2015 Chevrolet Colorado is Motor Trend's 2015 Truck of the Year

[Clutch]

Oh no doubt! All our vehicle choices are heavily impacted by GOV mandated stuff today. All the way down to where the back up camera screens are allowed to be displayed. LOL
CAFE requirements sadly were needed given the Auto makers had no reason to eat into their Big Profit worst mileage platforms by investing more development money into improving mileage.

What is interesting to watch is how consumers value the trucks with sizable improvements in mileage. The whole pump cost factor will always be something some people will try and predict or chase with their vehicle purchase choice gas hog vs more efficient option? Etc

The big drop in fuel costs and the ensuing North America Oil production fields posing a major threat to making OPEC extinct is going to be a really interesting thing to watch. Especially for all of us that grew up with OPEC and 3rd world countries manipulating our economy and fuel cost with every little rumbling of instability.

I think most people value getting the more efficient choice that fits their need possibly even more today given we all know how fast political decisions can hit the wallet at the pump.

It is nice seeing vehicles getting more efficient. You can run out and buy a brand new $20K car that gets in the the high 30's. Not bad...

Interesting about fuel prices, I have read that OPEC is setting the prices artificially low to run some of the American companies out of business. Have feeling the low gas prices are going to be short lived. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Funny thing, I used to be hawt for a small diesel, but my frugal side of me can't make the numbers work. Even with my fuzzy math!

 

[calicamper]

The numbers never work from the $ stand point at least not till your looking at $5 a gallon gas and your only pulling 15mpg averages LOL or worse! We had that huge spike a few years back, I was towing my racing sailboat from SF to LA in the Land Cruiser 12mpg and pump prices that week were $4.90!!!! God that was painful stopping for fuel on that trip! However!!! Most of my camping and long road trips we always take our Subaru for one major major reason! The damn thing will do nearly 30+mpg and we can make it work for almost all the places we want to go. What really is nice is having the range to drive right on through the remote areas with high fuel costs simply because you don't need to stop for fuel. You have enough experiences doing that you really start to like the idea of vehicles having some considerable range. The Landcruiser range was always something I did not enjoy. The Sequoia is better given if I really try we can touch 18mpg though typically we are in the 16-17mpg range which is still a sizable improvement over the old Land Cruiser at 12-13mpg!

I have a diesel in my boat and would never go back to a gas outboard in anything beyond a small skiff. We burn about 2-3 gallons of diesel a year and sail all year around. We were out watching the Blue Angles at fleet week in SF bay a few months back ended up running the diesel for 6hrs strait just kicking around watching the show then no wind for the sail home. Burned 3 gallons of diesel first time we have done that in 5yrs.

 

[Clutch]

The numbers never work from the $ stand point at least not till your looking at $5 a gallon gas and your only pulling 15mpg averages LOL or worse! We had that huge spike a few years back, I was towing my racing sailboat from SF to LA in the Land Cruiser 12mpg and pump prices that week were $4.90!!!! God that was painful stopping for fuel on that trip! However!!! Most of my camping and long road trips we always take our Subaru for one major major reason! The damn thing will do nearly 30+mpg and we can make it work for almost all the places we want to go. What really is nice is having the range to drive right on through the remote areas with high fuel costs simply because you don't need to stop for fuel. You have enough experiences doing that you really start to like the idea of vehicles having some considerable range. The Landcruiser range was always something I did not enjoy. The Sequoia is better given if I really try we can touch 18mpg though typically we are in the 16-17mpg range which is still a sizable improvement over the old Land Cruiser at 12-13mpg!

Heck, when we moved here to Idaho this August, 91 was $4.10! Diesel was roughly 10¢ cheaper.

Geez my old '76 F250 with a 390 I was lucky to get 8 mpg...and that was when gas was under a buck...and I complained back then! Ha! I keep on looking at Tundras, I don't think I can live with the dismal mpg.

If I was smart[er]...I "should" go buy a base model Suby Impreza for the basic run around vehicle, and keep the Tacoma as a camp only/hardware store runner...I can save $10-15K by doing that, and use that savings to keep the little Taco running a little bit longer.

