Laklein, Let us know if you have this procedure done and if it helps. I have heard from others that it may have to be done again down the road. No real 'fix' for the problem.
I liked the Quadrasteer too, but the price ($4000 list but for a while it had big rebates as well!) and its availability on only the 2500 meant we went for a 1500 LT. glsable
Yes, the data shows that the new mini-vans are slightly bigger inside than a Suburban/YXL. It makes sense if you notice how high off the ground the floor is in a Suburban vs how low it is in a mini-van. And a lot of clever thought has gone into making the mini-vans even more space efficient than they were - something that the interior of the Suburban could use!
I am fairly certain that the smaller cargo number is with 2nd and 3rd row seats up - in this configuration the cargo space behind the rear seat of a Suburban is about the same as in the newer mini-vans, although it is packaged in a deeper, wider, less tall space in the Suburban. The new vans with the folding 3rd row seats benefit from the extra space when the seat is not folded into the rear well, which provides a significantly larger cargo area than older vans, such as our 2nd-generation Plymouth Grand.
I expect the larger cargo number is with all seats folded (or removed if they don't fold). glsable
Curious. I just checked the GMC website and it does say the middle row bucket seat bottoms are heated. And the Chevy website doesn't mention that they are. But both have an option code of AL4! I was surprised that if the seats are different that they would use the same option code. Hmmmmmm.
I know our '03 Suburban LT middle row buckets don't have heat. Does anyone have a Denali with heated middle row seats? And if so, I presume that the Caddy would have them too, then? glsable
You have to look at what/when/how you need the cargo capacity rather than the sheer volume numbers. You also need to consider the overall size and shape of the cargo you expect. And, as jay__24 indicated, you must also consider how many seats need to be occupied simultaneously with cargo carrying.
Stacking things above the rearmost seat height is dangerous, unless you have tall packages that extend down behind the seat back to keep them from becoming missiles in the event of a crash.
A major consideration for me was our planned vacation with 8 people on board together with luggage (preferably inside the vehicle).
All I needed was to open the back of the YXL to see that the distance from tailgate to the back of the third seat is almost twice as great as any minivan. That translates to a lot of suitcases, cooler(s) and other stuff safely tucked behind that seat leaving the view clear too.
We recently bought a 2003 Suburban LT - which is my wife's daily driver. Last night I had the occasion to drive it and noticed that the footwells were dark when unlocking and opening the door. I had a 1994 Sub that had the footwells lights - has Chevy dropped this feature? Not a huge issue, but I like seeing where my feet are going!
but like dakotian said, I have been packing things into the Previa for 9 yrs, and with 7 people, there is maybe room for 3 fullsize luggage only,plus misc small bags. OTOH, my suburban can take 8 people, and 5 full size luggage, plus many smaller bags.....and if I don't need space for suitcase, I just bolt on the rear facing seats(bench) and I can seat 2 more in the rear, with seat belts too !!!
it just seems like there is more cargo space in the suburban......period. But I just do not know if GMC measures the cargo space with all 2nd row in or out, whereas the minivans all measure it with the 3rd row folded and the 2nd row removed ???
I believe, if you'll check each vehicle's specifications web page, that you will find cargo space listed separately for each configuration: all seats in place, rear seat folded/removed, and second row folded. It might be a little tedious, but it gives you the complete picture (at least in raw cubic feet) so you can compare with the number of seats in use that you expect.
I just had my 2002 Denali (shorty) repurchased by GM under Lemon Law and went and purchased a 2004 Denali. I noticed that the following lights were deleted from the newer model.
Front foot wells Glove box (both on passenger side and the center console) Rear seat floorboard Rear door side lights (It just has a reflector)
Although GM added many new features to the 04 that improved the 02 the lights were a nice touch and VERY VERY useful.
Also, in my 02 I got a third row floor mat however, my 04 with the second row captains has no floor mats. Are all others the same or did I get cheated?
