Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Chevrolet Colorado

1235721

Comments

  • tloke1tloke1 Member Posts: 185
    My wife and I decided to take a look at the new Colorado's at our local Chev dealer this weekend. She currently has an S10 and loves it, only been in the shop once in the 4 years we have owned it (oil pan seal leak).

    I must say we were not impressed. The first one we sat in had a manual trans with one of the cheapest "consoles" I have ever seen, must have been 8" square with two cupholder areas. The driver side cupholder looked like it would hardly fit a pop can and the one on the other side just slightly larger. Both were very close to the floor making for a long reach. I then noticed the "console" was completely loose, I lifted up on it and noticed it was not even attached with screws!! It had thin round plastic posts at each corner that "fit" into holes in the floor. I tried to push it back down to snap it back in place and no such luck, it kept popping back out. This I could not believe, if this is the way this truck is put together, and represenative of the quality of components used, no thanks.

    The next thing we noticed was that there was no center armrest! Some models had one, some didn't. The ones without armrests had a "bulge" in the seat area where one would be - how cheap and inconvenient. The middle "seating" area must have been about large enough to fit a very small poodle - the center seatbelt anchors were about 8" apart! WHO do they think would fit in there? Certainly not a child of any size, and to make things worse there is no foot room at all as the shifter is in the way. Why did they even bother to put a seatbelt in the center?

    We then looked at the front end - ugh!! Who came up with that design? Way too large, it looks like two bumpers out of place or something, not nearly as nice as the previous gen model.

    About those wheelwells... could not believe that there is about a foot of room above the tire, this looked just awful as we could see most of the frame area (which was all dirty). That might be great for someone that is going to add large tires, but not for the majority of us that keep the stock tires. This is one of the worst designs I have seen. Were they trying to save an extra $5 on sheetmetal or something? What's with Chevrolet and their over-sized wheelwells?

    No thanks. We like the new Dakota much better, no comparison in the design, interior quality and layout. It's safe to say that we will not be "downgrading" to the new Colorado model.
  • cdb12404cdb12404 Member Posts: 3
    Well, sorry for the slow response. I did get a call back the second week of April that the truck had arrived. It was supposed to have been shipped the middle March according to the dealer but,it was late arriving. I was very excited and could not wait to pick up my new ride. After smoking it over I noticed that the paint on one side of the truck had bubbles in it and it did not seem to match the rest of the vehicle. I refused delivery and am now looking around for another unit. I will repost when I close the deal. Later
  • cdb12404cdb12404 Member Posts: 3
    Hello,
     I was wondering what some of you current owners are getting in the "real world" as far as gas mileage? I am looking at two different options on trucks:1-3.5 I-5 crew cab z71 2wd with 3.73 or 3.42 gears.2-3.5 I-5 crew cab zq8 sport 2wd with 3.73 or 3.42 gears. I believe that the 3.42 would give a better mileage figure since it is not turning quiet as many rpm's as the 3.73 but, it may put more strain on the truck and actually loose some mileage to the 3.73. Please help me by posting your results. Thanks!
    I understand that the ratings are: 18 city / 24 highway respectively.
  • durango5o8durango5o8 Member Posts: 10
    I'll be able to let you know soon, MY "real world" mileage.

    Monday I bought a 2004 Colodado Z71 LS 1SF 2WD Crew Cab with leather seats, 6 disc changer, XM satellite radio, trailering package, and lights sensitive ISRV mirror with 3.73 rear axle ratio.

    I was really happy with the price I got on the truck and what I got for my trade-in. I also got the $1,500 in rebates. (I got a decent rate elsewhere that made it better to take the $500 Crew cab rebate on top of the $1,000 as part of the truck fest.)

    The truck rides really nice and has plenty of room inside for a small truck. I haven't noticed anything bad about build quality as of yet. Seems well put together to far.

