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I'm Still Glad I Bought An Avalanche

midlifecrisis

midlifecrisis

Charter Member
SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2002
Messages
3,580
Location
New Jersey - Exit 5
Now that I've had an Av for 3 months, I compare it to other vehicles on the market. Yesterday, a co-worker showed me his new Trailblazer, and I even got to test drive it for a few minutes. Originally I was thinking about waiting until the extended Trailblazer came out and possibly buying that instead of the Av.

Well I'm glad I didn't. Don't get me wrong - the Trailblazer is a nice vehicle and it satisfies the requirements of many owners. It is a good looking SUV and the in-line V6 is an ingenious engine with tons of power. But after driving it, I just know that the Av is in a class by itself.

The ironic part is that a comparably equipped Trailblazer or Envoy is not much cheaper than the Av! And with the Av you get much more room in the passenger compartment, bigger engine, more power, towing capacity, versatility, etc.

The bottom line is that Chevy came out with two very good products last year, and every day I feel more and more confident that I bought the right one!
 
I couldn't agree more (y) The price of the AV compared to other trucks/SUVs is amazing. Price was a big factor in my choosing the AV. The same suspension and ride, carries the same amount of passangers, larger cargo space as a standard equiped Tahoe, Yukon and Suburban the decsion was a no brainer at 6K-10K difference.

I also looked at the Trailblazer before I picked the AV and I couldn't believe the Trailblazer had the same sticker price as all the AV's I was considering.
 
Actually all those vehicles you mentioned can have a 3rd row seat, so they can have more seating capacity. My wife just got an 2002 4x4 Explorer with the 3rd seat. Pretty nice. But also the biggest vehicle she would consider (she had a saturn sedan before).

For myself i am also thinking of an Av and maybe get rid of my 1999 Camaro SS and 1980 Jimmy.

The seats seem like they may be better in the Av but i don't know. Are they better than the Trailbalzer? As good as the Tahoe|Sub|Yukon? Bench or buckets? Whats the diff? :)
 
The Trailblazer is a sweet SUV . . . BUT . . . it's not an Av!

The Trailblazer should serve Chevy very well in the mid size SUV wars - certainly a better Explorer fighter than the S-10 based Blazer.

The uniqueness of the Av attracts a different group of folks IMO - and I'm proud to be among that slightly warped group of people deemed Av fanatics!
 
Slightly warped???

Come on, give us credit - we're totally warped!! ;D

But I'm taking my "warpness", hitching up my camper and heading north to the NASCAR race at Pocono this weekend. Me and the other "warpees" are going to have some fun. And I'm sure the Av will get a lot of attention in the infield of the track!
 
ls1fun-
We have a 2001 Tahoe LT (y)as well as the AV. My wife atually dirives it. It is nice having the 3rd row seats and the Premium Ride package on Firestone passenger car type tires is a little smoother than the AV Z71 suspension and tires. We got the Tahoe because we felt safer putting our kids in a truck rather than a minivan. We out grew our old minivan anyway. Most kids don't stay little ya' know. :) I had a chubby >:D for an AV ever since I saw the first commerical for one before they hit the dealerships. Fortunately the AV has just enough seats for me and my family. Two bigass trucks in one family my seem extreme, but you only live once... ;)

If you can afford it, hang on to your Camaro if you're thinking about getting an AV. I've still got my '83 Z28. It is cherry and the last thing from my single days. My trucks are great and I love 'em :love:, but I still get a kick out sitting 6 inches off the ground doin' about 80mph in my Z. >:D >:D

Truckman :B:
 
I agree with you all the Av is a very versitile vehicle.. As far as I am concerned there is no way I would have considered a Trailblazer. I was amazed that they rival the Av in price.


Gary
 
With all the discounting that is available, you get an amazing amount of truck for the $$$ with an Avalanche. Or is everything else just over-priced? :B:
 
I took a real quick look at the Trailblazer and went right back to the Avs. I got a fully loaded Z71 for just under 39k. When I was signing the papers I noticed they had a fully loaded Trailblazer EXT in the showroom and it was sweet. They said it was only the second on they recieved and the first one sold right away. It was listed at 41k but I think Chevy will sell a few of these.

I've heard a few times that that you could get a Tahoe or Suburban for less than an Av. This was not the case at the dealership I looked at.

By the way I couldn't be more happy with my choice, the Av rules! ;D
 
ls1fun said:
Actually all those vehicles you mentioned can have a 3rd row seat, so they can have more seating capacity.
Click to expand...

Guess I should have included the word standard
 
Is1fun & truckman... totally right about the Camaro thing... I have a '78 Z that I'd put way too much time and money into and I was worried it would get neglected when I got my Av (it was my daily driver until now!) I drove the new Av for like a week straight ('cause it was new!) but then when I got back into the Camaro and started that thing up, I knew right then it wouldn't be neglected or sold... was still grinning from ear to ear when I got to work that morning! ;D.
 
I have gone back and forth between trucks and jeeps for a few years now.