I have a question about the AWD system on the Denali I have owned a 02 Denali (shorty) and now own a 04 Denali (shorty) and had a weird experience with an ice patch. I left my sprinkler system on by accident one night when it got real cold. I was leaving for work and half of the road in front of my house was iced up. I purposely put 2 wheels (drivers side) on the ice while the other two wheels were on pavement with no ice. I stopped and eased on the gas. My SUV (the 04) would not move, yet the tires on the ice were spinning. With that said, when I did the same test to my 02, it did the same thing until the locking rear end engaged. The 04 does not have the feature so I assume I have Lessor of a vehicle.
I am looking for feedback. Reason being, when you purchase you generally can’t test these features and end up taking the salesman’s word.
Help me out because I have been sold on “Power goes from wheels that SLIP to wheels that GRIP!” Yeah right!
I have 2003 2500 sub with the 8.1 . I live on a hill when I put it in drive the trans seems like it is in nuetral it rolls back with no resistance at all . My 97 f150 hardly rolls back at all . Is this normal especialy with a big block . thanks
GM changed something in the transfer case to improve gas mileage in 2003. I would not expect it to make the difference you are talking about, but it could.
yes, when i open the rear doors, I can immediately see that the trunk cargo area is more than twice that of my Previa, which has a bigger trunk area than any other minivan.
I'd guess you don't have a locking or limited slip differential in the rear....or it doesn't work. Also you don't have a subaru, which has a limited slip diffy standard. “Power goes from wheels that SLIP to wheels that GRIP!” is a Subaru buzz.
Man, how tall are you?!? Come over and sit behind the third row in my YXL. I'll bet your head will clear just fine! Of course, it goes without saying that your derriere will be considerably higher off the ground than in a minivan, but that can be a good thing! ;-)
Of course, if by "head" you actually meant the military-lingo for toilet, then theirs always the Bumper-Dumper (registered trademark) which would also be more comfortable, I'm sure, mounted on the much-higher-than-any-minivan YXL rear bumper! ;-) ;-)
My '04 DXL came with the second-row floor mats (the two individual mats) for the captain's chairs; I thought second-row mats were more or less standard(?), as I have them in my '03 YXL w/ second-row bench seats. In any case, you should have gotten the second-row mats...
As far as your traction issue--I thought that even as late as '03 the Denalis had the locking rear even though they are AWD, assuming that such is possible from an engineering standpoint. In any case, I know that the '04 Denalis don't have locking rear, according to GM literature...
Saw an article in a mag that is sent to those in auto manufacturing and component supply buiz. They claimed that there has been a large reduction in the cost of GM`s quad steering pack - due to very poor sales, Will try to find that mag but you guys should be able to find a dealer that will advise.
This is the primary reason I personally forewent the Denali in favor of the Burb Z71. I traded in my AWD Mountaineer which had this problem as well. Most AWD systems will send power back-to-front depending on traction and road conditions, but generally not side-to-side, or wheel-to-wheel, as you find on Subarus, for example. So, unless you have a locking rear diff, two stuck wheels equals ...well..."stuck." Options do change year to year however and I like the Denali XL comfy extras, as well as the very spunky 6.0 not available on anything else, and would more strongly consider the Denali XL for my next purchase if it had a "real" 4WD system as an option, or AWD with auto-locking rear diff, as I believe had been available on older models.
After using stability control on a closed track and understanding how much it helps in low traction situations, i would gladly trade a locking differential for stability control (which is what has been done on the 04 Denali).
Highender - Actually I think you will find that the Previa has a fairly small "trunk" when all the seats are occupied. I am sure my old '93 Grand Voyager was bigger. And the newer mini-vans are much larger now.
Another reason it is hard to compare the vehicles is that many vans had 3rd row seats that slid forward and back to adjust the amount of cargo and people space. On our Voyager the seat could move about 6 inches, which makes a big difference. That feature unfortunately has gone away on the news vans with the folding 3rd row.
Too bad that the Suburbans/YXLs don't have something similar to add more legroom in the 3rd row when you need it. glsable
Vehicles equipped with StabiliTrak cannot be equipped with a locking rear differential. Therefore, if one wheel on each axle has little or no traction there may not be enough torque available at the other wheels to move the vehicle.
