher price.
That is what is confusing. I don't think 40K for a '03 Z71 burb is chum-change. It is a lot of money, but they want 44K instead....after delivering the vehicle and signing all the papers for 40K price.
I'm in CT and we have a 2001 1500 LT coming off of lease in January but may turn it in and buy a 2003 due to some unbelievable deals going on right now. Am I delusional or is this really possible? $4,500 rebate then a $4,500 dealer discount??? Plus we can end our lease now to either lease again or buy? I'm going to one dealer tomorrow who only has four 2003's left, but none that we are interested in. Just want to see on paper the numbers of a 1500 LT which he says is "loaded". Does this seem on target to you all out there who are on top of pricing and 2003 deals? Anyone that can respond asap would help because if this is the case we want to see if we can find one that we like in our area sooner than later. Thanks!
Just took delivery of an '03 Suburban Wednesday evening...I thought you may find it interesting that you should qualify for $4,750 in rebates - Here's the breakdown:
$3,000 GM Cash Incentive $1,000 Chevrolet Owner Loyalty Rebate $750 Northeast U.S. Rebate (NY/NJ/CT/MA)
If you choose the 0% financing for 6 months or the 1.9% for 72 months, you can still use the chevy loyalty and n.e. rebate but NOT the GM Cash!
If you are really interested in an '03, now is great time to get one.
I did look at the '04 models (LT & LS) but the only major changes I noticed was the tire pressure monitor and some different color schemes.
In my last post, I did not clearly indicate that you have the choice of using the $3,000 GM cash OR the low rate financing.
The correct figures are 0% over 60 months OR 1.9% over 72 months.
One additional note, try to bargain with a dealership that is based on unit or volume sales. You can find this information out by contacting GM sales division and inquiring about dealerships in your area.
When dealing with this type of sales force, you can usually negotiate a price at or below invoice much easier than trying with a "sales program dealership." They sell cars based upon a consignment figure and sometimes try to pass the residual costs off to the consumer.
A volume based dealership has to primarily worry about meeting a sales quota in terms of actual units sold and is sometimes willing to cut into the dealership holdback figure in order to make the deal.
Thanks for your help. I went to a "volume" dealership today and they are giving $4,500 incentive, $750 "dealers choice" rebate and $500 for something else (lost my notes here) so total of $5,750. Cost being somewhere around $36,000 to $38,000 depending on the vehicle chosen and then we have good old CT sales tax. The decision is whether to keep our 2001 or do this 2003 deal. As well versed as I am in all of this I still find it all a conspiracy (car sales) and confusing!
I just called Chevy up this afternoon to check and see if they extended their early lease termination 'pull-ahead' program.. I have two '01 Suburbans that end their lease in 4/04 and 6/04...
according to their Marketing dept they did NOT extend that early lease end program like they were supposed to do when I had called a couple of weeks ago.. they also told me that the Loyalty $1K program has also ended on 9/2...
had used the early lease end program back in '01 on my leased '99 burban...with a 10 month early termination..
guess I'll have to see my local dealer to double-check on these programs..
did you get your info from the dealer or Chevy direct..
Hawke, just curious, why didn't you finance more rather than paying 15K down? Because you financed, you couldn't use the rebate anyway. At least your 15K could be earning a tiny bit of interest and let GM carry the full balance at zero percent.
Am I missing something here?
A friend of mine had intentions of paying cash on a new 2002 Yukon but took the zero down, zero percent route. Of course his payments are over $1,000 a month on a 36 month loan but his $40,000 is invested earning interest.
Mark156
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
One dealer here in CT told me the "pull ahead" program was still going on but the other dealer whom I know the owner of where we got our car and we trust him, said that the "pull ahead" program ended Sept. 2 as you said. I believe that they said the "loyalty" lease also ended.
Any idea what the MSRP on the '01 was? We're trying to do our figures and don't seem to have that number anywhere from when we got our '01. I looked at a black Z71 today and it was pretty sporty looking compared to the LT but we didn't see much difference beyond the rack, tires, running boards (not sure I like them) and a few '03 things, from our '01. At least nothing to make us jump up and say "Oh, I want that car"! They are offering it at $38,900 supposedly loaded with no sun roof or dvd though. The other dealer has the same Z71 for $36,000 but it has 200 miles and many scratches on driver side door and passenger door which they of course offered to fix.
the MSRP on my wife's '01 Subn LT 4wd(1500 series) loaded with sunroof, NO Autoride, etc was $44.3K .. my '01 Subn Z71 MSRP was $41.3K no sunroof.. both with rear buckets
having looked recently at some '03 on the lots... a Z71 MSRP seems to run from $45K to a high of $48K.. LT 4wd seems to be about the same or a little less...
