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as far as the Excursion goes.. it would be my hands down choice this time around for me if they would have come out with the replacement .. that's now supposedly pushed off until '06 coming out possibly in late '05.. as a stretched Expedition... one thing that would not make me get it is that horrendous three door/window configuration like the current Excursion has... I hated my barn doors on my '99 'burban.. so I know the three way would never w*rk for me... I'll stick with the liftgate..
I told her to get what she wants.. I am NOT going to choose her vehicle.. or else I will pay dearly for making that 'wrong decision' in case something goes amuck..the way we do it .. is to narrow it down to two or three choices.. see which ones come up with the best prices.. then SHE CHOOSES.. we see it as a 'crap shoot' anyway .. Chevy.. Ford..or whatever ... makes no matter to us..
I told her about the TB.. she still likes it.. what can I say... at least there's plenty of legroom inside it .. not one of those itty bitty things..same-same Explorer.. I would have much preferred her to get another 'burban or even a Tahoe.. it's her vehicle..
.. one more thing.. we usually get leases.. but also check the 0% deals to buy.. what amazes me is when I ask for the numbers for the lease they look at me like I have 4 heads.. figuring I'll never figure it out.. the Durango dealer just tried to 'get me' by giving me a $35K buy on a $40K vehicle.. ok.. then when he went to figure the lease he came up with a $559 monthly on a 36 mo lease.. Dodge has a special .00075 lease factor or 1.8% Lease.. he couldn't believe I knew how to figure that out.. then I told the lease mgr he was way too high....he said to call him back direct with any questions..
I went home and called him back... he told me my figures were wrong well under $500 mo.. I told him to refigure.. he did,.. he got pretty close to my numbers and told me if I wanted it to come down and he's do the deal.. said he put the wrong figures in the computer.. used 19K miles per year instead of 15K.. I told him.. no way at 10 cents a mile that only adds $400 to the equation.. he shut up.. did he really make a mistake.. I think NOT.. but a nice way to make a quick $50+ monthly payment error in his favor.. he kept on asking me who taught me how to do leases.. I wouldn't tell him...
and my thanx to the Edmunds site for the 'lease lesson' that I took off the site a few years back and about 5 vehicles ago.. I can figure a lease as fast if not faster sometimes than they can input it in their PC's..
Calculate Your Own Lease Payment
Steve, Host
the best part is leaving the Lease mgr scratching his head trying to figure out how I knew how to do it... and how I knew how to convert the 'lease factor' into a percentage... multiply by 2400.. or vice versa.. by dividing the percent by 2400
one thing.. gotta remember to add in any 'fees' to the selling price like Lease Acquisition Fee, Dealer admin fees, advertising fees..unless you are slick enuff to negotiate them outta there.. also have to subtract any rebates off that same selling price..
basically 4 e-z steps to calculate it... as long as you have the figures which I believe all dealers must give you if you ask for a lease price.. what I've found out in the last few years, is that most will not give you a printout as required by law.. or at least it was required by law a few years ago.. with those figues on the printout.... without it or all the numbers they can 'w*rk' the numbers w/o the customer knowing what they were playing with.. gotta keep those guys 'honest' and know what you're doing to stay ahead of them..
Leasing is great if you can do math. I don't so I don't lease (if I did want to lease, I'd make Tidester go with me to the dealer!).
Steve, Host
*** how about the Acura MDX (a Pilot with sexier clothes)?
"... Toyota Sequoia.. we drove it and to us it's an Expedition..
*** agreed. but a very nice Expedition!
"I had an Expedition in '97 .. best all around truck I've had with zero problems the entire two year lease I had it"
*** our outlook is a lot longer than two years, because we generally buy new and keep vehicles at least 10 years. For us depreciation is not a big issue - more interested in long term reliability. I am hoping the 'Burb does good (it is our first one).
"test drove a Durango Limited HEM-meeee about a week ago .. disappointed in it.."
*** the Durango needs to be about a foot longer to get some decent cargo space.
"they goofed and should have used the style nose from the Ram p/u on it.."
*** agreed. The grille looks a bit Edsel-ish!
".. when I had my '65 Goat..."
*** How about that new GTO (from Holden)?
"as far as the Excursion goes.. it would be my hands down choice this time around for me if they would have come out with the replacement .. that's now supposedly pushed off until '06 coming out possibly in late '05.. as a stretched Expedition..."
*** Could be, but will have to wait and see how it really turns out! Right now the Suburban beats it easily as a family hauler.
"one thing that would not make me get it is that horrendous three door/window configuration like the current Excursion has... I hated my barn doors on my '99 'burban.. so I know the three way would never w*rk for me... I'll stick with the liftgate.."
* agreed. The Chevy Astro tried that 3-piece door too. It gets rid of the post in the rear window, but I'm not sure how it holds up.
