# Avalanche Appreciation Thread.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 8, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304 "2003-01-08T15:07:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Birefringence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birefringence)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/1 "2003-01-08T15:07:01Z")
I’m not talking about the white monsters roaring down the side of a mountain burrying everything in sight under tons of snow avalanches. Oh no! I’m talking about the [Chevy Avalanche](http://www.chevrolet.com/avalanche/) yes thats right, the truck - not the SUV - everyone loves to hate. Inspired by a fellow doper who has one, and posted in - ‘What kind of car do you drive’ - I thought I’d start a thread to see what the SDMB populace at large think of these wonderful machines. Personally, I have the 1500 Z-71 off road package and love it. It has Satelite GPS, heated seats and most other options except the sun roof.
The only reason my wife likes it is because it has heated seats and memory seating, so when she drives it, it automatically resets itself to her dimensions. Most people hate it, they say it’s not a truck, it’s not an SUV…baaaa…ba…blah…ba…blahh. This thing is ballsier than the Silverado I traded in for it. I own a catering company so the _Truck_ has a certain amount of utility.
So, who loves it and who hates it? Be nice…
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### Author:  [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/2 "2003-01-08T18:37:50Z")
Bummer. I was hoping it was the white stuff. Those things rock. _RRROOOOOAAAARRRRRR_ FLEE FROM ME, YOU SNIVELLING SKIERS! WORSHIP THE SNOWY WHITE GOD OF DEATH! _RRRRUUMMMMBBLLLEE_
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/3 "2003-01-08T19:36:11Z")
Well, the commercials are ass-stupid. And I think the truck itself is kind of ugly. But hey, if it works for you…
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/4 "2003-01-08T21:01:41Z")
I was behind one yesterday and couldn’t get over how high the tailgate was, this after hearing a number of children have been killed recently by their own SUV driving parents who couldn’t see them playing as they backed up.
As a parent, the darn things scare the crap out of me.
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### Author:  [@Birefringence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birefringence)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/5 "2003-01-08T21:24:30Z")
**Lieu** , I have two children. Luckily they are old enough to get the heck out of the way when I back out of the garage. Just kidding, I see your point. And yes the tail gat eis very high off the grown, 22 inches I think. I just like the utility of the truck. I love it’s massive ‘cargo bay’ as I call it, and I like the tricky little gadgets it came with. Basically, this is my \*I worked for 20 years and deserve a nice ride, \* gift to myself. I know many people hate it including my wife, but I love it, and I assume others who own them love it as well. It feels like I’m sitting in a cockpit when I drive it, everything on the dash kind of wraps around me…🙂 I really like this ride…
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/6 "2003-01-08T21:33:04Z")
So, does catering require much in the way of off-road capability? I hadn’t heard that.
The back ends of those things look like they’re just waiting to go flying off at freeway speeds and ruin somebody’s day. Probably not gonna happen, but I give them a wide berth just the same.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy a utility vehicle that couldn’t carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood.
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### Author:  [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/7 "2003-01-09T00:34:22Z")
My vote for the Avalanche exceeds the lowest common denomenator!!! I love it **Birefringence** I am with ya. I bought one not too long ago, not the Z-71 but the regular 1500. I love it. As for what **Ethilrist** said, check this out:
> [@](#):
>
> The bed itself is 22.5 inches high on the inside, making it deeper than any other full-size truck. With the midgate folded down and the tailgate lowered, the Avalanche provides a nearly 10-foot-long loading area (a flip-out bed extender is optional). Molded pockets on each side allow you to form a second-tier shelf by simply inserting a few 2x4s and a sheet of plywood. With both the rear window and cargo cover in place and the midgate folded down, this homemade setup will allow you to haul two 11-inch-high stacks of 4x8 building material in a completely weatherproof and lockable storage compartment. Not bad for a truck that can also seat six (in its standard configuration) and still fits in the garage.
I don’t know about catering, but I bet **Birefringence** has a blast with his Avalanche. Though mine will never see the ‘off road’, it is certainly difficult to parallel park:)
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### Author:  [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/8 "2003-01-09T03:31:14Z")
I totally want one. I turn green with envy every time I pass one on the road.
I used to drive an extended cab long bed and that puppy was long. The Avalanche is perfect for me would be a lot easier to manuver than my Beast the Sequel.
Some day…
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### Author:  [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/9 "2003-01-09T04:03:15Z")
Bummer. I was hoping you were talking about the Denver hockey team.
Carry on.
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### Author:  [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/10 "2003-01-09T04:05:54Z")
Of course, I meant _Colorado_ team.
Preview is your friend, it helps you intercept stupid mistakes.
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/11 "2003-01-09T04:41:31Z")
If it were to loose the 500 pounds of tacky, plastic shit gobbing up the sides/bottom of it, I think it might be OK.
Otherwise, gimmie a new quad cab 1/2 ton pickup over that monstrosity anyday.
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### Author:  [@Marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marathon)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/12 "2003-01-09T04:52:16Z")
And here _I_ thought the thread would be about [the band](http://www.modularpeople.com/avalanches)!
[walks away, dejected, back to lurkdom]
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### Author:  [@Birefringence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birefringence)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/13 "2003-01-09T13:43:16Z")
**Bernse** I agree it does have some novelty aspects to it, such as the trim, and the over sized nature of the vehicle itself. It’s not nearly as bad as [this](http://se.news.yahoo.com/030107/45/13nxh.html) . Now thats a bad ass Chevy. I wish I could have been at the 2003 International Auto Show to see it for myself.
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### Author:  [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/14 "2003-01-16T00:30:46Z")
I also thought this would be about that hockey team from Colorado, in which case I would have had to say…
LET’S GO RED WINGS!!!
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### Author:  [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/15 "2003-01-16T14:02:02Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Most people hate it, they say it’s not a truck, it’s not an SUV…baaaa
I believe the advertised acronym is UUV (Ultimate Utility Vehicle)
Personally I prefer the [Escalade EXT](http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/models/ext/index.html)
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/16 "2003-01-16T14:50:06Z")
Why would anyone name a car after something that has a reputation for falling down mountains and causing mass desctruction? Isn’t that asking for trouble?
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### Author:  [@Birefringence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birefringence)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/17 "2003-01-16T15:18:15Z")
Yep **Cal** it is a bit meddlesome to have a truck/SUV with a name linking it to falling down mountains. But I live in Connecticut, not too many mountains down here on the coast. I hope I don’t fall into Fisher’s Island Sound though … been a lot of that lately, a Semi recently fell off the Orient Point Ferry…
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avalanche-appreciation-thread/147304/18 "2003-01-16T16:22:11Z")
I believe GM also made for a short while a **Typhoon** and **Cyclone** if memory serves. IIRC, souped-up S trucks.
The Oldsmobile **Tornodo**. While not Tornado, pretty damn close.
Fords **Lightning** F150