Thoughts on why I love my Yukon

[run4jc]

I live in Northern VA - an area filled with Prius's and every other hybrid known. Bikes are everywhere. The DC Metro Rail system is getting more and more crowded all the time. This area is a testament to the pain folks feel as they get about – be it from the price of gas or the hassle of mass transit.

Of course, I often get ‘looks’ when I cruise around in my Yukon, all alone behind the wheel. I can read their mind, “How can you drive that gas guzzler and destroy our environment!!â€

They don’t know me. I’m a staunch conservative, but I also think some of this technology is cool. Hybrids are cool – I wish I could afford a new Tahoe Hybrid, but $50K to save a few miles per gallon when I drive only about 10k miles per year is not exactly financially smart. I love to ride my bike for fitness – if I had a shower at my office I’d do my commute 2 or 3 times a week on it – but not because I think my Yuk is killing the environment, but because it would keep my 50 year old body physically fit and I could relax rather than deal with traffic. Oh, and BTW, Virginia has strict vehicle testing for emissions and safety, and the Yuk passes with ease every time.

I also will take the Metro when I go to the airport, but that’s only because I can stay out of traffic and avoid parking at Reagan National Airport.

Did you ever try to pull a heavy trailer with a Prius? Or a Camry Hybrid? Did you ever try to put your family, including 2 tall teenagers, wife, luggage for all, a bike rack with 4 bikes along with 2 dogs - in a small car? Or maybe pull a trailer? It isn’t practical. Oh, maybe we could take TWO small cars!! That’s fuel efficient! NOT!

I’m 6’ 4†tall with long legs. I’ve had small cars. My wife drives a very nice ’06 Highlander – my son has a ’03 Tacoma that I drove for 4 years (loved it, too.) I enjoy driving both of those cars and they fit my wife and son very well.

But when I slide behind the wheel of my ’02 Yukon SLT (I am the 3rd owner) I am always so pleased. Fire up that 5.3 engine – slightly modified with a free flowing Magnaflow muffler, K&N Filter and slightly programmed with a Hypertech Power Programmer – and it rumbles smoothly and confidently. Never misses. Shoot, I paid only $12k for the truck a little over a year ago (value sure has fallen lately, but I don’t plan on selling it so I’m not hurt).

The truck is 500 miles away from having 100k but it is still as solid as a rock. NO rattles. The transmission shifts firmly but smoothly. It turns with a tighter radius than the Tacoma. It stops strong and smooth. It rides great – firm, no doubt it’s a truck, but it’s a satisfying ride. The paint looks good – I just detailed it and it shines like new money. The leather of the driver’s seat is showing some wear, but nothing that a small bit of stitching and some Lexol won’t cure. All the other seats look good as new. It pulls a loaded 12 foot UHAUL trailer with ease and stops it just as well.

If I get heavy with the foot, it satisfies with a growl and a kick in the butt – if I choose to take it easy, it quietly rumbles along with ease.

The Yukon is the best vehicle I’ve ever owned and I still feel very good about driving it. All of us who drive one should feel that way. Yes, I’ll do my part to save a gallon here and there – I don’t make frivolous trips, etc. etc., but the Yukon’s gonna be with me until they make me give it up.

There – I feel better. Any thoughts from the group?

 

[Scoobey]

It's never simple.

Run4JC: I'm the same as you, and the opposite of you, all at once. I live in Oregon, which I love. I'm proud to be liberal -- I think FDR and JFK made our country stronger, and even Eisenhower called himself a liberal back when, so I don't see anything wrong with it. I'm an environmentalist, I hate the idea of driving a vehicle with such low MPG (it's not about passing emissions, it's the raw tonnage of CO produced -- less gas, better stewardship of the Earth). And my pocketbook isn't excited about $130 fillups.

But I also have a wife, two ridiculously tall teenage daughters (they shop like girls and eat like boys), and a big dog who's miserable if he can't come with us. We like to camp and ski. I'm a mountain rescue volunteer, so sometimes (not often, but often enough) I'm either driving forest service roads to reach a mission or driving up Mt. Hood in weather when everyone else is driving down. The Tahoe gets the same mileage as the Mazda MPV we're replacing (imagine that! 14-16 with a Japanese 6 cylinder!). I work from my house, so I won't be commuting in it. And there are no other cars out there that are as good for the money -- mechanically or cosmetically -- as a used GMT 400 series right now.

