Rancor in any discussion is not a good thing, but at the same token where civility is lacking can you realistically expect this format to take a positive note? Civility should be the norm. Fact is there has been name calling on both sides, which I deplore. At the same time I am a realist to see that a specific Ranger owner writes in several of the topics of discussion in pickups and sedans as bashing. Yes this is a free & open society, but to pose as fair minded individual does not enthrall me when I know he has predisposed beliefs. If I have offended you in the Ranger room it was meant to be light hearted joshing sarcasm. Guess that is the NYer in me still.
In regards to the China issue the blame lies with the corporations and our government. Can anyone really trust a facist regime?
Who VS whom does it really matter? The topic envelops both vehicles and in the context I assume it was open to all.
hindsite, and if you scroll up, I drove a Tacoma owner to the nearest phone in my Ranger because his truck failed him out on a trail, just died, wouldn't start. Got to love that! Ranger does have a factory skidplate option. The locker on the Tacoma is an OPTION with the very pricey TRD package. The skidplate on the Tacoma is also an option. You guys make it sound like these are standard on the Tacoma!
hindsite, and if you scroll up, I drove a Tacoma owner to the nearest phone in my Ranger because his truck failed him out on a trail, just died, wouldn't start. Got to love that! Ranger does have a factory skidplate option. The locker on the Tacoma is an OPTION with the very pricey TRD package. The skidplate on the Tacoma is also an option. You guys make it sound like these are standard on the Tacoma!
Tacoma skid plates are standard on all 4X4 and Prerunner models......
From there website:
"Underbody protection Skid plates under front suspension, transfer case and fuel tank on PreRunner and 4x4 models"
Toyota is looking into combo gas/elec cars because with current battery tech. you'll never get to far (miles) and good luck finding a station. Honda recently dropped its elec. car for the same reason. Combo engines (gas/elec) and fuel cells are the future, or atleast until a real battery storage tech. can be developed. Also non-gas cars will never be cheap, because until the public embraces them the price will not drop. Supply and Demand. The Ranger elec is a good idea but you can't go to far from home, No elec station if you know what i mean. I think toyota has another enviro car called the echo, but i'm not sure, but they do have an elec Rav like the elec Ranger.....
Can you take light hearted sarcasm with no malice intended? It was very noble of you to give the guy a lift that had the Tacoma that died. I have read that it and seen it in several of the pickup topics several times. Did I get bent out of shape? Now I have seen today in 3 different topics of discussion where you have said the skid plate was an option on the Tacoma. Maybe you don't know that it is standard. Somehow this topic has to me strayed from its intended goal and that was a civil discussion on a level playing field. I would like to talk more about the trucks themselves and less about who is better and so on.
Actually I was thinking of the 4wd on the Explorer and I just saw that Ford calls it Control-Trac not autotrak. But whatever the manufacturer or system name, I like the option of the front axle engaging automatically when the rear wheels slip for use on patchy snow. Last winter I didn't need to use the 4wd much for snow but I kept having this horrid thought of me or my wife leaving the part-time 4wd engaged by mistake and winding up the drive train.
As to reliability, I'm not really sure but I've never heard of any problems with the systems on the likes of Grand Cherokee, Tahoe, Explorer etc. I don't think they have been in use all that long.
Know what? Mazda offers a great warranty. I think a B4000 would be better than a Ford in that respect if you like the styling. When is the Ranger/B-series getting a Horsepower upgrade? Will it get a torque upgrade as well?
Yes, an upgrade is coming in 2000 sometime. Ford will drop the 200hp 245ft/lbs of torque V6 into the Ranger. This is the same V6 used in the Explorers.
I put 4 50lb bags of rock salt over the axle in the winter. If you have the Toyota bedliner it has slots for boards, and if you put these boards in place it keeps the weight right over the axle. Works pretty good and you have salt if you need it.
I think I should just mention that I put 10 bags of 30 pound peat moss in the bag along with 12 20 pound concrete slabs in the bed. I used a sheet of plywood to save the bedliner from the concrete scraping it to junk. I also use the slots in the B4000 to hold the stuff so it wouldn't jostle around. But next winter, I think I will put salt and sand in the back also, so I can use it if I need it. I mean... right now I've got 10 pounds of useless peat moss in my backyard.
I'm in the process of deciding between a 4x4 ext cab Ranger (with 4.0 and 5 sd. auto,off road package) and a 4x2 ext cab Prerunner V-6 auto. I like the 4 door option and it's hard to give that up. I could live without 4WD and I'm attracted to the better mileage (I think) of the Toyota. Any arguments out there?
trent, you came to the right place. I have a 98 4.0 5spd XLT 4x4 Ranger with towpkg, offroadpkg, pwr, pretty much loaded, and enjoy this truck. If you scroll back you will see I am an outdoors person. I live in Oregon and visit the Cascades along with the deserts of Eastern Oregon quite often. The Ranger has never failed me, this is my second. First went to 94K with only routine maintenance. Also, read the long term review of the Ranger here at Edmunds and compare it to the Tacoma review. These trucks are nose to nose. Some folks in here feel the Tacoma totally dominates the Ranger, nope. I already proved this to a diehard Toyota fan who has found a new respect for Ford Rangers. Granted, he would have still bought his Tacoma. Also, check www.caropoint.msn.com along with the Popular Mechanics homepage then to their auto section, onto the Ranger. One thing you will find is a 3-4K difference in price. As I always say, test drive, test drive, test drive.
Vince thanks. Is their a source for accurate gas mileage comparisons of the two trucks with the big V-6's? How is your mileage? I noticed the Carpoint review was not favorable to the Ranger V-6 mileage and didn't mention the Takoma mileage as an issue.
to trent: I own a 99 XLT 4.0 5speed and get about 19.5 around town and can get 25mpg on the road if I keep it under 75. I can get an easy 22-23mpg. I live in colorado so this is high altitude driving. Love the truck.
What only one diehard Toyota fan respects the Ranger. Got a chuckle from that . .
Trent the prerunner it is a nice truck and has the option of having the locking differential, which is a nice option. Also, Nissan is coming out with the Dessert Runner which is much like the Prerunner. Have you considered Mazda? It has a better warranty than the Ranger and you get the 4 doors.
Btw I have a 4x4 extended cab V6 Tacoma TRD and get between 20 to 23 mpg. The prerunner should do better, but who knows.
cpousnr, do you have the offroad package with the 4.10 rear end or the 3.73? Your mileage is way above the EPA est. is this usually the case or have you made modifications?
hindsite, is the locking rear good on wet pavement or just off road?
The locker is made for offroad use. I have to give Toyota a plus on this one, it is one heck of a system. But, you have to ask yourself, how often will you really need this? Are you an avid offroader? Do you race offroad? Would you take a new 23K truck into terrain to use this locker? Limted slip works fine for the offroading most of us do. And if you want a locker, an aftermarket one can be installed in the Mazda/Ford for less than what Toyota is charging. I have a 4.0 5spd with 3.73 rearend and average about 23MPG highway (60-65MPH average) and about 18 in the city. By the way what do you plan on using the truck for?
Trent, Have the locker on my TRD 4x4 Tacoma and it is a gem for off roading. If you are looking for an aftermarket locker try ARB Locker or Tractech (Detroit Locker guys). The ARB uses compress air so you will need an air compressor. A friend of mine installed one and he paid well over a $1000 for the parts and installation. The Tractech is about $200 -500 depending on which model for the part only. By the way the Prerunner comes with the skid plate as standard. If you want to get a 4wd with the most bank for the buck consider the Frontier 4x4. The Prerunner is a nice truck, but I find it pricey for a rear drive truck.
I am no fan of Landcruiser....you could have let him stuck there. I would have.
