I just looked at a red one fully loaded and man that thing has some options. The inside was awesome. Ford better get to work. I'm still a Ford Man however

 

OOPPPSSSS!!! Double post

 

OOPPPSSSS!!! Double post

 

That Avalanche is something. I'll bet they sell quite a few. Chevy is making some neat stuff lately. The only problem I have with the Chevy's is their ugly. I guess beauty is in the eye of the Ford owner.
I'd guess Ford's got something up their sleve. I realize a lot of people like these SUV's or whatver they call them today. It seems they are getting kind of odd looking.

 

I saw one on the street also - I think they are butt-ugly. Looks like something Pontiac made with all that plastic around the bottom of the truck. When they get dirty they will really look bad. That plastic will be really difficult to clean well. They are also too big (Suburban frame).

 

Hi Ron,

I'm with you on this one, I'm not impressed by the styling changes GM has made across the board in their truck and even their SUV lineup.

They have brought forth a couple of nice gasoline engines, for example, it's nice to see an American automaker do a high-winding 4-valve inline-6 (ala BMW)like GM has with their new 270-horsepower straight six for their SUV's. They've done a decent job with their gasoline engines here the past few years, the LS1 truck-variants, etc.

However, their new Duramax diesel, while certainly an improvement over the previous GM diesel (what a piece of junk it was!), still can't hold a candle to the Powerstroke diesel.

Overall, Ford still has the preferable product in my humble opinion, and they're not sitting on their laurels either, not by a long shot.

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Hi Mike - Agree with you about that straight six of GMs. Wonder if it eats gas though like the previous Ford straight six?

By the way - will not be needing that reburn of my chip - yesterday traded the truck for a 01 F250 Powerstroke. What a monster. Will be talking to you about another Superchip after I put a few thousand miles on the truck. Thanks for all the help and will be talking to you soon. Ron.

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F150 is no more - 6/27/01 bought an 01 F250 SuperDuty 4X4, Powerstroke, auto, Lariet, Supercab with everything available. Added a Ford bedliner and bug deflector so far.

[This message has been edited by Ron Kaltenbach (edited 06-29-2001).]

 

Not being much of a Chevy fan, I'll give them credit on one thing, they get good gas milage.
Mike speaking of that Duramax, had the great experience to test one this last late winter, 2600 mile trip(pulling 15,000#s),the Allison auto acted up so we couldn't get a good reading on it. One thing, it makes Good MPG.
Up North, that inline 6, is catching on good, most people I've talked to are getting 17 to 22 MPH (4 wheel drive), even the 3.8 old V-6, thas in the Implala, is getting 24 around town.
This is a BiG problem area for FoMoCo, and it doesn't look very good in the near future..

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DOGCAM
dogcam@f150guy.com
01 F-150 SC Lariat
Flareside 4X2,5.4,3:73
LS, SnugLid,Dynomax
Exhaust,Kenwood Amps,
Speakers,JL 10" Sub

 

My old man is a chevy fan and he has bought a pewter avalanche, it takes a while to get used to but, after a while the appearance grows on you. I don't think it looks as sharp as any ford truck but he loves it, he has straight piped it. Its decent if your into chevy's

 

the avalanche is in serious need of bigger tires and rims.

 

How does it not hold a candle to the PSD? it actually blows the PSD candle out...300HP and 505TQ plus the allison....

 

Duramax is still an unproven motor. Someone on the diesel board looked into ordering one recently. GM has stopped taking orders for them. Seems there may be a #5 injector problem - several have blown up.

Also, as usual, GM has overrated the horsepower they actually put out. Powerstroke also puts out 505 ft lbs of torque. Don't believe all those great stories about the Duramax you here. The Powerstroke is a proven durable performer. I would not even consider a first year diesel motor - especially from GM.

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F150 is no more - 6/27/01 bought an 01 F250 SuperDuty 4X4, Powerstroke, auto, Lariet, Supercab with everything available. Added a Ford bedliner and bug deflector so far.

 

i suppose a feller could buy a chevy diesel... if a feller was into visiting the shop often for new engines...

 

Hi Ron,

Good question! I'm guessing (strictly, obviously) that it'e better mpg numbers than the venerable 4.9 Big 6 of Fords. Newer design, advanced machining & assembly techniques, zero-gap piston rings, etc. So on paper at least, it shouldn't have any problem seeing appreciably better mpg numbers, I think.

Congrats on your Powerstroke diesel, what a change! My wife and I have been thinking of doing a PSD as well, and making a real torque-monster with a Flip Chip holding both the 60/115 program and the 100/200 on the other side, with all the normal diesel mods, intake, exhaust, downtubes, etc., we shouldn't have any problem seeing 800+ lbs./ft. I'd prefer the automatic, but of course we'd have to race build on the 4R100 to stand up to the kind of abuse we'd subject it to, so we may go manual, who knows if we'll ever go PSD, but it's been a thought here lately.

At any rate, best of luck with your PSD, & talk to you soon!

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Hi Dogcam,

Yes, we've been hearing of problems with the Allison 5-speed automatic already too. That's a shame, as that is supposed to be one of it's strong points.

Having had a chance to drive both, I don't think the Duramax compares favorably to the PSD bone-stock, it seems sluggish compared to the PSD, though it's certainly an improvement over their last GM diesel, which was an absolute POS. Back when Superchips was doing the developement work for the early PSD's (95), they were also developing an application for the GM diesel, but could never release it as the GM diesel was so prone to fail, very weak crank, snouts shearing of the crank, etc.

I would never consider buying any first- or even second-year diesel from GM, given their track record. I'd want to see some serious *positive* track record established before considering that powerplant, but tha't sjust me, and others may very well feel differently, especially those who tend to buy GM. Time will tell, and I hope for GM's sake (moreso for their customers sake) that the Duramax turns out to be a much better motor than their previous diesels.

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer