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Things to check and consider before buying a used AV or EXT

Vaeagleav

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Many threads have been started by members asking if an AV is a good deal or does it have problems etc. While nobody can come up with an all inclusive list of ideas and concerns here are some areas to consider and will be added to over time. Those replying to this post feel free to add your knowledge and expertise so we can try to help answer the questions raised by potential buyers.

1. The Av first came out as a 2002 model and last year was 2013 so it has aged as any 7 to 18 year old vehicle has aged, rust possibly along with leaks. The amount of deterioration depends on many variables such as the individual vehicle's maintenance and exposure history. So it depends more on individual history over any particular "trend" based on year or model AV or EXT.

2.To figure out a fair sale price for any vehicle look to sites like www.kbb.com or www.edmunds.com where you can input more info and the local zip code to get a more accurate estimate then just asking on the web for people's opinions. As some have pointed out imputing the selling location's zip may be more accurate then your home zip if it is out of your area.

3.If you as the buyer are not a trained mechanic you may want to bring one along or consider taking the vehicle to a shop you trust for an inspection, get it on a lift and check the underside. If the vehicle is far away and hard for you to travel to but you are seriously interested consider a nationwide car appraisal company to inspect and report on the vehicle to you with photos and a written review. It may cost a couple hundred dollars but may save you in long run in travel expenses.

4. Info supplied by Carfax and other type sites can be helpful but you should realize that they only show records that have been reported to them. If the vehicle owner fixed damage or other problem themselves or through a small shop it may not show up in the report. Look for things like vehicle changing hands through multiple owners in a short time, it may hide totaled/flooded/lemon vehicles.

5.Potential buyers should be understanding in that an AV is a large heavy vehicle and is not made for gas economy, it has more gaskets and seals to age over time compared to a standard pickup due to the midgate and removable rear window. It needs to be put in perspective though since many threads deal with leaking bed panels where the bed gets wet from heavy downpours but think about an occasional leak v. an open pickup bed and it's wetness. Same thing with a sunroof being wetter then a vehicle that has a solid roof.

6. You can look at owner sites like this one that have "Problems" sections to look for specific areas of concern or specific model year issues. Some say 2002 had unique electrical setup and may affect doing upgrades or replacing/fixing electrical things. Some also say try to avoid 2007 AVs since they were the first year of the second gen AVs and may have oil issues concerning the AFM (active fuel management) system. That being said, you should take all of the complaints with a grain of salt and realize that not all AV owners join this site and that even the majority of members don't post when things are going well.
You can balance the negative posts with other ones in other areas that discuss things like high mileage owners, multiple owners and the yearly hope of a third generation AV coming out.

7. Each option or feature of an AV can have pluses or minuses. Ex. The first gen AVs with the lower plastic cladding can protect from brush and parking lot dings but over time could hide lower body rust under that cladding. The auto air suspension of the LTZ model AVs are great but if they malfunction they will be more expensive to replace then a more stock type suspension.

8. Just about anything wrong could be fixed with enough time and money. While many body parts are unique to the AV and no longer made you may have to scour junkyards or the internet to find specific things. Many mechanical parts are shared with a Suburban or other models and may be easier to replace.
 
By now most Avalanches have some miles behind them. You can't be too surprised if you have to replace a bunch of parts. Rebuild or replace the engine or transmission if it hasn't been done already.
I bought mine with new tranny, brakes and steering but I still had to replace shocks, fix a few things but I fully expect to replace the engine sooner or later.
Just like any modern vehicle they were not built to last forever. The good thing is the Avalanche is fairly easy to work on, and parts are still readily available.
Like Vaeagleav says its not too good on fuel economy. But not many gas trucks are. Even v6 engines suck. At least they only used v8 engines.
The Av is a very smooth, comfortable ride, so if it feels like a pick-up truck, somethings wrong. If it feels guttless, somethings wrong. If it shakes, knocks, squeaks, or rattles, somethings wrong. If it is swaying or not going straight, somethings wrong with you. If it has a check engine light on, thats normal. If it doesn't have a dam thing wrong with it then Congratulations you Mdfgepr98gleity!
 
Appreciate the excellent posts here.

Further post: after a year of owning my current fantastic ‘03 2500,
owning 2 other Av’s,
and lots of knuckle scars, swearing, auto shop gymnastics getting my hands where no human hand was meant to go, etc. (AND many “I fixed it!” victory moments), here are some thoughts:

1. If you like troubleshooting puzzles (grounds, connectivity, where’s the problem, not knowing the cost of the fix until you find it, diagnosing multiple issues simultaneously, etc.) then buy a truck from a salt-plow state. You’ll get everything you ever dreamed of.

2. If you’d like to actually drive the truck once you buy it (and not wistfully stare at it in your driveway), do a national search and buy from a salt-free zip code. Flying/ubering/hopping a bus to a rust-free truck that’s been checked out and driving it back home means it’s much less likely you’ll have aggravating expensive repair issues, or God forbid, a truck-killing issue. The gas money you spend for the trip back will be less than your first “rust repair.”

3. Walk away from significant frame rust. Yeah, the truck is pretty. Walk. Away.

4. Work trucks CAN be good. “Grandpa’s truck” (single owner, garaged, used primarily for boat or camper) usually IS good.

5. Above posters are absolutely right, Carfax (or similar service) is incomplete and not a “crystal ball.” In my experience, the main good things I got from it were: you can walk away from hassles you don’t want and you can get service records and background from people who worked on the truck.

My latest Av was the “boat tow” truck for an owner who bought the truck new. He mostly garaged the truck and used it to get his family/boat to and from “the lake”. Not a daily driver. Carfax didn’t tell me that, the servicing dealer did.

This is certainly not the only way to go. Somebody with more mechanical skill than me (that’s a lot of people) could pay less and repair more. Also, the original year Av’s may be so old that this “finding the unicorn” strategy may be outdated already. You can’t find the “unicorn” if it doesn’t exist! All I can say is, it’s been a year, and this truck has been perfect through a 700-mile family move, long daily commute, hauling firewood/cargo/kids to school/whatever.

Apologies for going a bit late beyond the scope of the original question. Hopefully this helps someone.
 
Bought used ‘13 with 16k from dealer. Got extended warranty, and they replaced wheel spindle (both) and high stop. When had 100k service done, had a strange vibration. After hours of checking, they told me I needed new transmission, at $4k. I took it to a trusted local tranny shop, he said $2800. Left truck, he called me in the morning and said nothing wrong with tranny. Went to different dealer (GM), they found broken motor mounts, problem solved for $1100 Now 152k still running strong
 
I replaced motor mounts at 160k yep it helped tremendously, I'm at 199k now, 2011 Lt, just put new radio with back up camera, about to replace a few things for fuel economy, maybe I should rebuild engine and have them do it when I do rebuild, still love truck and want to paint it as well, bucket seat needs sowed where airbag is on DSide,
 
I replaced motor mounts at 160k yep it helped tremendously, I'm at 199k now, 2011 Lt, just put new radio with back up camera, about to replace a few things for fuel economy, maybe I should rebuild engine and have them do it when I do rebuild, still love truck and want to paint it as well, bucket seat needs sowed where airbag is on DSide,
Would you mind sharing what model radio with b/u camera you purchased, cost, reason for going with this model? I am contemplating similar purchase. Thanks
 
Just got a nice hu off crutchfield, with the custom harness. Came with a backup cam.
$250
Kept all factory features functional. The harness performs the magic.
 
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