Alright, I've read all this debate, and if i hear the Taco is 4-5$K more one more time I will puke. The truck tested in edmunds is filled with useless options that I am sure vince8 doesn't have in his truck anways. Also with the factory rebates considered, I got my 99 Taco with the TRD, SR-5, AC, Everything but power windows and locks, a bedliner, a bug shield, a CD-player, Mud flaps and floor mats for 21,050 after rebate. I belive vince says he payed 2$K less for a truck that without question has slightly less power, and also weighs a little more. (I am going to do some estimating so don't ask for exact figures, but I read adds constantly, and i know you'll find the prices I mention more then fair.) if the K&N air filter and super chip and exhaust can get him an equal amount of hp/pound of curb weight, he has just spent 700$ of his difference in price. I know for a fact most bolt on engine parts hardly ever deliver the claimed HP's, and often you lose power due to conflict with trucks computer (don't waste you money on the chip...Headers or a supercharger will be the only things to make a difference you can truely feel) Vince also dumped the firejunks, there is an easy $500 ($125 a piece for 31 x 10.5's is as cheap as you will find them) so that puts us at 1200, add $500 for a good locker installed like a Detroit, and know we are at 1700 for a truck Almost equal to mine....now it costs only $300 less.....You tell me where your gonna get a wave runner for 300 bucks????
oopps!! I almost forgot about the real deal Bilstein Shocks, sorry vince8, I need back that $300 and then some......looks like no wave runner for you.....
Man... here I am thinking.. these guys get so much truck for their cash. Then the answer dawns on me. I live in Canada. 2 downsides. For trucks anyway. You get the most horrid conditions here for 4x4ing since it's all forest, snow, rain , mud, boulders everywhere. Secondly, the exchnage rate is 1.46... no wonder. When you guys say $20000, it's like $28k to me!
Vince8, I will use the truck for hauling tools and equipment 5 days a week. Weekends will be camping,canoeing,etc. in the NC mountains. Don't have any plans for any towing now. My current truck is a V6 regular cab 2WD and is just to small passenger wise (3 kids).
Don't forget about the skid plates. Great price you got on your truck. I paid $23,200 for mine. I have a 4WD extended cab SR5 V6 with auto and TRD. It came with a over the rail bedliner, 4WD on demand, alarm system (not Toyota's), running boards, 265 tires with alloy wheels, ABS brakes, power window & door locks, cruise control, variable wipers, digital clock, lighting package spare tire lock, carpet floor mats, all weather guard package. am/fm cassette with 4 speakers, spiral antenna, sliding rear window, AC, mud flaps, chrome plated bumpers. The skid plate is standard on the 4x4.
Regarding the torque the Ranger puts out 223 on the 4.0 liter engine, while the Tacoma puts out 220 lbs/ft on the 3.4 liter engine.
I have been a Ford man almost all my life I reckon and have to say my Ranger 4x4 XLT supercab is not as good as the Tacoma 4x4. Darn that hurts to say!! Matt you hit it on the head. Why should I get less, because I paid less? Putting in those new fangle things like that KN and that chip whatever is crap. I don't believe in making changes. Jeez I driven my friend Toy with that locker and it is better than my limited slip rear end.
21,050 is the lowest I have ever heard for a Tacoma TRD package. I have been reading Toyota is going to start to heavily discount Tacoma's because their price is so close to the new Tundra, maybe its starting. I bought my Ranger XLT 4x4 loaded for $19,300. Came with 4.0 5spd, tow package, offroad pkg, CD player, pwr, 4whl ABS, tilt, cruise, alarm, remote entry.. just to name a few options. Got a credit for the tires since they were still new also at the tire store. My skidplate is stainless steel, yours plastic or resin on the Tacoma? I didn't get a locker, I don't need one. The K&N air charger does work, I noticed an immediate difference in throttle response on my 4.0. I would guestimate I am now up to about 170HP. Torque from the 4.0 is also just as much as your Tacoma my friend. I haven't purchased the Superchip yet also still researching. Most people who buy the TRD package will never use the locker for what it is meant to be used for. Also, another thing the guy at the offroad shop told me. What about the weight difference over the axle with the locker? The bed of all pickups are lacking weight. To get full use of the locker you will need to make sure there is weight on the axle with the locker. This is why most offroaders don't choose pickups! I did't buy a wave runner, just some nurf bars, a linex spray in bedliner, a rock guard and tinted my windows. As much as you Tacoma fans don't like Rangers, mine is bad to the bone and I would put it up against any Tacoma. As I have said, I don't claim the Ranger to be a better truck, just more equal than you Tacoma lovers wish to believe. I have received many compliments from people in parking lots to people I bump into while in the Cascade mountains. Matty, hope to see you there sometime. Trent, go with the kingcab 3.0 XLT or SE Mazda. You won't regret the extra 500 -700 dollars for the extra torque/hp.
