Here’s how the Chevy Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT could be converted into “Super SUV”s

[@jordanseay216]

I love the Escalade EXT. It’s from GM’s quirks and features era and it’s just so cool to me honestly

[@19chucki74]

Despite what anyone says, I like both the Avalanche and Escalade EXT. I'm in the process of looking for a nice third Gen Avalanche, on the GMT900 chassis. I love the look and functionality of the midgate.

[@MyGuyJustinH]

I liked both the Avalanche and Escalade EXT, too.

[@gedaman]

The Chevrolet Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT only lasted for 2 generations. What 3rd generation are you talking about?

[@michaelbrinks8089]

Yeah, I liked the Avalanche & didn't mind the body cladding. Since all you had to do was coat it or paint it to stop it from fading.

[@19chucki74]

@@gedaman I mistook the redesign from 2007 as a third generation, not including the 2004 restyle based on the Silverado.

[@jimmysgarage9068]

I had an 04 and a 10. Amazing trucks.

[@jimmyguy428]

I have a 2002 Avalanche 1500, and it's hands-down the most versatile vehicle I've ever had.

[@NickTarterOKC]

I love the Avalanche. It was a fun design, super practical, and rugged.

[@Marzimus]

It wasn't until I went camping, with someone who had an Avalanche, did I realize just how far it went for usability..

[@cavalierliberty6838]

​@@MarzimusI realized how useful it was when my family went to see the battleship North Carolina and my uncle used the side saddle storage as coolers.

[@Yeen125]

I actually wish that GM called the Silverado EV the Avalanche EV. Would’ve made more sense IMO.

[@J.W.W.]

Yes, and Ford should have called the Mach-e the Galaxy

[@erichellner956]

EVlanche 😂

[@C.Y.B.3RGmg]

@@erichellner956darn it, ya beat me to it lol

[@jimmysgarage9068]

Agreed. I literally have no clue why anyone would bash the Avalanche - they’re such great trucks. Should have brought the name back. I had two and loved them each. Will probably pay out of my ass to get another good one eventually haha.

[@Forrest_O.]

@@J.W.W. Personally, I think the Fusion e or the e-Mondeo (in other countries) sounds way better.

[@secondmouse9458]

Thanks for this video, it brings back fond memories of being on the development team at GM for the midgate and all the testing we did to make sure it was as user friendly as possible, right down to the efforts required to store the back glass in it's holder area. Something you didn't mention was the cover over the bed area, it was a three-piece unit that came with it's own storage bag that you could carry with you or leave in your garage and had to be put back in a certain order to make all three pieces fit together. Good times....

[@shayferguson4722]

Still have my 02 avalanche z66 and Love it! 278,000 miles and still going strong

[@dave3657]

I bought a new 2002 Avalanche and had it for eight years. Other than the tires, I never had a problem with it. It drove nice and hauled everything that I needed to haul. I liked the plastic on the sides, saved me a lot of door dents and chips. If you kept the plastic well protected it held up fine.

[@TokyoOlympics2020]

I got a 2002 avalanche this March and I love it so much 215k miles everything works and no rust, amazing

[@Zz-wc4yj]

The Escalade EXT is one of my favorites. I had an 02, sold it to get a bigger truck, then I wasnt happy with the Chevy 2500, sold that and bought an 04 EXT, which I still own. Great trucks. Lq9 6.0L one of GMs best engines.

[@thomasofone]

I always wanted one of the EXTs!

[@MintyFreshTurds]

All short bed trucks should have a fold down midgate.

[@stansbruv3169]

I love the Avalanche AND the Cadillac version! They’ve caught my eye since day one.

[@captainevenslower4400]

Another quite common problem with the plastic cladding on 90s Suvs was rust. If you saw it creeping above the plasic on the door for example, it usually meant that the rest of the metal under the cover was already completely gone. I do like the look though, as today it already makes the car look kinda retro.

