So how bad are Avalanches/Cadillac EXTs really?

I've been toying with getting rid of the F250 Powerstroke as discussed in another thread. Between the extra maintenance cost, the fact that I can't really use it as a backup vehicle and thus hardly ever use it and my wife really doesn't like it, I've been thinking about getting something newer and an Avalanche/Cadillac EXT would mostly fit the bill. A bit smaller, plus I still get an 8' bed if I need one, which I actually do occasionally.

OTOH the comments over in Trent's "maybe for sale" thread make me wonder if getting one is such a hot idea after all.

What Does GRM think?

A number of friends have them. Expect to replace all brake hardlines. Every friend with one had lines burst from corrosion. Do the whole truck, do it right and do it once.

Other than that. I've borrowed a friend's 2500 several times. Not much aside from the usual domestic truck of the era crappy interior. The 2500 towed really well and the bed side compartments are great for tow straps and other paraphernalia.

Everything that applies to suburbans applies to these as they are the same.  DoD is a problem on the 5.3. 4L60s are usually done by 150k.  Rust in the rockers in the northeast, along with the brake lines mentioned (done on mine when one failed and the rest of the truck is rust free).  Kind of crappy interior doesn't wear that well.  Aside from those it will keep running forever.   My 03 Suburban 2500 with 181k just keeps trucking, but that is a 6.0 and 4L80.  Try to stick to the newer ones that have a 6 speed, the 4 speed is the biggest complaint I have about mine.  

In reply to Apexcarver :

Are the hardlines also an issue with ones from less rusty climates, or is that more of a rust belt thing? Crappy interior I can probably live with, the current truck is '96 with over 300k miles on it so it doesn't exactly have what I would call a pristine interior.

Do you recall if the 2500 had the 8.1L?

One of my reasons to also include the EXT in the search is that they came with the 6.0 rather than the 5.3, so hopefully they'd tow a bit better.

I haven't seen the other thread, and have no personal knowledge of the Avalanche/EXT so no help there. but, food for thought:

1) Assuming the F250 is used as a tow vehicle occasionally for a racecar or something: Perhaps consider moving to a mid-size SUV (i.e. something like a 4Runner) that is a pleasant "regular driver" but can still tow a car on a trailer fine, and then just get a cheap 8' utility trailer for when you need to haul big things (should be able to get a nice one for under $1k and they cost almost nothing to own since they don't need brakes, etc).

2) Assuming the F250 is NOT used as a tow vehicle: Perhaps consider the same thing as above regarding a small utility trailer, except you can pretty much just get anything that has a 3k tow rating...like a crossover your wife will like (my wife's CX-9 is rated for 4k-5k I think).

3) If you are just needing the 8' bed for hauling plywood and drywall (vice dirt or something super-tall), a minivan can do that for you. 

4) Could you just get a smaller pickup with an 8-foot bed, like an F-150 or a Tundra or something?

Other than the first gens plastic exterior, they seemed ok?  Chevy truck eh?

i do recall a funny review of them when they fist came out, in the "cons" side, they said something like "Plastic. Plastic on plastic. Plastic on plastic held together with plastic". 

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to Apexcarver :

Are the hardlines also an issue with ones from less rusty climates, or is that more of a rust belt thing?

 

My 1999 GMT-800 pickup (Sierra 1500), never out of FL, had one rust through.

I hate mine but.....

I am a fickle beast with some odd preconceived notions. Don't  use my opinions as a basis.

I really don't like full size pickups. I can't stand climbing up into a vehicle and once inside being surrounded by Chevys low rent version of leather and plastic.  A dozen cubbies for the front seat passengers alone that are a constant reminder to do your duty and consume. The cup holders will not securely hold a beverage under 32oz, but if you bought an Avalanche that probably isnt a risk. I hate that I cannot reach something in the bed when I am standing beside it. I refuse to drop the tailgate and crawl into the bed like a toddler to grab a fuel jug at the gas station.  

The Avalanche with the unibody on frame construction actually rides and drives so much better than the same era Silverados I have driven. 

As a truck? For me it was technically perfect. I haul engines and transmissions and tow. I don't ever haul sheet goods so I have never folded down the rear seat and opened the port.  It does all that with a degree of excellence.  It has been reliable.  If it was 2wd or I installed the lowering springs I bought for it I am sure I would hate it far less.

The view out the rear window is appallingly bad. 

I honestly do not know how so many people can live with a lifted full size pickup every day. The handling, the gas mileage,  the being too big for the average parking spot.

But then I am also a guy with a classic mini, a tiny Fiat and an R56 Clubman S who thinks a fwd VW rabbit pickup would suit him better. 

Seriously,  don't listen to my opinions on the Avalanche. 

I'm sitting at 160k on my '13 Av after picking it up at 35k 2.5yrs ago. Outside of oil changes, trans fluid and filter, 2 sets of brakes, and a afm delete "tune", I have yet to really spend money on it.

Only thing that really irritate me is the second cover over the bed leaks. 

I can easily jump in turn the key and go to either coast tomorrow. If I could I'd buy another.

In reply to irish44j (Forum Supporter) :

Yep, it's towing stuff from time to time - not that often, but fairly regularly. It'll tow more if/when I finally get back in a race car, and I occasionally do max out the trailer at 7500lbs. I really don't want to/can't get another trailer as my wife really doesn't want another trailer sitting around in the open, which it would have to.

