Make sure u change difrential fluid and do a drain n fill on the transmission fluid, no flush on transmission only drain n fill ,make sure u add 1 quarts of Lucas transmission fix.
My dad had an Scalability when I got my licence at 16 years old. It is the first vehicle I drove, fully licensed. I use to take it off road and go car camping, well before overlanding was a thing! We use to take out the lower part of the back, then sleep with our head up in the cabin of the truck lol. I had sooooo much fun in the Avalanche and buying one, for nostalgia and to see how capable I can make it! Great video! Thanks for the great nostalgia!
growing up, my parents have always had an avalanche, when they first came out my father was able to buy the first avalanche in our city. that thing was a tank, you could roll it down a hill and the worst damage would just be the engine light being on. though that one died after a sketchy car mechanic did an oil change on it, after that we got a z71 with all the bells and whistles, and that one suffered from a lightning strike (im serious, it was struck by lightning) so then we got a 2011 avalanche LTZ, my father still has that one and says it works fine. I hope they bring these back some day.
I have an 08 Avalanche with the LTZ package , it has over 250,000 miles on it , after I changed the air compressor for the air shocks , it still rides pretty smooth .
The towing capacity of the 2nd gen is 8,100 for the two wheel and 7,900 for the 4 wheel. Just bought a 2011 ltz and am fully restoring. The faded plastic can be brought back with cerakote ceramic trim coat. Oh yeah had to put a dash skin over the existing dash which seems to crack on Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche from this generation. Still a great all around vehicle.
I've had 2 first gen Avalanches and have been restoring vehicles for more than 20 years. I liked everything you said in regards to the first gen Avalanches with the cladding except the heat gun method of restoring the cladding. Using the heat gun method will deform the plastic texture and extract any remaining oils within the plastic, making it more brittle and prone to more cracking. When done, it generally lasts for about 3 months before the fading returns. It is a method that should NEVER be used on ANY vehicle with plastic trim of ANY kind.
Best truck I’ve ever owned, i purchased mine brand new off the showroom floor in 2004, its a fully loaded Z66, the most reliable car I’ve ever had, it only has about 90,000 Miles on it. My 2013 has the same amount of miles and I’ve had more problems with that then this truck… yea after 18 Years its drives like i just bought it
Bought a 2013 new still have it 42,000.00 miles on it hardest seats 13.6 average miles to the gallon no where near the window sticker statement only had to buy one battery and one set of tires starts every time just bad gas mileage took it off road second day dam street tires almost went into a ravine great off road truck with right tires
I am thrilled with all the information in this video!!! It will assist me in my search for my own Avalanche. Have you heard of the "Southern Comfort" trim level? Was this made by Chevy or a local vendor here in the South? Thanks for the high education level of your work. I NEED It!!!
Great video! I only have one criticism. Utilizing a heat gun to return the cladding on the gen 1 Avalanches to its original color actually extracted the oils within the plastic, causing it to become brittle and prone to cracking. It also had the potential to warp and deform the cladding. It has never been recommended to use a heat gun to resolve the fading issue. This was a hack that someone came up with . It was never an approved process and should not be endorsed. Keep up the good work!
You could order the option "Cladding delete" on some pre 2007 versions. I have a 2004 Z71 cladding delete. It comes with chrome bumpers and plastic running boards. Still has the gray plastic issue on the sails and cover. I still have it, and I am getting close to 300,000 miles. Bought it in 2005. Also did not come with the monogramed seats as described. All other info was spot on.
I bought a 2010 Chevy Avalanche LT black on black last year for $13,200 with 150,000 miles. Put $10,000 down with $190 a month payments with zero interest. It’s payed off now, and i love this truck. Have straight pipes on it & no issues, had to buy a new battery & the am’fm delete plug until i get the tune…✅
I love my Avalanche. I've had it since 2007 when I bought it new and with a little maintenance once in a while it'll run forever. One thing that bothers me though is all that plastic inside and out. If I only could replace it with better material.
You may also want to add that the Avalanche was a four door before the Silverado and showed GM how popular this cab configuration could be. They don’t need two 1/2 ton four door fwd though. We know who got the axe.
@@jackalproductions2352self explanatory to who? Anyone watching this video would have no idea about the point of this truck... Also, you've got many assumptions and omissions of trim levels in the 1st gen, right in the order codes are LT and ltz, z66, z71 trim codes. Different configurations could tow more, etc
Seems to be absent any mention of 1/2 vs 3/4 ton versions. Our 2004 3/4 ton 8.1 liter 4wd has the 6 cd changer, which still works fine. Tows 10k with 3.73 gears. They also had a 12k tow version with different gears.
1st Gen Avalanche with a Z as the 8th digit of the VIN can also run E85 flex fuel. Mine is a 2005 and does not have any flex fuel badges but inside the fuel filler door references E85 fuel, so I did some research. Mine runs a little better on E85 but gets even worse fuel mileage than with regular gas. E85 is usually much less expensive here in Missouri than normal 87 octane.
No slide on the Midgate? How are you going to make an entire video on the avalanche and not show off the midgate? its like the main feature of the truck.
My grandpa has had his 2002 North Face Edition Avalanche since it was about 2 years old. He traded in his 96 GMC Sierra 1500 2wd (the G-mer lol). It's been an okay truck, I'm kinda waiting for the chassis to fail or something though so I can pilfer the 5.3l for my 86 300zx ;'-D
My 05 Z71 has no plastic cladding just in the bed. No leather seats... I feel cheated but does have dealer installed 20" wheels, the base bose with in dash six disc changer and dual zone listening 🎧
@@jackalproductions2352 No, really. Categorizing and compartmentalizing minutia in a way that can be cross-referenced by year, model, and trim is so huge. No brand actually breaks the differences down because it's counterproductive to their sales. Thank you for being the stats nerd we wanted but didn't deserve. You've done tremendous amounts of work to bring this to publication.
Yeah because of the avalanche was not cheap or even competitive it was expensive when it came out with the second gen. My brother has the avalanche second generation and my father has the Escalade ext second generation and they love their trucks they wouldn't give them up for anything. But the Escalade gas mileage with that 6.2 l is straight garbage😢
My dad has a 07 ls 4x4. He got it back in 2016 from the original owner. It’s a decent truck all around. I’m not a fan of how mushy the suspension is, feels like you’re driving a rotten tomato. It’s got around 165k on it and runnin strong.
Gotta wash your truck if you want it last in salt states.. They salt brine and sprinkle both here where I live, most Chevy's pre 2014 are rusted to shit, and all Dodge's are.. But the ones that get washed aren't.. I spray mine off once or twice a week, or especially when you drive thru that fresh salt brine, if you spray that stuff with hot water, its gone for good.. The auto washes that have the underbody spray with hot water have my 1995 F250 4dr without any body rust at all, and my 2002 GMC Sierra, not a spec of rust, and my 2009 Avalanche, no rust whatsoever.. All bought new by me, no undercoating or special BS, all three are over 200k miles now.. They all get driven and have been used well, but washed and vacuumed out regularly.. The way some people flush their money down the drain destroying vehicles like they do, without regard for their investment is crazy to me..
Hello I have a 2003 chevy avalanche z71 its a kick ass truck lift thr truck up to take the front drop so it leaved with air shocks in the back when so when I tow my boat its all even I take it off-road and keeps up with keeps and the tacomas so I don't see anything wrong with my truck I have 17inch on 285 70 17 A/T with all around drill rotors to stop on a dime E3 Sparkplugs with msd racing Sparkplug wires i took on a black diamond road thats only for lifted jeeps and tacomas and they were so impressed that I make it all the way go see my video would trade my truck for anything else out there I named my truck 1warz71
Recently got a 2002 Avalanche from a friend for a super cheap price. Did a bit of fixing on it (fuel pump and A/C) and it runs great. Love that truck!
Great buy! It’ll last a long time with just simple maintenance like that
My mom owns an avalanche 07 no mods or paint jobs it looks old but it pulls everything
Make sure u change difrential fluid and do a drain n fill on the transmission fluid, no flush on transmission only drain n fill ,make sure u add 1 quarts of Lucas transmission fix.
I just bought a 02 avalanche with the Z71 package. No regrets. I love the truck!
What issues does it currently have?
amazing! that’s a very impressive vehicle
@@johnhancock2914 it docent like hankook or sumitro tire promotions?
This is awesome, I've always loved these unique trucks so cool to see a video talking about them :D
I'm liking the increase in detail, this video is very informative!
Well you know me more than anyone; if you aren't improving, what are you even doing!!
