New AV!!!!

[RV8Pilot]

One more Av takes to the road in Southern California
Time to change my profile...picked up a Victory Red 1500, Z71, Custom Leather (Graphite), Block heater (came with it...to SoCal ), WOL tires, Conv. Pkg, 4.1 rear. As you owners already know, this is one sweet ride! My "test drives" around the dealership do not prepare me for the real driving experience. I drove the truck 75 miles from the dealer home, mostly local roads with a couple short sections of highway. Kept 55 or below, not easy to do and am thouroughly impressed. Smooth shifting as any passenger car I've driven, great highway cruiser, seems to smooth out the rough sections like a pro!
Frowns:
Left drivers bolster wont adjust.
Steering wheel is turned a little to the left when going straight.
I'll have these two things taken care of after a few more miles.
Grins:
Handling, ride, seat comfort, no rattles, no squeaks, no vibration, heck I even like the radio!!! Showed it to my neighbor, who's driving a very nice Toyota Highlander, he was totally impressed with the truck. My wife loves it, and I'm a happy camper
Dumb Owners Trick:
Drove the truck home, checked the fluids, closed the hood (I pulled in a little too far, and didn't have too much room) hood didn't close all the way-leaned on it with my arm, and put a small crease right on the nose of the hood!!!!
I'm afraid to try to tap it out, don't want to crack the paint...what a clutz! All I can think of is a bug shield will cover it
I was going to shoot myself, but I'm going to enjoy my truck for a while first
So far, a really sweet machine...thanks to all you posters for the wealth of info in this list...made me a better shopper, and a better owner. I know what to look for and how to fix some of the more common problems, as well as some great mods when the time comes.

 

[jackalanche]

Welcome aboard to the OWNERS section!

If it makes you feel any better, the day I brought my last brand new motorcycle home, it fell over (hard) in the driveway due to soft tarmac - my brand new baby, which I had dreamed about for months and months, with all kinds of scrathes on the left side fairings! An immediate $500 on new plastic pieces . . . I know how you feel (self-disgust ?) . . . if you are like me, you have to get it fixed or every time you walk by the hood you will revisit the feeling of disgust.

 

[jstrickl]

Similar problem. When I took the truck home, they failed to removed the sticker over the radio LCD window. While removing it with my fingernail, I scratched the be-jesus out of it. It looks like crap and as you have stated, is a constant reminder of my stupidity. The time/CD trak info is hardly readable with the 2 gouges going vertically down the panel.

I have considered a very fine sandpaper or 3M scotchbrite to scuff it smoother and then piolish it out, but don';t know if I'll make it worse!

Any ideas would be great!

Jamie

 

[RV8Pilot]

Welcome aboard to the OWNERS section! ?

. . . if you are like me, you have to get it fixed or every time you walk by the hood you will revisit the feeling of disgust.

I think you're right...I'd love to have it back the way it was, just that I'm afraid someone will do a hack job on it and the repair will look worse than the damage
Do you think the dealers body shop would properly straighten (no bondo, please!) and paint so that it looks new? I'm just not in a hurry to have the finish messed up.
Not sure what to do...

 

[wrchism]

It's sure true - when you are responsible for the first scratch on a new vehicle, it's PAINFUL! I put a bit of a gouge in the bumper cladding on mine by hitting a metal shelf in my garage before getting used to the size of the Av - OUCH!

My wife is more the realist - that's life, but my eyes are still drawn to my stupidity every time I walk by the truck. But, as I've found in the past, time (and a few more scratches, door dings, etc.) heals such emotional wounds!

Enjoy your new Av!

 

[XRover]

Hey RV8pilot, We have all done something like that.
Your Body Shop should be able to take care of it hopefully as a courtesy. Otherwise, Install the Bug Deflector

Where in So Cal are you? I am in Orange County.

 

[timcosco]

While removing it with my fingernail, I scratched the be-jesus out of it.

I've used Novus Plastic Polish for stuff like this. Works great on my pinball machine.

