Freebird Posted October 19, 2015 #1 Posted October 19, 2015 I've been looking, on and off, for another Avalanche since selling my 2007 model a few months ago. I really like the Avalanche but mine was just not quiet heavy duty enough to pull our boat that weights between 8,000 and 9,000 pounds. They made a 3/4 ton Avalanche for about 4 years I think from 2002 -2005 but they are not that common and the ones you find are typically very high miles and beat up pretty good. I finally found one that I will buy later today if it is everything the guy says it is. It is a 2002 model with just over 55,000 original miles. I've run the Carfax on it and it shows no issues. One owner since 2004 and appears to be in nice shape. I've found that Carfax is not always 100% reliable but it is at least one thing to check. This one is exactly what I was looking for. 3/4 ton, 8.1 engine, trailering package including transmission cooler, tranny temp gauge, etc. Also heated leather seats, moonroof, appears to have every option offered in that year. The price is right and it's even in my preferred color so unless I drive 4 1/2 hours and get there and see something that I didn't expect, I will buy it. Now I just hope I can find enough money to drive that 8.1 gas drinking monster back to Ohio. Luckily this will NOT be an everyday driver. It will be used for specific purposes like pulling the boat and other loads that come up. There are a lot of differences between the 1/2 ton Avalanches and the 3/4. 8.1 engine as opposed to 5.3 in the half ton. Rear leaf springs as opposed to coil overs on the 1/2 ton. Heavier duty transmission, cooling systems, etc. From what I understand, the 3/4 ton is actually built on the 3/4 ton Suburban chassis. So hopefully I'm driving 4 1/2 hours to get what I THINK I need. We'll see.
GAWildKat Posted October 19, 2015 #2 Posted October 19, 2015 Sounds like the Avalanche my Father in law has/had, now that he's in the nursing home my mother in law drives it. Very nice truck. I'd love to have it for pulling a trailer. Not happening anytime soon though. Good luck!
93 venture Posted October 19, 2015 #3 Posted October 19, 2015 8.1L = to 496 cubic in. Thats a big boy
Freebird Posted October 19, 2015 Author #4 Posted October 19, 2015 Yea, lot of motor. I drove a 3/4 ton extended cab with the 8.1 for a few weeks about 13 years ago when I was working at a Chevrolet dealership. NOT something that you want for a daily driver. You can almost watch the gas gauge go down as you drive them. This will not be a daily driver though so I'm OK with it. If I needed something heavy duty to drive every day, I would go with a diesel.
Hummingbird Posted October 19, 2015 #5 Posted October 19, 2015 I had a Silverado 3/4 ton HD with the 8.1 litre motor. I bought it less than a year old, 2800 miles without having my wife (or me) take a test ride. Picked it up in Hickory N.C. and drove it home. I have never had any vehicle with so much low end torque nor such stiff suspension. I owned that truck for maybe 3 months and realized that my wife refused to go anywhere with me in it because as she said "it rides like a TRUCK " but as Darrin - that's a lot of motor.
Marcarl Posted October 19, 2015 #6 Posted October 19, 2015 I hope you don't have a bad back,,, that thing will ride like a tank!!! Take it down some un-smooth roads before you lay down the cash. The 5.3 maybe a little light, but then how often do you plan to pull something that heavy. I used to pull my 28' trailer with a 4.8. Yep it had to work at it, but it did it just fine.
Flyinfool Posted October 19, 2015 #7 Posted October 19, 2015 While shopping for my last truck I took a 8.1 out for a test drive, THAT was a lot of FUN, but I still ended up getting the 350. From what I have read the 8.1 got better MPG as a daily driver than the 6.0.
eusa1 Posted October 19, 2015 #8 Posted October 19, 2015 I sure enjoy my Avalanche, they stopped making them in 2013, so I'm going to have to make this last a while
Eck Posted October 19, 2015 #9 Posted October 19, 2015 Never heard of the 8.1 motor in an Avalanche. Learn something new every day. I wish my Avalanche had a bigger engine at times, even when NOT pulling a load. Cant beat the ride of an Avalanche though, or the roominess it has.
Freebird Posted October 19, 2015 Author #11 Posted October 19, 2015 While shopping for my last truck I took a 8.1 out for a test drive, THAT was a lot of FUN, but I still ended up getting the 350. From what I have read the 8.1 got better MPG as a daily driver than the 6.0. I don't know if it's any better than the 6.0 but certainly can't be much worse. The 6.0 is a good engine but like the 8.1, not very good on gas. Never heard of the 8.1 motor in an Avalanche. Learn something new every day. I wish my Avalanche had a bigger engine at times, even when NOT pulling a load. Cant beat the ride of an Avalanche though, or the roominess it has. They were only offer in the 3/4 ton Avalanches and it was actually the ONLY engine offered in the 3/4 ton. Also, you are right about the ride of the standard Avalanche, my '07 model rode like a dream. This one doesn't ride as well however. It has heavy leaf springs on the rear and not the coil over suspension like the 1/2 tons. BUT...if you need to pull a load, this is the ticket.
