Which is better, Ford Excursion or GMC Suburban?

[rob macdonald]

Excursions are tip/roll prone and gulp fuel. Suburbans don't gulp nearly as much. I've had great success with GM diesels, few repairs other than routine maintenance (7 different trucks since 1985). I have driven the new Duratec, but not owned one yet. I haven't had much use for one in the last 20 months. I'd consider buying one upon my return.

[Joeaksa]

Wayne,

Will tell you the same thing that I told a lady friend recently. She ended up with a Tahoe/'burban and is very happy with it.

The Ford product shows a bad tendency to roll over, even with the new tires. The bloody thing is top heavy and is just not stable. Take a look at the Chevy 'burb and we rarely see these type of accidents with this vehicle. Believe in the years to come we will finally see where Ford has realized the error of their ways and completely redesigned their version.

Get the surbuban. You are hauling your family in it and they need to be safe. When some idiot cuts your wife off on the highway and she swerves you want to know that the vehicle will stay right side up and the family will be safe.

Usually recommend the diesel but with the fuel prices these days its a crap shoot. The diesel is better on towing, and if you get a good engine they last almost forever. Considering that diesel costs less to refine, the fuel price will have to go down someday.

JoeA

[Rot 911]

GM doesn't make many vehicles worth a crap, but their heavy duty trucks and the Suburban are stuff of legends. They are made for serious heavy duty towing.

[fuelie600]

I have a 2002 suburban 4x4 1500 LT with autoride suspension that I bought new. It's a great all-around vehicle. Rides like a car, tows great, holds a ton of crap. Gas mileage is ok. I average 16 MPG with the standard V8. My only gripe is with the brakes. They suck! stopping distances have always been long. (even with 4 wheel discs.) I'm getting ready to replace the pads and rotors next week with about 45K miles. Make sure you have good brakes on your trailer.

One other thing to consider, the engine has the cold piston slap issue common to the vortec V-8. The oval pistons knock after cold start. I switched my engine oil to mobil-1 and the problem nearly vanished.

If you can find a fair price on a diesel excursion, I would jump on it. I have a friend with the diesel, it gets around 20 MPG with his lead foot. He's got it chipped and it will flat out fly!

Good luck!

[Teutonics]

Two things to consider with the Excursion:

1) I believe that they are discontinued after this year... a fairly short run, all things considered. Makes you wonder why...

2) Speaking to the rollover tendencies mentioned above, I have read that the frame rails are filled with lead to help minimize rollover. Engineering genius.

[fuelie600]

Originally posted by Teutonics
Two things to consider with the Excursion:

1) I believe that they are discontinued after this year... a fairly short run, all things considered. Makes you wonder why...

Simple. They didn't sell well. It was a niche market vehicle designed to fill a disappearing niche. Huge, expensive, huge, bad gas mileage, and huge. Excursions make suburbans look small.

As far as the run goes, they started them in 2000 and made the last one about 2-3 weeks ago. A five year run.

[widebody911]

A friend of mine who does a lot of off-road racing swears by the 'burb, and he's gone thru a number of them over the years.

[nostatic]

Originally posted by Teutonics


2) Speaking to the rollover tendencies mentioned above, I have read that the frame rails are filled with lead to help minimize rollover. Engineering genius.

yeah, i heard about this car maker that actually put lead up in the front of their car to try and fix crazy handling issues. And even used 2 batteries up front too..



