2019/20 Tahoes

wings&wheels

wings&wheels

Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
3,761
Location
New England, USA
Anyone have one or experience with one? Looking to replace my DD; '17 RR HSE turbodiesel...probably my favorite DD ever, but I don't want a Rover past ~90K. My Rovers have all been fine, but I don't tempt fate. Looking at 4wd/good AWD large SUV's with towing capacities ~6k lbs. Looking primarily at MB's, but also other comparable vehicles.

I will miss my diesel; 28mpg, 19mpg towing an old boat.

I do like the looks of the Tahoe, but am concerned about GM's attention to "details" based on my last one. We had a SAAB 97 (Trailblazer) which was fine mechanically, but the vinyl sides of the leather seats started cracking, the radio knob finish peeled, switches failed, etc. all before 40k miles/3 years. That stuff drives me crazy....

Anyone?
 
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I owned a 2005 Colorado for 13 years, didn't have any trouble with the plastic parts peeling. (I know what you mean with the peeling, I had that problem on some older GM vehicles.) I had to replace some switches on my '97 GMC Sonoma. I now have a '16 GMC Sierra, and none of those problems to date. Of course, YMMV.
 
Expect a cheap interior compared to what you have now (it may be built tightly but the design and materials will easily be two steps down). That said, I'd expect it to be miles ahead in terms of reliability and durability. It also doesn't look half bad from the outside depending on the trim.
 
Thanks both.

I agree on the interior or at least that's also my experience; GM's interior materials tend to be below their intended market segments.

I expect reliability to be about the same or better, but then again I may be lucky in that my three RR's have been fine...I think between the three since 2011, I've had maybe four unscheduled dealer visits. Friends have had similar experiences, at least sub ~100k or so. But again, I know what they are and I don't tempt fate.
 
wings&wheels said:
Anyone have one or experience with one? Looking to replace my DD; '17 RR HSE turbodiesel...probably my favorite DD ever, but I don't want a Rover past ~90K. My Rovers have all been fine, but I don't tempt fate. Looking at 4wd/good AWD large SUV's with towing capacities ~6k lbs. Looking primarily at MB's, but also other comparable vehicles.

I will miss my diesel; 28mpg, 19mpg towing an old boat.

I do like the looks of the Tahoe, but am concerned about GM's attention to "details" based on my last one. We had a SAAB 97 (Trailblazer) which was fine mechanically, but the vinyl sides of the leather seats started cracking, the radio knob finish peeled, switches failed, etc. all before 40k miles/3 years. That stuff drives me crazy....

Anyone?
Click to expand...
pretty sad that @ 4yrs in and nearing 90k that one has to think about dumping an automobile because of, shall we say less than stellar reliability history..
 
I've put about 70,000km on an '18 Suburban in the last two years. Overall it's been great. The only mechanical issue has been a bit of a brake pulsation, but the brakes on this vehicle definitely see severe conditions on a semi-regular basis. Also, it seems there was an issue with the initial A/C charge or lack thereof from factory. I had that resolved under warranty in the spring of '19 and haven't had issues since. I do notice what sounds like a bit of an exhaust tick under load at low RPM. In fairness, that may be related to the deer I ran over.

It's trimmed in cloth, so I can't chime in on the durability of the leather. I like the factory infotainment system. It's nice to be able to load an SD card with podcasts and throw it in the slot in the centre console, and Android Auto/Waze is handy.

Based on my experience with the Suburban, I would strongly consider a new or new-ish Tahoe if our Explorer were to pack it in today.

I've also spent a fair bit of time behind the wheel of a '15 Tahoe, which is the same body style as what you're looking at. Again, cloth interior on that one, and the only issue to speak of has been brakes (again, undersized for severe use), and recalls.
 
2014 thru 2020 Tahoes (Police version) in our law enforcement fleet used as K9 vehicles. They run 12 hour shifts and are never shut down to keep the dogs in a climate controlled environment. When they are deployed it’s flat out high speed. No problems. Then we have the civilian Tahoes (LTZ or Premiere) for Command Staff. No problems. All are 5.3 engines. Edit: We do have a strict PM program and expect no less than 100% compliance.
 