So I'm torn, but this is the right vehicle for me and my family right now. Our other driver is a small Grand Am that gets good mileage, and when we replace it, it'll be with a car with even better mileage -- a Prius if we can afford it. I'll try to discipline myself to drive the smaller car on routine errands when it's available. Meanwhile, I'm hoping the "Mountain Rescue" and Obama stickers will make people think twice if they're about to send me nasty thoughts in my beautiful new used Tahoe.

 

[run4jc]

Scoobey is right - it is never simple.

Scoobey - thanks for the great response. It takes all of us to make the "world go 'round." I am decidedly conservative and somewhat dubious of our ability to create so much impact through emissions when the planet has been 'emitting' for thousands of years...but I leave that to people far smarter than I. Meanwhile, I am happy to do my part to reduce the output 'just in case.'

Living in DC I find it interesting any time a motorcade goes blasting by - almost always made up of a fleet of 6 or more Suburbans, certainly armored, and loaded to the 'nines' with equipment. Of course, our elected officials deserve no less for their safety.

Arlington County has adopted hybrids as their 'official business' cars - I worry about where all the batteries will go when they are exhausted?

Meanwhile, as I mentioned, I am intrigued by the technologies that can reduce emissions and reduce the use of gasoline - natural gas vehicles, hybrid vehicles, cars that (really) run on compressed air, hydrogen vehicles - on and on. I love technology and find myself strangely drawn to some of these vehicles.

And then we make a family trip - we load the Yukon as described before, I fire it up and it effortlessly rolls away with us and our 'stuff' safely tucked inside.....and that cool technology is forgotten - for the moment.

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

People like Nancy Pelosi I despise! First off this Global warming BS has turned into an economic way to control the population by making things so expensive that people cant afford to live, poor people are easy to control. Pelosi is so anti US it is not funny, that bitch of a tree hugger is doing more to damage this country than you can imagine. We need to over ride her stopping any bill that relates to off shore drilling. We are FREE Americans! we should be able to afford to drive what we want. This global warming is a natural cycle and man has little to do with it. I just cant bereave the BS that sheeple buy into.

 

[Jeremy_K]

I just recently bought a Pontiac Vibe with all wheel drive and a Toyota 4 cylinder. I drive 45 miles to work one way so the Yukon is not at all practical. I still have the Yukon as well and I always will. I've noticed driving the Vibe that you get no respect whatsoever on the road. People pull out in front of you and cut you off on the highway like you're not even there. I'm a very aggressive driver as well usually going at least 10-15 miles over the limit but people just punk small cars. The Vibe is a nice riding car but I get so stressed out driving it home from work that I want to snap. I've never had that feeling in the Yukon. I still take it to work once every now and then just to relax and enjoy the ride.

 

[diffrnt]

I have a modified Sunfire that I have driven for years that I love. I have had my YXL for about a year now that I love even more. I get so much respect on the road when driving the big truck. As Jeremy said, small cars have a hard time on the road. I know the feeling someone gets in a small car or any car for that matter when you are surrounded by big trucks and SUVs. Every time I get in my truck, a smile always creeps across my face. I like the room, the safety and the V8. I live in MS and there are plenty of big trucks and SUVs on the road from old to new. If GM does not stop production, I want to get a new body style Denali eventually. But for now I will continue to drive my YXL and enjoy the feeling!

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

I love diving my Tahoe and I love the safety of it.

 

[run4jc]

Whew. Stirred up a lot of emotion - that's a good thing. Let's hold on to that emotion and use it come this November and VOTE! No matter who you are for, VOTE! I'm not thrilled with either candidate, but I'll vote McCain 'cause he's closer to right than Obama by any stretch.

We need FREEDOM, not regulation. This country is a Republic, not a socialist state or democracy. This country was founded on the principles of freedom, liberty and justice. The constitution is as relevant today as it ever was - it is as important as it ever was - let's not disrespect the very documents that founded this country and ensured our freedom!!