    Enjoying my truck! Later.
  • flowerpowerflowerpower Member Posts: 14
    hi guys, as one who works for an outsourced company fro gm. i am familiar with the trailblazer and the envoy, this isnt off topic the trailblazer and envoy are assembled at the same plant using the same parts even xuv s so it would be interesting if you could compare the assembly plant originating for the colorado and the canyon. just a thought.
  • demoncleanerdemoncleaner Member Posts: 82
    I was pretty pumped to the see this truck come out. Been in market for mid-size to replace my 99 Ranger. I drove a 4x4 ext cab and also a crew cab a month later. Couple comments... I thought the design of this truck was a clean sheet of paper? Not a very exciting vehicle. Should be at least 2-3 inches wider, while yes the cabin does feel bigger, try to do the center armrest test with a passenger, your elbows are still touching. Cabin was cheap and downright boring, no sunroof option? Both vehicles were I-5 autos (I have nothing against I-5's), it was always gear hunting. Manual would fit better especially since she's a little down on torque. Why not a 6 spd? In the crew cab (heaviest of them all), no manual option. mistake. Also the Crew cab truck while no agruement stiffer, it had alot of creaks and rattles, unlike any new vehicle I've ever driven (just the crew cab i tried, ext cab was good).

    On the good side,
     I am impressed with the mileage estimates and with gas just hitting 2+ bucks today, I'm glad a manufacturer finally created a truck that is substantially better than it competitors. Truck bed was excellent at 18 in deep, like the half drop 55 degree setting on the tailgate and a crew cab bed at over 5 feet. Auto locking axle, nice.

    But overall, I'm not sure who GM was looking to impress with this truck. Considering it was a whole new design, it felt like there was nothing really great about it. It's missing the "gotta-have" feeling that a new design should... I will continue to hold on to my aging ranger, until the 05's come out. The 05' Tacoma and Frontier are looking like real winners, thats not to say a little work on the Colorado for 05' couldn't help it compete. If not, look for $5000 rebates on it next year. That's my 2 cents.
  • orwoodyorwoody Member Posts: 269
    I'm getting 20-22mpg in my daily commute (in 2WD) which is about 75% freeway. Just filled up last night and got 21mpg. I've got a Canyon Crew cab SLT 4WD with Z71 pkg. I haven't had a fill up on just freeway miles yet.
  • anhedonicanhedonic Member Posts: 8
    Both the Colorado and the Canyon are built at the Shreveport Assembly plant in Louisiana. (About 2.5 hours East of Dallas on I-20). This is the ONLY place that these vehicles are built, and yes, they come down the same line and are built by the same workers. Rumour is that the new H3 Hummer is also going to be built there-it is based on the Colorado chassis after all.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...in previous posts, but what about the I5 with a "5 speed with triple-cone synchronizers....."

    Anyone driven this manual shift? If so, I'd be interested on how the gearbox and clutch interact. Is it all just hype? Best, ez

    1982 VW diesel pickup. 285k. Waiting (and waiting and waiting.......)
  • bricknordbricknord Member Posts: 85
    I also have a VW pickup ( gas engine ). 1983 to be exact. Anyway, I have driven the Colorado Z85 2wd ext cab 4 cyl 5 speed and felt that the manual transmission was one of the bright spots in the experience. I was very surprised how good the shift feel and clutch action were. This is from someone who pretty much drives exclusively manual transmission vehicles by choice. If I could bring myself to part with my VW Pickup ( never! ), I'd be buying a Colorado Crew Cab with a stick. Go drive one, you'll like it, I think.
  • bob24bob24 Member Posts: 1
    Don't believe the gas mileage estimates on the window. I've have a Colorado Crew cab LS 4WD with Z71 pkg. I am getting 15 MPG on my daily commute and about 18-19 mpg on the highway.
  • redmanredman Member Posts: 1
    First I am, was a Ford nut for many years. This last year I decided to buy a new truck and replace a sports car and my '95 Ranger. I wanted to be fair so I really looked at, read spec sheets, eyeballed some more, test drove all brands of small mid size trucks. Being a Ford fan I went to drive the Ford first. The 2004 drove just like my '95 did. The ride was too soft and the Ford automatic wondered from gear to gear just like my other Ford's have done. Next I went to look over the Nissan. That was a problem because I was looking out of the tinted section at the top of the windshield, no thanks. Then came the Dodge. I was able to sit in it OK but that huge blubous nose and full size mileage defeated the purpose of the small truck. If I am going to get that kind of mileage I will go with a full size F-150. The Toyota was OK for looks but had really old style running gear and the seats were very bad fitting & uncomfortable. After driving the Chevy I was too surprised it really was IMO the best truck for my needs.

