I purchased a 2004 Ford Ranger Edge 4.0L, 5-spd at Varsity Ford in Bryan, TX on Aug 31. MSRP was $20,810, sales price was $19,134 (not counting factory rebates). Sales experience was the best I have had out of 8 new car purchases in the last 20 years.
I was pretty excited about buying a new '04 Ford Ranger XL. And with $4000 rebate signs on the truck with a sticker price of $16880 and another $1000 cash back we were looking at $11680. I offered $11,000 and it was agreed. But I had to leave that day and told them I'd be by the next day to finalize it. Well, when I went to Mel Clayton Ford in Santa Barbara the next day the salesman was 'gone on vacation' and the manager said absolutely not to the $11,000. Later I called and said what would he sell it for. He told me he was very busy and would get back later. Never heard from him again. Bottom line. Mel Clayton Ford in Santa Barbara Ford is pretty unethical and they don't keep a deal. Avoid the headaches. It's a lousy dealership.
Since I did a lot of homework on the internet, I knew what I was looking for. As I walked through the lot and picked out an FX4, the salesman came out, introduced himself, and 25 minutes later we shook hands on a deal because 'Bob' was authorized to make a deal without running back-n-forth to a sales manager. MSRP was $25125 and the deal was $19999(rebates included). I recommend Dowling Ford of Cheshire, CT for friendly, courteous, service, and a GREAT deal. PPB 20041103.3.075900
As part of a "new truck survey", I had the opportunity to drive five new 2005 small trucks: Chevy Colorado Ford Ranger Dodge Dakota Toyota Tacoma Nissan Frontier All were extra-cabs, and the Dodge, Toytota & Nissan were totally new trucks for 2005.
The Dodge, Chevy and Ranger were big disappointments. Dodge could have done a much better job since the truck was a new design. The Chevy just felt totally sluggish. The Ranger drove like the dinosaur it is. I own a 2002 Ranger, and there is no noticable difference in three years. Too bad.
The stars were the Tacoma (#1 on my list) and the Frontier (#2 on my list). For 2005, the Japanese have gotten it together. These are extremely nice trucks. Of course, they both cost a king's ransom compared to the Ranger.
Bottom line: Do some test driving before you buy, but prepare to spend as much as $10,000 more for the Tacoma compared to an equally equipped Ranger. Price will still bring buyers to Ford, but Ford sure has their work cut out for them if they actually want to compete head-to-head with Toyota and Nissan. Have fun!
Just purchased a 2005 Ranger XLT 4.0 extended cab with auto and air-cond for $16,900. MSRP was $23,600. After all the rebates and dealer discounts, I think I got a deal. Great sales staff and service at Kenny Ross Ford.
I'm trying to decide between a Tacoma and a Ranger, 4cyl manual transmission; am original owner of '83 Toyota pickup that I'm looking to replace (runs great but is an eyesore); I've been reading both the Ranger and Tacoma Problems and Solutions boards to get a feel for reliability -- I'm attracted to the lower price of the Ranger -- handling isn't a big issue for me (its a truck and that's how I plan to use it); sounds like you're really satisfied with the Ranger -- care to comment; I would especially value any insights on reliability?
... Bottom line: Do some test driving before you buy, but prepare to spend as much as $10,000 more for the Tacoma compared to an equally equipped Ranger ...
Just got done comparing prices for base Tacomas and Rangers and the price is about the same, even after rebates (before rebates the Ranger actually costs a bit more; haven't compared loaded models).
I'm a Toyota truck owner looking to get a new pickup, and will probably go with the Ranger as it's the only small truck that still comes with a 7' bed option nearest I can tell. (I was happy to see Ford added the 7' bed option to the XL line for 2006; was only available on the XLT line for 2005.)
(Contrary to a post earlier this year to the Ranger Problems and Solutions board indications from research on the internet are they won't be doing a major redesign of the Ranger until 2010...)
(It's me again.) Did some shopping and got a few price quotes, both over the internet and in person at dealerships in SF Bay Area -- one dealer is quoting $9988 (after $3000 (CA area) rebate and before tax and license) for a new '05 base Ranger. This is a killer price!!! The other quotes are not quite this low but still are excellent deals. If anyone's considering a new Ranger, now is the time to act if you're open to the limited options on the few remaining '05s on dealer lots.
(As for me am in the market for a longbed and apparently no '05 longbeds (in a 4cyl manual) remaining anywhere in CA -- will wait for the '06 rebates to increase later in the model year. (Anyone been tracking Ranger rebate trends?))
Got offered $12800 for a 05 Ranger Edge Reg Cab 3.0 Manual, with MP3/Cass/CD Player, P235 Terrain wheels + a P235 Spare. Is this a good price or should I wait? This will be my first truck.
Pretty good price I'd say; not calibrated specifically to the Edge price wise; you might check edmunds.com to see what invoice is and what the rebates are for your area; a few hundred over invoice after subtracting rebates is an excellent deal; I think for certain areas there's an additional $1000 dealer incentive if you finance through Ford.
Don't wait! Rebates for the few remaining 05's in dealer stock are significantly more than current rebates for '06 models!
Welcome to the elite world of truck owners -- now whenever one of your friends moves, guess who they'll call on for help!
Bought a 99 Ranger with the 4 cylinder engine and 5 speed transmission in May 2005 for $4800. It had 97000 miles on it and it wasnt long (about 1000 miles) till I had to replace the entire transmission! Not long after I had the check engine light go on, so I had to replace the O2 sensor. Also, the fuel guage isn't reading so well anymore. All in all, its a good truck once you fix it up a little. Drives fine now!
My son has a '99 Ranger also. His fuel gauge also quit working, had to have work done on gears 3 and 4 of his tranny and the check engine light is on. Sounds like the nature of the beast. (His has 98,500 miles.)
I just bought an '04 Ranger XLT Supercab with 20,300 miles. Auto trans, 3.0 V6, c.d. player, bed liner, soft tonneau cover, chrome wheels, cruise and new tires. Gave $12,500. Truck looks showroom new.
I bought a sharp 2001 Ford Ranger from a Sacramento Dodge dealer in October. It was a weekend price leader, and I paid $5995. It was super clean with under 67,000 miles. The interior is perfect, it has a 5-speed, and I am very happy with the purchase. I always drove Toyota pickups, but an equivalent one in that year would have been $4,000 more. It was parked behind a lineup of new Dodge trucks costing from 30 to 50 thousand, so I "done good" Ray R.
Wow! Ten grand is quite a hike from a Ranger to a Toyota. I drove a Toyota Pickup for many years, and really liked the way they were put together. My budget precluded a used Toyota purchase, then I got a great buy on a 2001 Ranger with low mileage for $5995. Granted that a Ranger may not be as exciting as the Japanese import, but sometimes we have to consider true value for dollar spent. Your test drives are definitely the way to go when buying new. The Dodge dealer who sold me my Ranger had a $50,000 truck on the showroom floor, next to an $80,000 Viper. I'm surprised they even let me on the lot. rdrankin
My '06 Ranger's on order from the factory (hard to find longbeds on dealer lots) -- $15,900 after rebate but before TTL (XLT reg cab longbed 2wd 2.4L manual). I hope to keep this truck for many years (had my Toyota for 23 years)!
Just took delivery of factory order for new '06 XLT reg cab longbed 2wd 2.4L manual transmission with bedliner, payload package, privacy glass, power equipment group, tilt/leather-wrapped steering w cruise, and MP3 cassette. Price after $2000 rebate before TTL was $15,902 (~$200 over invoice).
I just bought the 4-door 06 Ranger XLT with auto trans, a/c, bed extender. Can't say I'd consider it a four door....Thought I got a good price: 20,700 (less another $3k for my tradein). Recommend my experience at Northport Ford.
I have to agree I just traded in my 99 ranger XLT 4X4 with 94,000 miles on it, The egr valve went bad and the check engine light was on all the time. Also the tranny was just about ready to fall out. The final problem with them is that the electrical system has some problems, just little stuff though, dome light ect. But if you need a good cheaper truck it's not bad just know that the transmission might not make it past 100 to 120,000.
The dome light issue bugged me for years, until I figured out it was a $10 door ajar switch. The other sensors are pretty easy to fix too. I've got 140k on my 97, paid $13,000 in '98 w/ 13k on it. Looking to upgrade now before it starts going downhill, but it really seems like it could go for years. Looking seriously at a Frontier.
I just bought a new 06 Ranger XLT (Manual, 4 cyl., shortbed, reg. cab, Red Fire) with air conditioning and bedliner (only extras). Paid 12,660 + 97.50 at Sunset Ford in St. Louis, MO. MSRP was 16,785 before rebates (3,000) and bedliner (275 on website). I probably could have got a few hundred lower cause another dealer (Dave Sinclair) was pretty anxious to sell me a truck, but I really liked the red fire color. It seems your in the ballpark if you get ~1,500 off which may be higher with more loaded trucks. The XLT trim is much nicer than the XL for highway noise.
Says 2007 Rangers just started rolling off the St. Paul assembly line, several months earlier than normal. Ford says not to read anything into it. Speculation is it's just for logistical reasons.
Pricing for the '07 Ranger (as well as '07 Explorer Sport Trac, Focus and Freestar) is already available on edmunds.com.
May be seeing '07s on dealer lots early this year. Now is the time to take advantage of those '06 rebates!
I Just bought a 2006 Ford Ranger Sport from Courtesy Ford in Poulsbo, WA. I actually bought this through the Interent from the Fleet Sales Manager. I was a little reluctant to have him search for the Ranger that I built on the Ford Website. But everything went like clockwork. I liked the Ranger and all the afterwork was done in a timely matter. I really feel like I got a great deal..
MSRP $21,955.00 Less Fleet Discount $ 929.40 Sub Total $21,025.60 Less Web Site Coupon Discount $ 500.00 Sub Total $20,525.60 Less Factory Rebate $ 3,000.00 Fleet and Internet Price $17,525.60 Plus Tax and License
The Accessories we will be installing and subletting are as follows; Leather Seating, Front and Rear LineX Spray in Bedliner Trailer Hitch Vent Shades Total Price for all accessories installed $2,081.00 Plus Tax
Fleet and Internet Price including accessories $19,606.60 Plus Tax and License
Bought a 2003 ranger from Wray Mazda Columbia SC last summer. The sticker price was $19,000. I traded in a 1994 ranger regular cab 5 speed 2.3L 4 cylinder with 130,000+ miles for $3,000. The manager must have been on crack. Then after talking for maybe 15 minutes the price came down from 16,000 to $12,000. This truck was like new with only 25,000 highway miles on it. Even though I was looking for a 4 wheel drive F-150 I could not pass up this deal.
Sticker $19,000 Trade in $3,000 Luck-$7,000 Final price $12,000 plus tax
I need some help. Today I changed brakes on a 98 ford ranger and after I was finished the abs light and brake warning lights came on. How do I make them go off? The truck drives fine and the brakes work fine but I need to turn the lights off. Can anyone help?
Here's my two cents, that I posted on another Ranger discussion regarding this question.
There are a million variables associated with making a used car purchase decision. You've given two-age and mileage.
To offer a more informed opinion, knowing such things as price, maintenence/maintenence records, type of driving done by the owner, was it a northern or Arizona car, 4 cylinder vs. 6, etc. would help. For instance, given the mileage and age alone without knowing anything else, I would say not to buy it. However, if the truck was driven primarily cross country through the southwest, meticulously maintained, and going for $500, I might still question it because of the low price makes it look like the owner is trying to get rid of it fast.
Thus, not only do you have to consider many variables, but also how much weight to give each variable-high mileage might not necessarily be bad versus a truck with 30k miles that was driven only in stop and go traffic and only for 5 miles at a time even though both trucks are the same age.
Hey Rangerman how much did it cost for a new tranny? I have the exact same truck but with 170k miles. My 99 ranger was actually a really good truck my dad bought it new and handed it down to me the same clutch and same tranny lasted 170k miles. However now either my clutch or tranny has blown and its being looked at. I want to get all the price checks i can on a new tranny for a 99 for ranger so i dont get ripped off.
hey haha i actually dont have the ranger anymore but anyhoo i paid about 1400 at a place called AAMCO, which is a rip off for any manual tranny, so I think anything over a grand is a rip. there is a place here in CA where i live called American Gear, which i now know of, that would have done the entire thing for about 800, including labor. Hope this helps!
Hello im looking at a ranger right now for a new vehicle. I drive a saturn 98 sl2. Now the truck im looking at right now is a v6, 94, nice condition, 4x4 and owner says it runs nice. I forget how many miles are on it. Now there are minor problems. The hub is screwed up because I guess they forgot to hit a switch for the 4x4 before running it and now it makes noises when ever running in 4x4. Is this fix inexpensive? Also its for $1500 for the truck which is nice. Please need a reply.
Just purchased my first Ranger, an '06 (used to own a Toyota pickup), and my Brother has an '01 SL2 so am familar with Saturns. I'm no gear head but gut feel is unless you do your own work you should stay away from older Rangers (pre '00), especially if it has a known problem, as almost any repair these days costs $250 min just for the simple stuff. At a minimum before you purchase take the truck to the shop you plan to take it to to have the problem fixed and see how much it will cost to fix it (or just go there without the truck and describe the problem).
If you really like it for the price and never plan to use 4wd, then buy it and don't put any money into fixing the hub problem.
I was very excited with my new Ranger. I've never owned a truck before and the feeling of height and power was invigorating.
I really enjoy doing research on the internet and I decided to look up the reviews of the Ranger and bask in the glory of my new truck.
As you can imagine it was quite a shock when I read Edmunds review of the Ranger. The quote that applied directly to me was: "If you're not a hard-core off-roader, though, there's little reason to consider the 2007 Ford Ranger. Trucks like the Dodge Dakota, Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma are easier and more comfortable to drive on pavement, and all offer roomier cabs with more conveniences and safety features."
What??? So I did some research on my Ranger and comparable trucks.
My Ranger (XLT Extended Supercab 4x2) Engine : 3.0 L 12 Valve V6 Horsepower : 148 hp @ 4900 rpm Torque : 180 lb-ft @ 3980 rpm Fuel Economy: 17 city / 23 hwy
Chevy Colorado (LS Ext Cab 2WD) Engine: 2.8 L 16 Valve V4 Horsepower : 175 hp @ 5600 rpm Torque : 185 lb – ft @ 2800 rpm Fuel Economy : 17 city / 24 hwy
Going by these specs taken off the company websites, the Ranger is severely underpowered. Exactly what Edmunds said: "When equipped with the 4.0-liter V6, the Ford Ranger offers solid acceleration, but it feels underpowered with either the 3.0-liter V6 or the base four-cylinder."
I have never driven any other trucks, but I can state from my own experience that the truck feels kind of slow. It's only a feeling, but I had it even when I test drived. I thought it was all trucks. Going by the review and specs it obviously isn't.
And then there is the price : (www.xe.com for Canadian to US funds)
and my research leaves me feeling really, quite, unhappy.
The Ranger is weaker than the competition, even weaker than the Tacoma and Colorado which are using 4 cylinder engines.
The Ranger's fuel economy is almost identical to Dodge and Chevy and comparable to Nissan (which is far more powerful) and much worse than the Tacoma (which is still more powerful).
The Ranger has the comparable cargo space to the other trucks too with the Chevy, Dodge and Nissan being even a bit bigger.
Finally, there's price. The Ranger is more expensive than the Chevy (which is still stronger), more expensive than the Tacoma (only a bit stronger, but much more fuel efficient and it's a V4!), a little cheaper than Dodge (but far less powerful and barely more fuel efficient), and a good bit cheaper than Nissan (but much, much less powerful and still only a bit more fuel efficient).
It feels good to get this off my chest, but I have to say: "I think I've been pwned."
Picked up a 2002 Ranger reg cab 2wd XL last week. 124k miles, cruise, cd, auto tranny for $3,750 private party. Edmunds TMV is $3,850 wholesale, $4,800 private, and $5,750 dealer... so I got a nice deal!
The truck was originally used as a delivery vehicle in a networking business, then privately owned, and since the vehicle was maintenanced at the same garage, I've got a complete maintenance history, including the transmission replacement in late 2004. It's got a bed liner and a tonneau cover too, both in mint condition.
The truck was smoked in, so I got rid of the odor... now to just find seat covers that actually fit a 60-40 split bench seat snugly.
The 2.3l engine runs good, with some minor vibration and slight rocking at a stop, so I'll look into that.
Overall I love having a truck again! (Former owner of a 1997 Mazda B4000 4x4)
That Ford 3.0 is from the dark ages... as is the underpinnings of the Ranger. Ruling out the Nissan and Dodge due to price, I would have gone with the Toyota first, then the Chevy 2nd when buying new.
Used, however, Ford is the clear choice due to uber depreciation and dependibility of the old technology.
If it'll make ya feel any better... Toyota is having lots of quality/reliability issues the past 2 years, and I've heard horror stories about the seating position/fit and finish in the Colorados.
So, you basically traded engine power for dependability and cheaper repair costs due to older design/technology. There, did I find the silver lining within a pile of dog poop? lol!
I have owned my 01 Ranger since new and I have to disagree with the poster who said that all repairs are going to cost a minimum of $250. In my experience over the last 120K miles I have paid $70 in parts. This includes one U joint at 60K miles and a heater resister last week for $20. If anything there are so many parts out there that it cost next to nothing to fix just about anything. I do have to replace a upper ball joint soon but that is only $40 for the joint or $125 for the whole upper control arm. The 3L is a waste of money and anybody with half a brain would choose either the 2.3 or 4.0 depending on what their goal is.
I'm thinking about getting a 2006 Ranger (incentives are super right now for that model). XL, auto, AC - other than that, pretty simple. Pulliam Ford in Columbia SC quoted me a MSRP of $18500 and an internet price of $18,300 pre-rebates - that still seems high to me!! Any feedback would be appreciated. :confuse:
Also, I posted a question on the performance vs mileage of the 2.3L and 3.0L on the "engine" forum - if you have any ideas, please let me know!
I just got an 06 XLT SuperCab 4-dr w/ tow and cruise for $18995 before rebates here in Seattle if that helps. Super great deal. But for an XL with auto and AC, (1k for auto and 850 for AC), it should run around 17K at invoice based on what I have seen during the past month I was looking. Invoice on these trucks has been around $1500 to $2000 under MSRP when you factor dealer holdback and the like.
For a great research tool while looking at Ford Truck, hit http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/ and click on "search dealer inventory" to see what the local dealer has. You can even see the window sticker with MSRP (from Ford) and options for that truck. Hope this helps.
BTW, on the 2.3L vs. 3.0L question; I've had both and the economy on the 2.3L is great (23-25mpg typical). The 3.0L isn't worth the waste in gas for performance. It lacks any real power, :lemon: (acts much like the 4 banger) and only averaged 18mpg for either city or hwy. I have the 4.0L now and see the same mileage with way better performance for 17mpg so far. :shades:
Dinosaurs yes, but would not even consider buying anything but. Are people paying invoice to own? My first 1983 Ranger 4x4 2.3l drove it for over 11 years, 250k + sold it to my brother for $1K and could have got more if it wasn't my brother. Bought a 1994 Ranger 4x4 4.0l and my son is still driving it with 295K miles and going strong. Only complaint was the auto 4x4 push button crapp, should have kept it manual hubs with a shift on the floor. I'm going to be buying my third Ranger in a few months, won't even consider taking another make for a test drive. Yes sir I will stick with the brand I trust the most. My current vehicles are a 1966 Mustang, 1994 Ranger, 2001 Escape, 2004 Freestar(...wifes), and last but not least my 2007 GT 500 Shelby. P.S. Ford did not pay me to post this message, nor am I affiliated in any way with Ford. HA! HA! Although I think they should give me a few shares. :shades:
What Ford should do is demand half of the mark-up premiums the dealerships are charging for their Shelby's and GT Mustangs. That would right the ship. HA! HA! They are having problems, but they will come through it with no problem. :shades:
Ford may claim they have the most fuel efficient pickup, but they sacrifice more then its worth. That engine won't pull a greasy string out of cats butt hole. Forget about the A/C, turn it on you'll be doing 3000rpm rolling backwards. I traded that in for the 4.0 V6, much better, also forget about the 3.0 also. The 4.0 is the only engine that makes the truck worth anything.
contrary to previuos message,, and of course depending on how ya use,.... or abuse it,, this is an excellent tight,... quiet,... plenty of power,... great on gas , very comfortable,.... well built twin cities,... p/u,.. the 3.o v-6 severs its designed, intention, again,,, its all in how you maintain,... and treat the thing,,
Comments
I recommend Dowling Ford of Cheshire, CT for friendly, courteous, service, and a GREAT deal.
PPB
20041103.3.075900
Chevy Colorado
Ford Ranger
Dodge Dakota
Toyota Tacoma
Nissan Frontier
All were extra-cabs, and the Dodge, Toytota & Nissan were totally new trucks for 2005.
The Dodge, Chevy and Ranger were big disappointments. Dodge could have done a much better job since the truck was a new design. The Chevy just felt totally sluggish. The Ranger drove like the dinosaur it is. I own a 2002 Ranger, and there is no noticable difference in three years. Too bad.
The stars were the Tacoma (#1 on my list) and the Frontier (#2 on my list). For 2005, the Japanese have gotten it together. These are extremely nice trucks. Of course, they both cost a king's ransom compared to the Ranger.
Bottom line: Do some test driving before you buy, but prepare to spend as much as $10,000 more for the Tacoma compared to an equally equipped Ranger. Price will still bring buyers to Ford, but Ford sure has their work cut out for them if they actually want to compete head-to-head with Toyota and Nissan. Have fun!
Model: 04 2x2 reg cab 4 cyl.5 spd. w/ A/C
Invoice: $15,700 +/- (base on 05)
3000+1000=-4000 off (finance w/ Mazda) + $89 paper work.= final $10,900 + TTL ($4,800 off invoice).
Mazda has 4 yrs warranty.
Even it is just a bare bone basic truck, I really like it.
MSRP was $23,600. After all the rebates and dealer discounts, I think I got a deal.
Great sales staff and service at Kenny Ross Ford.
199.00 ETCHING
731.19 TAX
33.18 INVENT.TAX
50.00 DOC.FEE
5.00 DEPUTY FEE
21.75 INSP.
105.30 LIC.&TITLE
1495.00 SER.AGREEMENT
14140.42 TOTAL
6.69 LOAN INTEREST RATE
THIS IS MY FIFTH FORD RANGER 4CYL./MAN.
Just got done comparing prices for base Tacomas and Rangers and the price is about the same, even after rebates (before rebates the Ranger actually costs a bit more; haven't compared loaded models).
I'm a Toyota truck owner looking to get a new pickup, and will probably go with the Ranger as it's the only small truck that still comes with a 7' bed option nearest I can tell. (I was happy to see Ford added the 7' bed option to the XL line for 2006; was only available on the XLT line for 2005.)
(Contrary to a post earlier this year to the Ranger Problems and Solutions board indications from research on the internet are they won't be doing a major redesign of the Ranger until 2010...)
(As for me am in the market for a longbed and apparently no '05 longbeds (in a 4cyl manual) remaining anywhere in CA -- will wait for the '06 rebates to increase later in the model year. (Anyone been tracking Ranger rebate trends?))
Don't wait! Rebates for the few remaining 05's in dealer stock are significantly more than current rebates for '06 models!
Welcome to the elite world of truck owners -- now whenever one of your friends moves, guess who they'll call on for help!
'97 supercab, 4L v6, 5 speed
2007 Ranger Already Rolling
Says 2007 Rangers just started rolling off the St. Paul assembly line, several months earlier than normal. Ford says not to read anything into it. Speculation is it's just for logistical reasons.
Pricing for the '07 Ranger (as well as '07 Explorer Sport Trac, Focus and Freestar) is already available on edmunds.com.
