Brand new tow vehicle - Yukon

[biggoofball]

While searching for a 1 or 2 year old tahoe or yukon, and after taking an afternoon off together to drive several, my wife, unbeknownst to me actually went out and bought one of these for me.



We drove this one while test driving but I decided it might be too expensive to get a new SUV when I could get one for so much less used. Well smarty that she is she worked out the financing calculations and the used one I was getting ready to buy turned out to be the exact same price per month and the same cash outlay as a brand new one with zero% financing. So she bought it. The dealer is going to get a brand new one for me with nearly zero miles, white with "cashmere tan" leather and "espresso accents", all the bells and whistles, 6.2L engine 6 speed transmission with manual mode shifting, etc. etc. I can't wait to get it. I'm going from a 96 Buick Roadmaster Estate wagon to a super luxury vehicle. quite a change.

sorry for the length of the post. I am just giddy with excitement.

[TinShack]

That's a nice looking rig. Congrats! What are the towing capacities on it?

[peegreen]

Say it isn't so.... The Roadmaster rocked - my kidz thought it was the bomb towing the Argosy.

[utee94]

That's a beautiful vehicle, Skip. I love my '05 Tahoe. I wanted the 4WD for boat-trailering, and my wife wanted leather and a sunroof, so we ended up with the Z71 4x4. I've never had (or honestly wanted) a car this luxurious, but I must say that that since we bought it, I've never been disappointed in the ameninties...

-Marcus

[biggoofball]

I love the wagon, and am really going to miss her and the look of her pulling the Argy, but I need the piece of mind that a new vehicle brings. The wagon broke on the way home from the last trip, and has been nickel and diming me for a few months now. It's just time to let her go.

tow rating is 8000lbs. properly equipped, which it is. what a nice truck it is. navigation, rear camera which will make hook ups a snap ... I could go on but then I'd be bragging.

[peegreen]

Can't wait to see it next weekend when you can show me all the bells/whistles. Hope you're bringing the 'chopper' bike.

[slowmover]

Get us a scale ticket with what it weighs, just you and a full tank of gas after you buy it. I always do this as an essential piece of information, towing or just how-much-can-I-haul when comparing it to the numbers from the manufacturer. I always estimate at least 450-lbs above the published shipping weight (for a Honda or a truck, it seems to work), and for a heavily optioned vehicle the CAT Scale numbers ought to be informative.

[biggoofball]

Originally Posted by peegreen

Can't wait to see it next weekend when you can show me all the bells/whistles. Hope you're bringing the 'chopper' bike.

I will be like a proud new papa showing everyone who wanders within 25 feet of me.

The bikes are another matter. the roof rack will be significantly higher on this TV (even at my height it is a reach), so I need to work something out. Does anyone carry the bikes inside the trailer? What do you anchor them to?

[biggoofball]

Originally Posted by REDNAX

Get us a scale ticket with what it weighs, just you and a full tank of gas after you buy it. I always do this as an essential piece of information, towing or just how-much-can-I-haul when comparing it to the numbers from the manufacturer. I always estimate at least 450-lbs above the published shipping weight (for a Honda or a truck, it seems to work), and for a heavily optioned vehicle the CAT Scale numbers ought to be informative.

I will. That is great advice.

[slowmover]

Okay, some guesses for the betting pool: from the GMC site

5,635-lbs ship weight
26-gals gas @ 7-lbs/gal = 182-lbs
Driver, and options = 400 lbs

6,200-lbs on scale ticket

I'll also guess a weight bias percentage of 56/44, so that rear axle ought to be at around
2,700-lbs. If so, then there is about 1,400-lbs of load capacity remaining.

[biggoofball]

ooo a pool!!! winner gets free axles from Andy at inlandRV!! Kidding of course.

hmmm ... I'm debating whether or not to give out driver weight ..... oh, ok, driver weighs 285lbs. so that should change rednax's guess a little bit. I am going on a diet though so don't change it yet (he types while chewing a piece of pizza).

[peegreen]

Originally Posted by thatismytruc

I will be like a proud new papa showing everyone who wanders within 25 feet of me.

The bikes are another matter. the roof rack will be significantly higher on this TV (even at my height it is a reach), so I need to work something out. Does anyone carry the bikes inside the trailer? What do you anchor them to?

There are some great ideas on the forums for carrying bikes - don't even mention carrying them on the back of the trailer - a whole can of worms will get opened on that subject. I use a front hitch on the TV, a lightweight 'schoolyard' rack for inside and had one that went between the trailer and TV that mounted on the hitch draw bar - see Swagman bike racks. I'll show you next weekend.

[biggoofball]

oh I've seen those "stuff on the back of trailers" threads. I won't put it there for fear of angering the "moment gods" . Kidding, I'm an engineer and the spare is already back there so I won't put anything else that could disrupt the ride.

I like the idea of the front mount. I've seen them and forgot about them. I already have a 2" hitch bike carrier to slide into one. I must pursue this further ....

[toastie]

What a GREAT American made product, pulling a GREAT American made trailer, all you need now is a American made Harley Davidson.........thanks for buying American.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Way cool truck.
yer gonna love-it.

Sandra and I are really bummed that we had to bail out
of the NH Rally, it would have been our first. Just too many Family obligations right now. We will be out over the 4th though (mom-in law lives just 8 miles outside the Adirondack St. Park) The family has camped there all there lives. We plan to take her Dock'n in the Dacks at Piseco Lake.
We will raise our glass around the Campfire and wish Wally Happy Birthday.

Have fun people, be think'n of Ya.

Great color on the new trunk by the way

[biggoofball]

I pick up my new truck tomorrow and it cannot come soon enough!! I WANT MY NEW TRUCK!!!!!

ok. I feel better now. thanks for listening.

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by peegreen

Say it isn't so.... The Roadmaster rocked - my kidz thought it was the bomb towing the Argosy.

I agree, it was a totally cool look.

But safety and comfort is the way to go. Congrats to thatismytruc!

[biggoofball]

Originally Posted by myboyburt

I agree, it was a totally cool look.

But safety and comfort is the way to go. Congrats to thatismytruc!

We might keep it so we can go on short trips so you all will get to see it on any trip that is within a two hour radius of New Haven. But then again, the yukon is REALLY nice.

[biggoofball]

Picked up my new TV today!! here she is:



I went straight to my trailer/hitch guy and I've got my hitch set up properly and my brake controller installed. I tried out the back up camera and it works like a charm.

Here sit my other vehicles:



The wagon awaits sentencing . I'm keeping my pick up truck (that is my truck). So, do you think I like white vehicles?

[campadk]

Congrats on the new Yukon! Not sure how you managed the same 'cost' new vs used. We saved a good $25-$30K buying used. Ok that was last year.. an 2003.. new to us though and came with awesome set of chrome wheels and tires worth about $4500.

Anyways the Yukon is by far the best 'travelling' vehicle we have ever owned. We have no problem doing long hauls without our feet and butts going into protest.

Now about those bikes... we try NOT to use the roof rack whenever possible. Anything on the roof makes the gas mileage that much more worst.... and its a pain to get stuff up there.

In the long run I'd say you are best to get some fold up bikes and toss them in the back of the Yukon, or else in the trailer. Fold up's are on our list for next year.

Cheers