 

[calicamper]

My uncle just sold his 2012 Tundra his big gripe was mileage. 16mpg from Northern CA to Montana his cabin is up there with his 4wheeler racked on the bed. He wanted to see 19-20mpg. He sold it after finding a 2000 Chevy 1500 Z1 with 40,000 miles on it for $5000. He's done two trips to Montana with the new truck and is getting equal to better mileage than what he got with the Tundra. That and he has most of his money back that was tied up in the Tundra. His every day rig is a beater old Buick some old lady sold him for $1500. All his real money goes into the toys - 4wheel ATV's and trips.

Just how the chips fell we have three vehicles here at the house the 2010 Subaru Outback the every day hauler the 07 Sequoia used to haul kids + local grandparents sees about 8000 miles a year, and my wifes old VW Jetta which she takes to the train station not worth selling so we just keep it.

I will say this having an efficient comfy small vehicle thats fairly simple and cheap to run and then having a big rig fun machine has major advantages!

 

[Clutch]

My uncle just sold his 2012 Tundra his big gripe was mileage. 16mpg from Northern CA to Montana his cabin is up there with his 4wheeler racked on the bed. He wanted to see 19-20mpg. He sold it after finding a 2000 Chevy 1500 Z1 with 40,000 miles on it for $5000. He's done two trips to Montana with the new truck and is getting equal to better mileage than what he got with the Tundra. That and he has most of his money back that was tied up in the Tundra. His every day rig is a beater old Buick some old lady sold him for $1500. All his real money goes into the toys - 4wheel ATV's and trips.

Just how the chips fell we have three vehicles here at the house the 2010 Subaru Outback the every day hauler the 07 Sequoia used to haul kids + local grandparents sees about 8000 miles a year, and my wifes old VW Jetta which she takes to the train station not worth selling so we just keep it.

I will say this having an efficient comfy small vehicle thats fairly simple and cheap to run and then having a big rig fun machine has major advantages!

That's a dang good deal. You probably don't want to know how much I paid for my Trooper. Ha! It is a bummer that is is only RWD...looking add another AWD or 4WD vehicle. Can't make up my mind. If I was really really smart...I would just pick up another 1st Gen Tacoma for $10K.

 

[Flagster]

Bummer no manny trans in the V6 4WD model.

yeah...my thoughts too...but honestly after almost ten years of driving my 2005 Tacoma with the auto...then getting into a manual car again...I don't know if I would want it everyday...Autos are pretty nice these days

 

[Clutch]

yeah...my thoughts too...but honestly after almost ten years of driving my 2005 Tacoma with the auto...then getting into a manual car again...I don't know if I would want it everyday...Autos are pretty nice these days

Autos are dang nice these days. Drove my buddy's VW TDI Jetta Sportwagon for couple hours with the manual select mode...it was fun for a about 20 minutes, then I found myself putting it back in auto mode. Seemed more of a novelty than driving something with a clutch peddle. Tell ya...that TDI is a sweet little engine, lotsa of getup and go. Diesel torque is nice no doubt!

I have been commuting in my Trooper with the auto trans...didn't drive the Taco for 3-4 weeks...hopped back in it the other...dang...I missed driving a stick. One of the reasons I was looking at the Subaru over other brands, one of the few AWD cars that you can get with a stick.

The wife says just buy another Tacoma, it works for 90% of the things we do...anything more or less is silly.

 

[zelatore]

I have a diesel in my boat and would never go back to a gas outboard in anything beyond a small skiff. We burn about 2-3 gallons of diesel a year and sail all year around. We were out watching the Blue Angles at fleet week in SF bay a few months back ended up running the diesel for 6hrs strait just kicking around watching the show then no wind for the sail home. Burned 3 gallons of diesel first time we have done that in 5yrs.

Yeah, but what's a set of sails going for these days?

Heck, I burned more diesel than that just through the generator for Fleet Week! And that wasn't even a big boat, just a 46 Carver. Some of my (client's) boats would burn through 3 gallons just to get out of the marina! Then again, if you want to push a 65' boat 30 knots it takes a lot of motor.

