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2005 Escalade EXT (aka GMT 800 argument thread)

Pyleit

Pyleit

Well-known member
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
825
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445
Anyone have one of these? Picked this 2005 up this week. Good, bad or other info? 143k miles. LQ9, 4L65. AWD.
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yo my .....


really though, I wanted one for a while, but lot of ghetto drivers.
 
Had one for a bit.....comfortable, quick for a pickup...and transfer case needed a reseal at 90k miles....

And if you told me a awd pickup could get 18 mpg at 80 on the freeway I would not have believed it...

I also liked the air ride rear.....picked up like 8 sheets of plywood and dropping the mid gate you could close the tailgate...yet still have a Crew cab pickup when you need.....yet has same 131in wheelbase of a burb vs 145 in wb of a pickup....so easier to park

I would own another one..and had half ass looked over the years...
 
my favorite color for these trucks ( I’m a sucker for pearl) needs stock whyteboy wheels imo. What’d you pay for it? If it’s as clean & sorted as it looks in the pics, some people are paying stupid money for clean examples on BAT/ cars &bids.

As said above, just common gmt800 issues; gauge cluster stepper motors, HVAC blend door actuators, don’t let the 4l60 get hot, etc.
 
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DT75FLH said:
Had one for a bit.....comfortable, quick for a pickup...and transfer case needed a reseal at 90k miles....

And if you told me a awd pickup could get 18 mpg at 80 on the freeway I would not have believed it...

I also liked the air ride rear.....picked up like 8 sheets of plywood and dropping the mid gate you could close the tailgate...yet still have a Crew cab pickup when you need.....yet has same 131in wheelbase of a burb vs 145 in wb of a pickup....so easier to park

I would own another one..and had half ass looked over the years...
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Everyone always shit talked the avalanche but you nailed all the points on the head.

Superior parking, maneuverability
Crew cab or a long box

Mine averaged 14-15mpg on a good day but I had 3.73s

My moms Tahoe had 3.42s and it did significantly better on the highway

I didn’t have air ride but the rear coil suspension was ahead of its time and it was FLAWLESS. Those rears never ate suspension parts. They rode amazing too!

If I could find a flawless 2500 version I would buy it for a tow rig but they are stupid money and all of them rotted out up here.

8.1/4l80e/14bolt

The mid gate was the best feature! The new GM EV truck is bringing back the mid gate but they aren’t calling it an Avalanche
 
Looks like they had some left over glass or bought a lift of stock from a union plant that shut down 😂

 
[memphis] said:
If I could find a flawless 2500 version I would buy it for a tow rig but they are stupid money and all of them rotted out up here.

8.1/4l80e/14bolt
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My buddy has one (not for sale though :flipoff2: ) . It’s been solid except for the GM electrical quirks. :shaking: Damn thing will pull anything, that’s for sure. :smokin:
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white-rhino said:
How do you keep your garage so clean?
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It goes through phases, happens to be in a clean phase this week

lagunaMS said:
Cause he’s always flying and not using his garage :flipoff2:
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Nope, I have flown a total of 10 hours in the last 12 months....

WTF? said:
What’d you pay for it? If it’s as clean & sorted as it looks in the pics, some people are paying stupid money for clean examples on BAT/ cars &bids.
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$8500. Bought from a 75 year old guy that has owned it since 10k miles. He had every oil change logged and only used mobil 1 and oem filters.... he even gave me 2 cases of M1 HM 5-30 and 2 filters because his new raptor doesn't use the same oil. Everything works and not a single dent on it. Drove it 140 miles home, gave it a clay bar and wax and put it in the shop.

realsquash said:
Somebody must have owed you money because there's no way you bought that.
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I was not looking for one, but it was so clean and well cared for i decided to give it a try. Worst case is i pull the LQ9 and drop in in a buggy!
 
