GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado 2.9 Diesel

[A W Warn]

I'm bumping this thread because I am interested in the small truck with diesel engine.

Originally Posted by Plasma800

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f44/1-2-t...ml#post3073389

read, then follow link posted a couple posts below for videos...

I apologize if this isn't applicable to your question...

Plasma,
I looked at your posts on the other forum regarding payload. You wrote; "This weight includes you, passengers, dogs, cats, stuff in the back seat, GAS (6lb per gallon) AND the downward force a trailer or fifth wheel applies to your hitch."

I wanted to make a comment:
When the manufacturer calculates maximum payload they use the actual weight of the vehicle with the fuel tank full (at least that is what I have determined by reading several GM manuals) There is no need to add the weight of fuel to payload when making payload calculations as you stated.

However, if the fuel tank is kept partially empty, one could theoretically add additional payload (more than the max payload rating) to compensate for less fuel weight. The key is not exceeding GVWR or axle rating, while loading the tow vehicle.

[dkottum]

I believe it would be more useful if members would not simplify a vehicle's towing suitability by looking up payload specification. Then add up trailer tongue and hitch weight, passengers, pets, stuff, gas etc and declare the vehicle incompetent. Few just drop a travel trailer on the ball and head out across the country, as this elementary assessment implies.

We can be much smarter than that. There's more in the characteristics of the vehicle and travel trailer, loading of each, modification of each, the hitch type and adjustment, distribution and balance of loads, where and how combination is driven, inventory of appropriate camping gear, reduce speed to increase safety margin, to name a few.

This diesel Canyon/Colorado will serve some Airstreamers well as a tow vehicle and economical daily driver, especially well when properly set up for towing. Do your research.

[nrgtrakr]

I enjoyed this ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGDIwZkLQuI

A lot of videos available on these two.

[subfan1]

The problem I have with tfl truck videos for me, is that the tests are run in the winter and other than saying how fast they are going don't provide enough technical feed back in terms of how hot things are running under the hood. I live in the dessert southwest and would like to see this rig going up the grapevine in the summer for example. How hot is the engine and transmission temperatures running at, and I don't mean saying that they are running "normal", that doesn't mean much to me. I like to see real numbers especially when I'm towing. I'm still searching for this condition in you tube

[nrgtrakr]

I'd never heard of TFL. It's been a while since I bought a vehicle.

For me, they aren't unibody, they are trucks intended to tow, independent front suspension, will carry 1,530#, and tow over 7,700# - good enough. Next time we're in civilization will probably test drive one.

I lived in the Mojave for a few years and never saw a newer American make on the side of the road overheated. There was a guy on another thread whose Benz overheated while towing in Colorado. So who knows?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Plasma800

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f44/1-2-t...ml#post3073389

read, then follow link posted a couple posts below for videos...

I apologize if this isn't applicable to your question...

Originally Posted by Plasma800

might be a good truck, but i'd for sure wanna know those payload numbers...

Hi, two things about your post.

(1.) My truck includes a full 36 gallon tank of gas before the payload.

(2.) My F-150's payload is 1745 lbs and some 3/4 tons have less payload than that.

[schafman46]

Hi Everyone--saw this post the other day but did not have a moment to reply until now.--We have a 2012 23' FB Flying Cloud which we toured the US last year. Our tv was our new 2015 GMC Canyon. We travelled from Phila. down thru TN ,MS to New Orleans & Then headed west Thru TX, NM AZ & CA. After a week in Yosemite, we headed Northeast thru Idaho & then across to the UP and down thru MI to get to Jackson Center & then back thru PA.
We logged about 12,500 miles , 50 stops & averaged 15.5 mpg! The Canyon can pull 7,000# is a V6 & has 305 horsepower. It also has downshifting in "manual" gear which was great for the high mountain roads & saved riding the brakes. Hitch is an "equalizer", installed by Dixie RV, which also worked well. We also installed a brake controller, which is a must.--This was our 1st venture & we were newbies but learned much info & fact-finding via the forums.---and also researching & calling either Airstream or Dixie...and talking to other Airstreamers at campsites.
We left Phila 4/1/15 & returned 7/24/15.--Great trip! ----Hope this info helps.--I did hear "rumors" of a diesel model , but dealer said same thing..."in the planning stage, but no one has seen one"--We were very satisfied with the gas version.--Good Luck !!

[KJRitchie]

Looking at the FLT video of the diesel model its not that impressive. The previous post with the gas version sounds like a better and more affordable alternative. Whats the payload sticker on the drivers door show as available load?

Kelvin

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Looking at the FLT video of the diesel model its not that impressive. The previous post with the gas version sounds like a better and more affordable alternative. Whats the payload sticker on the drivers door show as available load?

Kelvin

Yeah, we did that hill with our 60 air-cooled horsepower VW Camper forty years ago, wasn't impressive either but that's not why we have a camper.

If you want to learn something about loading, perhaps ask the member hw they manage the load capacities of their overall Airstream towing combo, with the understanding that those under warranties may not wish to publicize the loads they carry, the speeds they travel, the temperatures of running gear, as well as road and weather conditions traveled.

We just got our regular monthly vehicle report that monitors powertrain, oil and fluids, brakes and suspension, safety equipment, TPMS and exact mileage traveled, and services due. We haven't been to a dealer since we bought it, the info is coming to them through the internet. Vehicle computers store it. I like the reminders to a point. I have no idea of the use of this info relative to warranty. I would imagine severe abuse may be recognized, that's fair enough, we don't severely abuse our vehicles.

