Hello guys. I’m turning to you guys for opinions and all is welcome. I’m considering an used Chevy Colorado which is a mid-size truck. This one is a '04 with the 3.5 5 cyl motor and auto trans. I’m looking for a truck and I found this to be comfortable and just the right size for me (I’m 6’4" tall).
Just wanted to know if you know any specific issues with this truck or engine. I’m a daily reader of your forums and I really count on your opinions. Thanks!!
Rusty
Through a previous owner, reviews and CR , I have heard nothing positive about the 5cylinder motor. Performance of a four, economy of a six…the worse of both worlds. It ranks near the bottom in reliability.
A friend who is 6’11" found the Dodge Dakota the best suited for room in a midsize pick up. The other option would be a full size Ford F150, Chevy or GMC with a 6 cylinder. In my experience with Tacomas, they are not consistently comfortable for larger people. I had few problems, but never found them as good as friend’s Dakota.
Well to be honest,folks around here have told me the opposite of Dagosa’s experience-not being a Chevy man,I always sort of liked the Colorado concept.The 5 cyl is based on the Atlas 6cyl engine with a timing chain. But as an owner of a 06 Dakota 6 cyl,I can only say I really like it(4dr, 4wd,Lsd-ST)-but if you get one opt for the V-8,very little difference in fuel mileage-Kevin
My only experience with a Colorado came from a terst drive of a V8 model. It had some of the worst braking feel since I had driven a Chevelle with 4 drum brakes. Pushing the brake pedal was more of a suggestion than a need for it to stop.
I don’t know anything about the realiability of that truck, but when the Colorado first came out, I drove a few of them for Carguest Auto Parts. They all had the 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine and it has lots of power, runs very well.
You are looking at an 8 year old truck. I don’t think Consumer Reports reliability rating is as meaningful as how well the truck has been maintained. Also, how are you going to use the truck? Is this going to be used for a daily commute over the highways or as a second or third vehicle? How many miles do you anticipate driving this truck each year?
Comfort is important and if the Colorado fits your build better than competing trucks, if a mechanic believes that the truck is o.k. (no bent frame, rust, etc) it might just be o.k.
Thanks everyone for all their opinions. I will keep that in mind.
I have two friends who’ve had either a Colorado or a Canyon (GMC equivalent).
The Colorado friend traded his in after multiple blower motor failures. Apparently it’s a real pain to fix, and he wasn’t happy with the truck overall. Got a Honda Element, and he’s much happier.
The friend with the Canyon bought it new off the lot (probably 2006 or so). Transmission went out on it in less than a year. He traded it for a full size GMC truck, and apparently it got about the same gas mileage as the Canyon.
Good luck.
I’ve never heard anyone who owned one have anything nice to say about it. Even with the 5 cylinder they are underpowered, and the with 2.8L four cylinder things actually a little worse. The fuel economy is just about identical with either engine.
I have heard the 5 cyl is not a good engine, the suspension was like a buckboard and the flintstone mobile had better brakes. But save your pennies and be patient. Rumors abound about the future of this vehicle. What I heard was a redesign in a couple of years with much improved engine, suspension and looks.
I’d agree that there are better vehicles than the Colorado. I remember the review of it, and no one had anything nice to say about the 5 cylinder engine. I’d go with a Dakota, Ranger, or even an older S-10, pretty much in that order. (if you’re sticking with the big 3)
If you want a somewhat unique vehicle, the Colorado might be a good choice for that reason, but since they never sold well, you might have more trouble finding parts for it than another model.
I agree Oblivion. If we were comparing the Colorado to a Ranger, or older vehicle, it would fair better. But, modern motors are designed better and just loping a cylinder off an existing straight six may not be the best approach. Having said that, almost anything is worth buying if it’s cheap enough. So, you could argue that a Colorado is better then a Dakota, Fronteir or Tacoma…for thousands less.
Rusty didn’t say that price is a prime consideration. If he stops back, maybe he can clear that up. I’m always ready to factor price into any car buying decision I make. I’ve done that for my personal vehicles for at least 20 years.