Chevrolet Avalanche

txyank1

scheduled for production. I think it should around pretty soon. Don't remember the date.

frey44

it will go into obsolescence rapidly. it is another goofy design exercies by GM that went to extremes. it is a desperate attempt to try to get lost market share back: attract the "soccer moms". this is a grocery store/ golf bag truck; you have to just laugh every time you see one of these things. came out of the same errant design department as the Aztec (MERCY !!!). it is indeed the EDSEL of modern trucks. GM can't be subltle about desgin. they have to make these huge, gross distortions in a style so it jumps out at you, to say :Hey, i am TOUGH !"..except that everybody knows you're not, and that it is a runabout-town water softener salt hauler. do yourself a favor, avoid the huge deprecation (in 3 years you won't be able to give one away..), go at least buy a Silverado. at least you won't get laughed at when people see you in it.

tavgrad

frey, you obviously want one. If you stop posting idiotic comments everywhere and absorb some advice and tips, you just be able to get one. The child has far too much time on his hands.
Dana, if anyone needs to be deleted, it should be frey off of this topic.

Yeah, I assumed that dealers would offer "custom avalanches" with all body color at a price. That would save me a few grand, and it would still be under warranty. thanks for the info! I'll stop by a dealer this weekend and check them out. Maybe I will rethink my plan. I just have to convince my wife now.

dana

Hello everyone,

I see this topic has gotten a little out of hand. Remember there will not be any flaming going on, including put-downs, disrespectful and uncivil discussion, obscenity, illegal activity mentioned...the list goes on. Please read your Town Hall Membership Agreement if you are not familiar with our policies. Basically we want a "PG-rated" site, where everyone discusses (even disagrees) about cars and trucks, yet does it in a respectful way. Any posts attacking another member or violating the Membership Agreement will be deleted without further warnings. Thanks for your cooperation.


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Manager, Town Hall
Edmunds.com

frey44

you will definitely get the looks, and the LAUGHS !! good luck on the purchase of your 30 000 dollar plastic-clad George Jetson Station Wagon !

tavgrad

at least i will get something...
The last time i checked, no hondas on this side of the s2000's has not stirred up any excitement.

and i believe that they're already knocking some off sticker.

warrenw48

I thought the Terradyne was the GMC version of the Avalanche. I am definitely not an auto geek so I am probably way off on this. The terradyne as I remember had a built in generator for power tools and some other nifty stuff that at the time I read it, would come in handy in my buy and sell real estate business.

tavgrad

You are more Auto Geek than you think if you can recall the Terradyne.

It is not like the Avalanche/EXT, but you are right about the power generator. Someone correct me if I'm wrong (not frey) but I think that they've SUV'ed it into the Terracross. Terradyne won't make it into production.

dcrisler

There have been a few reports of discounts off msrp for the S2000, which is ok with me. However the AV seems like a perfect compliment to my 00' S2000.

Frey, dis the AV all you want, your opinion is yours and really has no impact on the rest of us. More interesting is why you would bother discussing a vehicle that obviously does not fit you and you fail to see how it would attract the rest of us. Personally when I pay off my 2 00' Hondas (Odyssey EX_Navi & S2000), the AV seems perfect. The cladding is a plus for me, as I expect it will protect the vehicle from parking at the office and the times when I do take it offroad. The big bonus is room for 6, while still allowing me to use it as a truck for the rare times I need a fullsize truck.

frey44

just BE PREPARED TO GET LAUGHED AT DRIVING THAT GOOFY LOOKING VEHICLE.
also, be prepared to take a HUGE HIT on depreciation in the first 3 years of ownership. it will depreciate MUCH FASTER that the good ol' Chevy half-ton. have fun...

timfarn

Maybe not, I researched the truck and its features, I drove it, and...I like it. I'm secure enough to worry not so much about what other people think or say, but to go for what best fits my needs. BTW, the smiles I've seen have been on the faces of the Av drivers, passersby just watch.

slafond

I think the Avalanche is the nicest vehicle I have ever seen. The thing looks mean, and I love that! Now ALL you need to do is add on some 20's, and your set! (17 on Z71 at the least).