Well I use my locker and it works well. Not all of the people with the TRD use it, but quite a few of us here use it. I know that a while back you posted the Tacoma 4x4 does not have a skid plate in three different discussion groups (Ford Ranger, Nissan Truck and this discussion). Now all of sudden it has one. This is not to knock you, but in least be decent about it. If you want to be equal play fair. Yeah I be the first to admit it several Tacoma owners hate the Ranger just like visa versa.
I only paid 22,500 in 98 for mine, and it's a 4X4 Xcab V6 Auto with PW/PL/CD/Cass/BL/SR5 Pack/31's w/Alloys and i got to orderit from the factory. I'll be the first to admit the Limited is no deal, but you can load up a SR5 for a little over 20k. Toyota has been giving 700 to 2000 bucks of Tacoma since about 3/98........
Also if you want a Ranger, buy the Mazda. Better warranty.....same as the Tacoma
Hey Vince, youll put your stock Ranger up against a stock Tacoma offroad? If so, you are insane.
Lets see, 12 inches of ground clearance with the optional DEALER tires, a standard clutch/start/cancel switch,/ optional FACTORY locking Diff which DESTROYS limited slip(for trips to mall on rainy days) Optional DEALER bilstien shocks/ optional trd FACTORY supercharger/ standard skips plates all around, standard fuel tank cover(heavy duty) better departure and approach angles, higher engine placement for deeper water.
Lets see what a stock ranger offers:
lowest ground clearance in class(around 7 inches) limited slip for rainy or snowy roads optional skidPLATE
You better think twice about putting your offroad-challenged ranger against a stock tacoma. Like I said, I LIKE the ranger. its interior is sweet, its a good commuter, but a Jeep or Toy it is not.
The stock Tacoma wallops a stock ranger offroad. If you want to talk extras, Toyota has a massive catalogue of extras , similar in depth to the Jeep.
Ill take on your Ranger in a stock 22re 4 cylinder 4x4 toyota truck from 85 and DESTROY your Ranger on the trails and mud. After 2 days of the rocks, swamps, rutted roads and trails, your ranger will be squeaking, ratttling, and smoking. Meanwhile the 10 year old yota will be ready for more.
The nationalist armies in AFRICA(a place much more remote than the lower 48 aka no mechanic garages) and the UNITED NATIONS cant be wrong for having Toyota trucks as their vehicles.
Quit trying to argue that the ranger is a good offroader. It isnt.
So if I get this right, currently a subaru owner and want to keep it. Hey Subaru owners are as rabid as you folks, believe me, but I NEED a truck. I have bird dogs so a truck is it and want something decent on MPG also. I like the big boys, but don't want to spend the money. Does anyone have a configuration in a Ranger where they have 2 full size Lab kennels inside bed? I don't want one kennel blocking the other. I don't think it can be done and still have room for other stuff. Thanks.
I think the Ranger has a 10 inch clearance stock for it's 4x4's. Tacoma's stock have the same. If you want to go optioning, I think both trucks can go the limit.
Also, I want to know what is better now. Not 10 years ago. I see tons of old Toyota's around, but I also see tons of old Rangers around.
I want to know what is a good off-roader. I know that Rangers aren't as bad as Spoog says, but a major thing that bugs me about toyota is their seats. I feel so bad in them.
Engines in both the trucks are bother the same to me. Horses ain't gonna make no difference when I'm out in the woods, cuz I can't push it. Torque is what I need, and both trucks have it. I want a truck that is a good commuter as well as a good fun vehicle.
Right now the race between a Tacoma and a Ranger is still ongoing for me as I am looking to purchase. If Ford puts out the new 4 Litre though, I think that might sway me their way.
I want a list down of Stock and I mean Stock. No power nothing.... Just plain 4x4 xtracab. and that's it. That is what will determine my purchase. (I will always buy the bigger engine though)
Looking for a new truck so I thought I'd stop here for info. Not much useful stuff. I think some of you all who frequent this spot need to think seriously about GETTING A LIFE!!! Jeez-o-criminy!!
