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Ford Excursion vs Chevy Suburban/GMC Yukon XL - The battle of the titans

423 messages,  Last post on Sep 19, 2008 at 1:04 PM

You are in the Ford Excursion Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Excursion, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon XL, SUV

Messages Page 26 of 43

#243 of 423 pluskin by krey

Jan 10, 2001 (11:20 am)

What I've been told by a buddy who owns a local ford dealership is that he understands they are in the process of a bottom-up redesign of the Excursion, probably for 2003. He said too many people have complained about the height problems and the ride. The owner's son actually got stuck in a parking garage recently when he went up to the city to see a baskeball game. I'm told it was not funny.
 
As for all the money they're making, I'm not too sure about that. True, they have a hell of a profit margin in these trucks, but you gotta have sales to make the money. Right now they're trying to give these trucks away where I live...$7-9K off msrp for a new 2001 limited.
 
To be fair, demand for all new large SUV's is down, with the exception of the new Sequoia, but the Excursion is taking the biggest sales hit by far.

#244 of 423 krey by pluskin

Jan 11, 2001 (1:41 am)

Excursion will be getting a redesign, but only as part of the natural life cycle of its design, and certainly not for 2003MY. In fact the redesign has been pushed back from original plans.
  As for profitability, even with sales slow, I wouldn't worry about it. This is a big winner for Ford. Also, Ford can also simply build more Superduty trucks when Ex sales are slow. Can you really get one for $9K off MSRP?
  Don't most parking garages have a height restriction at the entrance? The owner's son sounds like an idiot.

#245 of 423 Cheap Excursions by phil62

Jan 11, 2001 (4:19 pm)

Yep, they're really selling 'em that cheap. I live in the Beaumont, Texas area and one dealer just east of here a week ago was advertising three of the 4x4 loaded Limiteds for a little over $32K (MSRP more than $42K.) I'd have bought one too, if it weren't for the height and parking issue. Not all garages post the clearance as well as they should, and if you phone their security staffs or attendants, half the time they don't know the clearance of their own garage. Besides, what if you get into one of these huge concrete labyrinths and then the clearance is lower further in? What a nightmare! I think if I can afford it I'm going with a Sequoia -- not quite as big as I want but it'll fit more places and will have significantly better reliability than the GM (and probably Ford) products. Just my two cents.

#247 of 423 RE: Cheap Excursions by tcadams

Jan 11, 2001 (9:59 pm)

phil62, we are looking for an Excursion and would have no problem going to Texas to buy one ( we're in Colorado ). What is the name of the dealership advertising the $10K off MSRP price?

#248 of 423 tcadams by phil62 by phil62

Jan 12, 2001 (2:41 pm)

I believe that dealer was Orange Ford/Lincoln-Mercury. They're in Orange, Texas, which is on I-10 just a few miles from the Louisiana border, so that's a heck of a drive from your neck of the woods. Here's the info: address is 16th at Green Avenue; e-mail www.orangeford.com; phone 1-800-817-5255. If it looks like you'll buy one from them, please e-mail me at riddleix.netcom.com. Maybe you could mention my name so they'd have warm fuzzy thoughts about me if I do decide to pick one of their machines. Good luck.

#249 of 423 Suburban, what a joke. 65 years of trial and mostly error by protravel

Jan 13, 2001 (6:06 pm)

"The new 5.3 vortec is very modest on gas compared to the Ford products, yet power and towing capabilities are not compromised. I average close to 19-20 in mixed driving... Let's see Ford pull this off!!
"
Well FORD did pull this off and did better. I'm getting 22-24 mixed driving and paying a lot less for diesel than you are for gas.
 
I have the PSD Excursion and is NOT loud in fact it is quieter when it hits speed than any vortec the planet.
Now for the whiners gripping about parking garages, give me a break, the MEN who drive Excursions add 3"-5" lifts on to their TRUCKS and the operative word being truck NOT Chevy station wagon. So we that build our truck even HIGHER than factory could care less about parking in some downtown garage, that we will never go to or park in anyway.
Why don't we complain on why the Excursion doesn't go 150 MPH
at the drag strip, or why it can't fly ...get real. It is what it is! The MOTHER of all trucks with enough power to tear a Suburban in half.
 