Whats all the camotion about the damn cladding. My 99 Silverado looks like it has the cladding as well as the bottom part of the truck is grey and resembles the AV's bottom part. I'm getting sick of hearing complaints about the cladding. Bottom Line: AV is hear to stay!

im_brentwood

Interesting comment on depreciation...

Avalanches seem to be doing well over invoice at dealer auctions... And have been for a while.

Bill

frey44

GM uses cladding to change the exterior shape of their vehicle so they could use their old tried and true stampings. that way, they can charge 30 grand for an 22 000 dollar truck. neat idea, eh ? see ya on the street ! how could i MISS YOU ??!! "Avalanche" is a great name, when you think about it !! it will go down in history as GM fourth "avalanche", preceeded by the Corvair, the Fiero, and the Aztec. you are part of HISTORY if you buy one !! (by the way, if you want to get a fairly accurate idea of depriaction costs on this station wagon, check out GM's leasing costs: that'll convince you that i am correct.) good luck. i will quit teasing you guys now and go lease a Russian Lada to drive to work.

tavgrad

slafond,
I don't mind the cladding, just wish it was body color. Everything else looks great. But since I have heard that some are customized AV's with the cladding painted body color...THAT makes the AV back on my list. Now I'm down to three vehicles.

dcrisler, I actually like the s2000.

I see what frey is doing. He posts annoying comments and then we reply back with the correct information. It is his way of asking. AS I mentioned earlier, he really wants one, but does not want to admit it. And he did not correct me with " No i do not want one".

kooiker

Does anyone have/know of any pictures of an Av with painted claddding? I sure would like to see one. The grey is the one thing I'm not sold on...

ryanbab

have you seen a pewter av with the gray cladding? It looks pretty good

kooiker

Does anyone have/know of any pictures of an Av with painted claddding? I sure would like to see one. The grey is the one thing I'm not sold on...

bowhuntwi

I have a SD F250 CC and I have looked and test drove a few AV's the ride you can't beat, it does drive good, the cladding isn't all that bad, course the look takes getting used too. I remember when everybody hated the new look of chevy back in 70's for their pickups. The only reservations I have is when you do use it as a truck with an 8 foot bed, you gotta watch what your throwing in, on a regular bed you don't worry, cause the mess is staying in the bed part. On the AV the mess can go into the cab area, would hate for an errant board ripping the back of a leather seat. I expect whoever buys one will use the 8 foot bed about as much as they will take it off pavement. Some may never see it down except to show people. just my .02

stockmut

txyank1

to seeing it but still won't like it. It's like when I tried scotch once.......yech!! Somebody said well you have aquire a taste for it. Why would you want to aquire a taste for anything that bad? Still don't like it on the Gr. Cherokee either. (the cladding, not the scotch)

stockmut

Hit the return key too quick. Had my Pewter Av for about a month and love all the flexibility it gives me. (On a side note I have had NOTHING but praises for the way the Av looks, I guess there aren't many people around here who have the same opinion as Frey on this truck).

The one small quibble I have had with the Av, is that it is pretty difficult to get those removable hard panels in the storage bag even using the exact steps pointed out in the manual. I think it might just be that the bag I received is a little smaller than it should be.

Other than that the Av has been the great all purpose vehicle that I bought it for. I traded in my Silverado because I wanted a vehicle that could COMFORTABLY haul people(my wife loves the AV as compared to my Silverado), could pull a bass boat with ease, could be used to haul 8' lumber on occasion without having to drive a truck with a Crew CAB and a fullsize bed, and could go offroad and drive through the snow on occasion.

This vehicle sits my needs to a T.

sonjaab

I know that you are having problems with
your Ford ranger that the dealer can't fix
(check the ranger vs tacoma thread here)
Put you mind at ease .
Go test drive the AV.
You will love it........................

tavgrad

The pewter one is not bad at all. It almost blends in.

