Well, it's that time. Wife and I are beating each other up (no, not literally) over which vehicle to purchase. We have about 6 - 8 weeks to decide.

Basically, the options we have narrowed it down to:

1. GMC Yukon Denali (My 1st Choice)
2. Mercedes Benz GLE 350 (Her 1st Choice) **We currently have this vehicle, we'd just be getting a new one and she really likes it.
3. BMW X5 (Nice car and we both like it, but a little small for my liking)


We had a coin flip last week and she won. However, she said I could pick the vehicle of my choice, but it had to be in Tricoat Frost White -- I want Black. We both love black cars and currently have a black vehicle, so I'm not sure why she flipped on this one.

Does anyone here have a Tahoe/Yukon/Denali and if so, any thoughts on the matter? I've wanted one for years and am on the cusp of being able to win her over.

If anyone here has an X5, I'd also be happy to hear your thoughts on it.

Cheers

GMC is one massive car. Would not fit in old European cities. I can see why you would call the X5 tiny

As for the Benz and X5, both are fine cars, but SUV's aren't my thing. I myself have a beamer and like it, a fine car.

Good luck with your decision and let us know.

(and just out of curiosity, will your current car explode in 8 weeks and that's why you need to replace that in that timeframe)

Dutchy wrote:

GMC is one massive car. Would not fit in old European cities. I can see why you would call the X5 tiny

As for the Benz and X5, both are fine cars, but SUV's aren't my thing. I myself have a beamer and like it, a fine car.

Good luck with your decision and let us know.

(and just out of curiosity, will your current car explode in 8 weeks and that's why you need to replace that in that timeframe)

I'm having the last covered maintenance done on one of our cars at the end of August and will get rid of it at that point. Time frame is a little negotiable, but I'd like to get another one in 6-8 weeks or so (at least that's our goal).

We're heading to Europe from Sept 1-9, so maybe the wife and I will have plenty of time to hash it out on the flights if we don't decide and purchase before we go

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

GMC is one massive car. Would not fit in old European cities. I can see why you would call the X5 tiny

As for the Benz and X5, both are fine cars, but SUV's aren't my thing. I myself have a beamer and like it, a fine car.

Good luck with your decision and let us know.

(and just out of curiosity, will your current car explode in 8 weeks and that's why you need to replace that in that timeframe)

I'm having the last covered maintenance done on one of our cars at the end of August and will get rid of it at that point. Time frame is a little negotiable, but I'd like to get another one in 6-8 weeks or so (at least that's our goal).

We're heading to Europe from Sept 1-9, so maybe the wife and I will have plenty of time to hash it out on the flights if we don't decide and purchase before we go

Alright, have a great time in Europe, which countries are you going to visit.

I've sat in the XT5 at the Cadillac House in NYC. Was very impressed with it. Can you wait till MY18 for the possible XT4 to come out?

My girlfriend used to have an X5 M. As a SUV it pretty much ticked all the boxes and it was actually fun to drive (I stress by SUV standards). If the size isn't a deal breaker for you I'd say consider the X5. Plus it looks great in both black and white.

If it's a SUV you're looking for, there is only one: The Range Rover. Everything else is a poor substitute.

But I'm a bit puzzled how you can find the X5 a bit on the small side; it has seats for 7 (if you option it), which begs the question: How many people are you planning on carrying around on a regular basis?

My recommendation would be to ditch the thought of a SUV and get a wagon instead, if you really need a lot space inside to carry stuff. BMW does an excellent 5-series, Volvo has a very fine V90 on offer, or you could go nuts and get an Audi RS6. All of them (even the Audi!) will drive much, much better than any SUV you could think of, is much better looking, far less offensive to your fellow motorists and quite a bit more economical. Of course, if you suffer from SPS, things might be different

I've just picked up a Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Very nice car,

Agree, have a look at the Range Rover / Land Rover if your heart is set on a SUV.

Just skip X5 and pick from first two. My preference would be Denali. If you want to extend the search try Audi Q7 or Acura MDX.

Black is too much work, go with white or silver.

If you like the X5 but find it a tad small and want European look at the Volvo XC90 or the Audi Q7, both of these are better vehicles than the rather old, outdated and close to replacement vehicles (X5 and GLE) and just plain nasty (Denali) on your list.

dtw2hyd wrote:

Just skip X5 and pick from first two. My preference would be Denali. If you want to extend the search try Audi Q7 or Acura MDX.

