Buyers Remorse?

[rbg1957]

I've posted a couple of times, but my frustration with my 2018 Denali Premium grows daily lately. I did not buy it new, bought it last year from a dealer when used inventories were tight. I paid cash, about 37k, and honestly did not do my research. We had owned a 2010 suburban LT that we'd also bought used and it was 100% reliable, sold it with 220k miles on it. I was enamored with the new updates on the Denali, and most of my driving consists of local 2 lanes.

My first issue was a water pump a month after I bought it. The dealer paid for most of it without a fight.

It needed tires when I bought it , so I got a credit on the price of about 1200 and put Cooper at 4 tires on it ( more on that later).

Within another 4 months the front magneride shocks took a shit. Dealer wanted $2200, bought after market and had fixed for about $700.

Next the running board on passenger side started acting up in super cold weather.

Then I discovered the adaptive cruise doesn't like bad weather, shiny semi trailers, or windy roads. I wouldn't even use it, but no one seems to be able to switch it to regular cruise.

Last week on a 2000 mile round trip to KY and TN, the tires started making a racket that was worse than a jeep with mudders . Turns out they flat spotted in 2 places. Tire dealer is going to make it right, but I think the truck is to blame. I hate the 22" rims and the $$$ price for any tire.

Bottom line, I like the room and v8 power ( don't and never will use premium fuel ) with the 6.2, but if I did it over ,I'd buy an SLT with leather, heated seats and whatever else is base equipment.

I don't care about any of this high tech crap, and bought this vehicle for our business. The 5.3 with 6spd Trans will actually tow the same with towing package. Again, my fault for not realizing all this stuff would be constant headaches.

I spent the last 8 years driving a Lexus and must've gotten spoiled. This vehicle was 1 owner, dealer serviced at the dealer I bought from , and had a clean carfax. Anyone else have this kind of luck? I don't believe in extended warranties, because with deductibles and upfront costs doesn't make sense when the vehicle is paid for.

 

[B-train]

I've had similar repairs, but bought the platinum extended warranty because they offered it cheaper than 1 moderate repair. 2017 Denali, 6.2L with 41K on it. GM partially covered wheels that had flaking clear coat on the 22 inch wheels (with help from a good dealership). GM also covered the trans shudder (8 speed) with fluid flush. Warranty covered front struts that started leaking oil at 80k. Warranty also covered seat vibrator, new radio/climate control, oil cooler lines (I may have forgotten 1 or 2 others). 2 new tires covered under warranty, but I hate the ride on bad roads with the 22 inch wheels.

I had to put in a thermostat and some other basic maintenance items. It has been a really good truck for us and is now over 150k on it.

The 1400 I spent on the warranty paid for itself multiple times over. One and only time I ever bought an extended warranty and it paid off.

While I think your issues are frustrating, most of them are normal wear items (shocks and tires). I never use the adaptive cruise because I hate it in traffic. The forward collision alert is OK, but I know how to drive and don't need a system to take over my vehicle without my consent, so that could be deleted for all I care.

I think if you stay up on good maintenance practices, it will prove to be a good vehicle. Also, find a set of good 18 in take-offs and have a much better ride and cheaper tires IMO.

 

[Fless]

Moved you here from the 2024+ section. Seems like the discussion is about a 2018, if I have that right.

 

[Doubeleive]

I've posted a couple of times, but my frustration with my 2018 Denali Premium grows daily lately. I did not buy it new, bought it last year from a dealer when used inventories were tight. I paid cash, about 37k, and honestly did not do my research. We had owned a 2010 suburban LT that we'd also bought used and it was 100% reliable, sold it with 220k miles on it. I was enamored with the new updates on the Denali, and most of my driving consists of local 2 lanes. My first issue was a water pump a month after I bought it. The dealer paid for most of it without a fight. It needed tires when I bought it , so I got a credit on the price of about 1200 and put Cooper at 4 tires on it ( more on that later). Within another 4 months the front magneride shocks took a shit. Dealer wanted $2200, bought after market and had fixed for about $700. Next the running board on passenger side started acting up in super cold weather. Then I discovered the adaptive cruise doesn't like bad weather, shiny semi trailers, or windy roads. I wouldn't even use it, but no one seems to be able to switch it to regular cruise. Last week on a 2000 mile round trip to KY and TN, the tires started making a racket that was worse than a jeep with mudders . Turns out they flat spotted in 2 places. Tire dealer is going to make it right, but I think the truck is to blame. I hate the 22" rims and the $$$ price for any tire. Bottom line, I like the room and v8 power ( don't and never will use premium fuel ) with the 6.2, but if I did it over ,I'd buy an SLT with leather, heated seats and whatever else is base equipment. I don't care about any of this high tech crap, and bought this vehicle for our business. The 5.3 with 6spd Trans will actually tow the same with towing package. Again, my fault for not realizing all this stuff would be constant headaches. I spent the last 8 years driving a Lexus and must've gotten spoiled. This vehicle was 1 owner, dealer serviced at the dealer I bought from , and had a clean carfax. Anyone else have this kind of luck? I don't believe in extended warranties, because with deductibles and upfront costs doesn't make sense when the vehicle is paid for.

