I have a 2004 Z71 Suburban, and want to upgrade soon. I have looked at the Denali with the 6.2 w/ 6 speed transmission but since I live in Colorado and I pull my boat over an 11,000 foot pass a few times a year I would love to have a diesel and I need a large SUV. I know that Ford use to make the Expedition w/ a diesel and in the early 90's you could get a Suburban with a diesel, but I would be buying new. Anyone know if it will be an option for '08 or '09 or is my best choice the Denali (I hate the Escalade). Anyone pulled a trailer with the new Denali over a 10 or 11,000 foot pass? <BR>Thanks.

I've heard that GM will be putting a Duramax into the H2 this year. If they can make it work in a H2 it should work in any of the tahoe, suburban, denali, escalade chassis....

I just lookd at Fords today. No Deisel SUV's. <BR>No Deisel Suburbans or Tahoes either.

Ditto on your request. I also live in Colorado and would like a Surburban w/ a diesel for those high mountain passes.

Just read yesterday that Chevy has come out with a Duramax for a half ton application but wont be available for consumers until 2010. <BR> <BR>Most automakers are working on diesels for applications other than HD trucks. I would think that this would trickle into the SUV market as well, although I wouldn't expect anything for a couple of more years.

Jeep a Diesel Liberty, Grand Cheerokee. <BR> <BR>VW has a limited run of Touareg's with the V10 TDI, early 2009 production of the 3.6 TDI 6 cly engine as well.

i have a friend with a crazy h2 with a build duramax in it, its the only one that i know of or have heard of, would be cool is they made them for real

There is a Duramax conversion kit for the H2. Lots of people have done it. Just costs a lot. You can make the trans bullet proof and the 6.0l in the H2 just as nasty, and it costs a lot less than the duramax conversion... then again the MPG still sucks.

I don't think anything like that is coming on the market for at least 2 years. <BR> <BR>I just got an 07 Denali a month or two ago and am very impressed with how it tows. BUT, I certainly don't go over grades like you're talking about. I do go over large hills that our 04 GMC Crew Cab would struggle somewhat over and the Denali tows over them with ease. <BR> <BR>Another option may be to get the Denali and put a supercharger on it. It's supposed to be coming out in a few months. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0>

I have towed with a 6.0 before, but it didn't have the 6 speed transmission. Can anyone compare the difference between the 6.0, the 6.0 w/ 6 speed transmission, and the 6.2 with the 6 speed transmission, and for that matter any comments on the 3/4 ton Suburban/Yukon? I had a 1997 3/4 ton Suburban and both my 2000 1/2 ton Suburban and my 2004 1/2 ton Suburban towed better than the 1997. Any comments would be appreciated. <BR>Thanks.

Get an extended powertrain warranty and hammer down on the gas pedal... if something breaks your covered.... <BR> <BR>Costs you about $2000 for full coverage.... Check with your local dealership. <BR> <BR>Cheapest solution..

I have an 07 Escalade with the 6.2 and I towed my old SSV through the Ozarks, it shifted down to 4th sometimes and rev'd high but it never lost much speed. The trans temp stayed in normal operating range too...

If you have the coin you can have anything you want.... <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.blwilliamsllc.com/duramax_pages/number_3.html" target="_blank">Duramax Suburban</a> <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.duramaxsuburban.com/" target="_blank">Lots of Diesel Subs Out There...</a> <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.fourwheeler.com/featuredvehicles/129_0407_chevrolet_duramax_suburban/index1.html" target="_blank">Another</a>

Diesel Power Mag just said that GMC is putting out a 4.5L diesel to go in their 1500s, don't know if it will make it to their SUVs though. I think the year was to be 2009. The little thing puts out 600lbs of torque. <BR> <BR>BMW is to put out a 3.0 diesel in there X5 for 2008 and then in there 535 for 2009. <BR> <BR>For now I have settled with a 2002 Excursion with the 7.3L Powerstroke. 15/18 MPG and 13/14 while towing. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by turbonine on August 16, 2007)

The 07 and 08 Jeep GC has a diesel option. Towing capacity is right around 7.5k. tourque is over 500.

Check it out: <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/vbclassified.php?do=ad&amp;id=2477" target="_blank">http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/vbclassified.php?do=ad&amp;id=2477</a>

The H1 Hummer has the Duramax. If you want to spend that kind of coin.

600 lbs of torque with any kind of load will shred a half-ton rearend. I hope they're going with a bigger pumpkin and full floating bearings if they're gonna add any more towing capacity to the half-tons.

Austin Top, <BR>The 6.0L with 4spd trans does a good job but not nearly as well as the 6.2L with 6 speed. The 6 spd makes a BIG difference both when towing and not. I have yet to see the motor really wind up. Also another great feature when in tow mode is that it automatically downshifts when you hit the brakes. Will your local dealer let you test drive one with your boat hooked up? Should give you a good idea of how it is.

Red, <BR>I thought about taking my boat to the dealership and test driving the Denali w/ my boat attached but I wonder if they would really let me do this. If they did, I wouldn't want that truck I would want a different one since I would want to break it in right and not tow with it for the first 500 or so miles (at least up a big pass). <BR> <BR>Also, how does the 6.0 do with the 6 speed transmission compared to the 6.2 with the 6 speed? Anyone compared the two? <BR>Thanks

Just call a couple of dealers prior to going and see if they have one that was a demo or a low mileage one. They won't let you do it with a new one but a slightly used one shouldn't be a problem. With SUV sales where they are, they're going to want to work with you.

Looks to me like the excursion with diesel was stopped after 2005 <BR><a href="http://www.edmunds.com/ford/excursion/review.html" target="_blank">http://www.edmunds.com/ford/excursion/review.html</a> <BR>go to diesel stop and do some searching on the 6.0l, dont buy the early ones are the main problems and get a report from ford on the maintenance for the truck you are considering.

Only way to go for a diesel in a SUV would the new Jeeps. Not sure how well they tow, though. They are slightly on the smallish side. <BR> <BR>FWIW.. I was on my way to Tahoe a couple weeks ago when I caught up to a new Denali towing a MasterCraft PS190. Now I know it's not that heavy of a boat, but there were only two of us in the fast lane. Me in my diesel (not towing) and him with a boat behind him. I'm sure he was hammer-down, but I was very impressed with how quickly he could accelerate at 6000+ feet of elevation. He was probably getting 6mpg, but......never the less, it was impressive.

Austin, I sell and I would be more than happy to let a customer demo a vehicle while towing. I'm not trying to sell you anything just give you a perspective from a dealer.