Talk me out of (or into) trading my 2015 Sierra for a 2020 Durango

[2kwik4u]

OK, so a little back story here.

The current truck: 2015 GMC Sierra SLT with every option this side of a Denali
I bought this truck late in 2017 with 36k miles. It has ~113k miles on it now, and has served me really well so far. It's comfy to drive, does just about everything I ask of it, and has generally performed well. No major issues to date, with transmission, active fuel management both known problems for this vehicle still working as intended. Had new tires put on a few months ago, New battery last month, and had the A/C serviced for a known condenser issue at 75k miles. Otherwise it's been pretty much just fuel and oil changes. It is due for some service. I need to get brakes replaced, as well as all the fluids in the driveline (trans, t-case, and diffs).

I found a mouse in the truck last weekend. Evidence in the console, and then trapped the bugger overnight. Haven't seen any more evidence since then, and repeated trappings have come up empty, so I THINK they're gone. However since then I've gotten a couple of weird electronics issues that make me think there are chewed wires somewhere. Monday I had to pull over and restart the truck twice to get the gage cluster to stop dinging at me, and the ABS was firing the entire time. I've gotten "service trailer brake system" a few times, and stability control has turned itself on/off a few times this week as well. Previously I'd never seen these warnings, so I feel it's not coincidence. It's coming up on the mileage that typically sees failures of the AFM system or transmission on these trucks. I take good care of my equipment so I'm torn on if that will be an issue for me or not. Hard to say really, but statistically speaking.....I'm overdue

When I bought the Sierra, I had spent months and months researching Durangos. I had my options and features and other things all picked out. Then I went off the reservation, spent a week of research and pulled the trigger on the Sierra. I think I liked the look and the wheels on this one, and made a reason to get it. I originally wanted the 6.2L, but landed on the 5.3 because the 6.2 was this side of impossible to find. Not really sure WTF I was thinking there, but I've really been very happy with my selection.

The new vehicle: 2020 Dodge Durango R/T
The new Durango has a 3rd row which I think we would use. We had 4-5 occasions towing the boat last year that having a 6th or 7th seat belt would have been nice and made the trip a little easier. It also is closer to what I traded on the Sierra (2006 Trailblazer SS). The Durango in question that I've found has all the options and color I was looking for before, and only has 8k miles. I've driven a Durango as rental for a few days for work in the past, and it was plenty comfy for me, and I think the boys would be plenty comfy in it for lake trips and general running around. I think I would serve our needs well, it looks nice, and getting back into something with a warranty would help with that "trust" of the vehicle again I think.

Basically, I'm really on the fence on this one. My current truck isn't "bad" by any stretch. Total payment on a monthly basis is about the same. I'll be restarting the clock on the payment time (about 36mo left on the Sierra, I'll be 60 (maybe 72) ) on the Durango. It's a "nice to have" to get a new vehicle, but I can't really justify it on that basis alone. I'm not certain my truck is in danger of immanent failure, but I've lost a little confidence in it over the last few months, and that 3rd row sure is appealing. The Durango kinda fits my driving style a little better than the Sierra, but I'm old enough to not be driving like a jack-arse very often anymore anyway. I love the look of both of them, and don't really have a strong preference either way there. Don't really have a "gut feel" decision on this one either, like one doesn't feel any more strongly emotionally than the other.

Another thought......Just lease a new one. I drive a lot (23k mi/yr average over the last 5yrs), so I would have to buy the mileage up front. But I would always been in something new, never be in negative equity land, and never have to worry about warranty issues. No idea if that is even feasible from a monthly bills standpoint, but it's a thought I had. I tend to get something new every 3-5 years anyway, and I can't remember but maybe 2 or 3 years since I was 16 that I didn't have a payment anyway. Might as well be driving something new all the time if I've already committed to having a payment right?

Potential Durango in consideration

Current Sierra

Any thoughts from the crowd. Kinda "poll the audience" kinda thing going on here. I'm really not sure which way to go.