I'm not an autoride kinda guy.. just ain't worth $800 bucks to me .. they ride ok as is... personal opinion of course..
No autoride here either, ride is very smooth or sunroof. Always forget to close the darn sunroof! Love the second row buckets. Turns out we paid $42.8 for our 2001 LT If we do another LT deal we are also asking for no Firestone's in exchange for Michellin's...if we do it. Here in CT with as much snow as we get (Northwest corner) and Vermont trips, the Firestone's have no bite even with four wheel drive. Going over the numbers this weekend. I do like the 2003 power folding mirrors. Miracle I haven't ripped one of them off our '01 yet pulling into the garage!
For either new owner's or those well versed in the preferences...we have decided to turn in our '01 to buy an '03 due to the great deals and the overall cost of buying ours verses a new one. Now the discussion is after seeing a "loaded" Z71 today in black do we opt for the Z71 or another loaded LT. Mind you loaded is minus a sunroof or dvd. I know the spec differences, it's just now making the decision. The enticing things in the Z71 are the sporty look, the tires (very anti-Firestone for both the maker and performance) but not crazed for the running boards. Is it as good as the LT? Stakeout since you have one of each and have driven both your thoughts? Our dealer is very willing to do a search to find what we want so we want to make the right choice.
I ownn a 99 K1500 with a 3.73 rear end. We bought a trailer whose dry weight is 5000 lbs.. On my recent 3500mile vacation, we went thru Yellowstone, and man I was a wishin for a big block. I've got a K&N filter and it made improvements. Has anyone had experience with the Banks systems on the 5.7. My cost is about 1780, uninstalled, but $1780 is cheaper than switching to a K2500 (a REAL burb ) Thanks
I just went through the same scenario when choosing our new Suburban.
Last Wednesday, I picked up an '03 Z71 - Black that I would consider loaded but the vehicle does not have the rear entertainment package (DVD) or the XM satellite radio. I personally decided that both of these options were not that important right now as they both can be easily added a later time.
I do like the sunroof and yes, I do like the overall styling of the Z71 better than the LS/LT models.
Two important features I like about the Z71 are the locking rear - helps out a lot in the snow etc. and I also like the roof rack - it is much more convenient to use than the basic set up offered on the LS/LT models. I am aware that a locking rear is available as an added feature on the LT package but the Z71 has it as a standard. The heavy duty tow package with transmission cooler is also standard.
The overall appearance of the vehicle is personal preference.
For those still thinking about purchasing a Suburban or YXL, the Townhall lets you search through the earlier posts which may help. Try searching under 'pricing' and '2004'
Pick the one you think looks better. The Z71 and LT can be equipped almost identically, except for wheels/tires, different running boards, a few colored body pieces, and a different roof rack. Around here it is difficult to find any Suburban that is not spec'd out by the dealer with locking diff and towing package, so with stock tires the Z71 should be better in the snow, but only because of the tires which are off-road tread rather than the all-season street tires on the LT. On the other hand, the LT will probably do better in the wet than the Z71 for the same reason.
One other thing to consider is garage door clearance. The Z71 roof rack style is a couple of inches taller than the LT, so if clearance is an issue you may want to measure before buying! Also with the LTs, the cross bars can be removed that will lower the vehicle height even further - on the Z71s, the side rails are taller than the crossbars, so this won't help.
While I was driving my 03 suburban, the dome light in the back caught fire. My kids were in the car and it was very scary. Anyone else have this happen>?
We have a 2001 Suburban LT that has been giving us fits in the service dept. We believe we have a lemon and decided to trade it in for a newer but similar model.
We can choose between a 2003 for (get this $49,000) or order a 2004 for about the same, but wait 4-6 weeks.
The 2003 comes with bigger rebates/incentives, but the car is at another dealership and of course all the fees incurred getting the car here is passed on to us.
The 2004 looks good, but again, we'd have to wait 4-6 weeks. I did notice some nice features in the 2004 model, but does anyone know if they are worth the lower rebates etc?
