Our new 2015 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax 2500HD

[time2play]

In December, we decided to upgrade our tow vehicle from a 2013 Ford F150 to a 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD Diesel.

We thought long and hard about upgrading to diesel, but decided to do it for peace of mind. We have a 30' Classic and felt it needed a bigger truck.

Our trailer is winterized, so we haven't taken it out yet. But we're looking forward to our first trip with our new tow vehicle.

Here's a pic:

[KJRitchie]

What advantages do you see the Chevy 2500 vs the Ford 250. Does the Chevy have a larger fuel tank than the F250? Was there a noticeable price difference?

Kelvin

[ghaynes755]

I have the same truck. Great choice. Take a look at getting some mudflaps from Duraflap. They are no drill flaps and besides keeping stuff off the truck help reduce what is being thrown back at the trailer. I use a ProPride and also have a set of RockTamers on the stinger. Between the two, properly setup, I am not getting any dings on the front of the AS.

And now you can actually put stuff in the bed of the truck with the additional payload available.

[gwmc]

We're considering the 2500HD as an option too - nice interior and supposedly decent ride. Currently have a 2005 F350 and also want to consider the 2015 Ford Super Duties. Can you comment on why you chose GM over Ford? I'm also interested in the ride quality of your new GM vs. your old F150.

Thanks!

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What advantages do you see the Chevy 2500 vs the Ford 250. Does the Chevy have a larger fuel tank than the F250? Was there a noticeable price difference?

Kelvin

OP had an F *1*50 and sounds like a change from gas to diesel.

[KJRitchie]

Yes. I'm assuming he checked out the F250s before deciding the GMC. Wondering why he didn't go Ford.

I did find the fuel tank in the GMC/Chevy is 36 gal. I believe the F250 is about 10 gal less.

Kelvin

[TinTin]

Beautiful vehicle!! Give us a review as time goes on!

[time2play]

Hi again everyone,thanks for your comments.

Kelvin, the GMC has a 36-gallon fuel tank. I'm not sure how that compares to the Ford F250 fuel tank, it really wasn't an issue with us. Although having a 36-gallon fuel tank will be nice.

As for how the price compares to the Ford, I think it's comparable. It really depends on the options. With the Denali, it's basically loaded. We went through the Costco auto program, and then we negotiated a price even lower than that. There was a $2,000 rebate from the manufacturer and to sweeten the deal even more, we got a $600 cash card from Costco and a $400 visa card from the dealer.

Gary, we are thinking of getting the RockTamers. It's on our wish list. The truck does have splash guards as you can see on the picture, but not sure how that compares to the mudflaps though. We do agree with you about the payload! That was our biggest reason for going with a bigger truck. Nice to know we can load up the truck bed without worrying about payload capacity!

The truck rides nice! Very quiet and comfortable. Personally, I really like the interior of the GMC over the Ford, just personal preference. We really had no complaints with the Ford F150, we were very happy with it. It just didn't have the payload capacity we felt we needed.

We're enjoying the extras we got on the GMC - for example, we didn't have built-in navigation on the Ford. Also, it's nice that every door has a door handle to grab onto when climbing into the truck. The Ford didn't have one on the driver's side - you had to grab on the wheel.

And also, the exhaust brake was a feature my husband wanted. We test drove a 2014 Ford 250, but it didn't have exhaust brakes. However, I do believe the new Ford trucks now have exhaust brakes, but I can't say for sure.

One complaint - our navigation system doesn't work! Yes, it's covered under warranty of course. But we're still waiting for the part they need to fix it, and it's been 2 weeks. According to the dealer, they are not sure how long it will take!

[PaulnGina]

You made a good choice. Nice truck! I have always said that I would take any of the Big 3's 3/4-ton diesel trucks as a tow vehicle. I like all of them for different reasons. All three makers are putting out some really nice diesel trucks.

[FishinHatteras]

I'm jealous. That's a very nice looking rig you have there. I'm sure it's going to treat you very well. Just staring at the pic. I see you got the slding rear window, the really nice oversize rear view mirrors, looks like 18" tires, love that step bumper for getting in the bed. Nice color too. I sat in one, and the Denali's really do wrap you in luxury. From the dual heated seats to the extra leg room in the crew cab. In a word...NICE!
You'll have no problem towing anything down the road now, and I'm sure you will notice a huge difference the first time you tow that purty lil AS you have.
Good luck with her, and congratulations to the two of you. Sounds like you guys got a sweet deal too. That makes it all the better.
Stream on, and we'll see you down the trail.
Gavin

[gandttimes]

Does yours also have the 4g Wi-fi hot spot?


George

[Mvaug45]

That's a sweet truck. I got a 1500 Silverado in the same color. Next year might go with the 2500.

[time2play]

Thanks again everyone.

George, yes it does have the 4g Wi-fi hot spot.

By the way, one other nice thing we got from the dealer - free oil changes for life! We didn't have to negotiate for it, it's just something the dealer offers to everybody who buys a new vehicle, even the diesel trucks.

Oh, we also got a nice 2015 calendar with a picture they took of us the day we picked up the truck. Nice!

[ghaynes755]

T2P sounds like you have a great dealer. I got the Duraflaps to keep the crap from the front tires off of the running boards and the rears to protect the rear quarter panels and bumper. Wouldn't be to protect the trailer without the RockTamers.