It's those dark colors like black, navy, hell, even green that make the vehicle look cheap. I would have to get a solid color all the way, and have the dealer do it arrange it.
I'm sorry, txyank, but the aztek cannot be taste acquired to me.

frey44

i am having a LOT of trouble with my Ranger [even though, basically, i like the design...just crappy quality control..or, NO quality control]. i am trading it in likely on a Toyota Tundra soon. i am waiting for the 2002 tundra so i can get a limited slip diff. i am pretty much done with Yankee vehicles. mostly basically good designs and powertrains, but....LOUSY, DISMAL quality control. good luck with your AV. i hope you like it and get trouble free use out of it. i wouldn't buy an Avalanche or a Nissan Frontier, even though they may be good vehicles; they are , IMHO, the ugliest vehicles ever made. but, many say the same about my Ranger !! so, what else is new !! life goes on...i will say this: the Chevy 4.8 liter and 5.3 liter are fantastic truck motors, probably the best the industry has ever made, if you can get one that is screwed together properly. id, however, am going to gamble on Toyota's V8. i am gambling that the quality control people were awake when they screwed them together...haha !! ;-)

ryanbab

make up your mind in another topic you said your buying a silverado

frey44

i will order a 2002 model in a few months. i still think the Chevy is a great truck (epsecially those GM small block V8's, and their automatic trannies are great), but, reliability concerns sends me to Toyota. i have been reading a lot of horror stories about GM products. i don't think it's design as much as assembly detail and quality control. American companies just can't seem to get their consitency together...especially witness Chrysler's obvious drop in quality in the last couple years. (ago onto a dodege dealer lot sometime, and CAREFULLY check out Rams or Dakotas for defects...THEY SLAP YOU IN THE FACE witho bvious defects. ) maybe NO vehicle is 100 % certain, but i have decided to narrow my odds of NOT getting a lemon...AGAIN. no more Fords...no more Yankee trucks. i have decided, with a lot of thought, to going with Honda and Toyota in the future (i'll put some of my money, i guess, into the pockets of Ontario, Ohio and California autoworkers.... that's fine with me.) by the way, Honda is diligently working on their truck. this will indeed be interesting !

wlm26

Why couldn't GM just follow suit?!?! Why did they try to reinvent the wheel with the Avalanche???? I recently decided it was time for a new truck. Had a '92 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton, SB, stepside. Loved the truck! But standard cab didn't have near enough room, especially since my wife and I had just had a baby. Well, I started shopping around. 4 door truck it's going to be!! GMC, handsdown!! That is, until I figured out one of the largest marketing blunders GM has made since the Aztek. They made 1/2 ton crewcab (Yeah!!!), but they made the mistake of thinking that anyone who bought it would only want it as a work truck. 1/2 ton HD my [non-permissible content removed]!!! If it looks like an orange, smells like an orange, and tastes like an orange, guess what? It's a damn orange!!! Same goes with a 3/4 ton crewcab pickup!!! The Sierra 1/2 ton HD is nothing more than a 3/4 ton with a 1/2 ton badge!! 86'd that one!! Then the Avalanche!! What the hell is GM thinking?!?!? I can't go a block without seeing a F150 Super Crew, and it's a damn good looking truck!! Why couldn't GM just take a Tahoe/ Yukon and add a bed to it??? IS that THAT damn hard?!?! The Avalanche won't sell, but to the few who THINKS it looks great. So I bought my Super Crew and I'm happy as hell!! Thanks, GM for turning me into a Ford man.

