Tacoma or Colorado diesel? needs an opinion!

Brad95 · Aug 11, 2016

as the title says! need an opinion/input from fellow members. i am on the fence of buying new truck. narrowed it down to either Tacoma or Colorado diesel, can't decide which one to buy. test drove both. price wise Colorado diesel is bit expensive(aprx 4k). Colorado LT with convenience pkg has more features than similarly equipped Tacoma. which ever is chosen i am planning to keep for long time. help me decide!

appreciate your input!
-thanks

jrock · Aug 12, 2016

Brad - do you have a GM Supplier Discount?

I was pricing out a Colorado Diesel and here is what I came up with.

GM Supplier Discount ($2200) + Consumer Cash ($500) + GM Card ($1000) + USAA ($750)

In my example - $4450 (that should pay for the $3,905.00 diesel premium)

meerschm · Aug 12, 2016

since this is a gas/diesel question as well, how many miles do you plan to put on over the long time you hope to keep it?

will you drive it every day? park it for extended periods?

Capt. Common Rail · Aug 12, 2016

I have a friend who just bought a GMC Canyon and loves it .He got it pretty loaded.the leather seats are very comfortable .

Brad95 · Aug 12, 2016

jrock said:
Brad - do you have a GM Supplier Discount?

no i don"t.

GM Supplier Discount ($2200) + Consumer Cash ($500) + GM Card ($1000) + USAA ($750)

sorry! not to be rude! but "what is Gm Supplier Discount"? i don't have GM Card nor USAA account!

Brad95 · Aug 12, 2016

meerschm said:
since this is a gas/diesel question as well, how many miles do you plan to put on over the long time you hope to keep it?

just like my beloved passat TDI, i plan to put around 17k/year.

will you drive it every day? park it for extended periods?

won't be driving every day but when i drive most of my trips (except few) will be 100 miles both ways. definitely not parking for extended periods!

-thanks

Oberkanone · Aug 12, 2016

I'd go with Tacoma. Historically higher residual value and reliability. Tacoma wins off pavement. Downside is the seating position.

john.jackson9213 · Aug 12, 2016

Brad95 said:
just like my beloved passat TDI, i plan to put around 17k/year.

won't be driving every day but when i drive most of my trips (except few) will be 100 miles both ways. definitely not parking for extended periods!

-thanks

Just run the numbers and it is a no brainer choice: Buy the Toyota and don't look back. Look at the book value for a 5 or 7 year old Chevy truck and compare it to the value for a 5 or 7 year old Tacoma. The Toyota is worth thousands more than the Chevy.
Look at the Consumer Reports repair history for the Toyota Vs Chevrolet. Big advantage to the Toyota.

Brad95 · Aug 13, 2016

john.jackson9213 said:
Look at the book value for a 5 or 7 year old Chevy truck and compare it to the value for a 5 or 7 year old Tacoma. The Toyota is worth thousands more than the Chevy.
Look at the Consumer Reports repair history for the Toyota Vs Chevrolet. Big advantage to the Toyota.

that's very true! but Chevy Colorado (Diesel Version) is new hence their is not much repair history available !. if i compare gas version of colorado then yes! Tacoma is obvious choice.

-thanks

turbobrick240 · Aug 13, 2016

New models almost always have bugs that need worked out. I've been super impressed by all the toyota trucks I have owned. Of course they were mostly 80's-90's models.

jrock · Aug 13, 2016

Brad95 said:
no i don"t.

sorry! not to be rude! but "what is Gm Supplier Discount"? i don't have GM Card nor USAA account!

A GM Supplier Discount is the discount price you pay for a vehicle as an eligible company employee.

Just FYI - when I bought my Passat I paid MSRP (didn't even get a free tee-shirt), but when I bought my RAM I got 8,000 off the sticker price. I know GM has a ton of different options to give you a discount (military, teacher and so on)

I would go for the diesel Colorado for the same reason I've purchased my last 4 vehicles - because they offer a diesel. Toyota has worked hard to keep their diesel models out of this market and I would rather not reward that behavior.

GetMore · Aug 13, 2016

Well, Toyota's quality has been decreasing, and GM's has been increasing, but I don't think they have gotten to the even point yet.
The diesel engine is new, and may be perfect, but the rest of the truck is current GM. Unfortunately for the research, the truck is also new, so there isn't any true reliability info out yet. Only assumptions. So, there is no guarantee that the Toy is better, but historically it is the case.

On the other hand, if the diesel engine really works for what you want of it (more than just commuting) then it might be your best bet. From what I have seen about diesel pickups, they last longer when they are worked, compared to when they merely commute. Similar to how the TDIs need the "Italian tune up" on occasion, and like being driven harder.

john.jackson9213 · Aug 13, 2016

Brad,

Sounds like you would just like the Colorado Diesel because you would like to have it. I have no problem with understanding that. Spend the extra $5K or so and get the truck/engine you want to own for a while.

