Chevy Colorado /Gmc Canyon owners... Need your thoughts

[LowBuckX]

I dont want the gas bill of a daily driver full size truck so I have my sights on a Colorado or Canyon extended cab. The 4 door would be nice if the bed wasnt so short. I need a truck for household hauling like furniture, 2x4s, mulch, and drywall or plywood every once and a while no heavy hauling.
I want the IL5 and a automatic trans<(so wife can drive it) Im hopeing the IL5 has a life span like an IL6 because the only trucks I can find in my price range are 95K plus miles. There is one with 175K mile near me ($9500) Even with this high milage they are rangeing from $8900- $14000 $7500 if I opt for a IL4 but I dont want less than the 5cylinder....

Well please give me your thoughts on this truck

[kochevy67]

My neighbor and fellow 2nd Gen Camaro owner bought a new one and he loves it. I know you aren't looking to spend that but he paid $26000 out the door. It is 4WD ext. cab with the Z71 pkg.

[DartorDemon]

I dont want the gas bill of a daily driver full size truck so I have my sights on a Colorado or Canyon extended cab. The 4 door would be nice if the bed wasnt so short. I need a truck for household hauling like furniture, 2x4s, mulch, and drywall or plywood every once and a while no heavy hauling.
I want the IL5 and a automatic trans<(so wife can drive it) Im hopeing the IL5 has a life span like an IL6 because the only trucks I can find in my price range are 95K plus miles. There is one with 175K mile near me ($9500) Even with this high milage they are rangeing from $8900- $14000 $7500 if I opt for a IL4 but I dont want less than the 5cylinder....

Well please give me your thoughts on this truck

I've had one 6 years. I was one of the brave souls that bought the first year model.

First off, i hope you don't expect to haul around adults with an extended cab. Extended cabs are just not comfortable to haul other people, and that pretty much goes for all midsize/compact trucks.

What you should be aware of is an issue with the 04-06' 3.5 trucks. There is a percentage of them have a head seating issue and had to have their heads replaced. Luckily mine never had this problem.

People have gone as high as 200k+ on the 3.5s, but i would look for a truck with under 100k to be safe.

I haul an ATV on a regular base even with that stance. and it does it fairly comfortably.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/10/DSCN0176-1.jpg

[Tony_SS]

I dont want the gas bill of a daily driver full size truck so I have my sights on a Colorado or Canyon extended cab. The 4 door would be nice if the bed wasnt so short. I need a truck for household hauling like furniture, 2x4s, mulch, and drywall or plywood every once and a while no heavy hauling.
I want the IL5 and a automatic trans<(so wife can drive it) Im hopeing the IL5 has a life span like an IL6 because the only trucks I can find in my price range are 95K plus miles. There is one with 175K mile near me ($9500) Even with this high milage they are rangeing from $8900- $14000 $7500 if I opt for a IL4 but I dont want less than the 5cylinder....

Well please give me your thoughts on this truck

Whats the priority? Mileage or hauling? Double check actual gas mileage on those trucks.. I don't know if an extra 3-5 mpg is worth a mini truck. Plus, that is a LOT of coin for that mileage. I don't see the value really.

[bmjwright]

I'd get a fullsize, the 3.5l Colorado only gets 2mpg better than a 5.3l Silverado.

[Josue]

I've had one 6 years. I was one of the brave souls that bought the first year model.

First off, i hope you don't expect to haul around adults with an extended cab. Extended cabs are just not comfortable to haul other people, and that pretty much goes for all midsize/compact trucks.

What you should be aware of is an issue with the 04-06' 3.5 trucks. There is a percentage of them have a head seating issue and had to have their heads replaced. Luckily mine never had this problem.

People have gone as high as 200k+ on the 3.5s, but i would look for a truck with under 100k to be safe.

I haul an ATV on a regular base even with that stance. and it does it fairly comfortably.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/10/DSCN0176-1.jpg


HOLY!!! ZQ8DUDE....is that you!?

[Josue]

I dont want the gas bill of a daily driver full size truck so I have my sights on a Colorado or Canyon extended cab. The 4 door would be nice if the bed wasnt so short. I need a truck for household hauling like furniture, 2x4s, mulch, and drywall or plywood every once and a while no heavy hauling.
I want the IL5 and a automatic trans<(so wife can drive it) Im hopeing the IL5 has a life span like an IL6 because the only trucks I can find in my price range are 95K plus miles. There is one with 175K mile near me ($9500) Even with this high milage they are rangeing from $8900- $14000 $7500 if I opt for a IL4 but I dont want less than the 5cylinder....

