Why the 2016 Colorado Diesel is a Very Big Deal

"shpuker" (shpuker) 07/29/2015 at 11:50 • Filed to: None

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There seems to be a fairly split decision as far as whether or not the 2016 Colorado/Canyon diesel will be the truck to buy or if its V6 counterpart is the better option. Let me step in to try and settle the score.

What would my 2 biggest concerns be when buying a small(ish) truck?

#1 has to be balance, aka is it at or above the right torque/weight.

#2 is value.

So lets start it off with balance. How does the diesel stack up to the V6 as far as usable torque/power?

Gas: 305 hp @ 6800rpm & 269 lbf*ft @ 4000rpm

Diesel: 181 hp @ 3800* rpm & 369 lbf*ft @ 2000rpm

Lets crunch some numbers real quick, first off lets see torque numbers at peak hp.

Gas: 305 hp * 33000 / ( (2*pi) * 6800 rpm) = 235.6 lbf*ft

Diesel: 181 hp * 3300 / ( (2*pi) * 3800 rpm) = 250.2 lbf*ft

Now before I dig into this I’m gonna make a few assumptions. Lets say the gas and diesel both have a fairly linear torque curve up to peak torque and then a tapering off towards max rpm (we’ll say a conservative 7000 & 4000) and lets graph this shit.

OK so take that with a grain of salt because I have zero data for the gas motor under 4000 rpm and I probably exaggerated its valley a bit, however below 3000 rpm it likely doesn’t matter. At typical city-frontage road rpm levels the diesel option has a mountain of torque where the gas engine hasn’t even woken up yet, towards highway merging levels the gas engine takes the cake.

None of this is surprising to anyone though, gas engines typically take the cake on the high end power while diesels kill it with low end torque, so moving on.

How about value? Specifically whether or not you’re really getting your moneys worth by throwing down that extra $3,730 for the diesel, and how long it takes to balance itself out.

Let’s test two scenarios.

Scenario 1: You drive 13,500 miles per year (average according to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) at 55% highway driving (What the EPA says is average)

Gallons of fuel consumed:

Gas: c_mpg = 17; h_mpg = 24 -> avg = 20.9 mpg

Gallons of fuel = 13,500 mi / 20.9 mi * 1 gal = 647.5 gal

Diesel: c_mpg = 23; h_mpg = 31 -> avg = 27.4 mpg

Gallons of fuel = 13,500 mi / 27.4 mi * 1 gal = 492.7 gal

$ spent on fuel yearly using national average prices via the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! as of 7/27/2015 (two days ago)

Gas = 647.5 gal * 2.745 $/gal = $1,777.39 per year

Diesel = 492.7 gal * 2.723 $/gal = $1,342.62 per year

Verdict: Diesel is a $435.77 savings per year & 8.56 year pay-off of $3,730 difference.

Scenario 2: You drive 25,000 miles per year (a number I pulled out of my ass) at 65% highway driving (another number I pulled out of my ass)

Gallons of fuel consumed:

Gas: c_mpg = 17; h_mpg = 24 -> avg = 21.6 mpg

Gallons of fuel = 25,000 mi / 21.6 mi * 1 gal = 1157.4 gal

Diesel: c_mpg = 23; h_mpg = 31 -> avg = 28.2 mpg

Gallons of fuel = 25,000 mi / 28.2 mi * 1 gal = 886.5 gal

$ spent on fuel yearly using national average prices via the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! as of 7/27/2015 (two days ago)

Gas = 1157.4 gal * 2.745 $/gal = $3,177.06 per year

Diesel = 886.5 gal * 2.723 $/gal = $2,413.94 per year

Verdict: Diesel is a $763.12 savings per year & 4.89 year pay-off of $3,730 difference.

Note that I left these numbers fairly open for you to recalculate for both the are of the country that you live and your driving type so you can adjust to be true for you.

What do these numbers boil down to? Well if you add in the fact that the 3 year re-sale value for diesel cars typically falls in at 5-10% higher than their gas counterparts, diesel is fairing quite well.

S1 puts the difference at 3 years to be ($13,387.50 - ($12,570.00 +/- 419) + $1,307.31) = + $2,124.81 **

S2 puts the difference at 3 years to be ($13,387.50 - ($12,570.00 +/- 419) + $2,289.36) = + $3,106,86 **

I take that back, that’s not quite well its outstanding. Sure after 3 years you’ve still spent more on your truck than if you had purchased a gas version, but at the end of the say you’re farther in the green.

I suppose if you consider a diesels slightly higher cost to maintain that number may shift slightly towards the gas model (I don’t have any sort of data here but I suspect something like a 2-5% difference at most on $350 (something like a $15 difference), however the diesel should be more reliable in the long term so I’m calling those two a wash.

Overall Verdict: If you’re in it for the long (and light) haul then diesel is still the answer. The 3 year return on the upgrade speaks for itself and if you hang onto the truck for 5+ years then you’re situation gets even better. If you’re in the market for a small truck then by the numbers the Colorado/Canyon looks like your truck.