If you do get the RockTamers make sure you mount them so that there is at least 12" between the exhaust outlet and the RT's. Found out the hard way, needed new flaps that were longer after the change from the 1500 to the 2500 but while using the originals that to close leads to melting

[Lara Me]

T2P, nice rig! Recall I almost bought your prior 28, and was quietly wondering at your choice of the EB150 to tow the 30' Classic, especially with the passes we have around here.

When you get the chance to hook up to the 2500, you'll know immediately it was a great choice. So effortless, and no worries. I love using the exhaust brake, very noticeable even on the Tiger Summit Hwy 18, where it eliminates the need to brake often.

The new GM's have really improved the interior, and that transmission has a well deserved reputation. Ya done good!

One tip - DEF fluid is cheaper and easier to get at the pump of truck stops rather than the dealer or an auto part store. The one in North Bend has it for $2.99/gallon, dispenses right at the pump.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by time2play

In December, we decided to upgrade our tow vehicle from a 2013 Ford F150 to a 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD Diesel.

We thought long and hard about upgrading to diesel, but decided to do it for peace of mind. We have a 30' Classic and felt it needed a bigger truck.

Our trailer is winterized, so we haven't taken it out yet. But we're looking forward to our first trip with our new tow vehicle.

Here's a pic:

Originally Posted by time2play

Hi again everyone,thanks for your comments.

Kelvin, the GMC has a 36-gallon fuel tank. I'm not sure how that compares to the Ford F250 fuel tank, it really wasn't an issue with us. Although having a 36-gallon fuel tank will be nice.

As for how the price compares to the Ford, I think it's comparable. It really depends on the options. With the Denali, it's basically loaded. We went through the Costco auto program, and then we negotiated a price even lower than that. There was a $2,000 rebate from the manufacturer and to sweeten the deal even more, we got a $600 cash card from Costco and a $400 visa card from the dealer.

Gary, we are thinking of getting the RockTamers. It's on our wish list. The truck does have splash guards as you can see on the picture, but not sure how that compares to the mudflaps though. We do agree with you about the payload! That was our biggest reason for going with a bigger truck. Nice to know we can load up the truck bed without worrying about payload capacity!

The truck rides nice! Very quiet and comfortable. Personally, I really like the interior of the GMC over the Ford, just personal preference. We really had no complaints with the Ford F150, we were very happy with it. It just didn't have the payload capacity we felt we needed.

We're enjoying the extras we got on the GMC - for example, we didn't have built-in navigation on the Ford. Also, it's nice that every door has a door handle to grab onto when climbing into the truck. The Ford didn't have one on the driver's side - you had to grab on the wheel.

And also, the exhaust brake was a feature my husband wanted. We test drove a 2014 Ford 250, but it didn't have exhaust brakes. However, I do believe the new Ford trucks now have exhaust brakes, but I can't say for sure.

One complaint - our navigation system doesn't work! Yes, it's covered under warranty of course. But we're still waiting for the part they need to fix it, and it's been 2 weeks. According to the dealer, they are not sure how long it will take!

Hi, I'm not a GM person, but I think you bought the right truck for the size and weight of your trailer. I am curious though, as to what was the payload rating of your F-150. Seems to me that too many people have bought F-150's without concern for the little yellow door sticker. Either way, I believe an F-150 is not enough truck for a trailer like yours.

[Arcticfox]

Nice truck to bad about the color...... Just kidding......
It would be interesting to know what the payload is of your new truck compared to your ford?
Thanks


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[TinShack]

Originally Posted by time2play

In December, we decided to upgrade our tow vehicle from a 2013 Ford F150 to a 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD Diesel.

We thought long and hard about upgrading to diesel, but decided to do it for peace of mind. We have a 30' Classic and felt it needed a bigger truck.

Our trailer is winterized, so we haven't taken it out yet. But we're looking forward to our first trip with our new tow vehicle.

Here's a pic:

Nice! Looks like you got all the bells and whistles! I just traded in my 2006 F250 Powerstroke for a 2015 2500HD Denali Duramax. I love it. I spent a weekend wheeling and dealing driving diesel Ford, Ram and GMC and the GMC won out. The fit and finish of the GM was so much better than the Ford in my opinion.

I bought mine off the lot and it was just the basic Denali package with the Duramax option. I swapped my standard mirrors for tow mirrors that have yet to be installed. Also have mud guards to install. I had a camper shell put together and that went on yesterday. I am through the initial break-in and I'm 200 miles into the 500 mile towing break-in now. It tows like a dream.

[time2play]

Lara Me, thanks for the tip about the DEF fluid, good to know! I see you live in Snoqualmie. What a beautiful city! Maybe some day we'll see you at a state park or local rally. We'll look for your 28' FC.

Bob and Doug- the payload rating of the our F150 was 1500# and the GM payload is about 2700#.

Doug-the color of the truck is Sonoma Red Metallic. What's not to like about that color!

Steve-what a beautiful truck! Very nice. You did good too. We've already put 500 miles on our truck, so we're ready to go. I'm curious how long before you get your tow mirrors. Our dealer spent days trying to find us a truck with tow mirrors. He finally found one in Yakima, then we had to wait another few days while he sent someone to go fetch it. I got the impression tow mirrors were very much in demand at that time.

Yolanda

[Luigi123]

I, too, have a 2013 Denali, 2500HD, and use it with my 30ft FC-- we live at 7300 altitude, walks up the mountains no problem. Exhaust brake was an added feature that sures makes downhill a pleasure. Chose this model over my previous Ford because of the Allison transmission, very smooth.