[nrgtrakr]

If the test hill is either side of the hill leading up to Eisenhower Tunnel on I70 in Colorado I think it is extremely impressive. But in the video the TFL guys give different and lower fuel mileage numbers for a V6 tested last year.

Too bad they don't have real towing mirrors.

[schafman46]

Hi Kelvin--looked on door & found this info: 1)--combined weight of occupants & cargo should not be more than 1,391 LBS.
2)--GVWR is 6,000 #'s
is # 1 the payload everyone speaks of?---& #2 (I believe) is weight of the Canyon ..Gross vehicle weight ?, --what does R stand for?

[SteveSueMac]

Yes. #1 is payload. R = Rating

[nrgtrakr]

Growing up, the library was one of my best friends. Now I can be lazy and use the internet.

GVWR explained

http://www.onlinetowingguide.com/guidelines/gvwr.html

[ricwallace]

Here is a link to the 2016 TRAILERING GUIDE. It has all the figures you should need to do the calculations for all the number cruncher s out there.

https://www.gmc.com/content/dam/GMC/...wing-guide.pdf

[Usnroberts]

I test drove several Colorados today. While I am in the market for a truck, I feel I am relatively unbiased as a consumer. I've owned about everything.
For $42k for the diesel Colorado you have to be silly to buy it. I know it has a niche but it just felt plain cheap compared to my old taco and jeep and all the subsequent 1/2 Chevy gmcs I drove today. And the F150 my friend owns if your all are keeping score. Every bit of it from material to get up and go to suspension and steering felt... less up to par than the highly competitive larger trucks. I even gave to v6 Colorado a go to compromise on the price. With most 1/2 tons selling a good 10k off msrp I have to wonder how the demands stays so high for these puppies. Bang for the buck is certainly not there.
I am disappointed but guess I expected a wonder truck. Set my self up disappointment.
With an airstream purchase in my future (I'm thinking 25' now that I've been on the forum for workamping) I am looking at a 2015 GMC 1500 SLT 4x4 with 30k miles on a 5.3 V8 for $30k. I really wish there was something smaller with the power. There is a diesel grand Cherokee there though with 7600 towing...

[dkottum]

Actual purchase price is in favor of full size pickups. We went to a Dodge/Ram dealership to shop a Durango Hemi for our Airstream 25, they had one in stock and would not discount it much. They had 256 Ram pickups in stock, the discounts were very deep, incentives terrific, and 100K power train warranty on the Ecodiesel models.

We bought the pickup, after towing 4,000 miles and comfort as a daily driver we're very happy with it. Would rather have the 120" wheelbase than our truck's 140" wheelbase, and full independent suspension, but this is working for us.

[nrgtrakr]

The other side of the coin ...

We spend 1/2 of our time in the USA and 1/2 in Mexico. We have a short bed xtra cab super duty and neither of us is crazy about driving it in the cities of either country - BIG, thirsty. It is a great tow vehicle and wonderful in a rural setting. We like our AS and if it doesn't sell, that's fine. We have a rural property so we want a truck not a Cherokee or a Touareg etc. for the thing trucks do that pretty Jeep things can't without a junk trailer. Plus the engineer in me likes that it is built on a chassis and not a unibody.

The other day we looked at both the GMC and the Chevy - sadly neither was a diesel. But we liked what we saw and when the time comes we'll likely order one. In Mexico you can get a Ford Ranger with a diesel as well as the VW Amarok - but neither in the USA. So this little truck works for us.

The salesman was frustrated because he couldn't steer us to the full size trucks. Dealerships generally get frustrated with me because I almost never buy the tricked out overpriced junk they have on their lots. When I built my own diesel on the GMC website it came out around $36k (2wd ... no need for 4wd).

The process reminded me of when I was stationed at Ft Campbell KY before the internet was as friendly as it is now. I wanted a certain car with certain specs. We'd be out driving, see a dealership, stop and ask - and were always told that car doesn't exist as they tried to get us to buy what they had on the lot. One salesman started cussing me and following me as I headed back to my truck, the then wife (also a paratrooper) suggested he back off before things got ugly.

One day I stopped at the local dealship, went straight to the sales manager, told him I was stationed at Ft Campbell and what I wanted. He took my phone number and said to give him a couple of days. When I got home (a fifteen minute drive), I had a message saying the car had been found, but they would need a couple of days to go get it (it was in Texas).

Ho-hum ...

[Usnroberts]

Originally Posted by nrgtrakr

The other side of the coin ...


The process reminded me of when I was stationed at Ft Campbell KY before the internet was as friendly as it is now. I wanted a certain car with certain specs. We'd be out driving, see a dealership, stop and ask - and were always told that car doesn't exist as they tried to get us to buy what they had on the lot. One salesman started cussing me and following me as I headed back to my truck, the then wife (also a paratrooper) suggested he back off before things got ugly.

One day I stopped at the local dealship, went straight to the sales manager, told him I was stationed at Ft Campbell and what I wanted. He took my phone number and said to give him a couple of days. When I got home (a fifteen minute drive), I had a message saying the car had been found, but they would need a couple of days to go get it (it was in Texas).

Ho-hum ...

I soooo agree with you. It is so frustrating listening to those guys nay say when you know it isn't the way they say it is. I use the USAA car buying service and you can make a Colorado for $32,600 with a diesel. But that would have to have them order that from factory for you.
That was my plan till I sat in it and drove it. The Z71 just felt like a civic interior and ride vs an audi s4. I do look forward to this market segment getting more attention and competition.

[m.hony]

Seems like the Ridgeline and Tacoma would be viable options in this arena, along with the Frontier and new small Ford truck when it comes out.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[nrgtrakr]

I've had a couple of dealers cringe when I say USAA ... Hahahaa!!!!