Shpuker is an “anonymous” source on the internet that happens to be a student of mechanical/control systems engineering and thinks he has a respectable grasp on the concepts at play. He also pulled a play from DeMuro’s playbook and wrote this all in the third person (and half drunk).

* International engine data, US expected to be similar

** Assuming $33,520 diesel MSRP - (60-65% resale) and $29,790 gas MSRP - (55% resale

image source: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 11:54

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Diesel is the answer, and Peace is The Mission

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 12:00

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For power/torque numbers:

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/notes-on-the-g…

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 12:01

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http://oppositelock.kinja.com/notes-on-the-g…

HammerheadFistpunch had some numbers on that, I’m not sure how much more he had than you do. Pip bip notes in replies that they have some balance shaft gear explodey problems.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 12:09

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untill the bros get it and put a 6 in stack through the bed so they can roll coal

extraspecialbitter > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 12:11

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I need to know where people are getting that cheap diesel. Where I live (DC), diesel’s always about 30 cents/gal more than 87 oct gas.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > extraspecialbitter 07/29/2015 at 12:16

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Ya its about 10 cents more a litre here in Canada which is about 37 cents more a gallon.

HammerheadFistpunch > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/29/2015 at 12:17

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Thanks, I was going to repost this. I know the LFX numbers are within a slim margin of error across the range, and the 2.8 numbers are pretty close, but not as close.

HammerheadFistpunch > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 07/29/2015 at 12:18

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Thanks, I was just saying that I know the LFX numbers are pretty much spot on, the 2.8 numbers are a guess but based on maps I’ve seen on the international version of the engine so pretty close.

Sweet Trav > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 12:34

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GM missed the boat by not offering the 2.0L turbo motor. 260hp and 295 ft/lb of torque from 2500 rpm to 4000 rpm. (as found in the Buick Regal GS) (more than the 305 V8 offered from the early 80's until '97)

The entire V6 line up from GM is irrelevant.

And diesel is crap because it uses a TIMING BELT. What is this 1992?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Sweet Trav 07/29/2015 at 12:54

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Idea (or pipe dream): New, smaller truck to slot below the Canyon, a proper compact again. Call S10/Sonoma. Power for the base model comes from a 1.6T or a 2.5NA. GMC then gets a 2.0T (or caddy 3.6TT/3.0TT, why not) called SYCLONE

yeah. pipe dream.

Sweet Trav > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/29/2015 at 12:59

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The 2.5NA motor needs to be killed with thermite. it is a rattling, shambling mess of a motor.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Sweet Trav 07/29/2015 at 13:01

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As was the Iron Duke. So fitting...

OK, 1.6T it is. Don’t let me down, GM.

BKosher84 > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 13:18

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There is way too much math in this post..

Sweet Trav > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/29/2015 at 13:23

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GM has way too many I4 families, and too many engines in general. They should have a small four 1.2-1.8l a big four 2.0-2.5 and their V8 (and 4.3l V6 which shares lots of common tooling. Kill the rest.

Milky > shpuker 07/29/2015 at 13:26

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Yea but how many pandas can it tow?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Sweet Trav 07/29/2015 at 13:30

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Personally I think it’s a shame the 3.8 and 3.9 families are gone.

Sweet Trav > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/29/2015 at 13:47

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Both are invalidated by the Turbo 2.0. The 60 degree V6 family should have been aborted in the 90's The 3.8 is a wonderfully durable motor, but that's about it. Heavy, poor fuel economy, low output.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Sweet Trav 07/29/2015 at 14:47

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Don’t care. 3800 was awesome, 3.9 was awesome.

Sweet Trav > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/29/2015 at 15:01

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Plug your fingers in your ears and say after me "LALALALALALALA"

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Sweet Trav 07/29/2015 at 15:07

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No.

shpuker > BKosher84 07/29/2015 at 15:23

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But I mean I led with a fancy/badly photoshopped picture!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sweet Trav 07/29/2015 at 16:08

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It SHOULD have the 4.3L in it.

Sweet Trav > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 07/29/2015 at 18:28

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The 4.3l only makes 20 more HP and 10ft/lbs more than the 2.0l, V8 or bust

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sweet Trav 07/30/2015 at 09:25

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Yeah but I prefer the 4.3L NA V6 vs a 2.0L Turbo 4

shpuker > Milky 07/30/2015 at 23:14

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Touche....

Panda snaps in coming back

shpuker > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/30/2015 at 23:22

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Even better, pull the baby 2.5L turbo diesel into a truck smaller than the Colorado/Canyon (around 500lbs lighter would be my target) and as the base engine have the 1.4T and the 2.0T as the mid range. Literally the perfect small truck lineup.

shpuker > HammerheadFistpunch 07/30/2015 at 23:29

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Yea those graphs are a lot prettier. Kinda a strange torque curve on the 2.8 though, any idea if its still a fixed geometry and not a vgt?

shpuker > extraspecialbitter 07/30/2015 at 23:29

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I’m in Iowa for the summer and its probably $0.20 cheaper here.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shpuker 07/31/2015 at 07:19

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Throw in the Syclone and we have a deal.

shpuker > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/31/2015 at 22:36

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Deal