Jump to content

Avalanche vs 2500HD

Green_Machine

Recommended Posts

Green_Machine Enthusiast

Green_Machine

Posted
Posted

I have a 1994 GMC Sierra Z71 ext. cab with step side and am looking to get a newer vehicle.  I have had good luck with my Sierra so probably stick to GM for my next purchase.

 

I am interested in what this forum has to say about what my next vehicle purchase should be, either an Avalanche or the 2001/2002 2500HD.

 

Thanks in advance for the advice!  :jester:

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

Posted
Posted
....I am interested in what this forum has to say about what my next vehicle purchase should be, either an Avalanche or the 2001/2002 2500HD.

I think that you'd need to figure out just what KIND of vehicle you need----pickup, or this part SUV, part pickup.

Green_Machine Enthusiast

Green_Machine

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Irymal

I would be happy with either because both come with a crew cab which is one of the features that i want.

 

The information i am interested in are the pros and cons of each vehicle.

 

I have read the reviews of these trucks but i want the down and dirty information from owners.

kshuart Enthusiast

kshuart

Posted
Posted
I think you get more of a truck with the HD for less cost. I haven't really priced them out with equal options, but I think the Avalanche is more. My HD will pull more weight, has a bigger engine, and has a full size bed without any obstructions. If you put anything tall in the bed (motorcycle, fridge, etc), that mid-gate thing is kind of a pain. Now the flip side to all that is, the Avalanche will get 16-20 mpg (compared to 11-14 mpg) and from what I here it rides really nice. It might even be shorter than an HD too, if you have any garage constraints. Like lrymal said, you need to decide for yourself if you want a truck, or more of an SUV.
antig24 Senior Enthusiast

antig24

Posted
Posted
It depends if you really need the ability of the 2500HD, since your considering the avy it doesn't sound like you really need the 2500HD.  I wouldn't want to get a truck that is overkill for what I needed it for, it sounds like the 2500HD would be overkill for you so I'd go with the avalanche.
99silveradoz71 Senior Enthusiast

99silveradoz71

Posted
Posted
I'd lean towards the HD just because I'm more truck oriented.  You have to ask yourself what your usage would be, as well as your concerns.  People or cargo?  Daily driver?  Gas mileage a concern(though on a truck or full-sized suv you're kind of throwing that out the window)
Greg Senior Enthusiast

Greg

Posted
Posted

I faced the same decision when I bought the Avalanche in the fall of '01 and had the following thoughts back then.  Advantages of the Avalanche:  no need to buy bed cover, liner, etc; great ride; better mileage (2wd); shorter overall length when dealing with garages and parking; lot less expensive than Duramax/Allison that I feel is the best choice in the HD.  Advantage of HD:  Duramax/Alison; more dedicated pickup bed space; better looks; no doubts about the strength of midgate/window combination.

 

After 40K miles in the Avalanche, I like the ride, available space when needed, more compact size, 19 MPG, performance, no door dings and quicker to Zaino due to the cladding.  I don't like the piston slap of the 5.3 and the creaking from the rear window.

Shaners Senior Enthusiast

Shaners

Posted
Posted
I think you get more of a truck with the HD for less cost. I haven't really priced them out with equal options, but I think the Avalanche is more. My HD will pull more weight, has a bigger engine, and has a full size bed without any obstructions. If you put anything tall in the bed (motorcycle, fridge, etc), that mid-gate thing is kind of a pain. Now the flip side to all that is, the Avalanche will get 16-20 mpg (compared to 11-14 mpg) and from what I here it rides really nice. It might even be shorter than an HD too, if you have any garage constraints. Like lrymal said, you need to decide for yourself if you want a truck, or more of an SUV.

I think this quote says it all...

 

If you are looking for a crewcab with decent towing capabillities, and the abillity to throw a few things in the back then the Avalanche is the way to go.