Black is too much work, go with white or silver.

Why skip the Beamer? The Audi and Benz fall in the same category.

Why not go all exclusive: Jaguar F-PACE

B777LRF wrote:

But I'm a bit puzzled how you can find the X5 a bit on the small side; it has seats for 7 (if you option it), which begs the question: How many people are you planning on carrying around on a regular basis?

Row 3 in an X5 is tight even for some the size of the average 10 year old, it's also a real prick to get in to. If you want European and 7 seats there are must better options out there, Q7, XC90, LR Discovery.

Dutchy wrote:

dtw2hyd wrote:

Just skip X5 and pick from first two. My preference would be Denali. If you want to extend the search try Audi Q7 or Acura MDX.

Black is too much work, go with white or silver.

Why skip the Beamer? The Audi and Benz fall in the same category.

Why not go all exclusive: Jaguar F-PACE

Q7 is a lot bigger than X5 and F-Pace is smaller than X5, it's just a tad bigger than the X3, Q5, Macan sized vehicles.

Kiwirob wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

dtw2hyd wrote:

Just skip X5 and pick from first two. My preference would be Denali. If you want to extend the search try Audi Q7 or Acura MDX.

Black is too much work, go with white or silver.

Why skip the Beamer? The Audi and Benz fall in the same category.

Why not go all exclusive: Jaguar F-PACE

Q7 is a lot bigger than X5 and F-Pace is smaller than X5, it's just a tad bigger than the X3, Q5, Macan sized vehicles.

Sure, we don't know how many seat Frisco wants and I think for a SUV this is a nice looking car and well made.

Dutchy wrote:

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

GMC is one massive car. Would not fit in old European cities. I can see why you would call the X5 tiny

As for the Benz and X5, both are fine cars, but SUV's aren't my thing. I myself have a beamer and like it, a fine car.

Good luck with your decision and let us know.

(and just out of curiosity, will your current car explode in 8 weeks and that's why you need to replace that in that timeframe)

I'm having the last covered maintenance done on one of our cars at the end of August and will get rid of it at that point. Time frame is a little negotiable, but I'd like to get another one in 6-8 weeks or so (at least that's our goal).

We're heading to Europe from Sept 1-9, so maybe the wife and I will have plenty of time to hash it out on the flights if we don't decide and purchase before we go

Alright, have a great time in Europe, which countries are you going to visit.

Thank you boss. Heading to Italy (Amalfi Coast/Capri) and Dublin, Ireland.

I don't want to end up quoting everyone's post on here for the sake of space, so I'll try to reply with some thoughts.

-I'll definitely look into the Infiniti Q7 as Kiwiwrob noted as they do look very nice. I'm not sure how the Denali is 'nasty'. It actually has more features than any of the 'foreign luxury' vehicles we've looked at (BMW, Mercedes, etc).

-We do love the Range Rover, but not the Discovery. I like the full sized Range Rover and my wife prefers the Range Rover Sport. I'm ok with the Sport, but either way, loaded to my wife's specs, it's just too expensive for our budget right now.

-I will need to look and do some reading on the Jaguar F-PACE. I honestly know nothing about it, but I'd be happy to learn. Based on others thoughts, it may be a bit small, but I'll read up on it. Thank you for that info, Dutchy.

-I prefer 7 seats (which the Denali has), but we can get away with 5 (which we currently have). We do not have children, but do drive friends around going to dinner and whatnot. I like having the option of towing more people around if need be.

-Unfortunately, can't stomach the thought of a Wagon.....Unless it's a Mercedes G-Wagon, but again, that's a few years out of our price range

-Not crazy about the Acura MDX. Everyone in our neighborhood has one and our neighbor runs the local Acura Dealership in Plano. Of course, he has wanted us to get one for years, but he's already got most of our neighbors, so we'll pass


Appreciate all the feedback everyone. I will be taking a look at/reading up on the Q7 and Jaguar.

Audi Q7 not Infinity, and you really should take a look at the Volvo XC90, it has hands down the best SUV interior this side of the full size Range Rover.

Kiwirob wrote:

Audi Q7 not Infinity, and you really should take a look at the Volvo XC90, it has hands down the best SUV interior this side of the full size Range Rover.

Sorry, for some reason my head was saying Audi, but my hands were typing Infiniti!

Will research this morning.

Any chance you'd care to list the things you require from this new vehicle? (seat count, ride height, engine size, mileage, etc.)