    Now for the towing aspect of why the Chevy Colorado is rated at 4K pounds. It has nothing to do with drive train durability or heavy duty hitches. The limit has been defined by GM engineers and the fuel delivery map for the I5 motor. The engineers have leaned out the fuel mixture for best gas mileage not heaviest hauling capabilities. In other words tow more then 4K pounds and you may burn up your motor if you have a heavy foot.

    So here is another question what would happen if say Superchip remapped GM's fuel delivery map?
  • tyronetyrone Member Posts: 4
    I read the same thing in Car and Driver when they tested a Canyon equipped like your truck-they observed 14 mpg, I believe. I guess those big balloon tires and short gearing pretty much kill any decent fuel economy.
  • ioneit2ioneit2 Member Posts: 1
    does anyone know if a snowplow on a colorado will void warranty?
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    I think GM dropped the ball on this one and will have to clean up after itself with huge rebates. Gas is over 2 bucks per gallon and people aren't changing their driving habits. Therefore I see little reason why they'd run out and drop over 20K on what will probably soon be the least powerful, lowest cacacity compact crew cab truck in the market when they could pay a comparable amount for a V8 or V6.

    The truck market is all about the macho factor, big numbers. They could just as easily put the trail blazer I-6 and gotten decent mileage and much better towing capacity and accelaration.
  • atlgaxtatlgaxt Member Posts: 501
    I agree completely. Competition will really heat up when the new Tacoma and Frontier each come out this fall with about 240 hp and 270 - 280 lb feet of torque. My understanding is that the I-6 will not fit. Big mistake. Considering Isuzu developed this vehicle, they should have at least found a home for Isuzu's great 3.5 direct injection V-6. The interior of the Colorado / Canyon is disappointing also. Typical GM rental car look. Last but not least, the pricing is bad. A loaded crew cab with 4wd will set you back over $30k, which means the typical huge incentives will have to be dragged out. Too bad because I think the overall platform is solid and the trucks look good on the outside.
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    IF that's true, what a joke. I paid 25 for my DAkota Quad Cab Sport 4x4 with v8. YOu could probably get close to 20 on the Dak if you go with a V6 and possibly stickshift. You might even be flirting with high 19s if you forego 4 wheel drive. Most decently equipped crew cab compacts are starting low to mid 20s. For this new GM truck to REALLY be a serious player, since it can't compete on any other basis, it's gotta be priced in the high teens in a nicely equipped crew cab.
  • atlgaxtatlgaxt Member Posts: 501
    Over $30k is the max sticker price. I would be shocked if any go out the door anywhere near that.
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    On my 04 Quad CAb V8 4x4 Dakota with 5speed auto, power convenience package, it was $29990.
  • trucker50trucker50 Member Posts: 108
    Road and Track says the 1-6 out of the TrailBlazer WILL fit in the Colorado and to expect it in the future along with an exteme version....they also said the towing capicity was rated deceptively low for some reason though can't remeber why....I'm looking at a Crew cab with the lowered sport suspension that looks pretty sweet already, can just imagine what the extreme version would add...maybe some 20's???? Low 30's is pretty high sticker for fully loaded Z-71 considering you can get a 2 wheel drive Silverado LT fully loaded for 33
  • orwoodyorwoody Member Posts: 269
    Hmmm... I have seen a number of comments on the GM twins being overpriced... but I seriously looked at the Tacoma and Dakota before I bought my Canyon. My Canyon is 4WD, Crew w/ SLE and Z71 really loaded. The list was 31360 (w/Del). Comparably equipped Tacoma or Dakota V6 with close options both list for over $1000 more. I got my GMC priced for about $500 over invoice("because crew cabs are hot") then I got a $1000 rebate and they paid the license and title fees. In addition this dealer took two trades for more than trade value. (essentially I lost $2000 depreciation over what I actually paid for my two trades.)
    On the other sides, the Toyota folks didn't want me to test drive until I filled out their credit app. They also said they could probably "knock $1500 off, but I was getting Toyota Quality, you know".
    I did get to drive the Dakota. It was okay, but I didn't think it handled as crisp as the GMC and it already had a buzz and a rattle. Dodge was more willing to deal(as long as they got the rebate $2k I think) but insulted me with a low ball trade on my Pontiac and didn't even want to see my other trade.
    SO, I went for the GMC and after over 6000 miles in 3.5 months I'm quite happy. I think it performs as well as the V6 units and hauled 300-800 lbs in the bed without noticing any significant performance fall off. I do admit, I would really like to see the I6 in this baby.
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    My 04 Quad CAb V8 5 speed auto 4x4 with SPort Plus package, cruise, electronic transfer case, single CD, power convenience package, tilt wheel, and 16 inch wheels and tires stickered for a hair over 30. A V6 5 speed stick with LSD, trailer tow package, alarm, rear window defrost, and skid plates would sticker around 29,600. I see an SLT plus going for 29,325 with similar options and the same powertrain. I see a 4door SLT Plus with V8/5spd auto, Infinity audio, LSD, trailer tow, heavy duty service group, alarm, rear window defrost, and steering wheel mounted audio controls stickering for 30,770 according to Edmunds.

