A thing has been done....

[Drew Dowdell]

Hey all.  Sorry I've been away for so long. Life has taken some very very weird turns for me in the last 8 months and I've been in some bad places.  I'll update you on all of that in another post.

In the meantime.....If you remember, I've been driving my partner's father's 2014 Cruze since November 18.  We took over the loan when we took the car and in May I got tired of the monthly payment so I just paid off the remaining $3.3k. We're keeping the Encore for now. It just passed 100k miles and has been great for us. It's in excellent condition, so we expect to have it for another 50k miles or so.

After the payoff, once he got the title, we transferred the Cruze into my name so that I could quickly trade it if I found something I wanted to replace it with.

Yesterday that something was found and I pulled the trigger.  I pick it up on Wednesday.  I'm not going to tell you what it is or give any hints.  If you're friends with me on Facebook you can't guess if you've seen any of my posts there.

So guys, what did I get?

[G. David Felt]

A Cadillac to go with the Cadillac face mask?

XT5 or CT5

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, David said:

A Cadillac to go with the Cadillac face mask?

XT5 or CT5

I was thinking XT3 since it is closer to Encore sized.

Anyway, welcome back, Drew...we've missed you!

[Drew Dowdell]

18 minutes ago, David said:

A Cadillac to go with the Cadillac face mask?

XT5 or CT5

Incorrect.

10 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I was thinking XT3 since it is closer to Encore sized.

Anyway, welcome back, Drew...we've missed you!

Interesting, but incorrect assumption of criteria.

[G. David Felt]

16 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I was thinking XT3 since it is closer to Encore sized.

Anyway, welcome back, Drew...we've missed you!

Drew talked about having more room for family, so that is why I went with the XT5, but I totally get the XT4 thinking.

Agree totally , Drew has been MISSED Big Time!!!

Welcome back Drew, so glad to have you posting again.

[Drew Dowdell]

8 minutes ago, David said:

Drew talked about having more room for family, so that is why I went with the XT5, but I totally get the XT4 thinking.

Agree totally , Drew has been MISSED Big Time!!!

Welcome back Drew, so glad to have you posting again.

You're on the right track.

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You're on the right track.

Family with room auto, Facebook has images not available or shared to limited set of people. 

?

He did talk about a Crewcab truck at one time and like the avalanche. 

So if not a Demo'd discounted XT6, could it be an Escalade EXT or F-150 crew cab? Or did I go cold?

Guess the logical next question is did you go car, CUV/SUV or Truck?

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, David said:

Family with room auto, Facebook has images not available or shared to limited set of people. 

?

He did talk about a Crewcab truck at one time and like the avalanche. 

So if not a Demo'd discounted XT6, could it be an Escalade EXT or F-150 crew cab? Or did I go cold?

Guess the logical next question is did you go car, CUV/SUV or Truck?

I do recall discussion of Merc GLE/GLS, Grand Cherokee Summit and Durango also at one time..

[G. David Felt]

3 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I do recall discussion of Merc GLE/GLS, Grand Cherokee Summit and Durango also at one time..

So true, I had forgotten about that. H'mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I wonder!!!

[Drew Dowdell]

One of you has named it.

[G. David Felt]

?

• Cadillac XT6
• Cadillac Escalade EXT
• Chevrolet Avalanche
• Ford F-150 Crew Cab
• Mercedes-Benz GLS/GLE
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Dodge Durango

OK, we got our list for people to vote on since Drew has confirmed it is one of these.

????

[Drew Dowdell]

I'll make you math.  You should know my fleet. The Cruze will go away.  Once the new vehicle has joined the fleet and the Cruze is gone, my cylinder count in my driveway will be 25% higher than it is today. That should narrow the list down slightly.

[Robert Hall]

4+4+8=16 now

4+8+8=20   25% more

so a V8 replacing a 4, keeping the Encore and Toronado. 
my guess is the GLS or Durango. 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Robert Hall

[Drew Dowdell]

The number of turbos in my driveway is currently 1.  That will remain the case after.

[G. David Felt]

Durango, GC, F-150 or EXT all have 8 with no turbo.  

I am guessing F-150 with my Backup being Durango.

[Robert Hall]

I was thinking a full-size truck or SUV would have trouble fitting in your driveway (thought it was steep/narrow and required a turn at the bottom to get in the garage), but then I remember you had an Avalanche previously.  

[G. David Felt]

7 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I was thinking a full-size truck or SUV would have trouble fitting in your driveway (thought it was steep/narrow and required a turn at the bottom to get in the garage), but then I remember you had an Avalanche previously.  

So what is your guess???????????????? ?

[Drew Dowdell]

10 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I was thinking a full-size truck or SUV would have trouble fitting in your driveway (thought it was steep/narrow and required a turn at the bottom to get in the garage), but then I remember you had an Avalanche previously.  

The Toronado goes in the garage, but even if it didn't, this would not fit. 

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, David said:

So what is your guess???????????????? ?

I'm still going w/ the largish 3 row NA-V8 SUVs...Durango or previous gen GLS... smaller than the BOF full size SUVs and more manageable. 

[Drew Dowdell]

3G

[G. David Felt]

10 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

3G

So the MB GLS?

[Drew Dowdell]

18 minutes ago, David said:

So the MB GLS?

Nope.

[Robert Hall]

Hmmm...the Durango is in it's 3rd generation.   