You didn't mention the burbs you're trading from and to, so I assume it's 1500, series, 4WD. One thing is for sure, bet. the two, I would go for the'04. Because all the incentives, etc, are gone, one 01/01/2004 comes as then you've MORE depreciation. Also, the '04 has more bugs worked our (bugs in a burb? perish the thought) The big change for '04 is the total power reduction of the 8.1 engine for the C/K 2500 model (see edmunds.com editor review for this model) If you get in a bind financiall and have to unload the burb, an '04 will fetch more money. hope this help
'99 K1500 3.73 Suburban 5.7L LT K&N Air Filter wishing i had a K2500 7.4 L
Went to the dealer yesterday and drove the Z71. Love the look of it but noticed a tad bit rougher ride than our '01 1500 LT so we decided on the '03 1500 LT (loaded, XM satelite,with sunroof this time) instead of the Z71. The incentives are great right now . For us, here in the Northeast it's $5,500 off or 0% with I believe $1,000 bonus (go to Chevrolet website to check incentives). Got the Firestone's also switched out for Michellin's. Extremely happy about that!
Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure I'm clear on your answer. Did you say that you thought the 2004 was the better choice?
"You didn't mention the burbs you're trading from and to, so I assume it's 1500, series, 4WD."
Yes, we have 2001 1500 4WD LT. We want a 2003 OR 2004 1500 4WD LT with XM sat radio and DVD package. The 2003 we saw was $49,000 but we can get $5,500 off. If we go with a 2004, we expect to pay the same (49,000), but we only get $1500 rebate.
The engine in the 1500 - does that stay the same in 2004? What about the "hydroboost" brakes? Is that better than the vacuum-assisted?
Also, my husband wants to know if getting the bigger rear axle (4.1) is better than the 3.7 one? Will the bigger one cut down on gas mileage?
Has anyone seen the DVD player? How big is the screen? does it work well? Is it better to get it with the Suburban, or after-market and professionally installed?
Thank you for helping us! We are sooooo confused and feel whipped by these salespeople!
We just bought a 2003 and are turning in our 2001 We chose the 2003 due to the incredible incentives of $5,500 off. If your price is $49,000 that is the MSRP. You don't pay that price, if you research here on Edmunds your price with be the "Total Market Value" based on what the average person is paying for the car. $49,000 MSRP would be about $45,000 Total Market Value then (if it's a 2003) you minus the $5,500 from $45,000 giving you $39,500 as "around" your price. Probably a few hundred less than that. Not sure if the 2004 is "better" than a 2003, but with the incentives I'd go for a 2003. The deal on them ends the 30th of this month and if you want a 2003 you should move now so that you will be able to find what you want since there isn't a lot left to choose from in terms of color preference and possibly some extra's. Other's here may have more to add and may be better at this than I am but I've researched this in and out before we did our deal yesterday. I can't answer all of your other questions but I have read here that the DVD can block your rear view mirror view out the back which doesn't sound too great and that to buy aftermarket is a lot cheaper. We opted for XM satelite, sun roof but no DVD. Hope this helped.
We have 03 LT w/ factory DVD. It does partially block the upper middle of rear view mirror. However, we just returned from Florida-Indiana round trip and found it to be major asset for four kids in backseats; included wireless headsets and aux ports for Playstation. Also useful was driver button that paused/resumed movie when we needed their attention. Did not find rear view mirror issue to be significant. We inquired about aftermarket DVD with dealer but were not happy about putting the player offered under one of the seats. Aftermarket DVD is not something I would even consider unless I could see example installed and working. We like how the factory looks as one piece unit integrated with entertainment system. And it's covered under vehicle warranty. I especially enjoyed listening to XM while kids watched movies.
A neat onstar feature I liked was the integrated cell phone feature that allows you to put grandparents for example on the speakers for all the kids to talk/listen without your hands leaving the wheel. Not something I'd talk at length on at 35-40 cents/minute.
On side note. The LT operated flawlessly on the FL-IN trip averaging 17.5 MPG and no loss of oil; started at full and returned full without adding any oil. Interstate driving 70-80MPH - smooth and quiet. Satisfied owner so far at 4K miles and almost 4 months.
Would be interested knowing what caused the backseat overhead light fire. Assume light was on when fire started?
My husband and I are first time suv buyers - we have an 19 month old who's stuff is taking up too much of our sedan's trunk and there's no room in the back seat for our family and friends. We've test driven the YXL and Expedition and will the Suburban tomorrow. Can anyone summarize the +/-? The rattling and mirror probs of the Expedition worry me, as does the Suburban shutting down while going down the hwy. The Expedition's power folding 3rd row seats are nice - we like the Eddie Bauer better because they still have the power buttons behind the 2nd row and has climate control - don't care about DVD player. YXL seems to drive comfortably but its a little difficult to get to the 3rd row. Safety and utility (we haul alot of things from luggage on road trips to house purchases) are our 2 main concerns with comfort running a close 3rd. Any advice is greatly appreciated. We really want to take advantage of the great incentives out there.
