LS/SLE Trims?

[Mandalorian]

Just curious to see if anyone actually buys Tahoes/Suburbans in LS trims or SLE for the GMC counterparts. It seems like rental and other fleets and even the Secret Service opt for at least the LT/SLT. It's really not a huge price increase and has a ton of features, so what's even the point of keeping the LS/SLE around? Also who wants to pay $50,000 for a vehicle with cloth seats?

I feel like with the GMT400s and GMT800s you'd see a fair number of them, but with the GMT900 and K2XX they make up a much smaller percentage of the landscape. 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2018 by Mandalorian

[SARNCAN]

Just curious to see if anyone actually buys Tahoes/Suburbans in LS trims or SLE for the GMC counterparts. It seems like rental and other fleets and even the Secret Service opt for at least the LT/SLT. It's really not a huge price increase and has a ton of features, so what's even the point of keeping the LS/SLE around? Also who wants to pay $50,000 for a vehicle with cloth seats?

I feel like with the GMT400s and GMT800s you'd see a fair number of them, but with the GMT900 and K2XX they make up a much smaller percentage of the landscape. 
 
 

You can’t imagine how many ppl are actually owning an LS or SLE! It is much much larger numbers compared to other trims because of the price range.

[nowicksl]

And the fact I’d had better seats that don’t crack, stay cool and aren’t frigid in winter. I would like the features on slt but don’t want fake leather seat surface next to plastic bolsters in a motor vehicle.


Sent from device. Excuse errors.

[K2xxSteve]

There's a lot of value in the LS/SLE trims. They already have most of what you would "need", and believe me I would have loved to spend a whole lot LESS on my Suburban!

 

Here's what LT adds over LS for 2019:

 

The 2019 LT model includes all LS features as well as:
Leather-appointed seats
Bose® premium 9-speaker sound system
Heated front bucket seats with memory
Power liftgate with programmable height
Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
Low speed automatic braking
Safety alert seat
Power adjustable pedals
Forward Collision Alert

 

Honestly, if you just need to haul people and stuff around, the LS is a great value. A lot of people will be able to get by just fine without all the safety stuff especially out in rural areas without many cars or people around, and not everybody wants leather either. I've gotten annoyed enough with lane keep assist and the forward collision alert that I'm probably just going to turn it all off! I can't go a single day without getting the FCA warning all for random bozos and completely normal everyday situations here in the D.C. suburbs. I actually pay attention when I drive, so it's not really necessary for me. 

 

Biggest thing I "needed" and couldn't live without is the Magnetic Ride for flatter cornering and much better body motion control. I have numerous family members that are all very prone to motion sickness, so makes a huge difference. Even I got a little motion sick test driving an LT with standard "premium ride" suspension and 18" wheels.

 

A base 4WD LS just with the All-Season package (3.42 gears and 20" wheels and floor mats basically) for $56k would have saved me a ton of money, but couldn't do the standard suspension, and no 2nd row captain's chair setup that would work much better for our dog. Have to go with at least an LT to get 2nd row bucket seats. An LT that adds in the stuff at the top would have been $61k. Most LT's with a package or two are around $64k. My Premier with 22's, 3.42 gears, and adaptive cruise was $74k msrp(!!!!!!)

Other options were going down to a Traverse which rides and handles better without needing a pricey suspension option, but which already would have proven to not be big enough after hauling all sorts of furniture and stuff over the holidays. The far more sensible option for most people who need to haul all sorts of people and stuff is to just buy a minivan, but I'd rather slit my wrists than drive one of those, so here I am driving a $74k Suburban! 

 

If I could have bought an LS/LT with Magnetic Ride for $10-15k less without all the extra junk I would have, but the more they make available on the lower trims, the more they dilute their ability to up-sell you, so just standard car biz stuff.

  

[The Beagleman]

Well, in MY case I ordered the top drawer unit with ALL the bells and whistles.................... just because I thought , well I'm only going to be here once, and I did work hard for what I have and why not treat myself to the good life, yeah it's expensive, but what did I work all those years for and what am I saving the money for.....and like you Steve, I can turn off what I don't like....  for me it was more of a want than a need........ just me though, and it is good GM makes different trim packages, makes a wider audience ................... just my thoughts...