Since when is it a good thing to have a mushy ride in a truck. Oh, I know, when it's a Suburban Station wagon.
 
I read all the Hundreds of posts regarding lousy suburbans and tranny's etc, and the most incredible thing - all these Chevy guys complain about how the Suburban is falling apart, ( Brakes, tranny Rear end etc) and then on the next breath say it's the best vehicle they have owned HUH!!!!!. Ya, but its OK now they fix'd all the problems in the 2000. Ha Ha Ha Ha. Ya, right.
 
Let me get this straight, Suburban has been around for 65 years according to the commercial, and just now in 2000 - 2001 they got it right. Can I just ask one question here - What took them so long?
 
Ford first year out of the shoot, and it is heads and tails over a 65 year old WANNABE.
 
Does anybody doubt who would come out a winner if a Suburban and an Excursion were in a head on accident...I think NOT.
 
For no other reason with all the nuts on the road, you want to be driving in that tank with leather seats. Now that is music to my ears.
 
And as far as all the complaints regarding PSD Excursions from Chevy guys, I can tell you it's ALL bunk. And this is from someone who drive one every day, not a three minute ride at the dealership.

#250 of 423 protravel by krey

Jan 13, 2001 (10:02 pm)

Interesting, though not uplifting, diatribe but the problem with your logic is simply that the majority of drivers of both suburbans and excursions are WOMEN, not men. They do use parking garages and have to fit their vehicles into the insanely small parking spaces at supermarkets and schools. Good thing too, because us men like to eat and know that our kids are being taken care of while we men are out "slaying all the dragons."
 
No, real MEN drive whatever they need to get the job done, nothing more. Those who drive big, jacked-up trucks just to look good are nothing more than WIMP wannabes.

#251 of 423 Excursions, garages, manliness, meaning of life, etc. by phil62

Jan 14, 2001 (11:52 am)

I am soooooo embarrassed. Imagine my chagrin in discovering a sexual identity crisis as I approach middle age. As I recall, my analysis of my automotive needs -- which I thought utilized logic and practicality -- was based on several considerations:
   1. I've got a wife (Sob; how will I ever face her?) and three kids.
   2. I engage in such effeminate hobbies as surf fishing and astronomy.
   3. A large suv with four-wheel drive might be just the ticket, if I can afford it.
   4. The wife and I have frequent business in the big city (Houston, for the geographically challenged), and will probably soon be living there again.
   5. The wife will be the main driver of the machine.
   6. The Suburban would be ideal, but as our esteemed friend pointed out, has lousy reliability.
   7. Since to my great shame I lack sufficient body parts in the, ahem, lower frontal regions, I am not able to work, live, play exclusively in the country. Therefore, the Excursion would probably be too big for me.
   8. The Expedition and Sequoia remain as options. Dilemma: Sequoia reliability will probably be better than the Ford, but costs about $10K more.
 
   Due to the above, I'm leaning toward the Sequoia, but no final decision yet. And finally, with regards to "gripping" about parking garages, I must reluctantly agree that I shouldn't do it. After all, as useful as opposable thumbs are, engaging in such behavior in the vicinity of attractive young housewives in parking garages could get a guy arrested -- questionable orientation or not. Oops, I've gotta' go; there's a run in my pantyhose.

#252 of 423 Phil62 by krey

Jan 14, 2001 (6:58 pm)

Great post!
 
Back to business, however. I too looked at the Sequoia and, frankly, if it hadn't been for the fact that it's the first year of the model, I would have opted for one instead of the Yukon we got instead. I've had several Toyotas before, and have had zero problems. The build quality and durability were great. I just never, ever, buy the first year of anything. I've heard a few (there are not many of these on the road yet) complaints about the 4wd and traction control systems; we live where there are lots of snow and ice, so people around here are pretty sensitive about those things.
 
As to which car is really better, it depends...on needs, and a lot of luck. Truthfully, I 've got a lot of friends and acquaintances who own both the Ford and the GMC. Most have had great experiences, others not. I wish there wasn't as much luck involved as there is, but so it goes. But, and this is just my opinion, Ford missed the mark with the Excursion. The beast is simply too tall and the turning radius is unbelievable. If Ford fixes those details, it's a player.
 
My $0.02 worth

Messages Page 26 of 43

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