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Is Avalanche here to stay???
- Thread starter s2kman
- Start date
Joe Pollick
Full Member
I think the Avalanche is a passing fad. Just like computers, America's fascination with sports and beer. 
Yeah, tongue in cheek all the way. Once I decided to consider an Av while I was truck shopping, I randomly asked different Av owners that I'd run into at 7-11's and such how they liked theirs. Every answer was positive and it seems like there is a lot of loyalty with owners. I've noticed in signatures people already, after just a few years of production, on their second and third trucks.
I'd say it's here to stay but what do I know.....I'm still waiting for the Rubik's Cube to make a come back.
Joe Pollick
Yeah, tongue in cheek all the way. Once I decided to consider an Av while I was truck shopping, I randomly asked different Av owners that I'd run into at 7-11's and such how they liked theirs. Every answer was positive and it seems like there is a lot of loyalty with owners. I've noticed in signatures people already, after just a few years of production, on their second and third trucks.
I'd say it's here to stay but what do I know.....I'm still waiting for the Rubik's Cube to make a come back.
Joe Pollick
I would say that the Avalanche as we know it wouldn't last more than 3-5 more years. They may do another model and call it the Avalanche but I bet our days are limited! That is just the nature of the auto market. Who knows, we may like the next avalalanche even better!
Butch
Butch
Yoshi5674
Full Member
They won't end production but they might play around with the design or drivetrain to the point where I wouldn't own one. Hopefully any changes they make in the future will be positive ones.
FutureLanche
Full Member
74.5 customer loyalty! And the General is selling more all the time. One would have to be brain dead to drop a vehicle that is doing that. But then, the General also failed to promote and update the F-body effectively and look what they ended up doing to an icon. 
It appears that there a few brain dead weenies running the General these days. No street sense and almost no sense of loyalty. It's why I have so little faith in "the powers that be" there.
They also dumped the Caprice/Impala full size platform after failing to keep up with Ford. Between these two failures the General gave up and handed both markets to Ford. How could that be acceptable to any real CEO or Corporate President??
Bitter? They just dumped on and dumped a platform that was the best pony car bang for the buck and helped in no small part to build the da%# companys name and reputation. Not to mention those that were loyal to the cars and the company!!
No, I'm not bitter.
Okay, I'll put the soapbox away now. I start getting a little mad When I start thinking about this subject.
Whew, sorry guys, just venting. I'm all better now. Really.
It appears that there a few brain dead weenies running the General these days. No street sense and almost no sense of loyalty. It's why I have so little faith in "the powers that be" there.
They also dumped the Caprice/Impala full size platform after failing to keep up with Ford. Between these two failures the General gave up and handed both markets to Ford. How could that be acceptable to any real CEO or Corporate President??
Bitter? They just dumped on and dumped a platform that was the best pony car bang for the buck and helped in no small part to build the da%# companys name and reputation. Not to mention those that were loyal to the cars and the company!!
No, I'm not bitter. Okay, I'll put the soapbox away now. I start getting a little mad
When I start thinking about this subject. Whew, sorry guys, just venting. I'm all better now.
Really.
I agree 100%! Just like the Corvette, it, too, may change its lines but it will be there as long as there is a strong market.FutureLanche said:
Highest customer loyalty of any, I believe! From what I have seen and read - most people who test drive them convert to them. Nothing compares.
Dropping the AV would be a very bad move. It will get tweaked by market and production reasons (value engineering).
pdxkevin said:I agree 100%! Just like the Corvette, it, too, may change its lines but it will be there as long as there is a strong market.
Highest customer loyalty of any, I believe! From what I have seen and read - most people who test drive them convert to them. Nothing compares.
Dropping the AV would be a very bad move. It will get tweaked by market and production reasons (value engineering).
I would have to agree. It will be around for while, but like everything else it will be "tweaked". Hope the changes are for the better
Ambalanche
Full Member
Look in the future of the Avalanche threads, there is a preproduction pic of the next generation WBH AV. Now wheather there will be a Cladded version remains to be seen. 
Ambalanche said:Look in the future of the Avalanche threads, there is a preproduction pic of the next generation WBH AV. Now wheather there will be a Cladded version remains to be seen.
NO CLADDING
What to do 
Hmmmm......keep the Av and sell 100,000 of them a year @ $40K each, or.....drop the Av and call it quits. That's a tough call for GM.
Well, the S-10 lasted for 21 years of production.
Only dropped for two replacements in rather opposite directions.. SSR & Colorado.
Kinda left it's market open for Tacoma's and so-on...
Only dropped for two replacements in rather opposite directions.. SSR & Colorado.
Kinda left it's market open for Tacoma's and so-on...
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midlifecrisis said:Hmmmm......keep the Av and sell 100,000 of them a year @ $40K each, or.....drop the Av and call it quits. That's a tough call for GM.
Is that 4 Billion-with-a-B in sales, or is my math off?
Wonder how much each costs GM to build after it's all said and done? It's got to be a profitable model I'd think.But what do I know about auto manufacturing
MyBigToy
Full Member
I tend to agree, they will likely evolve the Av.
However, I am seeing more and more on the road every day, I have to believe they are starting to sell a lot more.
However, I am seeing more and more on the road every day, I have to believe they are starting to sell a lot more.
rab356
Full Member
I hope they keep them around...but you never know....IMHO, when introduced the AV was intended as a transition vehicle, they introduce new and different concepts like the midgate in a vehicle which is otherwise pretty common....I see that they will eventually evolve the AV into something else, or that was there intention, it is a test bed for new things to come.....It has already changed somewhat since the first production year up to now.....
I agree with the others, lets hope they don't monkey up a good thing....
Robert
I agree with the others, lets hope they don't monkey up a good thing....
