2018 Chevy Colorado Z71

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great08

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By too small what do you mean? Im 6'2" and am comfortable even in the back seat. Or do you mean hauling capacity, my z71 duramax 4x4 is rated to tow 7700lbs but it will do more if not going highway speed. Or is it the bed thats too small? Go test drive a new ford ranger youll think the colorado is a fullsize.
I am 6'/200lbs and comfy as well. It was weird stepping down from a full size with 8' bed to a mid size with a 5' bed. However once I got used to it I don't miss it at all. Especially every time I park!

I do have an enclosed 6'x 12' enclosed V nose cargo trailer now though. Got it used for cheap. It gets used on occasion now for some things but usually just when moving. Otherwise it has been an excellent tool shed on wheels. Lol Actually.... It was way cheaper than what a shed that size would cost. And will last almost forever if I take care of it.
 
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Boostpowered

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We went the other way, My wife pretty much took my colorado shes been driving it to work for a few months now. And i dont mind i have a ranger ive been building into a baja truck and a mazda 3 we use for scca and yamaha ttr250 and couple of tractors to choose from. Ive been thinking about getting and old suzuki samauri hardtop to give the hardcore rock crawler treatment to.
I even have her drive on the trails when we are out since shes got alot to learn and im in charge of recovery, comms, navigation, im the mechanic and i load all the crap in the truck.
 
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great08

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We went the other way, My wife pretty much took my colorado shes been driving it to work for a few months now. And i dont mind i have a ranger ive been building into a baja truck and a mazda 3 we use for scca and yamaha ttr250 and couple of tractors to choose from. Ive been thinking about getting and old suzuki samauri hardtop to give the hardcore rock crawler treatment to.
I even have her drive on the trails when we are out since shes got alot to learn and im in charge of recovery, comms, navigation, im the mechanic and i load all the crap in the truck.
It sounds like you have a lot of toys to play with. I am envious!

That is one thing that is different about this truck... is that my wife is willing to drive this one. She will usually take it too for short day trips with the kids during the Summer months to visit old family and friends. Mainly because the kids demand it. They love using the trips as an opportunity for iPad time with the WiFi.
 

Boostpowered

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It sounds like you have a lot of toys to play with. I am envious!

That is one thing that is different about this truck... is that my wife is willing to drive this one. She will usually take it too for short day trips with the kids during the Summer months to visit old family and friends. Mainly because the kids demand it. They love using the trips as an opportunity for iPad time with the WiFi.
Dont be envious of me most of my stuff is cheap crap, the colorado is the most expensive thing we have. And even it wast done on a small budget i think we have maybe $2000 in parts invested into it. Wife just got a huge promotion so it may start getting some more expensive stuff soon. I use any money i make farming to fund our fun times and adventures and toys but this year the weather hasnt been my friend
 

great08

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Even if you don't have a lot of money into those things... I still would love to have some toys!... and more time to play with them with the family.

I am a budget minded individual myself. Most of my past vehicles were bought used with at least 150k miles on them... and driven for another 100k miles. It has helped me learn a lot about vehicles over the years. You really can keep an old vehicle reliable if you know what to keep up on. And... it is cheap to do if you know how to do everything yourself.
 

OverLamb24

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Yes. Get what best suits your needs. Test drive and look around and take your time. Buy once cry once. I even always sit on it for a while once I find what I want before purchasing. I am talking 6 months. If I still want it at that point I make the leap. It has saved me some serious money!

Is the Colorado just too small for you or is your family larger than 4?

Pretty much just not enough total space. I fit in the front and back ok, but with everything else its just not really much bigger than our forester. Its just the wife and I plus a large dog. We are planning on one or two little ones in the next few years. I was hoping this might suit our needs without having to get a larger vehicle and still have the towing capacity not to mention the better gas mileage.

Likely will have to go the bigger SUV route for now and then in a couple years replace my car with something more specific to me. At least at that point i can get all the bells and whistles I want.
 
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great08

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Pretty much just not enough total space. I fit in the front and back ok, but with everything else its just not really much bigger than our forester. Its just the wife and I plus a large dog. We are planning on one or two little ones in the next few years. I was hoping this might suit our needs without having to get a larger vehicle and still have the towing capacity not to mention the better gas mileage.

Likely will have to go the bigger SUV route for now and then in a couple years replace my car with something more specific to me. At least at that point i can get all the bells and whistles I want.

I will def say that the age of kids does matter with this vehicle and others like it. The younger... the more room you need for two things.

#1 - The rear facing car seats take up an insane amount of space.
#2 - The super little ones need more things like diapers, baby food, and such... as well as a good place to change them.

Even when you get the forward facing car seats... the wrong one can take up a lot of room. Many raise the child up and forward A LOT more than others.

By the time you get to booster seats... there is a TON more room in the back.