"I told her to get what she wants.. I am NOT going to choose her vehicle.. or else I will pay dearly for making that 'wrong decision'"
*** smart move! :-)
*** glsable2
glsable2
MDX.. same same as Pilot .. a few more HP.. prettier inside but uses high test.. and that just ticks me off.. no need for it in this high tech engineering of today.. it's not a high-performance sports car
'Goat'.. same-same evaluation as with the Hem-mee..not the same as the old one.. just not like my old '65 Goat back in '65.. I can't even compare it to it... looks like they just did a cosmetic thingy to it and added the GTO logo.. doesn't look like a muscle-car to me these days..too small
Excursion.. boy did Ford miss the boat with that one.. whoever made the decision to base it on the 250 platform to compete with the Suburban.. wow.. what a goof... had a neighbor who had the Astro Van with the dutch doors /window contraption.. what a hassel..
pick up my new '04 Suburban LT 4x4 tomorrow afternoon.. my '01 Z71 'burban got turned in on that pull ahead early lease termination preogram GM has... loaded this one up DVD, Stabilitrak, Sunroof.. did good got the two packages with their -$2K discounts on the sticker.. here's the sticker to its twin at the same dealership.. mine is White/tan. this one is Silver Birch/Tan.. same exact MSR/sticker..
My '04 Suburban LT 4x4
If the dealer is willing to do it, that is great. The Michelins are likely better tires based on what I have heard about the Wilderness LEs getting noisy after a few years.
But remember that whatever the dealer does that costs him $$$, is something that you could negotiate to take the cash instead. SO maybe you could run the Firestones for a couple of years and then go buy the Michelins?
glsable2
I didn't realize the MDX uses premium fuel. That's a good reminder to consider fuel type when choosing vehicles.
It was interesting to look at the sticker on the '04 Suburbans. We have an '03 with very similar equipment (K1500 LT, middle row buckets, DVD, XM, cargo package, tow package, rear liftgate ...). The 2004 LT base price is higher, but the cargo package, trailering package and XM are included. The final MSRP is $300 higher than ours but you got 17-inch wheels, sunroof and Stabilitrak (that $2000 package discount helps!). Do you know what your final sale price was, or is it hidden in the trade-in/lease deal?
glsable2
Best thing about the service was they picked it up from our house. Wife and three kids didn't have to hassle with dropping it off. Front door service! pretty hard to beat.
--jay
Also, anybody have any experience with the StowAway2?
ABS and trac lights are connected, something is wrong in the antilock brake dept, need diagnostics run to find out.
Look at the 2004 pricing for the same vehicle. I came up with about $49K invoice and there is a $3k rebate = $46k for a 2004 and no miles. So 42,500 isn't too bad.
However if it was a used vehicle with only 3k miles its worth only about $39K according to Edmunds.....
--jay
You will have to go the Smart Shopper Board and then choose Pricing Data.
Click on the Real-World Trade-In Values board and post your message for Terry. Make sure you give your location (City,State when posting)
tidester, host
A friend with a LandCruiser has a hitch-mounted box that uses a different idea than Stowaway. It has a separate box that attaches to a flat tray, and the flat tray hooks into the hitch. To open the rear hatch of the car, instead of the Stowaway's swing-away mechanism, you remove the box from the tray. This also gives you the option of carrying other stuff on the flat tray. Not sure what the brand is, but I can find out.
glsable2
glsable2
I wonder what lobby came up with this idea? <g>
Generally the warranty won't kick in on demo's until they are sold, fwiw, even if the demo has 7,000 miles on it.
Steve, Host
any thoughts
Thanks
Dealer tags/demonstrater vehicles are just a scam (albeit a legal one!) for the dealers not to pay taxes and license fees.
But you pose a good question on the factory warranty. I thought you would get the balance of the factory warranty? Perhaps GM can ponies up the difference to support their dealers?
glsable2
p.s. Dealingbob sounds like a handle for a dealer!
I thought most manufacturers started the factory warranty when the car is first sold, even if it's a demo with 7,000 miles on it? So a 5/50 warranty would go 5/57.
One thing for sure is that dealers like to charge new prices for demos!
Steve, Host
Thanks,
Bo
Thanks!
Alan
* New 2004 Suburban LT
* DVD player
* Side air bags, Stabilitrak
* 17´´ aluminum spoke wheels
* Rear liftgate
Total price $36,150. What do you all think?
glsable2
1) Start with the ignition OFF, hold down the power unlock button on the door panel. Turn ignition key ON, OFF, ON, OFF. Release power unlock button on the door panel. The locks will cycle once.
2) Hold down the keyless entry transmitter LOCK and UNLOCK buttons for 15 seconds. The locks will again cycle once.
3) Repeat step #2 for each additional keyless entry transmitter.
4) Turn the ignition on to exit the keyless entry transmitter programming mode. Programming is now complete.
Hope this helps.
Cheers!
