Hello, Everyone! I just joined this forum to hopefully get some questions answered. I currently have a Gen3 Raptor that I’m going to be selling. I just don’t need a big truck anymore, and I do a lot of camping with the family. Just looking for something more compact. Anyhow, I’m down to a new Ranger Tremor or a Certified Pre-Owned ZR2 with the diesel. 30k miles, been serviced at the dealer. So, here are my questions
1. I’ve read about the issues with the 2.8. Seems like it goes round and round. Earlier ones are more problematic than new as of right now, and there isn’t enough long term data for long term reliability
- You are mostly going to see the people who have problems on internet forums, not the people who are trouble free. This goes for any make/model.
2. Emissions system seems to be up in the air with reliability and fails more than it doesn’t.
-Not true, most owners have 0 issues
3.There’s a mixed bag of opinions on the overall quality of the truck from fit and finish, to electrical issues.
-Quality is subjective, but fit and finish on these trucks is great. Electrical issues are few and far between.
Questions:
1. Will this engine continue to be supported? By this I mean, will we be able to get parts for the long term to keep these things running? Now that there is no more diesel, will Chevy give up supporting this motor? I don’t want to purchase something, and in five years I have an issue, and sorry, these parts are obsolete. Furthermkre, will I be able to get window switches, interior parts, etc?
- Yes, this engine has been in production over seas for years, since the early 2000's and will continue to be produced in brazil. There is no issue finding parts anymore than any other motor right now. Just because GM stopped producing the motor in the states doesn't mean parts manufacturers will cease production on replacement parts.
2. How have your trucks been holding up? From an all around stand point. Electrical, engine, components, suspension, any frame issues, etc?
- You will find most owners love there trucks and have 0 issues. Anything non engine related will be the same as an gas v6 colorado or canyon.
3. I was originally looking for a Bison Diesel because of the bumpers and fog lights. However, it’s hard to find a diesel one. Found a few gas models. Any reason to get the Bison over the normal ZR2?
- The bison is just bolt on parts, wheels, bumpers, fender flares, skid plates etc. Not worth it to stress over getting one unless you find one at a good price. Everything the bison has can be added aftermarket. It has no mechanical advantage over the standard zr2
4. Reasons to consider this vehicle over the Ranger?
-Another subjective point, the ranger is a good truck too. All specs are comparable, minus the fuel economy the diesel is capable of.
5. How is winter performance for the cabin heat? I know most new diesels have electric heaters to help warm the cabins, as diesels are so efficient. My older VW diesels were awful. By the time I got home from work, the cabin was just starting to get warm.
- You will have heat in the cabin within 5 minutes of driving unless it is below 20-25 degrees, then maybe closer to 10 minutes.
I would appreciate any feedback. This is at a dealer that my very good friend is the sales manager of. I would buy a very good aftermarket warranty to help with any future issues. I really love the simplicity of the Colorado, as it doesn’t have all this wiz bang gadgetry of the all these modern vehicles. This would be only my second GM product. My wife had a Gen1 Volt, and it was excellent. Built like a tank. Anyhow, thank you for your time, and I genuinely appreciate any help and advice!
Cheers!
Questions Before Colorado Purchase
Hello, Everyone! I just joined this forum to hopefully get some questions answered. I currently have a Gen3 Raptor that I’m going to be selling. I just don’t need a big truck anymore, and I do a lot of camping with the family. Just looking for something more compact. Anyhow, I’m down to a new Ranger Tremor or a Certified Pre-Owned ZR2 with the diesel. 30k miles, been serviced at the dealer. So, here are my questions
1. I’ve read about the issues with the 2.8. Seems like it goes round and round. Earlier ones are more problematic than new as of right now, and there isn’t enough long term data for long term reliability
2. Emissions system seems to be up in the air with reliability and fails more than it doesn’t.
3.There’s a mixed bag of opinions on the overall quality of the truck from fit and finish, to electrical issues.