I have had my 2003 LT Suburban now since May of this year. It currently has 7000 miles as I took my family on a trip from NY to Kansas City MO. The ride was awesome with 3 kids in the truck. I have had no issue with the car turning off at all. We have buckets seats in the middle row which allow my kids to get back to the 3rd row seat without any adjustments to the middle row buckets, it's great. We have the dvd factory installed which does block the view a bit. But the dvd is great with and 8,6 and 3 year old back there. My wife originally had some fear of driving such a big truck, but now she loves it and leave me the minivan....:(
Vickilynn: There is very little difference between a 2003 and a 2004 Suburban (search earlier posts for a list of the 2004 changes). Hydroboost brakes, tire temp monitor, the Silver Birch color and new wheels are the biggest changes I can think of. Everything else on a 2004 1500 would be identical - engine, transmission, interior - to a 2003. Not sure why GM is adding "hydroboost" brakes - whatever they are - since the brakes on our 2003 are excellent. One change for the '04s is that you can get DVD and sunroof together if that is important.
Pricing for the 2003s should be A LOT lower than the 2004s, partly due to the rebates, partly due to the GM support to the dealers to move end-of-year cars. Suburbans and Yukon XLs here are advertised all the time for $10k - $11k off MSRP. I would use that as your starting point in negotiations. I doubt they will negotiate as much on a 2004. Bringing a car from another dealership shouldn't be more than $100 or $200.
If you are only going to keep it for one or two years, you may want to consider that the residual price of a 2004 would be higher than a 2003, but after ten years the difference will be small.
You mentioned DVD. We have the middle row buckets, factory DVD and XM on our 1500LT. The factory DVD screen is about 7-inches (measured diagonally) in a rectangular format. It works great and it is easily big enough to be seen from any of the 2nd and 3rd row seats. Aftermarket DVDs are available with bigger screens, but they will block your view in the rear view mirror (even the standard screen blocks the view partially when it is being used).
The higher the gear ratio number, the lower the gears. Lower gears help towing, but hurt gas mileage. If you plan to tow a lot of stuff up at the max towing wieght you may want the lower gears - otherwise I would stay with the standard gearing.
coboyindian1: I am sure you will find tons of comparisons between the Chevy and Ford products, but keep in mind that the Expedition is sized more like a Tahoe than a Suburban. Ford's "equivalent" to the Suburban, the Excursion is in its last year of production. If you need to use the 3rd row seats and have lots of luggage, you'll be tightly squeezed in the Expedition or a Tahoe. I hope this helps. glsable
... safety-wise, I have never liked Tahoes, Expeditions, and the short mini-vans with the 3rd row seats right up against the rear door. Not much space there to absorb any impact.
I think "joebas", "13b" and I all got our Suburbans about the same time. We bought ours May 31 while it was still in transit from the factory and picked it up June 4. No problems after 4600 miles.
It is a K1500 LT, pewter metallic, middle row buckets, DVD, XM, towing package, and locking diff. It is my wife's car, and she was hesitant at first to hop up into "something that big" after our Plymouth Grand Voyager mini-van, but her first drive solved that!
And she lets me drive it on the weekends! :-) glsable
Thanks for your responses! This is really helpful and everyone brings up great points. The Expedition is not looking good - size may be more managable to drive and we like the curtain airbag for 2nd row but the danger of the 3rd row too close to the back and limited cargo when all seats are in use (we also have a big comfy stroller our son prefers) is not working. Now we'll compare just the Suburb & YXL and make a decision after our test drive tomorrow night. For all interested in safety, there is an interesting article in The NY Times about the SUV industry leader task force proposing to make side airbags and a lower bumper standard - scheduled for 2007/8. For now we'll have to depend on the strength of the steel.
The difference between the Sub and the YXL are minimal. Look at appearance and how things are packaged.
The Expedition is smaller. The independent rear suspension makes the 3rd row roomy for its size. There is not as much room behind the seat. If you are considering the Expedition, you should also consider the Toyota Sequoia and the brand new Nissan Armada (spelled wrong I am sure). The Nissan is very impressive and has a more powerful engine than any of the others. It also has independent rear suspension for more 3rd seat room.
FYi - the Suburban/YXL have an option for side airbags (front seat row only). They also have a sensor to deactivate the right front seat airbags if the passenger weighs less than 60 or 70 lbs.