Paul
So I opted for the rear locker and went to the dealer to place my order. My sales rep says the stabiltrac is a great system and plus, rolled into the Safe and Secure Package, it would save more money with the option discount. "OK, I'll try something different" and told him to go ahead and order it with the stabiltrac. After he printed out the vehicle details order sheet, I observed that not only was the stabiltrac listed, but the rear locker also. I figured it must have been a goof in the system but when I got home and tried building it again on the Chevy site, I was able to include both options!
The Sub arrived Tuesday afternoon (took approx 6 weeks from order date) and I picked it up yesterday. Yep, both options installed as by the window sticker and the glove box option decal (JL4 and G80).
Hopefully I will have the best of both worlds, either that or my truck is going to blow up the first time the wheels start spinning!
glsable2
I also have heard about a $1500 additional rebate letter being sent out by Chevy - perhaps just to current Suburban owners?
And don't forget the conquest and loyalty bonus rebates, which I think are still out there.
The $3000 rebate and $1000 cash back incentives were going on when I originally placed my order, but I was afraid by the time the truck arrived they would no longer be available. What a relief to see them extended till the end of this month. I received no $1500 rebate for previous ownership of the Suburban.
My 2000 Suburban had the Premium Ride suspension and getting into this new one with the Autoride is quite an improvement. There may be other factors involved also, but the ride is so much better in the '04!
I had the dealer leave the running boards off (they were shipped in a box and placed in the vehicle during transport). I have a set of Westin platinum side bars that I was planning to put on. It's funny, though, after I removed the side bars from my 2000, it seemed to ride much smoother. I wonder if the bars stiffened the frame up some? Once I become a bit more accustomed to the ride of the 2004, I'll put the bars on it and see if it makes a difference. It could have just been my imagination!
It's a 2004 Yukon XL SLE 2wd, white with neutral tan cloth, Power Pedals, Cargo Pack, OWL tires, side airbags, and running boards, for a total of $40,105. Their best price quote is $32,500. I thought this was maybe a grand or so too high, but every other dealer I got a quote from also gave me almost an identical price. First of all, is this a good price, and second, has anyone heard of rebates going up again soon (one news story said that inventories are piled up heavily in places and GM might increase the cash back again to help clear them out).
Also, hows the Premium Ride suspension? I know it's a step down from the Z66 suspension on our Avalanche, but what's the ride and handling generally like? Oh, and how much have the brakes actually improved on '04 models, for those of you who had older models before?
I am curious what you mean by the Premium Ride suspension being a "step down" from the Z66 suspension on the Avalanche?
The ride, handling and brakes on our 2003 1500LT are excellent.
glsable2
What I meant about the "step down" from the Z66 is that the Premium Ride on Yukons, Tahoes, and Suburbans is the same as the base suspension for the Avalanche. A Z66 like ours has upgraded Bilstein shocks, modified springs, and a load-leveling rear end. The Premium Ride lacks the leveling and rides looser, I assume, because it lacks the tighter springs and has cheaper shocks. Not a big difference, but still probably noticeable.
I'm near Rehoboth Beach in southern Delaware and have seen similar ads, but the lowest quote I've gotten on a base LS 2wd with virtually no options at all is $30k. Maybe it's just the more expensive LT's and SLT's in the high $40k's that normally have $10k or more taken off.
On the Suburban, the Z71 package is essentially cosmetic and doesn't include much off-road hardware. I believe the suspension is the same as all the other 1500s, but maybe slightly different shocks (I don't think they are Bilsteins). I think all Suburbans have load leveling suspension, don't they? There is also the AutoRide option which has 2-position electronic shocks and I think additional levelling capability.
Good luck.
glsable2
glsable2
From Chevy.com:
Suburban Suspension Choices
Depending on the model, Chevy Suburban can be equipped with one of these suspensions:
Premium Ride: Monotube shocks help this suspension provide a comfortable ride. Standard on half-ton models, except Z71.
Z71: Standard on Z71 models, this suspension is designed for off-road driving and includes gas-charged shock absorbers and jounce bumpers that are tuned to help minimize large suspension inputs.
Firm Ride: This suspension provides a taut feel of the road with its multistage leaf spring suspension. Standard on all three-quarter-ton models equipped with the Vortec 6000 V8 engine.
Autoride: This suspension automatically varies the amount of shock damping on a real-time basis — under any circumstances — by sensing different road surfaces, speed, steering, load and wheel-height conditions. Also, a rear self-leveling feature on half-ton models helps maintain the rear suspension level with the front during heavy trailering or fully loaded conditions. Required on three-quarter-ton LS and LT models with the Vortec 8100 V8 engine or QUADRASTEER option.
In a "rolling stop" situation ... or driving at low speeds ... when I lift off the accelerator ... and then accelerate without coming to a complete stop ... I get a loud clunk under the vehicle.
Any thoughts?