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Looking at buying an Avalanche - any suggestions?


boatbuster
09-16-2008, 08:37 PM
I am looking at buying an Avalanche. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to watch out for and what issues I should be aware of with this truck?

Thanks for any help or insight.

wafrederick
09-16-2008, 08:51 PM
Watch out,there are 2wd and 4wd versions and look under the vehicle for this.

jdmccright
09-22-2008, 11:53 PM
The Avalanche is basically a Silverado 1500 crew cab truck with alot more plastic cladding and the nifty "midgate" pass-through

I have seen earlier models whose cladding is left unpainted...eventually it becomes weathered, faded, and sometimes shows the ripples that form as the piece is molded. However, it repels small dings from doors and shopping carts w/o damage. It is also slightly textured, making it more difficult to keep clean. That being said, any damage that happens to them makes them easy to replace since no painting is needed...but a new piece on a truck won't have the weathered look of the other panels.

Newer models have painted plastic cladding which are more popular...I don't know the year (2002?) this change occurred. More difficult to replace but no problems with fading. Big dings will also cut through the paint layer.

Finally, I would look at the sealing system for the rear pass-through to be sure it is in good condition and doesn't show signs of leaking. I've read these trucks have issues with body squeaks/rattles, possibly due to the less-rigid nature of the midgate. Suspension, drive system (4wd versions), and body electrical are also prone areas.

If it were me, I'd look to Silverado 1500 crew cab and opt for a longer bed if large cargo hauling capability is one of the traits you need.

ukrkoz
09-29-2008, 04:37 PM
jdmright is right. if you look closely at avalanche, you'll even see a gap where truckbed is connecting the cab.
so, you can do your own research, in this forum, just under silverado, or in any other gmc or chevy truck forum. and judge for yourslef. any problems silverado has - you'll have them, plus ones related to that partition they came up with for avalanche.
i honestly believe, you'd better off buying silverado. now, if you are all sold on the looks, and hauling cows in the truckbed is not your beef - buy a Ridgeline! looks abouth the same, is a MONOCOCK body, without all the play and rattle of silvie, fantastic honda reliability, and enough power/torque for average joe. and it is very comfy inside, as i checked them out, and i am 6'5''.

jdmccright
09-30-2008, 12:15 AM
The Ridgeline only comes with a V6 and a 5,000 lbs tow rating. The Avalanche has two V8 options and a minimum 7,100 lbs tow rating, max 8,000 lbs. Silverado 1500 Crew Cabs can be optioned to tow up to 10,200 lbs. But if towing isn't your priority, it is a viable possibility.

boatbuster
09-30-2008, 05:14 AM
I checked out the Ridgeline and found it too highly priced for what I was getting. On top of that, being a certified Honda Marine technician I have learned to stay away from Honda. Honda outboards are very costly in maintenance and repairs and getting parts sometimes can be a headache. Did you know on a Honda outboard 150 hp, which is basically a Civic engine on its side, you need to do an 8 hour valve adjustment yearly and it is not covered by Honda. The dealers don't tell you that when you buy it. Also if you buy a Honda outboard in Canada, Honda will not honor any warranty in the US and vice versa. Oh the stories I could tell you about Honda Marine. They might make good cars, but I would never buy one after my experiences with their marine division.

I am right now looking at a 2005 Avalanche LS, no leather or moon roof. The truck has the normal nicks and scratches for the year, has low milage and seems tight. It is 4x4 with a 5.3 engine. Any issues I should look at with this package before buying it?

Thanks for any help!

jdmccright
09-30-2008, 09:08 AM
Most of the issues for that model year carry through the whole generation ('02-'06). Citing a reputable consumer advocacy group they are the following:

Transmission Major - Average
Transmission Minor - Average
Drive System - Poor
Fuel System - Average
Climate System - Below Average
Suspension - Poor
Paint/Trim - Average
Squeaks/Rattles - Below Average

Used car Reliability - Below Average

In your case, I'd have the transmission and drive train checked out, especially if it looks like it has been used for towing, look for diff wear, tranny fluid freshness, if it is equipped with the heavy tow package, etc. While the 4L60E tranny is a tried & true unit, it ain't bulletproof. Suspension issues have generally been focused on the ball joints, so check those as well as the rubber bushings and the alignment...check for uneven tire wear. Everything else cited above is par for the Chevy truck line.