 

If you want to tow heavy loads or carry heavy loads, and if you don't care about MPG's or ride quality, then buy the HD CrewCab.

chevy4x4trucks Senior Enthusiast

chevy4x4trucks

Posted
Posted

Well, for me it came down to wanting a crew cab, but not wanting the lenght of a short bed crew cab pickup.  I wouldn't be able to fit it in my underground parking at work or in the garage at home so the AVY was the best alternative.

 

As far as tow ratings, if you want the best of both worlds get a 3/4 ton avy w/ 496 cubic inches of power :jester:

Green_Machine Enthusiast

Green_Machine

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hey, thanks for the great responses. this is exactly the information i like to see.

 

I am still not totally decided.

 

I love the extra features on the Avalanche but I have driven my GMC Sierra for about 10 years now and it is hard to give up the look of the truck.

 

Thanks again.

silversport Enthusiast

silversport

Posted
Posted
You COULD get an Avalanche WBH (without body hardware) but the "Tupperware" makes the truck...Lovin' my Avalanche and never lookin' back... :devil:  :flag:  :nono:  :flag:  :flag:  :thumb:  :puke:  :hail:
Green_Machine Enthusiast

Green_Machine

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well, I guess I chose the best of both worlds.  I found a great used Avalanche 2500 4X4 this past weekend.

 

The 8.1L engine is great and gets better milage than my 1994 GMC Sierra Z71.

 

I guess that I still like the look of the HD trucks a little more but the Avalanche is more of a family vehicle - Side Airbags are nice to have.

 

The only problem is that the Avalanche is Blue which doesn't fit my screen name.

 

Oh well - small price to pay.

 

I am now an Avalanche owner. :thumb:

Shaners Senior Enthusiast

Shaners

Posted
Posted
Well, I guess I chose the best of both worlds.  I found a great used Avalanche 2500 4X4 this past weekend.

 

The 8.1L engine is great and gets better milage than my 1994 GMC Sierra Z71.

 

I guess that I still like the look of the HD trucks a little more but the Avalanche is more of a family vehicle - Side Airbags are nice to have.

 

The only problem is that the Avalanche is Blue which doesn't fit my screen name.

 

Oh well - small price to pay.

 

I am now an Avalanche owner. :thumb:

Congrats on the new truck...  My buddy has a 2500 Av, but if you want all the tips and tricks for the BigBlock Av, then you'll have to check in with Gandolphxx our high performance moderator.  His 2500 Av is all modded up!!!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Atlas
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By Atlas · Posted

      "Teardown" is complete. Head surfaces are clean and ready, new intake is prepped and ready. Coolant drained and water pump is removed, radiator is removed, new hoses and pump are ready.   The replacement intake is also from a '95 (with I think 260k, the odometer said). Noticeably less pitting where it covers the rear coolant passages. I'm not sure if that's a tribute to more frequent use, more frequent coolant changes/upkeep, or if the intake was machined at some point. But it appears I found a good one.   My coolant hoses were original, and the lower hose still retained the factory spring inside. It's not really rusty, but it's got deposits all over it. Unsure if I should re-install it (will thoroughly clean it first). Someone said hose technology has gotten better since 1995 (has it?) and I don't need the spring. I think modern EPDM is what made those hoses last from 1995-2026, so it's a question of how much suction can the water pump really pull, and will it collapse the hose without a spring?   I'm stopped and waiting for parts, however.   When I first brought the truck home, the fan was intermittently hitting the radiator shroud. I could see someone had monkeyed with the shroud (put a bunch of cardboard as a spacer between the upper/lower shroud halves. Someone said the motor mounts have likely failed and the engine has sagged. I wasn't sure I believed that. The engine is really solid in its mounts: To remove the old intake I *just* nearly permanently welded to the heads with freshly cured RTV and gasket snot two weeks ago, I literally had to use the arms on my lift and a chain with a bolt attached to the intake to pull it loose. It almost picked the front of the truck off the ground before ....scuuuuuuuuuuup.... I could actually hear the gaskets tearing and it broke loose and the whole truck settled back down. Motor barely moved.   SO, those parts I'm waiting on... The lower radiator mounts/bushings had completely failed. The radiator needs to be insulated from the rad support, and the bushings help the rad stand at the correct height. The plastic "baffle" was also destroyed at some point. Someone had attached the shroud to it incorrectly, overlapping a joint that should have been underlapped, creating another suspect issue potentially causing things to hit the fan. Broken tabs, side is busted off, and it's perma-formed/bent where it was jimmied incorrectly.   The baffle? Unobtainum. Long since discontinued from GM, of course. Aftermarket/capa/chinese? Also unobtanium. In GM's infinite wisdom, it appears there are at least two different variations whether the Blazer is 2 or 4 door, and I can't yet tell if they shared the same part with the S-pickups. Plan B, if I can't find a viable used one, will be to create a bracket to re-assemble the critical joint I need to seal a gap with the shroud. But that will bug me, it won't be...perfect.   The water pump bolts appear to have been installed with...plumber's putty. I guess, sure, if it works...? I've found a few "backyard fixes" like that. Someone's been here before....   If I can't find someone to jam bamboo under my fingernails to fill my free time this week I think I'll install the driver's power window motor and replace the rear door speaker that's inop. I've got a genuine GM "9.5" ohm working replacement. Why GM used a non-standard resistance....nevermind. Of course they did, you can get more sound from a cheap factory amp that way.   And the saga goes on...
    • glenn27
      Different requirements for oil filters?