    IT takes a fully loaded V8 Dakota Quad to be at 1000 dollars more than the price you gave for your Colorado if it includes the 5 speed auto, leather, 4 wheel abs, six way power driver's seat, Infinity stereo with 6 disk in dash changer, soft tonneau, LSD, trailer-tow, mopar bed liner, rear window defrost, 60/40 bench, heavy duty service group, 265 tires, steering wheel mounted audio, and leather wrapped wheel, all at 32,960 including destination.

    I see a SLT plus with 4 speed auto and V6, leather, 4 wheel abs, infinity system with 6 disk changer, electronic tranfer case, 6 way power driver's seat, LSD, trailer tow, rear defrost, alarm, heavy duty service group, skid plating, steering wheel mounted audio, and leather wrapped wheel for 32,095, or about 735 bucks more than the sticker you quoted for your truck.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ..to buy a Colorado. Got my diesel PU in '85. 283k now. But getting half the fuel efficiency?

    The Scotch blood holds back my purchase.........ez
  • orwoodyorwoody Member Posts: 269
    I priced out a Dakota Quad cab as close to the Canyon as I could and MSRP was over 1000 more. The dealer was not making as good a deal either, so there was no significant tug to pay More for a Dakota which wasn't as nice driving as the Canyon. Yeah, I got the 6 CD, leather, 6 way power seats(both sides, driver heated), Side Air bags, XM radio, Auto dim RVM w/temp & Compass, tow package, chrome side step bars, 60/40 rear bench, ABS,AT, PW, PDL, bed extender, leather wrap wheel...
    I actually COULD have saved money and bought a Dakota, but I wouldn't have gotten all the options. Overall when I went shopping the Canyon was more value for $ spent.
  • antoninusantoninus Member Posts: 2
    The Colorado, like any truck, will get better or worse fuel economy depending on the rear end chosen for the vehicle. The 3:42 rear will provide the best fuel economy and the 4:10 the worst. Bigger tires will result in worse fuel economy. The vehicle will not achieve maximum fuel efficiency until at least 5000 miles are driven, perhaps more in some cases.