Questions:
1. Will this engine continue to be supported? By this I mean, will we be able to get parts for the long term to keep these things running? Now that there is no more diesel, will Chevy give up supporting this motor? I don’t want to purchase something, and in five years I have an issue, and sorry, these parts are obsolete. Furthermkre, will I be able to get window switches, interior parts, etc?
2. How have your trucks been holding up? From an all around stand point. Electrical, engine, components, suspension, any frame issues, etc?
3. I was originally looking for a Bison Diesel because of the bumpers and fog lights. However, it’s hard to find a diesel one. Found a few gas models. Any reason to get the Bison over the normal ZR2?
4. Reasons to consider this vehicle over the Ranger?
5. How is winter performance for the cabin heat? I know most new diesels have electric heaters to help warm the cabins, as diesels are so efficient. My older VW diesels were awful. By the time I got home from work, the cabin was just starting to get warm.
I would appreciate any feedback. This is at a dealer that my very good friend is the sales manager of. I would buy a very good aftermarket warranty to help with any future issues. I really love the simplicity of the Colorado, as it doesn’t have all this wiz bang gadgetry of the all these modern vehicles. This would be only my second GM product. My wife had a Gen1 Volt, and it was excellent. Built like a tank. Anyhow, thank you for your time, and I genuinely appreciate any help and advice!
Cheers!
1. I’ve read about the issues with the 2.8. Seems like it goes round and round. Earlier ones are more problematic than new as of right now, and there isn’t enough long term data for long term reliability
2. Emissions system seems to be up in the air with reliability and fails more than it doesn’t.
3.There’s a mixed bag of opinions on the overall quality of the truck from fit and finish, to electrical issues.
Questions:
1. Will this engine continue to be supported? By this I mean, will we be able to get parts for the long term to keep these things running? Now that there is no more diesel, will Chevy give up supporting this motor? I don’t want to purchase something, and in five years I have an issue, and sorry, these parts are obsolete. Furthermkre, will I be able to get window switches, interior parts, etc?
2. How have your trucks been holding up? From an all around stand point. Electrical, engine, components, suspension, any frame issues, etc?
3. I was originally looking for a Bison Diesel because of the bumpers and fog lights. However, it’s hard to find a diesel one. Found a few gas models. Any reason to get the Bison over the normal ZR2?
4. Reasons to consider this vehicle over the Ranger?
5. How is winter performance for the cabin heat? I know most new diesels have electric heaters to help warm the cabins, as diesels are so efficient. My older VW diesels were awful. By the time I got home from work, the cabin was just starting to get warm.
I would appreciate any feedback. This is at a dealer that my very good friend is the sales manager of. I would buy a very good aftermarket warranty to help with any future issues. I really love the simplicity of the Colorado, as it doesn’t have all this wiz bang gadgetry of the all these modern vehicles. This would be only my second GM product. My wife had a Gen1 Volt, and it was excellent. Built like a tank. Anyhow, thank you for your time, and I genuinely appreciate any help and advice!
Cheers!
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Thank you, for the feedback! I appreciate it.
I bought my 2017 new in Nov 2017 and now have 94k miles on the truck. While it hasn't been perfect, it's still been one of the best vehicles I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot).
Fit and finish has been great, the truck still feels as tight as it was new, no rattles, squeaks, etc.
The problems that I've had have been annoying but not major and none have made me regret my purchase.
The biggest problem people have is with doing constant short trips which interrupt the DPF regen cycle. If the DPF regen is unable to complete and the soot% continues to increase it will trigger a warning on the DIC (Driver Information Center) to "keep driving" until the message goes away. If this is ignored and the regen is still unable to complete then a service regen will need to be performed as the truck will go into limp mode.
So, as long as the truck won't be subjected to frequent/constant short trips (20 miles or less) this shouldn't be an issue. DPF regens usually take around 25 minutes to complete and are mostly invisible to the driver.
Fit and finish has been great, the truck still feels as tight as it was new, no rattles, squeaks, etc.
The problems that I've had have been annoying but not major and none have made me regret my purchase.
- PM (Particulate Matter) sensor in the exhaust failed at 16k miles, replaced with an updated sensor under warranty. No problems since.
