Beltfed

It doesn't, my bro was just bitching to me last night about the bath he is going to take on his 05 RL.

No doubt, the RL is a really nice car.......but resale blows.

Acura coming out with a less content model doesn't help either.

cob3683

I honestly wonder if most of the "Escalade sucks/will break down tomorrow/etc" crowd have ever actually driven (nevermind owned) an Escalade

From someone whose family has owned 3 Escalades, 2 Tahoes, and 2 Yukons over the last 10 years, there is a HUGE difference between the Escalade and Tahoe. The interior materials are much better in the Escalade than the Tahoe/Yukon and it's driving characteristics are completely different. The only thing that kept that total from being 4 Escalades was the fact that he liked the GL he bought last month better.

Some of you saying that the Escalade/Tahoe are the same car need to stop reading magazines and actually go out, BUY the car, and drive it for a year or two. They are NOT the same.

SpeedyV6

The comparison cited isn't really a fair representation. First off, the Escalade will typically sell for a much larger markdown from its sticker price. Comparing its resale value to its sticker price, rather than price paid isn't relevant. Secondly, the Escalade in question is already two years old and has already taken a large hit in terms of depreciation.

daemonicus

If you noticed, I stated the '05 Escalade and the '05 RL, not the '06 RL. If by "the price paid" you mean the invoice price to the dealer, here are the number.

Again, both are '05.

Escalade original invoice = $51,611
Escalade avg. KBB = $41,500 - $42,600

RL original invoice = $43,714
RL avg. KBB = $38,900 - $39,900

Also, in response to cob3683...the escalade during the years of '02-'06 was virtually the same car as the tahoe/yukon. yes, the interior was obviously different in the materials used but if you took those away, you'd be left with a tahoe. they simply replaced the trim around the air vents, center console and doors with plastic "wood" and changed the gauge cluster out. also, the center emblem in the sterring wheel was changed to cadillac and i believe the leather was also changed and while doing that, stiched in the caddy symbol on the headrests. the bvlgari clock in the center was another change to the center console. the last thing i know of is the added "chrome" trim around the speaker grilles which weren't there in the tahoe.

true though, that GM put a different engine inside the escalade than the tahoe (escalde/6.0L 345hp V8, 380 lb-ft tq...tahoe/5.3L 295hp V8, 335 lb-ft tq) so the fact that the escalade gets worse gas mileage (13/17) compared to the tahoe (15/19) is no surprise. but i guess they needed more power because the escalade weighs in at 5571 lbs. and the tahoe weighs more than 350 lbs. less at 5192 lbs. also, the escalade has traction control while the tahoe didn't.

can anyone help me out here on this because i've always been confused. not just in the escalade, but other large SUVs, they always say maximum seating can fit 8. if you count, the back row can hold a max of 3, the middle row max of 3 and the front seats are buckets so obviously they only hold 2. that's only 7 so how come on SUVs like the expedition, escalade/tahoe/yukon they all say seating for 8?

yes, the escalade might be a "different" truck than the Tahoe and most people on here have never driven or owned one. but to say that the escalade is not the tahoe, would be like saying that the envoy is not the bravada...that the jimmy was not the blazer...that the grand am is not the alero...that the cavalier is not the sunfire...GM (not saying anything about other car companies so dont even start with that) takes cars they that produce and then use that same car for other companies they own. cadillac and other companies may add some fake wood trim and some fancy chrome or even some different leather to make their cars seem different but at the base of the car, stripped down, you will always find the original GM car.

sab35263

Man,

You need to check your math becuase and I qoute you:", they always say maximum seating can fit 8. if you count, the back row can hold a max of 3, the middle row max of 3 and the front seats are buckets so obviously they only hold 2. that's only 7" If you do the MATh correctly, then you would come up with 8 that's all, but as an escalade owner and I have driven a tahoe for 2 years, there is a huge difference in the quality of the interior and the way the escalade drives and handeles. That's why I have a hard time deciding between the RL and the caddy.

daemonicus

hahaha wow i need some sleep...sorry about the math, i'm thinking of a completely different class of SUVs! (maximum seating of 7, yet they claim 8). so sorry to throw that in with my post.

so anyhoo, ummm...this post as gone on far enough but it basically comes down to your choice. you could make 100 polls on 100 different sites with people's opinions but at the end of the day, you have to decide what's right for you. nobody can decide for you. advice? go drive the RL and make comparisons to your caddy. i can assure you, you'll notice a signifact difference in every aspect, good and/or bad. but i also can assure you, that while the escalade may be a nice truck inside, it'll never compare to a RL interior. and also, i've proved twice that the RL has a higher resale value but i guess that doesn't apply to you since you said you'd be leasing.

aside from my SUV seating math mix-up, i've tried to make some comparisons for you. hopefully that will help. definitely, though, go and drive the RL. you've got nothing to lose except your escalade.