I have a 1988 ranger 4x4, ext. cab, 2.9 v6, with a 5 speed man. trans. I bought it new for $12,000 and currently have 232,000 miles. The only disappointment has been with the flaking paint problem. Mechanically it has been a champ. I have used it for commuting, hunting off-road, up and down the mountains everyday, and my sons use it for their landscaping business. I wanted to go bigger this time but I think with the boys in college I'm going to buy another Ranger and give this one to may youngest. I would like to consider the Tundra by Toyota, but it is too expensive. That 2.9 still running solid and believe it or not, it doesn't burn oil, is just to hard to discredit, especially for the price.
Spoog, I know you read robtec72 entry, how can you discount this? The Ranger/Mazda are great trucks, and yes are more equal to the Tacoma than you wish to believe. My Ranger is not stock by the way. I have 30" tires along with a K&N air charger kit. By the way a stock Tacoma doesn't come with the locker rearend, its an option. I have a friend who has a stock Ranger, when we go offroad it does prettygood by the way, keeps up just fine. I do however hate the tires Ford puts on the Rangers/Mazda's. I have had mine out in the mud and muck and no problems here bud! You just can't come to grips that the Ranger/Mazda are more equal to the Tacoma spoog, you are mad because you paid too much.
lol Vince8. You need to take a good look at what the word "stock" means. If I leave the dealer with optional tires, an optional diff lock, and the optional trd package, it is still a stock truck. If I leave the dealer and ORDER those parts from an add-on company then my truck is no longer stock.
I think Robeetcs entry is a fluke, more than anything. Of all the older rangers I have seen they are the most mechanically unsound pickups I have ever seen.
As for the Cheap Ford tires, Imagine what OTHER parts they skimp on, if they cant get the tires right.
Oh, im not mad that I shelled out the cash. My truck is a 97 Tacoma with TRD package, power locks and mirrors, chrome package, air, cruise, buckets, power mirrors, cascading antenna, locking diff, clutch start cancel, 31 tires, extended cab, bedliner, v6 , trd supercharger(2,900). This is just the stock features I have. Without the supercharger, STOCK, my truck came out to 22900. with the supercharger installed it came out to around 26$. Your little Ranger station-truck would cost 22 $with the stock features I have on my tacoma. So, I really didn't pay more for the same, I payed more for more. Upgrading your incompetent ranger offroader(sans supercharger) to this level will bring your price to about this range. The difference is, my bilstein shocks and locking diff are covered under toyotas warranty.
So quit playing the "you paid more game", because I didn't.
Add-ons to my tacoma
1. Warn winch up front 2. yota bugshield 3. Custom sunroof 4. tow package 5. custom stereo
Im gonna add more fairly soon.
Oh, that little supercharger allows me to beat mustangs off the line, and pass many cars on the highway. You should see the look on the mustang drivers faces when a pickup blows by them. Or, better yet, the foolish Ranger drivers who see my black beauty parked at the light next to them, and try to race me. Muhahahahahahaha! Imagine that! They cant EVEN come close to me, I mean, I outrun them so fast it is funny. Not only that, but my payload capacity is higher, and I can tow more.
So, wanna put your little Ranger against my Tacoma Vince? Your little grocery getter vs. my PERFORMANCE MACHINE? I didn't think so. Thanks Toyota for making the Supercharger a dealer installed option, and covering it under warranty.
Just checked the MSRP for the tilt and the usually comes as a bundle deal. Tilt with cruise is $395 in the convenience package. The sliding window is $125, so that totals to $520. That brings the total to $3160 from $3680 for the difference. Now since the Tacoma comes standard with a skid plate and Ford only offers in the offroad package add $395 to the Ranger to make it comparable. Deduct $395 from the difference $2765 more or less depending on options. Considering that Spoog has the locking rear end, clutch start cancel, clearance, better engine (hp only) the amount seems small.
Comments
In regards to the China issue the blame lies with the corporations and our government. Can anyone really trust a facist regime?
