My wife made me do it.........

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wistech · #1 Post by **wistech** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:03 am

The last couple of times we went riding the 1991 Grand Prix has been struggling to tow the quads. It could pull one or 2 quads ok but 3 was a killer so my wife says its time we get a truck. Even though I swore I would never own a truck I gave in and we did a little shopping. Turns out the only vehicle she felt comfortable in was a Chevy Avalanche .....

It had the memory feature for the seats, mirrors and pedal controls that would accomidate her 5' 1" body. The giant sunroof, heated leather seats and cranking Bose system were just added benefits. We got a smoking good deal on this baby from a dealer for a lot less than I thought we would have had to spend. There must be some rich people around here because this truck depreciated $30,000 in 5 years. They traded it in for a 2011 Avalanche.
We are planning a quad trip out west next year to the dunes and maybe to Colarado's Pikes Peak Challange so we is going in style.......

We went on a short trip already and its getting close to 20mpg. I hear 10 to 13 would be about right with a trailer.
Needless to say I really need to get fleet down to 3 or 4 Dales because I don't have room in the garage for this behemoth. LOL

quadracer500 · #2 Post by **quadracer500** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:36 am

Nice looking truck John

1ORMOTO · #3 Post by **1ORMOTO** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:18 am

I have an 07' Silverado with 5.3 liter gets 23 highway empty and 18mpg pulling open single axel trailer grossing 2000#. Pulling dual axel gross 6000# drops to 15mpg. I also have 4.8 V-8 that gets 20mpg highway and only 15mpg pulling about 1800# load. Robert

jesshamner · #4 Post by **jesshamner** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:41 pm

I just averaged 16 mpg pulling an open trailer with 2 quads and a bed full of gear on our Trip to PA. '05 Silverado Z71 5.3L. At 55mph I'm averaging right around 23 mpg as well.

cannondale27 · #5 Post by **cannondale27** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:59 pm

2000 5.3 Z71 12 mpg pulling my enclosed with 3 quads at 75mph avg speed. Its about 1mpg better than either my 04, 07 Tundras. Ride is nice but suspension bottoms with a bigger load on big bumps. You don't get the seat bouncing your head around like on alot of trucks. Easily can sleep with someone else driving. Power towing is similar to the old 04 Tundra just enough to pull but not enough to be doing any aggressive passing. Unloaded you will get 20mpg pretty reliably on highway. Father in law has a 06 Avalanche and just had the tranny go out at 40,000 mi so might want to look into that. But I agree very nice truck.

2000ex · #6 Post by **2000ex** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:35 pm

I only got 11mpg pulling my trailer with my 07 Duramax

cannondale27 · #7 Post by **cannondale27** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:54 pm

Joe got 13mpg with about equal weight as mine with his Duramax. Diesel doesn't pay till big stuff is pulled. Wes I think your trailer load would qualify! I bet my truck would only get 6 mpg and only go 50 pulling that. There is no doubt enclosed trailers suck gas but well worth it in my opinion.

wistech · #8 Post by **wistech** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 1:54 am

I guess mileage doesn't mean much. I drive 2 miles to work and on the quad trips everybody pitches in for fuel so thats no biggie. We are putting the truck to good use. I've already converted it twice to haul stuff. If nobody has seen it done it can be done in less than a minute. I found out it has never towed anything with the hitch. This one has seen nothing but grocery gettin. The skid plate underneath doesn't even have a scratch on it.
The only issue I see with the truck is the rot problem will be happening someday like on all trucks in the rust belt. I've repaired the wheel wells on our Avalanche service truck and would like to do a little preventive rust control before it starts on this one. Has anybody used POR15 or anything that can be applied inside a door panel or inner wheel well that actually has been proven to work? And don't say used motor oil. LOL

riverat1540 · #9 Post by **riverat1540** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 2:08 am

QUOTE (Wistech @ Sep 13 2010, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess mileage doesnt mean much .I drive 2 miles to work and on the quad trips everybody pitches in for fuel so thats no biggie. We are putting the truck to good use. Ive already converted it twice to haul stuff. If nobody has seen it done it can be done in less than a minute. I found out it has never towed anything with the hitch . This one has seen nothing but grocery gettin. The skid plate underneath doesnt even have a scratch on it.
The only issue I see with the truck is the rot problem will be happening someday like on all trucks in the rust belt. Ive repiared the wheel wells on our avalanche sercive truck and would like to do a little preventive rust control before it starts on this one. Has anybody used POR15 or anything that can be applied inside a door panel or inner wheel well that actuall has been proven to work. And dont say used motor oil .LOL

Awesome glad to see you got one. I know you were drooling over every one that passed by that weekend.

NRath · #10 Post by **NRath** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:59 pm

The Avalanche is a pretty versatile vehicle, for sure. I've always had an eye on them. It's cool that you can have dry storage, then flip, flip, flip, load a quad in the back.
I would think it'll be getting mpg's like the trucks do. Be interesting to find out.