needing some input - do i pull the trigger?

[theanxioustahoe]

so we've been on an extremely wild ride the past few days. for our anniversary, my husband wanted to get me the new 2021 tahoe after i've fallen in love with his brand new suburban. what i dislike about the suburban is how long it is, so we decided on a tahoe.

but we've not had a stellar experience. i should start out and say i don't have a tahoe right now, we didn't buy anything this weekend. my husband found a premier in the color i wanted (black) and we went to the dealership to talk to them about it. in that time we were there, about 5-6 other people came by to get out of their cars and look at it. sticker price was $72k and we made an appointment to come back the next morning to do the deal after they'd done the state inspection, detail/wash, the works. next morning, we get up there for our appointment and they'd raised the sticker price by $15k. they added racks, rims, weathertek mats, you name it. none of this was discussed and we'd even asked if there would be markups, to which they said no. sadly we had to walk away from that whole vehicle because they weren't budging on price and we didn't want to waste anymore of our time.

that same day, we went to a few other dealerships and found a few. not the colors i wanted and trim level (LS) so we finally drove by one last lot and found exactly what i was looking for. LT, black, NO markups, sticker price at $62k. only issue? they don't have the keys. apparently the truck driver that dropped vehicles off that morning had accidentally drove off with the keys and will bring them back monday (today). yet another speed bump we'd come across. so we weren't able to drive it or look inside at the interior. we were left shaking our heads but put down a refundable deposit to go do the deal today IF we liked what we saw on the inside and liked how it drove.

it's been such a huge back and forth thing these past few days that now i am even wondering if getting this vehicle is the best thing for me to do right now. we can very easily afford it - thats not the issue. the issue is that this whole experience has left a really bad taste in my mouth. it feels like any and every thing that could go wrong HAS gone wrong. i remember years back, we'd bought a hyundai elantra and had a really poor experience. every time we set foot in that car we were reminded of that experience and it was almost like it had soured that vehicle for us in a way. i'm not saying this vehicle is soured for me, but the experience makes me want to walk away.

i want to hear your opinions on the tahoe. i did check the production date and it's late june 2021. checked the VIN and there are zero recalls. i have heard and been educated on the whole lifter issue, but apparently i am in the clear due to the production date. another thing we were told is that because there is a chip shortage, this LT model will not have the charging pad in the console (i wouldnt use it, and they did refund that on the sticker) and no powered up and down back seats (to flop down when putting groceries in the back or something) but the sticker shows that was refunded as well. the charging pad not being there is fine but the seats are a bit of a bummer. not the worst thing in the world, but felt like the cherry on top in a way. but i also know this was a very rare find - our area doesn't get them often nor does anything within a 250 mile radius (we've look for a couple weeks). we got lucky finding this one because we followed the fleet truck into the dealership and snatched this one.

what are your thoughts/opinions? tell me some things i should be looking for. out the door would be around $63k after trade in and tax, title, etc. GAP insurance is through our credit union and they're waving the processing fee for us.

 

[tomgilk]

I'd say just wait it out until you have a good experience... I had the same sort of issues when I got an Expedition in 2015 and it was definitely a sign of things to come with that POS. I had an amazing experience at Tropical Chevy Miami last fall and the truck has been nothing but 10/10. You can tell if it doesn't feel right.

 

[Bill 1960]

I’d be in no hurry to spend significant money on anything I wasn’t 100% certain of.

I also noted it’s easily affordable for you, and then gap insurance is mentioned. Which is usually an indication it’s financed to the hilt and underwater. Tread carefully.

 

[gaffster01]

IMO I would never do business with the first dealer. If you like the second one and it has everything you are looking for and work a deal your happy with I wouldn’t let the key thing stand in the way. Things happen. I have probably talked with 15 dealers trying to find a Tahoe, Escalade, or Yukon that has what I am looking for and out of the 10 I would only do business with 4 due to either getting the run around or price gouging.

 

[1BADI5]

The supply and demand for these trucks right now is insane. So the mark ups do not surprise me, nor would I ever pay it.......its automatic negative equity on top of an asset that will depreciate the second you drive off the lot.

