Colorado owner thinking about switching

Yeah, perhaps..but the second gen has the lame bug eye headlights.

 

Thats why i said 3rd gen is generally better looking, though looks are subjective(i like looks of second gen too)
Btw, im a 3rd gen owner that wishes Toyota would have spent a little more time developing drivetrain

 

I recently traded in my piece of crap 2016 Colorado for a 2019 Tacoma TRD Sport and wish I had done it sooner. I had numerous and repetitive warranty issues that were not getting addressed. Price wise I do not think there is a lot of difference, keep in mind the Tacoma resale is also better.

 

I'm on my third Tacoma. My first two were problem free and I enjoyed them. My current new 2019 DCOR is doing just fine so far. No trans issues and gas mileage is better than published standards. I really haven't taxed it much, with most of the 1000~ miles on pavement around town, but I see no signs it will fail when put to the test.

I like the tec the TRD series offers. Blind spot, TSS and even Entune (Ducking my head) are good additions. What I think the Tacoma is lacking is interior design and comforts. It's functional but offers no height adjustment or power seat options, has a dated dash layout and some flimsy materials albeit those are in non critical areas. Also no direct option for HomeLink except on the pro mode. I negotiated an aftermarket Homelink mirror and that works just fine. But I make those work and I'd buy it again.

 

You can get a brand new one for that price.. I got my 19 TRD O/R premium and tech package for 35. You can get a brand new 18 for 32-33 Tacoma’s hold ther value so well it is almost not worth buying used. I know u said 29k max.. maybe look at new 18’s and offer 30k especially now at the end of the year that might be possible. Hope that helps.

 

Best truck for me to date and I've driven Ranger, Frontier, 2012 Taco, F150 and Silverado. Each had their own +/- but I would say overall the Taco is my favorite because it can do everything pretty well- ain't perfect but best all around truck I've driven in 20 years. I should mention I like the 3rd gen much more than my 2nd gen. Probably because of the manual this time- but looks and MPG is also a bonus.

How long you plan on keeping your truck ? Lease , finance , buy out cash?

 

I test drove the Colorado and Tacoma before purchasing my Tacoma. I am a lifelong GM owner and my previous vehicle was a 2013 Sierra 1500, which I put 100k miles on and never had one issue with.

I went with the Tacoma because it is a well made truck and the reputation for longevity. Both will not prove to be true for a long time, but in general it is a great truck. The shifting is different than I’m used to and you really need to get on the gas to make it move. Like others have said, Toyota released T-SBs that are supposed to fix those issues.

I think the Tacoma is a quality truck, but in your situation I would not recommend switching from the Colorado. You’re going to lose too much money on the deal and I don’t think the differences in having the Tacoma will make it worthwhile. I also think that if you are taking your GM in to the dealer for transmission issues and suspension noises, you will have your Tacoma in the dealer for transmission issues and diff howling before long. Since you will likely not keep the Colorado long term, I would wait 3 years and then trade it in for whatever you want at that time. GM trucks hold their value relatively well, so keep on the dealer to get the truck right and keep the interior clean.

 

I've had my Tacoma for about 6 months now. My previous was also a Tacoma but when the time came to upgrade, I considered everything. I almost got the Canyon/Colorado when I bought my 07 Tacoma and I seriously considered it again before I bought my 18 Tacoma. I went with Toyota because it's been reliable. In the 11 years I had my old one, not one single engine problem. Sure, I had some other wear and tear things go like some wheel bearings and a window motor, but that's it.

My 18 has been ok so far, though I did have a leak in the feeder tube for the gas tank that was throwing check engine lights. Took them a while to figure it out but they fixed it for free. I did a lot of research on the 3rd gens so I knew the pickup was a little weak. Drove it for about 3 weeks before I bought and put OV Tune on. No more struggle. I've since done lots of mods and still have lots more to do, but I love the truck.

The Colorado is nice, especially that ZR2. But the Tacoma will win with reliability and you'll win on trade-in value.

 

I would hold on to the Colorado. Chevy is obligated to repair any issues under warranty. When you get to around 2 years or so, then start exploring trading in if you're still having issues or still nervous. You will take a hit on value, but there is also something to be said for peace of mind. That's why I chose the Taco when I was deciding between the Colorado, Frontier and Taco.

Each mid-size pickup does have it's issues. Keep in mind that the mid-size market is not a one size fits all. Each manufacturer has to decide what trade-off they want to make. Toyota is notorious for giving exactly what users need and little of the extra wants. Just enough power and torque (albeit not where we all would like it), good offroad features, decent towing and payload, decent tech. Looking back, Toyota is rarely class leading in trucks, but they last forever and give you a nice balance of all attributes.

 

If you buy in AZ, you're best bet is to buy in PHX. Tucson has two dealers, one is trash, the other one isnt. I regret not making the drive up from Tucson to purchase. PHX dealers have better deals because of the greater competition. New or used, it should work in your favor. Might be better off selling the truck private party though, especially since you aren't in a rush.

