Mid Size Trucks

[Smiley]

So I am looking at buying a Canyon or Colorado.... and am wondering if any of you guys have any input as to how it works?
I am looking for any kind of feed back.
It should haul my sled and quad right??????

And yes that it right I well be buying a new one in the US!!!!!

 

[TylerG]

So I am looking at buying a Canyon or Colorado.... and am wondering if any of you guys have any input as to how it works?
I am looking for any kind of feed back.
It should haul my sled and quad right??????

And yes that it right I well be buying a new one in the US!!!!!

When I was looking at my vehicle (2001 Explorer Sport Trac) I also drove teh Canyon, I was not impressed, I'm 6 feet tall around 250lbs, and I did NOT find the canyon comfortable to drive at all. I would do some more driving of vehicles, before you decide on the GM, take the Dakota for a drive, take the Tacoma out for a rip, and maybe even the Nissan Frontier.

 

[GRD]

If you are looking to haul a sled, I would go to a full size truck. I currently have a full size gas truck, and I am looking to get into a diesel... Hauling one seld with a midsize would be noticeable even for short trips. Do you ride in the mountains? How far are you hauling?

 

[Smiley]

I do ride in the mountains, right now I only have my car so I have to get friends or family to haul my sled.

I was thinking about the mid size due to me traveling for my job.
I cant afford to have 2 vehicles right now, my toys cut into that fund, so I am trying to find a happy medium.
The full size trucks would be nice but the gas would kill me.

 

[Murminator]

I do ride in the mountains, right now I only have my car so I have to get friends or family to haul my sled.

I was thinking about the mid size due to me traveling for my job.
I cant afford to have 2 vehicles right now, my toys cut into that fund, so I am trying to find a happy medium.
The full size trucks would be nice but the gas would kill me.

For gas mileage stick to a import, for power a V8 dakota

 

[Sledderglen]

Smiley I agree. You need a truck to haul your stuff around but a full size is to much. Go with the 5 cylinder instead of the 4. I drove a hummer 3 with the 5 cylinder and was impressed with the power and fuel ecomony. Fuel mileage will be good and it will have plenty of power to pull your sled or quad around when needed. Maybe check out some of the imports also.

 

[foothills m8]

Ya the truck ordeal lolol. I am looking at buying a 1500 4x4 with a 5.3 litre I hope to pull a 2 place trailer also looking at mabe a deck on truck to haul just 1 sled when need be if it will work.

 

[TylerG]

What did you end up purchasing Smiley?

 

[ESOX]

Smiley, as far as 'bang-for-the-buck'...can't beat a trailer (sled or utility). Relatively inexpensive, low-maintenance, and you can generally haul more around with it. Not to mention you can use it for a lot of other things as well. That being said, when you're on any sort of road-trip with toys...having a truck just feels better!. But you gotta do what you gotta do, even if it means being creative (I have seen mid-size cars towing a sled trailer behind them). . I will even admit that I hauled two sleds on a 2 place trailer with our Venture van, to Radium a few years back and it worked just fine. Don't laugh boys...it was a compromise that allowed a great day of sledding during our 'family' vacation (I love my wife!)

 

[Rucky]

if my dad purchases a two place, he's going to attempt to pull two sleds with his 4 cyl 5 speed S-10

 

[jeremy]

I know a little bit about this subject as I am a new vehicle sales manager at Stedelbauer Chevrolet. The gentlemen I work for also owns a few Toyota dealerships.

If you are looking for power, the inline 5 for 07 had a hp bump, but if you are going to be hauling, it takes a lot of rev's to make it move. For fuel milage, I am on my second 2007 ltz silverado, they have active fuel management, which is when the are not under heavy load they will run on 4 cyclinders. My last one was a ltz with gm performance cold air intake and gm performance dual exhaust, 20''s which add a lot of weight, and 4.10, and i drove from Creston BC to my drive way in castlewood on 1 tank of fuel with the cruise set at 120 kms.

my recommendation would be a half ton, by the time you buy a fully loaded colorado, you are almost at the same price as a full size. the colorado is a specific market.