 

[fatboyroy]

I usually drive any vehicles to 150K to 160K miles before i need to change timing belt then switch to a new one.

 

[TimW451]

It was sounding like keep until you got to the electrical gremlins. I’d dump it just for that, assuming you get some decent trade-in, vs running it into the ground. I had a Cadillac Catera (which is a known bad entity) for years without problems (bought used @ 12k miles). When the electrical gremlins began (~100k mi) I tried putting $500 in it to fix it. It didn’t work, so I dumped it ASAP. I got a pity $3k trade-in for it, which I’d say was very gracious. Some dealers wouldn’t even take it.

 

[Trannyguy]

Before I say this let me say that gm is all I have ever drove until my current f150 so I’m not trying to bash them but I own a transmission shop that also does auto repair and with that year of gm truck the transmission problems are so common that we usually do at least one a week. The afm problems aren’t as bad as the trans problems but still common. It’s very disappointing the way gm has let there quality suffer in the past 10 years or so. Based on the way we see them so often and the other electronic problems your having I would dump it as quick as I could.

 

[Sean R]

I have a 2015 4X4 Silverado LT 5.3 6 speed trans 80,000miles no issues ever. She still looks good and just made my last payment ?

But I have a question, Whats going to happen to my transmission? And whats the price tag.

 

[Sean R]

I more thing 2kwik4u what about the 21 Yamaha? Did you find that money tree you were talking about.

 

[InmyElement]

I say dump it..I get the whole buy slightly used let the "other" guy take the new vehicle depreciation $ hit. I use to do most of my repairs (prior boat diesel mechanic). In 2013 I said enough..I had a buddy at the Ford dealer and worked out my first lease. Luckily, I have a company car, so I can go with the lowest lease millage (10.5k) rate. Lease payments are lower, than any loan payment. (certainly if you put more $ down it will be lower) I've been leasing pickups and enjoy getting the new truck every 3 years. Having the full warranty on those 3 years is well worth it..I just don't think the quality is what it use to be. I had a '78 F150 in HS..that thing wouldn't die..at 178K with a galvanized bed and original drive-train. The '19 I'm driving now has quite a "clunk" (play) in the drivetrain, sometimes when I put in reverse with only 17k.. The way I look at it is I turn it in 2022 and get another one. Ford care (15$) a month during the lease, i can turn it in with dents (I backed into the trailer tongue on the last one), dirty seats, worn brakes, gouges in the bed, no $ issues and no questions asked. I figure I have 25 to 30 summers left in my lifetime..I'd rather spend my time and money on/under a boat then a truck...maybe when I retire I'll make a big purchase and keep it ti'll I die..
Just my perspective...Good Luck in your decision..those Durangos are sharp and bad ass looking..

 

[Trannyguy]

I have a 2015 4X4 Silverado LT 5.3 6 speed trans 80,000miles no issues ever. She still looks good and just made my last payment ?

But I have a question, Whats going to happen to my transmission? And whats the price tag.View attachment 143568

We are in a small rural town in Missouri so I’m sure the price changes with where you live but we get about $4000 to do them. They have several common failures that occur with them. The Tcm is inside it and they are common to go bad. Not looking at a overhaul there but still a big repair. The torque converter is super common to come apart and fill the trans with debris. If that happens it usually starts with a converter shudder which doesn’t last long then comes apart on the inside. They also. Commonly crack a drum and burn clutches

 

[2kwik4u]

Well, I went and drove it last night. Took my good friend with me, as he is MUCH better at negotiations than I am. He also is a really good voice of reason to have sitting nearby on large purchases. Ne negotiated the deal on the Sierra when I went to buy it, and I trust him implicitly.