    Fuel economy can be increased by installing a bed cover. This will impact highway driving the most. Also, the use of synthetic blended oils can aid in fuel consuption, but to a lesser degree.

    Chevrolet claims, like most other manufacturers, that the Colorado will run on regular fuel, however, it will not run most efficiently on this type of fuel. In most areas of the country (excluding high altitude regions) 89 octane fuel will produce optimum cost/fuel efficiency. Regular or 87 octane fuel causes the onboard computer to retard the timing thus reducing optimum engine performance. This is true of virtually all new engine designs from all manufacturers.

    I hope this information is helpful.
  • kwsmith2kwsmith2 Member Posts: 3
    So, I have heard from some sources that GM programmed the engine to get a lower EPA rating but that they expect that this can be 'fixed' in the aftermarket. Anyone else heard about this.

    Also, the word is that the "Sport" Compact Truck crowd loves the Colorado and it was made as much for them as for off-roaders and day-workers. Anyone else heard anything about this?
  • orwoodyorwoody Member Posts: 269
    I doubt GM programmed for a lower EPA rating, that'd be counter productive to trying to appease the EPA/CAFE goals. I can say that my 2004 Canyon 4WD Crew cab w/ I-% engine get the mileage or better mileage than the Sonoma Ext Cab 2WD w/I-4 i used to have under the same driving conditions. I have been consistently getting 20-21 mpg in mixed driving 2WD. (~75% hwy)
  • kwsmith2kwsmith2 Member Posts: 3
    Sorry, I meant higher rating. The explanation I heard was that they were getting squeezed in company wide limits? I don't know how the EPA regulations work but the person seemed to believe that a better rating for the Colorado meant GM could sell more trucks and SUVs made from the Silverado chassis.
  • durango5o8durango5o8 Member Posts: 10
    Has anyone out there changed their own Colorado/Canyon oil? I was looking at my owner's manual the other day and it mentioned about using only oil that meets some GM spec. I don't have the numbers in front of me now.

    Anyone know how you would know if a certain oil would meet that? Are you ignoring that? Or having service done at the dealer?

    Thanks!

    Paul
  • durango5o8durango5o8 Member Posts: 10
    Has anybody heard an occasional harmonic sound while driving with the A/C on? My hunch is that something is expanding (heat shield?) while the truck is on and it is constrained too much to expand like it should until it finally builds up enough energy to overcome friction. It is just occasional and doesn't seem to be tied to any other event while driving. I haven't noticed it, as loud anyway, while driving with the A/C off. There are a lot of sounds coming from the truck in the garage as it cools down. Pops and another sound as if a spring was sprung in to a piece of metal sheet.

    I'm sure that sounds whacky, but anybody have any ideas? Or had similar experience?

    Thanks!
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    system can make a lot of noises in the cool down,some more than others.
  • bigred54bigred54 Member Posts: 6
    I have the same sound in my new ext. cab Colorado. Ringing metallic sound as if you ran a finger on a rim of a wet glass. It comes and goes for no reason. I'm not sure if it relates to AC. I guess I'll have to put it in for a service.
  • durango5o8durango5o8 Member Posts: 10
    bigred54,

    That is a pretty good description of the sound. I haven't had my truck in to have it checked out yet. I only have about 1200 miles on my truck in two months. Once I find a convenient time...
    The only other problem I have had is the temperature display in the rear view mirror. It doesn't seem very accurate at all. Sometimes showing 15 or 20 degrees off of the actual temp outside.

    Keep us posted if you take your truck in.

    Thanks!
  • paulpropaulpro Member Posts: 56
    Can anyone help me with the cosmetic differences between the Canyon and the Colorado. I see Chevy has the Sport version. The platform is the same but what other differences exist?