We need to RELAX the tax burdens on corporations, especially the oil companies, and instead offer them tax INCENTIVES to develop alternatives. (And NO, I have no vested interest in any oil company. I have 3 vehicles to fill with gas and I work in the IT industry!) This country has always produced the solutions for problems the world over - we are not to 'blame' for problems - and we feed the world. By incenting the oil companies to come up with new ideas and alternatives, we get them to spend their profits on solutions rather than tax them for doing what every corporation is in business to do - make a profit. And if we choose to tax them for 'windfall' profits, then we'd better get ready to tax Apple 'cause the ipod, iphone and imac are raking in record profits for them. We'd better get after Honda, because they are the ONLY car maker who made a profit in the US in June.

Capitalism works. Small businesses work. The American people 'work.'

And yes, we should have the right to drive whatever we want and whatever we can afford. We shouldn't be ashamed for our wealthy country, because we offer aid and assistance the world over. The American people are the most generous in the world and their generosity shows most when they give of their own accord rather than are forced into it through taxation.

WHOA, where did all that come from!!! I had a passionate moment! God Bless America!

And BTW, I love my Yukon!

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

I just get so sick of this depravity mentality the Liberal democrats with the total bull crap they spew out daily, things like "we can't drive our SUV's any more" and " we can't eat what we want any more" Obama said this crap while he fly's around in private jets, live in a huge mansion. of a house and burns more fuel than I ever would in 10 years. This is America and I can drive what ever I want!

 

[JAGastrock]

I am a fairly conservative person, but I was also on the road to becoming an Earth Science/Geology Major. Yes global warming is a cyclical thing. Could we have affected it? Absolutely! Is it all because of our SUVs? Hell no. What our Yukons and Suburbans put out the tailpipe is NOTHING compared to what older cars used to put out. It is the 50-60 years worth of very messy vehicles that has had something to do with this, AND, the industrial revolution and all of it's coal burning also did some damage. Strangely I have a friend who is an extreme liberal democrat.....and does he advocate the use of alternative fuel to replace oil? Hell no.....he has an oil check coming in the mail every single month....that should say something about how the government and oil business is just one giant orgy...no matter what party you fight for.

 

[MyBlkBurban]

I just recently bought a Pontiac Vibe with all wheel drive and a Toyota 4 cylinder. I drive 45 miles to work one way so the Yukon is not at all practical. I still have the Yukon as well and I always will. I've noticed driving the Vibe that you get no respect whatsoever on the road. People pull out in front of you and cut you off on the highway like you're not even there. I'm a very aggressive driver as well usually going at least 10-15 miles over the limit but people just punk small cars. The Vibe is a nice riding car but I get so stressed out driving it home from work that I want to snap. I've never had that feeling in the Yukon. I still take it to work once every now and then just to relax and enjoy the ride.

So true --- I have a 45 mile round trip to work everyday and sitting in the Suburban going back and forth to work is sooo stress free. I live on Long Island and the expressways here have two speeds -- 0 or 75+mph. I feel comfortable doing either when in the Suburban Also the XM, climate control and tinted windows help me tune everyone else out.

It is rough driving anything else. I look at it this way - ''d rather pay the extra $20 a week to have a nice relaxing drive from place to place during the week and know that my family is also much safer in it on the weekends. Not to mention when driving up and down I95 from NY to FL. I drove it through a blizzard, hurricane and tornado warning a few months ago from New York to West Palm Beach ( had just bought the truck earlier in the week ) and I was sold on it after that. We then took it down to Key West as well... Most importantly - My two year old only wants to go out in Daddy's truck whenever he gets out - lol

 

[MyBlkBurban]

Whew. Stirred up a lot of emotion - that's a good thing. Let's hold on to that emotion and use it come this November and VOTE! No matter who you are for, VOTE! I'm not thrilled with either candidate, but I'll vote McCain 'cause he's closer to right than Obama by any stretch.

We need FREEDOM, not regulation. This country is a Republic, not a socialist state or democracy. This country was founded on the principles of freedom, liberty and justice. The constitution is as relevant today as it ever was - it is as important as it ever was - let's not disrespect the very documents that founded this country and ensured our freedom!!

