Comparison shopping: Colorado, Gladiator, Tacoma

B

Bama67

Active member
I hear people complain about the new Ranger but I've already found them for over $10,000 off.
A pretty nicely loaded crew cab 4x4 with leather for $32,000 is a solid deal.
 
Todd780

Todd780

OverCamper
Buliwyf said:
[canadian health care?] lolz!
Click to expand...
Yes, our healthcare is pretty well covered. Yes, likely due to the fact our tax rate is like 30%. I can't comment on how it compares to other countries as I've never lived anywhere else.
Every time I've required healthcare / Surgery or anyone else I know has required the same, it's been covered and the healthcare service was good.

Good. Not great as wait times in ER's can be lengthy.

Anyway, I will stop derailing this thread, lol
 
Buckstopper

Buckstopper

Adventurer
Back to trucks...

I just read through this thread because I am in a similar search for a DD pickup. I totally get the "soul" conversation...I grew up riding around in my dad's '64 VW van and my first car was a VW Bug. I've owned lots of unique cars since including a '71 Porsche with a targa top that leaks on my knee (still have that one) and a mint '59 Edsel barn find that I got for painting a nice old lady's house when I was in college (sold it to pay tuition). I guess I tend towards cars with soul which is probably why I built my Fuso and will likely own it "until death do us part".

The soft top Jeep Gladiator is interesting but my experience with Jeeps with soft tops (I had a TJ) was that it was noisy and cold but it was fun. The top wont last 500k miles but it's replaceable at a cost. You also lose the rooftop storage unless you add an exoskeleton of some sort. Not sure that it makes any kind of sense from a value point of view but it has soul right off the lot.

I have been looking at a used 2018 Frontier Pro4x for under $25k that would be extremely practical and still able to get into the mountains when I don't want to take the Fuso. It is a very good value and arguably the most reliable rig out there but not sure it has soul, at least not right off the lot. The good news is that there seems to be lots of aftermarket support for Frontiers so for way less cost then any of the rigs discussed here it could be tricked out to fit my needs. I could buy 2 or 3 of them for the cost of any of the rigs in play. Not sure that it would make 500k miles but there are posts of examples of getting over 300k+ out of Frontiers. Why would I pony up 2 or three times the money for one of the big 3 or 4 discussed here? Soul?

The other concern that I have that is probably worthy of a whole thread of it's own is the future of diesel. I have had several in the past and love the Fuso but I'm not sure I would invest in a new diesel because I think that they will be banned at some point.
 
Todd780

Todd780

OverCamper
Buckstopper said:
The soft top Jeep Gladiator is interesting but my experience with Jeeps with soft tops (I had a TJ) was that it was noisy and cold but it was fun.
Click to expand...

I had a TJ as well. Agreed. I took the top and doors off and drove down the highway like that...once. Never felt like doing that again, lol. It was great driving that way in town though.
 
jadmt

jadmt

ignore button user
a JK premium soft top is very quiet and holds up well. I am sure the JL/JT are the same.
 
vargsmetal

vargsmetal

Active member
Buckstopper said:
Back to trucks...

I just read through this thread because I am in a similar search for a DD pickup. I totally get the "soul" conversation...I grew up riding around in my dad's '64 VW van and my first car was a VW Bug. I've owned lots of unique cars since including a '71 Porsche with a targa top that leaks on my knee (still have that one) and a mint '59 Edsel barn find that I got for painting a nice old lady's house when I was in college (sold it to pay tuition). I guess I tend towards cars with soul which is probably why I built my Fuso and will likely own it "until death do us part".

The soft top Jeep Gladiator is interesting but my experience with Jeeps with soft tops (I had a TJ) was that it was noisy and cold but it was fun. The top wont last 500k miles but it's replaceable at a cost. You also lose the rooftop storage unless you add an exoskeleton of some sort. Not sure that it makes any kind of sense from a value point of view but it has soul right off the lot.

I have been looking at a used 2018 Frontier Pro4x for under $25k that would be extremely practical and still able to get into the mountains when I don't want to take the Fuso. It is a very good value and arguably the most reliable rig out there but not sure it has soul, at least not right off the lot. The good news is that there seems to be lots of aftermarket support for Frontiers so for way less cost then any of the rigs discussed here it could be tricked out to fit my needs. I could buy 2 or 3 of them for the cost of any of the rigs in play. Not sure that it would make 500k miles but there are posts of examples of getting over 300k+ out of Frontiers. Why would I pony up 2 or three times the money for one of the big 3 or 4 discussed here? Soul?

The other concern that I have that is probably worthy of a whole thread of it's own is the future of diesel. I have had several in the past and love the Fuso but I'm not sure I would invest in a new diesel because I think that they will be banned at some point.
Click to expand...
Diesel isn't going anywhere. VW caused a major setback as far as consumer relations in cars go, but it didn't slow down the diesel truck market any. Chevy just released the 3.0L, the 2.8L is good and Ford/Dodge/Jeep all will/do have diesel options in midsize and fullsize category. Diesel will always be available as it is the only fuel source for big trucks, trains, etc... The emissions systems are more complicated but the bugs have been worked out, and you can always do a delete if you can get away with it in your state.

"Soul" is a purely subjective topic so I'll throw in my two cents. I love driving old vehicles, especially old trucks. I own four, most of them older than me. I've owned new vehicles, and none of them have that character. It's not the lack of technology, don't get me wrong. I LOVE fuel injection and electronically controlled transmissions with overdrive (which is why most of my trucks are getting those upgrades). It's the stories they could tell if they could talk. How easy they are to work on and make your own. When one breaks down I don't get mad at it, I almost apologize for neglecting whatever broke and happily fix it and upgrade if possible. I don't think any new vehicle off the lot can have a fraction of the soul any of my old trucks have, because they haven't done anything yet.

So my conclusion is buy the vehicle you can stand the looks of and that has the features you want. It will grow a soul as you use it and connect with it. I know I'd probably be happy with any of the trucks mentioned here. Money no object I'd lean towards a diesel Colorado. Can't beat the fuel economy, power, and utility of a diesel for overlanding.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Buckstopper

Buckstopper

Adventurer
Vargsmetal - I hope you are right about diesel. Oregon came very close to passing a law that would make it impossible to register and use pre-DEF medium diesel trucks (my Fuso) as well as agriculture and construction equipment. Thankfully it didn't pass. Yet. The law would not have impacted any rigs with current emission technology but it has me a bit concerned.

As to vehicle soul. As I was writing my post I kept thinking that vehicles really don't have soul...they have character. It's semantics but you are absolutely right that they grow soul or character as you use them. There is a story behind every bump, dent, scratch and modification made to my rigs and that is what gives them character. Pretty heady stuff for an old gear head like me...
 
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