We might be able to come up with more things you haven't considered.

Calder wrote:

Any chance you'd care to list the things you require from this new vehicle? (seat count, ride height, engine size, mileage, etc.)

We might be able to come up with more things you haven't considered.

That's a very good question. For better or worse, we do not have things narrowed down that way. We go on the look and feel of the vehicle.

5 seats is plenty, but I do like that the Yukon Denali has 7 seats. The Yukon also has a standard 420 HP engine, so plenty of power there and while I love that, it isn't the determining factor.

Ultimately, we want a stylish, rather large SUV that is comfortable. The Denali's comfort is top notch and has plenty of room. The Mercedes or BMW are a little more sporty in their handling and look, but come with a decent amount of room, although I like bigger.

As of this morning, the battle rages on. Though we are going to take a look at couple of other peoples' suggestions above..

If you want 7 to travel comfortably on long trips go with Denali. It is not nasty, just makes you look part of a security detail, particularly the black ones.

Third row is an after thought for many foreign crossovers. Headrest almost touches tailgate glass. Third row doesn't even offer LATCH, because some states won't allow kids in third row (haven't verified this rule).

MDX is very low maintenance.

dtw2hyd wrote:

If you want 7 to travel comfortably on long trips go with Denali. It is not nasty, just makes you look part of a security detail, particularly the black ones.

Third row is an after thought for many foreign crossovers. Headrest almost touches tailgate glass. Third row doesn't even offer LATCH, because some states won't allow kids in third row (haven't verified this rule).

MDX is very low maintenance.

Yes, MDX is a low maintenance, which is always a good thing.

I have a 2015 X5M. I am not really an SUV guy, but I play polo and need the cargo hauling capability for tack, as well as needing all-wheel-drive given that it can get a little muddy at the club stables. The M is certainly a beast of a vehicle, SUV or otherwise, and great to drive, but is a 6 figure vehicle, so I presume you are looking for one of the more mainstream models with the six cylinder. We had an X-drive 35i as a rental for a week in San Francisco, and even though it was lightly optioned, I found it to be a perfectly fine vehicle, and a pleasure to drive. I, like you, live in the DFW area, so vehicle size is not all that much of a concern. However, even here I personally find the scale of the X5 (or the Merc you mention) is preferable to the larger GM twins. If you have to park in parking garages, or come to the downtown/uptown area much, you will appreciate the somewhat tidier exterior proportions of the Germans.

I do not have much experience with the Yukon personally, but a good friend of ours has a 2 year old one that is literally falling apart (at least in the interior, I am not sure whether he has had that
many mechanical issues).

As it regards the Range Rovers, we have owned 5 (all of which have been my husband's daily driver). They have all been money pits. Having had the pleasure of paying the cost of repairs, I feel like I can say that the stereotype of their "quality" is based in fact. That said, they are amazing off-roaders, and we used every one of ours for that purpose. Nevertheless, unless you plan to be slogging through swamps or rock climbing, buy something else unless you just want the cachet of the brand for valet-stand cred. We recently replaced our last Rover (a 2012 Autobiography) with a 2017 Ford Raptor, and don't know that we will go back to Rover.

DucatiRacer wrote:

I have a 2015 X5M. I am not really an SUV guy, but I play polo and need the cargo hauling capability for tack, as well as needing all-wheel-drive given that it can get a little muddy at the club stables. The M is certainly a beast of a vehicle, SUV or otherwise, and great to drive, but is a 6 figure vehicle, so I presume you are looking for one of the more mainstream models with the six cylinder. We had an X-drive 35i as a rental for a week in San Francisco, and even though it was lightly optioned, I found it to be a perfectly fine vehicle, and a pleasure to drive. I, like you, live in the DFW area, so vehicle size is not all that much of a concern. However, even here I personally find the scale of the X5 (or the Merc you mention) is preferable to the larger GM twins. If you have to park in parking garages, or come to the downtown/uptown area much, you will appreciate the somewhat tidier exterior proportions of the Germans.

I do not have much experience with the Yukon personally, but a good friend of ours has a 2 year old one that is literally falling apart (at least in the interior, I am not sure whether he has had that
many mechanical issues).