more bells & whistles means more maintenance, that's really the bottom line. Big difference between a LT and a Denali electronics wise especially on the newer models
the water pumps on the K2's do not seem to be as robust as previous generations but are generally much cheaper to repair depending on how it failed.
adaptive cruise, lane keep, forward impact warning, etc really only work in a perfect world and are not suited for every driving style, I turn all that stuff off because it's just annoying
as far as the adaptive cruise you may be stuck with it or do not use it, pressing long on the cruise button will tell you. some vehicles came with both standard cruise & adaptive and some did not.
power steps historically get funky, they need to be maintained (cleaned & lubed)
big wheels look nice, but they suck......both in ride comfort & function
if you have the 8 speed that is another problem waiting to happen
electronic struts on these K2's can start crapping out as soon as 40k, the gmt900 struts were made better and started crapping out at around 80k

I have done a crap ton of research and read a lot, test drove, etc
other things to look forward to failing sooner or later---- door & window switches, rear hatch lift, power mirrors, sunroof, power folding seats, external sensor failures, fuel injectors.

but hey it's a Denali, you either love it or you don't

 

[rbg1957]

I've had similar repairs, but bought the platinum extended warranty because they offered it cheaper than 1 moderate repair. 2017 Denali, 6.2L with 41K on it. GM partially covered wheels that had flaking clear coat on the 22 inch wheels (with help from a good dealership). GM also covered the trans shudder (8 speed) with fluid flush. Warranty covered front struts that started leaking oil at 80k. Warranty also covered seat vibrator, new radio/climate control, oil cooler lines (I may have forgotten 1 or 2 others). 2 new tires covered under warranty, but I hate the ride on bad roads with the 22 inch wheels.

I had to put in a thermostat and some other basic maintenance items. It has been a really good truck for us and is now over 150k on it.

The 1400 I spent on the warranty paid for itself multiple times over. One and only time I ever bought an extended warranty and it paid off.

While I think your issues are frustrating, most of them are normal wear items (shocks and tires). I never use the adaptive cruise because I hate it in traffic. The forward collision alert is OK, but I know how to drive and don't need a system to take over my vehicle without my consent, so that could be deleted for all I care.

I think if you stay up on good maintenance practices, it will prove to be a good vehicle. Also, find a set of good 18 in take-offs and have a much better ride and cheaper tires IMO.

My Lexus GX had 1 trip to the shop for a waterpump at 110k, and a mass air sensor recall repair ( free ). Tires, oil changes. I bought it with 90k miles and sold it at 245k. Brakes were still good. If Toyota made an suv that would fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood, I'd buy it. I'm not used to having a paid for vehicle that costs hundreds more almost monthly. I can't imagine if I had a 600 dollar payment plus all these issues. That's why domestic automakers like GM and Ford don't give a shit about quality. They figure you'll trade every 4 or 5 years. I never buy new any more, and keep vehicles a long time. Hopefully, these issues will be rectified soon and I can enjoy the vehicle.

 

[Thrust]

You can't turn adaptive cc off and still use cruise control. My CT6 has adaptive cruise but you can turn it off and have normal cruise control. Why GM didn't do the same for the SUVs is confusing.

 

[rbg1957]

I've had similar repairs, but bought the platinum extended warranty because they offered it cheaper than 1 moderate repair. 2017 Denali, 6.2L with 41K on it. GM partially covered wheels that had flaking clear coat on the 22 inch wheels (with help from a good dealership). GM also covered the trans shudder (8 speed) with fluid flush. Warranty covered front struts that started leaking oil at 80k. Warranty also covered seat vibrator, new radio/climate control, oil cooler lines (I may have forgotten 1 or 2 others). 2 new tires covered under warranty, but I hate the ride on bad roads with the 22 inch wheels.

