Finally pulled the trigger

[Dbrace]

I finally joined the club. I pulled the trigger on a fully loaded 2020 Pacific Blue AT4 after many months of researching and following this forum. I almost bought a 2019 a few months ago but, since I wanted the 5.3, I waited for the 2020 with the 10 speed. I absolutely love this truck so far. I’m coming from a 2008 Avalanche so everything is an upgrade and no complaints so far except for the REV hard folding tonneau leaks like a siv. I know many are disappointed with the interior of these trucks but it’s perfect for what I need it for. I do have a few questions and if anyone has some input I would love to hear it...

1) I’m thinking about getting the truck ceramic coated/front end wrapped. What would be a reasonable price to look for and is it worth it?

2) How do I get this Rev cover to stop leaking? I was going to us black exterior caulk to fill voids at the corners.

 

[L86 All Terrain]

Congrats on your purchase, Ceramic coating is relatively easy to apply and you can do it home in your garage or driveway. I was quoted $2,000 CAD to 3M the entire front of the truck from the roofline down to the plastic air dam. I personally didn't go for it, but probably will on the next one due to how easy this paint chips. It will add some value to your vehicle when you trade as well. 

[duquephart]

21 minutes ago, L86 All Terrain said:

Congrats on your purchase, Ceramic coating is relatively easy to apply and you can do it home in your garage or driveway. I was quoted $2,000 CAD to 3M the entire front of the truck from the roofline down to the plastic air dam. I personally didn't go for it, but probably will on the next one due to how easy this paint chips. It will add some value to your vehicle when you trade as well. 

 

Indeed. As much as 35 cents, perhaps.

[amxguy1970]

No 6.2 but it's fully loaded? 

 

Tyler

[L86 All Terrain]

14 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

Indeed. As much as 35 cents, perhaps.

Well, you will be trading in a vehicle that looks like its off the showroom floor and not chipped all to hell needing paint work. So if you would pay the same for a truck that was rode hard and put away wet as a well taken care of truck then your mom might have dropped you as a child. But that's just my way of looking at it. 

 

Kelly Blue Book told me I would get 18-21 for my last truck, I got $23,500. Why? because it was mint. If you take care of your vehicles, it will always reciprocate at trade time, 3M protection will help you achieve that. 

[Dbrace]

32 minutes ago, amxguy1970 said:

No 6.2 but it's fully loaded? 

 

Tyler

I don’t consider the 6.2 making the truck fully loaded it’s just a different motor. There no way in hell I would pay for premium fuel for a pickup truck let alone 2500 extra for a little more horsepower. If I was concerned about  horsepower I would have bought a Sportscar.

[Dbrace]

1 hour ago, L86 All Terrain said:

Congrats on your purchase, Ceramic coating is relatively easy to apply and you can do it home in your garage or driveway. I was quoted $2,000 CAD to 3M the entire front of the truck from the roofline down to the plastic air dam. I personally didn't go for it, but probably will on the next one due to how easy this paint chips. It will add some value to your vehicle when you trade as well. 

Thanks for your input. I’m going to get a quote for the 3m and see what they come up with. I just know that over 11 years with my black avalanche it had quite a few rock chips on the hood/front end.

[L86 All Terrain]

15 minutes ago, Dbrace said:

Thanks for your input. I’m going to get a quote for the 3m and see what they come up with. I just know that over 11 years with my black avalanche it had quite a few rock chips on the hood/front end.

Your Avalanche was before the water based paint switchover. The quality and thickness back then was much better than it is today. Seriously, a bouncing pine cone at 55mph WILL chip your bumper or hood. The plastic facia pieces and grille are more resilient. I had 4 good chips on my bumper in 2 years and 15,000 miles with no gravel roads. A guy hit me at the pumps with his boat trailer so I ended up getting a new bumper out of that ordeal. Even if you just do the bumper and hood-line you will make that money back down the road. 

[Donstar]

1 hour ago, Dbrace said:

Thanks for your input. I’m going to get a quote for the 3m and see what they come up with. I just know that over 11 years with my black avalanche it had quite a few rock chips on the hood/front end.

Welcome to the forum.  How much trade-in value did you lose because of the chips?  This could help with your decision.