The Durango is great. It's a much "lighter" feel than my Sierra. Smaller overall dimensions, and bigger engine give it a certain feeling of being lighter than it is. The 5.7L has a great sound to it at full rip as well. The beats audio system will easily compete and is probably a little nicer than my Bose setup now. The infotainment is far better than my Sierra, and overall all the features work better/are newer than my truck. The 8HP70 seems like a fantastic transmission with snappy and firm shifts, that aren't overly harsh and are well predicted. I really liked it overall. Felt much more "my style" than my pickup, little more nimble, little faster, little sportier. The "storm trooper" look is great as well, it's a really sharp vehicle.

So after the test drive we went and grabbed a six pack of frosty barely pops and sat on his back patio around the fire pit and discussed. Ended up hanging out about 5 hours or so. We solved many many world problems.......One of which was WTF to do about the truck. We talked about the total cost involved, what that buys me, and if it was really worth it. Assuming the same payments and doubling the term, the Durango will be about $24k more at the end of payments. Assuming I have $10k in maintenance on the Sierra to live the same calendar time, I'm $14k "extra" to drive the Durango. What does that $14k buy me? It boiled down to a warranty and a 3rd row. There are some intangibles in there like preference, and subjective things like looks, but in terms of just capability and features, it's the 3rd row and a warranty. Are those worth the $14k? I dunno, it's hard to say, and I'm still on the fence somewhat.

He's fully of the opinion of keeping the Sierra, and breaking the cycle of "trade every 3-5 yrs" that I've had since the beginning of forever. His take on the Sierra is that the trans and AFM issues, while possibly a PIA, aren't unfixable or unable to be dealt with. He commented that we used to swap a transmission on a week night as a hobby, when we were both strapped for cash and had to be at work the next morning. We're both in a position now where we can miss a day of work, or work from home for a few days to get those issues addressed. On top of that, again citing our previous car hobbies, I can add a few mods to the Sierra to give it some more of the personality I would enjoy from the Durango. Add a tune and shift kit (when the trans gets a rebuild), lower it a little and get some of that nimbleness and sporty look that I like. It's not a bad truck, just has a few issues. He didn't really have a good solution for the electrical gremlins, but feels confident we could track them down and fix them. He finished off this line of thinking with "AAA or BoatUS membership with all the options is a cheap safety net" while you rebuild confidence in the Sierra.

He had another thought of selling the Sierra outright, then trading the wife Rogue on something with a warranty that can tow the boat. I would then have to find something to drive, but could find a far less expensive (sub $14k) to drive back and forth to work. Would lower our overall debt, and payments. Keep us in a reliable tow vehicle, get our third row, and maybe save some money along the way. I'm close to selling the Sierra for what I owe (might have to drop a$1-2k to make the sale), and that's a first to not be underwater on a vehicle at this point. This direction would take a good deal of coordination to make happen, and there are a lot of moving parts and opportunities for deals to go south and not get us where we need to be. The upswing of that effort would be a DROP in total cost out of pocket, and an increased monthly cashflow.

So that leaves me continued to be a little torn on what to do. Is that $14k worth the change to just trade? Should I try and sell all the things and trade/sell all the cars away? Wife doesn't have a strong feeling one way or the other. I'm on the fence overall. He's pushing me a bit to keep it, and I trust his opinion. I trust the board members here as well, and we're swaying a little towards sell/trade.

To answer a few questions (and ask a few)

@Sean R I haven't found that money tree yet. That's part of my struggle here. I want to buy all the things, and I have champagne taste with a beer budget. Good and relatively easy to access credit is a constant struggle for me. If it wasn't for my buddy and my wife I would be $500k in debt and have all the toys I really want into a larger boat, but not sure we'll get there in the next few years. I'm trying hard to be patient, but it's well, difficult.