Jeff

[Mandalorian]

On 12/30/2018 at 12:02 AM, SARNCAN said:

You can’t imagine how many ppl are actually owning an LS or SLE! It is much much larger numbers compared to other trims because of the price range.

I believe the take rate on the Premier and Denalis is something like 60%. Dealers were complaining they weren’t being allocated enough a little while back.

[i82much]

huh.  i wish they made a work truck trim ...

[Cpl_Punishment]

Don't own a Tahoe but I've been looking into them. I'm in a similar situation to S P except it's the heated seats I can't do without. I'm thinking I might save $17k and get a Silverado RST instead and also get 8 speed instead of 6 speed. 

[i82much]

I bought a base model 2500HD and put a cap on it.  Poor man's Tahoe and I don't think the dogs really care. 

One thing that got me about the newer Tahoe is you really need to get the Z-71 to do any offroading.  So it gets pretty spendy pretty fast. 

 

All that said, I think the Tahoe is the nicest mass-produced vehicle on the road.  My brother has a 2009 that is, to this day, the nicest thing I have ever driven.  So smooth, great power, quiet, handles nicely.  

[Reyetwinger]

I bought a Tahoe LS Custom Midnight because it was the only one available with a third row delete which also cut like 3 grand off MSRP. I really had no interest in all the bells and whistles that come on the upper trims (except the 6.2) and an LS is by no means a stripped down vehicle. There is a market for a simple but decently optioned truck, especially if you would rather have storage than the third row,

[The Beagleman]

Actually, it would be really cool if we could spec out a new unit AS WE WANT, with packages 'available', but with the option to add or delete each option in each package rather than be stuck wanting parts of a package and having to take it all like it or not..... that would be cool, but I would suspect it may take longer to build....etc.... just a random thought...

[jimmyboy8301]

......

[K2xxSteve]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:40 AM, The Beagleman said:

Well, in MY case I ordered the top drawer unit with ALL the bells and whistles.................... just because I thought , well I'm only going to be here once, and I did work hard for what I have and why not treat myself to the good life, yeah it's expensive, but what did I work all those years for and what am I saving the money for.....and like you Steve, I can turn off what I don't like....  for me it was more of a want than a need........ just me though, and it is good GM makes different trim packages, makes a wider audience ................... just my thoughts...

Jeff

My Suburban, whether LS or Premier all gizmo'd out, is definitely more of a "lifestyle" truck for me. Other toys on the list will just have to wait, because I'm not driving a damned minivan! 

[K2xxSteve]

7 hours ago, The Beagleman said:

Actually, it would be really cool if we could spec out a new unit AS WE WANT, with packages 'available', but with the option to add or delete each option in each package rather than be stuck wanting parts of a package and having to take it all like it or not..... that would be cool, but I would suspect it may take longer to build....etc.... just a random thought...

BMW would let you do that to an extent, and it was really useful if you custom ordered, which both of our Bimmers were. Except for maybe first year models where they're really trying to throw newly developed gizmos and tech junk out the door on newly developed cars when they can most get away with it, you were never stuck paying thousands if not tens of thousands on TIERED options packages just to get ONE thing you wanted that you couldn't get otherwise. With first year models being the exception, generally you could pick and choose many options individually, and they don't typically have tiered option packages. The Japanese brands are famous for that!!!

 

Suburban LS with All-Season package and a line item Magnetic Ride option should have still kept the MSRP below $60k, but I do like all of my goodies in the Premier for the most part.

[The Beagleman]

SP, I'm glad to hear you like all the goodies, and yes , it is more of a life style thing..... I totally understand the practical side of things, but why not pamper yourself a little now and again, life is short not to have the best.... I am REALLY looking forward to my new Tahoe, it is really quite pricey, and a LOT of that is tax, which is frustrating, but I guess it is the cost of doing business..... I love these trucks, I just wish GM would allow us Canadians to join the Chevy Truck Legends, but apparently  we can't, although they have no problem taking our money... a little unfair, I think.....I still can't wait for my new truck