tomh12

Hope you enjoy your F150 crew. Hope you don't really need to use the bed for anything more than groceries, because the payload just doesn't amount to much. Can't tow much, can't haul much, but it's a 150, not a bit more. There's apples and oranges. I'm glad GM made a real crew cab TRUCK, without having to go to the 2500HD. I'll take the orange over the apple any day! Better brakes, stronger frame, stronger engine, all the better to handle the extra weight of the crew cab, rather than overlaod a 1500/150. I personally don't see why anyone would want what Ford built. Maybe that's why there are apples and oranges.
Tom

txyank1

In'96 I bought an Explorer. I wanted a Tahoe but didn't really need the room and....the Explorer has BOTH front seats power which GM didn't offer, 4 wheel antilock AND disc brakes which GM didn't offer. It's like GM is always playing catch-up. I shoulda bought the Screw instead of "Bouncing Betsy"! It would suit my needs and apparently does a lot of folks'.

simtechray

Av's are just starting to hit dealers in my area. Only seen white and silver so far...Anyone got pics of an orange one?

mpalombo

I have not seen an orange Av but last week I saw an orange Silverado. It was kinda nice looking.

-Mark

ryanbab

also take into account the crash testing.

Id rather have a 1500HD (2500LD) than a ford supercrew. Heck of alot safer

modvptnl

I guess you're going to get a tundra now.....after all they are a "heck of alot(sic) safer" than a Gm truck. LOL!!!

Besides, the Fords don't clunk, ping, knock (anymore) AND they WON the Government's crash test!! I guess it all depends on what kind of crash you're PLANNING on getting in!!!

jj655

Some dealers in N. California are offering $4,000. off of MSRP. Not a bad deal.

The AV is not completely a truck. It is actually mirrored more as a cheap suburban, rather than a super special truck.

The ride is wonderful.

But I just bought a Yukon XL...oh well.

timfarn

I don't believe so by your comment and your purchase. The Av look may take some getting used to, but it is designed to be different. The Screw looks like a four door with an "oh, what about the bed?" addition. I think it is a nice looking truck, just a little out of proportion with the styling on the bed.

Now, for the real comparison - drove the Screw Lariat. Best feature is the adjustable pedals. But, that's the only thing I can come up with. The ride was on the harsh side - too much bounce in the rear and sideways on washboard. If you wanted a 1/2 ton 4 door with utility in mind and did not drive the Av - you made a mistake. If the looks were too much to overcome so be it; join the lemming line of Screws heading for that cliff...

frey44

i have a sarcastic sense of humor, but honestly didn't mean to really PO anybody. so, my apology to all who own this vehicle..i said i didn't like its looks. i will stay off of here: i just wanted to "fess up" before i left. good luck with your AV.

timfarn

I had to go back and reread a couple of your posts. There was no sarcasm...or humor. Good luck with your Toyota.

tavgrad

I agree with wlm26's post. Why didn't they just make a suburban/yukon xl with the bed? The caddy escalade ext looks like an escalade with the back chopped. I'm sorry folks, but the grey cladding is just too much. On my way to work this morning, I saw a truck pulling 6 avalanches, six colors. Cannot get over the grey. It's not a dark gray. It's bright grey! I saw one at night, and gosh, the cladding seems like it glows.

The SUpercrews are like roaches, they are everywhere.

Frey, the tundra is a good choice. A lot of these chevy fans bash it because it is not as large and overpriced, but it will pay for itself in the long run. I also once considered it heavily. but because of the rear seating, I had to let it go. From my understanding, a crew cab or something is not going to happen anytime soon.

Honda is working on a truck, but Nissan has a full size coming out in '03. I'd go for the nissan based on the reputation of being solid workhorses.

My search has been narrowed down to one. The 2002 Ram will be my pick. I'll take my chances.
Have fun with your Avalanches, fellas.

ryanbab

"Why didn't they just make a suburban/yukon xl with the bed? "

Um did you forget about the 1500HD CC or 2500HD CC which are basically a burb or tahoe with a bed

txyank1

the 1500HD CC has quite a bit longer wheelbase than a Sub.

obyone

Of course not!! The posts were deleted by the hosts....doh!!

ryanbab

pwitz

Each of the trucks out there in the 4 door/pickup quasi SUV have pluses and minuses. In truck shopping (as in car), it beomes readily apparent where the manufacturer's place their strategies...and each vehicle has their trade-offs.