@Trannyguy Thanks for the input and info on the trans. I know mine is the 6L80E. Can you give any insight on what a stock rebuild takes in terms of cash and time? I have in my head it's a $4k and one week job, but if you could give some feedback on that I would greatly appreciate it. In a younger part of my life I was involved with a team of guys that swapped the first 4L80E into a GMC Syclone, to replace the 700R4. That involved tearing the 80E down completely, and rebuilding from scratch to get a new output shaft in (so we could mate it to the AWD T-case). I'm not afraid to do my own work on a transmission, however I haven't ever been inside anything but a 4spd. Assuming I would do my own removal and replacement in my garage, what would a fully rebuilt 6L80E run me? One last question; What are symptoms of a "gonna fail soon" 6L80E? I've got some wierd "doesn't downshift smoothly" issues on throttle transitions. if I turn left from a 45mph zone to a 20mph zone, and I kind roll through the intersection, once I get back on the gas, it sometimes stutters, feels a little slippy, then catches and takes off.

@InmyElement I think I'm going to investigate the leasing route this week. I've had a payment since I was 16, and I somewhat enjoy switching vehicles every few years. With that said I drive around 23k miles a year, so I would have to pre-buy those miles up front, and I'm sure that's not cheap. I 120% get the premise of time = money though, and my spare time is a premium I don't particularly WANT to give away to repairs and maintenance. I'm only 41, but have a 9yr old and a 3yr old, and would much rather play catch or tag in the backyard, than swing wrenches under the truck on the weekend. Thanks for the thoughts on the leasing aspect!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Well, I went and drove it last night. Took my good friend with me, as he is MUCH better at negotiations than I am. He also is a really good voice of reason to have sitting nearby on large purchases. Ne negotiated the deal on the Sierra when I went to buy it, and I trust him implicitly.

The Durango is great. It's a much "lighter" feel than my Sierra. Smaller overall dimensions, and bigger engine give it a certain feeling of being lighter than it is. The 5.7L has a great sound to it at full rip as well. The beats audio system will easily compete and is probably a little nicer than my Bose setup now. The infotainment is far better than my Sierra, and overall all the features work better/are newer than my truck. The 8HP70 seems like a fantastic transmission with snappy and firm shifts, that aren't overly harsh and are well predicted. I really liked it overall. Felt much more "my style" than my pickup, little more nimble, little faster, little sportier. The "storm trooper" look is great as well, it's a really sharp vehicle.

So after the test drive we went and grabbed a six pack of frosty barely pops and sat on his back patio around the fire pit and discussed. Ended up hanging out about 5 hours or so. We solved many many world problems.......One of which was WTF to do about the truck. We talked about the total cost involved, what that buys me, and if it was really worth it. Assuming the same payments and doubling the term, the Durango will be about $24k more at the end of payments. Assuming I have $10k in maintenance on the Sierra to live the same calendar time, I'm $14k "extra" to drive the Durango. What does that $14k buy me? It boiled down to a warranty and a 3rd row. There are some intangibles in there like preference, and subjective things like looks, but in terms of just capability and features, it's the 3rd row and a warranty. Are those worth the $14k? I dunno, it's hard to say, and I'm still on the fence somewhat.

He's fully of the opinion of keeping the Sierra, and breaking the cycle of "trade every 3-5 yrs" that I've had since the beginning of forever. His take on the Sierra is that the trans and AFM issues, while possibly a PIA, aren't unfixable or unable to be dealt with. He commented that we used to swap a transmission on a week night as a hobby, when we were both strapped for cash and had to be at work the next morning. We're both in a position now where we can miss a day of work, or work from home for a few days to get those issues addressed. On top of that, again citing our previous car hobbies, I can add a few mods to the Sierra to give it some more of the personality I would enjoy from the Durango. Add a tune and shift kit (when the trans gets a rebuild), lower it a little and get some of that nimbleness and sporty look that I like. It's not a bad truck, just has a few issues. He didn't really have a good solution for the electrical gremlins, but feels confident we could track them down and fix them. He finished off this line of thinking with "AAA or BoatUS membership with all the options is a cheap safety net" while you rebuild confidence in the Sierra.

