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Actually the cost is $1,030 for my truck. I wasn't aware that they originally added the hitch step and stongard into the estimate with labor. Here's the final breakdown.
Well, it all adds up in parts and labor....here's a quick break down of what I'm having done. Less the muflap removal and re-install, the hitch step, my clear bra (stongard) and the one tail light assembly the total would be $803.
$370 for part# 88937016, rear bumper cover
$10 for part# 15720781, plastic center piece of bumper....step....not necessary though being replaced anyway
$74 for Paint Materials
$113 for the Tail light assembly
$12 Misc Material
$249 for Installation Labor
$95 for the hitch step incl. delivery.
$50 for the stonegard to be redone
add in sales tax and the total climbs to $1,030
not cheap that's for sure.
paisan/Mike is correct that both flex agent and extra prep is required on plastic bumpers to get the paint to be perfect.
I will also have to wait six weeks for the paint to cure 110% before I can have the stongard redone.
#12497608 (without flares) and rear are #12497609.
They list for $29. Your dealer should give you a break on them.
the cheapest on the net for GM parts is http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/index.cfm you can get a quote online.
I should be getting my WAAG items in next week. Have to confirm the date on Monday, but I'm getting a set of their running boards and will probably keep them vs returning them. Not 100% sure but if you aren't in a huge hurry, I'd be happy to sell mine for a more than fair price if you're interested. I can ship them from our office too as I work in distribution.
Let me know your thoughts. Not sure of a price, but if you're interested let me know.
tim
Pictures here: http://www.timlauro.com/cars/trailblazer/ltz-pics-index.htm
I was under the dash this weekend (black bottom off) and could not find the plug for it. I saw two Blue plugs up inside, about even with the deadpedal.
Also, there was a wire with a wide plug on it taped up to the black kickplate. However, it was not the same plug style as the GM .
Does anyone know where I would plug this GM Tow Package plug into? Would it plug into the back of the blue plugs?
Thanks for any advice.
Kevin
Has anyone experienced this: The other day, I was closing the drivers door, and at the same time opening the rear drivers side door. Somehow the two doors hit and left a pretty good 3-4 inch scratch on the rear door. Wierd! I am guessing that the front door flexed just enough to cause it to hit the rear door just as it was beginning to swing open. I probably couldn't get it to do this again if I wanted to...Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.
All in all I am extremely happy with the envoy. It now has 12k's and very minimal problems. Most of what you read in here is negative, so I think a few positive postings would be great. I live in the great north (Minnesota), and the A4WD is great. My wife loves the extra traction in gives her in the snow and Ice. It rides SMOOTH, has plenty of power, and a great sound system! As far as the power, I pull a 21' travel trailer with the truck. It grunts when going up inclines, but plenty of power to get me where I want to go!! I wouldn't give it up for anything, except maybe a Suburban, but they are to much $$$$$$$!!!
While driving, I heard a "click" (the same "click" you hear when pushing the button to open the rear window (tailgate)) and a message displayed on the info panel: rear access (something or other)... Sure enough, the window was open; not sitting out but it needed to be shut.
Maybe it's the HEAT!? :-)
"We do not have an ETA yet, but we do know that engine has all kinds of torque management on it.....so when we do have product, expect some stiff gains!"
I wish it was out already, but the above is the most promising I've seen so far as power gains.
Thought I'd share it.
tim
Now for the lights question!
I was driving down a deserted highway at night and noticed that my headlights and dashlights seem to vary in brightness, almost like a flicker. I wondered if the stereo was drawing, so I turned it off and still noticed the same thing. Anybody see this? Later I pulled in the garage and saw same thing sitting at idle. It seems intermittant. Doe this sound like a voltage regulator? The gage does not move around, but I figure the gage is not quick enough to catch this.
On the other hand, I have been getting the situation where the A/C is blowing hot air when I start the vehicle (intermittent), but blows cold if shut off and restart the car. IIRC, others have had this problem. Can any of you that have had this provide insight on how to resolve it?
Thanks,
JAW
My A/C blows hot humid air when I first start the truck on a hot day, but once I get rolling it blows cold. I have never been able to sit still long enough with it blowing the hot air to see if it eventually gets cooler. Re-circ helps a LOT.
I'll try re-starting to see if it makes a difference. Temps here are usually 90+ and very high humidity.
On the way back from lunch today I had the same issue as you for the first time. Only warm (outside?) air coming from the vents. Nothing at the climate controls would turn it cold -- including off>on.
Finally pulled over and restarted the car. Cool air came back working fine.
Not sure if this was a vent door issue or something else. Next time it happens, I'll check under the hood to see if the compressor is cycling or not.
2000 miles and so far so good, changed the oil at 1100 miles, for some reason it was low and I felt rather than me adding I would just change it. Went with the synthetic by Quaker??. Also recently checked the Tire pressure (not something I would have thought of when I picked it up) but it was way off. A heads up, some of you may already know this but for those who don't---Check the Tire Pressure when you pick up your TB it may be higher than recommended. When I adjusted my to the proper level ride was nicer and comfortable for wife and 6mos old in the back.