If you can't find the right one for the right deal, just hold out. No since in buying something you really don't want or getting ******* by a dealer with no happy ending.

 

[Hrocks]

Anxious, being that you asked...Personally, I would not force feed getting a vehicle that you're not totally satisfied with. (And definitely, NOT with a dealer that plays word games.) In any case, you are attempting to make a serious purchase at precisely the wrong time. With the chip shortage, all of the major manufacturers have focused on building their most profitable units, ie. pickups and full sized SUV's. If this is strictly a "would like to have" situation and you can wait it out, I would, but that's just me.

I've been in the basic steel industry for decades and these markets ebb and flow. Steel has been very tight since about June, 2020 when automotive started to pick up. It will remain tight for a while, but I can promise you that it WILL change...it always does and we will be looking for business sooner than many think. There will be opportunities in the not too distant future to get exactly what YOU want, especially if you're willing to pay sticker. Having stated that, I would attempt to get a new vehicle prior to 2022, as there will be significant price increases on all steel and other basic products, as the car companies and their suppliers have had their base prices locked in since December of 2020, while ALL other consumers of those products have been HAMMERED by SIGNIFICANT price increases.

 

[theanxioustahoe]

I’d be in no hurry to spend significant money on anything I wasn’t 100% certain of.

I also noted it’s easily affordable for you, and then gap insurance is mentioned. Which is usually an indication it’s financed to the hilt and underwater. Tread carefully.

underwater? no, we have zero negative equity going into this vehicle. we'll actually have $9k positive toward the price out the door because of our trade in. is that what you mean by underwater?

 

[theanxioustahoe]

IMO I would never do business with the first dealer. If you like the second one and it has everything you are looking for and work a deal your happy with I wouldn’t let the key thing stand in the way. Things happen. I have probably talked with 15 dealers trying to find a Tahoe, Escalade, or Yukon that has what I am looking for and out of the 10 I would only do business with 4 due to either getting the run around or price gouging.

the first dealer we more or less told to go kick rocks. in a polite way, of course. the second dealer we love. they have been extremely kind. it's just the whole experience has been weird. not with this particular dealer - but with the ins and outs of chevy dealers adding and manipulating. does that make sense?

 

[theanxioustahoe]

thanks for all of the responses. i hope i didn't come off the wrong way in making people think i am not in love with this tahoe, because i am. i just haven't been in love with all the back and forth. we've had several vehicles over the years and all but one of them have been seamless transactions and no issues. this has just been an exhausting process and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. we're picking it up this evening, but just wanted everyone's thoughts on the tahoe since i am normally a toyota person.

 

[Quark]

so we've been on an extremely wild ride the past few days. for our anniversary, my husband wanted to get me the new 2021 tahoe after i've fallen in love with his brand new suburban. what i dislike about the suburban is how long it is, so we decided on a tahoe.

but we've not had a stellar experience. i should start out and say i don't have a tahoe right now, we didn't buy anything this weekend. my husband found a premier in the color i wanted (black) and we went to the dealership to talk to them about it. in that time we were there, about 5-6 other people came by to get out of their cars and look at it. sticker price was $72k and we made an appointment to come back the next morning to do the deal after they'd done the state inspection, detail/wash, the works. next morning, we get up there for our appointment and they'd raised the sticker price by $15k. they added racks, rims, weathertek mats, you name it. none of this was discussed and we'd even asked if there would be markups, to which they said no. sadly we had to walk away from that whole vehicle because they weren't budging on price and we didn't want to waste anymore of our time.

that same day, we went to a few other dealerships and found a few. not the colors i wanted and trim level (LS) so we finally drove by one last lot and found exactly what i was looking for. LT, black, NO markups, sticker price at $62k. only issue? they don't have the keys. apparently the truck driver that dropped vehicles off that morning had accidentally drove off with the keys and will bring them back monday (today). yet another speed bump we'd come across. so we weren't able to drive it or look inside at the interior. we were left shaking our heads but put down a refundable deposit to go do the deal today IF we liked what we saw on the inside and liked how it drove.

