Advice Needed:: To keep the Taco or not. Terrible economy.

[Goober]

As far as def fluid, I've got 4k miles on the ZR2 and haven't added any yet. Came full from the dealer.

 

[dman93]

I briefly drove a new 4wd diesel Colorado and liked it. A lot. But the math doesn’t lie ... buying a new vehicle is not great economics. Yes, the diesel option may be a good value with 100k mile (or whatever) payback vs the gas Colorado, but you’ll never recover it vs the Taco you own now. And it’s not just purchase cost and fuel/DEF/maintenance .... insurance and registration, not to mention sales tax on a new truck, all add up. I have 2016 TRD OR and have averaged just over 20 mpg for 45k miles. Recently upsized to 265/75 load range E tires and have noticed a fuel hit. But, gas price variance from town-to-town or just riding my bike to the store a few times a week make a bigger difference. Honestly, the best two reasons to invest in a new vehicle for fuel economy, are tank range in remote areas, and/or to reduce your personal consumption of a non-renewable resource. Economics rarely favor the change.

 

[ExplorerTom]

If I were to be out the door with less than $10k financed, I could and would have the truck paid for in right around a year, bringing me back to just maintenance and fuel.

So money doesn't seem to be a problem if you're willing to spend $850/month on the car payment to get rid of the loan in a year- plus gas, insurance and registration--> you're talking at least $1k month.

As for economy requirement/expectations: I don’t really have an exact number in mind, just know it hurts my brain to see less than 275 miles on my trip odo every time I fill my tank.

I’ve never really sat down and come up with a “reasonable” number for economy requirements, but the 25-30mpg out of the 2.8 duramax certainly had me starcrossed.

Perhaps this hobby of driving long distances with a bunch of crap on your vehicle isn't for you if this is going to bother you. I'm not saying that to be mean. Perhaps sports cars is more your thing. My Expedition will typically go 330-370 miles on a tank. But I also typically pump 26-27 gallons.

But in the end: it's your money. It's your life. If you want the latest and greatest shiny thing, go buy it. If you think that will make you happy, then go do it. Life is really too short to worry about not being happy. You've clearly got the money to make it happen.

 

[ExplorerTom]

There ya go.

$700/year difference operating cost OR about $60/month more out of your pocket TO OPERATE the old Tacoma versus a new Chevrolet Colorado diesel.

And only 13-14 years of operating the new Colorado to break even on the $10,000 it took to get into the cheaper to operate Colorado.

 

[Timcampsallover]

Lots of good info in this thread! Nice spreadsheet even. Common opinion seems to support keeping your Tacoma. I’ll share my opinion based on owning a 2015 Acess Cab TRD Off Road V6 4X4 with almost 50k miles, 42K of which are mine. My truck is set up with a full Icon suspension Expedition rear springs and 700# coils up front, steel bumpers and winch, 33” tires, topper. it’s heavy and I get similar mpg as you. Maybe less overall as I tow stuff pretty frequently. This is my first Tacoma and I love the truck and plan to continue to drive it daily and use it for months long camping and overlanding/trails and off road travel. I’m still spending money and time making more mods which will facilitate my planned use, including skids, exhaust and performance mods, wheels, slightly bigger tires, stronger axles and probably a slight Re-gear. So another 10k over the 12 or so I’ve spent in addition to the purchase price of $27k and change.

The ZR2 didn’t exist in 2016 when I bought my Tacoma. There wasn’t a diesel option for the ZR1’s until late 2017 either I believe. In the most recent edition of Tread magazine there’s a great write up on a super nice well built ZR2 that blew out the rear end and.....still can’t be repaired......because there’s no available rear ends or replacement parts or aftermarket....yet. All my trucks, well all but two of the 15 trucks I’ve had since I was 15 have been Chevy’s. I really love Chevrolet and GM. I probably would have bought a ZR2 if it had been available in 2016. But it wasn’t. I’d almost consider buying a ZR2 now ...if I can’t find a way to make the Tacoma seat more comfortable. And there’s the major mpg difference that has no reasonable solution...ever.

But If I can wait.... they will fix the parts availability issues, create a way to get more wheel travel with the DSSV factory shocks and get bolt on 3” lift options so we can stuff 35” tires under there without much cutting, and get some inexpensive hp and tourque increases out of the Diesel engine.

So my suggestion would be to wait, save some money up, and ask yourself if the “slightly better” things about the ZR2 are worth the money now? The other thing id do is encourage you to be totally honest with yourself about making improvements to the Chevy. Are you really ok with the ZR2 completely stock for the next two to three years? Are you really not going to spend money on making it more to your liking? Maybe the 10K difference is just the beginning?..... and also if you’re going to do some real off road driving with a new ZR2.... don’t mess up your rear end! .

I’m really good at justifying decisions which often are expensive but I’ll bet the Titan Tank guys spent over 20K in addition to the purchase price on their ZR2 and i think it’s now got welded solid rear axles and may be running in transmission limp mode from display sales area to display area... for now.

Anyway, long winded thoughts but maybe a different perspective that what’s been shared by others so far. Congratulations on the new job and thanks for your service. Best of luck with the truck decisions!

 

[McFly2003]

So money doesn't seem to be a problem if you're willing to spend $850/month on the car payment to get rid of the loan in a year- plus gas, insurance and registration--> you're talking at least $1k month.



Perhaps this hobby of driving long distances with a bunch of crap on your vehicle isn't for you if this is going to bother you. I'm not saying that to be mean. Perhaps sports cars is more your thing. My Expedition will typically go 330-370 miles on a tank. But I also typically pump 26-27 gallons.

But in the end: it's your money. It's your life. If you want the latest and greatest shiny thing, go buy it. If you think that will make you happy, then go do it. Life is really too short to worry about not being happy. You've clearly got the money to make it happen.

$1k a month is an expense I could justify for that sort of time frame for the purpose of doing away with the loan. Any longer than that sort of 1 year sweet spot and I would have to draw back on the amount I'd be spending.

Funny you mention it, sports cars are also my thing. I have no trouble funding my trucks thirst for fuel. It's not that I can't afford it, and I am well aware that it's the cost to do what I enjoy doing. I am simply humoring the idea of a vehicle that would do what I enjoy doing in a possibly more efficient manor. I am 100% positive that most people in here would explore options to make their rigs more efficient if they were made available.

 

[JCMatthews]

Read this. http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2017/07/2017-chevrolet-colorado-zr2-vs-2017-toyota-tacoma-trd-pro.html If you want the Colorado get it and enjoy.