I could see the advantage of a stability control system on a track etc. but the locking diff. clearly offers a greater advantage in deep snow, mud or sand.
As WAVHO mentioned, with the stability control, there are only 2 drive wheels like most 4wd's without a locking rear.
If the vehicle becomes stuck, the locking rear would offer a greater advantage in driving out of the condition by providing torque at both rear wheels and one of the front wheels while the 4wd system is engaged.
The Subaru & Mercedes vehicles offer a truly unique system with a viscous-coupling design that can transfer torque to any of the wheels.
Land Rover offers a system with both front and rear locking differentials.
Or you can do what I and millions of other Americans have been doing: move South and stay on the roadways to avoid "deep snow, mud or sand" driving all together! ;-)
On those rare cases where glaze ice occurs, the best philosophy is to stay home until it melts anyway. (You might be able to keep going under some semblance of control, but you won't have the maneuverability to stay out of the way of the other guy who thinks that having 4WD/AWD means s/he need not concern her/himself with the presence of ice!)
A locking differential may have a difference in starting the vehicle, but the stability control has a very big advantage controlling the vehicle once it is moving. Stability control will definitely be more likely to help in accident/injury avoidance. That is where I will put my money.
I ran a car on a closed wet track. I ran the first time with stability control on and the second time with stability control switched up. It is unbelievable how much stability control aided in controlling the vehicle. Like night and day....
The best way to avoid an accident or incident is by not being there in the first place!
lobsenza..I have no doubt that the stability control is well worth its price and is an excellent option to have.
One thing I failed to mention about the locking rear differential, it only "locks" while the vehicle is under a certain speed - around 8-10 mph or less.
As I understand it, a locking differential and stability control are mutually exclusive options. I would pick the stability control long before the locking differential....
It depends on one's own personal needs. If you drive a lot on deep snow, mud and or sand, then the locking differential has it's advantages. I Chose the locking differential because up here in up-state NY we get lots of snow and wanted the best possible traction available. I do believe Stability Control is awesome as well and would get both if they were available.
Just to inject some freshness into this board, here's my story about the tethered gas cap on my '04 Denali XL (and I suspect, on most--if not all--of the GM '04 full-size SUV models):
It appears that the tether on the '04 gas cap is a bit shorter than that on the '03 version (I know this because I have an '03 YXL and an '04 DXL); on both my SUVs the tether is attached to a spot adjacent to the fuel opening. With the '03, this is not an issue since I'm able to loop the tether onto the hook located on the back of the fuel door; however, with my '04 the tether will not reach the hook unless I close the fuel door a bit. Of course, doing so makes it just about impossible to insert the gas pump nozzle into the fuel opening, so I have no choice but to either hold the cap or let it dangle off the side.
So...I asked the service advisor (not a service tech--noooo, you have to talk to the advisor first) at my local stealership about this issue; his response was that that's how it's supposed to be--namely, that the cap is supposed to dangle off to the side during refill. He continued to say this even after I pointed out that the '03 models don't have this issue. At that point I more or less accepted this unbelievable fact; however, I managed to see another '04 DXL in the service area so I decided to check the tether on it. Guess what? Although the tether on this '04 was as short as that on mine, it was attached to the backside of the fuel door! Obviously, this would make it easier for the shorter tether to reach the hook on the back of the door.
To conclude this long post, all I would need to do is relocate the binding pin/post/whatever it's called where the tether is currently attached from the side of the fuel opening to the backside of the fuel door (there is a hole on the door where the post can be inserted). FWIW--I'm gonna let this clueless service advisor know that he shouldn't be making baseless statements, especially since it would make no sense for GM all of a sudden decide that they should take away the convenience of looping the gas cap tether to the fuel door so that it doesn't dangle to the side and possibly scratch or mar the paint surrounding the fuel door.
we are looking seriously at the 'burb and its derivatives because of our expanding family. i did lots of research on them but couldn't find any explanation on the meaning of 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton ...do any of you "experts" know what this moniker is for? oh, any word on the redesign. the dash on the 'burb looks really dated thanks -- laura
tdoh: Good topic! We have an '03. I thought the clip on the back of the fuel door was pretty clever - otherwise you would have to hold the cap to keep it off the side of the truck (don't want any gas dripping on the shiny new paint!).