    I currently drive an Envoy and there are a lot of differences to the Trailblazer. Is this true on the mini-trucks also?

    Thanks

    Paul P
  • homerkchomerkc Member Posts: 113
    I've seen some references to mileage, but no figures. I like the size of the truck, but it's not that much cheaper than buying a Silverado today (with current rebates), AND it seems that the gas mileage isn't much better. I can't help but think that the Silverado is the better buy - it should hold resale better! What is the reason to buy the Colorado, if a V-8 truck is within reach?
  • orwoodyorwoody Member Posts: 269
    I've got a 4WD Canyon Crew cab w/ I-5:
    I just returned from a trip to Montana. Overall I put almost 1600 miles on the Canyon and consumed almost 75 gallons of regular. Average mpg equaled 21.4 mpg.
    Best mileage was Troutdale, OR to Post Falls, ID where I got 23.8 mpg (65 – 75 mph with some cross winds.)
    Worst mileage was 18 mpg in mixed driving. (City, hauling stuff, a little 4WD, a little hwy.)
    I ran 70-75 mph most of the time. (WA = 70 mph, ID & MT = 75 mph)
    Hwy mileage seemed most affected by head winds and having to run the AC.

    I had a Sierra with the 4.8l V-8. I don't recall ever getting better than 20 mpg hwy with it. Size wise the Canyon isn't as big, but with the crew cab we have plenty of room.
  • wannabe_wantedwannabe_wanted Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone noticed the engine sound from the I-5 it sounds like a hive of bees rather than a nice throaty sound? It must be the Japanese engineers, they can't get their motorcycles to sound right either.
  • wannabe_wantedwannabe_wanted Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone out there owned an S10 - ZR2 and now owns a Z71 off/road Colorado? If so how would you compare them? I have a 2002 ZR2 and have to make a change in June 2005 as the lease is up. Any advice would be appreciated.
    Thanks
  • laboylaboy Member Posts: 1
    I don't have a 4wd Colorado, but I would give positive encouragement to anyone who is considering a Colorado. I have 7500 miles on mine, and am still very happy. Mine is an extended cab, which is good for me since I am LA commuter and don't have day workers riding in the car. I pass anyone at any time on the freeways. A full size truck in LA is a OK is you are a construction worker, otherwise, a full-size is a messy waste of metal. I think Chevy knew what we needed and created the fine truck for the realist.
  • ocmike3ocmike3 Member Posts: 232
    I had a 2WD S10/Sonoma ext cab and then got the 4WD Canyon Crew cab with Z71. I have also owned two full sized Chev/GMC pick ups. I can't do a direct comparison but the Canyon drives, rides and handles a quantum leap better than my Sonoma. It is also much more comfortable to drive.
    I suggest a test drive and you'll be able to really tell the differences.
  • menglertmenglert Member Posts: 1
    I have the same issue with the Harmonic Sound, Only when the Fan is on for Heat or AC. I also have a humming sound, that I only here when accelerating slowly up a hill, I does sound like a bee hive. I have gone to the Dealer and their statement is they do not have a fix for it and want me to wait at least 3 months until GM get a fix “Recall” for these Issues. It has only been a month so far, I can not wait to see what they do about the issues. On a different note, this is the first time I bought a 1st year truck, is great so far. I really enjoy it. Hope for a resolution soon and nothing bad happens in the mean time. Please let me know if yours gets resolved and I will do the same.
  • antoninusantoninus Member Posts: 2
    I've had my Colorado now for awhile and have approximately 2500 miles on it. In the past I have owned an S-10 ZR2, 1500 Z71 4x4, and an Avalanche Z71 4x4. My Colorado is a Z71 (NOT 4x4), Crew Cab with the 3.42 rear end. I ordered this truck with the 3.42 to get the best possible fuel economy. (I don't do any trailering.) It is a 1SE package with leather bucket seats, auto-dimming rear view mirror (with map lights, temp gauge and compass), 6 disk CD changer and XM radio. I also ordered the snap-in contoured floor mats, sliding rear window, tonneau cover, and bed extender.