Freebird Posted October 19, 2015 Author #12 Posted October 19, 2015 (edited) I hope you don't have a bad back,,, that thing will ride like a tank!!! Take it down some un-smooth roads before you lay down the cash. The 5.3 maybe a little light, but then how often do you plan to pull something that heavy. I used to pull my 28' trailer with a 4.8. Yep it had to work at it, but it did it just fine. Carl, I took it down some brutal roads and just did almost 200 miles on some absolutely horrible roads. I won't say that it rides anywhere near as good as my half ton did but it wasn't terrible. How often will I pull something that heavy? We will pull the boat often enough and sometimes it is a long trip. Last summer we pulled it to Lake Cumberland, KY and once you get in the hills, the 1/2 struggled and actually got terrible mileage with that load behind it. I think the half ton was rated to pull about 7700 lbs. and I was pulling between 8500 and 9000. So...it absolutely struggled. I am willing to put up with a bit rougher ride to have something that is built to pull the weight that I put behind it. Edited October 20, 2015 by Freebird
Freebird Posted October 19, 2015 Author #13 Posted October 19, 2015 Anyway, we bought it and it was even better than I expected. Very well maintained. Runs and drives great.
Yammer Dan Posted October 19, 2015 #15 Posted October 19, 2015 Dang I wish I was Rich!!! Guess I'll have to stick with my Ranger and 2nd Gen:bawling: But if ya want to go stoplight to stoplight I can always get out "Brown Sugar" or the Saab.... Congrats Boss it looks good if you like Ugly trucks. Oh I forgot you ride a Hardley....... OK I'm going back to my corner!!!:Avatars_Gee_George:
cowpuc Posted October 19, 2015 #16 Posted October 19, 2015 NOW THATS A TRUCK BOSSMAN!! She's a beauty that is FOR SURE!!:dancefool: That thing looks like it could pull the pond monsters out of the pond even with a ton of hot dogs in the back of it to feed the multitudes standing on the shoreline watching the spectacle:Bunny: Congrats Don!
Flyinfool Posted October 20, 2015 #17 Posted October 20, 2015 Well maybe with 3/4 of a ton of hot dogs in the back. Careful Dan, that 8.1 and the towing gears might just PO the Saab or BS......It can get out of its own way.
Yammer Dan Posted October 20, 2015 #18 Posted October 20, 2015 Well maybe with 3/4 of a ton of hot dogs in the back. Careful Dan, that 8.1 and the towing gears might just PO the Saab or BS......It can get out of its own way. I ain't skeered!!
cowpuc Posted October 20, 2015 #19 Posted October 20, 2015 I ain't skeered!! Course not,, everyone KNOWS that 1st Gens REALLY DO rule (stole chur quote bro ),,, applies x2 for cagers :bikersmilie:
Marcarl Posted October 20, 2015 #20 Posted October 20, 2015 Good going boss,,, hope it likes you....... and now that you have 4 wheels does that put you ahead of 3 ???
Midrsv Posted October 20, 2015 #21 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) Don, I doubt your mileage will be that much worse than your 5.3L. I had a 2003 Tahoe with a 5.3 and towed a 3500 lb boat back and forth to Cumberland. It got scared every time I hooked the trailer to it. It would hunt for gears at the slightest grade. I wanted my next Tahoe to pull so I found an 09 with the 6.2L and it will pull. I haven't found that the mileage suffered at all. The 6.2 actually does a little better at highway speeds. On the 5.3L I had to keep my foot in it to keep up with traffic even when not towing. I can use a much softer foot with the 6.2. I towed a 9000lb, 36ft trailer to Florida with the 6.2L and had no problem with the mountains. Now the mileage did suffer with 9000lbs behind it, about 7.5mpg for the trip. (Edit: Spelling correction- Was Dom,, changed to Don) Edited October 20, 2015 by Eck
Freebird Posted October 22, 2015 Author #24 Posted October 22, 2015 LOL...hasn't broke down as far as I know. I drove 4 1/2 hours early Monday morning to look at and then buy it. Eileen went with me. After I bought it, I drove it as far as Toledo, OH and she followed me in my company car. I had to stay in Toledo to see some customers and then a trade show that doesn't end until Saturday evening. So, she took the Avalanche home from there and I haven't seen it since then. She said it drove great on the way home though. Yes BigLenny, it is exceptionally clean for a 2002 model.
SapperMedic Posted October 22, 2015 #25 Posted October 22, 2015 That's great Freebird, They are getting harder to find (the good ones). I still can't understand why it was voted one of GM's failures. Of Course they also voted the Plymouth Prowler as one of them too. I just wish that Ford still made the Excursion Diesel, (No MPG at all, but gobs of power)
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