Ok, Chevy, I appreciate this but...

"cazzyodo" (cazzyodo)
02/24/2015 at 15:34 • Filed to: Colorado

I'm not getting a truck without 4WD.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Or rather, I love that the dealer ordered a handful of MT Colorados to supplement their stash of $38k Z71 packaged "small" trucks, but I will not do it.

^^ Andrew agrees with me. I know it.

I could jump out of my FoST and into a 4WD, affordable, MT truck no problem but alas.

Trucks without 4WD are tail happy and while that's fun, it isn't always appropriate. Sand, bricks and random shit shouldn't have to be tossed in the trunk to get around. I would have been screwed this year with you for a DD.

DISCUSSION (30)

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 15:39

Good luck finding a new manual 4wd truck these days. I don't even thing Ram offers a manual with 4wd on the 2500 anymore.

Party-vi > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 15:40

4x4 trucks have decreased payload and towing capacities, but at the same time people want a truck for payload and towing capacities.

HammerheadFistpunch > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 15:41

Featuring, an automatic transmission!

Kinja'd!!!

cazzyodo > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
02/24/2015 at 15:41

They do with the diesel. I do routine searches and builds in spare time across whatever MT truck or SUV I feel like that day haha.

But yeah, new 4WD truck with a manual is rough...

cazzyodo > Party-vi
02/24/2015 at 15:44

Go figure, right?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 15:44

4WD is only necessary if you're hauling shit off-road. It doesn't do any good for your gas mileage or towing capabilities on normal roads, however.

cazzyodo > HammerheadFistpunch
02/24/2015 at 15:45

I fuckin' hate Quirk.

There were a couple MT ones that I clicked on in white that were legit, though.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 15:46

They even designed a new 6 speed manual for the new Tacoma! So there is your answer.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
02/24/2015 at 15:46

The new Taco is getting a new manual!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
02/24/2015 at 15:47

But with 4wd? The taco and frontier always had a manual option but I only even saw them with the RWD configurations

cazzyodo > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
02/24/2015 at 15:47

With no weight in the back I could have my family's F-150 sliding in 2wd so the front engaging was a blessing in what was simply a light rain. Would be shit this year in Boston, I can tell you that much.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
02/24/2015 at 15:52

Yes. Even in the last gens there were quite a few manual, 4WD equipped models. http://www.carsforsale.com/Vehicle/Detail…

Sweet Trav > Party-vi
02/24/2015 at 15:52

The towing capacity of a modern half ton class truck is still ludicrous in 2WD or 4WD. Payload strangely has stagnated since the 90's with some even going backwards. *looking at you Ram 1500*

nermal > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 15:54

Realistically, you're looking at a Ram 2500 diesel, or a Nissan or Toyota LastDecadeDesign if you want a manual 4x4 truck.

I went thru the same process, ended up with a GMC 1500 - Price was right, truck was nice, and after living with it for a while it's not that bad. I chose it loaded up for about the same price as a stripper Ram with the diesel / manual. I would have opted for a manual if it was available though. The auto isn't bad, and it balances out where it is easier (parking) and where it pisses me off (upshifting when I don't want it to).

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
02/24/2015 at 16:01

Ahhh I gotcha. I didn't know that

450X_FTW > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 16:12

Sadly it's de-tunded to only 650 ft lbs instead of the 850 ft lbs. Trans can't handle the higher torque and there's not enough market to spend money on upgrading to a trans that can

Frank Grimes > cazzyodo
02/24/2015 at 19:10

I want a 2wd truck because my penis is normal and I like women.

Kinja'd!!!

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 14:10

I feel your pain. I'm looking at replacing the FR-S with a small truck sometime this year, but want 4x4 with a row-your-own gearbox. As fun as the FR-S is, my house is outside city limits on a dirt road that often doesn't get plowed (Sunday night dumped about 2 feet on my road / driveway, and it didn't get plowed until Tuesday evening). Not to mention our only source of heat is firewood, which the FR-S is no good at hauling.

I got a job recently with our local Nissan dealer, so I can get employee pricing on a new Frontier — but I can't stand the ergonomics in that truck. The Tacoma just feels better inside, and drives nicer, while offering a better traction control system (took a brand new TRD 6MT on an offroad course. ATRAC made it a cake walk).

Sat inside the twins at an auto show, wasn't too impressed, but I'd have to drive them. So far, leaning towards a Tacoma TRD Offroad, crew cab, short bed, 6MT by the end of the summer.

cazzyodo > cabarne4
02/26/2015 at 14:15

You just described exactly what I would like. The FoST is great and I don't have any issues driving around (though some sidewalk/driveways in my area scrape the front/sides and I cringe at speed bumps) but I grew up driving trucks and while a smaller, sportier car is fun I don't feel complete.