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Some have cross-shopped the KIA Telluride, if you don't need towing capacity and BOF. I have a 2018 Silverado Crew Cab LTZ-fully loaded. Leather, Bose, crash avoidance, etc. The vehicle is two years old and the driver's seat is wearing, the paint is garbage and the MSRP was $54,000.00. My wife's 2017 Santa Fe XL Limited that is three years old with leather (with more miles than the Silverado) shows no sign of wear on the Leather, and the paint is still almost perfect. And it was $12,000 less (sell price) than the Silverado.

I am waiting for the New Toyota Tundra coming out next year-and will also be looking at the F150 and RAM.

All I am saying is good luck and choose wisely.
 
I would avoid the GM 8 speed like the plague. I believe the Tahoe they had the 6 or 10 speed, but if you start looking at Yukons then beware. Also, have you considered the Expedition?
 
Thanks all.

" The vehicle is two years old and the driver's seat is wearing, the paint is garbage and the MSRP was $54,000.00. ", this is my experience and exactly what I am concerned about.

The Fords don't do anything for me. It is pretty much between the GM's, the MB GLS and maybe another RR diesel, but I prefer something different. I drove the MB and it was competent but a bit bland...and I do not like the all flat screen gauges on the newest model so I may be looking for a 2019/2020. The steering was numb though. It is an SUV so I wasn't expecting a ton of feel or feedback, but it felt like I was just turning a very big control knob....which I guess I was:)

I like the Atlas, but towing capacity is a bit light. Wife also didn't like the seats, odd as she is usually a VW fan.
 
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Avoid Magneride (RPO code Z95). When Magneride shocks/struts go bad they make it ride worse than an old dump truck, and they are expensive. OE list is about $700 a piece. For older models the aftermarket has come out with kits to delete it, but the last time I looked for a customer's K2XX Yukon Denali a few months ago I couldn't find anything. The customer was complaining that it rode worse than his lifted 1 ton truck and specifically asked if there was a way to get rid of it.
 
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I wouldn't trust the leather on a Tahoe to last for several years. A co-worker has a late model Tahoe, maybe a 2010-2012, and the leather on the bottom portion of the driver's seat is totally destroyed to the point that the foam is coming out of it. The co-worker daily drives their Tahoe, and is not overweight or anything of the sort. The seat just didn't hold up.

Have you looked at a Toyota Sequoia?
 
ryster said:
I wouldn't trust the leather on a Tahoe to last for several years. A co-worker has a late model Tahoe, maybe a 2010-2012, and the leather on the bottom portion of the driver's seat is totally destroyed to the point that the foam is coming out of it. The co-worker daily drives their Tahoe, and is not overweight or anything of the sort. The seat just didn't hold up.

Have you looked at a Toyota Sequoia?
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Haven't looked at the Sequoia, did look at the Land Cruisers...great vehicles, but big $$ and a bit bland. I like the 4 Runner, but towing capacity is marginal for my needs.
 
Any Toyota, VW, etc., will have a woefully low payload figure compared to the F150.
 
My wife has a 2017 Yukon XL Denali we bought new and it now has 67,xxx miles on it. It’s been overall troublefree. The leather is in good shape and the interior is still pretty solid. It had a recall or TSB for the ac condenser, a trans fluid flush to fix a shudder and I think a brake control module reprogrammed. They also replaced the engine oil cooler lines under warranty when it was in for one of the above TSBs. I put front rotors and pads on it around 60k. It’s had an intermittent check engine light lately for a trans temp sensor that was a known issue and a TSB issued for 2015-2016 models and I need to contact the dealer to see if they’ll fix mine under that TSB. It hasn’t been perfect but it has about 8,000 lb tow capacity and seating for 7 with storage behind the rear seats. Very few vehicles meet those criteria-Expedition Max/ Navigator and the Suburban/Yukon XL/Escalade ESV. Let me know if you have any questions.
 
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