 

[powersurg]

Listen to this bizarre story. My friend Chris bought a Ford Van for his business about 4 years ago. The day he went to go pick it up there was another guy there picking his up (Same style Van for his Business). Well the guy takes out a hammer right in front of the Salesman and my friend and wacks the front left quarter panel with it. He puts a nice sized dent in it and chipped the paint. To the salesman and my friends amazement he says something to the effect of "there, now I can't get mad when this thing starts to get scratched and dinged because I put the first scratch and ding in it myself." He then drove away.
Three weeks later someone backed into my friends Van. He was extremely POed. He then thought back to the guy with the hammer and realized how much sense he made. He knew if he had done the same thing that he would not be that mad about getting backed into.

Doesn't this story make you feel like smashing your Avy? NOT!!!

These were work vehicles which I guess weren't really cared about. I can't see justifying this with your Primary Ride. ? ?

 

[RV8Pilot]

Hey RV8pilot, We have all done something like that.
Your Body Shop should be able to take care of it hopefully as a courtesy. Otherwise, Install the Bug Deflector ?

Where in So Cal are you? ?I am in Orange County.

I'm going to go to a local body shop, just to see what they suggest...

I'm in Leona Valley, west of Palmdale in the High Desert. You Av guys down there have any meets scheduled?

 

[RV8Pilot]

But, as I've found in the past, time (and a few more scratches, door dings, etc.) heals such emotional wounds!

Enjoy your new Av!

It's true what they say...misery DOES love company!
Thanks for the encouragment. I'm enjoying just knowing it's in my garage

 

[garyr]

Jamie - - - I think I did the same thing to my radio - - - thought I would flick off a piece of crud and put a huge scratch on it - - - my wife said she had peeled off the cover - -- but we started checking it and there was another plastic sheet - - - so check carefully around the edges of your screen - - - you may have done the same thing - - - if so, just peel it off. ( I know - - again).

garyr

 

[jstrickl]

YOU ARE MY NEW FRIEND!

Thanks for the tip. I now have a near-mint Av again.

D@mn that transparent film!

Jamie

 

[gpfahler]

We are looking a a meeting in So Cal possibly in May,.

I'll e/mail you with information as we try and figure out what to do.

Gary

 

[spork_av]

congrats on the new AV!

 

[MrBill]

Welcome Aboard !!!!!!!

 

[RV8Pilot]

Thanks for the welcome, and congrats! I'm sure looking forward to finishing the break-in

Sweet ride, thats for sure!

 

[BLKJACK]

RV8.....put the bug shield on and forget it! I scratched my 93 Bravada when I first got it, 2 wks later some jerk ran into my wife and nearly totaled it. ?Water over the dam ..as they say

 

[RV8Pilot]

RV8.....put the bug shield on and forget it! I scratched my 93 Bravada when I first got it, 2 wks later some jerk ran into my wife and nearly totaled it. ?Water over the dam ..as they say

You know, when it starts to bother me, I walk outside and look at it. It's smaller in real life than my brain makes it, and certainly no biggie compared to your experience.

Thanks

 

[NJAV]

Congrats...and welcome to the home of the Chevy Avalanche....

 

[RV8Pilot]

Congrats...and welcome to the home of the Chevy Avalanche....

Thanks NJAV, and thanks for your efforts keeping this board working.
It's like having immediate access to a Chevy service department

 

[powersurg]

Thanks NJAV, and thanks for your efforts keeping this board working.
It's like having immediate access to a Chevy service department

It's even better than the Service department. Here the people care and talk from experience instead of what the manual says. Keep up the great job guys. Maybe one day my knowledge will match yours!!

 

[dgbryant]

Hey powersurg,

Congratulations!!!, and I too appreciate all of the excellent input from this board. It is truly amazing.

helmet

 

[NJAV]

Thanks for all the kind words folks....to me I view everyone on this site and this club as a team.....anytime I could assist in anyway, It's like helping out a team member.....

T- Together
E- Everyone
A- Achieves
M- More

 

[spork_av]

It's like helping out a team member.....

T- Together
E- Everyone
A- Achieves
M- More

LOL, suddenly it was like my coach from highschool was back... There is no "I" in team...