Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Ford Ranger
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Well, I got the superchip today. I will be installing this weekend. I will let you all know how it goes.
To increase HP add a K&N filter charger kit. I have the 4.0 and I did notice a difference in throttle response and how the rpms were reached faster. The engine also seemed to idle a bit smoother too. Basicly you are allowing more air flow into your intake. I also purchased and received today a Superchip. It is supposed to increase both HP and torque. We'll see, I have heard both good and bad about these chips.
CP actually, I have a 3.73 rearend with limited slip and it does me just fine too! 4.10's are for the serious tower or hauler, gas mileage is really bad with 4.10's. That reminds me, for the person asking about power, gearing also makes a difference.
The 3.73 means that if you turn the rear wheel once, the driveshaft will turn 3.73 times. With the 4.10, well the math is simple.
With the 4.10 you get quicker and stronger acceleration but lower top end. The 3.73 will do ok in 4 wheeling but the 4.10 is the better combination. Problem is I would have to change both differentials, front and rear to the lower gearing 4.10 around $250 each gear set plus installation. I do not tow anything large or do the real agressive 4 wheeling, hence the 3.73 is fine for me.
When I was younger and single I had a 69 Dodge with a 383 police interceptor engine, 355 hp with a 4.56 rear end. Could take anything stock up to a 426 Dodge non-hemi engine. That Dodge would accelerate like you would not believe but top end was limited to about 100mph vs 125 with the stock gears but it would get to 100mph very quickly.
popezeke
GOOD DEAL! Is the fuse located in the engine compartment the one your talking about? Good info to pass on.
kay12
Are you looking at invoice, a lower price vs retail, what you see on the sticker for the options? Invoice or lower is becoming the norm for what to pay for a vehicle.
I paid about 1300 under the Edmunds/Blue Book invioce when I got mine. Thought it was a fair deal but I am sure they made money.
Vince8:
Thanks! Want to get some custom pinstripes in the light gray color found in the 4X4 decal on the tailgate. Want some on the fenders, around the rear side windows, side of the bed and a pattern on the tailgate, right side. I think that will be sharp. Got a notice of a 4% raise today so maybe I can afford it.
CP, made arrangements to go out this weekend to MT Rainer area and do some sightseeing. There is going to be my Ranger, a CJ5 and another Ranger. Don't know what I will find I don't go up that way to often. I wish I had a scanner I would send you pics also. Going to see if the Superchip is really worth it also.
Someone in this room was talking about engine knock on the 3.0 I don't remember who?? I talked with my friend at Ford and he tried to find a TSB or something to the fact the Ford acknowledged a problem. He can't find anything about this "knock" being a chronic problem as this person stated.
I'm looking at paying about $400 over invoice, and I thought that was a good deal! Invoice on the truck I'm looking at is about $21,420 (4x4, xlt, 4.0L, 5 spd stick, 4.10 lim.slip, payload#2, sliding rear window, trailer hitch, dual media stereo, bucket seats, tilt wheel+cruise, off-road pkg, 4-door, power equip. grp.) MSRP is 23,940. I have two dealers making me offers on this truck (a dealer trade, no one local has one like it in stock.) One's offering $500 over invoice, the other $600 over (both after dealing a bit). The one at $500 over says he just can't go any lower, but I bet the other could go a lot lower because he's the biggest Ford dealer in the country (Galpin Ford, Los Angeles area).
Vince8: where in the world is under invoice cost "standard"??? I've never heard of a dealer that regularly sells for under invoice. Am I missing something? Also, it's not "dealer kickback" it's "dealer HOLDback" and most dealers will NOT negotiate on that money, especially if you're not doing a factory order, and even then most won't touch their holdback. (at least not in my experience.)
kieranc:
My .02 do not buy from Galpin. I tried to get a price quote (internet leads) over the phone from a salesman named Gary and he said i would have to come down to get a quote. They come up with all sorts of BS like PDI (pre-delivery inspection) $102 and they would not go lower than $300 over invoice. In reality, its $402 over invoice bec they do not count the PDI as mark-up. They said that their service people deserve to be paid...And don't fill out a credit app before you have agreed on the price. They want to price a deal depending on your credit. What if you did not agree on the price, then they have all your personal info for nothing. These people wasted 3 hrs of my time. I end up going to Santa Monica Ford. Peter the internet salesman offered $200 over but even that is negotiable. No crap PDI. No Ford tailgate logo with Galpin on it. No tacky stripes. Galpin is not the biggest Ford dealer in town. They are big because they sell other brands as a group. If you check Forbes 500 private co. Santa Monica Ford ranks up there with Galpin and they only sell Fords. See for yourself and let us know how it went.
Simple truth: change the tire size, and your speedometer&odometer will not be accurate anymore. AFAIK, the only way to fix this is to get a different gear/cog for them, to change their gear ratio to account for the larger tires.
http://www.off-road.com/tools/gearcalc.html
I didn't say under invoice is standard. But at invoice or a few hundred over invoice is not unheard of for the Ford Ranger. And yes, the dealer "holdback" or kickback whatever you want to call it is negotiable. Everything in the car selling business is negotiable. The Ranger is the best selling compact truck and Ford wants to keep it that way. In my part of the country (NW) they are offering $1000 cash back or .9% financing for 36months.
