Difference in engine size
 

I'll be honest, when i hear the term "V8", it overwhelms me right now. So to speak, that's what the big boys get. haha! I'm narrowing down my choices, and i believe the First Gen Avalanche would fit my families needs. However, it only comes in v8 SUV engines

To the owners of v8s, how do you enjoy it? Was it worth it, and if you didn't specifically go look for it, are you glad that you ended up with it?

Does an SUV engine have a different focus than a truck engine?

For all intents and purposes, the running gear in the Avalanche is the same as you will find in the half ton trucks and SUVs. v8 simply means the number of cylinders in the engine, typically following a larger displacement. I happen to prefer more cylinders and displacement because I would rather have more engine and not need it, plus, there's something to be said about working an engine half as hard for twice as many miles. This is why I have not bought into the small turbo engines on smaller cars.

HOWEVER, Beware of the avalanche's notoriously horrible fuel economy. It's perplexing to me why it is so bad, but they are MUCH worse than a comparable pickup.

To answer your questions, yes, I am always happy with my v8s. GM makes more of them than any other engine and they are quite good at it. The only difference in running gear from an SUV to a truck is the length of shafts and the gearing, which will not effect reliability

The biggest reason i hear to not obtain a V8 is because of power and gas. That's interesting, then, that the Avalanche runs so bad. .. You're not the first person to be cautious of it. Forgive me of my ignorance, but please describe to me a generalisation between a gas guzzler, and a standard silverado? I live in a small city, so i probably won't hit much miles a year. What type of $ difference would be MPG of say, 13, versus one of 17-18?

I do not know why the avalanche is so notoriously bad. The EPA rates them identically (for a 2005 model year) but the real life numbers I have heard are much different. Many silverado and full size truck owners that I know (myself included) tend to exceed the EPA by a fair margin. The avalanche rides below that range.

It really depends on your type of driving and your mileage. V8s love to ride empty at around 45-65mph. Idling and stop and go traffic will ruin your fuel economy, as will towing heavy loads at 80mph.

My advice for you would be that if you drive less than 10k miles a year, the fuel economy difference will be negligible. (a few hundred bucks a year). Buy what you want, and if your needs change, buy something else. The nice thing about trucks is that they hold their value and they are super easy to sell if they are in good shape.


Here is a rundown of fuel economy on all my vehicles:

1992 Chevy Silverado 2wd 350 V8: 16.5mpg (no highway)
1989 Isuzu trooper 4x4 Lifted 2.4 I4: 12-14mpg (no highway)
1998 GMC 2500HD 4x4 350 V8: 8mpg plowing, 12 normal, 15 highway
2000 Pontiac Bonneville: 22mpg city, 29 highway
2001 GMC 2500HD Duramax v8 2wd: 15mpg city, 19 highway
2002 Honda Accord 4cyl 5spd manual: 24 city, 28 highway
1998 Jeep Wrangler Straight 6 4.0 Lifted: 13mpg (no highway)
2002 Chevy Silverado 4x4 v8: 13 city 16 highway
2003 GMC Sierra Z71 v8: 14 city, 17 highway
2006 GMC Sierra 4x4 Duramax v8: 16 city, 21 highway
2011 Ford F350 SRW 6.7 pwrstrke: 12 towing, 16 city, 22 highway
2013 GMC Sierra (Current truck) v8 AFM: 18-23mpg (very little city)
2015 Ford F350 Dually 6.7pwrstrke: 15 towing, 17 avg.

Hello! We actually bought a truck today! Out of left field, and very quickly, we bought a 2008 chevy colorado quad cab. It has 21,000 miles in total It should be like 18 city, 24 highway. I honestly believe the truck is too good for me, but i also respect to be given the chance at a truck like that.

Good deal! Post up some pictures when you get a chance!

I'll open up a new thread, or find another place to post some pics!

In closing, though, we walked through the dealers door and the guy had a pre-owned basically brand new chevy avalanche. The last year of production. That thing was freakin' massive. Without saying anything, it was just understood we could not get one. Disregarding the price, purely the scale of it was too much. It was a reality check that it's too big, too soon. Interestingly enough, what fit me best is a 2016 Chevy Colorado. It's a great mid-size between compact and full. However, short of being used, the thing was still like 30grand. I also tried a RAM 1500, and a Silverado standard, the RAM feeling surprisingly well for me.

The Colorado is perfect for not only learning how to drive, but getting into the mindset of a truck owner. Infact, i think the Colorado's best asset is being as small as a car, but generally maintaining the feel of a truck. It's a good compromise for a worried family.

There is already talk about going exploring outside with boats and campers and stuff.. Funny how that happens! haha

Yeah V8 is the type of engine

Alfa Romeo
 

Have you looked at the Alpha Romeo Stelvio Quadrafolio? Comes with two keys. Twin turbo so one key is for the wife's settings where it's horsepower, steeringsheel and seats and mirrors auto recognize her key just entering the carseat and auto adjusts. You get in that bad mofo and performance jumps tremendously andits AWD. Not many Suvs can hang with this thing right now.