If I had a truck I could help my mom with some yard work once in a while, haul some crashpads for outdoor climbing rather than have my buddy use his car and Thule all the time and maybe start some basic woodworking. Hauling $400 worth of 1x4s through 2x8s was not an easy task and thankfully someone cut all that wood for me before I had to transport it.

The Colorado drove well but I did the auto, V6, Z71. Sucks that they only have the I4 with 2wd for the MT.

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 14:21

The only downside with the Tacoma AND Frontier — if you want 4x4 with 6MT, you can EITHER get the Access / King cab with a Long Bed (6' box) OR the Crew Cab with a Short Bed (5' box). Granted, average box depth is 18", so with the tailgate down you're looking at 7'6" and 6'6" respectively.

I really want the longer box — try carrying an 8' couch, or long pieces of wood, and tell me you don't want the extra foot. Plus, bed camping is way easier (I'm only 5'8", and could lay down comfortably in the long bed with the tailgate up). But the backseats are useless for adults on anything longer than "across town". The Access Cab Tacoma's rear seats are at least manageable for across town, but I couldn't even fit in the back of a King Cab Frontier (which is saying something, as I've ridden in the back of my FR-S several times).

This truck would basically be my house's "daily driver" through bad winter storms, do hauling duties for firewood, as well as multiple trips up to the ski slopes (dudes and snowboards loaded), mountain biking trips, and camping trips (all of which we use my friend's Impreza for right now). So, for carrying people in comfort, I really do need the Crew Cab, which means sacrificing bed space so I can have my row-your-own gearbox.

cazzyodo > cabarne4
02/26/2015 at 14:35

Comfort-wise on these trips I won't complain about my buddy's Q5 but going back to when we were in college and all took a trip to NH for some boarding I had my family's F-150 loaded up with 8 boards and gear for that trip. Made everything so much easier by freeing up the cab.

Short beds may look good but damn I think they're almost useless. I can guarantee I would go insane without that extra food of space. When I was looking at trucks and SUVs just for fun I brought my tape measure along to do the "snowboard check." If it had room for the 162cm board (plus some for the bag) then it could eventually be considered haha.

I'm 6'4" so people behind me are screwed with pretty much any vehicle I drive.

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 14:44

I ride a Jones 158. The board barely fits in the FR-S (rear seats folded, it pokes between the front seats). It's already longer than a 5' bed. You can see my dilemma. The truck will (hopefully) handle snowboarding trips, mountain biking trips, camping trips, and miscellaneous road trips (I live where the mountains, coast, desert, pine forests, tundra, and grasslands are all within an easy drive — and no, not in California).

Luckily I don't have to deal with tall person problems, but the Access Cab rear seats are NOT comfortable for long trips (even with a short driver). But at the same time, the extra foot of bed space is pretty much crucial for hauling more firewood and / or more gear. Plus there's more tent / camper options for the long bed.

Buddy of mine has a king cab Chevy Colorado (~2012, last generation). He's got a topper for it, a custom bed (actual bed, to sleep on) that sets in place in the rear, a roof rack that he carries a small sailboat on... His setup alone makes the short box seem useless to me.

Ugggh, I'm conflicted.

cazzyodo > cabarne4
02/26/2015 at 14:58

Sucks when we're trying to figure out exactly what we want and start to shape our wants to what is available only to think of other ways and options...it's a self-perpetuating cycle of conflict.

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 15:02

Jalop-philosophy at its best!

Granted, I'm only just starting to look at an FR-S replacement, so who knows what I might end up with (especially since, when I got the FR-S, I was originally debating between a Jeep Wrangler 2 door and a Subaru Impreza).

cazzyodo > cabarne4
02/26/2015 at 15:21

Jalopsophy!

I had a list of four vehicles, well five if you count the twins as two different ones: FRS, BRZ, WRX, FoST, Wrangler.

I love the FoST but feel that the Wrangler was more appropriate for me. My hair scrapes the ceiling of my car if I don't keep it short (I don't).

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 15:26

As nice as it'd be to be tall, I can't imagine a life of constant head / leg / knee-room issues.

My list was the twins, FiST, FoST, 2015 Fit, Wrangler, and Impreza.

Ruled out the BRZ (couldn't justify the price premium to get heated seats and Subaru badges... Regretting not getting heated seats now). Honda didn't have any manual Fits, and the local Ford dealer wanted absurd markups on anything with an "ST" badge. That left the Wrangler, Impreza, and FR-S.

