Avalanche
23-01-2006, 09:37 AM
Just thought i would drop in an update on the avalanche as it has clocked up over 40000km. Before the 40 thou service it was starting to develop some annoying clunks in the steering. The brakes are squealing in stereo on the rear. The last 10000km have been pretty hard on the beast as we were moving out of my workshop & there was alot of trailer loads done to the tip etc. This may explain why the brakes wearing a bit faster than expected, as my trailer doesnt have them. Performance wise it has loosened up nicely & goes well. With trailer towing i dont use more than 16.8l/100 around town. The roof racks are starting to bubble a little ,so the dealer has been shown this. I dont think i am the only one with this problem. It is the solution that worries me, so maybe i will leave it alone. I dont feel like having more problems created by removing head lining etc. Tyre wise we are well on our way through our second set of so-3 bags. Will maybe crack 50000km, with all 4 tyres wearing great. I have had the rears at around 38psi even while towing. The first set i ran around 42 but they tended to wear the centers.
We have been on some pretty nasty dirt roads which the avalanche handled no problems. Just remember that the car is awd & the trailer is not, so trailer oversteer can become an issue on the dirt. Other than the above listed we have just been driving with no hassles. Oils usage for the first time has been noticeble mainly due to towing & hot weather i think. It used 450ml in 11200km. We only run castrol R 0-40 synthetic. Every servive i get them to dump the tranny pan & refill with transmax Z. At the 40k service they told me i needed the brakes done & the front pads are only $400. Also they were going to rotate my tyres & do a wheel alignment. I suppose they have to try & upsell some how. I told them not to touch my alignment or rotate my wheels, & just give me a report on my brakes. I will give them credit though , they fixed the clucking in the front end. They told me they replaced some link bushes, tightened the steering rack, & also tightened up some other front end bits which had come a little loose. The ava is like new again in the steerin feel. U tend to get used to what u have until it is fixed. With all the dirt roads i have been on it is no wonder a couple of things have come loose.
Will be cehcking brakes my self after reading some posts on here in regards to brake squeal.
Overall still very impressed & wouldnt swap it for the world, except maybe a 7lt awd special edition monaro.
:headbang:
We have been on some pretty nasty dirt roads which the avalanche handled no problems. Just remember that the car is awd & the trailer is not, so trailer oversteer can become an issue on the dirt. Other than the above listed we have just been driving with no hassles. Oils usage for the first time has been noticeble mainly due to towing & hot weather i think. It used 450ml in 11200km. We only run castrol R 0-40 synthetic. Every servive i get them to dump the tranny pan & refill with transmax Z. At the 40k service they told me i needed the brakes done & the front pads are only $400. Also they were going to rotate my tyres & do a wheel alignment. I suppose they have to try & upsell some how. I told them not to touch my alignment or rotate my wheels, & just give me a report on my brakes. I will give them credit though , they fixed the clucking in the front end. They told me they replaced some link bushes, tightened the steering rack, & also tightened up some other front end bits which had come a little loose. The ava is like new again in the steerin feel. U tend to get used to what u have until it is fixed. With all the dirt roads i have been on it is no wonder a couple of things have come loose.
Will be cehcking brakes my self after reading some posts on here in regards to brake squeal.
Overall still very impressed & wouldnt swap it for the world, except maybe a 7lt awd special edition monaro.
:headbang: