2018 Denali or SLT

[15BlackAT]

With the current prices on new 2018s I'm thinking about trading up from my 2015. It looks like a Denali (without the Ultimate package) is about the same price as an SLT with the premium plus package. What are the benefits for each?

[Bikemobile]

Special magnetic shocks on the denali. I have a 17’ SLT and it’s a nice truck. Smooth, quiet, and quick. 

[Nitrousbird]

My experience was a non-Ultimate was a good 4k more for the cheapest unit Denali I could find (and I looked hard and bought out of state) than a Premium Plus SLT.  

What does a non-Ultimate Denali get you over a PP SLT:
- Better gauge cluster; can be retrofitted in the SLT for about $650
- Nicer grille, again can be retrofitted with an OEM unit for $650
- Magnetic shocks - I'm not sold on them honestly.  I rode in an Ultimate from the airport to picking up my SLT and couldn't tell a difference (mine is a Z71)
- Painted bumpers - wish mind had that.  Have to go All-Terrain which is hard to find in dealers now and lose other options as a result
- Different wheels.  Different, not better - actually, I think the Premium Plus 20" wheel options are nicer than the Denali 20" wheels

 

The 4k difference wasn't worth it to me, especially since I couldn't find any in anything but black at that price difference.  I'd either have to go Ultimate or a more expensive dealer to get the color I wanted (Silver, while or blue were my wants...I got Silver).  Mind you, I paid $44,055 out the door before tax for a '18 SLT short bed crew Premium Plus, Z71, sunroof, floor liners and 6.2L motor.   

[JimCost2014]

_{Denali, better looking truck. Cool gauge cluster too, and nicer trim pieces (I know, trivial things), but if it is close in price, why not go for more.}

[Mileguru]

I got a 2017 (when it was new) SLT with the 6.2L, heated/vented seats, and bose stereo for $38,500. My plan was to not pay for the crap I didn't need in a Denali and put the savings into a new supercharger. One of the best moves I could have ever made.

[khaledsamy36]

With the current prices on new 2018s I'm thinking about trading up from my 2015. It looks like a Denali (without the Ultimate package) is about the same price as an SLT with the premium plus package. What are the benefits for each?

I had the same questions couple of months back , I picked the SLT over the Denali for the reason that I wanted to lift my car and I don’t want the magnetic ride to limit my choices and I really don’t want the 6.2 engine , so I bought the SLT which has all Denali options except for the engine size and power steps , painted the bumper same car color and changed to Denali grill as I like it better and my car has a lot of chrome , I don’t regret my choices after doing the mods .




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[djw88]

i was in the same position the denali i wanted sold the day i went to look at it shortly after a fully loaded SLT came up for sale and i got that and I'm glad i did get it over the denali with seeing the issues people have with the magnaride shocks and the cost of replacement.

 

personally i think the SLT is the better buy.

[Nitrousbird]

On 12/6/2018 at 10:43 PM, JimCost2014 said:

_{Denali, better looking truck. Cool gauge cluster too, and nicer trim pieces (I know, trivial things), but if it is close in price, why not go for more.}

What trim pieces are different?  Bumpers front/rear are the same as an All- Terrain.  Grill is different.  Other than Denali being plastered all over, there isn't any different in trim.

[Donstar]

It appears that the overlap between all trim levels is quite significant. I don't think it would be unusual to find a SLT that is more suited to you than a Denali.  However, an SLT will not offer the same level of bragging rights!  ;-)   My dealer has a couple of SLT's that are very basic when compared to a couple of the SLE's they have available. This time of year reveals some really weird combinations.  I find myself looking at a SLT's without heated seats, centre console's or brake controllers parked next to SLE's with all of these features!

[Nitrousbird]

19 minutes ago, Donstar said:

It appears that the overlap between all trim levels is quite significant. I don't think it would be unusual to find a SLT that is more suited to you than a Denali.  However, an SLT will not offer the same level of bragging rights!  ;-)   My dealer has a couple of SLT's that are very basic when compared to a couple of the SLE's they have available. This time of year reveals some really weird combinations.  I find myself looking at a SLT's without heated seats, centre console's or brake controllers parked next to SLE's with all of these features!

SLT's come with heated seats standard.  You have to get the Premium Plus package to get heated AND cooled seats (which can't be had on the cloth SLE's anyway).  Split bench is standard on the SLT; it can be optioned by itself (which also forces the Bose upgrade).  Brake controller is a $275 stand alone option or standard on Premium Plus or Max Tow packages.  I saw a number of local dealer trying to save a couple thousand on sticker by doing a SLT Premium Package (much cheaper than Premium Plus), then adding the brake controller, buckets/bose as line-item options.  Kept the sticker a couple thousand cheaper.  

 

That said, the Denali is the truck to get with the December options.  Dave Sinclair Buick-GMC has Denali Ultimates for around 47k - if you title them in a couple specific states (otherwise the price jumps up $3750).  Laura Buick GMC has them for 49k for any state.  I'm torn on whether I would have went the Denali Ultimate route vs my loaded SLT - it would have been a $5,000 difference out of pocket.  Would have been a much harder decision then...but at the time it was over an $8000 difference and wasn't worth it.

[JimCost2014]

19 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

What trim pieces are different?  Bumpers front/rear are the same as an All- Terrain.  Grill is different.  Other than Denali being plastered all over, there isn't any different in trim.

Chrome handle on center console lid, different "wood" trim, different stitching in seats. I think the controls for the seats might also have chrome/satin finish rather that the black plastic.

[Blue5.3l]

20 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

What trim pieces are different?  Bumpers front/rear are the same as an All- Terrain.  Grill is different.  Other than Denali being plastered all over, there isn't any different in trim.

The interior trim pieces are also of a different color then the silver/synthesis and wood color trim in the SLT trucks. 

[crushNchowda]

If you plan on level/lift then SLT, otherwise Denali.

 

denali magride shocks are a PITA if you wanna lift the tuck, plus lifting negates the point of having the magride.

[jimmyboy8301]

Denali’s are just plain better looking IMO


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[71_340]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 3:32 PM, jimmyboy8301 said:

Denali’s are just plain better looking IMO


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Exactly!  I always like and buy the high end trucks because they already have everything I want/need.  Makes no sense to me to retrofit later and still just have an SLT or XLT (Ford) and you never get the money back when you trade or sell.  Before the Denali I had King Ranch, Platinum or Laramie Longhorn.........just better trucks in my opinion.