- For some reason, 3 of the 4 studs in the turbo outlet where the downpipe/cat mount to the turbo went missing around 70k miles. Noticed a weird noise and raw exhaust smell after cold start, eventually discovered the missing studs. Ordered replacement studs and nuts from my local dealer, installed them using high-temp thread locker and no problems since.
- Last summer while camping in Colorado my engine started sounding like a classic VW Beetle's exhaust. Discovered the nuts for the exhaust manifold for the #1 cylinder loose and they don't seem to be distorted-thread locking nuts which is dumb. Tightened them up and no more problems.
- Over this past winter I got a DTC for the DEF heater in the supply line to the DEF injector. Ordered a replacement and installed it, had to use an OBD-II dongle and the Gretio app on my smartphone to clear the countdown as it tripped the tamper code and I had to run a tamper test to clear it.
The biggest problem people have is with doing constant short trips which interrupt the DPF regen cycle. If the DPF regen is unable to complete and the soot% continues to increase it will trigger a warning on the DIC (Driver Information Center) to "keep driving" until the message goes away. If this is ignored and the regen is still unable to complete then a service regen will need to be performed as the truck will go into limp mode.
So, as long as the truck won't be subjected to frequent/constant short trips (20 miles or less) this shouldn't be an issue. DPF regens usually take around 25 minutes to complete and are mostly invisible to the driver.
Thank you for this detailed response! It helps me gather more information. I appreciate this.I bought my 2017 new in Nov 2017 and now have 94k miles on the truck. While it hasn't been perfect, it's still been one of the best vehicles I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot).
Fit and finish has been great, the truck still feels as tight as it was new, no rattles, squeaks, etc.
The problems that I've had have been annoying but not major and none have made me regret my purchase.
None of these were particularly major or difficult repairs to make, however it's shameful that I had problems with nuts/studs coming loose. That shouldn't happen and thankfully those issues have been very rare among owners on various forums. I haven't been the only one to experience these issues but the number has been very small.
- PM (Particulate Matter) sensor in the exhaust failed at 16k miles, replaced with an updated sensor under warranty. No problems since.
- For some reason, 3 of the 4 studs in the turbo outlet where the downpipe/cat mount to the turbo went missing around 70k miles. Noticed a weird noise and raw exhaust smell after cold start, eventually discovered the missing studs. Ordered replacement studs and nuts from my local dealer, installed them using high-temp thread locker and no problems since.
- Last summer while camping in Colorado my engine started sounding like a classic VW Beetle's exhaust. Discovered the nuts for the exhaust manifold for the #1 cylinder loose and they don't seem to be distorted-thread locking nuts which is dumb. Tightened them up and no more problems.
- Over this past winter I got a DTC for the DEF heater in the supply line to the DEF injector. Ordered a replacement and installed it, had to use an OBD-II dongle and the Gretio app on my smartphone to clear the countdown as it tripped the tamper code and I had to run a tamper test to clear it.
The biggest problem people have is with doing constant short trips which interrupt the DPF regen cycle. If the DPF regen is unable to complete and the soot% continues to increase it will trigger a warning on the DIC (Driver Information Center) to "keep driving" until the message goes away. If this is ignored and the regen is still unable to complete then a service regen will need to be performed as the truck will go into limp mode.
So, as long as the truck won't be subjected to frequent/constant short trips (20 miles or less) this shouldn't be an issue. DPF regens usually take around 25 minutes to complete and are mostly invisible to the driver.
So, we don’t think long term parts availability is going to be an issue? Or Chevy making stuff obsolete?
