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Should I Wait For 2003??

  • Thread starter Michael Snowdon
  • Start date
M

Michael Snowdon

GUEST
We just bought a Suburban, and my wife drives that, so I am stuck with 01 Jimmy. What a small care after driving the suburban.

I really want the Avalanche, should I wait for the 2003 to come out or take advantage of a soft market?

Michael
 
I would buy it now given the incentives and the willingness of dealers to sell close to invoice. Don't bank on the market being soft for the next calendar year. The trend might swing the other way and you might not be able to get the numbers to work for you. Unless of course you believe that the 2003 AV will be offered with an even better package then the 2002 model. Just my 2 cents... good luck!

 
If I were looking to buy now, I would try to wait. I hate to buy something new only to have an updated model come out immediately.
 
If you're looking for a monochrome paint-scheme (meaning, painted cladding), wait for the 03 model year.
 
I have been torn by this as well. The incentives right now are almost too good to pass up, but our Mountaineer isn't due to be traded in until August, when the '03s come out.

We can afford to have the mountaineer and the AV at the same time for a couple of months. With the money back, rates etc... it is very tempting. But, waiting to see the '03 changes is also tempting... what to do, what to do.... ???
 
My vote would be to buy now if you're concerned about cost. Where I live (south Louisiana but moving soon to Colorado), AVs are going for as much as $7000.00 under MSRP (discounts+rebate). For me, that's hard to pass up. But if you don't mind spending close to 40k for a 2003, then you should wait and see what improvements the new AVs will have.
 
The deep discount is needed to make up for the loss you would take after the new model comes out. I have a dealer I work with in Los Angeles that sells all cars at invoice, so I am really only loosing the 2002 rebate. Who knows there could be a better deal when the 2003 comes out.

I am going to wait, the new interior, better stereo and I am sure a few more fixes will be worth the wait.

Michael
 
New interior & better stereo & other fixes?Are these sure things?It seems a bit unusual to see wholesale changes in only one model year from inception.
If the economy continue to pick up,look for higer interest rates & lower discounts.Even GM has to make $$.
 
aVOLanche said:
?New interior & better stereo & other fixes?Are these sure things?It seems a bit unusual to see wholesale changes in only one model year from inception.
?If the economy continue to pick up,look for higer interest rates & lower discounts.Even GM has to make $$.

Actually it's not. A case in point is the Ford Probe. Ford sold almost 400,000 in it's first year of production. Just 8X more than expected!

When the 1990 models came out here is a short list of changes:

1) Redesigned front end (totally redesigned) all models
2) New tail lights (all models)
3) Passive restraints (all models)
4) 4WD disc brakes - LX V-6 and GT models
5) Back lit interior controls (all models)
6) Leather seating added as an option (LX and GT)
7) New rims on GT, 15" option on LX
:cool: ABS option on LX and GT
9) New seating in GL model
10) Changed lower skirting and rear wake spoiler on GT

In other words a 1989 Ford Probe looks nothing like a 1990 Ford Probe. Yup, I owned an LX loaded out. Had I waited a year I could have gotten 4-wheel discs, V-6 power, leather, ABS, and the sport suspension for not much more than what I paid. So I paided a very heavy early adopter tax.

The new interior for Avalanche is all but carved in stone, including steering wheel mounted cruise, audio, and climate control. I haven't heard the stereo will be better - but considering this is quite possibly the number one complaint, it wouldn't shock me.

As crazy at it seems, first model vehicles do find themselves getting big redesigns. The Aztek is slated for a major facelift in 2003, just two-years after it's debut...
 
Chief Avalanche Fan said:
The new interior for Avalanche is all but carved in stone, including steering wheel mounted cruise, audio, and climate control. ?I haven't heard the stereo will be better - but considering this is quite possibly the number one complaint, it wouldn't shock me.

I think I read that it will be getting a bose stereo. About the only thing I would like different from the '02 that I have test driven, would be electric fold in mirrors (might still have to steal these off from an escalade). Usually when I am in my cars, I don't mess with the radios that much. I usually install a multiple CD changer in them, load them with cd's and then change them out when I get sick of them.

So, I am really on the fence about this. the $2002 at this point would only offset the cost of finishing out the lease on my Mountaineer. What I am more interested in, is the low interest rates.
 
A better sound system would be nice, but that's not enough to make me wait. It's probable that some of the newer features can be fitted into older AVs anyway.
 
Bose wouldn't mean much to me. The Vette has it and
its the worst system had in years. The unit in my 00
Silverado sounds best. than the AV, coming up last
is the vette.