If I were someone with the rear facing seats I would def look at the Jeep Gladiator. They have a 9" longer wheelbase... which is mostly in the back of the cab (Think knee/floor storage space)

Another good option would be something like a 4Runner or Tahoe. SUVs are the way to go if you don't plan on throwing things into the back that would ruin your interior. Cheaper to set up for overlanding and often have a better ride than a truck. Downside to an SUV is that a truck is much more adaptable. Both work great for overland/camping.

I needed a truck for daily life and went that route. I used to be an SUV guy until I got my first truck. lol Now I am not going back.
 

great08

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Here is a pic of my kids sitting in the back headed out to go fishing just a while ago. They are 6 and 8 yrs old. The girl is in a booster and sitting behind a 6ft driver. The boy is in a reg car seat sitting behind a 5’2” wife. Both have plenty of room. IMG_1187.JPG
 

CG Sahara

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View attachment 66025 Good Day Everyone,

Welcome!

Stock Truck Details...
2018 Chevy Colorado 4x4 Z71 with the 308hp V6 and 8spd Auto transmission. Factory installed Eaton Auto locking rear diff. Transfer Case has 2WD, Auto, 4HI, 4LOW, Neutral. Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, Stabilitrac, etc, etc.

So far I am LOVING the Auto feature because you can literally drive around on dry pavement without binding the drive train. AWD vehicles have lost that advantage on this vehicle.

The Z71 package adds in Nitrogen shocks. So fade/heat on long washboard roads will not be a worry. (I may upgrade to some good hydraulic ones at a later date... maybe)

This truck was bought spanking new back in March. Sticker price as configured at the dealer was around $38k but I got her (along with a free black bowtie upgrade) for around $32k. She now has a little over 8k miles on her.

PLANS...
Keep it simple.
I will add armor to the undercarriage. I don't plan on replacing the bumpers until they get ripped off. The bed of the truck will be getting the majority of the upgrades. A diamondback bed cover most likely will be in it's future.
The tires will remain stock size and likely even stock brand (or KO2). I need to keep the road manners... especially for towing... which I will do from time to time.

I did not get the ZR2 because of several reasons... #1 being fuel economy and #2 payload/towing is reduced on the ZR2. Once I build the bed up the Z71 suspension should settle out and the ride quality should increase dramatically just like on every other truck I have owned.

Stay tuned... I am sure you guys will like the bed upgrades I have in mind!!!


EDIT/Update on current mods for new folks...

Front Air Dam - Removed
- Lost .5mpg on my mostly slow hwy commute. The truck gained a 4" better approach angle on the front/center of the front bumper and a good 6" of clearance gained in front of the front wheels. Worth it!

Skids - OEM skids installed - These are light/right for my needs. GM now offers what is exactly like the ZR2 skids but with a different cutout that fits the Z71 front bumper. I got both front skids for $330 shipped. There are several other options online from 589 Fab, Superskidz, and soon AEV. They all range from a heavier gauge aluminum... to steel... to hot stamped boron steel (4x stronger than reg steel). I chose the lightest plates because they will rarely if every get used.

Rock Sliders - Actual ZR2 Sliders installed - I found some used rock sliders online for $200 ($320 shipped). They didn't have a mark on them and were in mint condition. Protecting the body of the cab of my truck is very important to me. It is also the most vulnerable part of the truck IMO based on my experience working in the motor pool back when I was in the Army. The ZR2 rock sliders are pretty light compared to other aftermarket sliders that bolt directly to the frame. However, they are sturdy enough to use as a high lift jack point allegedly. I have seen a lot of folks dragging them across rocks in ZR2s and they seem to hold up well.

Air/Tires - I now have some tire deflators, a high performance/affordable inflator, and good quality tire plug kit with valve stem tools. The tires are remaining stock since they are decently beefy and will be good enough for overland touring. I still need to upgrade the spare.

Recovery Gear - I just put a Tow Package winching point on order for the rear. The stock front recovery points are bolted directly to the frame and are gtg. I have a snatch rope, chain, shovels, and boards (No seriously... actual wood boards/old school). I may get some maxtrax later on. A winch will never be on my rig. I would almost never use it and live in a wet/corrosive area. It would likely not work when I needed it.

Cargo Management - Just did a DIY bedliner a little while back. Now I have just installed a DIamondback SE with two side boxes.

Suspension - Stock and likely staying that way! The Z71 comes with Nitrogen shocks from the factory which are really resistant to heat build up compared to hydraulic shocks. Either way... I would never upgrade the suspension until after a build. There is a reason why most folks who do that first thing end up doing it yet again at the end of their build. Just finish the build first and THEN run it through it's paces first. Then make adjustments. I may do shocks some day though. Who knows.

Breather Relocation for Front/Rear Diffs and the T-Case/Transmission - Not required! From the factory my front diff breather comes up in the engine bay next to the fuse box. The rear diff breather goes up in the rear fender well and attaches above the fuel door on the fuel tank filler tube. The transmission and T-case breathers go up the fire wall behind the engine.

