2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Hello I'm new here and I've been looking to trade my 2011 chevy traverse for a escalade hybrid because I read about the better gas mileage and space. I'm currently getting 16.5mpg in the 3.6 AWD traverse so I figure I can get a little better mileage and have more room in the escalade hybrid. I found one that's a 09 RWD with 77k miles for $28,500. Is that a good price? What problems so I look for when I test drive it. The dealer is 2 hours away so I want to be sure it's not a lemon. I understand that I need to warm it up to test how well the battery works under 30mph? Any jerks or noises to look for? Do you all recommend the extended warranty? Thanks, Lance!

Have the dealer run a carfax. If they are the selling dealer, ask for service history. Good luck. You still have the transferable 8 year/100k mile hybrid warranty.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks evois. I got the carfax and the only repairs listed are a ac/heat control replaced and front shocks. It lists several maintenance repairs but no details as to what Maintenon. I'm guessing oil changes. It does say that the charging system was checked. No major repairs is a good thing right? Should I be concerned if they weren't using Mobil 1 oil?

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

if they used regular non-synthetic but did it regularly, it is ok. but once purchased make sure you use only synthetic. at 77k miles, the front shock replacement is normal. mine took 88k miles before I did mine. if you have the 09, thats the best year.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks. Unfortunate someone beat me to it. I have my eyes on a 2010 escalade hybrid now. Why are the 09s better? Do they get better mpgs? I see that EPA has 21/22 for 09 and 20/23 for 10-13. Why a change?

The 09 has the 3.42 final drive ratio while the 2010-2013 has the 3.2 which accounts for the change in mileage. The 2010 and up however has the flex fuel and OnStar remote phone control and EV in reverse but loses the rain sense wipers.

Edit: 2009-2013 has the same engine with a few tweaks.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks Evois. I'm about to pull the trigger on a 2010 Tahoe Hybrid RWD with 76,000 miles. This should see better MPGs than the escalade and denali due to weight loss and rim/tire size right? Do you have any issues with the battery charging in the winter?

No battery issues on past winters. But from previous post/threads, my 300V hybrid battery was replaced by mistake when it stalled when it was a fuel pump issue at 183k miles. I now have 189k miles.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks! One last question. Does the 10% ethanol gas affect performance any? I know 2 stations in my area that sell pure gas but its expensive. I currently just use chevron with the 10% ethanol in my traverse.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Ethanol on average has 1/3 less heating value per mass/volume of gasoline.

10% Ethanol ~ 3% less mpg. So if 100% gasoline is more than 10% more, it's not worth it.

Likewise if you have a Flex Fuel vehicle... E85 needs to be much LESS.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

:shade:I pulled the trigger on a 2010 chevy tahoe hybrid! We love it. Thanks for your help! Drove from Jackson, MS to Newport, Arkansas 5 hours to get it. Everything works properly, auto stop, hybrid power. The dealer filled it and we drove back 330 miles and are averaging 22.8 MPG with 220 fuel range left. It was at a Ford dealer in the middle of nowhere, they changed the oil but I'm going to pick up some Mobile 1 EP today. Its a good idea to use the AC Delco oil filter in case of a warranty issue later right?? If so I wont let it stay on for 15,000 miles that mobile claims the EP will last. How do you update the NAV map? Thanks!!

Congrats! I think you can still buy the nav disc by searching gmnavdisc.com.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

The factory in-dash nav sucks, the update disc is like over $100, not to mention unless you jailbreak it you cannot use it while the car is in drive. A kick *** garmin with lifetime maps will set you back like $125 @ Costco. I'm still using my Garmin from 2009 and love it. Also Google maps on my note 3 is pretty sweet too.

I don't mind the nav disc from gm. It was last updated in 2012. Unless they moved the whole state of Texas to the east coast, I think my nav will still work and I have XM traffic and onstar turn by turn if I don't have a satellite signal. I have tomtom when I use a rental or travel to Europe.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

I need to replace the tires because they are wearing on the insides apparently the werent rotated properly. Any recommendations? Are the Bridgestones any good? What size 18 brand is best for low resistance that we need?

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

I'm in between getting the continental cross contact lx20 Eco plus or the Goodyear Assurance CS fuel max. Need to make a choice by Sunday.