But to the topic at hand, I used to want a 1/2 ton diesel truck as well. I also thought I wanted a diesel for my small service van (NV200). But in today's market you just can't make the $$$ work. I am glad to see the return of the mid-size truck, though I personally have no use for one. My brother is starting to shop for a replacement for his aging F150 and is looking new(ish) ecoboost F150s mostly for the economy, but he doesn't need a full size truck since he doesn't haul or tow anything more than a couple dirt bikes. He and I don't by GM as a rule, but I have to admit I suggested he at least look at the GMC as an alternative to the bigger F150 he doesn't really need.

 

[calicamper]

Cruising sails? Lol virtually nothing. Racing sails? We spent about $800 a yr on the 20ft sport boat that carried more sail. The 28ft cruiser I had new uv cover added to the roller jib in 06 for $150. Had the old main reworked to loose footed in 09 $150. Dodger needed restitching just this yr $200. Cruising sail boats running costs are virtually zip. We do the bottom every 4-5 yrs and have a diver do a quickie sponge wipe and zinc every 4 months $80.

 

[libarata]

Yeah, but what's a set of sails going for these days?

Heck, I burned more diesel than that just through the generator for Fleet Week! And that wasn't even a big boat, just a 46 Carver. Some of my (client's) boats would burn through 3 gallons just to get out of the marina! Then again, if you want to push a 65' boat 30 knots it takes a lot of motor.

But to the topic at hand, I used to want a 1/2 ton diesel truck as well. I also thought I wanted a diesel for my small service van (NV200). But in today's market you just can't make the $$$ work. I am glad to see the return of the mid-size truck, though I personally have no use for one. My brother is starting to shop for a replacement for his aging F150 and is looking new(ish) ecoboost F150s mostly for the economy, but he doesn't need a full size truck since he doesn't haul or tow anything more than a couple dirt bikes. He and I don't by GM as a rule, but I have to admit I suggested he at least look at the GMC as an alternative to the bigger F150 he doesn't really need.

Yeah, I am so glad, that after Nissan and Toyota stopped making their mid-sized trucks, that Chevy had the genius idea of recreating the market.

 

[Clutch]

Yeah, I am so glad, that after Nissan and Toyota stopped making their mid-sized trucks, that Chevy had the genius idea of recreating the market.

I think he meant breathing life back into the segment.

Toyota is going to show their 2016 this January.

Link

 

[Kaisen]

Yeah, I am so glad, that after Nissan and Toyota stopped making their mid-sized trucks, that Chevy had the genius idea of recreating the market.

I didn't realize that Nissan stopped making the Frontier (they still say they do) or that Toyota stopped making the Tacoma (they still say they do). So far you're batting zero this thread. Seriously.

 

[calicamper]

Yeah, I am so glad, that after Nissan and Toyota stopped making their mid-sized trucks, that Chevy had the genius idea of recreating the market.

Reading challenged are we?

GM is only spurring badly needed updates by shining a light on how dated the Tacoma and Frontier are. All good stuff for the consumer. Maybe not posting drunk would be a good idea?

 

[texasnielsen]

Reading challenged are we?

GM is only spurring badly needed updates by shining a light on how dated the Tacoma and Frontier are. All good stuff for the consumer. Maybe not posting drunk would be a good idea?

Yep...more about government regulations, than filling a niche market.

LOL . . . Wait! First the government regulations took away the drinking and driving. Now they are going to take away the drinking and posting? is this a Cali-only thing???

Good golly, where will our on-line amusement come from in the future? :hehe:

Let's not be so divisive online. Not that I don't think he/she cannot defend themselves but I think we know what the OP was trying to say

 

[libarata]

I am glad to see the return of the mid-size truck.

That is a pretty straight forward statement. The RETURN of. Meaning that it was gone, non-existent. Nissan and Toyota were doing just fine updating their platforms without years worth of hiatus in the market segment. Hell, Nissan was even working on wedging a diesel in the Frontier. No one was clamoring over that idea until GM decided they would. Fanboyship is a funky frame of mine.