New Guy With '08 Sierra Denali ?s

[Sid-X]

Hey, new guy here hoping you Denali owners can help a guy out.

 

I am on the cusp of pulling the trigger on a '08 Sierra Denali but have some reserves about the off-road-ability of the beast. I am attracted to the on-road handeling of the truck since I drive alot but I am often driving on the beach and out on jetties and trails and the like with some pretty decent size rocks to get to the waves. I know this thing isn't going to be entering any rock crawling competitions but other than the 20s and low pro tires being an issue how is this rig at crawling over stuff with the AWD system? I hope it fares well because it's a sweet truck and I'd love to park one in my driveway by the weekend. I was going to hold out for an '09 All Terrain but It's hard to pass up on the current deals.

 

Thanks for your time.

[Majorleaguebass]

the awd and the 4wd's are alot different....the awd will slip and you dont know which wheel it turning a which isnt...my friend has a awd denali and we dont take it over rough terrain becausse we have lots on sand, and it gets buried. I would got for the ltz true 4wd if i was you, but your right, the Denali is one sweet truck!!! Hope this help, not trying to rain on your parade.....

[2018GMC]

Hey, new guy here hoping you Denali owners can help a guy out.

 

I am on the cusp of pulling the trigger on a '08 Sierra Denali but have some reserves about the off-road-ability of the beast. I am attracted to the on-road handeling of the truck since I drive alot but I am often driving on the beach and out on jetties and trails and the like with some pretty decent size rocks to get to the waves. I know this thing isn't going to be entering any rock crawling competitions but other than the 20s and low pro tires being an issue how is this rig at crawling over stuff with the AWD system? I hope it fares well because it's a sweet truck and I'd love to park one in my driveway by the weekend. I was going to hold out for an '09 All Terrain but It's hard to pass up on the current deals.

 

Thanks for your time.

 

I'm in the same delimma as yourself.

 

I am waiting for deals on the 09's because:

 

Denali is AWD all the time

 

No 4lo or 4hi, just AWD

 

I dont like the wood paneling.

 

 

I know the deals are great but i'm sure there will be deals on 09's around xmas and tax season.

 

 

My 09 GMC wishlist

 

4WD Sierra SLT or SLE w sunroof

 

6.2 6 speed Crew cab

 

Silver or Grey

[HawkeyeOC]

Wait for an '09 All-Terrain. You will get a more appropriate tire/rim combo plus the auto/4hi/4lo transfer case. A Denali is an awesome truck but is better suited for street/light off-road use.

[ChrisNJ]

I have a SD. Denali is on-road only, maybe a flat sandy beach, but no rocks. You are correct the 20's are the limiting factor for off-road. The wide 20's might do pretty good in the sand? I already smashed a wheel, hitting a rock (my fault), that I bet a normal 16" truck tire that we're all familiar with would not have busted the rim. I had tire/rim insurance, but the insurance paid $1000+ for them. I can't comment on the AWD for offroad, but it can't be better than std. 4x4, with the AWD's viscous coupling slipping all the time, but then again maybe it's OK, I don't know.

[geektoad]

A fullsize $40k+ truck for trails and rocks? Really? Cut back where you have to on the truck to save about $6k, then buy that for the street and buy a used Jeep TJ for the offroad stuff. A stock TJ will wheel circles around any modern fullsize truck.

[Darkanion]

You said you are "often" driving on the beach, jetties, etc.. How often is "often"? Every weekend? Once a month? 3 times a year? I ask because if it's a low number, you can probably make do with the SD. If it's a high number, I'd say wait and get a 6.2 / 6-spd w/ 4WD...

 

I have a Sierra Denali, but it is not the AWD version. It's RWD. I live in North Texas, which is mostly paved and flat. But, at least once or twice a year, I run up to Colorado and go messing around on the back roads around Pitkin, Crested Butte, etc.

 

One thing I've realized is that traction control and Stabilitrack do not like sand. Someone else mentioned here that they have a buddy with AWD and it gets stuck in the sand. I'm wondering if that may be caused by some of the traction nannies trying to "help."