And finally they make the perfect compromise for me.

I get the off-road ability ( no not exactly but good enough ) of a jeep and the towing capacity of a truck. I swear I fall in love with this truck everytime I see it or someone else's.
 
Crexis said:
Is1fun & truckman... totally right about the Camaro thing... .
Click to expand...

Well i know i love the camaro, but will i really drive both? And the main reason i am even thinking about it is we are expecting our first child in September. I don't think the camaro, or my driving habits in it :rolleyes: are very kid friendly. Otherwise i would keep the camaro. You can always rent a Sub or Tahoe or whatever from Enterprise for a trip and it's a lot cheaper than buying one. But i am thinking of everyday driving and taking care of a kid. Also insurance on a 1999 Camaro is not cheap, nor is the car!

I don't know. I am thinking if i see a great clearance deal on a 2002 Av it may be tempting...even though there is no question the Camaro is more fum to drive and even gets better gas mileage. I spent a week going to Lake Tahoe and never got less than 20MPG. And i went around the lake over 3 times and l passed a lot of vehicles on the way back. Lets just say i found a new Cobra that wanted to play on the way back. I will not say how fast i got going here. And still between 20-25mpg. Unbelievable what todays performance cars will do. But it doesn't have 4 doors and isn't kid friendly as far as cargo space(pretty small actually) and driving habits go. ;)

I can't decide!
 
Is1fun u may have to let go of the camero.......It goes with having kids....When I had my first child I had a 280ZX 2 seater. So I mounted seat bealts to the frame in the back for the car seat..That lasted about 2 months. Its was too had to get my son in and out of it. So I sold my car....I still remember the ad I put in the paper..."JUST HAD BABY..MUST SELL OTHER BABY!" Good luck ;)
 
BAH! :p

I got the AV and my 2000 Trans AM. TA is for when me and the wife want to get away, and the AV is for the family ( 2 kids, 16 & 8 ). The best of both worlds!!!! ;D


P.S. GM owns me hard!
 
I know what you all mean. When I park my car, I always look back and give it a last glance (or two or three, and so on). It's not I just bought it. I've had it for about a year now.

It must be the external modifications. I'm always looking for improvements. I like it more now than when I first got it/her.
 
RoarinRow said:
?When I park my car, I always look back and give it a last glance (or two or three, and so on). ?It's not I just bought it. ?I've had it for about a year now.
Click to expand...
Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one! I try to make sure that when I park at a restaurant that I get an unobstructed view of the Av from where I plan on sitting. Not only to watch for #$*^$ door-dingers but so I can also admire it. Still lovin' it after 4 months and 5500 miles. :love:
 
Looked at the Avs six months ago and bought one three weeks ago... Believe it will be the best vehicle I have ever owned... Cannot believe the versatility and flexability I have... And EVERYONE admires it.

Love my Av :B: :B: :B: :B:
 
okay,

I have the AV and the wife has a 2001 ford E150 Van.
She ordered it and got alot of pluses.

I mean DVD , 2 TVs , andn cool things like that,. Her van is great and ride nice.
took it from El Paso to scarnton PA last DEC.

But the AV drives much nicer and you can not haul as much in the van. I truck has more space in the back of the AV than in her van.
I think the AV is ten times what Chevy hoped it to be...

But hey that is just me.

Pete
 
flynhigh said:
P.S. ?GM owns me hard!
Click to expand...

No doubt of that! :eek:

Not to mention insurance!
Ooops, i did! ;D

The wife's 2002 explorer is pretty nice also actually.
Smooth, pretty comfortable(leather) and very quiet inside and has independant rear suspension. And is just narrow enough for most parking spaces and has a killer turning radius.

Whoever said they park the Av in compact spot and says they don't have to crawl out the back window aren't telling us about crawling out the side window then! ;)
 
The other 'truck' we considered was the GMC Yukon. And hey, it was nice, and we came close to closing the deal.

Then, we saw the Avalanche. Same great ride, plus all the towing capacity and versatility. Needless to say, we are very happy campers. We know the gods were smiling on us that came across the Avalanche when we did.
 
The moments where I'm glad I bought an Avalanche are fewer and farther between anymore. I appreciate the merits of an Avalanche, just that the merits vs. faults vs. "purchase execution" scale points to keeping the rusted-out 6MPG beater. That F250 was nearly 30 years old. I wonder what a 30yo Avalanche will look like, particularly one that couldn't keep water out even when it was new.
 
:B:Yep, I'm glad I bought the AV. I spend allot of time on the road and it helps me enjoy it a little more. Ironically, we got my wife a Trailblazer the same day we bought the AV. I figured it would soften the blow a little when she saw the sticker of the Northface I bought. Funny, she still brings up the fact that I got leather and a sunroof and she didn't. Anyway, we are very pleased with both vehicles.
 
I was only 18 when I saw the first concept drawing of an AV, and from that moment I knew one day I would have one. I may be in debt, and still in college, but "I'm still glad I bought an Avalanche"
 
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