Looking to buy new 2017 Yukon

[New to GMC]

Hello, first post,

MY wife is enamored with yukons, suburbans & tahoes. She currently drives a 2011 for explorer and we are looking to replace it with possibly a Yukon by the end of the year.
Today is my first day lurking the threads and was surprised to read about all the buffeting/vibration issues!
Is this happening regardless if its standard wheel based vs, longer XL? or 18" inch wheel vs. larger?

I am a very conservative vehicle buyer, tend to keep them for long and certainly don't want to buy a platform that is having issues.

What are other know'n issues on the '17?

My plan is to order a base yukon, 4WD, white with beige cloth interior, stickers around $53K is it realistic to expect a price of about $40K plus TTL? I can tap into some GM retirees if needed to get an employee equivalent discount.

Also, if I do order, should I go with higher than the standard 3.07 gears?

Or, maybe I should rethink the whole yukon and at least wait and see the new FORD expedition coming out end of the year?

Appreciate any advise.

Thanks,

 

[Glocksub]

Welcome to the forum. I'll give you my advice, based on several months of research here and on other forums, as well as my own experience in these vehicles. I do not own one, so my impressions of their road manners are based on two or three extensive test drives. I'm also not a GM fanboy, or Ford or Dodge.....I've owned pickups and suvs of varying models covering all three brands.

The buffeting, vibration and pressure issues are occurring over both short and long wheelbase models. At first I believed most problems were in conjunction with 22" oem wheels, but I've seen other info here and elsewhere that proves the issues aren't specific to that. The cabin on these things are so airtight, coupled with the thin sheet metal, roof rail issues and crappy factory tires....it creates the sensation of being inside a base drum in extreme cases (with the buffeting and pressure). Changing to nice Michelins has helped some people, some it has done little or nothing for them. Updated body mounts were hopeful for 2017, and I've read those aren't working out to be a fix either. I've also seen extensive posts about AC failures, which supports some owner data on 2015/2016 models I found on a consumer reports type site.

If I were to decide to purchase one, I'd get the 3.42 rear end. I've not driven one with the 3.08 but the 3.42 to me seems like a good match for either wheelbase, I wouldn't want it to have any less acceleration off of a dead stop than it already does and 3.08 would certainly be a difference.

As for pricing, the very best price I've ever seen on a 4wd Yukon SLE is at Laura Buick GMC in IL, which was around $44k, it had no added options and had a 3.08 rear end, as most of the SLE's they order as of late seem to have. I'd imagine anything close to $40k (if that's possible for someone not connected in some way to GM) on that would not come until the end of this year when they are ordering and receiving 2018's.....unless you have a connection/employee discount somehow.

The only other bit of advice I'd offer.....people here and elsewhere will tell you to go and test drive several yukons in the trim and configuration you want until you find one that doesn't display any of the problems above. I'm not knocking them or that advice in any way, I understand the reasoning behind it. But a vehicle that I should drive multiple examples of in order to find a "good" one......odds aren't in my favor that particular vehicle purchase is going to end up being a pleasant ownership experience. So, maybe I shouldn't be thinking of buying a truck that I need to go out and drive x number of them before I find one that doesn't seem to have problems already....on a brand new truck mind you. That's where I am with the idea of one of these. As much as I like the interior and exterior styling, I'm not sure yet that I want to gamble on the possibility for the hassles and irritation of the problems. Been there and done that.

 

[sam123]

Hello, first post,

MY wife is enamored with yukons, suburbans & tahoes. She currently drives a 2011 for explorer and we are looking to replace it with possibly a Yukon by the end of the year.
Today is my first day lurking the threads and was surprised to read about all the buffeting/vibration issues!
Is this happening regardless if its standard wheel based vs, longer XL? or 18" inch wheel vs. larger?

I am a very conservative vehicle buyer, tend to keep them for long and certainly don't want to buy a platform that is having issues.

What are other know'n issues on the '17?

My plan is to order a base yukon, 4WD, white with beige cloth interior, stickers around $53K is it realistic to expect a price of about $40K plus TTL? I can tap into some GM retirees if needed to get an employee equivalent discount.

Also, if I do order, should I go with higher than the standard 3.07 gears?

Or, maybe I should rethink the whole yukon and at least wait and see the new FORD expedition coming out end of the year?

Appreciate any advise.

Thanks,

Having both a suburban and a Yukon and going on extensive test drives with both I can say that the problem affects both short and long wheel base. However, if you carefully test drive (drive at all speeds) and are flexible with options/color, you can find a perfect truck like I did. Both of mine have the 20in wheels with conti tires and they've been riding amazing. Also I don't think GM offers 3.07 gears on the truck it's 3.08. I would 100% recommend going with the 3.41/heavy duty tow package. The 3.08 only allows you to tow around 6,500 lbs while the 3.41 feels quicker and you can tow 8,300 lbs.

I would also recommend waiting for the expedition later this year, it seems to have more family friendly features (sliding back seats for more room, etc) and it has a significantly better third row seat and cargo volume due to its suspension design.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Tahoe14]

Its 3.08 and 3.42.

 

[New to GMC]

Thanks to all!

I agree glocksub: I don't care to test drive multiple specimens in an effort to find a "good" one, LOL, these things should come out almost perfect from the factory.

Good info on the gearing, if I do decide to buy one, I'll probably order a base yukon 4WD with 3.42.

Wife would like leather, but I'm not about to spend another ~10K in options that allows me to add leather, maybe I could find some leather take-offs or quality aftermarket leather skins, like katzins?

 

[chicagofan00]

A few others on this forum have installed the katzins leather and have liked it.

 

[Glocksub]

Thanks to all!

I agree glocksub: I don't care to test drive multiple specimens in an effort to find a "good" one, LOL, these things should come out almost perfect from the factory.

Good info on the gearing, if I do decide to buy one, I'll probably order a base yukon 4WD with 3.42.

Wife would like leather, but I'm not about to spend another ~10K in options that allows me to add leather, maybe I could find some leather take-offs or quality aftermarket leather skins, like katzins?

The katzkins are great. I had a set in my 2015 1500 and also in my current truck. They wear better than factory Chevrolet leather seats. The 1500 I had previously had all the options I wanted aside from leather, and I paid $1k for that truck to be outfitted in katzkin, which was far cheaper than the same truck in an LTZ which had options I didn't care about enough to pay for.

 

[sam123]

Thanks to all!

I agree glocksub: I don't care to test drive multiple specimens in an effort to find a "good" one, LOL, these things should come out almost perfect from the factory.

Good info on the gearing, if I do decide to buy one, I'll probably order a base yukon 4WD with 3.42.

Wife would like leather, but I'm not about to spend another ~10K in options that allows me to add leather, maybe I could find some leather take-offs or quality aftermarket leather skins, like katzins?

If you go base, you don't get memory seats and only a tilt wheel. Just something to keep in mind

 

[Denali132]

Who does the Katzin? I have leather in my Suburban but if it's a lot nicer I may consider it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Glocksub]

Who does the Katzin? I have leather in my Suburban but if it's a lot nicer I may consider it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

My dealer had it done in my last Chevy pickup, by a company locally that I'd never heard of that does nothing but vehicle customizations, mainly interior. I had my current truck done by the same sort of shop that puts katzkin in vehicles for most of the car dealers in my area.

You should be able to search for auto upholstery shops near you and find some who are katzkin dealers, and the katzkin site I believe has a dealer locater there.