The side curtain airbags have generated a lot of discussion recently, in that they may provide safety benefits, but they also pose some danger for little kids in the back seats if they fall asleep and lean to the side. You don't really want the kids in that position when the side curtain airbags deploy. glsable
lobsenza brings up some good points: The Expedition may have more leg room in the 3rd row than the Suburban. And if you are willing to accept the luggage space/3rd row trade off in an Expedition, it opens the door up to many more vehicle options.
But if you need 6 seats and luggage space, I don't know of anything other than a Suburban/ YukonXL/ Escalade EXL (unless you would consider a full-size van, like a Chevy Express or Ford E-150). glsable
Another small factor that helps in deciding between a 2003 and a 2004 is that if you buy a 2003 now and trade it or sell it a number of years down the road, 5 years for instance, and you put 15,000 miles per year on it. A 2003 with 75,000 will look a little better than a 2004 with 75,000 miles on it.
I did a little research and found out a 1997 Suburban with 75000 miles on it is only worth (trade-in value) about $1000 less than a 1998 with 75000 miles on it. All things being equal on both vehicles.
So buying a vehicle at the beginning of the next model year helps a little. It doesn't equalize the costs by any means, but can give you a little better feeling if you do decide to go with a 2003 instead of a 2004.
We turned in our 2001 LT 1500 lease to buy a 2003 1500 "loaded" LT. Pretty much same car with some new bells and whistles. But the XM Satellite Radio is just fabulous! It has The Weather Channel!!! For those of us who are addicted to The Weather Channel we're in heaven. What a great new feature added to the car! The two children's channels will be great to have also. For a music lover as myself I am so glad that I got it.
With respect to your XM Satellite Radio, is there a separate head unit or receiver in addition to the regular AM/FM stereo unit installed in your vehicle?
I ask because I too just got a new Suburban but do not have the XM radio and am interested in adding the stock unit to the vehicle.
I see a location for the unit just below the regular radio and was curious to know if that cutout in the dash console is meant to house the XM unit.
It's just part of the radio...ie: under "band" selection it comes up as XM 1 or XM 2. Nothing separate if that makes sense. I can't imagine even using my regular radio that much except to listen to National Public Radio which I love. It's great! And I'm beyond jazzed to have no Firestone's and to have Michellins, I might add. Being in New England the Firestone's were horrible.
We have now joined the ranks of the suv club. In the end we surmised that we might as well just get the bigger car for the few times a year we need both seating AND cargo, so the Expedition and Sequoia were out (we also weren't comfortable w/ the 3rd row so close to the back door). It came down to an '03 white Yukon XL and the red Suburban. We got a $5,500 rebate and he gave us other discounts -like for the sunroof which we didn't care if we had. For loaded, 6 cd, sunroof, side airbags, wheel flares, XM radio, stabilitrak, onstar, etc. we paid $38,138 +ttl; $9,860 under sticker - is that good? nellcoop - what are the children's radio stations?
Excellent job on your purchase! This is our second Suburban and we love it. The children's stations on XM are "XM Kids" and "XM Disney" which is a bit more pop like (rap, etc...) Enjoy your new ride.
fkozil: The factory XM radio option is integrated with the unit in the standard slot, but I am sure there are plenty of options to install an aftermarket XM-only unit in one of the empty spaces you are talking about. And you might even get a better looking antenna!
Our favorite XM station is "Cinemagic" (movie themes and soundtracks), but we also listen to "Broadway" (musical and play excerpts), "Sunny" and "Torch" glsable
Comments
Also saw a Silver Birch Suburban, but the silver is very greyish (rather than a bright silver like the silver TrailBlazer) so sitting by itself it was hard to tell if it was Silver or Lt Pewter!
glsable
The verdict is as follows:
Give GM 30 days to fix your concerns. When repairs are completed, drive the vehicle for 30 days and if you are not satisfied we will reconveign the hearing and I will come up with my decision.
This is how it went down:
The hearing lasted 4 hours. (Wow, it was long) I gave my side of the case; GM gave their side of the case BLAH BLAH BLAH. GM did nothing but put up smoke and mirrors. Their main case was claiming that I purposely left me vehicle in the shop to create a paper trail. Please Note: Every time I put my Yukon Denali in the shop I get a Ford Focus to drive. Why would I NOT want to pick-up my car? Anyhow, I used the following problems to support my case:
Noisy drive train: The arbitrator drove my vehicle and recognized the problem. She put in her report that the problem is a manufacture defect and that it impairs the safety, use and value of the vehicle.