[Drew Dowdell]

I wonder if @balthazar will understand that most recent clue.

[G. David Felt]

The 3G makes me think Escalade EXT which had 3G cell connectivity. ?

Wonder what other auto's in that list had 3G........

[Drew Dowdell]

Wrong train, wrong track..... however somehow in the right station.

[Drew Dowdell]

15 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Hmmm...the Durango is in it's 3rd generation.   

Also wrong train, wrong track. Its not a Durango 

[G. David Felt]

? So just found a writeup on how to identify your Ford 3G, 4G and 6G alternators. 

https://alternatorparts.com/ford-type-3g-4g-6g-series-high-output-alternators.html

That makes me think an F-150 Crew cab pickup with a trailer hitch for his rack to hold his bike.

[Drew Dowdell]

Waaaaay overthinking it.

This will however handle the mototote to carry my motorcycle (when I buy that).

The clue 3G is actually very simple.

[Robert Hall]

hmmmm.   GMC doesn't have a model that starts w/ G with a trim level starting with G, so that seems to rule that out...

Or 3 row GMC..an Acadia or Yukon? 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Robert Hall

[G. David Felt]

OK, trying to NOT overthink this,

Jeep Grand Cherokee which model year has the 3G Uconnect system.

[Drew Dowdell]

1 minute ago, Robert Hall said:

hmmmm.   GMC doesn't have a model that starts w/ G with a trim level starting with G, so that seems to rule that out...

Or 3 row GMC..an Acadia or Yukon? 

Nope. It’s definitely on the bulleted list that @David posted earlier. It’s one of those 7.

3G can be decoded to tell you exactly what I got. This might be too much of a clue, so if you get it, just hold on to it for now. I want to see if @balthazar can get this one from the clues given.

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, David said:

OK, trying to NOT overthink this,

Jeep Grand Cherokee which model year has the 3G Uconnect system.

True...but it is a 2 row..I think he wanted something larger.   

[balthazar]

Sorry; have had some depressing automotive news today; my detective hat is on it's hook. ?

I think knowing what I know in general, the JGC fits the best RE DD's scenario, but I don't know.  Not picking up on '3G'.  Sorry.

- - - - -
grumpiness & sadness ?

[Drew Dowdell]

5 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Sorry; have had some depressing automotive news today; my detective hat is on it's hook. ?

I think knowing what I know in general, the JGC fits the best RE DD's scenario, but I don't know.  Not picking up on '3G'.  Sorry.

- - - - -
grumpiness & sadness ?

3G+15?

[G. David Felt]

10 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Sorry; have had some depressing automotive news today; my detective hat is on it's hook. ?

I think knowing what I know in general, the JGC fits the best RE DD's scenario, but I don't know.  Not picking up on '3G'.  Sorry.

- - - - -
grumpiness & sadness ?

What depressing auto news happened today Balthazar?

Sorry Drew to hijack the thread, just wanting to hear what happened.

[balthazar]

[••••••idon'twannatalkaboutit••••••]

[ocnblu]

Alright

[ocnblu]

Drewbert, you left us hangin' on a hook like a Speedo at a pool party.  WHAT DID YOU BUY, MAN?

[Drew Dowdell]

48 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Drewbert, you left us hangin' on a hook like a Speedo at a pool party.  WHAT DID YOU BUY, MAN?

I’m going to keep you all hanging until one of you gets it or I pick it up on Wednesday. But there are plenty of clues in this thread and you all know me well enough to figure it out.

[ocnblu]

Well I hope you enjoy your Avalanche.  Post pics asap.

[oldshurst442]

45 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

 and you all know me well enough to figure it out.

You left us in the middle of the night without warning.    

You never told us what, where, why.  You never even said goodbye.  

 

So now, you come back and you think everything will be alright?  Just like it was before?  

Come here you big lug!  Give me a hug!

 

 

[oldshurst442]

I second @ocnblu  guess.

But...what gen Avalanche?

Ill go with 1st gen, de-cladded.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

@ocnblu Got it. 3G is the first two digits of the VIN.  3 is country code Mexico and G is for GM.  So it was a Mexican built GM and there were only two of those on the list, the Avalanche and the EXT.  While I wouldn't have said no to an EXT, an Avalanche popped up that I couldn't NOT buy.

So, I have bought what is likely the lowest mileage 2013 Avalanche in the country.  All the paperwork and loan has been finalized, I just have to pick it up on Wednesday.  It's a Blue Topaz 2013 LTZ Black Diamond with only 12,800 miles on the clock. I paid $32,990 and Carvana gave me $8,100 for the Cruze. It checks all my boxes for heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel, remote start. The only thing is doesn't have that I would have liked is a sunroof, but for such a museum piece, I will survive without it. 

 

[ocnblu]

Holy timewarp, Batman.  Smoooooth!

[Robert Hall]

Sweet truck..like the color.  I haven't seen a 2nd gen Avalanche in ages in any condition. 

[G. David Felt]

@Drew Dowdell CONGRATULATIONS! That is a Beauty!!!

[Drew Dowdell]

2 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Sweet truck..like the color.  I haven't seen a 2nd gen Avalanche in ages in any condition. 

I see them all the time. They have taunted me so!

[Robert Hall]

So you going to keep it stock, or lift it on 35s for the brodozer look or slam it on 26s?

[balthazar]

^ it’s bizarre that one of those descriptors is tires, the other is rims, yet we’re all communicating here.