it's been such a huge back and forth thing these past few days that now i am even wondering if getting this vehicle is the best thing for me to do right now. we can very easily afford it - thats not the issue. the issue is that this whole experience has left a really bad taste in my mouth. it feels like any and every thing that could go wrong HAS gone wrong. i remember years back, we'd bought a hyundai elantra and had a really poor experience. every time we set foot in that car we were reminded of that experience and it was almost like it had soured that vehicle for us in a way. i'm not saying this vehicle is soured for me, but the experience makes me want to walk away.

i want to hear your opinions on the tahoe. i did check the production date and it's late june 2021. checked the VIN and there are zero recalls. i have heard and been educated on the whole lifter issue, but apparently i am in the clear due to the production date. another thing we were told is that because there is a chip shortage, this LT model will not have the charging pad in the console (i wouldnt use it, and they did refund that on the sticker) and no powered up and down back seats (to flop down when putting groceries in the back or something) but the sticker shows that was refunded as well. the charging pad not being there is fine but the seats are a bit of a bummer. not the worst thing in the world, but felt like the cherry on top in a way. but i also know this was a very rare find - our area doesn't get them often nor does anything within a 250 mile radius (we've look for a couple weeks). we got lucky finding this one because we followed the fleet truck into the dealership and snatched this one.

what are your thoughts/opinions? tell me some things i should be looking for. out the door would be around $63k after trade in and tax, title, etc. GAP insurance is through our credit union and they're waving the processing fee for us.

I'm a big believer in 'when the universe speaks people should listen' and when I've ignored cues and warnings in the past I've come to regret it. But if you're looking for justification to purchase a shiny new toy you'll find it regardless of the what is posted. I don't say this lightly, I've waited two years for the redesign and I'll wait two more to see if they've made them reliable. And another thing, we've haven't seen the end of the failed lifter saga.

 

[TollKeeper]

I think I would hold off, personally. It has most of the options you want, but not all of them, and a few months down the road, your either gonna curse the truck, or love it. When you are dropping this much coin on a new truck, get what you want, not whats available. Then you add in the fact this lifter issue is not over as @Quark said, and I just couldnt buy one right now.

That being said, you do have an option for something else. Do a short term lease on it. If you like it, buy it. If you dont, turn it in, and find the one you want!

This is the exact situation that I am having with my Esky. I bought it because it would fill the void. But now I am 3 months into the ownership, and am considering selling it. Its nice, but it just isnt exactly what I want.

 

[SSGUNNER]

I was on the same boat 2 months ago. Well, 3 actually as I began shopping in May after my previous ride stalled on me and would not start.

I was really trying to go for a Durango RT with the Tow n Go package. Forget it…in my area there was only about 3, non with the color I wanted, no sun roof and some bells and whistles I didn’t care for. I reached out to a few dealers and went o check them out only to find out they had a 10-15k markup. I had also found one out of state and was willing to ship it to me but did not reach a deal.

I eventually said screw this and began looking at the Tahoe which I had already considered but where more expensive. Luckily I found the perfect dealer to play ball and was able to make a deal. I’ve kept checking the dealer site and they have only been getting Tahoe’s without the Rear screens, no power 3rd row and no lux package so no heated steering wheel.

 

[Bill 1960]

underwater? no, we have zero negative equity going into this vehicle. we'll actually have $9k positive toward the price out the door because of our trade in. is that what you mean by underwater?

Yes, underwater = negative equity. I would do a little more due diligence, because gap insurance has NO value other than to cover negative equity. NE insurance is precisely what it is, no more or less. So either the terms of the proposed loan DO put you underwater, or the lender is hawking an entirely worthless to you added cost (and pure profit for them).

 

[ruise]

i waited about 3 months to get my hands on my new Denali. I didn't need a new vehicle, rather I wanted this new model design. My dealer had the available allocation and was able to order just what I wanted. When I took delivery, and drove it home, I said to myself "this was worth the weight."

