2018 Expo VS 2021 Tahoe test drive.
- Thread starter Deadman
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Deadman
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Ya the pre-21 GM's do nothing for me..... Especially that 1950's style rear axle! lol
jastevenson
Well-Known Member
Which rear suspension did you drive in the Tahoe. They have 3! Steel springs And regular shocks, steel springs with magnetic shocks, and air suspension.
The higher end ones cost crazy money, so I’d be keen to see a vase springs vs base springs comparison.
The higher end ones cost crazy money, so I’d be keen to see a vase springs vs base springs comparison.
Deadman
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This was a High Country, so it had Magnaride. Magnetic shocks.
It was a little firmer than my CCD Expedition Max, but the lateral stability was 100X improved. I'm waiting until the air suspension comes out and then I'll grab a XL Denali with it.
I did order an aftermarket front sway bar for my Expedition now, so that MIGHT fix the annoying lateral stability in bumps. If that truly and completely fixes it, my wife would probably buy a Platinum Expedition. The sway bar results will dictate her selection.
carymccarr
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Momentum probably. People just rolling their old lease into a new one etc. plus the interior of the ‘15-20 Denali is pretty nice compared to the expy IMO.
Mike Wolfe
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I have driven several generations of Escalades that our company owns
Recently drove a 2020 model
Typically driven about 60 miles on I-44 in Missouri
They are very anemic, downshift frequently on every hill & are very noisy
Our tuned 2018 Expy with the HD tow would blow their doors off
Have now owned 6 3.5L Ecoboost vehicles
Tuned them all
They are SOOO!!! much better than the 6.2L gm V8's
If GM would put the dual turbo blackwing V8 with the 10spd trans & a 3:73 axle ratio in their Escalades that would be a phenomenal improvement
Recently drove a 2020 model
Typically driven about 60 miles on I-44 in Missouri
They are very anemic, downshift frequently on every hill & are very noisy
Our tuned 2018 Expy with the HD tow would blow their doors off
Have now owned 6 3.5L Ecoboost vehicles
Tuned them all
They are SOOO!!! much better than the 6.2L gm V8's
If GM would put the dual turbo blackwing V8 with the 10spd trans & a 3:73 axle ratio in their Escalades that would be a phenomenal improvement
carymccarr
Full Access Members
I have driven several generations of Escalades that our company owns
Recently drove a 2020 model
Typically driven about 60 miles on I-44 in Missouri
They are very anemic, downshift frequently on every hill & are very noisy
Our tuned 2018 Expy with the HD tow would blow their doors off
Have now owned 6 3.5L Ecoboost vehicles
Tuned them all
They are SOOO!!! much better than the 6.2L gm V8's
If GM would put the dual turbo blackwing V8 with the 10spd trans & a 3:73 axle ratio in their Escalades that would be a phenomenal improvement
The 6.2 and eco 3.5 have similar torque and HP and at 50-60MPH (passing speed) the 6.2 pulls ahead.
Pretty sure a tuned 6.2L would destroy a stock expy.
The 3.5 is a nice engine, don’t get me wrong but no matter how much fake engine noise ford pumps into the cabin there’s no beating the sound of the 8’s IMO.
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Zig10
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I loved the handling and the air suspension for towing in my '16 Yukon XL. Also really liked the dual row flip-down entertainment screens in the rear, as well as the extra room in the cargo area AND the 33 gallon fuel tank.
My '18 Expy pretty much wins in every other category for me, though, and the new GMs don't have a high enough towing capacity for me to consider them anymore.
My '18 Expy pretty much wins in every other category for me, though, and the new GMs don't have a high enough towing capacity for me to consider them anymore.
Aesthetically and certain function, maybe but for ease of use, comfort and quality, Nope!
carymccarr
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Greg Parker
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I keep hearing about this "sway" on the Expedition, but have yet to experience it. I'm sure once shocks wear out it's a problem ...but I've taken some 90-degree sweeping on-ramps at 75+ and been very impressed with the stability. My experience on the same freeway transitions is with a Honda Pilot, Chevy Silverado Duramax, Honda CRV ...and a Harley. Expy handles it like a champ. Sounds like whatever Expy you're driving needs some new rear shocks.
FWIW ...I probably would have been a GM buyer if they bothered to improve the towing capacity or 3rd-row. Seems to me like pretty much all they did was change-up the body style and admittedly improved the suspension.
FWIW ...I probably would have been a GM buyer if they bothered to improve the towing capacity or 3rd-row. Seems to me like pretty much all they did was change-up the body style and admittedly improved the suspension.
Have
Have i owned one, no. My wife said no. My dad has a 15' escalade and she did not like it, including interior. Hard seats, infuriating touchscreen, lack of features, and lack of space sealed the deal for her. Thats an escalade i kno, but also Had a rental tahoe lt3 for over a wk while expy was in the shop for tailight repair. She drove it to the store and refused to drive it after. She said it was wholly inferior to the expy and didnt feel comfortable driving it. She didnt like the stereo ctrls on the back side of the wheel. She didnt like the rubber buttons on the front of the steering wheel. She didnt like how the seat felt. She didnt like how the infotainment was set up. She didnt like the lack of buttons to ctrl radio. She didn't like how the plastic on the dash felt as well as the vinyl around it. Mind you, this was all before pullin out the driveway. The drive was a whole other thing. I liked it more but agreed with most of her assessment. I loved how smooth the hwy ride was the most.
