***** WARNING ****** LONG WINDED AND RAMBLING AVALANCHE POST
I have a 2010 LTZ 4wd. I am one of those guys that "puts it in drive and just goes". I am 100% stock (down to my 22inch factory wheels, ok I upgraded the radio quite a bit but you know what I mean). I have 82k miles on it and I read a lot about AFM and I am concerned but I will tell you this:
1) I have had no problems with AFM (I can turn the screen on in the driver center and see it switching all the time on the highway , etc) I never notice any lurching, popping, shudder or exhaust note change that many speak of. It is honestly transparent to me.
2) I change my oil every 8-10 months (usually when the oil life meter is till at like 65% or 70% just on time alone). Oil changes are cheap insurance on any motor that uses oil
3) I burn no oil, nothing, nada. I check my oil at every fill of the gas tank and I have not added any oil ever. I do not run synthetic. I run the same dinosaur oil the manual recommends (I am also careful to see it has the correct dexos designation. My local Chevy dealer sends out some crazy oil change coupons so I either have them do it when its really inconvenient or I just do it myself).
4) I am probably jinxing myself
5) I have a ton of other problems (crap power mirrors that break constantly, driver seat that won't adjust up and down, rear diff started popping at 80k so I put a new, factory diff in to replace it, I just started having the gas won't flow in while filling up without clicking off problem) so don't think I don't have issues. I just don't have any of the AFM ones.
I worry that it will happen. I will drive it until it does. when it does I will have the motor re-done and have it done at one of the shops that does the full AFM delete (the VLOM , everything). I would not replace the truck with anything else because nothing else does what this truck does. I wish it was a Toyota for the reliability but.
1) It fits in my garage , I have 219 inches and it fits, barely. Nothing else with a bed this size and 4 doors will
2) It carries supplies for me rehabbing houses great, even in the rain (Love it at Home Depot when I can stack a bunch of 4x8 sheetrock or ply-wood in the back with the covers on and door closed watching everyone else trying to find plastic to cover up the stuff in their truck beds.
3) It is not a great SUV, honestly the back seat doesn't have that much room, but it is still an SUV that seats 4/5 people in relative comfort
4) It is not a great pickup truck, it has low carry capacity and the towing is abysmal at 5k lbs, but it does have a tuck bed, carries stuff and will pull 5k lbs with relative ease
5) It does not get good gas mileage, but it does pretty well. Empty in mixed driving I get around 16/17 mpg. 13 when I don[t pay attention and lean into it at stoplights etc instead of focusing on driving smoothly
6) It is an LTZ and has really poor ground clearance for when I drive off road at my land lease (but I can pull off the front chin spoiler pretty easy and it does ok)
7) It has a single speed transfer case for 4wd and no manual locking diff, but it has 4 wheel drive and a posi in the rear. I have been fairly adventurous but not stupid and it has gotten me out of everything I have got into at this point
I guess what I am saying is that it is not really great at anything but it is pretty good at everything, for me. The locking bed with the cargo covers (still do not leak a single drop for me but I have used the grease to keep the seals supple) makes it for me. It is a mix of things is does pretty well and meets most of my needs where so many other trucks fall short (or too long for my garage in some instances). Would I buy another Avy? Yeah, ok but it needs to be a 2500 4wd in super shape with reasonable miles ( I shop all the time, I can't find one for sale) or a new one (which we know Chevy will not make and even if they did I could not afford it (common, be honest, it would be $60k or more).
Mine is scary clean, always garaged (which explains the freakishly new appearance since initial purchase even by original owner. I am owner #2). I paid south of $20k for mine (it's and LTZ loaded as hell) two years ago with 62k miles on it with new brakes and brand new tires already done.
It dropped a differential, I paid Chevy $2k for that and some small stuff they found, to fix it all. If it drops the motor I will end up putting $5-7k in it I suspect. the fact of the matter is that I own it and it is a nice truck. For me to get a new pickup that will do 2-3 of the 5-6 things I need it to do better but won't do the other 2-3 at all doesn't help me. Not to mention that I would have to pay $60k for a truck nearly this nice or loaded and make stupid payments for like 60 months or more. The Avy is cheaper to maintain than a new one is to own. Don't even start talking about depreciation on a new truck either.
So I will keep mine, look for an Avy 2500 (If I can find one that is not as dirty as a 90's Brittany Spears video) and keep using it. It is the cheapest, nicest truck,SUV, carry, thingy I can afford to own.
and I like it and think it looks cool...
If anyone is still awake thanks for reading my rant... I hope it makes sense...
Lovin' life in Texas
TriCoatLTZ