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Toyota Tacoma vs. Ford Ranger, Part XII
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This locker you guys speak so highly of is very limited in where/when it can be used. Toyota has marketed this very well. Most of this is purely for show and macho image. The fact is most of you would not take your $22-24,000 TRD 4x4 V6 automatics into areas where a locker will get its full use. We have been through all this 1000 times.. And, the locker is an OPEN axle when not engaged. This doesn't help you tow anything nor offroad.
Funny too, same old story with Rangers not able to offroad.. I have taken my 1998 4x4 Ranger into the MT national forest, Tillamook National Forest and MT ST Helens area to the Deserts of Central/Eastern Oregon.. Its done me just fine...
By the way the resale on my Honda is not that great.. Paid 17K, only worth 13-14K tops now...???
;-)
scorpio, i don't know what article you read, but liberty isn't known for it's "great ride", as it has a live axle back there with an off-road suspension. please educate yourself before you blanket the liberty into vue, escape, rav4, etc. territory.
www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/47012/page004.html
take this for what it's worth, but all of them note liberty's off-road worthiness.(due to edmunds 115 character rule, i couldn't post all links, but just type in "jeep liberty off-road" in your search machine and you can read all day on how good the liberty is off-road) i can't believe you true off-road guys don't recognize true off-road potentiality when you see it. low front and rear overhangs are the start. high ground clearance is good too. power and torque are a must. dana axles are very important. water fording capability very necessary. i could go on. the liberty has all of this, but you all still fail to accept that it is an off-road machine. i think i see some denial in tacoma land. oh, did i mention liberty got five stars in crash tests from NHTSA? stop being so ignorant guys.
if you want to talk about "SISSY VEHICLES", you better start looking at your tacoma if you even have one. comparing liberty to tacoma, the taco has pint sized a-arms compared to liberty's cast iron offerings. your little tacoma is down 20 horse and 15 lb/ft of torque compared to the liberty V6. liberty has Dana axles compared to your "corporate [non-permissible content removed]" no name axles that i know, never have problems. and comparing tacoma's tin can skidplates to liberty's solid steel mounts just shows where toyota shaves production dollars. i could go on and on, but it's a lost cause. because trying to educate someone like yourself who is so caught up in the "i own a toyota and now im god" thing is a lost cause. hope you document each oil change on that toyota.
Too bad the Liberties ground clearence is insignificant compared to the Tacoma. No comparision there!
And Liberty got less than average (M overall) crash test from IIHS. I wouldn't get too crazy about V6 numbers......bigger engines, but more specifically, newer engines, designed by DC while having competitors' numbers on hand. Hows your gas milage, btw? Every review I read says it sucks.
The Liberty is the only mini-SUV (out of the Escape, Tribute, CR-V, RAV-4 and even the Rover Freelander) that is RWD based and has a solid rear axle. Take it for what it's worth. I'll take a Liberty anyday over these other for off-roading. I like them.....A lot better than I like Rangers!
Obi
95% of us don't really care either way.
Of course, that applies mostly to rural areas, but it could have limited application even in urban areas at times of snow/rain etc.
There might be ice once a year or so, but off-road ability does not help you there. Besides, off-road prowress does not equate to on-road traction. Sure, 4WD and grippy tires do help, but that suspension lift and great ground clearance will do nothing for you. Besides I'd rather have a limited slip pumpkin over a locker on Ice/Snow/Rain anyway. 150 pounds of sand does more wonders than any off-road package.
I guess it just comes to a point where you eat, breathe, drink, sleep, and live the off-roading lifestyle, and it becomes all that is important. Enjoy it man, just do not expect the majority to share your ideals.
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We kept trying to tell him it was 2004, but he insisted it was 2003.
Well.......new models are coming up either in September of October, can't remember now, so we'll find out for sure then.
Base Model Ranger: 3085 lbs
Base Model Tacoma: 2750 lbs
V6 Xtracab 4WD Tacoma weights 3515
V6 Xtracab 4WD Ranger weights 3580
So........heavier Dana axles? Where exactly does the sheetmetal come in? If they weight the same, and you keep saying that "Ranger is more solidly built", plus all the standard features.....if you add that much weight, Ford had to reduce the load somewhere else. So where is it?
Another example of if it's not 4WD, "it's not worth squat."
Are we talking sheet metal or weight of the 4WD components?
Per Edmunds:
Toyota Tacoma prerunner, ext cab, automatic, 2wd:
3355 lbs.
Ranger Edge, 3.0l Auto, 2wd Ext Cab,
3584 lbs.