no, I am not comparing Porsche to Ford, nor implying any equivalence. This comment is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is unintentional and purely coincidental. We have sent the forms which seem right for you. List at least two alternate dates. Batteries not included. Record additional transactions on back of previous stub. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Shading within a garment may occur. Employees and their families are not eligible. You must be present to win. Do not write below this line. No shoes, no shirt, no service. An equal opportunity employer. The best safeguard, second only to abstinence, is the use of a condom. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Subject to CAB approval. No anchovies unless otherwise specified. Not responsible for typographical errors. Driver does not carry cash. Post office will not deliver without postage. Text may contain material some readers may find objectionable, Parental guidance is advised. Prerecorded for this time zone. Times approximate. This is not an offer to sell securities. Program is provided "as is" without any warranties expressed or implied. No returns unless defective. Restaurant package, not for resale. If ingested, do not induce vomiting, if symptoms persist, consult a chemist. Under penalty of law, this tag not to be removed except by consumer. One size fits all. No user-serviceable parts inside. This can contains a head-enhancing device; do not shake vigorously. No Cholesterol. Some of the trademarks mentioned in this product appear for identification purposes only. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. All rights reserved Program offer valid only at participating E-mail sites. Use only as directed. Package sold by weight, not volume. Beware of dog. Limited time offer, call now to ensure prompt delivery. Sign here without admitting guilt. Safety goggles may be required during use. Keep away from OJ. See label for sequence. For off-road use only. Not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect, error or failure to perform. Instructions are included. Freshest if eaten before date on carton. Low in Fat. Quantities are limited while supplies last. Offer valid only at participating sites. Some equipment shown is optional. No animals were mistreated or abused in posting this document to the network. Not the Beatles. Drop in any mailbox. No other warranty expressed or implied. Terms are subject to change without notice. Not affiliated with the American Red Cross. Be sure each item is properly endorsed. Avoid extreme temperatures and store in a cool dry place. Do not put the base of this ladder on frozen manure. No transfers issued until the bus comes to a complete stop. High Fiber. Sanitized for your protection. Parental advisory -- explicit lyrics. Articles are ribbed for your pleasure. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. Slightly higher west of the Mississippi. Do not bend, fold, mutilate, or spindle. Subject to change without notice. Keep away from open flames and avoid inhaling fumes. Do not remove this disclaimer under penalty of law. Warranty void if serviced by non-authorized personnel. Parental discression advised, text may contain explicit materials some readers may find objectionable. Hand wash only, tumble dry on low heat. Return to sender, no forwarding order on file, unable to forward. Call before you dig. Breaking seal constitutes acceptance of agreement. Ceci n'est pas une pipe. Article is provided "as is" without any warranties. As seen on TV. Postage will be paid by addressee. Possible penalties for early withdrawal. No preservatives added. Void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Check here if tax deductible. No alcohol, dogs or horses. Text used in these pages is made from 100% recycled electrons and magnetic particles. If a rash, redness, irritation, or swelling develops, discontinue use. User assumes full liabilities. Not liable for damages due to use or misuse. You need not be present to win. Keep away from sunlight, pets, and small children. No purchase necessary. Illustrations are slightly enlarged to show detail. Other copyright laws for specific files apply wherever noted. Use only with proper ventilation. Processed at location stamped in code at top of carton. Keep away from fire or flames. For external use only. Slippery when wet. Avoid contact with skin. Do not fold, spindle or mutilate. Your cancelled check is your receipt. Slightly higher west of the Rockies. Replace with same type. No money down. Use only in a well-ventilated area. Add toner. Call toll free number before digging. Some assembly required. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Do not disturb. Place stamp here. List each check separately by bank number. For recreational use only. Falling rock. Price does not include taxes. First pull up, then pull down. Must be 18 to enter. Kilroy was here. Keep cool; process promptly. This offer is void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Files are subject to change without notice. If defects are discovered, do not attempt to fix them yourself, but return to an authorized service center. Contains a substantial amount of non-tobacco ingredients. Do not stamp. Don't even think about parking here. No Canadian coins. No postage necessary if mailed in the United States. Do not place near flammable or magnetic source. May be hazardous to health if consumed in excessive quantities. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. No animals were used to test the content of these pages. Due to the nature of the game of squash, this racket is not guaranteed. Your mileage may vary. Other restrictions may apply. Smoking these pages may be hazardous to your health. Edited for television. Contents may settle during shipment. Avoid contact with eyes and skin and avoid inhaling fumes. Don't try this in your living room; these are trained professionals. Do not puncture, incinerate, or store above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Penalty for private use. List was current at time of printing. Unix is a registered trademark of AT&T. All models over 18 years of age. No substitutions allowed. No salt, MSG, artificial color or flavor added. Colors may, in time, fade. For office use only. Not recommended for children. Simulated picture. Action figures sold separately. If condition persists, consult your physician. At participating locations only. Files are slightly enlarged to show detail. Many suitcases look alike. No solicitors. Please remain seated until the ride has come to a complete stop. Limit one-per-family please. Approved for veterans. Apply only to affected area. No passes accepted for this engagement. Read at your own risk. Sealed for your protection, do not use if the safety seal is broken. Pages are ribbed for your pleasure. Use other side for additional listings. May be too intense for some viewers. Out to lunch. Caveat emptor. Dolphin Safe. For a limited time only. Booths for two or more. Avoid contact with mucous membranes. Program distribution is copyrighted to the extent that you may distribute the program and all its associated parts freely but you may not make a profit from it or include the program in commercial publications without written permission from Major League baseball. Disclaimer does not cover hurricane, lightning, tornado, tsunami, volcanic eruption, earthquake, flood, and other Acts of God, war, misuse, neglect, unauthorized repair, damage from improper installation, broken antenna or marred cabinet, incorrect line voltage, missing or altered serial numbers, sonic boom vibrations, electromagnetic radiation from nuclear blasts, customer adjustments that are not covered in the file list, and incidents owing to airplane crash, ship sinking, motor vehicle accidents, leaky roof, broken glass, falling rocks, mud slides, forest fire, unwanted children, flying projectiles, or dropping the item. These pages do not reflect the thoughts or opinions of either myself, my company, my friends, or my cat; don't quote me on that; don't quote me on anything. This supersedes all previous notices unless indicated otherwise.