[@davidgarris2513]

Same with vans with the fiberglass running boards/ wheelwell combination kits, and most mudflaps, bodyside mouldings. They ALL trap dirt and moisture behind them and it's terrible after a few years. Same with wheelcovers, plain basic bodies are the best as well as the easiest to maintain. 🐾🐶🐕

[@888junkcarsbuyingteam8]

Your work is phenomenal! I can't understand why it hasn't caught on to car lovers everywhere. Keep it up.

[@larrylaffer3246]

They were definitely unique. I always considered them beefed up UTEs.

[@ronniecarpenter3165]

Touché! Never thought of them in that manner 🤔

[@runoflife87]

Well, there was a huge difference between 1st gen Avalanche and Blackwood speaking of rear suspension. That's why GM SUTs sold better.

[@gedaman]

The Lincoln Blackwood was just a bad idea overall. The pickup bed was basically unusable. It was 4x2 only and priced at $55k while a comparable F-150 was about $20k less. It’s hard to believe they approved it for production with such a terrible design. I wasn’t surprised at all when it flopped. Apparently it took Lincoln dealerships 3 years to sell all of their 2002 inventory.

[@sentiencepsn2714]

I miss the background music.

[@SuperTater2000]

I know. So do I. All because of one idiot who kept giving him problems over it.

[@eyeballroomer]

I had an 07 LTZ and I liked it a lot.

[@foodcritic61]

Just bought one a z81 LTZ I love it a lot it’s so nice

[@markmartindale7215]

I still have an "07 LTZ and I still like it a lot!

[@GabrielBiggs-wm6xx]

This is one of the best videos on KZbin. Thank you so much!

[@stevensides88]

I didn’t like them until I was camping. There was a guy who had his Midgate down with an air mattress in the bed so he could have air conditioning at the lake. 😂

[@TheColosiss]

I love my Avalanche. Moon roof, heated leather seats, and a built in DVD player. I bought the proprietary tent for it and my family adores it for camping. It has been a reliable beast. It does not have the same capabilities as many other 4x4 vehicles, but I have still gotten it into every spot my friends have doubted. Just go slow, put it in Low, and crawl behind everyone. I take it easy with my Avalanche. If I'm going to go crazy, I have a built Jeep XJ for that... My avalanche is to get out and enjoy the experience with the family with a more leisure pace.

[@12yearssober]

The 2500 Avalanche was an absolute beast!!!

[@foodcritic61]

I bet you could hide all kinds of kids in there huh Jeff 🤔🤔

[@12yearssober]

@@foodcritic61 🤣🤣

[@ProductBasement]

Dude the Avalanche and the Aztec look so similar that when I was a kid I thought the Aztec was just the "SUV" configuration of the Avalanche

[@char1737]

Let's call a Spade a Spade. The envoy xuv was a rework of the Studebaker Wagonaire, was a four-door station wagon with a sliding roof panel produced by the Studebaker Corporation from 1963-1966. The Wagonaire's retractable roof allowed it to carry items that would otherwise be too tall for a conventional station wagon of the era.

[@a62dave]

Sounds like material for its own episode.

[@parexc07]

...is that the same type of Studebaker they used on "Mr. Ed"...?

[@KillyJoe]

Did only Mexicans drive that Also?

[@rager-69]

Heh heh, El Camino: "that's Spanish for the Camino". I never watched that show, but what a great snapshot of that character.

[@SayAhh]

Le Car = The Car!

[@goodbonezz1289]

I can’t justify getting rid of my 2011 Cadillac Escalade EXT…it still checks all the boxes for me. The tonneau covers keep stuff secure. 6.2L LS has tons of power. Excellent ride. Unique full time AWD. And on long drives I can fold down the mid gate and sleep in the truck while still having access to the front seat. The truck is awesome.

[@theperfectkingcake4374]

How's the road noise? Is it quiet 🤫 or loud? How does it ride? I'm thinking about getting a 2011 Escalade EXT Premium in the near future as my daily driver.