As it regards the Range Rovers, we have owned 5 (all of which have been my husband's daily driver). They have all been money pits. Having had the pleasure of paying the cost of repairs, I feel like I can say that the stereotype of their "quality" is based in fact. That said, they are amazing off-roaders, and we used every one of ours for that purpose. Nevertheless, unless you plan to be slogging through swamps or rock climbing, buy something else unless you just want the cachet of the brand for valet-stand cred. We recently replaced our last Rover (a 2012 Autobiography) with a 2017 Ford Raptor, and don't know that we will go back to Rover.

Very good insights and much appreciated. We did test drive the X5 and found it to be very nice and I'd be ok with one if the wife really wants it. Luckily, we both work from home and put about 7,500 miles per year on our vehicle combined, so parking the Yukon wouldn't really be an issue and we take immaculate care of our cars.

We'd love an Autobiography Range Rover, but like you said, it's a bit out of our price range -- trying to stick to around $65-75K.

We'd love an Autobiography Range Rover, but like you said, it's a bit out of our price range -- trying to stick to around $65-75K.[/quote]

This is the first time I have heard of the "Autobiography Range Rover" model so I looked it up and it looks quite nice.

I lived in North Texas until 2013 and Frisco has definitely become quite the small city. Nowadays one probably needs to drive a high end vehicle to fit in...LOL.

Up until last month I was driving a 2005 PT Cruiser that was a great car but was rather boring. Thankfully the engine finally went out, forcing me to buy a new vehicle so after much searching I purchased a pre-owned 2013 Volvo XC60 with only 26,000 miles for $19,000. Car is super clean inside and out with nice features so my wife and I are very happy with it.

Good luck regarding your car search!

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Does anyone here have a Tahoe/Yukon/Denali and if so, any thoughts on the matter? I've wanted one for years and am on the cusp of being able to win her over.


Cheers

I don't own one, but my brother in law does, well it's his wife's daily driver, i've driven it from the bay up to Tahoe a few times, how to put this correctly......It is a great truck, for 99% of the time it will make you happy, for the 1% it will drive you bats**t crazy.....It is very comfortable, but, you can tell it was built to a budget, everything you see and touch at first looks good, but after a short time, heck how to explain this, I don't want to say cheap because the last thing a Denali is is cheap....Unsatisfactory ???? That may be the right word....Oh heck, go to a dealership, sit in one for a while, to me, it's just not as good as it could be and for $70k plus it should be.....Oh and the gear selector....seriously, that thing has more play in it than my old FS98 joystick.

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Ultimately, we want a stylish, rather large SUV that is comfortable. The Denali's comfort is top notch and has plenty of room. The Mercedes or BMW are a little more sporty in their handling and look, but come with a decent amount of room, although I like bigger.

As of this morning, the battle rages on. Though we are going to take a look at couple of other peoples' suggestions above..

If you want comfort, style and a little bit of sporty, look at the new XC90 as someone mentioned, we own/have owned some high end cars (E500, VW Phaeton, Alfa Giulia) but the best car bar none for long distance driving was a Volvo S60R, the seats in that thing should just be copied by every manufacturer.

DucatiRacer wrote:

As it regards the Range Rovers, we have owned 5 (all of which have been my husband's daily driver). They have all been money pits. Having had the pleasure of paying the cost of repairs, I feel like I can say that the stereotype of their "quality" is based in fact. That said, they are amazing off-roaders, and we used every one of ours for that purpose. Nevertheless, unless you plan to be slogging through swamps or rock climbing, buy something else unless you just want the cachet of the brand for valet-stand cred. We recently replaced our last Rover (a 2012 Autobiography) with a 2017 Ford Raptor, and don't know that we will go back to Rover.

Totally agree, the Rover is the best off road SUV bar none.....As long as it doesn't break down on you, which while they have gotten better, they are still not great.

The wife is looking for a replacement for her car, we have it narrowed down to the Jag F-Pace and the Alfa Stelvio both of which I think may be a bit small for your needs, they both seat 4 very comfortably, 5 at a pinch.

Tesla Model X. Some are now starting to appear on the secondhand market, so someone else (probably tesla themselves) have taken the kick in the nuts over the drive-away depreciation.

Could electric and superchargers fit into your life? Range anxiety isn't the issue it was. Power will kick most of the gas trucks you mention into the long grass as the Teslas are hugely fast.

Channex757 wrote:

Tesla Model X. Some are now starting to appear on the secondhand market, so someone else (probably tesla themselves) have taken the kick in the nuts over the drive-away depreciation.

