Build a custom sle or buy slt

[OmahaBen]

Laura Buick gmc has a few slt duramax hd trucks for right around 60k.    
 

I am looking at doing a sle to get under 55000.  

I want the new style, the duramax and the 10 speed.   Crew cab and 4x4.
 

Probably order in early August and get in October.   
 

I am sure slt will have better resale but looking at the bottom line.   Thoughts?  

 

[Pastusak.t]

I have actually given this a lot of thought and researched the features quite a bit. Depending on what features are important to you the sle has a lot of value. You’ll miss out on leather, cooled seats, power fold/extend mirrors, and get incandescent turn signals and backup lights instead of LED. (Still has LED headlights and brake lights)

 

but if built with the right option packages you’ll get park assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic, bed liner, heated seats, keyless everything, and so on. 

A low option SLT will cost 5-6k more than that SLE and not have some of the options above. 
 

Really depends on what is important to you but I wouldn’t rule out an SLE without looking at one to see if you think it will fit you needs/wants.

[Dunn]

yeah agree the sle is great option if you pkg it out to your needs

[OmahaBen]

1 hour ago, Pastusak.t said:

I have actually given this a lot of thought and researched the features quite a bit. Depending on what features are important to you the sle has a lot of value. You’ll miss out on leather, cooled seats, power fold/extend mirrors, and get incandescent turn signals and backup lights instead of LED. (Still has LED headlights and brake lights)

 

but if built with the right option packages you’ll get park assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic, bed liner, heated seats, keyless everything, and so on. 

A low option SLT will cost 5-6k more than that SLE and not have some of the options above. 
 

Really depends on what is important to you but I wouldn’t rule out an SLE without looking at one to see if you think it will fit you needs/wants.

1 hour ago, Pastusak.t said:

I have actually given this a lot of thought and researched the features quite a bit. Depending on what features are important to you the sle has a lot of value. You’ll miss out on leather, cooled seats, power fold/extend mirrors, and get incandescent turn signals and backup lights instead of LED. (Still has LED headlights and brake lights)

 

but if built with the right option packages you’ll get park assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic, bed liner, heated seats, keyless everything, and so on. 

A low option SLT will cost 5-6k more than that SLE and not have some of the options above. 
 

Really depends on what is important to you but I wouldn’t rule out an SLE without looking at one to see if you think it will fit you needs/wants.

The sales person said resale may be an issue.   The thing I have noticed in looking at 2018/2019 Duramax trucks,  there isn't a large price difference between used SLT and Denali.  And used SLE to SLT.   Mileage and the Duramax are the main factors of resale pricing.

The reason I like this option is the prices are getting out of hand.  Id love to drop $70k but that is crazy.  $55k is also crazy but half tons are really close outfitted in a similar config to what I have now. 

 

My SLE build are as follows.

2500 Crew, Reg Box (I might order a long box)  I have had were all my gear completely fills my current 6.5ft box now.

Duramax

SLE Value Package.

SLE Preferred

X31 (for the hill descent control, also when I sell the wheels and tires as take offs I think the X31 will bring more than the basic SLE wheel)

Autotrac transfer case

Power Folding mirrors (need power folding to get in the garage)

Multi pro tailgate (Im not getting younger and it is nice to get in and out of the back,  I also like the work bench it provides)

Front Buckets and Console

Bedview Camera

 

MSRP 65,165.   Has heated seats, I can always do catskins later if I have to have leather. 

 

I will have a set of Denali Take off wheels and BFG All Terrains ready to go the day I bring it home.  (I am doing this even if I get an SLT, love the chrome denali wheels)

 

Personally I like all the bonus features of the SLT and Denail,  but are cooled seats, phone charger and bose stereo and leather worth $5K? 

 

If I have a great sales year $5K may not be that big of a deal but that is $5K I can spend on other equipment for my business. 

 

Right now Laura has $10K off.  Salesman said that if I order in August it will show up in October maximizing rebates.  Who knows maybe I can get it out the door for under $55K  

 

That is why I looked at this.   If I cut out a few options I would make it a bit cheaper but I have a certain level of options I want. 

[Pastusak.t]

7 hours ago, OmahaBen said:

The sales person said resale may be an issue.   The thing I have noticed in looking at 2018/2019 Duramax trucks,  there isn't a large price difference between used SLT and Denali.  And used SLE to SLT.   Mileage and the Duramax are the main factors of resale pricing.

The reason I like this option is the prices are getting out of hand.  Id love to drop $70k but that is crazy.  $55k is also crazy but half tons are really close outfitted in a similar config to what I have now. 

 

My SLE build are as follows.

2500 Crew, Reg Box (I might order a long box)  I have had were all my gear completely fills my current 6.5ft box now.

Duramax

SLE Value Package.

SLE Preferred

X31 (for the hill descent control, also when I sell the wheels and tires as take offs I think the X31 will bring more than the basic SLE wheel)

Autotrac transfer case

Power Folding mirrors (need power folding to get in the garage)

Multi pro tailgate (Im not getting younger and it is nice to get in and out of the back,  I also like the work bench it provides)

Front Buckets and Console

Bedview Camera

 

MSRP 65,165.   Has heated seats, I can always do catskins later if I have to have leather. 

 

I will have a set of Denali Take off wheels and BFG All Terrains ready to go the day I bring it home.  (I am doing this even if I get an SLT, love the chrome denali wheels)

 

Personally I like all the bonus features of the SLT and Denail,  but are cooled seats, phone charger and bose stereo and leather worth $5K? 

