colorado vs silverado

I've narrowed my shopping to either a colorado or a silverado and I'm hoping you all have some useful opinions. i have about 26 grand total to spend but i cant decide between the colly or silvy.
heres what im wanting:
-run low 14's/ high 13's
-be able to carry passengers
-keep decent gas mileage (around 18-22 mixed highway/city)
-keep TOTAL cost under 27 grand

i am thinking about
(all i would buy slightly used)
- crew cab colly extreme (2wd) and then throw on a blower/turbo as the aftermarket stuff starts coming out
- ext cab silvy 2wd but i dont know which engine to go with ...
- ext cab silvy 4wd diesel

let me know what your alls experience/opinion is ...thanks

The colorado with the I-5 gets about the same gas mileage as a 1500 silv with the 5.3l and with the silv you get a lot more room and a lot more power. My brothers '04 silv 1500 4x4 5.3 is getting about 16-17 around town and about 20-22 mpg on the freeway empty, only mod was cat back exhaust. The 6.0L you will only get about 13-14 around town and about 16-17 on the freeway. The last duramax (2004, 2500, 4x4) I took on a road trip got about 18 mpg average, no mods. Hope this helps.

I have a 02 4.3 ecsb. I wish i had the 5.3 engine more power and the gas mileage is about the same.

You can get a well loaded out 5.3 crew for less than a comparable x-cab, and the MPG is pretty close to the same. Right now, if you do real good homework and shopping, you can get a VERY well equipped crew for $24K.

Just remember, after you find a truck on a lot, or on Chevy.com, build it at Edmonds.com (exactly the same as the sticker) and it will give you invoice. A good dealer will give you invoice minus rebates and maybe a little more. The salesman will be pissed because they will only get $100/$150, so they'll try to stick you high. If you can deal with the sales manager off the bat, that tends to be the best. On most Crews out there, you should be able to pretty much take $5K off the NEW MSRP and that's close (+/- $500) to what you should pay.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=524953

how do the 4.8L vs 5.3L compare? the horsepower isnt all that different but the torque jumps a little going to the 5.3. which responds better to mods? im thinking i might throw in an STS turbo once i learn a bit more about them....i want to hit low 14's to high 13's

how do the 4.8L vs 5.3L compare? the horsepower isnt all that different but the torque jumps a little going to the 5.3. which responds better to mods? im thinking i might throw in an STS turbo once i learn a bit more about them....i want to hit low 14's to high 13's

Test drive trucks with both motors, you will see the difference. The 4.8L doesn't even come close. The 5.3L is a lot more resposive.

who on here has an STS turbo? i keep reading about improvements in gas mileage... how much of an improvement is there? what kinda #'s are they producing?

the colorado is hard to compare to since the aftermarket isnt there yet but what do you all think of between a diesel with turbo back exhaust, programmer, and intake would do vs gas with STS in it? speed wise, gas mileage wise, long lasting wise?
thanks