 

You want to trade in a brand new truck that you are the 1st owner of for a used truck with 30k miles on it? You have a full warranty on your Colorado, take it to the shop, get a rental, have them fix everything for free and put your miles on their dime. A 30k Tacoma is almost out of a warranty, do you want to start paying each time your truck goes into the shop? You don't seem to have real good justified reasons to switch. If you just want to to switch for the hell of having a newer truck to you, then do it for that reason.

On another note, I had a 2017 GMC Sierra for 2 years and went through hell with how often it was in the shop for an electrical issue. I know it is frustrating but that is what you deal with sometimes with a new vehicle. You get to work out its bugs and get them fixed for free under warranty. Get them done early and that rig will last you many many years. Wait to fix them or buy a used 30k truck, you now have to pay out of pocket to get shit fixed which is extremely expensive. I suggest you continue to take the truck to the dealer, drive their cars for free and put your miles on their cars. If the problems persist then GM will get tired of paying the shop to try and fix your vehicle and they will buy back your Colorado, then you can go buy a Tacoma. Google search lemon law. If all the issues eventually get fixed then problem solved. You lost $0, gained 0 miles, and have a working truck. Gotta be happy with that right?

 

I LOVE my 2018 Sport, you will not regret making the swap on any year model. Their is plenty of Toyota dealers that even offers lifetime on every moving part of the truck, motor/transmission (as long you are the original owner). Probably a selling point since they know it will be hard for a motor/transmission to fail, LOL. I also checked the Colorado and Ford before making my move on the Tacoma. My decision was made once a master mechanic at the Chevy dealership talked me out off buying one, go figure.

 

Thanks for all your input guys, I really appreciate it. I’m expecting to hear back from the GM dealer today so we’ll see how that goes.

It sounds like some pretty mixed feelings about this, and some very practical opinions too. You guys are right in that I will be taking a big loss if I decide to trade in. Perhaps it’s not worth it, especially if the dealer can get my Collie up to par maybe I’ll just hang onto it. Hopefully these first few issues on the truck are more growing pains of a new vehicle rather than an outlook on the rest of the trucks life.

We shall see. I’ll keep you posted in case you’re interested.

 

if your Colorado has the 8spd transmission you WILL have a torque converter shudder... any year Colorado 8 speed will have this issue. GM is chasing tail trying to fix this. at this time there we will replace torque converter but its not long term fix the shudder will come back. within a year. it feels like driving over rumble strips on and off. its worse then any taco perceived transmission issues.

 

Does the SR5 come with a locking rear diff? From what I’ve read it only has a limited slip, but maybe not? Interestingly my trim level Colorado (LT) does not come with a locking rear diff, unless you get the tow package, which mine has. Then it comes with an auto locking rear diff (G80), not an e-locker like the TRD OR, but still better than nothing.

Ahh yes, the shudder. I’ve read a lot about this on the Colorado networks and seems like a lot of people have it. Only on the 8spd trans, which is on the 2017+ V6 models. Mine has the 8spd, but I still have yet to experience the shudder. My trans problem is a little different and lurches forward just before coming to a stop (3-4 mph).

 

@SaguaroYouToday the SR5 has an open diff, no limited slip on Tacoma. Just open or e-locker (TRD OR or Pro).

Lots of folks say keep the Colorado, that’s what warranties are for. To me a warranty provides some financial comfort but if I had to go to the dealer, lose my truck for days, PAY for a rental, etc, I’d want a different truck. My Tacoma has only had TSB or warranty work done when it was in for the “free” scheduled maintenance that came with it. Of our previous four Toyota’s (none Tacoma’s) only one had a warranty repair, plus three minor recalls, one each on three of them, in 380K miles. All three recalls were after warranty expired. Throw in the CPS recall, and the instrument cluster replacement on my Taco, and that’s six warranty/recall issues in over 430K miles. Not great, but not terrible. And zero breakdowns or limp-home issues, in or out of warranty, with any Toyota, everything taken care of on MY schedule.

 

Hold on to the Colorado until the Gladiator comes out. Then, take a loss on your truck and pay over MSRP on the new one.

 

Thanks for the info about the Tacoma rear diffs. Luckily, I haven’t had to pay anything for the services so far. Everything has been covered by warranty including the rental car. If it wasn’t then I’d be real pissed. So far it’s just inconvenient and worrisome, but hasn’t hit me in the wallet yet...

Lol the Gladiator. I don’t have the funds, or need, to purchase that sort of testosterone.

 

Wrong. SR5 does have LSD

 

We have an open diff. No true mechanical LSD. What we have is typically referred to as BLSD or Brake Limited Slip Differential. It uses brake pulsing from the abs system to simulate a mechanical LSD but it is very much still an open diff