Buy a 2016 or 2017 Duramax??

In general it is not a good idea to buy the first model year when significant changes are involved. You are more likely to have unexpected bugs. And for someone towing and traveling across the country, how many dealerships you visit should not be part of the adventure. More specifically, I would not want a 2017 designed to operate at higher temps, just too many risks with inadequate cooling and poor reliability of other components. Especially if I intended to do lots of heavy towing with the vehicle.

Let the guys that must have the latest toy and are willing to spend time with their favorite dealership be the guinea pigs.