Could electric and superchargers fit into your life? Range anxiety isn't the issue it was. Power will kick most of the gas trucks you mention into the long grass as the Teslas are hugely fast.

We did test drive a Tesla in Arizona last year for the heck of it. Yes, it was very fast. We do like them (and the SUV), but obviously a new one is too costly for us. I'll take a gander and see what's on the used market.

Thanks!

I've been meaning to post a reply, my wife spent a lot of time searching, and we bought a Volvo XC90 in the end, it was a couple grand more than we wanted to spend, but she uses it for business purposes.

To weigh in on the cars you're considering.....

The Yukon is just too big for my taste, our 3rd row is more comfortable than a Yukon, among other little things that were mentioned above. As for what jetwet was saying, I agree, but I would say the items that bother me are uniform across the gm line of all their vehicles. For instance, a buick verano has a green light on the dash that simply indicates there is a car in front of you. Useless, and there are many other things that would annoy me, so i steered clear.

I've not driven the Gle 350, but I did like it. I was just concerned that the maintenance would be super expensive. I really stayed away from the bmw and merc mostly because they are too flashy for me.

We did consider an audi q7, and though the specs are similar, it drove very nice but felt slow....really slow. The volvo drives completely different, and I love that part. The air ride was a plus for us as well, and the infotainment on the volvo is fantastic. In all honesty, everything in the car seems to make sense, like the engineers were required to get approval from a normal person on every aspect. I cant say enough good things, and at the same time I feel the exact opposite way about the GMC Acadia we looked at. The Acadia was 20k cheaper, but as has been said, corners were cut everywhere.

Good luck, if you have specific questions about the XC90 I'm happy to try and help.

This is an odd cross-shop. Nevermind the anecdotal "its falling apart" about <insert brand x here>. You're either going to buy a truck here or a mall crawler.

I question why you even need an SUV when you are throwing less than serious vehicles like the X5 or the GLE into this mix. These cars have worse off-road capabilities in any configuration than a 12 year old baseline equipped QTI WK Grand Cherokee. Frankly, I dont think you care because you live in the most boring metro area in the US topographically speaking that really doesnt see much weather. Its also doubtful that you have any significant payload to tow or you wouldn't even be asking this question so in the end the capability of the vehicle wont really matter to you except maybe the space.

Good luck, if you have specific questions about the XC90 I'm happy to try and help.

I have a question about the XC90. How is that piece of s*** GKN/Haldex-5-style AWD system that attempts to shut down part of the driveline for the sake of fuel economy and interior space on the new XC90 in real life under significant loads? Maybe you can pop down to the Volvo dealer and ask them why Ive already seen a VL propshaft rip when given around a 5k load on a 10deg boat ramp?

Bruh, aint nobody got time for propshafts when you got awesome infotainment!

Totally agree, the Rover is the best off road SUV bar none

Totally agree too, I'd take the RR vs. the 4:10 optioned Rubi and tear it up in any sort of terrain. I mean, who has time for OEM sway disconnects, rock sliders, front and rear lockers and wheel articulation along with departures angles that are only bested by a tractor when you got cooled seats, fully independent suspension and LEDs!!!

Those kinds of statements are made by fools who know nothing about wheeling and only mall crawl. Its debatable even if the non-US Defender could take on stock for stock Rubi as the center-only locker could become a massive hindrance in many situations. Im not sure you could even win an argument that a fully specified RR could take on a similarly equipped WK2 Mopar unit right off the lot.

Audi Q7 not Infinity, and you really should take a look at the Volvo XC90

Infinity does not make cars, however I can recommend their non-OEM speakers.

Why not go all exclusive: Jaguar F-PACE

I'd get it for the water-proof wrist band key. Totally worth it for 50k or so. Its European so it makes sense.

That's all well and good if you are looking for a pure off roader, which Frisco clearly is not.

LOT767301ER wrote:

This is an odd cross-shop. Nevermind the anecdotal "its falling apart" about <insert brand x here>. You're either going to buy a truck here or a mall crawler.

I question why you even need an SUV when you are throwing less than serious vehicles like the X5 or the GLE into this mix. These cars have worse off-road capabilities in any configuration than a 12 year old baseline equipped QTI WK Grand Cherokee. Frankly, I dont think you care because you live in the most boring metro area in the US topographically speaking that really doesnt see much weather. Its also doubtful that you have any significant payload to tow or you wouldn't even be asking this question so in the end the capability of the vehicle wont really matter to you except maybe the space.