Flickering lights: The arbitrator drove my vehicle and recognized the problem. She put in her report that the problem is a manufacture defect and that it impairs the safety, use and value of the vehicle. I also submitted my “Police Warning” issued to me for having a unsafe vehicle. She acted like it was no big deal that I am driving an unsafe vehicle in the laws eyes.
Tranny hesitates when shifting 1st to 2nd: The arbitrator drove my vehicle and recognized the problem. She put in her report that the problem is a manufacture defect and that it impairs the safety, use and value of the vehicle.
GM had their rep drive a new Denali to the hearing to support their case. Reason being, GM claims that all my problems are CHARACTERISTICS of all Denalis. After driving my vehicle, we all drove the new Denali that the rep brought. It performed perfectly. No noises from the drive train, no flickering lights, and tranny shifted perfect. The arbitrator commented to GM and myself that my vehicle has several problems and the vehicle GM brought had NO problems.
Overall, I felt as if I won my case. She recognized all my problems and noticed that the other vehicle (the one GM brought to the hearing) was flawless. Therefore, I was happy because I felt GM’s vehicle helped prove my case. Furthermore, the GM rep stated that he did not want to work on my vehicle for fear of making the problems worse. With all this said the ruling was to allow GM one more chance to fix my truck. Let me state for the record that they have has 3 attempts at fixing my truck and a 4th and FINAL ATTEMPT to fix the truck. Now, the arbitrator wants me to give them a 5th chance to fix the truck.
Any suggestion would be helpful. I guess that GA Lemon Law is next because I do not want them touching my truck anymore. The BBB works in GM favor!!!
The dealer wants me to come back and redo the paper work, reflecting a price that would make monthly payments close to $475. They are saying that there was an error in the paperwork and GMAC would not approve the loan.
I do not understand that. Everything is clearly stated in the documents I signed. Everything is normal - all typed up and signed. The only error is that the price is not what they intended to sell the vehicle at.
Just looking for opinons and suggestions. Off course my options are:
1) Re-sign @ a higher price
2) Tell them that I am willing to return the vehicle if they give my 15K back.
3) Tell them what is signed is signed ! Would they re-do the papers if I overpaid?
Thanks,
Most on-line financing companies can qualify people in a matter of minutes so I think it's criminal for this practice to be permitted. If you didn't qualify for the zero percent rate, the dealer should have been able to figure that out in a few minutes - certainly within thirty minutes.
If it were me, I'd tell the dealer to unwind the deal and that if they didn't return all my money, I was going to go the state consumer protection agency (usually at the AG's office), the BBB, the TV, etc.
Check in Dealer Bribes and Surveys - there's been a recent thread about something similar and the hosts there can direct you to other discussions more on point, and with less rabid advice <g>.
Steve, Host
Unless prohibited by law in your state, a signed contract is binding and non-negotiable.
Please do not get taken advantage of. Someone screwed up and they want you to pay for their mistake.
You have a signed agreement. If they had any leverage against you, they probably would have taken action against you already.
Good luck!
That is what is confusing. I don't think 40K for a '03 Z71 burb is chum-change. It is a lot of money, but they want 44K instead....after delivering the vehicle and signing all the papers for 40K price.
$3,000 GM Cash Incentive
$1,000 Chevrolet Owner Loyalty Rebate
$750 Northeast U.S. Rebate (NY/NJ/CT/MA)
If you choose the 0% financing for 6 months or the 1.9% for 72 months, you can still use the chevy loyalty and n.e. rebate but NOT the GM Cash!
If you are really interested in an '03, now is great time to get one.
I did look at the '04 models (LT & LS) but the only major changes I noticed was the tire pressure monitor and some different color schemes.
The correct figures are 0% over 60 months OR 1.9% over 72 months.
One additional note, try to bargain with a dealership that is based on unit or volume sales. You can find this information out by contacting GM sales division and inquiring about dealerships in your area.
When dealing with this type of sales force, you can usually negotiate a price at or below invoice much easier than trying with a "sales program dealership." They sell cars based upon a consignment figure and sometimes try to pass the residual costs off to the consumer.
A volume based dealership has to primarily worry about meeting a sales quota in terms of actual units sold and is sometimes willing to cut into the dealership holdback figure in order to make the deal.