Who VS whom does it really matter? The topic envelops both vehicles and in the context I assume it was open to all.
Ranger does have a factory skidplate option. The locker on the Tacoma is an OPTION with the very pricey TRD package. The skidplate on the Tacoma is also an option. You guys make it sound like these are standard on the Tacoma!
Ranger does have a factory skidplate option. The locker on the Tacoma is an OPTION with the very pricey TRD package. The skidplate on the Tacoma is also an option. You guys make it sound like these are standard on the Tacoma!
From there website:
"Underbody protection Skid plates under front suspension, transfer case and fuel tank on PreRunner and 4x4 models"
Toyota is looking into combo gas/elec cars because with current battery tech. you'll never get to far (miles) and good luck finding a station. Honda recently dropped its elec. car for the same reason. Combo engines (gas/elec) and fuel cells are the future, or atleast until a real battery storage tech. can be developed. Also non-gas cars will never be cheap, because until the public embraces them the price will not drop. Supply and Demand. The Ranger elec is a good idea but you can't go to far from home, No elec station if you know what i mean. I think toyota has another enviro car called the echo, but i'm not sure, but they do have an elec Rav like the elec Ranger.....
-wsn
-wsn
For example, the F150 has a locking tailgate and I would like to see that as standard on all pickup trucks.
-wsn
How reliable is that autotrak?
As to reliability, I'm not really sure but I've never heard of any problems with the systems on the likes of Grand Cherokee, Tahoe, Explorer etc. I don't think they have been in use all that long.
My toyota tacoma slips a lot in the winter,
I wonder if 2 bags of sand in the trunk will
help?
Thanks!
-wsn
One thing you will find is a 3-4K difference in price. As I always say, test drive, test drive, test drive.
I own a 99 XLT 4.0 5speed and get about 19.5 around town and can get 25mpg on the road if I keep it under 75. I can get an easy 22-23mpg. I live in colorado so this is high altitude driving.
Love the truck.
Forgot to say my XLT is a 4x4.
Trent the prerunner it is a nice truck and has the option of having the locking differential, which is a nice option. Also, Nissan is coming out with the Dessert Runner which is much like the Prerunner. Have you considered Mazda? It has a better warranty than the Ranger and you get the 4 doors.
Btw I have a 4x4 extended cab V6 Tacoma TRD and get between 20 to 23 mpg. The prerunner should do better, but who knows.
cpousnr, do you have the offroad package with the 4.10 rear end or the 3.73?
Your mileage is way above the EPA est. is this usually the case or have you made modifications?
hindsite, is the locking rear good on wet pavement or just off road?
Trent
I have a 4.0 5spd with 3.73 rearend and average about 23MPG highway (60-65MPH average) and about 18 in the city.
By the way what do you plan on using the truck for?
Have the locker on my TRD 4x4 Tacoma and it is a gem for off roading. If you are looking for an aftermarket locker try ARB Locker or Tractech (Detroit Locker guys). The ARB uses compress air so you will need an air compressor. A friend of mine installed one and he paid well over a $1000 for the parts and installation. The Tractech is about $200 -500 depending on which model for the part only. By the way the Prerunner comes with the skid plate as standard. If you want to get a 4wd with the most bank for the buck consider the Frontier 4x4. The Prerunner is a nice truck, but I find it pricey for a rear drive truck.
I am no fan of Landcruiser....you could have let him stuck there. I would have.
I've read all this debate, and if i hear the Taco is 4-5$K more one more time I will puke. The truck tested in edmunds is filled with useless options that I am sure vince8 doesn't have in his truck anways. Also with the factory rebates considered, I got my 99 Taco with the TRD, SR-5, AC, Everything but power windows and locks, a bedliner, a bug shield, a CD-player, Mud flaps and floor mats for 21,050 after rebate. I belive vince says he payed 2$K less for a truck that without question has slightly less power, and also weighs a little more. (I am going to do some estimating so don't ask for exact figures, but I read adds constantly, and i know you'll find the prices I mention more then fair.) if the K&N air filter and super chip and exhaust can get him an equal amount of hp/pound of curb weight, he has just spent 700$ of his difference in price. I know for a fact most bolt on engine parts hardly ever deliver the claimed HP's, and often you lose power due to conflict with trucks computer (don't waste you money on the chip...Headers or a supercharger will be the only things to make a difference you can truely feel) Vince also dumped the firejunks, there is an easy $500 ($125 a piece for 31 x 10.5's is as cheap as you will find them) so that puts us at 1200, add $500 for a good locker installed like a Detroit, and know we are at 1700 for a truck Almost equal to mine....now it costs only $300 less.....You tell me where your gonna get a wave runner for 300 bucks????