Good luck, if you have specific questions about the XC90 I'm happy to try and help.

I have a question about the XC90. How is that piece of s*** GKN/Haldex-5-style AWD system that attempts to shut down part of the driveline for the sake of fuel economy and interior space on the new XC90 in real life under significant loads? Maybe you can pop down to the Volvo dealer and ask them why Ive already seen a VL propshaft rip when given around a 5k load on a 10deg boat ramp?

Bruh, aint nobody got time for propshafts when you got awesome infotainment!

Totally agree, the Rover is the best off road SUV bar none

Totally agree too, I'd take the RR vs. the 4:10 optioned Rubi and tear it up in any sort of terrain. I mean, who has time for OEM sway disconnects, rock sliders, front and rear lockers and wheel articulation along with departures angles that are only bested by a tractor when you got cooled seats, fully independent suspension and LEDs!!!

Those kinds of statements are made by fools who know nothing about wheeling and only mall crawl. Its debatable even if the non-US Defender could take on stock for stock Rubi as the center-only locker could become a massive hindrance in many situations. Im not sure you could even win an argument that a fully specified RR could take on a similarly equipped WK2 Mopar unit right off the lot.

Audi Q7 not Infinity, and you really should take a look at the Volvo XC90

Infinity does not make cars, however I can recommend their non-OEM speakers.

Why not go all exclusive: Jaguar F-PACE

I'd get it for the water-proof wrist band key. Totally worth it for 50k or so. Its European so it makes sense.

Do any of those come with the turbo encabulator....

LOT767301ER wrote:

Infinity does not make cars, however I can recommend their non-OEM speakers.

Infinity is a near-luxury brand of Nissan. QX80 fits the bill.

https://www.infinitiusa.com/vehicles

dtw2hyd wrote:

Infinity is a near-luxury brand of Nissan. QX80 fits the bill.

https://www.infinitiusa.com/vehicles

LOL he was pointing out that it's spelled Infiniti, not Infinity. You missed the comment AND spelled it wrong despite including a URL to their site which has the correct spelling.

LOT767301ER wrote:

This is an odd cross-shop. Nevermind the anecdotal "its falling apart" about <insert brand x here>. You're either going to buy a truck here or a mall crawler.

Hmmm, this style sounds familiar to me. Are you the former LOT767-300ER by any chance?

I like the GLC. It's cheaper and still nice. I have a Jeep and a Range Rover. Neither one is the size you probably want.

How about a Grand Cherokee? The new ones are quite large - too big for me. You can get a loaded one with an 8-12k discount now. To me, the Grand Cherokee is still a prestigious vehicle.

Denali. I'm looking at them now. My dad has a Tahoe LTZ, we're biased.

-Rowen

What about a Range Rover Velar? That's a very nice SUV. It may be a wait to get one though.

Jaguar F-Pace is also nice.

res77W wrote:

Denali. I'm looking at them now. My dad has a Tahoe LTZ, we're biased.

-Rowen

I think that would be a good choice, but would suggest that you look a buying after your European trip as there might be some very good EOY rebates at that time.

I live in Tulsa and don't drive that much so I'm thinking on the low milage leases in the future. I've had my current Encore since August and only have 4,000 miles on it - even with a 1,200 mile trip to Houston - so that will probably work for me.

Good luck, if you have specific questions about the XC90 I'm happy to try and help.

I have a question about the XC90. How is that piece of s*** GKN/Haldex-5-style AWD system that attempts to shut down part of the driveline for the sake of fuel economy and interior space on the new XC90 in real life under significant loads? Maybe you can pop down to the Volvo dealer and ask them why Ive already seen a VL propshaft rip when given around a 5k load on a 10deg boat ramp?

Bruh, aint nobody got time for propshafts when you got awesome infotainment!

Are you really saying that a vehicle can't be good unless it's built on a 1970's chevrolet frame type chassis with a transfer case? That's ridiculous! And please tell me you haven't seen a broken cv shaft on a chevy pickup. I'm sorry to say but I have a towing vehicle, and my Volvo will never tow.

Nothing against the op, and I'm not bashing tahoes or yukons, they are very nice vehicles, just not my choice.

Good day,

Sorry, for the lack of replying -- I've been out of town for a few days.

LOT767301ER,

I'm not looking to go off roading every weekend, so while I would get 4 Wheel Drive, that isn't the primary purpose or even the secondary purpose. I've had the off road lifted truck already, need something a little nicer now .