We need to RELAX the tax burdens on corporations, especially the oil companies, and instead offer them tax INCENTIVES to develop alternatives. (And NO, I have no vested interest in any oil company. I have 3 vehicles to fill with gas and I work in the IT industry!) This country has always produced the solutions for problems the world over - we are not to 'blame' for problems - and we feed the world. By incenting the oil companies to come up with new ideas and alternatives, we get them to spend their profits on solutions rather than tax them for doing what every corporation is in business to do - make a profit. And if we choose to tax them for 'windfall' profits, then we'd better get ready to tax Apple 'cause the ipod, iphone and imac are raking in record profits for them. We'd better get after Honda, because they are the ONLY car maker who made a profit in the US in June.

Capitalism works. Small businesses work. The American people 'work.'

And yes, we should have the right to drive whatever we want and whatever we can afford. We shouldn't be ashamed for our wealthy country, because we offer aid and assistance the world over. The American people are the most generous in the world and their generosity shows most when they give of their own accord rather than are forced into it through taxation.

WHOA, where did all that come from!!! I had a passionate moment! God Bless America!

And BTW, I love my Yukon!

I wish the brainwashed Obama disciples would open their eyes -- A windfall tax !! How ridiculous! Basic Eco 101 --> Corporations in free markets do not pay taxes - they pass them along... If government 'decides' that a Corp makes too much money and they pass a windfall tax the Corp will simply add that % to their product and still have the same net result to their bottomline. A public corp is responsible to its shareholders ! The govt makes roughly 15% on every dollar from oil companies -- Oil companies for all their drilling, exporting, transport, refining etc... make 4-5% - Now you tell me who makes out on that deal ?!? Nancy Pelosi needs to go home and do some reading and math along with Obama...

Obama is a stealthy socialist and will increase taxes across the board - regardless of your income - GUARUNTEED - unless you make less that roughly 15k a year !! I just wish more people read up on what Obama is all about, and his past decisions and virtually non existant experience and empty voting record. Not that McCain is a great alternative - by any strecth -- but atleast he has a record I can go by and sees that foreign dependancy on oil is going to be our downfall.

The Chinese and Cuban govt is scheduled to start drilling 45 miles off the US coast line and sucking our oil out of the the ocean right under our noses - BUT the US / Pelosi run dictatorship will not allow US companies to drill in any of these locaitons... It's absurd ! They are worried of the environmental impact of us drilling so close to our coasts !! Are you kidding me !! The Chinese are going to be taking this oil and then selling it back to us :mad2::mad2:! Has anyone looked at their past environmental practices ??

 

[RenegadeTahoe]

Honestly, I don't really care what ANYONE thinks of me or my purchases. I don't care what people think about what I drive, or how it effects the "environment". With that said, I've driven the 2000 Honda Civic that gets 30+MPG. I'm also 6'4" tall, and very large. We bought our 2003 'Hoe after owning a 2006 Honda CR-V. The CR-V was nice, but after getting 19MPG, it wasn't that impressive when compared to my 'Hoe at 13MPG, but much better for what we do. I, like many of you, use my 'Hoe as a family vehicle. We like to camp. Taking all of our camping gear as well as my 8 month old Lab / Rottweiler mix was IMPOSSIBLE to do in the CR-V. We had to rent a full-size 4-door truck to go camping. This is all not to mention that there are stains on the ceiling of my CR-V from my hair gel rubbing off... :smilielol:

The Tahoe was meant to be for my wife. She feels safer, I feel safer, and it doesn't get driven that much. I will pay the extra fuel costs to be comfortable and be able to use my vehicle for what I want. I am neither liberal or conservative by nature. I don't think it's the newer 13MPG SUV's that are causing detrimental effects to the earth... and as such... I'm going to drive what I want. :thumbsup:

 

[miller 666]

well life here in the UK is abit different, i mean we are paying £1.31 LITRE. Yes thats 1.31 a litre for diesel and about 1.15 for petrol. Still albeit im still only 15 i do own an old mini that is currently a restoration project but the last thing on my mind is fuel prices. For my 17th birthday im getting £5000 which is roughly $9000 so im going to do my best to try and import a yukon or Tahoe and if i can get insured on it im sorted. I am all about BIG wheels and big engines, im gonna get a good paying job to pay for the fuel and were sorted.
Thats my 2 pence

Oscar

 

[LAP TOP GAMER]

I figure cutting back in other areas in my budget is worth the safety and comfort the vehicle provides.