He had another thought of selling the Sierra outright, then trading the wife Rogue on something with a warranty that can tow the boat. I would then have to find something to drive, but could find a far less expensive (sub $14k) to drive back and forth to work. Would lower our overall debt, and payments. Keep us in a reliable tow vehicle, get our third row, and maybe save some money along the way. I'm close to selling the Sierra for what I owe (might have to drop a$1-2k to make the sale), and that's a first to not be underwater on a vehicle at this point. This direction would take a good deal of coordination to make happen, and there are a lot of moving parts and opportunities for deals to go south and not get us where we need to be. The upswing of that effort would be a DROP in total cost out of pocket, and an increased monthly cashflow.

So that leaves me continued to be a little torn on what to do. Is that $14k worth the change to just trade? Should I try and sell all the things and trade/sell all the cars away? Wife doesn't have a strong feeling one way or the other. I'm on the fence overall. He's pushing me a bit to keep it, and I trust his opinion. I trust the board members here as well, and we're swaying a little towards sell/trade.

To answer a few questions (and ask a few)

@Sean R I haven't found that money tree yet. That's part of my struggle here. I want to buy all the things, and I have champagne taste with a beer budget. Good and relatively easy to access credit is a constant struggle for me. If it wasn't for my buddy and my wife I would be $500k in debt and have all the toys I really want into a larger boat, but not sure we'll get there in the next few years. I'm trying hard to be patient, but it's well, difficult.

@Trannyguy Thanks for the input and info on the trans. I know mine is the 6L80E. Can you give any insight on what a stock rebuild takes in terms of cash and time? I have in my head it's a $4k and one week job, but if you could give some feedback on that I would greatly appreciate it. In a younger part of my life I was involved with a team of guys that swapped the first 4L80E into a GMC Syclone, to replace the 700R4. That involved tearing the 80E down completely, and rebuilding from scratch to get a new output shaft in (so we could mate it to the AWD T-case). I'm not afraid to do my own work on a transmission, however I haven't ever been inside anything but a 4spd. Assuming I would do my own removal and replacement in my garage, what would a fully rebuilt 6L80E run me? One last question; What are symptoms of a "gonna fail soon" 6L80E? I've got some wierd "doesn't downshift smoothly" issues on throttle transitions. if I turn left from a 45mph zone to a 20mph zone, and I kind roll through the intersection, once I get back on the gas, it sometimes stutters, feels a little slippy, then catches and takes off.

@InmyElement I think I'm going to investigate the leasing route this week. I've had a payment since I was 16, and I somewhat enjoy switching vehicles every few years. With that said I drive around 23k miles a year, so I would have to pre-buy those miles up front, and I'm sure that's not cheap. I 120% get the premise of time = money though, and my spare time is a premium I don't particularly WANT to give away to repairs and maintenance. I'm only 41, but have a 9yr old and a 3yr old, and would much rather play catch or tag in the backyard, than swing wrenches under the truck on the weekend. Thanks for the thoughts on the leasing aspect!

I think your good friend is correct about breaking the cycle of always having a car payment. Sounds like he is your former wrenching partner? Perhaps you two could pull the dash and look for mouse damage to get rid of those electrical gremlins. Since the electrical issues you are having don’t affect the running of the vehicle they’re just annoying. Random thought, have you disconnected the battery for say 30 mins as a possible fix for your electrical issues? Or had a mechanic use a scan tool on it?

As far as the transmission goes...$4K is way less than $14K.

I get it though, you want a nice rig with no issues. Perfection is a direction not a place. For me it’s all about reliability.

 

[lokart]

I've been very happy with the dual turbo v6 in my 2015 F-150 lariat. Crazy amount of torque!!! The amount of room in the back seat is just insane. You can get them with 28k miles for like $32k.

 

[BlkGS]

I was in a similar position with my Colorado, but it was paid for. I was at 140k and had started developing lifter failure, thanks AFM (which my truck didn't even have, but had similar lifters).