From what you have said, it appears that they made a design change for the '04s, mounting the shorter tether on the fuel door itself. My guess is that someone on the production line didn't get the news and attached the tether the old way. If this is true, your dealer should fix it under warranty. glsable
Minietal: In Chevy-speak the lightweight ("1/2 ton") Suburbans are 1500s and the heavyweights ("3/4 ton") are 2500s. A prefix denotes 2WD (C1500) or 4WD (K1500). I think the "1/2 ton" and "3/4 ton" nomenclature is historical in nature. Perhaps at some point in time it represented the actual payload capability?
As mentioned, the 1500s have rear coil springs and a 5.3-liter engine, the 2500s have leaf springs and larger engines. Nevertheless, the 5.3 has plenty of power and torque, and even the 1500s can tow 7,000 lbs, which is a decent size trailer. I think the 2500s with the 8.1 engine can tow up to 10,000 lbs. glsable
Personally I think the Suburban/YXL dashboard is very modern looking, especially when you look at what they were like in 1990 or 1999! It is well designed and the gauges are readable and pleasant to look at. glsable
thanks for all of your explanations. they have helped me out alot. i definitely will consider the 1/2 ton model with the biggest engine possible.
as for the dashboard, i have never sit in a 'burb before and am just basing my opinion on my observation of other suvs with their more curvy dash. hope i didn't offend you, glsable. --laura
You can get a Denali or Escalade which have a 6 liter engine and are 1/2 ton vehicles. Alternatively, you can get the 5.3 engine with the 4.10 axle ratio.
Yeah, I know it should be a warranty item, but it irks me that some service reps are either ignorant or lazy--can you believe that the guy I talked to actually said that the gas cap is supposed to dangle off to the side on the '04 models? I wish I had my camera with me at the time so that I could have taken a pic of the other '04 with the correctly-mounted tether attachment; yeah I could have told the guy to come out and look for himself but for whatever reason his attitude just plain stunk at that moment and he clearly looked like he didn't want to get his fat a** out of his seat.
No matter...I have an appointment this Wednesday and I will definitely let the service manager know about this advisor's lack of knowledge regarding the models his dealership sells.
Minietal: don't worry. not offended! we are still happy with our Suburban!
You make a good point that in many ways the GM trucks have not received the attention they should in interor refinement. Many features that are common in mini-van design haven't made the jump over to the trucks. Such as rear or middle row seats that can slide forward or backward to adjust the legroom as you need it between the seat rows, and padded lids for the storage areas in the 3rd row.
But they have made some big improvements, with electronic features, middle row bucket seats, and headrests in all three rows. The front and 3rd row seats also have seat-mounted shoulder belts that fit much better, especially for kids. glsable
My first impression on the test drive of the 2003 Yukon XL SLE was that the view from the driver's seat was much more "industrial" than I had expected (both the dash and out over the more-squarish-looking-than-I-had-expected hood) -- especially considering that I had already come to regard the exterior as quite attractive. We had a 1999 Ford F150 Supercab at the time and its driver's seat view was that of a sleek, sexy, spaceship by comparison.
All that being said, my wife and I still marvel at how happy we are with almost every aspect of our Yukon XL -- from features to handling to quiet highway driving to cavernous available spaces. Give them a chance and maybe you will feel the same.
