I've recently been posting about GMC configurator issues as I try to get the Denali Reserve package (for its SuperCruise, alongside other features) as well as the Premium Capability Package with Active Response 4WD (included with Denali Reserve in MY2024, but separate option for MY2025, with configuration difficulty alongside Duramax).
Starting a new thread here to request advice on Yukon XL engine choice from more experienced members --- between the 6.2L V8 and the 3.0L Duramax (both LM2 on a new-on-lot MY2024 or LZO on new-to-order MY2025 are options). The 5.3L V8 is not under consideration.
Our situation is that we are a one-car family, and this would be our only car for our family of seven. We live in a semi-rural / rural mountain area, with all that typically involves:
(1) Elevation of 4000-5000 feet
(2) Annual snowfall of 3-6 feet
(3) Private gravel roads for the last few miles to our house until paved county roads
(4) Only one GM (Chevy / GMC) dealer / service-center within 1-2 hours of home
(5) Lots of daytime driving, but also significant nighttime driving (it gets dark at 5pm in winter)
(6) Monthly mileage of approximately 3000 miles (yes: 30,000+ miles per year), most of that on highways or rural county roads with little stop-and-go
Also, please assume:
(1) Frequent oil/filter changes
(2) All recommended maintenance done on schedule
(3) Disable of auto-start/stop technology
The high mileage is a particular cause of concern for us, given that there doesn't appear to be any bullet-proof engine for a new Yukon (XL) --- they all have different (seemingly early) failure modes. This post looks for advice on which is the one that might best meet our needs.
Due to concerns over engine reliability, as well as how quickly new safety features are being introduced for cars now-a-days, we plan to replace this Yukon XL after 2--3 years (with a new large SUV, probably another Yukon XL), since that would be 60,000 -- 90,000 miles.
We figure that all warranties will expire (in our case) based on mileage, rather than calendar years, so we view them as follows (when driving 30k+ miles per year):
(1) Bumper-to-bumper (@ 36k miles): Good for 1-year for us
(2) Powertrain (@ 60k miles): Good for 2-years for us
(3) GM Protection Plan (8-yr/100k Platinum): Good for 3-year for us
I'll be purchasing the above GM Protection Plan at the same time as the SUV (not necessarily from same dealer, though, as I've read on this forum which dealers often most aggressive pricing for GMPP).
Our significant concern is to avoid ever being stranded --- this is particularly top-of-mind for my wife, when she's driving kids around when I'm not also in the car. That's the reason we have in mind to only keep the car for three years, so we'll at least have some GMPP left for that third year.
Even so, I've read about very long (180 day?!?) wait times for engine replacement even under original warranty (especially with 6.2L), which gives us anxiety, as there are very few available loaner cars that will accommodate all of us safely. That's also driving the push for us to plan / budget for early replacement with another new SUV after just a few years.
But more than anything, we want to think hard about the gas vs. Duramax engine choice, given recent reports of the NHTSA investigation into the 870k 6.2L V8 engines. If reliability were the same, we'd definitely get the 6.2L V8, as my wife prefers that (given past familiarity with gas engines) and she'll be doing more of the driving (for kids' pickup/dropoff/activities). But reliability is going to probably end up driving this choice more than anything.
Please completely ignore the following factors in engine preference:
(1) Resale value between different engines (ie, cost)
(2) Fuel mileage between different engines (ie, cost)
(3) Towing benefits of Duramax (we tow very occasionally to never)
(4) Longer-term engine reliability (ie, above 150k miles, since we plan to replace at 3-years, well before that mileage)
Along with your opinion on engine choice, I'd really appreciate if you could provide an explanation for why you think that way. Finally, if you vote for the Duramax, please let me know if you have a preference between the LM2 vs. LZ0.
Thanks so much for reading such a long post, and providing your thoughts.
I just traded a 2011 GMC Yukon Denali XL. It had 203,000 miles on it. The only differences I have from you is 7 kids, 5,000 feet, and a Queen. No mountains, just hills. Lots of in-town driving, but in Dallas that is a bunch of freeways to get to the in-town driving.
Your thread assumes that things, LOTS of things, will go bad on these vehicles. That is just NOT TRUE for almost all of these vehicles and the vast majority of drivers. I have owned Suburbans and Yukons since 1984. I have put between 200,000 to 300,000(only one of these) miles on all of them. I found ALL of them to be trouble free. No drivetrain problems. No engine problems. No pump problems. No computer problems.
Speaking specifically about my last one, a 2011 200,000 mile loaded GMC Yukon Denali XL, the only one with the 6.2 with the deadly cylinder deactivation feature that supposedly got me tons of extra mpg when in V4 mode. I kept hoping it would go out so I could replace the heads and let me put more cam in it. Never happened. So now I will disclose, in excruciating detail, all the problems I had with it.
I replaced a broken front sway bar and the MagnaRide shocks, both at about 180,000 miles. The shocks were fine, but it was due about 15,000 miles of road trips coming in the next year, so what the hell. I added a rear sway bar at that time as well. I noticed that the rear leveling part of the MagnaRides was not working, so I replaced the air compressor. I replaced two of the dreaded broken exhaust manifold bolts only because I saw, never heard, they were broken at about 60,000 miles. I had it aligned twice. I changed filters at 5,000 miles and oil/filters at 10,000 miles. I replaced brake pads three times (never had to touch the rotors). I replaced belts and hoses and changed the radiator fluid at the same time at around 120,000 miles (preventive maintenance). When I remembered I would grease what few Zerk fittings it had. It used no, as in zero, as in nil, oil between changes. I did replace transmission fluid and filter at around 120,000 miles, but only because I felt sorry for it.
I did nothing else, as in NOTHING ELSE, to ANYTHING. EVERYTHING worked. INCLUDING cylinder deactivation. ALL the way. I hated to sell it, but was afraid of the road trips. I figured somethiing was due to break. I was also afraid of the Queen.
Now someone may say that was very unusual. I call BS on that. All of my others since 1984 have performed the exact same way.
This forum is a very small subset of people that really do have problems. It happens. But it can seem in a forum that it happens to everyone. Don't let anyone scare you away from a new GMC Yukon Denali XL. Good luck with finding something else. Ford? Jeep? The Queen hated them both.
AS for the engine, the 6.2 has been around a looong time. The Duramax? Let's just say I would get nowhere near a deisel unles I was towing and working out of a 3/4 ton+ truck.
The downside to a new Yukon may be the transmission. It reminds me of the newly introduced 700r4 days. One of the weakest transmissions in its early days. It is now one of the best and most reliable transmissions out there. Put one in my 1961 Chevrolet TPI Apache 10.
My take on it from 55+ years of driving automatics. GM had some time to get real world problems with their 10-speed. You never mentioned that. They have them worked out for the most part. I have a 2021 Ford 10-speed that works better, I think, than my 2023 Yukon 10 speed. But they both have had plenty of time to get the real world problems sorted through. So don't worry about that.
I bought the extended warranty because I am scared to death of the electronics, as anyone should be these days.
So if you want to worry about something, worry about the 10-speed. Worry about the 20 computers all plugged together trying to interpret who to take orders from and who is in charge anyway. I think you are overworrying 200,000 trouble free miles. And you are only talking 90,000 miles.
You are wasting a bunch of reliability.
OK, someone jump me.