I'm looking at replacing my '85 Ranger XLT 2.8L 4X4 LWB at some point.
Thanks,
Dan
Got back from Mt Rainer and what a day, what an experience I had. Took my truck up some 6-7% maybe more inclines. Had to go 4 low and crawl up these due to rocks/gravel. Boy, the NW is beautiful right now. Temps in the 80's, skys are clear for miles. Saw deer, elk, and even the splash of some beaver.
Also had a run in with a Chevy owner who absolutely hated Fords of any nature or kind. This guy had an attitude that was incredible. He had a nice truck no doubt, he had a ZR2 in red. Thought I was going to have a nice conversation with him when we met up, talk about the forest, trails, what he was up to and such. So, I left. I guess you run into all kinds up in the middle of nowhere. I do carry a 9mm with me, my friend also carries a 22. I hope to never get into a scramble, but you never know what kind of maniac you'll run into.
See you in the hills.
Thanks
E.Z.
Well, I haven't bought from CD yet, but I am thinking about it. As for them offering a Ranger for under invoice, they are including the current $1,000 rebate. I am looking at a SuperCab 4-door XLT that CD says will be about $500 under invoice. In reality, they are offering $500 over invoice, which really isn't that bad, but you may be able to do better. I would try without them first and if you can't find anyplace that will deal with you, then use CD. I think their delivery guarantee is kinda neat as it puts the pressure on them to find a truck with the configuration you ask for.
- The Merg
http://www.bigmike.com I think I posted some of his special deals on 3.0L and 4X2s a few posts ago.
You know, every area/dealer is different. You might just be getting the best deal in your area.
I could have gotten the $1000 rebate but chose the financing at 2.9% instead. It was an either or and I came out better with the financing vs rebate.
Look around you when it happens there will be a Tacoma nearby with the driver pounding his fist in a knocking sound because he knows you got a great deal!
HE,HE!
ezuniga:
Well I alternated my speed on the 4.0L engine for the first 1K and did not go over 70mph, drove it reasonably easy for the first 5K, changed oil at 5K and it seemed to break in mpg wise around 10K.
I do not think there is any special way to break them in but would not recommend racing them in the first 1K.
I didn't know that the 3.0 FFV uses a special type of engine oil that is very expensive. The dealer quoted $9 a qt. Now an oil change runs about $70 a pop. I wish they tell me this before i chose this engine. These are BMW prices. These are the type of things a buyer doesn't really look into when shopping. I'd appreciate any comments or help. thanks.
If you search the web you'll find that the pinging problem you describe is common to 3.0L FFV vehicles. I've been trying to get my Ranger fixed since early summer, and haven't had any luck. On my last visit the dealer retarded the timing and that worked for about 3K miles but the problem is back. I've given up on it and have decided to live with the ping. I don't plan to go to a higher octane fuel because everything I've read indicates that it will only be a temporary fix.
In four years the loan will be paid off and I'll fill it with 93 octane and sell it to some other sucker. Ford screwed you. Sorry about being so blunt but there's no other way to say it.
I don't think it's Ford doing it to you this time.
I'd post the question on their consumer website at www.ownerconnection.com. That will get you in touch with Ford's Consumer Assistance Center, which will either confirm the $9 a quart story or contact the dealer.
I buy Motorcraft 10W-30 oil at Walmart. It cost about $1.30 a quart. The filter is a Motorcraft FL 400S which cost about $3.00.
I own a 1994 B2300(Ranger disguised as a Mazda), 2.3 liter 4 cylinder engine.
I bought it with 42,000 miles on it. It now has
82,000 miles on it. I love it. I have only had to tune it up once, and I am religious about changing the oil every 2,000 to 2,500 miles. One question though: obviously the vehicle lacks power, but sometimes when I am pushing it on the highway, like trying to climb a bit doing 55, I hear a flutter coming from the engine as I depress the accelerator to compensate for the hill or whatever. Almost sounds like a diesel engine at times. What is it,
and what might happen? It doesn't affect the
overall performance of the vehicle; it's simply a
weird fluttering sound.
Seems like we have the same truck, I am enjoying the heck out of mine. Do you have 31's on yours? I have 31's but am thinking of going back to 265 or to a 275. The 31's just don't give it the nice ride around town it used to have. I use my truck to commute to work as well as do the camping/hiking and logging road duty. I live in the NW and visit the Cascades and deserts of Oregon/Washington quite often. My Ranger has performed flawlessly in offroad use. I generally use the logging roads and access roads only. Its still new to me so I don't want to get it too scratched up or dented.
See you in the hills!
Skip
Don't get me wrong, I like my Ranger and it has been very reliable and has had no problems getting where I want it to go.
I just wish Ford would stop putting those damn Firejunkers on their trucks and find an alternative.
