Talk me off the ledge or just push me!!!!

ok so here's the deal, my wife is prego ans my access cab won't fit the baby seat in the back with her sitting comfy in the front seat. In other words I need to upgrade to continue camping with the family because we love it!!! I recently purchased a new pop up camper and I wanna stay in a mid size truck cuz I don't need anything bigger. We recently drove to Yellowstone and back from San Diego and it was over 2000 bucks just in gas. So I noticed the colorado is diesel. I test drive it and this 2.8L turbo diesel kicked ass! Plenty of low end power for camper hauling and can't complain about 25+ mpg. The look has grown on me and the inside is a little roomier and pretty nice. I've owned my truck since new and has been perfect. I want an auto and the new tacomas I'm not to happy with the look and the tranny sucks! I love the interior but I'll get the same fuel mileage once lifted etc. price difference from Tacoma loaded and Colorado loaded with diesel is about 4-5 grand. The after market support for Colorado is terrible as far as armor etc but everyone makes suspension. Sway my decision one way or another!!! Also this truck will be for sale in the next few months either way

 

I love my tacoma, but the build quality is just not up to the old Toyota standard and the price of a 2017 is just ridiculous. They should have brought the diesel Hilux here a decade ago. I'll keep mine for a few more years, but Toyota will not be tips on my replacement list. The new Chevy looks very nice while the Tacoma is a bit stale.

 

That is my thought as well! I would not sell my truck as it's 10 yrs old and only 97,000 miles. The pic with the seat explained it all! The thing that really gets me is the hp and torque for Tacoma is in the 4,000 rpm range! Not trying to redline just to get it. The emissions on the diesel are a pain in the ass I've heard!ifvthe huilux was here it wouldn't even be a debate

 

Start looking at 4-5 year old full size crew cabs...

 

I have and even have a trade thread. After the 3,400 miles cross country trip 500 miles to a tank is pretty appealing. I do love a 4.0L V6 though!

 

Too bad your all the way down in SoCal. I'd consider trading you my DCLB with the same mileage lol

I don't like either option you've listed, but if I had to choose one, I'd say the Tacoma for a few reasons. It's been out for 2 model years now, and many of the know issues have been addressed. The Baby DuraMax (from what I understand) is still relatively new, so there may be unforseen issues down the road. Also, like you mentioned, smog and emission controls in CA are stupid expensive for diesels. And lastly, if the price of diesel is still fluxuating like it did when I lived there, it can either be really cost efficient, or it can get really expensive really quick.

I still like @JoefromPTC answer: get an older full-size. That way you don't have to upgrade your new mid-size as your family grows and lose out on depreciation.

 

Neither. F-150.

 

Let me drop this here and do as you will.

The Colorado is a no go for me because of the one thing they have continued to screw up over the years. A friend of mine was lured over to the dark side an bought a new Colorado Diesel and loved it for almost a week ( 4 days ). Then the Stereo crapped the bed. Fine you say I can live without a stereo... not so fast. The damn truck wouldn't run without the stereo as it is tied into the security system for the truck. Towed to the dealer for repairs after all it is under the warranty right. Well the stereos have been failing so much they are on a back order it took over a month with him in a crappy loaner Dodge contractor special ( beat all to hell ) truck.

Ask yourself; How would I like being stranded in the outback because my stereo is broken?

Nope, Do not want, diesel or not.

 

I'm voting for the Colorado to help reduce demand for Tacomas and hopefully keep the price down.

 

There's a company IN California if I remember that does the diesel swap tacomas. You wouldn't catch me dead in a deezol four banger, or a Chevy. That's just me though.

My two cents, look into a decent double cab taco. Oh and the only thing worse than a Chevy is an f150

 

You're in a tough spot man and I feel your pain! If I'm being honest coming from FZJ80s I felt I was taking a HUGE step down going to the 2nd gen Tacoma. Nothing even close to the same build quality and IFS, hahaha, what the hell, um, can somebody say birfields! All the same, here I sit in the most expensive used tiny truck you can buy, no solid front axle, no front and rear lockers, no inline 6 (a real motor), no bulletproof fit and finish. I'm older though so for the little crap I do driving what I would call a wimp truck is fine. There's a point to my babble, I paid $5,000 for my 2006 Tacoma and had it not been at that price I would have sought out something else. There's no way I would pay what these things command on the used market and I'm ambivalent about them new to the point that I'd shop around.