 

For my purposes, full-time AWD was overkill. As said before, it's pretty much flat & paved where I live... We also don't get much in the way of ice or snow. So, that would rarely ever come into play here. So, a full-time AWD system just didn't make sense for "my" purposes. Now, if they had an "off" button for AWD, I might've considered it. But, they didn't... So, I didn't.

 

Now, if they had offered a 4WD w/ the 6.2 & a 6-spd back then, I might've gone that route... Having the option to put it into 4WD would've been appealing, though, for those times that I run up to Colorado or Wyoming or wherever else.

 

Prior to buying my SD, though, I read up some on the AWD system and the concensus seemed to be that it's great for paved streets, but not robust enough for off-roading. My guess is that they are talking about "serious" off-roading, though, not the type of stuff I've done or what I believe you're talking about.

 

If you have the option of waiting and if you go out on the jetties, etc. on a regular basis, I'd say wait for the '09s to hit the streets and get a 4WD 6.2 / 6-spd.

[Sid-X]

A 40k trail rig? Well yeah it makes sense to me. My current "trail rig" is a Cayenne Turbo. I know, it automaticly makes you think I am a prick. That's why I want to get back in a truck. I feel like a prick drivng it. I got used to the luxo factor, 5.2 0-60 and the sports car handeling though so I'm not sure I want to go back to the truck ride that my Titan had. I put about 29k miles a year on my Titan.

 

Found this on the 'Tube.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK83c-bTBcE

 

 

Sold! Maybe...with some 18"s it would be allright.

 

@ 2009 GMC:

 

I don't care for the wood either but I plan on covering it with high grade cast vinyl. I thought gloss black to match the exterior would be cool. It should be an easy job if the trim pices come off without hassel.

[Sid-X]

You said you are "often" driving on the beach, jetties, etc.. How often is "often"? Every weekend? Once a month? 3 times a year? I ask because if it's a low number, you can probably make do with the SD. If it's a high number, I'd say wait and get a 6.2 / 6-spd w/ 4WD...

 

I have a Sierra Denali, but it is not the AWD version. It's RWD. I live in North Texas, which is mostly paved and flat. But, at least once or twice a year, I run up to Colorado and go messing around on the back roads around Pitkin, Crested Butte, etc.

 

One thing I've realized is that traction control and Stabilitrack do not like sand. Someone else mentioned here that they have a buddy with AWD and it gets stuck in the sand. I'm wondering if that may be caused by some of the traction nannies trying to "help."

 

For my purposes, full-time AWD was overkill. As said before, it's pretty much flat & paved where I live... We also don't get much in the way of ice or snow. So, that would rarely ever come into play here. So, a full-time AWD system just didn't make sense for "my" purposes. Now, if they had an "off" button for AWD, I might've considered it. But, they didn't... So, I didn't.

 

Now, if they had offered a 4WD w/ the 6.2 & a 6-spd back then, I might've gone that route... Having the option to put it into 4WD would've been appealing, though, for those times that I run up to Colorado or Wyoming or wherever else.

 

Prior to buying my SD, though, I read up some on the AWD system and the concensus seemed to be that it's great for paved streets, but not robust enough for off-roading. My guess is that they are talking about "serious" off-roading, though, not the type of stuff I've done or what I believe you're talking about.

 

If you have the option of waiting and if you go out on the jetties, etc. on a regular basis, I'd say wait for the '09s to hit the streets and get a 4WD 6.2 / 6-spd.

 

 

Yeah, I do more mellow off roading 2-3 times a month. Sand, moderate rocks packed tightly together, snow, dirt roads. So, you cannot turn off the traction controll on the Denali? Huh, I failed to notice that. That's not good.

 

8 weeks untill I can get an '09 6.2 All Terrain and no nice 5k rebate on top of the employee pricing.

[VMax2007]

Yeah, I do more mellow off roading 2-3 times a month. Sand, moderate rocks packed tightly together, snow, dirt roads. So, you cannot turn off the traction controll on the Denali? Huh, I failed to notice that. That's not good.