[@goodbonezz1289]

@@theperfectkingcake4374 it rides noticeably smoother than the Avalanche. It has electronically controlled airbag suspension. Still 7900lb towing. I did have to replace the airbags once though but the overall difference in vehicles is still worth it to me. Especially because of the more powerful 6.2 engine. I’ve been running BF Goodrich KO2’s on it forever on 18” factory rims and the road noise isn’t even noticeable. I got it with about 100k miles and I have had to put some money in to it at the beginning. Radiator, airbag shocks, leaking power steering rack..and regular maintenance..but for the last five years it’s been very solid. If I was in the market right now? I’d still go for either one, honestly. can’t beat the Avalanche either. Had one of those first. Great, versatile trucks.

[@geographicaloddity2]

Suburban platform??? And here I was all this time thinking it was just a gussied up 1500.

[@MyGuyJustinH]

It would've been great if GMC had their own version of the Avalanche.

[@TheAmazingMorganaFan]

Agreed.

[@razvandobos9759]

What name would it be?

[@TheAmazingMorganaFan]

@@razvandobos9759 Probably GMC Crestline, or GMC Summit, or GMC Yukon SUT.

[@aljaberhk]

​@@TheAmazingMorganaFan would hailstorm be good

[@aljaberhk]

imagine a first gen denali avalanche

[@smacdiesel]

I have a 2008 escalade ext with only have 65000 miles. It is a garage queen and still looks brand new. It is very special.

[@judgedredd1758]

Best Truck ever Hands down. I have a 2003 and still driving it. The Darn truck will tow and pull anything.

[@gone4winter]

I have owned my avalanche for 3 years now; I love it. I’ve driven all across America and I’m even able to put my motorcycle on the bed, and tow a trailer because of the mid gate. One thing I do wish though, is that there was the option for a third front seat. It would’ve made complete sense due to the mid gate function

[@J.W.W.]

Had a 2004 Z71 Avalanche in Arrival Blue with the cladding. Was a fantastic truck. Worked really well with the extended bed created by folding the rear seat down. Sold it before the body could rust out underneath the cladding.

[@hailstorm1986]

My dad bought one of these in 2005 with the optional 8.1 big block engine. It was definitely a torque monster!! He also got it with the chameleon paint color. Some lights it'd look blue and others it'd look turquoise but it was a really cool color.

[@ScarabChris]

8:07 Yeah that's my truck except I have the factory wheels. I hated this truck until they got rid of all the plastic shit! Then I fell in love with it. My first was a 2007 Avalanche LTZ that I bought as a certified pre-owned in 2010. Black on black. Every option available. I kept it for a few years then I bought a lightly pre-owned 2008 Escalade EXT, pearl tri-coat white over black. I still have it to this day and it is my daily driver. It had 36K miles when I bought it in 2013, it now has just over 100K miles. I will NEVER sell this truck. It still looks like new, it drives almost like new. I have done work on all the known crap like shocks, front CV axles, engine mounts, etc. This truck is a BEAST. It has the 6.2 and all wheel drive and I tow a 35+ foot boat and a 30+ foot travel trailer (not at the same time) and this thing tows like a Ford F350 dually Diesel 4x4.

[@nathancook1404]

Nice Video on the Chevy Avalanche & Cadillac Escalade, There's a Hotwheels Version of Chevy Avalanche EV RST now in a Nice Looking Blue for 2024.

[@richardstanley7661]

I had both when I was younger. First the avalanche then the ext. I had the blue ext. They were awesome

[@michaelsimko7694]

Thank you for doing a video on these trucks! The Avalanche was very popular during its first few years and I was seeing a lot of them. I found their exterior design to be cool and retro. But as you said, now they're becoming rare sightings. I've been seeing 2 in my section of town recently. Part of your video involves clips from my favorite sci-fi movie series, The Matrix.

[@THNKKY]

Just bought an ext last month. It makes a good second vehicle. I can do truck stuff when I need it and I can fit all 3 of my kids in their child seats in it at once. It sucks at gas mileage but that’s why I’ve kept my Outback as a daily driver.