 

If I have a great sales year $5K may not be that big of a deal but that is $5K I can spend on other equipment for my business. 

 

Right now Laura has $10K off.  Salesman said that if I order in August it will show up in October maximizing rebates.  Who knows maybe I can get it out the door for under $55K  

 

That is why I looked at this.   If I cut out a few options I would make it a bit cheaper but I have a certain level of options I want. 

That build is almost exactly how I want one. I bet you can get out the door under 55 for sure. The only hold up would be timing. Model year 2021 is scheduled to start Production on August 30th  and order acceptance on July 27th (according to Donlen) so any incentives that are out In October may not be available to the 2021 trucks. That said I’m sure Laura’s discount would be close to 10k off before incentives 

[L86 All Terrain]

For personal trucks I buy the most comfortable one I can safely afford. Not Denali, but usually SLT. I like cabin comfort more than I care about saving $5k to put into aftermarket wheels and seat covers. $5k is not a huge jump from SLE to SLT. You get some nice interior and exterior touches. Cloth to "Leather". In Canada, its usually about a $10k jump to the SLT/LTZ trim levels from SLE/LT.

[redwngr]

Build up a certain trim level, or pop for the next leve -- is the preverbial $64,000 question.

 

I typical package up what I've decided I' going to have a the next truck, and then buy whichever is cheapest/easist. 

 

 

Been doing this for a long time, seem to have worked into higher trims over the years -- this is the first time I ended up in a Denali

 

 

 

 

[RGDD]

9 hours ago, Pastusak.t said:

That build is almost exactly how I want one. I bet you can get out the door under 55 for sure. The only hold up would be timing. Model year 2021 is scheduled to start Production on August 30th  and order acceptance on July 27th (according to Donlen) so any incentives that are out In October may not be available to the 2021 trucks. That said I’m sure Laura’s discount would be close to 10k off before incentives 

I don't know about that $10K. I am doing something similar on the Chevy side, LT optioned up to exactly what I want but not LTZ at a similar MSRP to OP.  At the moment Laura is only giving me $6,911 off MSRP (before incentives). Pretty sure I can get that from my local dealer (if they would ever build it out).

Wrong sales person or do you think they holding back on me? (Sorry to thread hijack, but thought it was worth mentioning)

[Dunn]

seems more expensive the truck at laura the bigger the discount.....

[Pastusak.t]

12 minutes ago, trswyo said:

I don't know about that $10K. I am doing something similar on the Chevy side, LT optioned up to exactly what I want but not LTZ at a similar MSRP to OP.  At the moment Laura is only giving me $6,911 off MSRP (before incentives). Pretty sure I can get that from my local dealer (if they would ever build it out).

Wrong sales person or do you think they holding back on me? (Sorry to thread hijack, but thought it was worth mentioning)

I was thinking next year they will discount more. This year has had supply limitations because of strike and demand for the new model. Plus we are still only 8 months into this brand new redesign. Just a hunch because I have no evidence to prove it but 2019 1500 was the same, not much discounting until the 2020 hit. Now you can get a 1500 any way you want it for 13-15k off anytime of year. 

[RGDD]

5 minutes ago, Dunn said:

seems more expensive the truck at laura the bigger the discount.....

I would agree with that. Its all a numbers game, I figured there was another $1 to 1.5K room. I do think it is still a reasonable price. And I use the term reasonable very loose.

[Dunn]

when I went lookin last august not one salesman hit me up in parking lot, even when I went to service dept recently and was checking out new ones, not a one!

 

today I went to RAM and chevy dealer to look at 2500 and was hounded by at least 3 at RAM and 1 at chevy….immediatley

 

the RAM guy was super aggressive and really wanted to sell me truck bad (even though I said right off the bat not ready) so idk if they are hurting or what but there is a lot 19 leftovers for sale, chevy not so much

[RGDD]

On 3/9/2020 at 10:13 PM, OmahaBen said:

Laura Buick gmc has a few slt duramax hd trucks for right around 60k.    
 

I am looking at doing a sle to get under 55000.  

I want the new style, the duramax and the 10 speed.   Crew cab and 4x4.
 

Probably order in early August and get in October.   
 

I am sure slt will have better resale but looking at the bottom line.   Thoughts?  

 

OP, sorry for hijacking your thread for a bit.

I am doing the same as you. I want what I want in my truck and I don't want to pay for stuff I don't want. I have a thread discussing some troubles I have had in my area trying to do this. It seems the dealers around me would prefer to sell stock and not order. They would not return calls or insist on dealer locates that did not fit my wants. I have had to go out of state to get things rolling.

I am not worried about resale value (other than a meltdown of the economy). On the resale market these trucks are holding value. I did a 1,000 mile search for 2015 or newer under 100K miles, every durmax in the LT or SLE trim was still asking over 40K. On trade I think you would lose out on hundreds not thousands compared to the next trim level up similarly equipped. In my mind, not worth the extra ~$5k to go a level up.

 

[Dunn]

what amazes me is when you go up trim levels you still have to get level 1 and 2 packages to get certain things.....and I don't mean odd specific towing, etc stuff....just basic creature comforts

 

if you buy a high country it should be already "loaded"....whats the extra 10-20k for if you still don't get it

 

better to drop 2 trim levels and load it up, you might be missing maybe 1 or 2 things you just cant get but still it will be cheaper