    As far as fuel economy goes I get about 1 mile more per gallon than the factory specs on the highway. I suspect this is due to the 3.42 rear end and the tonneau cover. This is what I was hoping for. :-) I've tried regular, mid-grade and premium fuels. Regular fuel produced pinging under heavy acceleration and lower fuel economy. Mid-grade fuel improved the fuel economy and eliminated the pinging. There was no noticeable improvement when using premium fuel. I kind of thought this would be the case since it is also true of the in-line 6 in the Trailblazer.

    So far I haven't had any problems. The engine is smooth and quiet and there are no rattles or squeaks from the body. The truck actually exceeds many of my expectations and I am very happy with it overall.

    While mine was ordered with the black body side moldings these were taken off the order by the factory. Apparently, GM is having problems with the body side moldings pealing away from the body. New side moldings will be available soon.

    DRIVING IMPRESSIONS:

    Let me begin by saying that I had every intention of buying a Toyota Tacoma, but in the end the Toyota fell short in many respects. The Colorado bests the Toyota in both ride and handling. The I-5 engine is smoother and more refined than Toyota's V6. The Colorado is more roomy and comfortable on long trips, and its power leather seats are far better than anything the Tacoma has to offer. When you take into account better fuel economy the Colorado is the clear winner between the two.

    I have a very bad back and seat comfort is high on my list when purchasing a new vehicle. I would much have preferred cloth seats in my Colorado, but the cloth seats were poorly bolstered and constructed, a step down from my 2000 S-10 ZR2. The material was corse and the padding felt more like a sponge than a tougher bolstering filler. The leather seats are not just the standard seats covered with leather, they are a completely different seat with firm bolstering and padding. If you have back problems take a close look at this.

    ROOM FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS:

    1. The cloth inserts on the door panels don't go well with the leather interior and should be replaced with leather or matching vinyl.

    2. The Amercian General tires are poor quality and bubbling on the side walls. Chevrolet should have used the BF Goodrich tires used by Toyota, similar to what was on the S-10 ZR2.

    3. Ride and handling would improve even more with 16" or 17" wheels.

    4. A/C system capacity should be incrased. The truck has problems keeeping-up on hot 90+ degree days in Atlanta. Don't get me wrong, the A/C is adequate but could be better.

    5. The Delco 6 disk XM radio is great, but the speakers are awful. The overall sound quality is more like a tin can than a stereo. The Toyota is even worse! The speaker locations, however, are excellent and just need to be replaced with better drivers. (Note: I did not have to upgrade the factory speakers in my other trucks as they were adequate. The Colorado is truly poor.) On a side note Kenwood and Clarion make a small self-amplified sub that will fit under the rear seat. It's not a BOOM BOOM type of sub but helps fill-in the low frequencies.

    6. The center console needs a slightly wider arm rest and padded rubber inserts in the two front storage trays. (I made some inserts from the black rubber tool chest inserts they sell at Lowes.)

    7. The sun visors are so thick that a garage door opener will not stay clipped onto them, and they could use lighted vanity mirrors (my wife hates this!). Overall these visors and the roofing material used in the cabin are of much better quality than what was on the S-10. They will not begin to separate 10 years from now because they are molded from some type of fiber material.

    8. A light under the hood would be nice :-)

    9. The rear seats need more of a recline. Granted, they are better than the Toyota and decreasing the incline will eat into the rear leg room, but there is more leg room than is necessary already.

    CONCLUSION:

    If you own an S-10 and like it, you will love the Colorado. No one makes anything like it in the 2004 model year. If you need more space but can't justify a full-size pickup then the Dodge Dakota is your only other choice. The 2004 Ford, Mazda, Toyota and Nissan (yep, I looked at all of them) are not up to the Colorado.