NOW FOR THE REAL QUESTION:
For those of you who have rear-facing infant car seats (new borns), do you put the seat in the middle, right or left side back?
I have read all three, right back, left back and middle back?? What would be right position? I put the seat in the middle to avoid side collision impact.(in the TB manual) it say's right or left (not quoted exactly). Some manuals and safety articles state right or left only, while others say middle??
Does anyone know?
I love it!
tbltext--
I have a 9.5 month old in a rear facing child seat in my envoy, and I originally had it in the inboard position until I read the manual and moved it to the left outboard (behind the driver's seat). I didn't seem to be able to get the seat good and tight in the middle position, anyway. My wife was none to pleased when I informed her that the middle was a no-no (she was insisting middle for the same reason you stated -- protection from side-impact -- and I agree).
I tried calling GM customer service to see if I could get a decent answer as to why the outboard positions were preferred, but was told that NHTSA/DOT recommended that. Was never able to confirm, though. You may already know this, but because of the buckle type (slides freely on the belt), you need to use the locking clip that comes with the child seat.
If you find out the reasoning against the middle, let me know.
HTH,
JAW
I've also heard the auto manufacturers are looking at boosting voltages to 48, or even 110 volts soon. All the electronics in today's cars are significantly boosting power requirements.
I had the A/C problem once, shutting down and restarting the car solved it. GM must be using a Microsoft operating system . . .
It would be a good idea to put a heavy towel underneath the car seat to help protect the seat. You may also need one to help position the rear of the seat correctly.
Anyone else having similar issues?
thanks,
bob
For me, it seemed that my light problem happened quite a bit during the colder months, but now that we are into the summer season, I haven't noticed the flicker problem anymore? Additionally, I returned from my weekend trip to Chicago from Michigan tonite and didn't notice any flickering at all? Any input/ideas/feedback that you all receive concerning this would be greatly appreciated.
Uh OH.. NO A/C????
Second, while visiting Chicago this past weekend, I was quickly greeted with a "NO to VERY LOW" A/C situation whereas my A/C was not functioning at all on several occasions and blowing a very "stale/damp smelling" odor and very little A/C? Oddly enough, the duration for these occurance did last for over 20 to 30 minutes (on Friday and Saturday) until we reached our destinations. The problem continued even with the engine restarts. At this point, I was a little embarrassed and didn't want my passengers to suffer any longer, so down the windows went. Ha, ha.. On the bright side, the A/C returned to its normal functioning state on Sunday and the return trip today (Monday).
I plan on taking my Envoy to the local dealer on Wednesday to address the "rear reverse lamp filled 1/4 of the way with water" issue and hopefully to discuss this intermittent A/C problem. Has anyone had any type of success/wheel turning experiences with the dealerships when addressing this concern? I know that if I don't have a concrete explanation of the problem and a normally functioning A/C unit onsite, I will receive the standard "Could Not Duplicate" verbiage from the servicing dealership.
MY TRIP INFO:
Well.. after driving approximately 800 miles this past weekend, I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with the Envoy's expressway mannerisms in terms of ride comfort! I've quickly come to notice that as lonng as you are driving on a good piece of freeway, it does a very good job of absorbing the bumps. BUT.. be careful on the twisty roads.. It will lose its lunch very quickly!
Very typical for any SUV, gas mileage was nothing to brag about. I never reset the trip odometer or DIC for the duration of the trip and I averaged ~14.3 mpg (with stop and go Chicago traffic).
I don't know if any of you have noticed this with the triplets. With my Envoy, I noticed that after a complete refill and reset of the DIC, if I drive no faster than 55 - 60 mph and "babying" the accelerator, I can quickly get 20+ mpg, but here in Michigan, when the standard speed is 70 mph and everyone is driving anywhere between 70 - 75 mph, I can only achieve 16 or 17 mpg? The only time that I have a chance to drive 55 mph is during my "back-road" commute to work which consists of 55 mph speed limits and 80 miles.
For me, having owned many V-8 SUV's in the past, I think that my total 13,000 mile experience has been quite comparable to that of V-8 powered SUV's? My Translation = "Don't buy an SUV if you are not prepared to spend a considerable amount of time at the gas pump." Uh.. unless it's one of those Mini-SUV's!
Last but not least.. "Where's the 270 HP??" With the A/C on, you can simply forget it! My trip consisted of one occupant (me) and luggage. Even with a very light load I think that the A/C really drains the overall performance of the engine.
With a couple of passengers onboard (and trying to weave in and out of Chicago traffic), there were a couple of instances in which I thought that I was DOOMMED! I guess this is where I have become accustomed to the neck-snapping performance of those V-8 powered SUV's? One of my passengers said "Hey.. floor it when the light turns green so we can see what's she's got," I just smiled and braced myself for the comments.. "Are u serious?? 270 hp?? NOOO WAYYY.. maybe that's why there are not a lot of them on the road in Chicago.. people want SUV's where the 270 means real horsepower!" I kind of agree with them on this. For me, I would prefer to have my HP when I need it most.. working your way around traffic and when merging on to freeways.