Hey, out here in the NE I'm seeing '99 Rangers offered at $1,400 under invoice as a result of the Ford factory clearance.....too bad I can't buy right now. How often do these clearances with deals like that come about?
Skip
What kind of Ranger are you looking for?
Second, the SOHC, while it should be reliable, is more expensive to tune.
Third, I havent really found a need for more power than my 4.0 delivers. Not into racing Tacomas from stop lights. . .
Just my $.02.
skipd - sorry I can't remember what article it was. I do remember it was about 2 months ago I had read this. Maybe you can contact a Ford dealer and they can give you better info?
I just don't like the tread pattern on the Firestones. Its not agressive enough for offroading and to put it plainly, they are cheap.
If you order or buy a Ranger, head right down to the nearest tire shop and trade them in on something, almost anything is better. Go to at least a 265 or even a 275. I went to a 31" and am contemplating on going back to at least a 265 due to ride. The 31" tires are nice for offroad but suck for commuting.
I picked up my Ranger loaded for 19.6K. I paid cash and ordered it from the factory, had a discount coupon and got the rebate also. I got one hell of a deal. Although the deal only took about 1 hour due to the cash, and I knew what I wanted and had all the numbers.
I have also heard of others getting Rangers at or below invoice. This is not uncommon on the West Coast.
decrease."
I think Ford has to get its owner's manuals in order. And what do they mean by "performance?" Acceleration? I'd sacrifice that to save dollars at the pump as long as I'm not decreasing the life of the engine. Any thoughts?
The email by Ford's customer assistance stated i should continue using at least 89 on the 3.0 FFV to solve the pinging problem (at 4300 mi?). I first used 92 and it ran well, then switched to 89 to see if that will do and it did. The performance sure made a noticeable difference compared to the 87. It confuses the matter further when even Ford can't stick to their own manuals.
Another case in point is the motor oil. All the dealers i've contacted said there is a special motor oil for the FFV and it cost $9.00 a quart, then Ford's customer assistance said (after checking with the factory) as long as it meets API seal for gasoline engines...it should be OK. The manual doesn't state a special oil for the FFV either. But the dealer claims there should be a supplement. I requested Ford's customer assistance to check again and still waiting for a reply.
To Ford's credit, their customer assistance is accommodating and responsive. I do not want to jeopardize my warranty but i don't want to get ripped off by the dealer either. You would think they can have some type of consistency with their answers. Pardon the length.
I'm trying to decide whether or not to get the offroad package. I'm buying the truck because I do a lot of outdoor activities and I plan to tow a pop up camper and a small fishing boat. However, I only plan to do light offroading at best to get me to my fishing, hiking, canoeing spots, etc. We also get walloped with snow here in PA at times. So, what do you guys think.....is it worth the extra cash? I don't think i need it, but does the offroad package give the truck more clearance or a higher stance? I like the more aggressive looking higher stance on trucks.
cpousnr & vince8, you guys bring up good points about the SOHC. I probably won't need any more power than what the current 4.0 offers for what I will be towing. But what we need and what we want are two different things! Just kidding, I'm actaully a pretty practicle guy, and I'm not looking to go racing either. However cpousnr, you seem to think the SOHC is more reliable. Is this true?
Here is an interior question for you Ranger owners. I'm considering the bench seats vs. the buckets with the center console. Are the buckets worth the extra cash? More comfy? Anybody been on both? I recall reading an article somewhere on the internet that said the buckets were more comfy with the manual lumbar support. What do you guys think?
Sorry about the length here guys. Got a little carried away. But these conversations will help hold me over until I can get my truck
Skip
I use my Ranger for about the same you would use yours. I live in the Northwest and frequent Mt Hood, Baker, Rainer, and Helens, along with the eastern desert areas. The Ranger does just fine and will get you where you want to go, or want to get out of. Good luck on your search!
I like the bench seats because I can squeeze in one more 5 year old otherwise I'd go for the buckets.
- The Merg
What do you think the 4.10 rear does for gas mileage. I'll be using this truck as a daily commuter as well as a weekend toy, so this is also a concern. In addition, since I won't be doing any heavy offroading (I think) do I really need a limited slip diff? What would the advantage be?
cpousnr, Nice truck! In fact, you have an almost identical setup to my buddy in NC. Same color XLT ext. cab with 5 spd. manual and bench seats. He told me the buckets are not an option when you get the manual trans. The only differences between the two trucks is he has the offroad package and his bumpers are painted platinum instead of chrome. Personally I like the chrome bumpers. It doesn't seem to me that his truck has a higher stance than yours....then again I guess it would help to see them side by side.
On the wheel lip moldings......I definitely like the moldings, I just thought they were black, not platinum. They are definitely platinum on your truck cpousnr, but are they platinum on all 4X4's? They look black in the '99 brochure, maybe it's just the lighting
Talk to you later fellas,
Skip
As CP said, I installed a chip and it does make a difference. I noticed also on passing the engine picks up rpms quicker too.
I also like the yellow turn signal. I believe it is safer and easier for other to see.
See you in the hills!