Picked up an '04 Excursion Limited 4x4, 6.0 on Friday, 11/21. On the way home while driving up the Cajon Pass, a moderate 12 mile grade, I was maintaining around 70 MPH with about 1/3 throttle.

A Cadillac Escalade, that still had the paper dealer's plates, pulled alongside me. I heard the Escalade drop down from O/D and heard that the small block was wound up just trying to keep pace with the Excursion. I didn't want to use full throttle on a new engine (45 miles on the odo) so I used about half throttle, stayed in 5th gear O/D, and motored away like the Avalanche was tied to a tree.

I backed off at a little over 80, and the Avalanche caught up. As the Avalanche passed me, I looked over and noticed that all four people in the Avalanche were staring at the Excursion; the look on the driver's face was priceless, like a guy that had just had his doors blown off. Somewhere in this world is an Escalade owner who is a new beliver in Diesel power and the Blue Oval. (If I were a small block Chevy and somebody put me in a Cadillac, I'd puke too)

This story is true, I swear, only the names have been withheld to protect the guilty (I couldn't help myself, I know that Ford means "First On Race Day", I just didn't think that I'd prove it with a 7500 pound Excursion).

'04 Excursion 4X4 Limited, 6.0 PSD. 3.73 limited slip, skid plate, DVD.
'99 F350 Super Duty, Crew Cab, DRW, V-10, Auto, 4.30 limited slip

 

You say Escalade and Avalanche. Which one was it? If it was a new Escalade, he should've handed you your lunch. At least 1000 pounds lighter and 20 more HP (345HP and 380ft lbs). I wonder if he knew you were racing?

 

Escalade, Avalanche ... doesn't matter ... they're both not eye-candy. Regardless of any gasoline-powered-powerplant advantage they may have, neither are at all pleasing to my eyes.

That's just my own opinion, and y'all are certainly welcome to yours, but I believe GM has lost a lot in the styling department over the last few years.

And to think GM put Japanese-built diesels in their trucks. Shame. And I don't know how far I'd trust a cast iron block diesel with aluminum heads. Works in lower compression gas engines ... but diesel longevity?

 

The typo was tounge-in-cheek, it was the pick up-SUV Avalanche posing as an Escalade, still a Chevy with Cadillac emblems. Yes, it had more advertised horsepower, but TORQUE is what moves an Excursion, and yes, he had his foot in it.

 

I couldn't agree more about the styling and everything else in general. Everytime I see one of those chevys they always look so angry according to a few people I talked to. They could have done a better job with the styling and again, everything in general.

 

After GM's diesels of the 70's and 80's, it was probably a good move to go to Isuzu. But I agree, given a choice, I'd rather buy American, and GM should have too. It is good to hear someone from the heart of America's Revolution country say so too!

I also do not care for GM's styling, but it's their product line that baffles. There is hardly any distinction in the line, witness the Escalade/Surburban/Avalanche line. What is the difference except cost and badging? I'm sure glad that all my Chevy's are old Chevy's

 

Thanks for the positive reinforcements. I was terrified after submitting my opinion that I'd be flamed from here to eternity.

And yes, I do live where U.S. freedom was won. Oddly enough, I was born in England to English parents. Fortunately, I was raised in the US of A, and I'm proud of it.

While I can appreciate the value of many foreign-built vehicles, I also realize we, as a country, will sell ourselves out if we keep spending our money on overseas interests. My vote is to buy American-made goods.

 

Amen, Landyot

 

Hate to tell you this guys, but the Dmax is built in Moraine, Ohio. Always was. Never came from Japan.

The Dmax was jointly designed by Isuzu, and the plant was 1/2 owned by Isuzu, but .......

GM bought out Isuzu in early 2002 and now owns the Dmax lock, stock and barrel.

I sympathize with your buy American sentiments, but you are way off the mark with the Dmax.

 

Oops! I guess I goofed about "where" made ... but don't they have aluminum heads on a cast iron block? That just doesn't settle well with me ... and I'm not into diesels.

Even the Mighty-X isn't 100% American. The T-T mirrors I installed had "Made in Australia" on the Ford labels, mate.

My Ford GT40 MKII kit car is based on a Pontiac Fiero. So now it has a Ford body, a Pontiac chassis, a Chevrolet 2.8L V6, and an Isuzu transaxle. It's seen 140MPH running around Charlotte (Lowe's) Motor Speedway, but I'll feel a lot better after I take out the current drivetrain and shoehorn a Northstar in there.

 

I didn't think this was about styling. I like the GM styling better than most of the Ford line but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I'm not going to get into a debate along those lines.

However, it's horsepower that wins when you're not towing. I doubt the Caddy was floored. The EXT is still well over 1000 lighter, too. The HO motor in the Escalade is pretty quick.

 

I can't say if the Caddie was floored, or not, but you have to put your foot in it to drop down a gear. The reason the 6.0 PSD can play with the Caddilac is because we were rolling, and the PSD has a bunch more torque than the Cad's small block. Also, I don't think the normally aspirated Cad makes anywhere near it's advertised horsepower at 3500 feet (and climbing), but the turbocharged PSD does not seem to loose any power at 3500 feet. Dynoroom horsepower, under standard day conditions, (SEA LEVEL, 59 degrees, 29.92 barometric pressure, 0 percent humidity, as I recall) is one thing, but we rarely drive our vehicles in the dyno room. Real world horsepower and torque is what works on the street. I suspect that the Cad's 1/4 mile times would be quicker, but I didn't buy the Excursion to drag race, the Caddie owner probably didn't either.

 

Then what was the purpose of this post? I'm confused.

It's still HP and not torque that makes the difference when not towing. The altitude could've played a part, I suppose, but it seems like none of my non-turbo motors notice it until we get about 4500' or so.

 

Hi Jeb:
I can see why you are confused.
Normally aspirated engines loose power with every foot of altitude; if you don't notice it, I guess that's good, but your engines are still subject to the laws of physics and they DO loose much more power at 3500 feet than a turbocharged engine looses.
Again, this is uphill, relatively heavy vehicles. The PSD has more torque and probably more horsepower at 3500 feet, than the Cad. Simple.
I'm having a little trouble understanding the purpose of your posts also. Is it to argue, or were we discussing the merits of the Excursion?

 

Hello Landyot:
I don't think that you were off-base with your opinion regarding Isuzu. JS is correct that many Japanese companies are DBA in the USA, and many American companies have an interest in Japanese and European companies. Ford is probably the best example with Mazda, Jag,Volvo, Aston Martin, and who knows what else. My Crown Vic was even made in Canada.
The point is, I was disappointed that GM didn't have the expertise to develop their Diesels, witness the 70's and 80's examples, without turning to a Japanese Company (dosen't matter where the Japanese company is located, Isuzu is still Japanese).
I'm sure that someone will interpret my rather buy American sentiment as being anti Japanese, but no, just pro-American when I have a choice. (My cameras are made in Japan)