      By glenn27 · Posted

      // Thank you, also for your  response. More information is always good. This 2013 GMC is most likely my 'forever truck"-I'm 77 and retired...and truck only has 42K on it-very clean-so I try to keep it that way.  Tks again for your  response- glenn
    • smooth68
      Alternate wiring for Kicker sub with Bose system. (DO THIS)

      By smooth68 · Posted

      I started my install this weekend. Everything was pretty straight forward but I ran into one issue with running power through the firewall. The nipple grommet on my High Country already has a small harness running through it - has anyone else ran into this issue? And on the engine bay side, does the wire basically just penetrate the factory wiring boot? I did this on my '22 Trail Boss and it seems much easier but thats been a few years. My other thought would be possibly drilling a new hole adding a rubber grommet just to the lower left of the factory hole. Thoughts?   Has anyone used a T-harness off the Bose amp and obtained power from there? It seems a little odd that such a small amp needs 3 power leads
    • glenn27
      Different requirements for oil filters?

      By glenn27 · Posted

      ///// Ok--Thanks for that info--I could not find yesterday when I looked for the specs on that NAPA filter what I wanted. Their website is not very user friendly. I buy all teh filters for  our three vehicles once or twice a year. Have always run NAPA Gold on everything I own....I buy it thru my Son's account for his business-which he has a Heavy Equipment repair shop-one reason he uses NAPA so much-they have such a full line of coverage for just about anything/anywhere- He gets s  good discount because of volume bought. Anyway-Thank you -Sir for your response.   glenn
    • PhilB
      No 12v outlets in 2026 gmc Sierra

      By PhilB · Posted

      It is possible to add your own 12v outlet to your truck.  Check out this video:   I verified via GM Upfitters that pin 31 is the same on the 1500 trucks.  The wire is GM part number 84779405.   You can get the GM 12v outlet from Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Accessory-Receptacle-25774623-13549530/dp/B0F1H9YRGF EWAY 12 Volt Power Adapter for GM   https://www.amazon.com/EWAY-Chevrolet-Silverado-Cigarette-Ignition/dp/B0915RRW6Q/ref=sr_1_1?   I just haven't figured out a good place to put the 12v outlet in my truck.   Some people are getting USB-C to 12V adapters  https://www.amazon.com/WYMECT-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Adapter/dp/B0F87WNQKB/ref=sr_1_1_sspa? Not sure if they provide the correct amperage that a device like a tire inflator would need.  

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...