I bought my 2016 in May of that year, I ordered it, 2 wheel drive with positraction, I've hauled a TT 4000 lbs over 10,000 from every direction out of Tucson including Mexico, Colorado, NW Washington, the only problem I've had was the air conditioner compressor had to be replaced back in 2017, I get 15-18 mpg towing and 24 around town and 34 on the highway when not towing, it's our only vehicle, so it gets driven around town a lot! I'm 72 years old and have had vehicles since 16, this little truck is a marvel!!Hello, Everyone! I just joined this forum to hopefully get some questions answered. I currently have a Gen3 Raptor that I’m going to be selling. I just don’t need a big truck anymore, and I do a lot of camping with the family. Just looking for something more compact. Anyhow, I’m down to a new Ranger Tremor or a Certified Pre-Owned ZR2 with the diesel. 30k miles, been serviced at the dealer. So, here are my questions
1. I’ve read about the issues with the 2.8. Seems like it goes round and round. Earlier ones are more problematic than new as of right now, and there isn’t enough long term data for long term reliability
2. Emissions system seems to be up in the air with reliability and fails more than it doesn’t.
3.There’s a mixed bag of opinions on the overall quality of the truck from fit and finish, to electrical issues.
Questions:
1. Will this engine continue to be supported? By this I mean, will we be able to get parts for the long term to keep these things running? Now that there is no more diesel, will Chevy give up supporting this motor? I don’t want to purchase something, and in five years I have an issue, and sorry, these parts are obsolete. Furthermkre, will I be able to get window switches, interior parts, etc?
2. How have your trucks been holding up? From an all around stand point. Electrical, engine, components, suspension, any frame issues, etc?
3. I was originally looking for a Bison Diesel because of the bumpers and fog lights. However, it’s hard to find a diesel one. Found a few gas models. Any reason to get the Bison over the normal ZR2?
4. Reasons to consider this vehicle over the Ranger?
5. How is winter performance for the cabin heat? I know most new diesels have electric heaters to help warm the cabins, as diesels are so efficient. My older VW diesels were awful. By the time I got home from work, the cabin was just starting to get warm.
I would appreciate any feedback. This is at a dealer that my very good friend is the sales manager of. I would buy a very good aftermarket warranty to help with any future issues. I really love the simplicity of the Colorado, as it doesn’t have all this wiz bang gadgetry of the all these modern vehicles. This would be only my second GM product. My wife had a Gen1 Volt, and it was excellent. Built like a tank. Anyhow, thank you for your time, and I genuinely appreciate any help and advice!
Cheers!
- Regarding 2.8d long term support, I assume the Federal govt mandates how long (decades) manufacturers support their product lines. Perhaps if this were 1938 or something that would be more of a concern. Sorry, couldn’t resist wisecracking, but I really don’t see the issue.
- For sure if you browse the dieselcolorado.com forums, you’ll see the 1% who have all the issues (and they’re all smarter than GM engineers). Same true of any forum for car owners. That said, you can get some good tips there such as if the tranny is/was known to benefit from an immediate “mile zero” flush or other oddities chalked up to certain years or variants. Those folks are also monitoring scores of OBD stats and will endlessly fret over why systems behave the way they do - great reason to lose sleep over nothing.
- 2016 2.8d Z71 65,000 miles. No major issues yet. Insights based on my Z71:
- They don’t include a knockout can before the turbo. That Sasquatch vendor sells a kit with a nicely fabricated steel bracket.
- The Z71 is known to have a choppy ride / firm suspension, so if you’re a lifestyle owner looking for settled handling, this could annoy you. They say the more offroad-oriented variants have more compliant shocks so maybe not on your radar.
- I do plenty of 10-15 minute runs for kids school dropoff/pickup. But yeah, my usage includes a longer highway trip (e.g. to the mountains and back) roughly monthly and so I usually don’t get interrupted exhaust regen around town - rarely notice a thing (or smell). I assume it regens on long drives.
- Totally subjective, but folks like me with skinny arses seem to find the Z71 seats are awfully firm. Others don’t notice a thing. I just spent 3 grand on a full leather seat upgrade with gel and extra padding. I assume nicer models (than Z71) have better seats, and I assume GM cousins have nicer seats than Chevy.
- Z71 interior trim is hard plastic. In hindsight, I shoulda bucked up for a nicer GM variant at a higher trim level because I want to be happy with this thing for 20+ years.