Heck I just spend a bunch of money on a 47 year old car with 24,000 miles on it just because I wanted to drive it once or twice a month with the top down in the spring and summer. The top will likely stay down all year. Quite sure you didn't buy the Corvette because it made sense! And that is OK.

deuxdiesel · Aug 14, 2016

Are you going to be towing heavy loads, or is this just an on-road daily commuter? If you are looking for longevity, a Tacoma with the 2.7 four manual trans has a nearly bullet-proof record. These are 300-500K engines, an it is unlikely the new Tacoma 3.5 six can match that. Downside? Slow acceleration, and limited towing ability (3,500 lbs). Even in 4x4 versions, users are reporting 24 MPG.

d2305 · Aug 14, 2016

No Tacoma diesel in the US/Canada. Colorado looks interesting, but I'm sure they will have DEF problems.

gliitch · Aug 14, 2016

Tacoma still suffers with rust issues so if you live in the rust belt be prepared to keep the frame oiled.

Tacoma will destroy the gm off road. On road gm will have a better ride.

Tacoma resale is at the top of the list. Reliability is OK. Motor is bulletproof at least.

Basically if you want nice on road ride with luxury options, get the gm. If you want off road beast and hold value, get the toyota

Note: I've been driving Toyota trucks all my life and currently have a 2012 tacoma

If you any Toyota questions I am huge into the Tacoma world just let me know

tomo366 · Aug 14, 2016

The Diesel in in the Colorado has been used for several year in the Middle East and is a proven motor it had to have the Emissions for the US

bubbagumpshrimp · Aug 14, 2016

Tacoma. The Chevy/GMC looks like a nice truck, but no way in hell would I drop $40k (the going rate for a diesel) mid-size truck.

gliitch · Aug 16, 2016

Have you looked at tacoma prices? They are comoarable

GoFaster · Aug 16, 2016

Colorado with the gas engine. 4 cyl or 6, take your pick. You can probably get a better real world deal on that vehicle than on either a diesel Colorado (too hard to get = you pay full list) or a Tacoma (where you pay for the name).

I know a couple of people who have a new Colorado - one diesel, one gas. They have both been fine.

GoFaster · Aug 16, 2016

Another small thing that may or may not be a factor. If you want 2 wheel drive, the Colorado is the normal ride height (which is still pretty high). The new Tacoma only comes with the raised (same as 4x4) suspension. There is no low-ride-height version available any more, not even on a 2 wheel drive truck.

If you are off-roading and using the 4x4 capability, so be it. If you are tossing stuff in and out of the bed all the time and using the truck on road and don't need 4 wheel drive ... that high load floor is a liability.

Turbodude1 · Aug 17, 2016

GoFaster said:
Another small thing that may or may not be a factor. If you want 2 wheel drive, the Colorado is the normal ride height (which is still pretty high). The new Tacoma only comes with the raised (same as 4x4) suspension. There is no low-ride-height version available any more, not even on a 2 wheel drive truck.

If you are off-roading and using the 4x4 capability, so be it. If you are tossing stuff in and out of the bed all the time and using the truck on road and don't need 4 wheel drive ... that high load floor is a liability.

I always wondered why they keep making trucks higher and higher. Loading stuff in my friends 2500 GMC 4x4 is a real pain.

OlyTDI · Aug 18, 2016

Turbodude1 said:
I always wondered why they keep making trucks higher and higher. Loading stuff in my friends 2500 GMC 4x4 is a real pain.

Because everyone knows that low trucks are for wussies -- marketing, marketing, marketing...

If function ruled, they'd be designed differently.

bubbagumpshrimp · Aug 20, 2016

gliitch said:
Have you looked at tacoma prices? They are comoarable

That was my point. If I'm going to drop $35-40k on a midsize truck...I'd want one that's going to be worth more than a carton of smokes and a case of Natty Light when it hits 10 years and 200k miles.

rc74racer · Aug 22, 2016

I was set on a Colorado or Canyon diesel until I drove one. I liked the look, the highway ride and just about everything else about the Colorado diesel except the way it drove around town. It's way too sluggish for me. I can't feel that TQ that I have come to love in other diesels I have owned or driven. I really wanted one too. I'm giving up my 15 GSW TDI soon and would like to replace it with another diesel that has a little more utility. I think a Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel will be my next test drive. If I don't like that I will seriously consider a Tacoma. I owned an 06 for a while and really liked it. Resale value was fantastic.

GoFaster · Aug 29, 2016

The 2017 Colorado gets the upgraded version of the 3.6 V6 engine and the 8 speed automatic transmission. That could be the hot ticket.

dwfdiesel · Aug 29, 2016

Buy a Dodge eco diesel

d2305 · Aug 30, 2016

Read up on Ecodiesels before you buy one. They are a work in progress.

rc74racer · Aug 30, 2016

d2305 said:
Read up on Ecodiesels before you buy one. They are a work in progress.

I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this. The deep discounts on Grand Cherokee's are very tempting, but I need to drive one. I am not interested in a RAM truck. Right now I am leaning towards getting the 2016/17 Tacoma TRD off road crew cab. I really like the look and feel of that truck and I know resale value will be very good.

d2305 · Aug 31, 2016

Getting Toyota dealers to sell at invoice is impossible.

Tacoma or Colorado diesel? needs an opinion!

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