Good luck!
according to their Marketing dept they did NOT extend that early lease end program like they were supposed to do when I had called a couple of weeks ago.. they also told me that the Loyalty $1K program has also ended on 9/2...
had used the early lease end program back in '01 on my leased '99 burban...with a 10 month early termination..
guess I'll have to see my local dealer to double-check on these programs..
did you get your info from the dealer or Chevy direct..
Am I missing something here?
A friend of mine had intentions of paying cash on a new 2002 Yukon but took the zero down, zero percent route. Of course his payments are over $1,000 a month on a 36 month loan but his $40,000 is invested earning interest.
Mark156
Any idea what the MSRP on the '01 was? We're trying to do our figures and don't seem to have that number anywhere from when we got our '01. I looked at a black Z71 today and it was pretty sporty looking compared to the LT but we didn't see much difference beyond the rack, tires, running boards (not sure I like them) and a few '03 things, from our '01. At least nothing to make us jump up and say "Oh, I want that car"! They are offering it at $38,900 supposedly loaded with no sun roof or dvd though. The other dealer has the same Z71 for $36,000 but it has 200 miles and many scratches on driver side door and passenger door which they of course offered to fix.
having looked recently at some '03 on the lots... a Z71 MSRP seems to run from $45K to a high of $48K.. LT 4wd seems to be about the same or a little less...
I'm not an autoride kinda guy.. just ain't worth $800 bucks to me .. they ride ok as is... personal opinion of course..
If we do another LT deal we are also asking for no Firestone's in exchange for Michellin's...if we do it. Here in CT with as much snow as we get (Northwest corner) and Vermont trips, the Firestone's have no bite even with four wheel drive. Going over the numbers this weekend. I do like the 2003 power folding mirrors. Miracle I haven't ripped one of them off our '01 yet pulling into the garage!
Last Wednesday, I picked up an '03 Z71 - Black that I would consider loaded but the vehicle does not have the rear entertainment package (DVD) or the XM satellite radio. I personally decided that both of these options were not that important right now as they both can be easily added a later time.
I do like the sunroof and yes, I do like the overall styling of the Z71 better than the LS/LT models.
Two important features I like about the Z71 are the locking rear - helps out a lot in the snow etc. and I also like the roof rack - it is much more convenient to use than the basic set up offered on the LS/LT models. I am aware that a locking rear is available as an added feature on the LT package but the Z71 has it as a standard. The heavy duty tow package with transmission cooler is also standard.
The overall appearance of the vehicle is personal preference.
Good luck!
One other thing to consider is garage door clearance. The Z71 roof rack style is a couple of inches taller than the LT, so if clearance is an issue you may want to measure before buying! Also with the LTs, the cross bars can be removed that will lower the vehicle height even further - on the Z71s, the side rails are taller than the crossbars, so this won't help.
Mark
We have a 2001 Suburban LT that has been giving us fits in the service dept. We believe we have a lemon and decided to trade it in for a newer but similar model.
We can choose between a 2003 for (get this $49,000) or order a 2004 for about the same, but wait 4-6 weeks.
The 2003 comes with bigger rebates/incentives, but the car is at another dealership and of course all the fees incurred getting the car here is passed on to us.
The 2004 looks good, but again, we'd have to wait 4-6 weeks. I did notice some nice features in the 2004 model, but does anyone know if they are worth the lower rebates etc?
Thanks!
hope this help
'99 K1500 3.73 Suburban 5.7L LT
K&N Air Filter
wishing i had a K2500 7.4 L
The incentives are great right now . For us, here in the Northeast it's $5,500 off or 0% with I believe $1,000 bonus (go to Chevrolet website to check incentives). Got the Firestone's also switched out for Michellin's. Extremely happy about that!
Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure I'm clear on your answer. Did you say that you thought the 2004 was the better choice?
"You didn't mention the burbs you're trading from and to, so I assume it's 1500, series, 4WD."
Yes, we have 2001 1500 4WD LT. We want a 2003 OR 2004 1500 4WD LT with XM sat radio and DVD package. The 2003 we saw was $49,000 but we can get $5,500 off. If we go with a 2004, we expect to pay the same (49,000), but we only get $1500 rebate.
The engine in the 1500 - does that stay the same in 2004? What about the "hydroboost" brakes? Is that better than the vacuum-assisted?
Also, my husband wants to know if getting the bigger rear axle (4.1) is better than the 3.7 one? Will the bigger one cut down on gas mileage?
Has anyone seen the DVD player? How big is the screen? does it work well? Is it better to get it with the Suburban, or after-market and professionally installed?
Thank you for helping us! We are sooooo confused and feel whipped by these salespeople!
