I'm tired of all these reviews showing Colorado/Canyon superior

Enjoy it while you can. Earlier in the post someone posted that in Sept. the twins had nearly caught up to Tacoma. The GM twins remain the fastest selling vehicle on the market. GM's problem is they can't build them fast enough. So, with the new diesel and going into second year model year for the twins, who knows?

For Taco owners, many were able to put up with less mileage, power and tech, but bought for QRD (quality reliability, durability) Now many are seeing problems with 4.0 piston slap, noise and vibration that Toyota won't fix and they are saying WTF! So sales will be an interesting thing to watch.

 

At least it's not a Chrysler?

 

As you just said though, GM is at max production on the twins with no room to expand. So the sales levels we are seeing are about the top of the market for them. GM never built the Colorado in the USA to sell 500,000 units, they built it to exploit an undeserved market with some unused plant capacity.

 

Agree with you. I think they build their obsolete big vans at the same plant. If they kick those out, more capacity. They already run 3 shifts with OT.

 

The Chevy express only sells about 5,000 units a month. So at 60,000 units a year you aren't talking about much room to expand compared to the Tacoma max capacity. If GM wanted to get serious, they'd need to expand the plant significantly or use another plant.

http://www.trucktrend.com/news/1509-august-2015-van-sales-ford-transit-dominating-market/

PS, if Ford builds the Ranger at the Michigan Focus assembly and moves the Focus production as planned, Ford would have a plant with a capacity of about 300,000 trucks ready to jump into the market.

 

That Transit looks to be a good van, great reviews. I had a Mercedes Sprinter a few years back, liked it, but would certainly look at a Transit.

Ranger would be a strong competitor, I like the looks of the one in Thailand (or wherever). I don't think the market will get to 300k for them though, if they release, looks like 2018 and the twins will have a strong lead by then.

60K more units would be enough for the Twins to win, the market won't grow to Full size.

 

Willing to bet the new diesel is going to be the new hot platform to build on.

 

I think it's ambitious for GM to be in the lead in the midsize class but who knows.

The one thing I will say is that Ranger was the hands down sales leader until ~2004 when the midsized class came along and Toyota took over. Ford never responded with a true truck platform for that market and allowed the Ranger to rot as the last of the compact sized trucks. I wouldn't underestimate Ford in the midsized market.

 

November issue of Motor Trend....they seem to like the '16 Taco.

 

Well, there you go, almost...
The Colorado was their truck of the year (some say, bought); think they still say Twins the best.

 

That's right. The Colorado is competing with the Sierra and the f150. They don't compete with the Tacoma.except for a very small segment. American truck buyers will never buy a Taco and Yaxo buyers won't buy a Colorado....for now. Let the repair record improve in th next five years, it may stqrt. Till them, no competition.

 

Not sure the Twins have a worse repair record. The New Gm is doing things differently. Example: The early 3.6 engine had some timing chain problems in early Cadillac CTS'. GM redesigned the chain and related parts and fixed all the cars. They even extended the warranty for all to 120K. The engine now runs 200k plus in the Cads. I drove one w/ 200k at a dealership.

Toyota is having a piston slap problem in some of their 4.0's. They are telling folks, that's normal, TS. That ain't QDR.

 

Not sure they have a better one though. The Malibu showed significant improvement so GM has that in them. Right, too early to tell. We know Taco is very good.

 

The "new GM" also denied the ignition key issue. When I had my Vette I went in for service and the GM of the dealership said the issue was "because people were hanging all kinds of things on their key rings causing the issue". I asked him why only GM owners would have teddy bears and crap on their key rings? He had no answer. Complete "taking track" cover up all the way to the dealers..

That is why I would never buy anything made by GM new or used again.

 

Well if your going to live in the past, might as well just blame Toyota for helping out in WW2.

On the ignition switch: It started with some engineer trying for a more precision feel on the switch like the Germans. So he reduced spring tension. Yes, all the Teddy bears, 50 keys and whatever, caused some of the switches to go to the off position. Some folks can't handle a car without power brakes or steering and they crashed. When the New GM's top management found out about it, they hired the guy from 911, Feinberg, to pay off the families. Most got millions, even if their loved one was drunk or unbelted.

So if your gonna dig in with that attitude, you might miss out on the best product.

 

Save it.......No one will ever convince me GM makes the best anything....

 

Sticking to your guns no matter what, is another way of saying you don't care what the evidence says. Cognitive bias at it's worst.

 

There is no evidence to sway me. Not even Car and Driver.... I have all the evidence I need regarding Toyota and Honda vehicles. My GM vehicles paled in comparison in every metric. From the horrid HHR I had quite a few years ago, to two more recent Corvettes....The GM reliability and service experience were terrible to say the least

 

People actually bought those things?

 

I don't like GM because I have had bad GM's. I and many of my family have also had bad experiences with their vehicles and the company itself. Maybe the new ones are better. Maybe I'll buy one someday. To attract me in though they have to be the best, not just a town CUV dressed up with a box. I need to see more out of the Colorado before I'd buy one.

I bought a 2014 Ram 2500 even after having a lemon 1500 back in 2007. I don't just turn my back forever on a brand if they bring out something I am interested in. However, that Ram has shat the bed a few times, so maybe that's not the best example lol.

However, given my own good experiences with Ford, I'd be all over a Ranger if they released an FX4 version with the Ecoboost or inline 5 Diesel.