As you well know, I traded it for a tbss and have loved it. Switching from a truck to an suv you will immediately wonder why you drove a truck in the first place - their chassis suck comparatively for use as a commuter. It sounds like you do genuinely have a reason to get rid of your truck, both in terms of use and in terms of looming issues.

My perspective is to get rid of the truck, but don't buy a new Durango. Buy something used and fun, that's the other way to break the payment cycle. Plus with the miles you drive, buying something new doesn't make sense, buy something used with decent miles already and just rack those up.

I'd say get another tbss, but a higher mile Durango would be a great option. Maybe a 2010ish v8 explorer with a blower (or 5.0 swap)?

 

[Acard7]

Man this is tough. It always seems like when you get rid of a truck, you all of a sudden need one again.

I was a Ford guy until I got my 07 dodge with the 5.7L, drove it to about 200k miles before trading it off with ignition electrical gremlins, thank god it started and drove for the dealership ?. I then got a 2016 Ram diesel Laramie. I have to say, the Bank’s truck is pretty nice lol. I wanted my wife to get a Durango over an explorer but she liked the explorer better, now that we own a boat and want a camper eventually the Durango would have come in handy. I think Dodge has pretty reliable vehicles now, prior to 2006-2007 the transmissions were horrible and I would’ve never looked at one.

If you don’t absolutely need a truck and can borrow one if you need it then I’d pull the trigger on the Durango. We’ve loved the past few dodge/jeep vehicles we’ve owned. Nothing sucks more than having payments on a vehicle that has electrical issues since nowadays it costs a fortune to fix most things like that..

Side note, if anyone has trouble with mice in their vehicles or want to prevent them, using dryer sheets helps. We had an issue with a mouse in my wife’s jeep and the dealership told us to put those dryer sheets under our seats and anywhere the mice could get in. Never saw one or had issues again.

 

[1WetBoat]

I have a 2015 Durango R/T AWD. It is paid off but I tend to keep my vehicles for a while. I have thought about getting an F150 or a RAM but i cant justify it. The D pulls my boat with no issues whatsoever at the ramp and on the highway. The third row has come in handy plenty of times on long family trips or just going out with friends/family.

 

[SCP1]

Sounds like you want the Durango! I traded my F150 in for a Suburban last fall, looking forward to being able to have the kids invite a friend and not having to take two cars to the boat launch. Do I miss the truck, yes however I have access to a trailer and I use the seating way more then the box. Also I was considering getting a topper for the truck and at that point why not just get more seating, as the topper only solved the problem of putting stuff in the back while going on vacation. With 2 to 3 kids I think a SUV with a 3rd row of seats is more practical.

 

[CaTiRo]

Back in 2016, I traded in my truck for a 2015 Durango. The following year I traded the Durango and went back to a truck (2017 F150). The Durango was nice, but I really missed not having a truck bed.

 

[dgfreeze]

I'm not going to try to sway your decision either way, because nobody here knows your situation better than you, and I don't necessarily think either way is the right or wrong decision, although electrical gremlins are something I despise, because I've had my share of them over the years with old crappy shitboxes that I've driven over the years. I have (and by "I", I mean my wife) a 2019 Durango RT, and we love it. We did have the rear shocks replaced under warranty, but that thing scoots, especially when you bump it into sport mode. Throttle response and shifting changes significantly, and it's really fun. It gets pretty decent mileage on trips also, somewhere around 23mpg on summer fuel. Dropped to 20ish with winter fuel. It tows my 06 SX230 like a dream, I keep having to tell my wife to slow the f down, I can't keep up with my truck and camper. You do what you deem best for your situation, but I am confident that you would love the Durango RT. Just about my only complaint is that with the infant car seats (my wife and I just had twins December 27th) in the back seats, I can't move the driver seat back quite as far as I'd like, and I'm only 5' 9".