Ford SuperCrew:
First year it came out, no rear head-rests, no rear defroster. I though this was pretty lame...and not sure if these are there now as options or standard. Power is good, not expceptional (I had a F-150 w/ the bigger 5.4 Trition as a rental for a month). Tailgate lock is nice plus. Interior is nice shaped...guages a bit small...looks only okay in tan). Exterior is nicely styled.

Toyota Tundra:
Interior is unimpressive..lots of rounds...haven't seen leather, but cloth interior was weaker than Camry's I've seen. How about a real center console? ABS as an option? Exterior styling is good, but back seat is tight. Like external door handles for rear. Reliability is very attractive selling point, but dealers can gouge prices on these at times.

Chevy Silverado (Which I bought)
Interior plastic is really cheap...and hasn't held up real well. Where is the tail gate lock, instead of or additional to the spare tire lock?
Power from the 5.3 is excellent. Exterior styling a bit bland, but better in dark color (black, blue). No CC or 4th ext. cab door in first model year...not real convenient.

Chevy Avalanche:
Nice exterior styling, cladding looks good on dark or bright colors (blue, black, red). Same GM interior plastic (ie. not beefy, not textured well). No padded dash...hollow shell just like base work truck. Bed area very versatile and side pockets good ideas. How about the work "Avalanche" neatly sewn into the leather seats, and not a big yellow bowtie...seems kinda tacky. NVH is good, power is good. Rear visibility not so great....back window is now the size of an old Riveria's.

markiii

I saw the orange at the Milwaukee Auto show....almost, ALMOST convinced me no to go with the AV. Thank God my dealer ordered with Pewter! I can't even descibe the look, just a color that wasn't for me I guess.

No real complaints so far with the TRUCK. Plywood fit nice, but the first piece was a pain with the bed mat...had to pull it from the front a bit. I am thinking of the cover I saw in the accesories literature for a seat protector. Not a must, but will make it less of a concern.

I like the power of the 5.3 but it does seem to bog down more than I'm used to. I think some of it has been due to my care during break in. Haven't hauled my boat yet. I did get the backend to break loose and squak this weekend while pulling into traffic so it does have some !@#$s.

I have both compliments AND insults...to each his own. One guy thought it was as useless as a SportTrac until I told him what you could do with the bed (I guess he's not a Ford fan!) and another who thought it was UGLY (and felt strongly about it.....was that frey?). Anyway, it's all I wanted it to be and more. Now I have a 4-door TRUCK that fits in my garage.

-Mark

obyone

True!!

sonjaab

I knew these old eyes were not playing
tricks on me !!!!!!!!!!!!

timfarn

Oh, but Frey "didn't mean to bash the Avalanche" or other posters. What's that noise? The sound of someone backpedaling, sucking up and kissing [non-permissible content removed].

sonjaab

They deleted my post........
Syracuse ny dealer NOW offering $4000 off
sticker......WoW..............Geo

dcrisler

I Still think the AV would be perfect for my family... I kinda like the looks, but mostly the utility. By the way I have a 6y/o Mazda B4000(same as 93' and later Ranger) with well over a 100k miles! Only maint. has been oil & fluid changes until this year when I did belts, hoses & water pump, and then ac service and something called a mass airflow sensor(found to be defective with a $35 code scanner)... I think total maint for the life of the truck is less than $500! (have life time free oil changes from my dealer) don't know what kind of problems you have with your Ranger... maybe it just needs better service. The B4000 has performed exactly the way I planned and needed it to perform. My other 2 vehicles(00' S2000 & 00' Odyssey) were bought each with a specific purpose in mind and both excel. I really believe the AV will perform as well in its purpose and turn out to be a landmark vehicle in the field of multi-purpose vehicles. My problem is, I will be waiting a little longer to get one. Oh by the way, I like the toyota truck, it is just overpriced and cannot do what the AV can do.