The reason the Avalanche appeals is because it's another four seater that would convert to an 8' bed, although I don't need four seats that often. Yes, I could probably get away with another regular cab truck, I'd just have to spring for another camper shell. Extended cab is probably doable, too, but would be tight in the only spot I can park the truck in.

I really don't want a minivan, and I don't think there are any that can tow 7500lbs.

Air suspension in the Cadillac version can be an issue.  My boss had one and the air compressor was a weak link. 

glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to Apexcarver :

Are the hardlines also an issue with ones from less rusty climates, or is that more of a rust belt thing?

 

My 1999 GMT-800 pickup (Sierra 1500), never out of FL, had one rust through.

DC area, so not a major rust area. I hear about them doing it lots of places you wouldn't expect. GM was cheap on brake line corrosion resistance back then. One of the trucks hardly had any surface rust on the frame and the lines went.

In reply to BoxheadTim :

The 2001-06 2500 did have the 8.1L option, with the 4L85 transmission. Tow ratings were from 10,100 to 12,000 lbs.

In reply to Apexcarver :

Well, that's disappoiting. Also didn't realise that I had so many GRMers living relatively close to where I live.

Guess I better check how much work it is to replace the lines.

In reply to 81cpcamaro :

That sounds like a good combo, although they seem to be pretty hard to find.

GM sells a kit of pre bent lines, I got mine from Amazon for $180 ish if I recall.  Replacing them isn't completely hateful, but isn't fun.  You do need to loosen the body mounts to lift the body a few inches to get access where the lines go over the frame.  I did all of the lines in mine in a Saturday.  

In reply to BoxheadTim :

They make kits for it, it's just something to be ready to do. I wouldn't avoid one over it, just plan to have it done or look for it to already be done.

Yeah, there's a number of us around DC. Heck, I'm an organizer with a club that does autocrosses in Winchester. 

I had an 05 z71 avalanche.  It had transmission rebuilt at 91k before I bought it.  I assumed that was good, but at 119k the trans pump failed so i was on the hook for $1800.  I really liked the seats, and gm got it right with the heated seats by having separate back and butt heat.  
 

Around 140k the entirety of the steering was worn out and I replaced everything between the box and spindles.  Also around the same time the rear diff exploded in spectacular fashion.  At 150k it started getting the transfer case pump rub clunk so i traded it in.  
 

my biggest issue was it was a tow package with optional 4.10 gearing and rated over 8,000 pounds.  It was pretty horrible with 5,000 behind it.  I couldn't imagine 8k.  In all in 40k miles of ownership it cost me around $4,200 in maintenance on top of the $12k in payments i made on it.  I broke even on the payoff when i traded it in.  So it cost me $16,200ish to drive a truck for 3 years and 40k miles.  I would have done way better with a $2500 gmt400 suburban(which is exactly what i had before i got the avalanche).  

In reply to Sonic :

I didn't lift E36 M3 when I had to do the rear line on my old 04. Still had the line buttoned up in a hour or so.

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to irish44j (Forum Supporter) :

Yep, it's towing stuff from time to time - not that often, but fairly regularly. It'll tow more if/when I finally get back in a race car, and I occasionally do max out the trailer at 7500lbs. I really don't want to/can't get another trailer as my wife really doesn't want another trailer sitting around in the open, which it would have to.

The reason the Avalanche appeals is because it's another four seater that would convert to an 8' bed, although I don't need four seats that often. Yes, I could probably get away with another regular cab truck, I'd just have to spring for another camper shell. Extended cab is probably doable, too, but would be tight in the only spot I can park the truck in.

I really don't want a minivan, and I don't think there are any that can tow 7500lbs.

rgr....that high of towing certainly  limits your choices. That's right at the top of what my Sequoia can safely pull, frankly. 

Apexcarver said:

In reply to BoxheadTim :

They make kits for it, it's just something to be ready to do. I wouldn't avoid one over it, just plan to have it done or look for it to already be done.

 

 

Yeah, there's a number of us around DC. Heck, I'm an organizer with a club that does autocrosses in Winchester. 

 

I'm in NoVa also (fairfax area)

Be aware other then the 2500s they have hilariously low payload capacities.  Like 1300lb max.  Towing capacity is high and I'm sure the truck can handle more payload but the legal rated capacity is very low.

In reply to irish44j (Forum Supporter) :

I realize it puts me pretty much into full size truck territory, which is why I have the F250 right now. Looks like some mid-2000s F150# and the Nissan Titan of the same era have this sort of towing capacity also.

Part of this post is trying to find out what would make sense to get that I don't have to feed transmissions annually. 

Apexcarver said:

In reply to BoxheadTim :

They make kits for it, it's just something to be ready to do. I wouldn't avoid one over it, just plan to have it done or look for it to already be done.

That makes sense - it's something I'd probably pay a local shop to do, so it's good knowing that the lines are a weak point?

Yeah, there's a number of us around DC. Heck, I'm an organizer with a club that does autocrosses in Winchester. 

 

Capital Driving Club? Just curious. 

glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to Apexcarver :

Are the hardlines also an issue with ones from less rusty climates, or is that more of a rust belt thing?

 

My 1999 GMT-800 pickup (Sierra 1500), never out of FL, had one rust through.

similar single mother family friend of ours had a 01 or 02 suburban... I had the pleasure of rear brake line for her... truck lived in VA for a few years then moved to FL... never saw real snow or salted roads...