Went to test drive cars in the pouring rain. The Subaru dealer wouldn't give me the time of day — had to drag a sales guy out just to get a test drive, and afterwards he wouldn't even begin to talk pricing (I was wearing nice clothes and pulled up in a Mazdaspeed6, so it wasn't like I was just some kid off the street). The Jeep dealer was incredibly friendly and professional, and the guys there really made me want to buy from them... But the Jeep's top leaked, the engine was so underpowered I couldn't get it above 68mph (gotta love living at 7,000 feet), and it hydroplaned three times in the wet. Add to that an average of 17mpg, and it just wasn't do-able as a daily. That left me with a shiny new FR-S. But because it was a leftover 2013 (bought in AUGUST of 2014), I got it for a substantial discount. :)

cazzyodo > cabarne4
02/26/2015 at 16:23

I had to rule a lot of vehicles out due to head and legroom issues, primarily leg room with a 36" inseam.

There are a lot of local dealerships around me owned by one particular guy and I hate them all. They had done a bait and switch on me helping my mother find a car and I was so pissed off. I reached out to another dealership and they blew me away with service by sending me current inventory of used and new as well as detailing pricing options for each all in a well thought out email. Naturally I went there during my search and nearly bought a WRX off them when I realized it suited me more than the BRZ but, like you, couldn't justify the higher cost. The Jeep dealership was garbage. They didn't give me the time of day and barely entertained my inquiries and didn't even get on the subject of a test drive. Scion wouldn't let me take a MT out but had no problem with the auto (actually pretty fun) but didn't care enough to talk numbers with me afterwards. I had a lease with Ford and shopped a few different dealers but the one I had been going through wanted to retain my business and gave me a good deal in comparison to the the market at the time. Very happy with that.

Somewhere along the line of the past couple years I aggravated a knee injury and the knee room issue has slowly crept into the back of my mind. I'm not uncomfortable but I realized that I really don't have much leeway for shifting my seat around to fit people or cargo if needed. It's a shame but oh well. Who knows what the next year will bring?

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 16:43

Funny enough, I actually got a job at the Subaru / Nissan dealer that wouldn't give me the time of day.

The FR-S fits about 90% of my usage pretty well. It's a comfortable, fun-to-drive commuter, and carries me fairly well. But at 5'8", I can't get a passenger behind me unless I put my own knees into the dashboard (which makes it damn hard to work the clutch). Plus I have to borrow a truck any time we need a fresh cord of firewood. I do corner work with the local NASA chapter, but I want to get back into driving — and frankly, the FR-S is too damn expensive for me to start tracking it as well (golden rule: don't track your daily).

So, I've come to the conclusion that I should trade the FR-S for something that's capable of fitting THINGS and PEOPLE at the same time, and something cheap for the track (Miata, E30, or some form of Honda).

As well, the county I live in has 250 miles of paved roads... and 978 miles of unpaved roads. Most of these unpaved roads (mine included) can be pretty impassable for days on end after a good snowstorm. As I mentioned above, we got 2' on Sunday night, and plows didn't show up until Tuesday evening. The only reason my roommates and I were able to get ANYWHERE is because I'm currently borrowing my buddy's '88 Toyota Pickup (he's got my FR-S — switched cars because I couldn't fit an IKEA run into the FR-S).

A truck just makes too much sense... But the town I live in has very narrow streets, and very limited parking (I have to park downtown pretty much daily). So I need something physically small enough that I can easily park it, that can carry a cord of wood, with ground clearance and 4WD / AWD for winter time. Really, not a lot of options.

cazzyodo > cabarne4
02/26/2015 at 16:49

I've come to a similar conclusion that the "fun" car should be the cheaper end of the spectrum. I currently have a motorcycle and a FoST, though I'm going to sell the motorcycle in the spring (been saying that for two years...). I feel it's redundant to have both of them, to be honest.

I don't have a daily need for a truck in that the roads are paved, short daily commute, etc. but for the activities I'm getting into and relying on my friend to drive all the time plus the nostalgia, I just want a truck again.

::sigh::

cabarne4 > cazzyodo
02/26/2015 at 17:01

Funny enough, I've been saying for a couple years now that I want to get a bike again. But where I live now, it usually snows for 6 months of the year, so a bike would be a bit useless. In fact, as I write this, another snowstorm is blowing in.

Our local SCCA chapter is utterly non-existent, so there's no Spec-Miata around here (although I'd love another Miata for summertime cruising). With our local NASA chapter, Honda Challenge and Spe-944 are both very popular. We've got a lot of local Honda tuners, so I was thinking about finding a hatch, or a 5th gen Accord, or an Integra. Could function as a daily when the roads are clear, and track duties on weekends, with the truck handling all the hauling / camping / bad weather duties.

Or... I could find a Subaru Baja, throw on some adjustable suspension, have a set of snow tires, a set of street tires, and a set of track tires. Hmmm...