Robert
Since they are so overpriced they can always sell under what they call invoice and still make a huge profit.
my guess is that the Terra4 wil replace the AV....
Hybrid, versitile, midgate, the bed side panels will raise to access your load from the side of the vehicle, and tough tough tough
Hybrid, versitile, midgate, the bed side panels will raise to access your load from the side of the vehicle, and tough tough tough
Never seen that version. Here is a link to a Concept Terradyne. I believe this is the predecor to the terra4.
http://www.truckworld.com/Truck-Tests/00-gmc-terradyne/00-gmc-terradyne.html
http://www.truckworld.com/Truck-Tests/00-gmc-terradyne/00-gmc-terradyne.html
From what I seen styles last about 5-7 years. I would HOPE that GM gets the genius engineer that came up with all the BAD things of a truck, fixed them and called it the Avalanche would see this forum and take the easy mods and make it part of production (i.e. Maglite option, cargo light switch, etc). I have read (dont remember where, might be here) that in 2007 the AV will come out looking different with a few new features. Like the bed covers hidding into the bed floor, cargo light switch, electric midgate window (like the Hummer HUT). Might have been that weird looking GMC Terra.
Anyway, I see TONS of AV's in Western NY. On my way to Buffalo last weekend on I-90 I saw 5 going the opposite direction and 2 going in my direction. One BTW had a SWEET custom paint, black cladding that fadding up to a deep red.
I know from my personal experience I went from a 2001 Silverado to the AV because it has things a Truck does not. The step / handle in the rear, easy covers, saddlebags, midgate which is WAY better then my 6.5' bed was, 4 REAL doors (I had the reverse doors on my Silverado extended cab and hated it in the parking lot), and the list goes on as we all know.
I do agree the price tag is a weee bit high, but thats GM. To keep the vehicle in the proper market range the mark the MSRP high and ALWAYS have the buyer incentives or cash backs going on.
Just my 2 cent rant.
Anyway, I see TONS of AV's in Western NY. On my way to Buffalo last weekend on I-90 I saw 5 going the opposite direction and 2 going in my direction. One BTW had a SWEET custom paint, black cladding that fadding up to a deep red.
I know from my personal experience I went from a 2001 Silverado to the AV because it has things a Truck does not. The step / handle in the rear, easy covers, saddlebags, midgate which is WAY better then my 6.5' bed was, 4 REAL doors (I had the reverse doors on my Silverado extended cab and hated it in the parking lot), and the list goes on as we all know.
I do agree the price tag is a weee bit high, but thats GM. To keep the vehicle in the proper market range the mark the MSRP high and ALWAYS have the buyer incentives or cash backs going on.
Just my 2 cent rant.
It's only about money @ G.M.
Getya Money Corporation
We buy--Dealers reorder--They build.....kinda like G.M.Parts Pizza
Getya Money Corporation
We buy--Dealers reorder--They build.....kinda like G.M.Parts Pizza
Based on my company quoting (and receiving) a lot of business for the next generation '06 Av, it's going to be around for quite a while. 
Plus, it's built on the same chassis as the Suburban, so they won't kill the platofrm any time soon. It makes too much money for them to get rid of.
PS. - from what I've seen of the next gen Av, it won't be quite as radical as the Terra 4 - again, think Suburban platform. They can tweak styling a bit, but major sheet metal / structure to do the Terra 4 is a bit of a stretch...
Plus, it's built on the same chassis as the Suburban, so they won't kill the platofrm any time soon. It makes too much money for them to get rid of.PS. - from what I've seen of the next gen Av, it won't be quite as radical as the Terra 4 - again, think Suburban platform. They can tweak styling a bit, but major sheet metal / structure to do the Terra 4 is a bit of a stretch...
If you go to pickuptruck.com (http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/otf0999.html) you'll find the AV is the 10th best selling truck on the list and its sales are up 6.2%. Also, it is the only truck on the list that comes in one crew cab configuration. Not only that, but its one of the few vehicles that Consumer Reports gives a favorable rating. Not bad for a "niche" vehicle.
My 4 yr old son loves them. He counts them when we drive. I think he saw 8 yesterday. The truck isn't going anywhere.
My 4 yr old son loves them. He counts them when we drive. I think he saw 8 yesterday. The truck isn't going anywhere.
I'd have to echo a lot of FutureLanche's post back on page 1 of this thread. The General has made a lot of boneheaded moves in the last few years and I hope it/they don't pull a boner with the Avy. Forgot to mention the ZR-2 designation on the S-10 - that just cheapened the ZR-1 designation, IMHO. And I still can't believe the F-bodys are gone from the line up!
I can see an Avy in only one base configuration - the WBH. Seems like they have be decontenting the little things thru the production years and I can see how the cost to manufacture, and keep in stock, the cladding could lead to its elimination.
I've seen a Hotwheels or Matchbox Terradyne before but had never seen a pic of the real thing. That has some kewl features! Had never seen the Terra4, tho...
Regards,
-Joe
I can see an Avy in only one base configuration - the WBH. Seems like they have be decontenting the little things thru the production years and I can see how the cost to manufacture, and keep in stock, the cladding could lead to its elimination.
I've seen a Hotwheels or Matchbox Terradyne before but had never seen a pic of the real thing. That has some kewl features! Had never seen the Terra4, tho...
Regards,
-Joe
1BadPig
Full Member
It also helps with a $4,500 rebate!Got2b said:
That's what got me to part with my wallet... I looked at one in January and bought it in April.dhrivnak
Full Member
In looking at this year's auto production at http://www.autonews.com/files/prod.pdf it is sad to see that GM production is off 7.5% for the year. The only GM vehicle I saw in my quick scan with an increase is the AV at a 14% increase. So I agree GM would be crazy to discontinue.