I had to put in a thermostat and some other basic maintenance items. It has been a really good truck for us and is now over 150k on it.

The 1400 I spent on the warranty paid for itself multiple times over. One and only time I ever bought an extended warranty and it paid off.

While I think your issues are frustrating, most of them are normal wear items (shocks and tires). I never use the adaptive cruise because I hate it in traffic. The forward collision alert is OK, but I know how to drive and don't need a system to take over my vehicle without my consent, so that could be deleted for all I care.

I think if you stay up on good maintenance practices, it will prove to be a good vehicle. Also, find a set of good 18 in take-offs and have a much better ride and cheaper tires IMO.

How do you shut off adaptive cruise? I have not been able to, even after viewing you tube, and my gmc salesman was also unable to shut it off when I stopped at the dealer yesterday. It is a completely useless nanny / trial lawyer feature that I loathe.

 

[rbg1957]

You can't turn adaptive cc off and still use cruise control. My CT6 has adaptive cruise but you can turn it off and have normal cruise control. Why GM didn't do the same for the SUVs is confusing.

If that's the case, I'm going to be getting rid of this POS. Why people make excuses and put up with shoddy quality and stupid features out of some sense of loyalty to " American manufacturers " is beyond me. It's ALL of them. Ford has gone to only boosted 6 cylinders in the expedition, and don't even get me started on the new wagoneers crappy quality. These really are disposable 90k vehicles now. I enjoy the ride on the highway, but waiting for the next tech feature to fail is not worth it. I used my Lexus GX like a rented mule, pulled an enclosed work trailer all over the state, and even towed a 24ft Bayliner 250 miles with it. It never skipped a beat. Wish I'd have kept it now.

 

[B-train]

How do you shut off adaptive cruise? I have not been able to, even after viewing you tube, and my gmc salesman was also unable to shut it off when I stopped at the dealer yesterday. It is a completely useless nanny / trial lawyer feature that I loathe.

Not sure. I'll play around with it when I get back home in a few weeks. I'll try to remember to report back

 

[K2 Kaiju]

If that's the case, I'm going to be getting rid of this POS. Why people make excuses and put up with shoddy quality and stupid features out of some sense of loyalty to " American manufacturers " is beyond me. It's ALL of them. Ford has gone to only boosted 6 cylinders in the expedition, and don't even get me started on the new wagoneers crappy quality. These really are disposable 90k vehicles now. I enjoy the ride on the highway, but waiting for the next tech feature to fail is not worth it. I used my Lexus GX like a rented mule, pulled an enclosed work trailer all over the state, and even towed a 24ft Bayliner 250 miles with it. It never skipped a beat. Wish I'd have kept it now.

Yeah you really need to get rid of it. God only knows what kind of hissy fit you will throw when you need a real repair (possibly due to you refusing to use the recommended fuel). You could pick up a new GX/LX/Sequoia with that "reliable" boosted 6 they all have now...

 

[gonatee]

You can't turn adaptive cc off and still use cruise control. My CT6 has adaptive cruise but you can turn it off and have normal cruise control. Why GM didn't do the same for the SUVs is confusing.

I use normal cruise on my denali w adaptive cruise.

 

[Doubeleive]

How do you shut off adaptive cruise? I have not been able to, even after viewing you tube, and my gmc salesman was also unable to shut it off when I stopped at the dealer yesterday. It is a completely useless nanny / trial lawyer feature that I loathe.

Like I already stated, long press the cruise control button. If nothing happens then you do not have a option for regular cruise.
some came with the option for both regular & adaptive, some came with regular only, some came with adaptive only.
I personally never use cruise EVER, so it doesn't matter to me what it has.

 

[SpyShops212]

In 1/2022 I bought a used Escalade luxury with 48k miles. I chose the luxury because it comes with cruise only and no retractable steps which I hate. When I got the truck the dealer had new Goodyear Touring tires which lasted me only 20k miles. I put Michelin Defenders LTX at 70k and now with 104k I still have more then 40k remaining. I did need to replace the front struts at 70k. I bought them for under 1000 OEM and paid my mechanic 200 to install. The front struts also come with lifetime warranty. I replaced my front and rear pads at 100k using the Duralast Gold which I paid $150 for the F&R. I do get free lifetime replacements at autozone which is included. My mechanic only charged me 150 to change the F&R pads. Now the ride totally changed once I replaced the front struts. BWI bought out the Delphi brand of shock and improved them sufficiently. They are now 3rd gen and they have better seals. The ride with the Defenders and OEM BWI struts changed the truck ride and now I feel like I am driving on a cloud with 22” tires. I only put premium gas in my truck and don’t let my tank go less then 1/4. Once every oil change I pour a bottle of Techron injecter cleaner in my tank. I also use Shell gas only since it is refined the best. I can tell the difference in the gas I use. I also replaced my front and rear sway-bar end-links because where I live there is allot of speed bumps. That doesn’t cost more then $250 with the labor to replace. I chose for the front OEM and the rears Duralast gold because they do have lifetime warranty and grease fittings.