P.S. Ford lists the 4x4 supercab at 3707 pounds.
P.S.S. Anyone seen the new FX-4 Level 2's?
scorp- go drive a ranger off-road, then you'll see what i mean by "more solidly built". no comment on the flexing doors i see.
i doubt power windows, a cd player, and whatever the ranger has that toyota charges extra for add that much weight to a ranger.
I'm very skeptical of anecdotal stories about "easily dented beds." Especially when I hear these stories on internet message boards.
Hopefully edmunds won't make me chop up that url...
Ford Engineers to do battle on Junkyard Wars!
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=12828&make_id=92
I will say this. Those new FX4s look kinda nice. I mean, the comfy seats and the frills don't make it the off road king that it claims to be, but I like the fact that a compact is out there with some extra stuff. Still needs a locker for that sticker on the side not to be in vain. But thats another story.
2002 Ford Ranger Compact Extended Cab Truck
4dr SuperCab XLT Appearance 2WD Styleside SB (4.0L 6cyl 5A), weight 3313 lbs.
2002 Toyota Tacoma Compact Extended Cab Truck
2dr Xtracab PreRunner V6 2WD SB (3.4L 6cyl 4A), weight 3355.
Are the above two not comparable? The 2 suicide doors on a Ranger don't add any weight to it.
For a 4WD models:
2003 Ford Ranger Compact Extended Cab Truck
4dr SuperCab XLT FX4 Off-Road 4WD Styleside SB (4.0L 6cyl 5M) at 3584 lbs.
2002 Toyota Tacoma Compact Extended Cab Truck
2dr Xtracab V6 4WD SB (3.4L 6cyl 5M) at 3515 lbs.
So......where exactly am I going wrong?
As for driving a Ranger offroad: we ran into one this weekend. Beater truck, dents everywhere. It seems both trucks are easily damaged when you hit them against rocks.
I agree with you that the Tacoma has thinner doors etc., however, if Scorp takes your advice he'll pick the Tacoma as it definitely has a much more solid feel off-road. Unless, of course, your opinion of "solidly built" means the truck that sways and squeeks the most.
My Ford is a 98 and I'll concede that the new ones may be a bit better however.
My best conclusions on the data above is that the underlying vehicles are close, but the Ranger is heavier(~330 lbs).
With all the goodies mentioned above by Scorpio, both vehicles are much more similar in weight, give or take 70-80 pounds depending on how you pick the models.
What does this prove? Mostly that Tacoma's options (4x4 components, xtra cab, etc) are heavier than the Ranger equivalent.
Of course Ford fans can say the Ranger is just stronger to begin with, but the Toyota fans will say the Ranger has "weaker" optional equipment.
Truth is weight has little to do with it. 100 pounds of gold is much weaker than 100 pounds of steel. However how do we compare two steel alloys under 2 different design, manufacturing and building methods?
Shall we look at the crash statistics/ratings?
As for weights: base weights are different because of all the standard features of Ranger. Ever try to lift an ABS controller? It's at least 30 lbs. Piece by piece, the extra weight adds up.
The crash ratings don't matter much when there isn't any underlying skeletal structure: Saab puts titanium bars (or at least used to) along the doors and body to reinforce them. Does this influence crash tests? Yes. Does the actual body material make their crash tests 5-star? Not really. It's all about whats' underneath.
NHTSA.gov - No contest. 4 star Ranger all the way across, 3 star Tacoma. Oops Sorry, passenger side frontal impact has 4 stars, but the rest is 3 star.
What is interesting is the Ranger Electric has a 5 star rating.
As for weights, Dead issue. You can not proove anything, either way. But we do have crash statistics. One tie (IIHS) and one point for Ranger (NHTSA) means what? Crashes are practical applications of rigid/stronger structures, are they not?
i see what they are doing, and i cant believe toyota guys didn't see this or at least comment on it. the phase 2 FX4 is just last years FX4, it's just that now they're calling the regular XLT ranger with the off-road pkg. an FX4 now. all the stuff mentioned in the phase 2 is identical to last years FX4 ranger, the original. words like "hardcore" are just marketing ploys to sell. it's just the same as last year. and ive already told you guys that the only real thing the FX4 has over a regular off-road ranger is tires, bilstein shocks, and a rear tow hook. add in the manual t/c if you opt for the stick. why the HECK don't they introduce a darn crew cab and call it a day. so stupid. isn't this convo getting old? jeez, it's been almost a year since ive come on here and it's the same old thing.