Well please give me your thoughts on this truck

I've also had mine since they 1st came out. April '04 is when I got it...and I'm at 126K now on the I-5/auto. I can PROUDLY say that I've never had ONE MAJOR ISSUE with this truck. Sure, there are little quirks here and there....like every now and then I have to wiggle my driver side window switch to get the window working again, or there for a while, my cluster lights wouldn't come on, but that hasn't happened for a few years....stuff like that. But as far as big stuff, truck's been a CHAMP. I'm even on the original brakes! I literally haven't touched them in the 6+yrs I've had this thing. Same thing with the battery, I finally replaced it at 110K, but only because I got a free Optima Red Top. lol

I realize I might just have a factory freak, but as a whole, I think 355's (body/frame code for these trucks) are good trucks. More than enough room for the average person, and even bigger people can fit comfortably. My truck has a tune, intake, 1st cat delete, and magnaflow muffler, and I get 24hwy/19city, which isn't too bad. I can go almost 2 weeks before filling up if I'm just going back and forth to work, and running some errands here and there.

As far as hauling goes, I've put this truck through some stuff, and it's taken every bit of it! I used to haul my old quad in it all the time, then I got a 6X12 enclosed trailer to haul it in and camp in. Truck pulled it fine, just used a weight distribution hitch for the sagging. And I've had all kinds of misc. stuff back there too, car parts, moved 6 times in the past 4 years, couple trips to FL and back with a full bed...all kinds of stuff. Oh, and lots of this was during the 2-3 years when I had a 4/4 drop on it and c-notched the frame! CHAMP!!!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/10/104_3565-1.jpg

Then I got bored. lol I wanted a 4X4, but couldn't justify getting rid of a perfectly good, paid off truck just yet, so I just lifted it and put 32's on it last winter.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/10/104_4066-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/10/104_4074-1.jpg

Now it's back to stock. Didn't like jumping up into a truck...LOL

[DartorDemon]

HOLY!!! ZQ8DUDE....is that you!?

Hi. I've been here since i picked up a plymouth duster for a project car.

[Josue]

I checked out your threads, looks like a nice car! I'm not building a PT car, yet, but I'm restoring a '69 Firebird convertible for my dad on here. Also gathering info for my future build, their '68 Firebird that I'm getting after the 'vert is done.

[vintageracer]

Colorado's are VERY expensive when compared to a full size truck when you look at what you get. The mileage difference (less than 2-4 MPG) and the premium you will pay for a Colorado make a full size 4.8 or 5.3 full size truck look very good.

[Kenova]

the premium you will pay for a Colorado make a full size 4.8 or 5.3 full size truck look very good.
Precisely why I bought a new Silverado in '04. It's my daily driver and light hauler, so the 4.8 automatic is just fine. In fact, better than any previous 350 that I've owned.

Ken

[Josue]

Something else to consider, while a Colorado might not be THAT much of an advantage in MPG or price, the size difference should also be taken into consideration.

While I would like to have the advantages of a full size, they're just too big for me. I'm 5'10, 175. I'm a body man, so I've worked on my fair share of full sizes, and I could probably get used to driving something that big over time, but it's still excessive. Hell, an ext. cab silverado wouldn't even fit in my garage! Let alone manuvering that thing around, bigger turning radius, cramming into parking spots, etc.

Just because you find out you could afford a full size and it may get comperable mpg or a tiny bit worse, doesn't make it the best option for what you might need.

[MarkM66]

Colorado's are VERY expensive when compared to a full size truck when you look at what you get. The mileage difference (less than 2-4 MPG) and the premium you will pay for a Colorado make a full size 4.8 or 5.3 full size truck look very good.

Not to mention resale. Full size all the way.

Get a cheap small car for daily commute. JMO.

[gtotto]

I had a Colorado for a few years and it was a decent truck for what it was. I had to get rid of and ending up replacing it with a Tahoe. The shortbed was a little annoying at times and the mileage wasn't all that great considering it was a 5 cyl in a mid size truck. But all in all it served it's purpose.

[LowBuckX]

Im now looking at Silverados. I cant have 3 vehicles so it will have to be a daily driver.

[Code Red]

I love my 04 Crewcab

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_1027-1.jpg