 

8 weeks untill I can get an '09 6.2 All Terrain and no nice 5k rebate on top of the employee pricing.

 

Be patient. It will be worth waiting a few months or so.

[geektoad]

You said you are "often" driving on the beach, jetties, etc.. How often is "often"? Every weekend? Once a month? 3 times a year? I ask because if it's a low number, you can probably make do with the SD. If it's a high number, I'd say wait and get a 6.2 / 6-spd w/ 4WD...

 

I have a Sierra Denali, but it is not the AWD version. It's RWD. I live in North Texas, which is mostly paved and flat. But, at least once or twice a year, I run up to Colorado and go messing around on the back roads around Pitkin, Crested Butte, etc.

 

One thing I've realized is that traction control and Stabilitrack do not like sand. Someone else mentioned here that they have a buddy with AWD and it gets stuck in the sand. I'm wondering if that may be caused by some of the traction nannies trying to "help."

 

For my purposes, full-time AWD was overkill. As said before, it's pretty much flat & paved where I live... We also don't get much in the way of ice or snow. So, that would rarely ever come into play here. So, a full-time AWD system just didn't make sense for "my" purposes. Now, if they had an "off" button for AWD, I might've considered it. But, they didn't... So, I didn't.

 

Now, if they had offered a 4WD w/ the 6.2 & a 6-spd back then, I might've gone that route... Having the option to put it into 4WD would've been appealing, though, for those times that I run up to Colorado or Wyoming or wherever else.

 

Prior to buying my SD, though, I read up some on the AWD system and the concensus seemed to be that it's great for paved streets, but not robust enough for off-roading. My guess is that they are talking about "serious" off-roading, though, not the type of stuff I've done or what I believe you're talking about.

 

If you have the option of waiting and if you go out on the jetties, etc. on a regular basis, I'd say wait for the '09s to hit the streets and get a 4WD 6.2 / 6-spd.

 

 

Yeah, I do more mellow off roading 2-3 times a month. Sand, moderate rocks packed tightly together, snow, dirt roads. So, you cannot turn off the traction controll on the Denali? Huh, I failed to notice that. That's not good.

 

8 weeks untill I can get an '09 6.2 All Terrain and no nice 5k rebate on top of the employee pricing.

 

 

If you can afford a Cayenne turbo, do you really care about the 5K savings?

 

No, I don't think you're a prick, I just don't normally assume i'm talking to someone that would off-road an 80-120K vehicle. More power to ya.

[Sid-X]

Ironicly the Cayenne T equiped with the air suspension is a worthy off-roader but it is crippled by 20" wheels, very low pros and tre fancy factor. It's like hitting nails with a gold plated hammer. You can but you don't feel good about it. I bought it used. They are comparativly a steal these days with the floundering SUV market and all. It's worth about $1.99 as a trade in.

[tobias]

Ironicly the Cayenne T equiped with the air suspension is a worthy off-roader but it is crippled by 20" wheels, very low pros and tre fancy factor. It's like hitting nails with a gold plated hammer. You can but you don't feel good about it. I bought it used. They are comparativly a steal these days with the floundering SUV market and all. It's worth about $1.99 as a trade in.

 

Hey, look at the bright side. That's about $1.50 more than the Denali will be worth when you trade it in.

[Darkanion]

Yeah, I do more mellow off roading 2-3 times a month. Sand, moderate rocks packed tightly together, snow, dirt roads. So, you cannot turn off the traction controll on the Denali? Huh, I failed to notice that. That's not good.

 

8 weeks untill I can get an '09 6.2 All Terrain and no nice 5k rebate on top of the employee pricing.

No, I didn't say you can't cut off traction control (or Stabilitrack, for that matter). You can turn off both. You can not, however, turn off the AWD system ... and, by default, Stabilitrack and Traction Control are both on. So, unless you turn them off, you can run into issues on rocky / sandy surfaces.

[Sid-X]

Oh, sorry. I misread. That makes more sense. That's what I get for drinking too much coffee and speed reading. It's a good thing I'm not an editor.