AVs Painted Cladding

jaw2000 · March 20, 2002

I dropped the Suburban off for a free oil change last night (they are also supposed to check for wind noise), while waiting for my wife, I looked at the AV in front of the dealership (Pallone Chevrolet in Northern VA), they had great looking black one, and I could not figure out what they had done, well a closer look was that they painted all the cladding from mid doors down, the same black. They jacked th price by around $1500 (what a deal ) I assume a buyer would work them down but the thing really looked good. If I only didn't have young kids the Av was my real first choice. But need the 3rd row.

Just thought the AV guys might like this nugget.

JAW

firecadet613 · March 20, 2002

Sounds like a good idea, any idea if it was covered by the 3/36 warranty.

LarryE · March 20, 2002

hope you don't put your kids in that 3rd row, recent crash tests shown that in a rear end collison the chance of serious injury or death is over 75% in the rear seat.

back to the normal post, I hope the dealers around here start painting them because I'm trying to get the parents to buy one soon.

jaw2000 · March 20, 2002

The 75% thing and third rows. Either you read a different report -- the USA today did one in early March. That report said that only full sized SUVs like the Suburban -- the only cited by name were actually safe for passengers in the third row due in part to teh proximity of the seat to the read doors/gate.

The problems were with other SUVs most or all MVs and flast rows of full sized vans because the rear occupants end up going through the rear of the vehicles in a rear end collision.

Again not sure if this is what you were referring to, if not please educate me or direct me to your information source.

3/36 protection? I doubt it, as it is a dealer add on not a Chevy built thing.

antig24 · March 20, 2002

does anyone have any pics of an avy with the cladding painted to match?

bradyb · March 20, 2002

I'm waiting to see if GM ever comes out with paintable plastic cladding, they probably won't as not to infringe on the Escalade. I'm sure they would sale a lot more of the avalanches if they did. Who would want the plastic painted if it still has a tectured surface?

LarryE · March 21, 2002

it doesn't have the texture after they paint it because of the way they have to knock it down and add the adhesive for the paint to stick.

jaw2000 · March 21, 2002

Well the one I saw (the eye candy for drive bys), remember I was waiting for a ride, did still have the texture, but it seemed less prominent.

I'm not trying to suggest anything to anyone (and I don't work for these guys), but I think the link is pallonechevrolet.com or mikepallone.com if you contact them perhaps they can shoot you a pic or give you more details.

Anyway, I think that the new Caddie is exactly why they did paint em to match.

Just my 2 cents.

bobo · March 25, 2002

The Av will lose the plastic cladding for 2003. More proof that Bob Lutz is doing good things at GM. It will save GM about $750 per truck. Maybe they will lower the price because of it? The Av will no longer be the Pontiac Aztec of full-size trucks. Good move, but one less reason for someone to buy an Escalade.

gandolphxx · March 25, 2002

If true, that is great, then I will once again have a unique model - I also have the 98 Jeep GC with the 5.9L - also one model year. It will increase the value over time