[Joeaksa]

Todd,

Ever once in a while, a paragraph is a good thing!

JoeA

[vash]

if i was to tow big things, i would opt for the ford w/diesel. (this is moot if the chev suburb can be ordered in diesel) once you tow with a diesel, you will wonder how you ever suffered with a gas truck.

my bro and i once blew off responsible life and towed a bass boat all over new mexico, arizona, and so cal, doing some fishing. set the truck on cruise and it would stay there, any hill! even the grapevine. 23 mpg.

[jyl]

Triple espresso this morning, Todd?

[nostatic]

many suitaces look alike

[Steve Carlton]

The Excursions I've ridden in had horrible ride quality.

[Teutonics]

Originally posted by nostatic
yeah, i heard about this car maker that actually put lead up in the front of their car to try and fix crazy handling issues.

Yep, and I would say the same about that decision too. It's still a band-aid to correct for an original engineering mistake, or to put it more delicately, to correct for a design that was not appropriate for the "general masses".

So you think that just because a "different" manufacturer did it, then it must be okay?

Two batteries is debatable as it can help distribute the load, or depending on the car/year, may have been required to make a 12v system (e.g. early year MGB - required two six volt batteries). Not sure if the situation is the same for the one to which you refer.

[nostatic]

Originally posted by Teutonics


So you think that just because a "different" manufacturer did it, then it must be okay?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=facetious

[Teutonics]

Originally posted by nostatic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=facetious

Hard to tell in a post sometimes.

[Mulhollanddose]

GMC hands down

[nostatic]

Originally posted by Teutonics
Hard to tell in a post sometimes.

I thought my disclaimer was a hint

But interesting that the wikipedia entry directly discusses issues with electronic conversations...

[Mulhollanddose]

2000 model year:

Measuring a 226.7-inches long, up to 79.5-inches tall, and 80-inches wide, the Excursion casts a formidable shadow over all SUV-dom, including the current Chevrolet/GMC Suburban (219.5-inches long, 73.1-inches tall, and 76.7-inches wide.

2001 model year:

Excursion: Head Room: 41.0 Hip Room: 67.5 Legroom: 42.3 Average: 50.3

Suburban: Head Room: 40.7 Hip Room: 61.4 Legroom: 41.3 Average: 47.8

Excursion model years 2000-2005: a full 48 cubic feet behind the third-row seat. Fold down that back seat, and the Excursion presents you with 100.7 cubic feet of cargo room.

And if you remove the Excursion's third row bench—it's on rollers to make the exercise a bit easier—and fold down the second row seats, you get 146.4 cubic feet of cargo space.

Suburban model year 2000: Cargo volume is huge with 138 cubic feet behind the first row of seats, 90 cubic feet behind the second row and 45 cubic feet behind the third row or about triple the capacity of a midsize car trunk.

[Granite]

I ve owned them both and hands down the Suburban is the way to go. I am sales rep for a bunch of outdoor / ski companies and go thru vehicles like these every two years or so. I ve towed with both and the Suburban pulls just fine. I ve got the 8.1L. It will tow anything!!! The Excursion was just too big for a daily driver and it got maybe 10 mpg and that was when I was not in the mtns. Good luck!

Steve