[Dbrace]

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

Welcome to the forum.  How much trade-in value did you lose because of the chips?  This could help with your decision.

Haha...I Can’t put a dollar figure on the money I lost for the paint chips but I did see that the dealer is selling my avalanche for $4000 more than they gave me and they didn’t fix any of the paint.

[duquephart]

40 minutes ago, Dbrace said:

Haha...I Can’t put a dollar figure on the money I lost for the paint chips but I did see that the dealer is selling my avalanche for $4000 more than they gave me and they didn’t fix any of the paint.

 

Selling or asking? BIG difference.

[NeverCold]

Congrats on the truck.  

 

I do not have a REV, I have an Ultraflex and there are some foam "dams" that close off most of the areas.  The leaking is minimal, I can live with it.  Might want to check where there are some openings to seal with foam tape.  I'd hesitate to use caulk, but that's me.  

[protovack]

If you are looking at getting a new bed cover, I have a Trifecta tri-folding cover and its never leaked once in 4 years, and thats in the PNW olympic peninsula with extremely heavy rain. And it was only $300. 

The problem with the Rev is there are seams going across the cover. Never get anything with seams. My Trifecta still folds in 3 sections but the material just bends with it. 

Edited October 28, 2019 by protovack

[Thomcat]

9 hours ago, L86 All Terrain said:

Well, you will be trading in a vehicle that looks like its off the showroom floor and not chipped all to hell needing paint work. So if you would pay the same for a truck that was rode hard and put away wet as a well taken care of truck then your mom might have dropped you as a child. But that's just my way of looking at it. 

 

Kelly Blue Book told me I would get 18-21 for my last truck, I got $23,500. Why? because it was mint. If you take care of your vehicles, it will always reciprocate at trade time, 3M protection will help you achieve that. 

My last '13 Avalanche green metallic was water based and I got much more than top dollar in trade. And no chips, scratches or dents after 3 years. It did have a hood deflector, mud flaps and running boards but was stored outside, always parked the far end of the lot, never tailgated or even followed gravel, concrete trucks without mud flaps or Jeeps/trucks and knobby tires extending past the wheel wells. My 3 yo 18K Avalanche with original MSRP of $45K taken in trade against a new $49K '16 Silverado that the dealer had added additional $700 steps and all weather mats and all I gave was $3K even and that included everything including tax differential. Why? Because he already had an out of state Avalanche nut that was happy to get a mint one which included the leather bound book given to '13 owners with a picture of the truck and copy of the original Maroney sticker. The mint condition and low mileage made it sought after enough to offer way in excess of Blue Book.

 

And can't just blame the vapor thin melted on color coat and Jello hard clear coat for most chips and scratches. Parking lots cause a lot more chips and dings than stones and crap on the highway. Damn careful when I park in a lot all.....it takes is some dayworker a$$hole with a gas powered 200 mph blower blasting a fog of dirt, stones and pebble off the ground against the sides of cars and chipping off paint or the adjacent jacka$$ bouncing his door off your parked car. Violated my own anal retentive rules the other day and almost paid dearly for it.Parked up close in a larger end spot figuring I was out of distance of opening doors, and sat on a bench watching 'cause it was too hot to sit in the car. And what happens, some old biddy starts sprinkling birdseed on the hood of my truck - hit the alarm button and scared another ten years off her life, then threw towels over the vent area and lifted the hood so the seeds would fall off. Her excuse???? The red hood of the truck would make it easier for the birds to see the seeds than if she placed them on the ground.....made like I was calling the police to report her for littering and property damage and she flew away faster than the birds she hoped to feed. Only luck saved me from going into the store with my wife to return find chips in the hood from bird beaks or scratches from squirrels.

[Chris Ocean]

10 hours ago, Dbrace said:

I don’t consider the 6.2 making the truck fully loaded it’s just a different motor. There no way in hell I would pay for premium fuel for a pickup truck let alone 2500 extra for a little more horsepower. If I was concerned about  horsepower I would have bought a Sportscar.

 

I just got my 2020 AT4 a week ago, and i got a 5.3 and everyone made fun of me for it but i said this very thing... i wanted a truck not a sportscar trapped in a truck body.. it already eats gas as it is, i don't want a bigger motor just for the noise and premium fuel bill.. but i did get mine fully loaded.