Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Ford Ranger II
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Try http://www.tirerack.com/tires/index.html There you can get reviews and comparisons of different tires.
Since off-road is not in your future, try a tire rated high for traction and wear etc. If I were you stay with the same size tires as stock, you do not need the height. For you, bigger tires would be for looks only.
If you do not go off-road I guess I would suggest to not get a heavy lugged tire.
My father has just learned that the spare tire which came with his 99 Ranger, labeled as full size, is only a 15" tire. No problem except his version came with the larger 16" off road tire package. After chasing the dealer and Ford motor company around several times, they finally admitted that the spare cannot be used in 4x4 mode since it doesn't match the others. Apparently, this wasnt an isolated incident with this truck but ALL 99 Rangers with the bigger tires have this as the spare. Fortunately flats never happen in hard to get to, off the beaten path places where 4x4 is needed?
I've replace the shocks and tires within the last 20K, both of which helped the ride significantly. However it still does not deal with bigger bumps well. The only time it really rode well was when I hauled 1500 pounds of topsoil in it.
Does anyone have any experience with aftermarket springs to alleviate the harshness when riding empty?
I've replace the shocks and tires within the last 20K, both of which helped the ride significantly. However it still does not deal with bigger bumps well. The only time it really rode well was when I hauled 1500 pounds of topsoil in it.
Does anyone have any experience with aftermarket springs to alleviate the harshness when riding empty?
I hope you'll keep this board updated with comments on your real-world MPG (city & highway) and any reliability issues.
I'm looking to trade in my old 4x4 Ranger for a new one in the coming year.
Dan
There is a code like SSUU that you need to use to order a chip.
A have a 99 Ranger Xlt supercab 3.0L w/ automatic tran. I noticed from the day of purchase, when hitting 45 mph and continuing to accelerate I get a knocking and pinging noise and a higher then usual vibration on the gas pedal. The truck seems to be hesitating in shifting gears. This is my first truck and automatic tran. The dealership said they needed to adjust the GEM module to correct the knocking noise, but it has not worked. They put is on the tran tester and all came up fine. Is this a normal condition? Or a dealership that is not really fixing the problem? They said they could get rid of the noise, but I would lose some power. Any suggestions would be helpfull. I am getting very frustrated but wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem or is this a normal condition in a Ranger. I prefer the Ranger over other trucks, but I can't say I have been totally satisfied. Thanks for your help.
Step bars and running boards: More cosmetic than functional, because compact trucks with the stock ride height don't sit that high, and they have no place on a true off roading vehicle. If you plan on thrashing your ranger over boulders remove them or a big rock might do it for you.
bras:should be avoided all together. The part of the hood that's covered ends up being a shade lighter than the rest of the car because sunlight doesn't get to it. Consider bug deflectors instead.
soft bed covers: I got an extang black max with adjustable bow heigts, reversable snaps and a padded frame for 260 installed, would have been 220 in a box. I only had it installed in the shop because i have an over the rail bed liner, which needs to be cut and makes installation complicated. In other applications its easy with no drilling and takes maybe a half hour. Check Urban Vehicle Outfitters, that's where I got mine.
Headlight covers: If you have them in blackout style take them off at night, they decrease headlight power.
Bolt on engine upgrades: K&N air filter, exhausts, ets, make give a better engine sound and minimal performance improvements individually but to see a real diffference performance upgrades need to be done in complete packages.
Caps: Will improve mileage, but so will soft covers by about the same amount. And since covers cost less they will pay for themselves with improved mileage in much less time.
They are more convernient to remove, while caps allow more useable covered storeage space and better security.
I've got an old Ranger 4x4 2.8L 5sp that I'm going to trade in at some point. I'm getting about 15-16mpg in hard-core city miles, 19mpg hwy.
Thanks,
Dan
I have been changing on a 5000 mile interval.
I lost your email when I changed computers. Would you send me a note at cpousnr@aol.com?
Westcliffe is doing fine. The have been getting some moisture the last week or two but not a great deal of snow in the mountains. A group of Rangers and Bronco's, and my son's 94 Toyota from up here are planning a run in the Sangre's in June or July. Want in? It would be over Medano to the Sand Dunes, maybe a side trail or two.
Will keep you advised if your interested.
I complained about the cowbell noise when I had it in for the wiper GEM module replacement and they lubed the yoke on the dirveshaft. It is not doing it now.
For the vibration I understand they replace or balance the shaft.
Also, remember before 50000 miles, get the 3 rubber caps replaced on the manual trans, they are on the top, with metal plugs. They deteriorate and leak.
I like the Mobil 1 synthetic. I've never used it before. The engine feels smoother, less friction. You can really tell the difference in the morning when the engine is cold...
You sued the 5W30? Seems thin but it has been in mine for 10K now, has not used a drop.
Like I said before, I am down in Westcliffe about every 3 weeks or so. So if you come up let me know and I will try to arrange things around your schedule. That is easy enough. Just keep in touch and pay your taxes or I'll try to get your property at the November Tax sale.
8^)
Just kidding.
My question is this: I've never seen any published road tests on the 3.0 V6 version of either of these trucks. I'll be buying an extended cab 4x2 and I'm wondering if the 3.0 with an automatic will have enough power, and how much better the 5-speed would be. Do any of you own either of these combinations? How's the power and the mileage?
I won't be towing anything, and my hauling duties will probably be pretty light too. From the torque curves in the Mazda literature it looks like the 4.0 is the choice for towing, but I'm not sure how much difference it would make for my usual commute (straight two-lane roads over rolling hills in central Georgia).
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
Stephen
All in all the 2.5 is sold purely for light hauling and for CAFE reasons. The 2.5 is not a bad little engine, just not the best for any type of hauling/towing.
CP, what do you mean about the caps on the manual transmission? Does this pertain to both the 3.0 and 4.0? Where are they located again? Haven't checked my truck yet about the shock absorber you speak of, (I keep forgetting).
Between the Mazda/Ford, its all personal preference on styling.
I own a '99 Mazda B3000 4WD x-cab with a 5-spd
manual. It sounds like the 3.0L will suit your needs fine. However, I would highly recommend mating this engine to the 5-spd manual tranny for two main reasons:
1. The 5-spd will help your MPG. Mine gets very respectable MPG, 20.x for all purpose and 22.x for strictly hiway. That's not bad for a 4WD. 2. Acceleration. The 3.0L is a solid engine. But I have found that to use it most effectively, you need to keep the engine rev'ng near it's
power band for a particular gear. You just can't romp on the gas pedal at low RPM and expect this engine to take off. The 5-spd enables me to better achieve the best gear/RPM for a given driving condition.
Just my opinion. Hope it helps. Let us know what you decide. Good luck...
August 1999: Mazda Troy Lee Edition (3.0L auto 2wd)
October 1998: Mazda B3000 Cab Plus (3.0L 5sp 4wd) comparo with S-10
Have fun test-driving!
Is this an issue on a 1999 Ford Ranger with 3.0???
My dealer told me the 4.0L engine had problems @ 80,000 miles so encouraged me to stick with the 3.0L. After gas prices going up as much as they have, I'm glad I did. But it still costs me around $25 to fill up!
I've got an old V6 Ranger that I'm thinking of trading in on a new one. I'm considering a 4 banger as well.
Good luck,
Dan
I finally got the ford rep out and they did take care of it. but I traded it in on a nissan, I am very happy so far, I would say buy a tacoma or frontier, or an s-10 if you want to stay with a domestic. It was only after I started shopping for a new truck that I saw all of the complaints about the rangers with the same problems I had, so i doubt it is a fluke. I wish I had seen those before.