Anyone install the Clarion monitor and custom housing from Crutchfield? I will be installing one in my 02 Z71 this weekend and would appreciate any tips you may have. I also picked up the Farenheit DVD player, FM modulator and cordless headphones. Would appreciate any input from those who have installed an aftermarket DVD player as well. Specifically, where did you put it and where did you grab power from? Thanks in advance
Have any of the 02/03 owners with the 5.3L engine had any problems with the either the intake manifold leaking or the transmission going out? I own a 96 2500 7.4L and IMG leaks are about as common as a 3 leaf clover. I've read that the transmission in the 1500 is a weak link since it was designed for a 3500lb car. Lots of people will burn up the fluid and they don't even tow. The only reason I'm not asking about the 04 is that there probably isn't enough miles on the vehicles just yet. Test drove and like the 04 1500. Worried about the trannie though. Not to mention the IM leak. Don't want to go to the 2500 because it's too stiff. I also don't want the 6.0L or the 8.1L. Things seem to burn oil like no tomorrow. That straight from GM mechanics. Thanks for any input.
are you sure about the transmission weakness and teh IMF leak ?? I have a 1999 Sub with supercharger, and have not changed my transmission fluid yet. should I check it, or add more fluid ? how do I tell there is a IMF leak ? thanks.
I assume you have a 1500? Yeah I'm sure about the IM leak. Just not sure when or if it was resolved. I've had two myself and know of a lot more. As for your trannie. Depending on how many miles you should have changed it at least once based soley on time. If you tow then even more. As for me I think I'm going to go with a 2500 afterall. Much better for towing since everything is beefed up. Other option is an Armada but lacks the cargo space. Great second row leg room though. Really a blast to drive. Got to love that 385lbs of torque at 3600 rpm. Tow package even comes with a trannie temp gauge.
I drove one and had 3 complaints: 1. The Armada seemed to lack power. I know. I know. But, it honestly did. It may have been because it had 2 miles on it when we started, but the Suburban seemed to be very peppy compared to the Armada. 2. The roof seemed to vibrate or flutter. My buddy sat in the 2nd row and was amazed at the way the plastic panels on the roof vibrated. 3. The looks and gimmicks looked like they would be tiresome after the "gee whiz" factor wore off.
When I looked at the Armada, I was very impressed before I drove it. At the time, I hadn't really considered the Suburban. So, I was dissapointed that the Armada didn't work out for me.
Yes I drove the Armada. I thought it was really quick. Quicker than the Sequoia or Suburban 1500. Was surprised at how fast I could hit 80mph. Seems there is a resonance issue with the roof. That's probably what your buddy was experiencing. Oddly enough it appears not to happen with every vehicle. More prevalent with no sun roof which of course is what I would want. The dials don't bother me. Look better than a burb imo but really not into that stuff.
I'm the only one who's ever sensed a lack of power in the Armada, so it must be me or the one I drove in particular. The roof resonance thing bothers me more than anything. Most problems area can be addressed and fixed, but a roof? It raises concerns about testing, etc.
Comments
Let us know if you have this procedure done and if it helps. I have heard from others that it may have to be done again down the road. No real 'fix' for the problem.
glsable
I am fairly certain that the smaller cargo number is with 2nd and 3rd row seats up - in this configuration the cargo space behind the rear seat of a Suburban is about the same as in the newer mini-vans, although it is packaged in a deeper, wider, less tall space in the Suburban. The new vans with the folding 3rd row seats benefit from the extra space when the seat is not folded into the rear well, which provides a significantly larger cargo area than older vans, such as our 2nd-generation Plymouth Grand.
I expect the larger cargo number is with all seats folded (or removed if they don't fold).
glsable
I know our '03 Suburban LT middle row buckets don't have heat. Does anyone have a Denali with heated middle row seats? And if so, I presume that the Caddy would have them too, then?
glsable
Stacking things above the rearmost seat height is dangerous, unless you have tall packages that extend down behind the seat back to keep them from becoming missiles in the event of a crash.
A major consideration for me was our planned vacation with 8 people on board together with luggage (preferably inside the vehicle).
All I needed was to open the back of the YXL to see that the distance from tailgate to the back of the third seat is almost twice as great as any minivan. That translates to a lot of suitcases, cooler(s) and other stuff safely tucked behind that seat leaving the view clear too.
but like dakotian said, I have been packing things into the Previa for 9 yrs, and with 7 people, there is maybe room for 3 fullsize luggage only,plus misc small bags.