My dad had an Scalability when I got my licence at 16 years old. It is the first vehicle I drove, fully licensed. I use to take it off road and go car camping, well before overlanding was a thing! We use to take out the lower part of the back, then sleep with our head up in the cabin of the truck lol. I had sooooo much fun in the Avalanche and buying one, for nostalgia and to see how capable I can make it!
Great video! Thanks for the great nostalgia!
I drive 2012 v8, and honestly, I'm so happy
Hail the Avalanche! I'm a proud owner of a 2500 Avalanche. Hopefully someday I can restore it. Great video!
growing up, my parents have always had an avalanche, when they first came out my father was able to buy the first avalanche in our city. that thing was a tank, you could roll it down a hill and the worst damage would just be the engine light being on. though that one died after a sketchy car mechanic did an oil change on it, after that we got a z71 with all the bells and whistles, and that one suffered from a lightning strike (im serious, it was struck by lightning) so then we got a 2011 avalanche LTZ, my father still has that one and says it works fine. I hope they bring these back some day.
I got a 2011 LTZ , love this truck
Should've touched on the black diamond trim. I see them around today and they're still gorgeous trucks
Black diamond isn't really a trim, as it is only on every 2013 model.
@@dereka2682 you're right, I misspoke
@@DONTCALLMETHAT Either way, that's a great year/truck. 👍
I have an 08 Avalanche with the LTZ package , it has over 250,000 miles on it , after I changed the air compressor for the air shocks , it still rides pretty smooth .
That’s very impressive, it’s a shame they don’t make cars like that anymore
Me too with the compressor change. 180k. Rides so nice.
There were trim.levels.
LS, LT, LTZ
ALSO
1500 W5.3
2500.W8.1
You missed an engine option for the first gen. We also had the L59 5.3L which was a flex Fuel engine, ran best on E85.
Thanks for all the great info. I have a 2005 Avalanche and I love it!
Good choice!
Great information, I enjoyed that. 2004 owner and I'll own it forever.
I bet! You have a great vehicle
The towing capacity of the 2nd gen is 8,100 for the two wheel and 7,900 for the 4 wheel. Just bought a 2011 ltz and am fully restoring. The faded plastic can be brought back with cerakote ceramic trim coat. Oh yeah had to put a dash skin over the existing dash which seems to crack on Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche from this generation. Still a great all around vehicle.
They crack because you leave your truck outside all summer with no sunshade for years on end
GM has always had dash issues. I had a beautiful 71 Pontiac Catalina that was super clean....except for the $%#@ dash.
I've had 2 first gen Avalanches and have been restoring vehicles for more than 20 years. I liked everything you said in regards to the first gen Avalanches with the cladding except the heat gun method of restoring the cladding.
Using the heat gun method will deform the plastic texture and extract any remaining oils within the plastic, making it more brittle and prone to more cracking. When done, it generally lasts for about 3 months before the fading returns. It is a method that should NEVER be used on ANY vehicle with plastic trim of ANY kind.
Best truck I’ve ever owned, i purchased mine brand new off the showroom floor in 2004, its a fully loaded Z66, the most reliable car I’ve ever had, it only has about 90,000 Miles on it. My 2013 has the same amount of miles and I’ve had more problems with that then this truck… yea after 18 Years its drives like i just bought it
what issues did your 2013 have and what mileage is it at? Thanks
Bought a 2013 new still have it 42,000.00 miles on it hardest seats 13.6 average miles to the gallon no where near the window sticker statement only had to buy one battery and one set of tires starts every time just bad gas mileage took it off road second day dam street tires almost went into a ravine great off road truck with right tires
I am thrilled with all the information in this video!!! It will assist me in my search for my own Avalanche. Have you heard of the "Southern Comfort" trim level? Was this made by Chevy or a local vendor here in the South? Thanks for the high education level of your work. I NEED It!!!
thank you! the southern comfort is a modification not offered by the manufacturer. but i bet it’s still nice!
Great video! I only have one criticism.
Utilizing a heat gun to return the cladding on the gen 1 Avalanches to its original color actually extracted the oils within the plastic, causing it to become brittle and prone to cracking. It also had the potential to warp and deform the cladding. It has never been recommended to use a heat gun to resolve the fading issue. This was a hack that someone came up with . It was never an approved process and should not be endorsed.
Keep up the good work!
i had no idea about this downside, but it does make sense! thank you for the input!