[@Ricky-yx6zs]

I’ve always loved the Avalanche’s design, it marked my childhood as one of the coolest cars i’ve ever seen so naturally when Matchbox released a few diecast models I begged my parents for one 😂😭. Great video as per usual 🙇🏼‍♂️✨

[@valentinej2345]

I had a 2005 Cadillac EXT and it was my favorite vehicle until very recently. It could haul or tow just about anything. I could carry my friends around in it very comfortably, or my wife and I could fit our kayaks in the back. The only real downside was fueling it- the Cadillac required High Octane fuel and had a huge tank, while only getting like 12 mpg. Filling up was awful. But the "hidden" lockable storage compartments in the bedwalls were awesome, the removable tailgate was great. Just a really well-engineered car that nobody really asked for. I loved it.

[@xfiredrvr]

I still daily a 2004 EXT. Mine still has less than 180,000 miles!

[@JonMarcelo-fi3pg]

Those trucks are straight tanks they are unstoppable and indestructible it's crazy

[@cyclonus01]

Hows the gas mileage

[@xfiredrvr]

@cyclones01 dreadful but I haven’t had a payment in 9 years so it’s not bad

[@michaelking761]

My father had one. Got it in 2008. Got rid of it when he didn't need it anymore. It was nice truck which had a decent sized backseat. He did have the playing and I didn't think it was problematic.

[@sinakaedwards2009]

The first gen avalanche was one of the heaviest vehicles GM ever made. The number one complaint on it was the horrible gas mileage. The design was cool after they removed the body panels. If they could figure out a better way to design it, the thing could replace ext cab pickups. That would have been the market to put it in. Single dudes wanting an Ext cab and a longer bed.

[@zebrapetey9746]

Great Job! Keep it up in 🤘😎🇨🇦

[@Steve-ps2tw]

I loved the Avalanche. I got pretty good at doing the armor-dillo treatment. I also used to keep a parts list of all the EXT parts needed to put on an Avalanche to make them paintable. I think I only ever had a couple of customers buy it though.

[@benjaminwhite9677]

These reviews are nice. However, the background music made them great.

[@eperks6]

We don’t use our mid gate often, but we have a 2010 Avalanche and for our family of 5, it’s done well with road trips up north! And we’ve towed with it. We might not be using it for longer trips though, as we also bought a 2010 Yukon Denali, and that one is gonna be used for longer trips. Still, it makes a great SUT!

[@padroooo]

Those early Chevy Avalanche's with all that plastic on the side looked like they should have been a Pontiac. Thanks Pat for another great video.

[@jamesmoore-nj1ue]

I’m keeping my 08 Avalanche, still looks and drives like a new one.

[@MrJayrock620]

As someone that saw these on the used car market as a detailer they had some issues with the midgates. Dirt would eventually work its way into the seals with use and cause a water leak into the rear seat. The other thing is if you never used it, the hinges would seize. It’s a great in theory idea but had some real world issues.

[@iankerr1549]

They should make greasable pivot points and the seals that’s just a wear and tear bend and spend type of deal. They could make the bed floor slightly angled backwards to help that and add maybe a lip but that’s about it

[@markmartindale7215]

Simple solution to "dirt working it way into the seals". Wash/clean your vehicle regularly. I have an 07 Avalanche - water has never leaked into the rear seat.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the video. It is quite interesting how the Avalanche concept/idea lives on under the Silverado EV today. I guess a good idea is hard to kill. The second generations were much better looking and more refined.

[@potato_1188]

I live on the Canadian U.S. border in New York, and half of their sales was for my area, very “rich” guy had to have a Cadillac pickup, and it was THE dream car to have an avalanche or esclade ext. same with the Chrysler 300 in the same era. My town just loved the bling bling recession gas guzzlers even when we all lost our money lol

[@Mohammadkwt]

Hey there, can you do a video about the Explorer Sport Trac, please?

[@Juddmann007]

I owned 3, a Z66, Z71, and a 2500 series with the 8.1 496ci vortec 8100 motor. Since then, I've leased since 2016 and currently have a 6.2 sierra at4. I'm looking to go back to an avalanche... these new prices are nothing but upcahrging for the same Mexican made plastic as back then. I also didn't mind the cladding. It just needed to be painted whether it was color matched or 2 tone. Those who've owned one know the ride is like no other pickup.