This is my 3rd Escalade. By the time my 2003 ESV hit 100k I replaced the transmission, all 4 shocks, transmission torque converter a year later, HID ballast, 2x radio, dash board and some other items. The 2008 by the time I hit 100k I replaced the catalytic converter, engine mount, steering end-link, navigation radio, heated seat module, 3 door handles, 1 power lock, starter, o2 sensor, camshaft sensor and more. The 2018 is much better then my previous 2.

2018 Denali, Escalade & RST owners with the 10-speed should update their transmission software. 2018 was the first year for the 10-speed and GM did release several updates in 2018. 1-2 would hang a little more when starting out in the morning. That has been fixed and now my truck shifts correctly. The TCM & PCM has to be updated at the same time. You have to connect a GM programmer and it will tell you there is updates when you connect it. I would recommend changing your oil every 4-4500 miles using Mobil 1 extended truck Dexos 1 gen 3 oil plus OEM oil filter. To prevent lifter issues I would change the vlom which was a faulty part from GM which would cause the lifters to fail. GM updated the part and required dealers to install when replacing the lifters. Change your transmission fluid at the dealer only.

I hope this info helps somebody out.

 

[SpyShops212]

more bells & whistles means more maintenance, that's really the bottom line. Big difference between a LT and a Denali electronics wise especially on the newer models
the water pumps on the K2's do not seem to be as robust as previous generations but are generally much cheaper to repair depending on how it failed.
adaptive cruise, lane keep, forward impact warning, etc really only work in a perfect world and are not suited for every driving style, I turn all that stuff off because it's just annoying
as far as the adaptive cruise you may be stuck with it or do not use it, pressing long on the cruise button will tell you. some vehicles came with both standard cruise & adaptive and some did not.
power steps historically get funky, they need to be maintained (cleaned & lubed)
big wheels look nice, but they suck......both in ride comfort & function
if you have the 8 speed that is another problem waiting to happen
electronic struts on these K2's can start crapping out as soon as 40k, the gmt900 struts were made better and started crapping out at around 80k

I have done a crap ton of research and read a lot, test drove, etc
other things to look forward to failing sooner or later---- door & window switches, rear hatch lift, power mirrors, sunroof, power folding seats, external sensor failures, fuel injectors.

but hey it's a Denali, you either love it or you don't

The struts was improved when BWI bought out GM and started making them with better seals. I got over 100k on my other Escalades front BWI GM replacements. I could have gotten more but I changed my front struts for a squeak that ended up being a control arm. The switches and buttons are made much better than the GMT900 was. I have over 104k on my k2xx and not a since interior item broke. The 2018-2020 is the k2xx to get because the F&R control arms are made from steal and the shock software was updated. The 10-speed is the transmission to get and if you happen to get a 2018 I would get someone to do the TCM/PCM updates which costed me $150.

 

[swathdiver]

I've posted a couple of times, but my frustration with my 2018 Denali Premium grows daily lately.

I like the room and v8 power ( don't and never will use premium fuel ) with the 6.2,

It's frustrated with you as well for feeding it crummy low octane fuel when its high compression engine requires 91+ so it will live a long and happy life.

I've always budgeted for accessories, repairs and maintenance with any car purchase. This way I won't be disappointed or frustrated when something pops up.

 

[Thrust]

I use normal cruise on my denali w adaptive cruise.

What year and options on your Denali?

 

[steiny93]

I've posted a couple of times, but my frustration with my 2018 Denali Premium grows daily lately. I did not buy it new, bought it last year from a dealer when used inventories were tight. I paid cash, about 37k, and honestly did not do my research. We had owned a 2010 suburban LT that we'd also bought used and it was 100% reliable, sold it with 220k miles on it. I was enamored with the new updates on the Denali, and most of my driving consists of local 2 lanes.

My first issue was a water pump a month after I bought it. The dealer paid for most of it without a fight.