Have i owned one, no. My wife said no. My dad has a 15' escalade and she did not like it, including interior. Hard seats, infuriating touchscreen, lack of features, and lack of space sealed the deal for her. Thats an escalade i kno, but also Had a rental tahoe lt3 for over a wk while expy was in the shop for tailight repair. She drove it to the store and refused to drive it after. She said it was wholly inferior to the expy and didnt feel comfortable driving it. She didnt like the stereo ctrls on the back side of the wheel. She didnt like the rubber buttons on the front of the steering wheel. She didnt like how the seat felt. She didnt like how the infotainment was set up. She didnt like the lack of buttons to ctrl radio. She didn't like how the plastic on the dash felt as well as the vinyl around it. Mind you, this was all before pullin out the driveway. The drive was a whole other thing. I liked it more but agreed with most of her assessment. I loved how smooth the hwy ride was the most.
carymccarr
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Wow. I can’t imagine liking the sync system better than the GM system lol. The number of radio limitations in the sync alone makes the whole experience maddening.
Just goes to show, different strokes.
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Expedition Dave
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The first company that offers a full-sized SUV with serious off-road credibility will get a chance to win my next lump of money if/when I retire my Expy. Currently you can't get the Z71 with the diesel, so that was it for me as far as GM goes, not to mention the new model year in the middle of COVID.
My 2020 FX4 gets great mileage on 87 octane if I baby it, but I do have several 'druthers with it.
FORD are you listening? GM are you listening? Toyota---Nissan---? Hello, McFly!!
My 2020 FX4 gets great mileage on 87 octane if I baby it, but I do have several 'druthers with it.
FORD are you listening? GM are you listening? Toyota---Nissan---? Hello, McFly!!
carymccarr
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You bought the FX4 without a diesel why not the Z71?
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Deadman
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I test drove multiple new Expeditions before I bought mine. They all did the same lateral bobblehead motion. Mine has 12,000 miles on it and handles exactly as it did new, except for the additional rear sway bar that I added that made it "tolerable". Your on ramp handling is right, they do handle great on the highway, its the backroad stuff they hate. If I drove all highways, or any for that matter, I wouldn't even notice this. I drive mostly all backroads and country roads and this thing wallows and flops all over the road on these surfaces. My wife got nautious and almost threw up in it before I added the rear sway bar. We had to pull over and let her get out and walk around and re-gain her bearings. Even my kids that are 4 and 7 ask why it sways side to side. I'm not making this stuff up, you guys need to pay more attention to its behavior on driveway approaches and angled surfaces. I have 8 other cars and NONE of them do this BS. I'm really hoping the front sway bar helps, but I have my reservations..... If it cures the bobble-head issues, then my wife will hands down buy another Expedition Max, but not if this handling issue won't resolve with the sway bars. There is a driveway at our local church parking lot that has a couple bumps in it. It swayed in such a rhythm so bad one day that I actually hit my head on the window, and I was probably going 5ish mph.
I'm probably too picky, because I spent years tweaking and re springing and revavling shocks on race ATV's and this kind of suspension problems would cause us to start over and revalve the shocks and try new spring rates. I honestly think the rebound valving speed is not right on these, so it allows the spring and shocks to extend out too fast and it in turn bucks the vehicle side to side as it does this. Sway bars will force the rear shocks to work as a pair and limit the rebound movement by borrowing from the other side with the heavy sway bar. Hope it helps whenever it arrives!
Deadman
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I'm old enough to want a quiet vehicle, so making noise does nothing for me. I drive almost all backroads and country roads where speeds are often lower, and thats where that big 6.2L makes no power. I put 16 miles on the one I test drove and it was a complete turd around town and up to 45mph. I'm sure if you stand the throttle to the floor on the highway and sit and wait for it to downshift a pile of gears where that engine finally starts to make power that it's better, but I don't do that.
There's not even a comparison around town, the 3.5L FEELS 40% stronger daily driving it. Daily driving is Lower rpm and on and off throttle and the 3.5L just pulls at any rpm.
If I wanted a sports car, the 6.2L would be cool, but in a big heavy family SUV I'm looking for usable power.
Like I said above, GM put loud azz mufflers on the new 6.2l and it snarls and crackles all the time. I'd expect a decent muffler for $80K, but thats just me! lol. My wife immediately said this thing sounds like "$hit". lol. she's not into engine noise and just wanted "quite". I'll be the first to say that 6.2L sounds mean, but honestly if I wanted mean, I'd put a Corsa Cat back on it. Some will love hearing that tho. I guarantee if someone sat in the 3rd row seats, they wouldn't be a part of the conversation because the tailpipe noise was that loud.
carymccarr
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Lol. We’ll just have to agree to disagree. I find the 3.5 anemic compared to my 6.2L. I know a lot of it has to do with gearing for sure...and I’ve never once had it crackle. Even when I stand on it...which I do. A lot.
Deadman
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I'm referring specifically to the new dual exhaust on the 6.2L in the Tahoe Hi Country that I drove, not your old single exhaust that actually had a quiet muffler on it. The new ones are LOUD.
I'm not afraid to disagree its our opinions...... I'm just amazed how lazy that big motor is down low tho, kinda makes me giggle at their lack of torque from a huge displacement.
carymccarr
Full Access Members
Ah ok. I haven’t driven the 2021’s yet. Don’t the 2020 expy and Denalis both have identical 0-60 times?
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