My Bridgestone dueler HL Alenzas last up to 70k miles. Very quiet and low rolling resistance.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks evois. I'll check on that. would going to the escalade 22s affect my tahoe much?? I know someone thats selling a set.
I couldn't find much info on here about the continental and Goodyear. Seems the continental is better.

Oem on standard and 22 inch is the h/l Alenza. The firestone shop will give you a 30-day try it out. Make sure you tell them though.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

The Bridgestone Dueler HL Alenzas are excellent in the 22" and the 20" size...in the 18" size, not so much.

I highly recommend the Michelin LTX M/S 2 in the 18" size, if you cannot find the stock 265/65R18 size, the 255/70R18 size works fine. This tire should last 70k+ miles and does not have the inside edge wear problem the Bridgestones seem to have.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks! Does Michelin affect mpgs any? Being that its not a low resistance tire. Just want to be sure I don't drop of mpgs too much.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Hi

I recently purchases a 2009 Hybrid and is concerned with the fuel mileage. It si almost twice the rated 21mpg combined. The dealer says that winter can cause that and that once there is no service hybrid system message - they cannot do anything. The warranty for the Hybrid system will also end soon. How do i ensure that the hybrid system really works? We have driven the vehicle for a month - almost daily - we see the Auto Stop sometimes, battery charging often and hybrid power sometimes. But what is strange is that in park - the engine is on instead of battery power.
Thanks

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Once warmed up the engine should go to autostop in park, as well as at stop lights, bank lines, and driving thru at low speeds in the shopping malls.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks

I am getting 10.69 MPG with me alone driving in winter. paved road - 2 wheel drive. City and Highway combined. Does this seem usual in winter?

No. The least you should get is 17mpg city and the most is 25mpg. Make sure you use premium and measure it from top fill up to top fill up.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

What is your usual commute distance per key cycle? Are you using remote start for warm ups? When outside temperatures drop below freezing, it can take a half hour or more steady driving to get into Auto-Stop

The colder it gets, the longer it will take to get Auto-Stop.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

If your mileage is that bad, most likely you need to look past the hybrid part and at the engine/fuel injection/computer controls. You can have an O2 sensor reading off a bit, a bad or dirty plug plugs, leaking fuel injector, dragging brakes, front spindle bearing going bad, or other mechanical issues that the computer doesn't necessarily catch. They are supposed to but don't always, especially if the issue is at the edge of being ok.
Those things are not covered by the hybrid 100k warranty unfortunately, an to be honest not all dealers have mechanics that can fix things that are not listed in the troubleshooting list in the book. :( For example I had a new 03 Trailblazer with 6 cyl 2wd, rated 16 city 22 highway. It got 10.5 by dealers test, ran just ok, and the dealer could never fix the mileage. Traded for 04 Rainer with 5.3 v8, rated 16/22 and it got 16 city and 22 on highway. Go figure.
BTW: My 02 Tahoe 4x4 with 4:10 gears got better than that, averaging 12-13.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

1/2 hour will be the usual 1 way trip but I did drove for about 1 hour one day and when I parked in the driveway - engine kept running instead of the battery taking over. I do see the Auto stop but very few times in the last month. I understand from evois that I should expect 17mpg - the worst - you think that by only driving 1/2 hour steady will give be below 11mpg? I stopped remote starting but did not see a big improvement. With the best driving, no remote start - 2 wheel drive - 11mpg. combined.
Another thing is that when I stop at lights or anywhere with the car still in drive, with the brake on - the instant fuel economy reads 99 on the DIC. Is this normal?

Thanks

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Thanks 1T1 GMC
The Dic was reading something like "service emission system" and I had the co2 senor changed. I will have the brakes etc looked at.
I also checked physically by adding fuel and then checking how many miles I get before the next fill and it matches the dic consumption so either the engine is guzzling the gas, because of brake, plugs or other issues issues or the hybrid is not working.

Re: 2009 Escalade Hybrid purchase advice
 

Sounds like the hybrid sys is not quite right, but my point was even if the hybrid part wasn't helping at all the mileage would be better than 10-11 mpg.

I never got below 17 mpg. Make sure you calculate it from fill-up to fill-up. Even when towing, I got 15mpg. If it still has <100k miles it is covered under the hybrid warranty.