It needed tires when I bought it , so I got a credit on the price of about 1200 and put Cooper at 4 tires on it ( more on that later).

Within another 4 months the front magneride shocks took a shit. Dealer wanted $2200, bought after market and had fixed for about $700.

Next the running board on passenger side started acting up in super cold weather.

Then I discovered the adaptive cruise doesn't like bad weather, shiny semi trailers, or windy roads. I wouldn't even use it, but no one seems to be able to switch it to regular cruise.

Last week on a 2000 mile round trip to KY and TN, the tires started making a racket that was worse than a jeep with mudders . Turns out they flat spotted in 2 places. Tire dealer is going to make it right, but I think the truck is to blame. I hate the 22" rims and the $$$ price for any tire.

Bottom line, I like the room and v8 power ( don't and never will use premium fuel ) with the 6.2, but if I did it over ,I'd buy an SLT with leather, heated seats and whatever else is base equipment.

I don't care about any of this high tech crap, and bought this vehicle for our business. The 5.3 with 6spd Trans will actually tow the same with towing package. Again, my fault for not realizing all this stuff would be constant headaches.

I spent the last 8 years driving a Lexus and must've gotten spoiled. This vehicle was 1 owner, dealer serviced at the dealer I bought from , and had a clean carfax. Anyone else have this kind of luck? I don't believe in extended warranties, because with deductibles and upfront costs doesn't make sense when the vehicle is paid for.

it is an absolute bummer to have issues when you buy a different vehicle; totally get it

We've had a few denali's / slt's / escalades; across all of them I think I've done 1 water pump and 1 set of magnaride shocks and a pile of tires, never had flat spots occur tho.

Wife's '21 denali has loud running boards; dealer has been addressing; I fully anticipate they will be a continuous issue (they all suck).

 

[j91z28d1]

I didn't read thru all the replies, just the original post...

red flags that pop out at me, you bought a vehicle asking for 93 but refuse to buy it?

don't use any cruise control in the rain or slick roads. it's a old rule when cars didn't drive themselves with all the stability control and stuff. but still at least know there's a risk.


by 2 cents is sell it while you can. it doesn't get better for you.

 

[RoadTrip]

I've posted a couple of times, but my frustration with my 2018 Denali Premium grows daily lately. I did not buy it new, bought it last year from a dealer when used inventories were tight. I paid cash, about 37k, and honestly did not do my research.

I feel the frustration of the OP, but the expectation of buying, especially a used vehicle, and expecting no problems are unrealistic.

I have a good friend who is a master tech at Mercedes. He could tell you stories that even make your wallet cringe in pain, so this "American car companies suck" attitude is just ignorance of the modern car market as a whole.

People want to blame someone or something when things don't go their way, so how about starting with consumers who lap up vehicles with the latest technology? After all, if we didn't buy it, the auto makers wouldn't be selling it.

*Anything* is possible through technology, but there is a price to pay. Don't want to be bothered to turn your head when backing up or changing lanes?: There's technology to help. Don't want to learn to gauge where your bumper is when parking?: There's technology to help. Want a smooth ride from a 5500lb monster of a vehicle?: There's technology to help with that. And the list goes on.

There are members here who have had to make major repairs and yet they know this platform is among the best for full sized SUVs and trucks and we're still here.

 

[rbg1957]

I've calmed down considerably since posting my rant. I've also discovered some useful information. First of all, no 2015-2020 body style that has adaptive cruise also has a " regular " cruise function, at least not according to my dealer. Secondly, the Cooper tires were warranted and will be covered for the vast majority of the replacement cost. They were defective, and not caused by the 22" rims. I'm replacing with Goodyear wrangler HT Kevlar. Hopefully, I'll get some life out of them.

Next, I'd like to address some of the comments made on here.
Premium gas is recommended, not required. There's absolutely no harm to this engine using regular, other than it will put out.less horsepower. Mercedes says premium fuel REQUIRED. You will get a check engine light before you go 5 miles.
Also, I take very good care of all of my vehicles, that's why I was frustrated with the issues. I've never had to crack open an engine on anything I own, but if I did lose an engine or transmission, I have the ability to pay for a new one. My truck is free and clear. I'll never be a slave to a car payment again. I have the oil changed with the factory spec and always with at least 20 to 25% life left on the oil life indicator.
As far as the electronic issues go, I'll learn to live with them. It'll still be cheaper than trading, and after researching, most of the gmc yukons are already denali trim.