 

[2kwik4u]

Little update on this thread.

Wife and I had a good conversation about the cars, where we're headed, and what our next 5-10 years look like in terms of activities, boat, camper, travel, etc. Sierra has to go in exchange for an SUV with 3 rows. We don't use the truck bed often enough, and would use the 3rd row enough to warrant the change on that alone. There are some other complicating factors I won't go into, but the overall decision to move on was made.

SO, I got to work and I spent the better part of 3 days negotiating over this Durango R/T (Click me). It had EXACTLY the options I wanted in the color I wanted, but we couldn't find a middle ground on price. Started $5k off on the deal and landed about $2k difference between us, then the salesman started to be a dick after that, so I said the hell with it and moved on. Shame really, we were so close and that is somewhat of a unicorn of a Durango.


Good friend sent me a link to this Audi Q7 (Click me). It's a shade more dollars (~$5k) and only 1k more miles, but has the right features and specs for me. I've owned an Audi before and was generally pleased with the vehicle overall. It was an '06 model though, and didn't have as many bells and whistles as this one. Sent the sales team there a message, and they're already SOOOO much more pleasant to deal with. Trade was "blind appraised" about $1,500 higher than the Kia store in NC, and we're close on numbers already. Going to counter on Monday I think, and I bet we get a deal. We're only about $2k apart from where I think we should be right from the start on this one. Wife likes the Q7 better than the Durango as well, so that helps grease the wheels a little bit. Q7's has a couple features the R/T doesn't, and I think she just generally likes the look better. Q7 has a little better unladen fuel economy, and I personally LOVE the lack of permanent center stack screen (I'm sure some of you have read my rants on that ). Obviously the white/black combo is a common theme for me. Just looks really sharp I think. Nice and clean. Plus it's gonna look amazing towing a white/black AR190 around


Doing research between the two and found some interesting things. The Q7 is actually faster to 60 and to 1/4 than the R/T. I was somewhat surprised by that considering the Q7 is relatively down on power and high on weight compared to the R/T. Best I can figure is better trans tuning, and a flatter torque curve in the Audi. Also found this thread started be @dgfreeze where he was contemplating the same two vehicles. He landed on Durango, looks like I might land on the Q7. Interesting that these two floated to the top in my searching as well.

I'm still open to other options even if I'm pretty far down this path. Here's some details on what I have in mind.

"Must Haves"
Tow rating/GCVWR/Tow Package to support 212X + 6 passengers + gear. (we want to upgrade boats when possible without upgrading TV at that time)
Sunroof
Adaptive Cruise
AWD
$45k price cap
3rd row seating (doesn't have to hold an adult, just kids)

Strong preference:
2nd row bench seat
White/Black trim

I've ruled out these:
Explorer ST (hate the ipad dash)
Explorer Sport (Not a fan of the Ford Interior)
GMC Yukon/Chevy Tahoe (too expensive unless mileage is excessive)
Expedition (interior isn't for me)
Lexus GX series (too costly)
Nissan Armada (Just generally not a fan, no real concrete reason)
Mercedes anything (hate the interior)
BMW X5 (too expensive when I searched briefly, might circle back here)

I'm open to other thoughts.

 

[TimW451]

I am a big fan of the Q7. When shopping a few years ago to replace a Honda Odyssey it was my favorite 3 row SUV. I wanted to buy a diesel one, then diesel gate hit and at first you couldn’t buy one and then you couldn’t afford/find one as, they became hot commodities. When we bought the boat we traded in the Honda for a RAM Big Horn.

 

[Acard7]

I’ll be interested when (because we all know if the wife likes it it’s a done deal lol) you get the Q7 how well it pulls something, and the longevity of the suspension since I assume it’s not a body on frame suv.. Either way the towing capacity for the Audi is impressive! The only other vehicle you could look into would be the Infiniti QX80 SUVs.. Best of luck though, keep us updated!