IN CONCLUSION:
All in all, I think that the Envoy is still an excellent SUV! The tilt down mirrors worked wonders during tight curb parking maneuvers and the suspension did a great job of soaking up all of the road imperfections along Sheridan Street and Clark Avenue. The seats were very supportive and the BOSE was TONS-O-FUN! If I could make a wish list for this vehicle, it would include the following:
1) More REAL-TIME horsepower.. (i.e. less engine screaming and more get up and go). I'm sorry but the 270 hp just doesn't feel like it to me.
2) Maybe the GMC Yukon Denali's 4 corner real-time dampening air suspension to help improve cornering capabilities, etc.
3) How's about a next/previous track selection button on the steering wheel? In addition to a full-cycle control that lets you select from FM1, FM2 AND CD?
4) Maybe JUST TWO complete turns of the steering wheel to reach full lock from left to right (as opposed to the 3.5+ needed to do this currently)? I don't know about you all, but after this trip, my arms are tired! I couldn't decide on whether or not I was driving a BUS or an SUV? Curb-side parking with this steering system is verrry demanding..
Thanks for Reading!
IExplore2000@aol.com
I guessed this must be some "sophisticated" engineering glitch, so since I was on a quiet side street so I pulled over, shut and restarted the engine.
Voila, the problem disappeared.
This is quite irritating. My service manager called to verify the status of my formerly wandering mirrors (working fine now), and he claimed no knowledge of this - he's going to check back on Friday to see if it has recurred.
Any TSBs on the a/c? This board usually has more info than the GMC service managers!
Does anyone have any input to how to remove & replace any of these buttons? They appear to be pressed into the wheel. I saw another post on this some time ago, of which someone took it to the dealer to replace. This is the only thing that is an issue & I don't want to give up my ride for the day.
John
Seat Position: I THINK the outside positions are preferred over the middle because of the split seat. Most passenger cars recommend the center position, but both my 98 Blazer and my 02 TB recommend the outside. Both have the 2/3 1/3 split seat. Just a thought.
Locking Belt Clip: From everything I've seen on the subject, the locking belt clip MUST be used with seat belts that have a free sliding catch. In other words, pretty much every shoulder-style belt out there. The locking clip keeps the catch from sliding up and down the belt which can create side-to-side motion in the child seat. A previous post mentioned pulling the belt all the way out - this is also correct. The belt must be pulled all the way out so that it's in "auto-retract" mode. In other words, the belt cannot be pulled out any more and, in fact, can only retract. This ensures that there is always tension on the belt holding the child seat in place.
The only time I think that a locking clip is not needed is when a booster seat is being used. In that case, the seat belt is worn exactly as it would be by an adult - no locking clip, no need to pull it all the way out.
If you're confused as to whether or not your child seat is installed properly, most communities hold fairly regular, free safety inspections for child seats. Around where I live, they are normally done at hospitals, fire stations and the occasional police station or school.
Even if you think you've got your seat installed properly, a double-check doesn't hurt.
-Jason
If/when GM decides to make available a V8 in all the TrailBlazers I will likely trade for one. And forget getting a lower rear gear ratio for better gas mileage. From all the reports I read, the 3.73 and 4.10 ratios seem to do the same or even better than the 3.42 probably because the 3.42 has to be driven harder to get any stop and go city driving performance.
My 2¢ worth.
THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM could be that the transmission lines are so close to the catylatic converter and one of mine actually touches it. Heat is bad news for transmissions even though GM put some silver insulation around the lines, the converter can get up to 1200 degrees. I plan on bringing mine in to have them moved away from the converter.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO CHECK THE LINES TO SEE IF THEY TOUCH, JUST CRAWL UNDER THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR SIDE. PLEASE MAKE SURE THE TRUCK HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AWHILE AND COOL SO YOU DONT GET BURNED BY THE CONVERTER. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. WE MIGHT HAVE A TSB IN THE MAKING HERE.
After 10K miles, no major problems to report. Awesome power, smooth ride, good handling (at reasonable speeds!), awesome Bose system, cold A/C, good traction control. I had the license plate holder gasket installed to fix the paint chipping problem, and also had the rear window gasket replaced to fix a small leak. I also got the software update to fix a transmission downshift delay.
I added running boards and splash guards to protect against rock chips, and so far I haven't seen any new ones. That's the extent of my problems. No wandering mirrors, dead dashboard, hot A/C, excess wind noise, vibrations, rattles, etc. Nothing! And my build date was 6/01. I still occasionally get the roaring fan noise at start-up, but it goes away within a minute and never comes back during operation.
Overall fuel economy has been 16.5 - 17 mpg in city driving with the 4.10 axle and 2WD. On a recent 500 mile trip I got 20.5 mpg going 75-85 mph most of the way. In fact the DIC was reading 25 mpg before I got stuck in 2 half hour traffic jams. Oh well.
My gripes include only the stupid placement of the cupholders (haven't seen that complaint for a while), and a bigger gas tank would be nice.
Overall, if I had to do it again I would.