My current truck is a V6 regular cab 2WD and is just to small passenger wise (3 kids).
Don't forget about the skid plates. Great price you got on your truck. I paid $23,200 for mine. I have a 4WD extended cab SR5 V6 with auto and TRD. It came with a over the rail bedliner, 4WD on demand, alarm system (not Toyota's), running boards, 265 tires with alloy wheels, ABS brakes, power window & door locks, cruise control, variable wipers, digital clock, lighting package spare tire lock, carpet floor mats, all weather guard package. am/fm cassette with 4 speakers, spiral antenna, sliding rear window, AC, mud flaps, chrome plated bumpers. The skid plate is standard on the 4x4.
Regarding the torque the Ranger puts out 223 on the 4.0 liter engine, while the Tacoma puts out 220 lbs/ft on the 3.4 liter engine.
I bought my Ranger XLT 4x4 loaded for $19,300. Came with 4.0 5spd, tow package, offroad pkg, CD player, pwr, 4whl ABS, tilt, cruise, alarm, remote entry.. just to name a few options. Got a credit for the tires since they were still new also at the tire store. My skidplate is stainless steel, yours plastic or resin on the Tacoma? I didn't get a locker, I don't need one. The K&N air charger does work, I noticed an immediate difference in throttle response on my 4.0. I would guestimate I am now up to about 170HP. Torque from the 4.0 is also just as much as your Tacoma my friend. I haven't purchased the Superchip yet also still researching. Most people who buy the TRD package will never use the locker for what it is meant to be used for. Also, another thing the guy at the offroad shop told me. What about the weight difference over the axle with the locker? The bed of all pickups are lacking weight. To get full use of the locker you will need to make sure there is weight on the axle with the locker. This is why most offroaders don't choose pickups! I did't buy a wave runner, just some nurf bars, a linex spray in bedliner, a rock guard and tinted my windows. As much as you Tacoma fans don't like Rangers, mine is bad to the bone and I would put it up against any Tacoma. As I have said, I don't claim the Ranger to be a better truck, just more equal than you Tacoma lovers wish to believe. I have received many compliments from people in parking lots to people I bump into while in the Cascade mountains. Matty, hope to see you there sometime.
Trent, go with the kingcab 3.0 XLT or SE Mazda. You won't regret the extra 500 -700 dollars for the extra torque/hp.
I know that a while back you posted the Tacoma 4x4 does not have a skid plate in three different discussion groups (Ford Ranger, Nissan Truck and this discussion). Now all of sudden it has one. This is not to knock you, but in least be decent about it. If you want to be equal play fair. Yeah I be the first to admit it several Tacoma owners hate the Ranger just like visa versa.
Also if you want a Ranger, buy the Mazda. Better warranty.....same as the Tacoma
Lets see, 12 inches of ground clearance with the optional DEALER tires, a standard clutch/start/cancel switch,/ optional FACTORY
locking Diff which DESTROYS limited slip(for trips to mall on rainy days)
Optional DEALER bilstien shocks/ optional
trd FACTORY supercharger/ standard skips plates all around, standard fuel tank cover(heavy duty)
better departure and approach angles, higher engine placement for deeper water.
Lets see what a stock ranger offers:
lowest ground clearance in class(around 7 inches)
limited slip for rainy or snowy roads
optional skidPLATE
You better think twice about putting your offroad-challenged ranger against a stock tacoma.
Like I said, I LIKE the ranger. its interior is sweet, its a good commuter, but a Jeep or Toy it is not.
The stock Tacoma wallops a stock ranger offroad.
If you want to talk extras, Toyota has a massive
catalogue of extras , similar in depth to the Jeep.
