Power running boards

[Mothnuts]

Does anyone know if there is an easy way to use the power running boards with the front doors, but not the back doors? The thought is it might be easier to put kids in car seats without the running board in the way. There doesn’t look to be a setting in the screen to do that, and the dealer didn’t know for sure.

We’re still debating the whole Expedition vs Yukon Denali decision. We have a ‘17 Tahoe now. I want the Expedition, but I also want a happy wife. Her main concerns on the Expedition are the running boards making it harder to load kids, having to have the key fob for the rear gate, getting used to looking through the handle on the pillar (It blends into the pillar for me), larger diameter steering wheel, and she just thinks the Denali is prettier inside and out. The interior layout is fine, just doesn’t care for the two interior choices in the Platinum. My main concerns on the Yukon are 2nd row space, not having adaptive cruise that works decently, and the 360 camera. She loves her Tahoe other then the adaptive cruise so it’s the safer option for a happy wife.

 

[dlcorbett]

There isnt an option to operate the boards based on the doors, but no other vehicle i know has that ability. You can choose to keep them up or down however through the advanced settings. I dont believe the system maintains this setting through diff engine cycles but ive never needed them to not operate normally. As far as car seat installation no kids but i find it easier to get in the expy than an escalade with fixed boards. The gm boards are 2 high, so i constantly either rub my shins or have a higher step in/out. The step for the power board feels more natural and my niece and nephew have easier time getting in. Idk where the powered boards for gm sit. Idk what you mean about the key fob and power liftgate being a concern, but it seems your decision is purely cosmetic. If Thats the case, you should keep your tahoe. Have you though about a gls450?

 

[rumline]

I think that standing on the running board would make getting kids in carseats easier, not harder.

 

[Randy Schmidt]

In the end, get her what she wants. The Denali is a great choice as well. I looked at that vehicle too. Coming from a Mercedes, I still feel that the Denali has the perceived "glamor effect" over the Expedition, however, the Expedition was so much better in so many different ways, it is the route I went over the Denali.

2nd row space in the Expedition vs Denali are night and day an advantage for the Ford.

I really never noticed the handle on the pillar so I cannot comment on that. Other that I don't notice it.

Running boards come on just about all top trim level large SUV's so I'm not sure that would be a deterrent on the Ford or the GMC.

I have the light color interior on the Expedition with a White exterior. I thought keeping it clean may pose a challenge. With close to 10k miles on my Expy so far... I just condition the seats monthly and all looks good.

Just my two cents...

 

[Mothnuts]

We ended up ordering the Platinum Expedition. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[Randy Schmidt]

We ended up ordering the Platinum Expedition. Thanks for the input everyone.

Awesome! You're gonna love it! Standard length or the Max?

 

[Artie]

I think that standing on the running board would make getting kids in carseats easier, not harder.

100% correct! I’m 5’6 so I don’t know what it would be like for someone taller but standing on the running board is the way to go for me when loading the car seat.

 

[aggiegrad05]

100% correct! I’m 5’6 so I don’t know what it would be like for someone taller but standing on the running board is the way to go for me when loading the car seat.

As a fellow 5'6''er....I concur.

 

[Mothnuts]

Awesome! You're gonna love it! Standard length or the Max?

The Max was kind of tempting to have the extra space and we talked about it briefly, but we stuck with the regular one. We’d been comparing to the Tahoe and regular Denali all along, so in the end we didn’t muddy the water and stayed with the comparable size.

 

[Mothnuts]

100% correct! I’m 5’6 so I don’t know what it would be like for someone taller but standing on the running board is the way to go for me when loading the car seat.

Yeah, it was just something we were curious about. I’m 6’3 and my wife is 5’2” (I think).

I’m not sure what others were talking about the rear gate and the key fob deal. Played with one and it works identical to the Tahoe. So I was able to eliminate that from the decision process.

In the end we just weren’t gaining all that much going to the Denali from the Tahoe for the money compared to the Expedition. The Denali was just the safer option of guaranteeing she’d like it.

 

[cekkk]

Yukon Denali XL and expedition. Got both. Denali is WAY better looking. Expedition is WAY better.

 

[osteodoc08]

I’ve had a 2013 and a 2016 YUKON Denali. The only thing the Denali has on the 2018 Expedition is the 6.2L V8. That is the sweetest burble at idle and roar at full throttle of any current production vehicle. That and the brembo front brake option work really really well. The Denali lacks in second and third row legroom and comfort. It lacks in overall ride comfort. The LED headlights on the expedition are better. The rear seat DVD player is easier on the Denali if you have a young child but isn’t near as flexible as the RES on the ford for older kids that can navigate the controls themselves. The longer wheelbase of the max over the regular Denali tows my 6000# boat better and I find the 4A a little faster responding in the Expedition. The side bolstering of the Denali would dig in my hind side some and I’m 6’ and 240#. I’m reminded of this with the suburban rental I have while I’m getting body work done on my 2018 after being rear ended a week or so ago. The Expy is the better all around vehicle. Especially with kids.

 

[Mothnuts]

Yeah, there is no denying the 6.2 sounds good. I actually thought the Expedition might have had better acceleration tho then the 6.2, sounds crazy, but it sure felt like it. I wondered if the 10 speed in the ‘18 6.2 slowed it down a bit compared to the 8 speed in the ‘17. I drove them back to back, but it could all be in my head.

The rear seat entertainment is probably my biggest concern yet, especially after reading the comments on the other post. I think that everything else my wife will get used to. I messed with the DVD player for 30 minutes while we had a loaner ‘18 Expedition, and I thought it would work ok, but sure seems like people struggle with it. We love the simplicity of the one in our Tahoe, and I can see it being an issue when it’s just my wife and our 3 year old and 12 week old (not really a factor yet).

I think in the end the Expedition is the clear winner. It’s just tough to change brands after so many years of GM vehicles, and a GM dealer that I enjoy doing business with. Unfortunately, the GM vehicles haven’t kept up with the dealership. I switched to Ford pickups in ‘16 (had a ‘16 F150, then ‘17 F250, and have a ‘19 F250 on order) and haven’t looked back. It will be nice to have both vehicles be similar for jumping back and forth.

 

[Hokieskins]

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