My advice would be this... don't be in a hurry to drop that amount of money on a vehicle unless you love it. Who knows what the service and dependability will be. I, going into this with a very positive attitude and with plenty of experience with General Motors. This is my 6th Yukon and none of them have ever been in the shop for anything more than routine maintenance. Also, keep in mind, the longer you wait, the more deletions there will be on your vehicle because of the chip shortage. I was not aware of the deletion of the power up/down back seats. They will continue deleting features that are appealing to customers to continue building these vehicles.

Overall, you'll love your new Tahoe once you decide on which one to purchase. Best of luck with your decision and let us know what you finally decide.

 

[theanxioustahoe]

i waited about 3 months to get my hands on my new Denali. I didn't need a new vehicle, rather I wanted this new model design. My dealer had the available allocation and was able to order just what I wanted. When I took delivery, and drove it home, I said to myself "this was worth the weight."

My advice would be this... don't be in a hurry to drop that amount of money on a vehicle unless you love it. Who knows what the service and dependability will be. I, going into this with a very positive attitude and with plenty of experience with General Motors. This is my 6th Yukon and none of them have ever been in the shop for anything more than routine maintenance. Also, keep in mind, the longer you wait, the more deletions there will be on your vehicle because of the chip shortage. I was not aware of the deletion of the power up/down back seats. They will continue deleting features that are appealing to customers to continue building these vehicles.

Overall, you'll love your new Tahoe once you decide on which one to purchase. Best of luck with your decision and let us know what you finally decide.

The charging pad is one of the deletions due to the chip shortage, or so a few dealers have said. So far, none of the Tahoes we’ve seen in the past few weeks have had the charging pad. Which makes me think they actually weren’t lying about that. As I said in another comment and in my post, it IS shown on the sticker that Chevy refunded the cost of the charging pad from the MSRP.

THANK YOU so much for weighing in!

 

[Doubeleive]

thanks for all of the responses. i hope i didn't come off the wrong way in making people think i am not in love with this tahoe, because i am. i just haven't been in love with all the back and forth. we've had several vehicles over the years and all but one of them have been seamless transactions and no issues. this has just been an exhausting process and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. we're picking it up this evening, but just wanted everyone's thoughts on the tahoe since i am normally a toyota person.

well now you have to post pics of your new ride, that's a requirement around here........

 

[theanxioustahoe]

I'm a big believer in 'when the universe speaks people should listen' and when I've ignored cues and warnings in the past I've come to regret it. But if you're looking for justification to purchase a shiny new toy you'll find it regardless of the what is posted. I don't say this lightly, I've waited two years for the redesign and I'll wait two more to see if they've made them reliable. And another thing, we've haven't seen the end of the failed lifter saga.

The lifter thing does scare me a bit, but apparently they’ve fixed that in newer production dates, which mine is a part of. And I apologize if my post came off as seeking validation to drop this much money on this vehicle. Definitely not my intention. I was just asking for peoples input when it comes to the Tahoe itself. The lack of sleep has gotten to my head LOL

 

[theanxioustahoe]

well now you have to post pics of your new ride, that's a requirement around here........

I absolutely will. We pick it up this evening. It’s being detailed and washed right now.

 

[theanxioustahoe]

Yes, underwater = negative equity. I would do a little more due diligence, because gap insurance has NO value other than to cover negative equity. NE insurance is precisely what it is, no more or less. So either the terms of the proposed loan DO put you underwater, or the lender is hawking an entirely worthless to you added cost (and pure profit for them).

I’m not sure how I will be underwater with this vehicle if I have $9k toward the value in my trade. The vehicle I’m trading in will be paid off and we have $9k left to put toward the $62k Tahoe. This brings the Tahoe down to $53,448. Are you saying I don’t need GAP insurance because of this? Sorry, trying to understand.

 

[Quark]

The lifter thing does scare me a bit, but apparently they’ve fixed that in newer production dates, which mine is a part of. And I apologize if my post came off as seeking validation to drop this much money on this vehicle. Definitely not my intention. I was just asking for peoples input when it comes to the Tahoe itself. The lack of sleep has gotten to my head LOL

What makes you think they've fixed the lifter problem. Some have stated it is a bad batch but that's BS the lifter problem started with the DFM introduced in 2019. If you're not looking for validation do some research.