I had several trucks, and the Avalanche is my favorite, it does everything I could ask for , great on hi way, off-road, and I use it as a truck
that’s great to know, there really aren’t any trucks like it anymore
I got my 04 Ava.. still happy with it .
You could order the option "Cladding delete" on some pre 2007 versions. I have a 2004 Z71 cladding delete. It comes with chrome bumpers and plastic running boards. Still has the gray plastic issue on the sails and cover. I still have it, and I am getting close to 300,000 miles. Bought it in 2005. Also did not come with the monogramed seats as described. All other info was spot on.
Worth mentioning the Active Fuel Management for 2nd generation vehicles. Common to the GMT900 platform of course.
thanks for the information I love this truck and still own one...... great information
Glad you liked it! It’s a great truck and you’re smart to own one
I bought a 2010 Chevy Avalanche LT black on black last year for $13,200 with 150,000 miles. Put $10,000 down with $190 a month payments with zero interest. It’s payed off now, and i love this truck. Have straight pipes on it & no issues, had to buy a new battery & the am’fm delete plug until i get the tune…✅
I love my Avalanche. I've had it since 2007 when I bought it new and with a little maintenance once in a while it'll run forever. One thing that bothers me though is all that plastic inside and out. If I only could replace it with better material.
got super clean lifted 03 z71 avalanche .looks great
Nice
Which is the best year with the biggest motor?
The Chevy avalanche? You don’t see much talk about that anymore, great video🤪
Much appreciated!
You may also want to add that the Avalanche was a four door before the Silverado and showed GM how popular this cab configuration could be. They don’t need two 1/2 ton four door fwd though. We know who got the axe.
I currently own the 2011 Avalanche with 126,000 on it bought at 65k. Just bought a 2013 BD with 67 k plan on keeping them for ever!
I’m getting ready to buy an 04 av
My 2003 Yukon with the previous bulletproof 5.3 (before AFM) will run on E85. Any previous generation Avalanches with a Z vin code would run E 85.
I have a 2002 and has 278000 miles on it runs great
Did we just watch a 10 minute video about the Avalanche that didn't bring up the midgate.
Yup! I hope the midgate is self explanatory lol
@@jackalproductions2352self explanatory to who? Anyone watching this video would have no idea about the point of this truck... Also, you've got many assumptions and omissions of trim levels in the 1st gen, right in the order codes are LT and ltz, z66, z71 trim codes. Different configurations could tow more, etc
In the process of getting a 2008 LTZ, a few cosmetic things, other than that it's solid
Seems to be absent any mention of 1/2 vs 3/4 ton versions. Our 2004 3/4 ton 8.1 liter 4wd has the 6 cd changer, which still works fine. Tows 10k with 3.73 gears. They also had a 12k tow version with different gears.
1st Gen Avalanche with a Z as the 8th digit of the VIN can also run E85 flex fuel. Mine is a 2005 and does not have any flex fuel badges but inside the fuel filler door references E85 fuel, so I did some research. Mine runs a little better on E85 but gets even worse fuel mileage than with regular gas. E85 is usually much less expensive here in Missouri than normal 87 octane.
Leather wasn’t standard for z71. I have a fully loaded z71, but I have full power cloth seats
Love my 2004 avalanche. It’s just a base but that means less to break!
No slide on the Midgate? How are you going to make an entire video on the avalanche and not show off the midgate? its like the main feature of the truck.
I'm currently searching for an Avy 2500 with the 8.1. It just calls to me.
they had a v8?
Yup!
Loved by 2002 Avalanche
Getting ready to buy an 04 av
Has it been reliable
I have a 07 ltz with 207k miles 4x4 and a 2013 ltz black diamond edition with 77k miles 2wd love them both
My grandpa has had his 2002 North Face Edition Avalanche since it was about 2 years old. He traded in his 96 GMC Sierra 1500 2wd (the G-mer lol). It's been an okay truck, I'm kinda waiting for the chassis to fail or something though so I can pilfer the 5.3l for my 86 300zx ;'-D
Lx? You mean LT?
Have an 07 LTZ 4x4 with 175k miles on it. Pretty damn good practical truck!!
These trucks were a big hit with contractors. Always seen builders, and roofing contractors tooling around in them.