The primary reason for our choice is the way the vehicle looks, along with it being fairly large.


Thank you for the information dtw2hyd, I will look at the QX80 as well.

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Good day,

Sorry, for the lack of replying -- I've been out of town for a few days.

LOT767301ER,

I'm not looking to go off roading every weekend, so while I would get 4 Wheel Drive, that isn't the primary purpose or even the secondary purpose. I've had the off road lifted truck already, need something a little nicer now .

The primary reason for our choice is the way the vehicle looks, along with it being fairly large.


Thank you for the information dtw2hyd, I will look at the QX80 as well.

You started with a choice of 3, now you are at.....

Dutchy wrote:

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Good day,

Sorry, for the lack of replying -- I've been out of town for a few days.

LOT767301ER,

I'm not looking to go off roading every weekend, so while I would get 4 Wheel Drive, that isn't the primary purpose or even the secondary purpose. I've had the off road lifted truck already, need something a little nicer now .

The primary reason for our choice is the way the vehicle looks, along with it being fairly large.


Thank you for the information dtw2hyd, I will look at the QX80 as well.

You started with a choice of 3, now you are at.....

Haha, indeed. The wife and I will have a lot of test driving to do over the coming few weekends.

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Good day,

Sorry, for the lack of replying -- I've been out of town for a few days.

LOT767301ER,

I'm not looking to go off roading every weekend, so while I would get 4 Wheel Drive, that isn't the primary purpose or even the secondary purpose. I've had the off road lifted truck already, need something a little nicer now .

The primary reason for our choice is the way the vehicle looks, along with it being fairly large.


Thank you for the information dtw2hyd, I will look at the QX80 as well.

You started with a choice of 3, now you are at.....

Haha, indeed. The wife and I will have a lot of test driving to do over the coming few weekends.

Will be interested if you (and your wifes) give us your views and which one it will be.

Dutchy wrote:

FriscoHeavy wrote:

Dutchy wrote:

You started with a choice of 3, now you are at.....

Haha, indeed. The wife and I will have a lot of test driving to do over the coming few weekends.

Will be interested if you (and your wifes) give us your views and which one it will be.

I will be happy to update the forum when we get it. By the time we test drive and decide, it likely be late August to mid September (out of the country the first 9 days of September).

I've looked at the GM large SUVs, and my impression was they are overpriced, and way overpriced at that. Nobody will ever overuse one of those land yachts. It's more car than most people who never tow will ever need. And for the price, the interior quality leaves a lot to be desired. Unlike other manufacturers whose interior fittings usually trickle down, GM borrows from parts bins lower down. To me, that's unacceptable when I'm going to be north of $70k for a car, which is where the Denali specs. For the same money or less you get a better quality car with the XC90, the brand new Discovery (which I just tested a few weeks ago, it's very nice), or one of the German cousins. You may also want to look at a Touareg, which though it wears VW badge sits in some undefined space between VW and Audi. VW is discontinuing the model in the States and you may be able to get a good discount on one. It has a lot of room, though not seven seats, and shares it's platform with the Porsche Cayenne, so it handles very well.

I had both imports and domestic automobiles. Every vehicle has its own merits and demerits.

If it an American brand you tell everyone about the issues and if it is an import/transplant it is a private/personal matter between you and dealership/manufacturer.

luckyone wrote:

You may also want to look at a Touareg, which though it wears VW badge sits in some undefined space between VW and Audi. VW is discontinuing the model in the States and you may be able to get a good discount on one. It has a lot of room, though not seven seats, and shares it's platform with the Porsche Cayenne, so it handles very well.

Even though I own 2 VW's, I would say no to the Touareg, it's way under powered.

dtw2hyd wrote:

I had both imports and domestic automobiles. Every vehicle has its own merits and demerits.

If it an American brand you tell everyone about the issues and if it is an import/transplant it is a private/personal matter between you and dealership/manufacturer.

Really, you don't let your friends know if an import has issues ?

Given your price range I'd go with the car mags and get the Audi Q7. They win the comparos hands down these days and you should be able to find a fully optioned Prestige model for about $75K. You can cram 7 people in it and equally loaded you'll blast past just about anything comparable in a straight line, around the track or in the mountains. And per the SMEs in this world it has the best cockpit around. I personally like the XC90s looks better but if you're leaning towards a Yukon you don't sound like someone who'd spring $70K for a four pot.