As far as looking at the competitors, chevrolet has been building trucks for over 70 years, they are not some car manufacturer that has tried to copy what the big three do. I read a article on the new tundra, and don't get me wrong nice truck, but they compare the frame to the technology that chev used in the mid 90's.

I have gone to many courses, and have worked for Ford, GM, and Toyota, and you can not beat a GM truck. If these imports were built as well as they say, why is GM the only one to offer 5 year 160,000 kilometer powertrain warranty, roadside assistance, and courtesy transportation.
And there is not one truck that holds it value the way a chevrolet or a GM does. Most of those import trucks do not even come with a brake poportioning vavle, nor do there salespeople know what it does (keeps the truck level when braking with a load, instead of the front end diving causing loss of control.

as far as a H3 having power, I have driven them under many occasions and have felt like it could have used a lot more.

If you'd like I could work out a fellow sledder deal for you.

If you have any questions or concerns, I will try my best to help you.

 

[jeremy]

oh yeah, for re sale value make sure it has a flex fuel badge on the back, that is where the engine is capable of running on E85 ethonal blend, in the future this will be key, as there will be E85 stations popping up like crazy in the near future.

 

[Newfie]

Yeah I got a 2002 Ford Ranger 4.0 and it's as hard on gas as a full size F-150 I got 33" Grabbers and a 4" lift on it too so that doesn't help much but I keep hearing that ford's suck the gas back anyways. I'm going Chevy or GMC in a couple of months I think. I need more toys.

 

[biggie25]

ya if your looking at midsize i would check out the toyota tacoma truck there a bit pricy if you get the crew cab and what not but a extended sr5 is pretty good.. i would go with the 4.0L they pack a punch and have lots of power to haul a 2 sleds if you want and they get pretty good gas millage. Resale on a tacoma is top notch is probly the best in the small truck catagory.. and you can pull 6500lbs with it.. in the last 3 years iv owed pretty much all of the new model trucks on the market, ford, dodge and chev. i had a 04 ford if was good at first but i had lots of problems after about 50000kms so i traded it in and got a 06 dodge (i lost alot of money on the ford by the way) the 06 dodge was gone at 25000kms (hemi) it sucked so much gas i was lucky to get 15mpg on the highway unloaded and in the city probly 13 or so.. so i traded it in for 07 chev quad cab, ltz so far i put about 30000kms on it and not even a problem and its so smooth , and comfortable on the highway i can drive it for 13 hrs and not get crampped up or anything.. and the gasmillage loaded with a 2 quads is probly about 16mpg and unloaded she runs in the mid 20's and city is in the 18's these new 07 are a really nice machine.. i was in a toss up between the chev and the toyota but the toyota dealership dident want to deal on the tundras since they were brand new and only a select few were in stock so they wanted full pop for the truck ... the resale on the tundra is also top notch as where the chev is not as good but still the best out of the big 3 and as far as a titian goes i wouldent touch it with a 10foot pole.. anyways thats my opion

good luck

 

[jeremy]

i agree, chevy is the best way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[J_E_SUMMIT]

I was thinking about the same thing, buying a midsize like th Tacoma, but as several people have pointed out, they aren't the best option. Under load, they don't get all that great of fuel milage, and they are flippen pricey for what you get. What really turned me towards a full size is where I ride, we put alot of kms on following the rutts of unplowed roads, and there the midsize trucks just can't get up these roads because of their narrow stance.

 

[phatboy07]

I think i might be able to help a little here...
I have driven all 3 types of trucks with a load and without. Midsize, fullsize, and a diesel. Also This is not a Truck pissing match, just my personal opinion. I am not a BRAND LOYAL person, my family has been primarily FORD and I probably will never own one. Not becasue they break down or had a experience at all (none actually), Im just the klind of person that tests them all and buys what I like. There basically all the same in the end anyway.