Sad face. No mention of the 03 North Face edition? Less than 2k were made that year
My 05 Z71 has no plastic cladding just in the bed. No leather seats... I feel cheated but does have dealer installed 20" wheels, the base bose with in dash six disc changer and dual zone listening 🎧
I had an 06 with the bench seat up front and man i would take that over the cener council anyday
02 - 06 avalanches had flex fuel variants, it wasnt new for the 07+ gens. plenty of good info!
22 years later. It’s still more advanced then Cyber Truck
alright big dawg let’s slow down a bit
good job!
Thanks!
@@jackalproductions2352 No, really. Categorizing and compartmentalizing minutia in a way that can be cross-referenced by year, model, and trim is so huge. No brand actually breaks the differences down because it's counterproductive to their sales. Thank you for being the stats nerd we wanted but didn't deserve. You've done tremendous amounts of work to bring this to publication.
You should do Chevy Silverado
Do history of Honda s2000
I have a 2010 avalanche LTZ it is a great truck it has 208,000 miles on it same color as the picture
Yeah because of the avalanche was not cheap or even competitive it was expensive when it came out with the second gen. My brother has the avalanche second generation and my father has the Escalade ext second generation and they love their trucks they wouldn't give them up for anything. But the Escalade gas mileage with that 6.2 l is straight garbage😢
U mean lt not lx
It had water leaks,rear window
I got my avalanche 2007 LT ❤
i hope you have it for a long time!
Best truck ever made
No such thing as a LX model. The in between LS and LTZ is the LT. I have an 07 LT Avalanche.
You are 100% correct, somehow I confused LX for LT. thanks!
my dad had a 2013 LTZ beautiful truck rode nicely good mpgs, he regrets selling it
Z71 comes with a g80 rear locker.
My dad has a 07 ls 4x4. He got it back in 2016 from the original owner. It’s a decent truck all around. I’m not a fan of how mushy the suspension is, feels like you’re driving a rotten tomato. It’s got around 165k on it and runnin strong.
Probably cause you need new shocks.
I ❤ my 12 LTZ.
i love it too 🗿
Several errors here. No LX trim, plenty of use for 6 disc cd changers,
I thought this was a video about the Chevy avalanche, not the Cadillac. Escalade😅
I have a 2004 Z71
There is a lot of misinformation in this, for example I have a 2006 LT trim 4x4 not a z71 or L71 as you graphic showed.
Misinformation is a little aggressive of a word no?
That is a picture of a Cadillac. Escalade
got an 09 ltz chrome is tacky but everything else is perfection
Gm was on the verge of bankruptcy in 08-09,that's why they get the nickname of government motors
I miss my 2005 Avalanche it was a great truck…sadly rust did its job on it
Gotta wash your truck if you want it last in salt states.. They salt brine and sprinkle both here where I live, most Chevy's pre 2014 are rusted to shit, and all Dodge's are.. But the ones that get washed aren't.. I spray mine off once or twice a week, or especially when you drive thru that fresh salt brine, if you spray that stuff with hot water, its gone for good.. The auto washes that have the underbody spray with hot water have my 1995 F250 4dr without any body rust at all, and my 2002 GMC Sierra, not a spec of rust, and my 2009 Avalanche, no rust whatsoever.. All bought new by me, no undercoating or special BS, all three are over 200k miles now.. They all get driven and have been used well, but washed and vacuumed out regularly.. The way some people flush their money down the drain destroying vehicles like they do, without regard for their investment is crazy to me..
I have a 2005 that doesn't have plastic cladding. It's a 5.3 l and it can also take e85
Not that I dare
lol yeah e85 is scary to use, but it’s cool to have that option!
Hello I have a 2003 chevy avalanche z71 its a kick ass truck lift thr truck up to take the front drop so it leaved with air shocks in the back when so when I tow my boat its all even I take it off-road and keeps up with keeps and the tacomas so I don't see anything wrong with my truck I have 17inch on 285 70 17 A/T with all around drill rotors to stop on a dime E3 Sparkplugs with msd racing Sparkplug wires i took on a black diamond road thats only for lifted jeeps and tacomas and they were so impressed that I make it all the way go see my video would trade my truck for anything else out there I named my truck 1warz71
No such thing as LX trim.. I think you mean LT
You’re right, classic mistake
I'm old school I still like C d's.
Gm said the 2024 Chevy avalanche is supposed to be coming back in the beginning of 2024 its lies
doubt it, unless they make it an electric truck that’s the same in name only
So many errors in this video…