Looking to Buy Used--Have a Couple Concerns

[StPatty33]

Hello, all!

Long time no chat! I owned an '07 sunburst orange II that I absolutely loved, but traded it in for a '13 with all the bells and whistles I'd wished I'd had the first time around. Then a divorce happened and well, no more Avalanche.

Finally back on my feet and looking at picking up a used one. The one I'm looking at now is generally SUPER clean with under 50k miles--a 2009 LTZ. The things I'm hoping the more astute of you (or more experienced with the '09 model year) could advise on are:

1) There appears to be no running boards, which is a deal breaker for my teeny tiny girlfriend. In a walk through video the seller opened the doors and there definitely were no running boards extending anywhere. The articulating running boards were an option in 2009--do you think someone took them off to sell them separately? Or they crapped out and were just removed? It definitely throws off the body aesthetics too with nothing there.

2) In a walk-through video the seller did for me, where there SHOULD have been a running board, I instead am pretty sure I see rusty bits (see the photo). Is this something to be concerned about or would you expect that to just be normal wear and tear?

3) From what I can tell the LTZ package in 2009 came with 20" wheels. Do these wheels look like the 20" versions? They don't seem any bigger than my 17" I had on my '07. I can't really tell, but if they've been swapped out then it def seems shady.

The last two images are just shots of my '07 the day I traded it in for my '13 (the other picture), for tax.

 

[ygmn]

1 - looks like there was running boards or nerf bars or something bolted to frame.
Have him take picture of RPO sticker on back of glovebox door.
then check our list and it will tell you what came with truck when sold.
you can probably buy aftermarket or junkyard assist steps, nerf bar, running boards etc.

2- see above

3- get a picture of tire and wheel so you can red size on tire to be 100% sure.

 

[07AVSS]

My experience looking for over a year to buy another used one to replace my 07, if its been in snow country it has rust.

Just a question of where or how much. Frames are in particular a problem spot. Saw some trucks that looked great on top, and were
literally rusted to pieces underneath. I would not buy a used one I could not document had spent its life in the south.

 

[GoldBowTie]

My 2009 LTZ had 20" wheels.
I assumed all LTZ Avalanches had the 20" wheels.
None of your posted photos show the wheels that my 2009 had.
The 291313 photo on far right shows Z71 wheels.
My 20" wheels looked like the ones in your signature picture.

 

[StPatty33]

Thanks all of you for your suggestions and info--it was super helpful. With the rusty bits on the bottom of this one I think I'll be lookin elsewhere now--I've got a couple in my sights and I'll be using your feedback when shopping for sure!