Down to Two

[GoBlue]

Hey all,

It's time for me to trade in and up and I've narrowed my choice to two:
Liberty or a Chevy Colorado 4X4. I'm leaning toward the kj because it's better equipped albeit a little more pricey.

I've got my eye on a sport that's pretty bare bones but has been sitting in a local lot for a while because it's a manual, and I could probably get it for a song.

My question is this: how is the 6 spd on the kj's? Should I just forget it and go with the auto? My current car has got a stick so it would be no problem driving it.

 

[rxraptor02]

I was told to avoid the colorado from a buddy.

Now my buddy was a powertrain tech for GM at the proving grounds. He told me if I wanted one to wait until they put the V6 in it. He didn't say that motor was bad, but there are better options.


I know that there are a few people with the 5-speed.

 

[GoBlue]

My wife actually has a Colorado with the I5 cyl. It's a nice truck, actually which is why it's on my list.

The kj I'm looking at is an 07 with a 6spd. I wonder what the reviews are on those.

 

[jimheem]

Colorado is way underpowered. a 5 cylinder motor just does not have the grunt that a pickup truck needs - unless you course you never plan to use it for anything besides a "car".

I cant so much comment on the Liberty as I havent taken delivery of mine yet (well, for my wife) - But I'll tell you this, It's ALL JEEP. I've had Jeeps and Pretty much ONLY Jeeps for the past 18 years, starting with a 1978 CJ7. Sure, over the years they've become more refined and user friendly, and in that have lost a bit of the raw grunt that my old CJ had, but still are the toughest vehicles in their class - by a LONG shot.

 

[jimheem]

Oh, and as for manual transmissions, It's all I ever drive. The 04 we are buying has the 5 speed. I've test driven the 6 speed, and except for being really awkward shifting into 6th gear, it seemed like a nice, smooth unit. I don't know much about the long term reliability of the unit, but I would trust it. I prefer manual over automatic since it gives you much more control, and automatic transmissions scare me - I've known way too many automatic transmissions that have needed to be replaced, oddly only about 5,000 miles after the warranty was up. I truly thing the automatic transmission is the weak point in just about every vehicle out there.

Sure with a stickshift you might have to change the clutch, but that's really cheap compared to changing out a whole automatic ******.

 

[Tokyojoe1965]

I drive a Colorado in the national guard and it stinks. No power and the interior is extremely lacking. Of course, the guard isn't going to get all the bells and whistles.

No get up and go definitely.

 

[GoBlue]

Well, I posed this question on a Colorado forum and actually got some favorable replies regarding the kj, which is surprising because Chevy guys think everything else *****.

The only crap I got was everyone there seemed to think the kj is a "woman's truck".

 

[jimheem]

the kj is a "woman's truck".

Well, KJ is kinda cute. Just get a manly color, and maybe put some accessories like brush guard or get the light bar, and some aggressive tires, then it's not as cute.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

the kj is a "woman's truck".

Well, KJ is kinda cute. Just get a manly color, and maybe put some accessories like brush guard or get the light bar, and some aggressive tires, then it's not as cute.

Kinda? LOL!!!!!!!!!!! Understatement. \/

 

[indieaz]

There is nothign wrong with the Colorado. Thos complaining about lack of power were lickly driving the I4 model. The I5 engine makes plenty of power. 242 HP and 242 lb-ft - considerably more than our KJs make. On top of it the Colroado weighs slightly less than our KJ does - except for the four door model.

And being an I5 doesn't make the engine "smaller" than ours. It might be physically smaller...but it still displaces 3.7L.

 

[desertkj]

Well, I posed this question on a Colorado forum and actually got some favorable replies regarding the kj, which is surprising because Chevy guys think everything else *****.

The only crap I got was everyone there seemed to think the kj is a "woman's truck".

Yeah. I kinda fight that sometimes. Then I realize that I dont give a crap whether or not other people like my car, as long as I like. If they think its a girly car, they need to stop compensating with their "manly" cars. For example, you have no idea how many women in Phoenix drive lifted trucks for mall duty, but they dont get a hard time.

 

[indieaz]

Yeah. I kinda fight that sometimes. Then I realize that I dont give a crap whether or not other people like my car, as long as I like. If they think its a girly car, they need to stop compensating with their "manly" cars. For example, you have no idea how many women in Phoenix drive lifted trucks for mall duty, but they dont get a hard time.

Nothing drives me nuts more than women getting groceries in their lifted suburban on 33" muds getting 11mpg. How stupid is that.

I had about a 10 page long argument in a thread on a camaro forum i frequent on the KJ versus the GM trailblazer(envoy et al.). One guy went as far to say that the trailblazer was bettter offroad than a KJ. #-o Then of course there was all the typical responses about the KJs seats being too firm and the interior being cheap. One comment was how much smoother the trailblazer ride is compared to the KJ - well duh! The KJ wasn't meant to be a grocery getting queen like the TB. I'm sure if the KJ wasn't built with offroading in mind it could also have soft suspension.