OTOH, my suburban can take 8 people, and 5 full size luggage, plus many smaller bags.....and if I don't need space for suitcase, I just bolt on the rear facing seats(bench) and I can seat 2 more in the rear, with seat belts too !!!
it just seems like there is more cargo space in the suburban......period. But I just do not know if GMC measures the cargo space with all 2nd row in or out, whereas the minivans all measure it with the 3rd row folded and the 2nd row removed ???
Front foot wells
Glove box (both on passenger side and the center console)
Rear seat floorboard
Rear door side lights (It just has a reflector)
Although GM added many new features to the 04 that improved the 02 the lights were a nice touch and VERY VERY useful.
Also, in my 02 I got a third row floor mat however, my 04 with the second row captains has no floor mats. Are all others the same or did I get cheated?
I am looking for feedback. Reason being, when you purchase you generally can’t test these features and end up taking the salesman’s word.
Help me out because I have been sold on “Power goes from wheels that SLIP to wheels that GRIP!” Yeah right!
and the burb can still carry 8.....:-)
thanks..
(Highlander has heard this comment from me elsewhere on Town Hall <g>).
I did a lot of canoe trips with a friend who drove a Suburban. It would swallow up a lot of gear & people inside, not to mention 4 or 5 canoes on top.
Steve, Host
Also you don't have a subaru, which has a limited slip diffy standard. “Power goes from wheels that SLIP to wheels that GRIP!” is a Subaru buzz.
--jay (Tahoe and Subie owner)
Of course, if by "head" you actually meant the military-lingo for toilet, then theirs always the Bumper-Dumper (registered trademark) which would also be more comfortable, I'm sure, mounted on the much-higher-than-any-minivan YXL rear bumper! ;-) ;-)
As far as your traction issue--I thought that even as late as '03 the Denalis had the locking rear even though they are AWD, assuming that such is possible from an engineering standpoint. In any case, I know that the '04 Denalis don't have locking rear, according to GM literature...
They claimed that there has been a large reduction in the cost of GM`s quad steering pack - due to very poor sales, Will try to find that mag but you guys should be able to find a dealer that will advise.
Another reason it is hard to compare the vehicles is that many vans had 3rd row seats that slid forward and back to adjust the amount of cargo and people space. On our Voyager the seat could move about 6 inches, which makes a big difference. That feature unfortunately has gone away on the news vans with the folding 3rd row.
Too bad that the Suburbans/YXLs don't have something similar to add more legroom in the 3rd row when you need it.
glsable
As WAVHO mentioned, with the stability control, there are only 2 drive wheels like most 4wd's without a locking rear.
If the vehicle becomes stuck, the locking rear would offer a greater advantage in driving out of the condition by providing torque at both rear wheels and one of the front wheels while the 4wd system is engaged.
The Subaru & Mercedes vehicles offer a truly unique system with a viscous-coupling design that can transfer torque to any of the wheels.
Land Rover offers a system with both front and rear locking differentials.
On those rare cases where glaze ice occurs, the best philosophy is to stay home until it melts anyway. (You might be able to keep going under some semblance of control, but you won't have the maneuverability to stay out of the way of the other guy who thinks that having 4WD/AWD means s/he need not concern her/himself with the presence of ice!)
I ran a car on a closed wet track. I ran the first time with stability control on and the second time with stability control switched up. It is unbelievable how much stability control aided in controlling the vehicle. Like night and day....
lobsenza..I have no doubt that the stability control is well worth its price and is an excellent option to have.
One thing I failed to mention about the locking rear differential, it only "locks" while the vehicle is under a certain speed - around 8-10 mph or less.
It appears that the tether on the '04 gas cap is a bit shorter than that on the '03 version (I know this because I have an '03 YXL and an '04 DXL); on both my SUVs the tether is attached to a spot adjacent to the fuel opening. With the '03, this is not an issue since I'm able to loop the tether onto the hook located on the back of the fuel door; however, with my '04 the tether will not reach the hook unless I close the fuel door a bit. Of course, doing so makes it just about impossible to insert the gas pump nozzle into the fuel opening, so I have no choice but to either hold the cap or let it dangle off the side.
