rkj__'s Test Drive - '14 Sierra and '10 Tacoma

[rkj__]

It might be easier than you think.

Rear seat room in a Double Cab Tacoma: Head 38.5", Leg 32.6"
Rear seat room in a Double Cab GM 1/2: Head 38.7", Leg 34.6"

My point is that the "Double Cabs" are pretty close..... even though it's the bigger Taco and the smaller 1/2 ton.

I think that approach falls apart when you throw the Colorado / Canyon "crew cab" into the mix.

Oh, and what Toyota calls an "access cab" on the Tacoma is an "extended cab" on the Colorado / Canyon.

 

[Clutch]

It's amazing what people will tolerate for a free ride!

LOL! Oh I crammed a couple people back there...heck even myself has ridden back there...not fun!

PS, all this cab terminology is confusing.

Hell yes it is! And they keep on changing the terminology. Just call it extra cab, and crew cab...leave it at that.

 

[4x4x4doors]

But you gotta give the Sierra points for a cool commercial. [video]http://www.ispot.tv/share/7ba5[/video]

 

[rkj__]

But you gotta give the Sierra points for a cool commercial. [video]http://www.ispot.tv/share/7ba5[/video]

Of course they used rolled formed steel. What else would they use? A composite material I suppose. Does any other full size truck use anything other than steel?

What is their next commercial going to be? Look at this awesome fighter jet. It has rubber tires. Our engineers demanded we use rubber tires on the new Sierra.

 

[4x4x4doors]

I think the comparison may be to some composite beds.

 

[rkj__]

I think the comparison may be to some composite beds.

This prompted me to do a little research. It looks like GM offered a composite Pro-Tec box sometime around 2001. It was 50LB lighter, rust proof, and much more resistant to impact dents. Seems like a great idea right?

But, it died pretty quickly. Why? I suspect they did not advertise it well, because I have honestly never heard of the Pro-Tec bed before today. The other problem was that it was an $850 option.

GM lost huge on that investment.

 

[rkj__]

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the Sierra "All Terrain" and Silverado Z71 do not include all terrain tires. Not unless you call the Goodyear Wrangler SR-A an all terrain tire.

 

[Larry]

This prompted me to do a little research. It looks like GM offered a composite Pro-Tec box sometime around 2001. It was 50LB lighter, rust proof, and much more resistant to impact dents. Seems like a great idea right?

But, it died pretty quickly. Why? I suspect they did not advertise it well, because I have honestly never heard of the Pro-Tec bed before today. The other problem was that it was an $850 option.

GM lost huge on that investment.

A guy down the road from me has a 2002 Silverado with the ProTec bed and it looks horrible. It looks worse than Tijuana auto body quarter panel repair with a gallon of bondo caked in it. Aside from my neighbors, none of the other 3 ProTec beds I've seen lately have aged well either as the bedsides look like warped vinyl records. Those beds may have done well back East or the Pacific Northwest where they never get any direct sunlight but around here, they look horrible. I could only imagine how those look after living in hot and sunny places like Arizona or Nevada for 10 plus years. On the other hand, the RRIM (Reinforced Reaction Injection Molded) polyurea polymer bedside panels GM used on GMT400 and GMT800 Sportsides was great stuff. Too bad they didn't use more of it for fenders and fleetside bed slabs. The ProTec bed was a joke.

 

[rkj__]

A guy down the road from me has a 2002 Silverado with the ProTec bed and it looks horrible. It looks worse than Tijuana auto body quarter panel repair with a gallon of bondo caked in it. Aside from my neighbors, none of the other 3 ProTec beds I’ve seen lately have aged well either as the bedsides look like warped vinyl records. Those beds may have done well back East or the Pacific Northwest where they never get any direct sunlight but around here, they look horrible. I could only imagine how those look after living in hot and sunny places like Arizona or Nevada for 10 plus years. On the other hand, the RRIM (Reinforced Reaction Injection Molded) polyurea polymer bedside panels GM used on GMT400 and GMT800 Sportsides was great stuff. Too bad they didn’t use more of it for fenders and fleetside bed slabs. The ProTec bed was a joke.

Interesting! Thanks for sharing your observations.

 

[bob91yj]

How accurate is the fuel economy when calculated by the computer? Last time I checked the numbers were often quite optimistic. I would like too see what it hand calculates at when you refuel.

To get the most accurate numbers from the computer, you need to reset the fuel economy when you refuel, otherwise it gives you overall fuel economy since the last reset. At least that's the case on GM products (service writer at a dealership). GM products seem to be accurate within a 10th of a MPG or two. Numbers are rarely going to match exactly. The pump that you are getting fuel from has an error tolerance, odometer has an error tolerance, etc.

 

[Buliwyf]

I reset my fuel ec guage when I'm on level ground, with cruise on, on the interstate. And I check it before I get off. I don't use it for city mileage at all because city travel really doesn't drain my wallet ever. City mileage varies wildly for me, and just screws up any real #'s I can get. I can get 3mpg in the city or 13.
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I just use it as a curiosity. It's not the most accurate guage. Even if it was, not really a darn thing I can do about it. I'm already 70/80 psi and driving Miss Daisey.

 

[Clutch]

To get the most accurate numbers from the computer, you need to reset the fuel economy when you refuel, otherwise it gives you overall fuel economy since the last reset. At least that's the case on GM products (service writer at a dealership). GM products seem to be accurate within a 10th of a MPG or two. Numbers are rarely going to match exactly. The pump that you are getting fuel from has an error tolerance, odometer has an error tolerance, etc.

Is it just me that finds it funny, people worrying about miles per gallon on a $50K truck? Shoot, the yearly AZ registration alone, would buy me 3+ months worth of fuel...

Vehicle registration fees include a $4.50, $8.00, or $9.00 registration fee (depending on the type of vehicle); an air quality fee of $1.50; an air quality compliance fee of .25 (depending on the location the vehicle is being operated in); and a vehicle license tax (VLT) assessed in place of a personal property tax charged by other states. The VLT is based on an assessed value of 60% of the manufacturer's base retail price reduced by 16.25% for each year since the vehicle was first registered in Arizona (15% before 8/1/98). Then, as of the Dec 1, 2000 reduction, the rate is calculated as $2.80 (new vehicles)/$2.89 (used vehicles) for each $100 of the assessed value.