I wanted an EXT, but wife didn't like them. We ended up with a similar condition and mileage 04 Shorty. Had to go through and fix the common GMT800 issues, but after that it's been great
 
Pyleit said:
$8500. Bought from a 75 year old guy that has owned it since 10k miles. He had every oil change logged and only used mobil 1 and oem filters.... he even gave me 2 cases of M1 HM 5-30 and 2 filters because his new raptor doesn't use the same oil. Everything works and not a single dent on it. Drove it 140 miles home, gave it a clay bar and wax and put it in the shop.
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Yeah, you might have a very good chance to double your money and then some listing it on one of those auction sites. Good eye, excellent buy!👍
 
My father has one he just got, the last year for them I think 2011/2013??? He has had an 03 Avalanche, and 2011 Avalanche and not this. All in all they are a good mix of truck/suv. Not really good at either but if it is not your only set of wheels they are neat. I had his 03 for a bit no hate towards it, it just was not good enough shape to put anything into it - so I got rid of it.
 
TRINDU said:
A LQ9 couldn't knock down 18mpg at 55mph, much less 80. Maybe 15mpg downhill with a tailwind.
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140 mile drive home got 14.2 mpg. Filled it with ethanol free 91. Still deciding if I'm going to keep it or send it down the road....
 
Pyleit said:
A buddy just stopped by and was drolling. He offered me 9500.... it may just get passed down the road. I DO NOT need the 8th vehicle, was just an impulse purchase.
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I think you’d be leaving a lot of money on the table, so he’d better be a good friend.
 
I
Watch the oil pressure, I have had a couple buddies whose 05/06 6.0 that had low oil pressure issues that turned out to be spun center cam bearing. I did it on a 05 3500 in my yard. Mt 03 Escalade has 260k and no problems.
 
xr-nut said:
So nothing then? :laughing:
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Unless you count the diff @ 180k, the tcase @125k, front diffs.

Every 1/2t is worth give or take $4k worth of repairs. And i dont even fuck with the 4l60/5 transmissions


Then you get into the 1 off modle shit like the bw4485/np149 tcases, the coil/air bag rear housing, and so on. The front diff is the same except for the p-side housing extention and axle shaft.


Then, then you get to all the body and interior shit, compounded by the ever present module and dash failures.

Fwiw, that might have the 9.5"sf rear axle so that would be nice. Ive only ever done 1, np149 and 1 bw4485, so idk if its a #s game or theyre better than the 246/263. The 149 is the same style as the 246/263 where the bw is a stand alone case.
 
gunracer1 said:
I
Watch the oil pressure, I have had a couple buddies whose 05/06 6.0 that had low oil pressure issues that turned out to be spun center cam bearing. I did it on a 05 3500 in my yard. Mt 03 Escalade has 260k and no problems.
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My shop truck motor came out of a 06 with spun cam bearing no oil pressure. We're putting in a reman in a customer truck this week. Pretty common.

Edit to add, I have a blown up 6 liter I'll send back as the core and keep this motor coming in. I'll have a spare long block.
 
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Off the cuff thought this morning. How hard is it to swap an avalanche or Tahoe body onto a 2500 frame?

Is the general pretty lazy when it comes to body mount configurations providing some universal fitment across models?

This government vehicle made me think about such a swap this morning. Of course we civilians can’t have it but it’s good enough for the gov

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[memphis] said:
Off the cuff thought this morning. How hard is it to swap an avalanche or Tahoe body onto a 2500 frame?

Is the general pretty lazy when it comes to body mount configurations providing some universal fitment across models?

This government vehicle made me think about such a swap this morning. Of course we civilians can’t have it but it’s good enough for the gov
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Avalanche is on the suburban platform, so it’s as easily attainable as a duraburb.

On the shorty Tahoe you’ll run into wheelbase issues finding a 2500 frame to mate up without some gas axe action.

But you could get an avalanche 2500 from the dealership up til 06 that exclusively came in 8.1/ 4l80e configuration.
 
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WTF? said:
Avalanche is on the suburban platform, so it’s as easily attainable as a duraburb.

On the shorty Tahoe you’ll run into wheelbase issues finding a 2500 frame.

But you could get the avalanche 2500 up til 06 that exclusively came in 8.1/ 4l80e configuration.
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So a duramax, allison, quadrasteer, avalanch could be built with 100% oe parts?

Cause i love me some never existed but totaly plausable gm's.
 
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