If you can live without 4wd, maintenance will be alot easier, towing capacity will be slightly higher, and fuel economy will be slightly better. Where I live (southern MD) we get one maybe two days of snow...not enough to warrant all that upkeep for a 4wd to me.

ukrkoz
09-30-2008, 09:14 PM
I checked out the Ridgeline and found it too highly priced for what I was getting. On top of that, being a certified Honda Marine technician I have learned to stay away from Honda. Honda outboards are very costly in maintenance and repairs and getting parts sometimes can be a headache. Did you know on a Honda outboard 150 hp, which is basically a Civic engine on its side, you need to do an 8 hour valve adjustment yearly and it is not covered by Honda. The dealers don't tell you that when you buy it. Also if you buy a Honda outboard in Canada, Honda will not honor any warranty in the US and vice versa. Oh the stories I could tell you about Honda Marine. They might make good cars, but I would never buy one after my experiences with their marine division.

I am right now looking at a 2005 Avalanche LS, no leather or moon roof. The truck has the normal nicks and scratches for the year, has low milage and seems tight. It is 4x4 with a 5.3 engine. Any issues I should look at with this package before buying it?

Thanks for any help!

can't argue about outboard engines, as i know nothing of them.

1. i think, they teach in the 1st class: you always get what you paid for. there's good reason big mac costs what it costs.
2. if you want to play it by $$, there's another proverb for you. you can pay now, or you can pay later. and you will, and A LOT.
3. just looking at features and numbers, you might fall into fallacy of thinking that you are getting a whole lot of a car more in a GM product for less $$ comparing to japanese make. well, it is true. up to one point: untill all that stuff they packed into their product start failing on you and fast. oh, you will have no trouble finding parts at dealership! but for $$$$$$ and many of them.
4. you can look at whatever you want to look at. i worked in 5 states, WA, AL, TN, IN, and OK. and in some of them, there's no better car then chevy/ford. period. even if sucker sits in a shop every other month, it's still the best car ever. i have it, papau had, gramps had, neighbors have it. best car period. those folks are dead beat chevy drivers, no matter what. so, if you are one of them, there's nothing we can do about it. but, if you are independently thinking, let me tell you this:
since 1999, we had 94mitsu expo lrv, 96 mitsu galant, 94 mitsu eclipse, 99 lexus rx 300, 02 honda cr-v, 95 honda civic, 05 scion tc, 94 toyota corolla, and 99 ford ranger (it's rebadged mazda). i own now 2000 silverado 4x4, centurion edition, with currently 86K miles on it (which lrv and eclipse went well into 250K before we got rid of them). i own this truck for 1.5 yr. i had more repairs done to it in this time than i had to ALL of those japanese cars combined. and i have more to do this week, as steering parts keep failing, and i got nasty clunck in driveshaft. repairs done to my 02 cr-v in 100K miles = fuel tank cap.
and i love this truck. i'm big, it's big. we fit each other. but it's rubbish! it's shitty made, without any pride and concern about customer. i bought it for half book value, with very low mileage, and i CAN EFFORD poor mpg. plus, i do all my repairs myself, and i have property large enough to fool with it.
with that being said, i guarantee you that, unless you have to haul a cow and tow an elephant - you'll regret buying domestic in no time. yes, i have heard of those "300 000 miles no problem" miraculous silverados, but, a) exemtion only confirms the rule b) i'd, probably, call their owners of liers, as as fast as my truck falls apart, i won't believe into miracles.
saw the other post by jdmright? oh yeah, they do have jdpower's "best quality" rating. you have noticed that little word inbetween? INITIAL? for the 1st 5 000 miles?
at least, do yourself a favor and don't buy one from dealership. :nono: craigslist rules!!!!

jdmccright
10-01-2008, 09:11 AM
Nothing I said or cited referred to that award...which is for the 2007 model year and for the Silverado, not the Av. I referred to the annual customer survey conducted by Consumer Reports.

Trucks are made for people of varying tastes, wants, and needs. The Ridgeline may suit some but may not fufill what other people need their truck to do. Trucks have evolved from the basic flatbeds that worked on the farm and in the streets to vehicles that can do alot of different tasks pretty good, albeit in a somewhat wasteful way. Each brand has their own vision of how to provide those capabilities to us...some weigh utility more, some for more comfort, and some for off-road capability. The Ridgeline is good at what it does, but it and the Av are very opposite in capability. So to suggest the Ridge as an alternative is not very logical. If he wants an Avalanche then that's his god-given and American right to get one.

As for the '05 Av in question, see if you can get the factory warranty transferred or purchase an extended warranty that will cover you even when you use the truck for towing and hauling (some policies will sneak in exclusions to not cover repairs caused by heavy-duty or commercial use).

Remeber also that all of the factory-installed options are listed on a sticker inside the glovebox or on the passenger door. These RPO codes will tell you everything the truck was built with, right down to the paint color code. Get a picture and search them to make sure the truck is set up for what you need it to do...engine, tranny, rear diff ratio, tow pkg, etc. Buying a truck that has the proper equipment for your needs will help stave off repairs due to exceeding the truck's capabilities.

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