- If you actually depend on the heater being truly warm on the coldest days… the 2.8d might leave you wanting. Below 20F, I’d say, it really takes 15+ minutes to adequately warm up. I was caught in a true Colorado blizzard a few years ago and the defroster never cleared the windshield - it could not keep up with dumping snow and freezing cold. On that day, it kinda almost kept up as long as we were in motion but fell behind and nearly totally snowed/fogged over at rest (with windshield wipers on high speed) where the engine doesn’t generate enough heat. Perhaps there’s an issue with electric heat assist unit (if I have it, I don’t know).
- Stock, averaged 28-34 highway mpg (varied greatly by conditions, and don’t believe anyone who claims to be more accurate). After removing the front air dam, 1-3/4” front suspension lift/level, and a GFC topper adding some wind resistance, I’m down to perhaps 22-28 highway mpg, varying greatly with conditions.
- Turbo lag is like +1 second, including in town from a standstill. Sometimes this annoys drivers, particularly compared to a gasser.
- The quiet nature of the low revving diesel can be a lullaby, particularly if you’re normally energized by the high rev of a gasser. It regularly lulls my wife to sleep in the passenger seat on road trips.
- Closing remarks… I love my 2.8d. It’s a real goat off pavement, particularly a few 4wd-oriented routes we’ve done where the low end torque is key. The turbo is also a high altitude, uphill highway gobbling monster… V8 Tahoes cannot get out of my way fast enough when I’m tipped into 5th gear, modest pedal pressure, accelerating up a 5-mile grade at 8000-10000 feet elevation. Even reduced by all my mods, it’s a luxury knowing I can easily pull off a 500 mile round trip road trip, including some unpaved travel loaded with camping gear, on a single tank of fuel. I love only carrying a 2.5gal diesel jerry can offroad, and knowing I’ll probably never need it - while listening to the gasser overlanders fret about distance to fillup. And… fingers crossed on the long term experience… we live in an age where things are unavoidably complicated… so time will tell…
We can discuss the wisdom of buying an inherently low traction 2WD pickup truck, but your rig sounds fit for purpose. FMI, do you have posi, or the locking diff? I am enamored of the tech of the locking diff in the back of my 2018 Z71 4WD. It works great in any conditions, probably because the GM folks realized that they could combine good vehicle electronics with intelligent differential action.I bought my 2016 in May of that year, I ordered it, 2 wheel drive with positraction, I've hauled a TT 4000 lbs over 10,000 from every direction out of Tucson including Mexico, Colorado, NW Washington, the only problem I've had was the air conditioner compressor had to be replaced back in 2017, I get 15-18 mpg towing and 24 around town and 34 on the highway when not towing, it's our only vehicle, so it gets driven around town a lot! I'm 72 years old and have had vehicles since 16, this little truck is a marvel!!
There is no "posi" (limited slip) option with these, it's either an open diff, G80 automatic mechanical locker, or the ZR2 with electronic selectable lockers.We can discuss the wisdom of buying an inherently low traction 2WD pickup truck, but your rig sounds fit for purpose. FMI, do you have posi, or the locking diff? I am enamored of the tech of the locking diff in the back of my 2018 Z71 4WD. It works great in any conditions, probably because the GM folks realized that they could combine good vehicle electronics with intelligent differential action.
I thought (perhaps in error) that my G80 engaged electronically, in response to external inputs like low speed wheel spin. Can you expand?There is no "posi" (limited slip) option with these, it's either an open diff, G80 automatic mechanical locker, or the ZR2 with electronic selectable lockers.
Nope, it's all mechanical with no external control. When there is an RPM difference of ~120RPM between the left and right half of the differential and while the speed is below ~20MPH it will cause the G80 to lock.I thought (perhaps in error) that my G80 engaged electronically, in response to external inputs like low speed wheel spin. Can you expand?
This somewhat old video explains and shows the basics of how it works.
Eaton G80 Locking Differential - YouTube
Thanks a lot. I still like the way it works, "intelligent" or not.Nope, it's all mechanical with no external control. When there is an RPM difference of ~120RPM between the left and right half of the differential and while the speed is below ~20MPH it will cause the G80 to lock.
This somewhat old video explains and shows the basics of how it works.
Eaton G80 Locking Differential - YouTube
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
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