I've owned:

2004 Excursion diesel
1997 F250 diesel
1999 F350 diesel
2005 Dodge 3500 diesel

Damn that Excursion with the 7.3 was AMAZING!! But I wouldn't let the MPG fool you too much, I won't ever buy another diesel, rather mess with a gasser honestly. Overall I don't find the cost saving larg enough to make it worth the other issues. My motorhome has the 460 in it and I'm plenty enough happy with that. Gas motors aren't perfect but they're fine for most needs and would fit you well. Also, if you break down in a rural area I'll take a gasser any day.

I would personally look at the F150, they're great trucks from what I understand. My other truck is a 1991 F250 with the inline 300 and it's a monster for torque, the truck has solid as hell. Chevy, I used to love and stuck with them because "I knew how to fix everything", then it dawned on me why I knew how to fix everything and I switched to Ford.

Anyway, I'm rambling, you're in a tough spot, I sympathize. Would a Sequoia work for you? That's what I was in the market for instead of the Tacoma, I think in the used market it's one of the best values you can buy, very under rated Toyota.

 

I think you need to go in a completely different direction.

You do know that you are now a father and the safety of the family comes first? You mention lifting whatever you buy.
Does this make sense when you want the vehicle to be the safest for your child and wife?

We all like the look of a lifted truck, but we can all pretty much agree that it does very little in the trucks' ability off road. In stock form, the Tacoma rocks!

It may pain you to admit that you are not as young as you used to be, but growing up is not a bad thing.

The Sequoia suggestion above is very good. These are very under estimated vehicles. I own a full sized, 2nd gen Tundra. The Sequoia is the same thing in an SUV. The MPG difference between the Tacoma and Tundra is not a deal killer.

I apologize for expressing my opinion, but I felt compelled to respond how I viewed your post.

 

If you're going Diesel get a Dodge, Cummins is King in the diesel industry

 

The 2.8 Duramax Has been around a few years over seas and is a good reliable Engine I have driven both for work
the Colorado and the hlux 4D4 but the big diff is all our work trucks don't have the same smog as our trucks in the USA
I was in your same boat 5 week ago and went with the Tacoma I do love me some Toyota 1986 4Runner (10 years )then had a Kid so i bought The UTTE 2014 FJ was a Grate truck and I think a better Engine and trans combo but was a pain in the ass with the Kiddo Im a sure you have done a few search's I did and found a bunch of problems with the 2.8 turbos going out drive line Vibration and a few other trans problem plus the Tacoma is cheaper and don't forget the higher cost to maintain a Diesel so thats what shade me to get the Tacoma and I like the look if it better just my .2
PS I haven't Towed anything yet but have done 3 800mile (24/25 MPG on all of them) and I don't think the 3.5 would pull as god as my FJ with the 4.0

 

Sorry man but how the f*ck did you spend $2,000 in gasoline on that trip? Round trip from San Diego to Yellowstone is 2200 miles, lets say you got 17mpg on the highway and gas was $3 per gallon. That amounts to $388 dollars for gas. What the hell are you doing dude?

Also screw the Chevy, get yourself a double cab tacoma. Buying that Colorado is like throwing money out a window. Shit quality, shit resale, and you won't save a dime. Sorry to be blunt be I'm being honest. If you're going to do domestic diesel, go with the new Ram v6 ecodiesel and get a full size truck for the kid.

 

@Krs1760
I concur, my 17 Lariat is giant on interior room and well worth the price you pay. The 18's new look isn't my taste but hey maybe someone will like it. TBH, even though I have the 3.5 eco, I am jealous I don't have the v8 sound. Both are great, its just the 3.5 holds the torque for days. The B&O sound system trumps the SONY system ten fold for the new 18 model year.

 

I have an entirely different suggestion. I'm assuming you have access to another vehicle, right? Why not KEEP the Tacoma and skip putting a car seat in it altogether? I mean it'll be a couple years of inconvenience but kids tend to outgrow car seats. And while your child is in the car seat height/weight range, are you really going to go camping that often? It might not be ideal, but it'll only be temporary until you can seat your kiddo more vertically in a car seat.

If you're set on a double cab, I vote Tacoma over Colorado all day. I'm sure you could find a nice '14 or '15 on the cheap or even a Dodge Ecodiesel. Just my $.02.

 

No way I'd ever get a Colorado. Everyone I know who has ever had a Chevy has had nothing but problems. And frequently they are the most bizarre problems, like the post above talking about the stereo.

I wouldn't get an F150 either. My parents' last two F150s have been junk, though I will say, they use those trucks harder than the average owner.

 

2015 Tacoma Double Cab is your answer...enjoy

 

Probably could find super low milaege one that's Certified too so it comes with a 7 year/100k mile powertrain warranty. That would end up being about the same powertrain coverage as a new 2017, if not a little more.