AJT123

I didn't say it did. I just said I bet a good amount of owners (who'd have the trucks anyway) would prefer or choose the old way GM did it.

SW17LS

Then if you're GM, why would you go to the expense of designing the option?

Like it or not e-shifters aren't going anywhere.

mmarshall

Anyhow, back on topic, AJT123, I think, overall, you made a wise decision to go with the Yukon Denali instead of an Escalade. The only practical advantage an Escalade has over the Yukon (besides the bling-factor stereotype)is a longer warranty....and that may depend on how long you plan to keep it.

mmarshall

Time will tell what happens to them, but I had one in my Lacrosse, and never did like it. It was about the only thing about the car I truly disliked....except for the (sometimes) RPM-flare in the mid-range shifting, which was an issue with the early-production GM 9T-60 transmissions.

And I disliked the ones in the BMWs I test-drove just as much....but for different reasons.

The ones that GMC is using now on some models (and Buick on the Envision) are a little better, but still not as nice or foolproof as a good old-fashioned PRNDL lever.

TangoRed

Oh customers did too, they just didn't know they were indirectly saying that in customer clinics. I actually had a good talk with a Cadillac product planner a year or so ago when the Lyriq was first shown. We talked about the absence of the frunk and then I had to ask about the ATS gauges and column shifters. In customer clinics they didn't talk about usability of these e-shifters, just inquired if they felt certain aspects of the interior were "sophisticated" or "tech-forward". When cost savings and details and positive responses in clinics combine the manufacturer is quite happy.

The people on car forums are rarely the ones listened to by manufacturers, for better and for worse. Those e-shifters are here to stay.

Striker223

No you don't actually need that, you can just use vise grips. However yes it is stupid they didn't include a bypass/pawl release cable with the car, all three of my cars with electronic control only trans have built in release cables/safeties.

AJT123

Well, there's the first major fail. Not being able to get a vehicle into neutral is ridiculous.

That said, you can set the 4WD to neutral (as if you're on your way into 4WD Low) and all four wheels will roll even if in park.

AJT123

Pleasant surprise, this truck does NOT have air suspension.

Those all will fail eventually, whether on a Lexus or on a Yugo, and this vehicle was bought for the long haul.

I have been watching numerous videos on it, and from what I can gather it does not improve the ride much, if at all. The fancy shocks and just chassis tuning in general provide a really good ride to begin with.

mmarshall

I don't have a lot of experience on recent vehicles with air-suspension, but, comparing the Lincoln Town cars I've sampled with and without it, I tend to agree with you......the air suspension doesn't make that much difference, and of course, as you point out, is much less reliable.

AJT123

Right, it's just like with all the LSs. Hard to really improve on a ride that's already so good. I've been in an UL 430 and couldn't tell any discernible difference between that and my regular one without air. At least not one worth fooling with replacing air eventually, that's for sure.

swajames

Air suspension make a tremendous difference, improving ride, handling and overall utility.

AJT123

Eh, I'm glad it doesn't have it. It rides and drives really well. LX has a trick suspension but it's hydraulic which is wayyyyyyy more robust and reliable than air. Change the fluid regularly and it should last the life of the vehicle.

SW17LS

Having had 3 LSs with air suspension and one without, I can’t agree. The air suspension makes the car. It’s not about ride softness it’s about ride control. Once you get used to the air suspension it’s really hard to go back to a coil suspension. It’s not a difference that you immediately notice in a test drive, but you notice it over time when you go back to a coil sprung car.

If there is an available air suspension I will always choose it. The failure rates are also greatly exaggerated, most cars never have issues with air suspension.

FrankReynoldsCPA

My LS400 had already had the air suspension replaced with conventional shocks by the time I got it.

mmarshall

The air-suspension hardware in Lincolns used to fail so regularly that Ford came up with a kit that they sold owners, right from the factory, for those who wanted to say the heck with it and convert to a conventional suspension.