The truck as it sits is good for things like the White Rim Trail out in Moab, UT or the Alpine Loop in Colorado. I just need to focus on cargo management and camping gear next.

View attachment 85194
View attachment 85195
Try Falken Wildpeak ATW3. Put them on my wife's 17 Colorado Z71. Wear like Iron and unbelievable in the mud. Pulled a F150 4x4 out of the mud, an Explorer 4wd and an AWD Mazda minivan...out of the same mud. Actually drove around them all
through the same mud to get a good angle. Colorado pulled them all with ease. Tires are awesome.
 
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great08

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Try Falken Wildpeak ATW3. Put them on my wife's 17 Colorado Z71. Wear like Iron and unbelievable in the mud. Pulled a F150 4x4 out of the mud, an Explorer 4wd and an AWD Mazda minivan...out of the same mud. Actually drove around them all
through the same mud to get a good angle. Colorado pulled them all with ease. Tires are awesome.
Thanks! Those sound like some tires that are worth looking into! I will read up on them.

My current tires (Stock) are almost at 30k miles now. They are wearing great and all but not very aggressive. And... since I am only going to be commuting 5mi to work pretty soon instead of the usual 52mi… Fuel economy will be out the window anyways. lol

I have been averaging 23.7mpg over the last almost 8,000 miles! Not bad at all... but once we get settled into the new place pretty well... we will be ready to start taking trips this Fall.
 
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CG Sahara

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Thanks! Those sound like some tires that are worth looking into! I will read up on them.

My current tires (Stock) are almost at 30k miles now. They are wearing great and all but not very aggressive. And... since I am only going to be commuting 5mi to work pretty soon instead of the usual 52mi… Fuel economy will be out the window anyways. lol

I have been averaging 23.7mpg over the last almost 8,000 miles! Not bad at all... but once we get settled into the new place pretty well... we will be ready to start taking trips this Fall.
That's about what the wife got out of her OE tires. These Falkens have about 25k on them and they still look new. And they are quiet.
 
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great08

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Averaged Fuel Economy over the last 8k miles. Not too bad with the mixed driving and starting on a cold engine every 52mi (Or less). This is with the gasser V6, 4x4, All terrains, and airdam removed... with skids and bed cover installed.

107947
 

Pathfinder I

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Lot of Wildpeak owners and almost all love them. My concern is the extra weight, only light tire with a strong sidewall is the Duratrac with Kevlar. I've looked at KO2's and it the weight again. The Kevlar Duratrac's would save almost 40-50 pounds in rotating weight depending on size.
 

Boostpowered

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Ive got some stock sized ones with kevlar if anyone wants to pick them up. They kept getting me stuck then i went up a size to toyo open country at they got me stuck and nearly got me killed a few times. Then i went up another size to milestar patagonia mt and have zero problems so far i dont get stuck or slip and slide in the rain
 

CG Sahara

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Lot of Wildpeak owners and almost all love them. My concern is the extra weight, only light tire with a strong sidewall is the Duratrac with Kevlar. I've looked at KO2's and it the weight again. The Kevlar Duratrac's would save almost 40-50 pounds in rotating weight depending on size.
255/70/18 Falken Wildpeak ATW3 weigh 1lb more than the same Duratrac Kevlar....so I don't see the weight savings on my Jeep. I'm thinking you are comparing the higher load rating Wildpeak compared to the Duratrac Kevlar. All things equal tires weigh almost the same.
 
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great08

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Lot of Wildpeak owners and almost all love them. My concern is the extra weight, only light tire with a strong sidewall is the Duratrac with Kevlar. I've looked at KO2's and it the weight again. The Kevlar Duratrac's would save almost 40-50 pounds in rotating weight depending on size.
Wow I didn't realize that there was that much of a weight difference! Un-sprung weight is what will cause shocks to overheat on those higher speed driving trails with endless washboards and such. I will have to keep an eye on that one. Thank you for the heads up!
 

great08

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255/70/18 Falken Wildpeak ATW3 weigh 1lb more than the same Duratrac Kevlar....so I don't see the weight savings on my Jeep. I'm thinking you are comparing the higher load rating Wildpeak compared to the Duratrac Kevlar. All things equal tires weigh almost the same.
Either way I will make sure to pay attention. I am glad you took a look at the different load rating weights. I bet that makes a difference within the plies/building layers.
 

CG Sahara

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Either way I will make sure to pay attention. I am glad you took a look at the different load rating weights. I bet that makes a difference within the plies/building layers.
An SL 255/70/18 weighs 42.8 lbs 32.1"
An E LT 275/65/18 weighs 60.1 lbs 32.1"

That's 4ply SL vs 10ply E rating big difference in weight. I have a 2018 Wrangler Unlimited Sahara I don't NEED 10ply tires. Neither does my wife's 17 Z71 Colorado. My 2004 Silverado Z71 has 10plys though.

Yes weight makes a big difference and purchasing unnecessarily heavy ply tires for the application will definitely hurt performance.