    I think if GM refines the Colorado a bit more it will make life hard for the other small truck manufacturers.
  • saabgirlsaabgirl Member Posts: 184
    Took a Canyon (crew, LSE) on a 24-hour test drive. Got caught in a torrential downpour. When I got home I discovered that the carpet on the left hand side of the truck is pretty well saturated from the firewall to the back seat, and from the left side doors over to the transmission tunnel. Up to that point I was impressed with the truck and the incentives on it. But this makes me nervous. My inspection seems to indicate that the leak did not come from faulty door seals but from somewhere underneath. Have any of you had this problem?

    P.S. I didn't see a GMC Canyon thread, so, since they come from the same factory, I thought I'd ask. Sorry if I've broken any protocol.
  • seversuaveseversuave Member Posts: 10
    Does anybody have any advice on nice bed liners and bed covers for the Colorado crew cab? Thanks.
  • ocmike3ocmike3 Member Posts: 232
    I had an Arma liner sprayed in and Its been great. I had Line-X also before and it is just as great.
    As for covers. Lo-Rider makes a solid fiberglass one for the crew cab Colorado/Canyon and I just got mine installed. It's got lift assists and is easy to remove.
  • mcmahan_72mcmahan_72 Member Posts: 1
    have been having tons of problems with my Z-71 Crew Cab Colorado. The transmission has gone out while driving 3 times. Major water damage due to drivers door not being attached properly. I have the same problem with my A/c unit the dealer told me that there was nothing they could do for the noise and assured me there would be no damage to the A/C unit it self. I have filed several complaint with the NHTSA. You might want to file one also about you A/C. They look into complaints and make the Manufactures repair or replace parts to the vehicles they have built.

    www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/ problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    GM markets this truck to the personal use pickup buyer, but two people in just a couple of posts have issues with a leaking door? That is not the way to attract new buyers to the brands, especially when Toyota, Nissan, and Dodge are coming out with midsize pickups. I know first year models have their problems, but this almost seems comical. I mean you have to be kidding me. Let me clarify that I am a GM car owner and probably will be again, but the imports are looking really good.
  • saabgirlsaabgirl Member Posts: 184
    Tell me if I'm reading previous posters right, okay? Both the Colorado and Canyon are built in the same location by the same people using the same parts. Yes?

    Here in the NE, there are more Colorados on dealer lots than Canyons and the Colorados are priced slightly lower. So, it's silly to limit my hunt to Canyons. Yes?

    So far, my hunt has prompted me to pass up the current rebates (but limited selection) and look again in Spring 2005. GM will have had more time to practice building these trucks and, with new compact trucks coming from Toyota, Dodge and Nissan, the market should be very buyer friendly. Here's hoping GM makes my choice easy next May.
  • jbmayesjbmayes Member Posts: 4
    The sound is coming from the A/C expansion valve used in the Caynon/Colorado system. This is new for 2004 and replaces the old fixed orfice used by GM for years. The A/C doesn't have a compressor cycle switch like GM has used in the past, instead the PCM 'Power Control Module' cycles the compressor. I have had my Canyon in for service 3 times because of this noise and the fact that the compressor cycles about every 20 seconds blowing very cold to tempid air between cycles. The shop has had 3 GM engineers on the case. They replaced the expansion valve and the PCM and still NO Fix. They tell me that this is normal due to the fact that the Canyon/Colorado A/C system has no real mass, both the evaporator and condensor are very small and then entire system only holds .5 lbs of R-134a. This is in an effort to save on the enviroment less is more. So the A/C goes from extremes in temp, which is why they had to use the computer to control it. I am still not happy with their reason and the fact that there is no fix. I don't think I should have to run the A/C on MAX with high fan speed just to stay somewhat comfortable on a 80-90 degree day.

    If anyone else has noticed that the air temp goes from cold to somewhat cool. Please voice your concerns to your dealer.
This discussion has been closed.