So...I asked the service advisor (not a service tech--noooo, you have to talk to the advisor first) at my local stealership about this issue; his response was that that's how it's supposed to be--namely, that the cap is supposed to dangle off to the side during refill. He continued to say this even after I pointed out that the '03 models don't have this issue. At that point I more or less accepted this unbelievable fact; however, I managed to see another '04 DXL in the service area so I decided to check the tether on it. Guess what? Although the tether on this '04 was as short as that on mine, it was attached to the backside of the fuel door! Obviously, this would make it easier for the shorter tether to reach the hook on the back of the door.
To conclude this long post, all I would need to do is relocate the binding pin/post/whatever it's called where the tether is currently attached from the side of the fuel opening to the backside of the fuel door (there is a hole on the door where the post can be inserted). FWIW--I'm gonna let this clueless service advisor know that he shouldn't be making baseless statements, especially since it would make no sense for GM all of a sudden decide that they should take away the convenience of looping the gas cap tether to the fuel door so that it doesn't dangle to the side and possibly scratch or mar the paint surrounding the fuel door.
thanks -- laura
3/4 ton = rear leaf springs (read tough, durable)
From what you have said, it appears that they made a design change for the '04s, mounting the shorter tether on the fuel door itself. My guess is that someone on the production line didn't get the news and attached the tether the old way. If this is true, your dealer should fix it under warranty.
glsable
As mentioned, the 1500s have rear coil springs and a 5.3-liter engine, the 2500s have leaf springs and larger engines. Nevertheless, the 5.3 has plenty of power and torque, and even the 1500s can tow 7,000 lbs, which is a decent size trailer. I think the 2500s with the 8.1 engine can tow up to 10,000 lbs.
glsable
glsable
as for the dashboard, i have never sit in a 'burb before and am just basing my opinion on my observation of other suvs with their more curvy dash. hope i didn't offend you, glsable. --laura
No matter...I have an appointment this Wednesday and I will definitely let the service manager know about this advisor's lack of knowledge regarding the models his dealership sells.
You make a good point that in many ways the GM trucks have not received the attention they should in interor refinement. Many features that are common in mini-van design haven't made the jump over to the trucks. Such as rear or middle row seats that can slide forward or backward to adjust the legroom as you need it between the seat rows, and padded lids for the storage areas in the 3rd row.
But they have made some big improvements, with electronic features, middle row bucket seats, and headrests in all three rows. The front and 3rd row seats also have seat-mounted shoulder belts that fit much better, especially for kids.
glsable
All that being said, my wife and I still marvel at how happy we are with almost every aspect of our Yukon XL -- from features to handling to quiet highway driving to cavernous available spaces. Give them a chance and maybe you will feel the same.
http://media.gmcanada.com/division/2004_prodinfo/gmc/yukon/specs.- html
Test drove and like the 04 1500. Worried about the trannie though. Not to mention the IM leak. Don't want to go to the 2500 because it's too stiff. I also don't want the 6.0L or the 8.1L. Things seem to burn oil like no tomorrow. That straight from GM mechanics. Thanks for any input.
As for your trannie. Depending on how many miles you should have changed it at least once based soley on time. If you tow then even more.
As for me I think I'm going to go with a 2500 afterall. Much better for towing since everything is beefed up. Other option is an Armada but lacks the cargo space. Great second row leg room though. Really a blast to drive. Got to love that 385lbs of torque at 3600 rpm. Tow package even comes with a trannie temp gauge.
I drove one and had 3 complaints:
1. The Armada seemed to lack power. I know. I know. But, it honestly did. It may have been because it had 2 miles on it when we started, but the Suburban seemed to be very peppy compared to the Armada.
2. The roof seemed to vibrate or flutter. My buddy sat in the 2nd row and was amazed at the way the plastic panels on the roof vibrated.
3. The looks and gimmicks looked like they would be tiresome after the "gee whiz" factor wore off.
When I looked at the Armada, I was very impressed before I drove it. At the time, I hadn't really considered the Suburban. So, I was dissapointed that the Armada didn't work out for me.
Of course, YMMV,
Jack
04 Suburban 1500 2WD LT, roof, DVD, 17" tires
Happy Trails,
Jack