Ill take on your Ranger in a stock 22re 4 cylinder
4x4 toyota truck from 85 and DESTROY your Ranger on the trails and mud. After 2 days of the rocks, swamps, rutted roads and trails, your ranger will be squeaking, ratttling, and smoking.
Meanwhile the 10 year old yota will be ready for more.
The nationalist armies in AFRICA(a place much more remote than the lower 48 aka no mechanic garages) and the UNITED NATIONS cant be wrong for having Toyota trucks as their vehicles.
Quit trying to argue that the ranger is a good offroader. It isnt.
P
I think the Ranger has a 10 inch clearance stock for it's 4x4's. Tacoma's stock have the same. If you want to go optioning, I think both trucks can go the limit.
Also, I want to know what is better now. Not 10 years ago. I see tons of old Toyota's around, but I also see tons of old Rangers around.
I want to know what is a good off-roader. I know that Rangers aren't as bad as Spoog says, but a major thing that bugs me about toyota is their seats. I feel so bad in them.
Engines in both the trucks are bother the same to me. Horses ain't gonna make no difference when I'm out in the woods, cuz I can't push it. Torque is what I need, and both trucks have it. I want a truck that is a good commuter as well as a good fun vehicle.
Right now the race between a Tacoma and a Ranger is still ongoing for me as I am looking to purchase. If Ford puts out the new 4 Litre though, I think that might sway me their way.
I want a list down of Stock and I mean Stock. No power nothing.... Just plain 4x4 xtracab. and that's it. That is what will determine my purchase. (I will always buy the bigger engine though)
My Ranger is not stock by the way. I have 30" tires along with a K&N air charger kit.
By the way a stock Tacoma doesn't come with the locker rearend, its an option.
I have a friend who has a stock Ranger, when we go offroad it does prettygood by the way, keeps up just fine. I do however hate the tires Ford puts on the Rangers/Mazda's. I have had mine out in the mud and muck and no problems here bud!
You just can't come to grips that the Ranger/Mazda are more equal to the Tacoma spoog, you are mad because you paid too much.
with optional tires, an optional diff lock, and
the optional trd package, it is still a stock truck. If I leave the dealer and ORDER those parts from an add-on company then my truck is no longer stock.
I think Robeetcs entry is a fluke, more than anything. Of all the older rangers I have seen they are the most mechanically unsound pickups I have ever seen.
As for the Cheap Ford tires,
Imagine what OTHER parts they skimp on, if they cant get the tires right.
Oh, im not mad that I shelled out the cash.
My truck is a 97 Tacoma with TRD package,
power locks and mirrors, chrome package,
air, cruise, buckets, power mirrors, cascading antenna, locking diff, clutch start cancel, 31 tires, extended cab, bedliner, v6 , trd supercharger(2,900). This is just the stock features I have. Without the supercharger, STOCK, my truck came out to 22900. with the supercharger installed it came out to around 26$.
Your little Ranger station-truck would cost 22 $with the stock features I have on my tacoma.
So, I really didn't pay more for the same, I payed more for more.
Upgrading your incompetent ranger offroader(sans supercharger)
to this level will bring your price to about this range. The difference is, my bilstein shocks and locking diff are covered under toyotas warranty.
So quit playing the "you paid more game", because I didn't.
Add-ons to my tacoma
1. Warn winch up front
2. yota bugshield
3. Custom sunroof
4. tow package
5. custom stereo
Im gonna add more fairly soon.
Oh, that little supercharger allows me to beat mustangs off the line, and pass many cars on the highway. You should see the look on the mustang drivers faces when a pickup blows by them.
Or, better yet, the foolish Ranger drivers who see my black beauty parked at the light next to them, and try to race me. Muhahahahahahaha!
Imagine that! They cant EVEN come close to me,
I mean, I outrun them so fast it is funny. Not only that, but my payload capacity is higher,
and I can tow more.
So, wanna put your little Ranger against my Tacoma
Vince? Your little grocery getter vs. my PERFORMANCE MACHINE? I didn't think so.
Thanks Toyota for making the Supercharger a dealer
installed option, and covering it under warranty.