Midsize was Toyota Tacoma V6 quad cab SR5 6ft box. Towed my 07 Harley Fatboy (800lbs wet) in the box through the mountians. This Truck belongs to my brother and I was impressed. This thing hauled my bike with ease. I also have a nice ALUMA 6X10 trailer I haul my Polaris Ranger with and towed this with the tacoma. Roughly 1500-2000lbs. No issues whatsoever. Gas suffered a bit, but ride, handling and power was all there while towing trailer or carrying bike. Not as much as a V8 of course but no problem. They are pricey for a midsize though, but hold value very well. Gas consumption is on par with how much you press the peddle. I will easily go out on a limb and say all midsize trucks with the v6 (or equivelent) option or v8 if applicable will tow or haul a sled or 2 no problem. Only problem is that when you start adding options the price gets closer to a full size.

Full size Truck that I own is 08 Titan, V8, extended cab, reg size box. Gas if your foot is on the peddle to much is bad, otherwise pretty much on par with the others. Power and tourque is great, I can beat my brothers tacoma (loaded with nothing) with my harley in the bed. Top end isnt that great past 140 though. Engine is a tourque monster and thats what its built for. I drive GM at work and my uncle just bought a brand new F150, and have driven a Tundra. havent driven a new dodge but they are nice. Bottom line all full size trucks have there pros and cons so look at what suits your needs and budget and what like best. I bought what I liked after test driving them all.
-GM 5.3...drive them at work, power is good from the 5.3, better than ford, get decent milage. Tow well. Dont know why...just dont like them.
-F-150...09s have an awesom interior, good ride and ok milage. Lots of room. and tow well. Power for some reason is not spectacular. You can bash if you like, but it just isnt (supposed to be new engine in the works). However the truck does tow and tow well.
-Tundra 5.7....Great power, tow well, ok interior, gas milage not as good due to havey foot haha. Only reason i didnt buy one was price. Toyota seems to carry a premium for some reason or so they like to think.

They will ALL do what your asking of no exception and do it well. Will easily carry a sled and will easily tow a large load up to 7000lbs or more when properly equipped.

Diesel truck. No need to realy explain. These things Tow and haul the best plain and simple. Have driven old and new. Towing and hauling is there design.

At the end of the day, its what YOU want. Like I mentioned above, they all have there problems and areas where they excel above others or are under par with other brands. Test drive them and buy what you like. Midsize will tow 2 sleds in a decent trailer EASILY. They will. If in snow get a 4x4. Fullsize is a step above the midsize and more than enough for a couple of sleds. Diesel will pull a whole dealership of sleds if you want haha.

hope this helps.

 

[Fallen]

I just sold my 07 Tacoma with the 4.0 liter v6 it had 240hp it hauled two sleds on a v-nose tailer around no problem. The only issues i had was that the box wasnt wide enough to fit my sled in box, also they are priced way too high.

 

[LID]

I have an 06 Tacoma ext cab 4x4 with 6' box. No problem towing a two spot trailer and cruises with only one sled in the box. A lot nicer to park in the city than a full size as well. Get the TRD 4 leaf rear suspension or throw air bags in the back to keep it from bottoming out when your sled is all packed with ice and snow. The tailgate is a bit flimsy too. The skis on my 02 summit fit between the wheel wells, but my 09 skis do not. I just threw a couple of pallets in the back to fix that. The truck is indestructable though, had it sunk in a mud hole up to the windows.

 

[RUDY]

i just sold my 03 GMC Sierra 4x4 1/2 ton,great truck with enough power and had good gas mileage.What kinda gas miles does a Canyon or Colorado get?
If it's only 2-4 more a gallon i would go with the full size mainly because why squash yourself into a truck when you can be comfortable.Nothing sucks more that having to jam pack in a truck.