[@johnvaughan22]

i was just thinking ab these earlier today! crazy timing

[@matthunter4826]

What happened to the background music? I really enjoyed it and it’s not the same.

[@mikeks8181]

The Escalade and Avalanche were for the few people that wanted a Pickup That didn't have the stereo type of driving a working man's class vehicle!

[@likenewjeep3189]

My grandpa still own his 2013 avalanche black diamond edition I'm supposed to get it when I turn 16 it a great truck to drive kept in good condition too and uncle got his 2003 red avalanche and a 1990 slivrado still got them he love both I see

[@keithwilliamson6247]

Best everyday truck hands down. I miss my 07, wish I never got rid of it. If it could have just made it a couple more years it would do a lot better now with everyone buying trucks and SUVs.

[@spartanlink_047]

The Chevy Avalanche 2500 (with body hardware) is one of my favorite vehicles of all time.

[@Brian3680]

I own a 2005 Cadillac escalade ext, Bermuda blue changes colors blue to green to purple. Awesome s.u.v with a 4x8 box comes in handy when needed. Subscribe

[@SS-co6gi]

i've got the bright blue 03 EXT

[@jelanimclean6326]

Like A Rock Break Through. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@dustinyager9206]

Still driving my 02 avalanche with 135k on her. Only complaint I have is that I don’t get to drive by very many gas stations.

[@iluvcamaros1912]

I feel like even a normal crew cab Escalade is something that GM ought to still make. Maybe it skews a bit unsophisticated or something in GM's eyes but it adds a bit of youth and energy to the Cadillac lineup that is a good thing overall. And it is a truly unique product, you can't buy that type of thing at MB/BMW/Audi/Lexus. The XLR (Corvette based Caddy) is another no-brainer that GM should revisit. I think the Cadillac sedans deserve more credit (and sales) but they are stuck trying to out-do the Germans or Lexus in segments they already own. They stand to gain the most by selling products that have no direct competition.

[@SpaxtheWarrior]

A My Old Car Video about the Chevy Avalanche has finally come true.

[@TylerHulan]

My dad had an '08 avalanche that was a great truck. It had over 350,000 milea on it when he finally sold it.

[@JSFGuy]

All right, let's check it out.

[@stupidvideos1449]

Who tf are you talking to

[@jamesmoore-nj1ue]

You can get all the plastic dyed black at a body shop (dye not paint) and it looks brand new for years. Mine still looks new going on 6 years now. Just saying

[@killakopter5193]

Plus of body cladding is it saves you from door dents in parking lots

[@donaldhenderson3495]

The GMT 900 looks more like Suburban/Tahoe since the shared the same front end and taillights and interior components. Have you considered doing a episode on the 94-96 Chevy Impala SS?

[@rivlesbeware]

I had a bed extender on my avalanche so I had an almost 10 ft bed when in use

[@Foxonian]

There was a company converting early 90's used Cadillac Fleetwood "flower cars" from funeral service into full El Camino "utes" .

[@cjandsara1]

Had an 04 avalanche 2500 that I loved!

[@broeheemed32]

These were the precursor to today's "pickup trucks"..... little cargo space, but limousine interiors with every possible luxury feature. The only difference is they were priced considerably less.

[@jamonaa.7074]

My dad had an early Avalanche. I thought it looked weird but was otherwise a pretty fun truck.

[@idunnowhatiwant]

I grew up with both generations of the Avalanche. Both a 2003 and a 2008. If they still made them, I would have bought one over my Colorado

[@theBatmanGoeth2]

What happened to the music?

[@tonyrogers5709]

I owned a 2011 Avalanche LTZ. Loved it! My only complaint with it, is that the 5.3 felt woefully underpowered.

[@fordmuscleluis9710]

I would like to see next episode of the Ford LCF And its Counterpart the International CF500/CF600 & Citystar cabover trucks for next week

[@kennethswain6313]

The body warmer was also used on the Honda Element - it wasn’t any more appealing with Honda fans either!