As far as the Caddy feaures on the AV
hummm guess the rear parking access. Can't decide
if the steering wheel controls are worth all the trouble
to have installed.
 
Very good point on the Bose, I drove a vet a few months ago and thought someone put a Bose sticker on the grill.

Michael
 
I replaced the factory rear speakers on the vette. Turns out rears aren't even powered. The only way is to
pull the Bose head unit out and replace. The factories
were just a plain single cones with a bose sticker
applied. Best would be to put a set of Corsa's and
forget about the radio.
 
I bought on the (supposed) last day of the $2002 rebate (2/2:cool:. I did not want to wait and pull my camping trailer with our minivan again this camping season. And since we start camping in a few weeks, I needed some time to break in the Av (500 miles prior to towing).

So far I'm glad I didn't wait. I can't imagine that the 2003 model will have a whole huge list of upgrades. And if it does, it just means extra $ that I couldn't really afford anyway right now. A remote locking tailgate would be first on my list of standard features that should be offered.

The way I figure it, if the Av is substantially improved 3-4 years down the road, maybe I'll trade this one in for a new one at that time!
 
I wouldn't count on many noticable changes in the 03 AV
You may see some minor adjustments to the package but you'll pay for them in 1.5-2%% increase in msrp and probably a temporary loss of incentives...my 2 cents.
 
If you compare a loaded Avalanche to a loaded Suburban, you will find a large price difference. I don't remember the exact figures, but it was a larger difference than I expected from having a "pickup box" rather than a "station wagon" back end. I suspect that GM held the price down on the first year Avalanche to help insure its success. I bought a first year Yukon back in '95. The price increase between '95 and '96 was well over $2000 for the exact same vehicle. I would not be surprised, with the success that the Avalanche has had, to see a fairly sharp price increase and minimal changes for next year.

Part of the decision should be based on how long you intend to keep the vehicle. If you want to trade every couple of years you will have a year's less depreciation by waiting a couple of months. If you buy it to keep for many years, you may want to take advantage of the lower MSRP and year-end discounts that you can get this year.

It's always a gamble to try to second guess what the manufacturer is going to do, but I would be real surprised to see GM make major changes after one year to a successful vehicle.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.
 
Go to GM.com and read the press releases. There will be changes for 2003. Mostly the inside gets a new dash and center console. The silverado will get the Av's grille. I tossed it around (wait or don't). I bought with $2002 and 5.9 financing...and no regrets.

Good Luck
 
put in order for 2003 . need the bench seat . bad news, cant get sun roof. wonder if I can change the order get the sun roof with buckets then swap for the bench?
 
spike said:
put in order for 2003 . need the bench seat . bad news, cant get sun roof. wonder if I can change the order get the sun roof with buckets then swap for the bench?

Sure, you can get the sunroof with buckets and then swap, but you just wasted $1575 on an option you don't want. Buy one with the bench seat and then have an aftermarket sun roof put in if you want one that bad.
 
I would agree to get the bench set-up and then put in an aftermarket sunroof.
IMO - The factory sunroof is over-priced. It's like a $1000 option! That's more than I've seen one on any other vehicle. I would bet you could get the same thing aftermarket for under $700.
 
Big_Don said:
If you compare a loaded Avalanche to a loaded Suburban, you will find a large price difference. ?I don't remember the exact figures, but it was a larger difference than I expected from having a "pickup box" rather than a "station wagon" back end. ?I suspect that GM held the price down on the first year Avalanche to help insure its success. ?I bought a first year Yukon back in '95. ?The price increase between '95 and '96 was well over $2000 for the exact same vehicle. ?I would not be surprised, with the success that the Avalanche has had, to see a fairly sharp price increase and minimal changes for next year. ?

2003 Prices

A loaded 2500 4x4 with convience pkg, security, leather,XM radio, sunroof, roof rack, trailer, is approximately $43,500

A comparable 2500 Suburban LT has a MSRP of $49,500

That is $6,000 for the extra 3rd row seats.

It does not look like the 2003 prices have jumped up much yet. ?GM pricing target was to position it between the Silverado and the Suburban. ?For 2003 it is still way below the Sub.

Personally, I think the 2003 2500 4x4 is one of the biggest bargains out there (if you don't mind the gas mileage). ?It has one of the lowest cost per pound of any vehicle on the market.

A nicely equiped 2500 4x4 net cost after rebates and average dealer discount $30,000 / 6700 lbs = @ $4.47 ?per pound

Compare with a Honda Civic $13,500 / 2400 lbs = $5.63 per pound.

Don't you just love it when you can say the Avalanche is cheaper (per pound) than a Honda Civic?
 
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