A neat onstar feature I liked was the integrated cell phone feature that allows you to put grandparents for example on the speakers for all the kids to talk/listen without your hands leaving the wheel. Not something I'd talk at length on at 35-40 cents/minute.
On side note. The LT operated flawlessly on the FL-IN trip averaging 17.5 MPG and no loss of oil; started at full and returned full without adding any oil. Interstate driving 70-80MPH - smooth and quiet. Satisfied owner so far at 4K miles and almost 4 months.
Would be interested knowing what caused the backseat overhead light fire. Assume light was on when fire started?
Hope this helps and here is a picture of it... http://www.pbase.com/image/16870881
There is very little difference between a 2003 and a 2004 Suburban (search earlier posts for a list of the 2004 changes). Hydroboost brakes, tire temp monitor, the Silver Birch color and new wheels are the biggest changes I can think of. Everything else on a 2004 1500 would be identical - engine, transmission, interior - to a 2003. Not sure why GM is adding "hydroboost" brakes - whatever they are - since the brakes on our 2003 are excellent. One change for the '04s is that you can get DVD and sunroof together if that is important.
Pricing for the 2003s should be A LOT lower than the 2004s, partly due to the rebates, partly due to the GM support to the dealers to move end-of-year cars. Suburbans and Yukon XLs here are advertised all the time for $10k - $11k off MSRP. I would use that as your starting point in negotiations. I doubt they will negotiate as much on a 2004. Bringing a car from another dealership shouldn't be more than $100 or $200.
If you are only going to keep it for one or two years, you may want to consider that the residual price of a 2004 would be higher than a 2003, but after ten years the difference will be small.
You mentioned DVD. We have the middle row buckets, factory DVD and XM on our 1500LT. The factory DVD screen is about 7-inches (measured diagonally) in a rectangular format. It works great and it is easily big enough to be seen from any of the 2nd and 3rd row seats. Aftermarket DVDs are available with bigger screens, but they will block your view in the rear view mirror (even the standard screen blocks the view partially when it is being used).
The higher the gear ratio number, the lower the gears. Lower gears help towing, but hurt gas mileage. If you plan to tow a lot of stuff up at the max towing wieght you may want the lower gears - otherwise I would stay with the standard gearing.
Good luck!
glsable
glsable
It is a K1500 LT, pewter metallic, middle row buckets, DVD, XM, towing package, and locking diff. It is my wife's car, and she was hesitant at first to hop up into "something that big" after our Plymouth Grand Voyager mini-van, but her first drive solved that!
And she lets me drive it on the weekends! :-)
glsable
I think we wil go ahead and try to find a loaded 2003 1500 LT and get a better price.
Thanks again!
Vickilynn
The Expedition is smaller. The independent rear suspension makes the 3rd row roomy for its size. There is not as much room behind the seat. If you are considering the Expedition, you should also consider the Toyota Sequoia and the brand new Nissan Armada (spelled wrong I am sure). The Nissan is very impressive and has a more powerful engine than any of the others. It also has independent rear suspension for more 3rd seat room.
The side curtain airbags have generated a lot of discussion recently, in that they may provide safety benefits, but they also pose some danger for little kids in the back seats if they fall asleep and lean to the side. You don't really want the kids in that position when the side curtain airbags deploy.
glsable
And if you are willing to accept the luggage space/3rd row trade off in an Expedition, it opens the door up to many more vehicle options.
But if you need 6 seats and luggage space, I don't know of anything other than a Suburban/ YukonXL/ Escalade EXL (unless you would consider a full-size van, like a Chevy Express or Ford E-150).
glsable
I did a little research and found out a 1997 Suburban with 75000 miles on it is only worth (trade-in value) about $1000 less than a 1998 with 75000 miles on it. All things being equal on both vehicles.
So buying a vehicle at the beginning of the next model year helps a little. It doesn't equalize the costs by any means, but can give you a little better feeling if you do decide to go with a 2003 instead of a 2004.
Congratulations on the new Suburban!
With respect to your XM Satellite Radio, is there a separate head unit or receiver in addition to the regular AM/FM stereo unit installed in your vehicle?
I ask because I too just got a new Suburban but do not have the XM radio and am interested in adding the stock unit to the vehicle.
I see a location for the unit just below the regular radio and was curious to know if that cutout in the dash console is meant to house the XM unit.
Our favorite XM station is "Cinemagic" (movie themes and soundtracks), but we also listen to "Broadway" (musical and play excerpts), "Sunny" and "Torch"
glsable
I am going to price out some different XM units.