[@haydenh6339]

A lot of people where I live still run the Avalanche as a winter beater. All the plastic trim hides the underlying rust

[@SteveWidlund]

I loved the cladding

[@desert7868]

i busted tires back when this gen was "new" for some reason the mid to late 2000's Avalanches had vibration issues. I think they had a different wheel package then the normal trucks. i know that avalanches and the EXT's ran wider then normal tires, 285's. maybe thats what was borking things? this went away by the 2010's. they were such a pain, always took a ton of weight and was really hard to zero. even going old school ,with on the car balancing didnt really work.

[@sdmurphy20]

2001? Yeah, that's when I remember seeing these on the road. There's still some out there where I live anyway

[@gedaman]

The Chevrolet Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT were products of their time. Back then crew cab pickup trucks were rare and SUVs were on the rise. It only made sense for GM to make these SUTs (sport utility trucks). I think a new Chevrolet Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT would thrive today, especially as EVs. Also the Lincoln Mark LT survived in Mexico beyond the 2008 MY. The Lincoln brand name apparently carries more cachet south of the border oddly enough. While we got the Ford F-150 Platinum up here they continued to get an updated 2009 Lincoln Mark LT. I’m sure Ford could sell the Lincoln Mark LT again if they wanted to and make a hefty profit similar to the Navigator.

[@superstar64]

Ironically the midgate makes it more useful than the 4 door half tons today, since they only have the 5 foot bed and that's it.

[@Wv8675]

Second generation looks great

[@LibertyLuminary]

Please do a video on 80’s era Ford Escorts. There was even an 88-1/2 Escort GT. 💪🏻

[@NW255]

Used to own a 2002 avalanche and it was an absolute nightmare. The midgate leaked or something and mildew or mold or something was building up back there and it smelled horrible. The sunroof leaked and my drive train was thrashed. Other than that it was cool. Only vehicle I've ever owned with a sunroof

[@johnnymason2460]

Are we forgetting about the Subaru Baja? It had a version of the Midgate with a different name.

[@American_Voyager101]

i remembered seeing good handful of Avalanches in 2016 in brookyn NYC as an 11 year old and last time I went in NYC 2 years ago, im seeing less and less of avalanches. I classified these trucks as 'endangered species'

[@DanoFSmith-yc9tg]

I saw a first gen down in Texas a couple months ago, and those plastic bed fins sun faded so bad they were actually white. Couldnt believe how bad it was. 1 mid grade fart, and i feel like those would explode into a million pieces being that uv damaged. If you do your own oil changes, just dip a rag into the used oil collection pan when you're finished the oil change. And just rub the oiled rag over the plastic. Almost all black plastics come right back.

[@dukenukem8381]

I had avalanche in 2005... as an rc car from RadioShack....

[@keepitthoro6768]

2013 escalade ext is a beautiful truck i really like them

[@Dex99SS]

So, the EXT's "body cladding" isn't cladding at all.. it and the ESV have this all done in metal work. It's why they can rust there, while the short wheelbase escalade cannot... as the SWB escalade is in fact cladding, plastic from front to back. I currently have a 2005 Escalade EXT... got it with 130k on the clock a few years back... now at 170k... LOVE IT. It's one of my top favorite vehicles I've ever had... Also currently have a 2015 Sierra Tuscany Badlander, and a 99 Camaro SS M6 with some things done here n there.... I've had a lot of toys... cars, trucks, suv's... race cars.... and yeah, the EXT is fkn amazing.

[@paulhansen7667]

I had a 2002 2500 Avalanche. It’s one of vehicles I regret selling.

[@12yearssober]

The 2500’s were awesome!!

[@andyk2763]

The new Avalanche for '07 was still available as a 2500. I remember seeing a couple of them sitting on the dealer lot. Haven't seen one since though. They must have been discontinued early in the production run.

[@jeffshadow2407]

My dealership would have a buyer for any Avalanche that came in trade while the truck was still in the reconditioning department! Same as any Buick Park Avenue. Somehow the earlier internet displayed listed vehicles as "in stock" even though they had just been traded in.

[@Pigporker]

Which one is better guys? I’m looking for the avalanche 2500 but is the Cadillac better?