The Ultimate Chevrolet Avalanche (Cadillac Escalade EXT) Buyer's Guide

For full journalistic disclosure I bought my 2005 Avalanche new in 04, loaded with every option offered on the 1500 series. Chevy also built a Heavy-Duty model using the brutal last hurrah of the 8.1 liter Vortec. Those are quickly approaching $60,000, so we’ll stick to half-ton examples for this treatise.

Born to surpass the utilities offered by the Subaru Baja and the strange Ford Explorer Sport Trac, the Avalanche debuted in late 2001 as a full-size six-passenger SUV based on the Suburban’s hardcore chassis. That is a great starting point, so if you are in the market, realize that all Suburban/Tahoe/Escalade parts will fit, and they are dirt cheap.

That’s where I started, by replacing the stamped control arms with tubular steel from Spohn.net. He uses the 1987 Monte Carlo as a template, because GM has based 30 years of performance on that solid foundation.

Speaking of the chassis, you must open and inspect all water drains for the bed, as critters and leaves acumulate. The frame is hydroformed as one-piece, so compressed water can be used to remove salt and dirt inside the crossmembers. The second generation arrived in 2007 with better rust prevention, at least underneath.

Moving upstairs, the body is awash in the same cladding made famous by Pontiac on the Asstek. It needs to be oiled once a month with gun oil or peanut butter. The latter will invoke crazy squirrels to attack your property. Under the cladding, you need to inspect all the steel hardware as it transmits cathodic corrosion into the cockpit. Scrub everything clean with dishwashing soap, dye the panels back to black and you will have a much more affordable SUV than anything newer.

So how new can you go? The second generation arrived in 2007, but every example included GM’s variable displacement V8. They generally last 60,000 miles until savvy buyers are able to replace the lifters with those from the Cadillac CTS-V. This will allow the 5.3 and the 6.2 V8 to easily surpass 500,000 miles as long as the oil is changed. What is amazing about these later models is the 6-speed automatic transmission.

Any GM product from 2002 to 2008 has a soft transmission. Therefore, I immediately added an auxiliary transmission cooler because Florida has hellish temperatures. A majority of my cars and trucks have had the 4L60E transmission, and it will be a feature story later this week. What you need to know is that it is reliable below 400 horsepower and below 200 degrees F (93C). GM designed it this way in 1978, and it will last over 20 years and 250,000 miles if you heed my warnings.

In all honestly, I would only look for these trucks earlier than 2007. When GM went bankrupt, the quality of the leather, plastics, sound insulation and even the Bose audio system took a nosedive. The worst issues from 2007 to 2009 involve the engine. Both the 5.3 and the 6.2 are ticking timebombs, so they can be had very cheaply if you have a weekend to freshen up the valves, lifters, speakers, and the crummy factory wheels.

What makes this chassis so versatile is that it can easily handle earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, ex-wives, and small arms fire without flinching. Factor in a set of 315/70/22 tires, easily offset by the cheap E85 fuel. Adding a camshaft from the Corvette Z06 or a Cadillac CTS-V will unlock at least 40 horsepower, and stainless headers from eBay will offer a deep rumble for under $500. Take my word for it, as my 05 Avalanche has not needed any maintenance since early 2004; and stay with us for more advice!