May be seeing '07s on dealer lots early this year. Now is the time to take advantage of those '06 rebates!
MSRP $21,955.00
Less Fleet Discount $ 929.40
Sub Total $21,025.60
Less Web Site Coupon Discount $ 500.00
Sub Total $20,525.60
Less Factory Rebate $ 3,000.00
Fleet and Internet Price $17,525.60 Plus Tax and License
The Accessories we will be installing and subletting are as follows;
Leather Seating, Front and Rear
LineX Spray in Bedliner
Trailer Hitch
Vent Shades
Total Price for all accessories installed $2,081.00 Plus Tax
Fleet and Internet Price including accessories $19,606.60 Plus Tax and License
Sticker $19,000
Trade in $3,000
Luck-$7,000
Final price $12,000 plus tax
This is a pricing discussion.. Try re-posting your question here: Ford Ranger: Problems & Solutions
...and you will be much more likely to get a response..
regards,
kyfdx
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There are a million variables associated with making a used car purchase decision. You've given two-age and mileage.
To offer a more informed opinion, knowing such things as price, maintenence/maintenence records, type of driving done by the owner, was it a northern or Arizona car, 4 cylinder vs. 6, etc. would help. For instance, given the mileage and age alone without knowing anything else, I would say not to buy it. However, if the truck was driven primarily cross country through the southwest, meticulously maintained, and going for $500, I might still question it because of the low price makes it look like the owner is trying to get rid of it fast.
Thus, not only do you have to consider many variables, but also how much weight to give each variable-high mileage might not necessarily be bad versus a truck with 30k miles that was driven only in stop and go traffic and only for 5 miles at a time even though both trucks are the same age.
but with 170k miles. My 99 ranger was actually a really good truck my dad bought
it new and handed it down to me the same clutch and same tranny lasted 170k
miles. However now either my clutch or tranny has blown and its being looked at.
I want to get all the price checks i can on a new tranny for a 99 for ranger so
i dont get ripped off.
If you really like it for the price and never plan to use 4wd, then buy it and don't put any money into fixing the hub problem.
Good luck!
I've never owned a truck before and the feeling of height and power was invigorating.
I really enjoy doing research on the internet and I decided to look up the reviews of the Ranger and bask in the glory of my new truck.
As you can imagine it was quite a shock when I read Edmunds review of the Ranger.
The quote that applied directly to me was:
"If you're not a hard-core off-roader, though, there's little reason to consider the 2007 Ford Ranger. Trucks like the Dodge Dakota, Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma are easier and more comfortable to drive on pavement, and all offer roomier cabs with more conveniences and safety features."
What???
So I did some research on my Ranger and comparable trucks.
My Ranger (XLT Extended Supercab 4x2)
Engine : 3.0 L 12 Valve V6
Horsepower : 148 hp @ 4900 rpm
Torque : 180 lb-ft @ 3980 rpm
Fuel Economy: 17 city / 23 hwy
Nissan Frontier (King SE-V6 4x2)
Engine: 4L 24 Valve V6
Horsepower : 261 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque : 281 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Fuel Economy : 16 city / 20 hwy
Toyota Tacoma (Access Cab 4x2)
Engine: 2.7L 16 Valve V4
Horsepower : 159 @ 5200 rpm
Torque : 180 lb –ft @ 3800 rpm
Fuel Economy : 21 city / 27 hwy
Dodge Dakota (ST Club Cab 4x2)
Engine: 3.7L 12 Valve V6
Horsepower : 210 @ 5200 rpm
Torque : 235 lb –ft @ 4000 rpm
Fuel Economy : 16 city / 22 hwy
Chevy Colorado (LS Ext Cab 2WD)
Engine: 2.8 L 16 Valve V4
Horsepower : 175 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque : 185 lb – ft @ 2800 rpm
Fuel Economy : 17 city / 24 hwy
Going by these specs taken off the company websites, the Ranger is severely underpowered.
Exactly what Edmunds said:
"When equipped with the 4.0-liter V6, the Ford Ranger offers solid acceleration, but it feels underpowered with either the 3.0-liter V6 or the base four-cylinder."
I have never driven any other trucks, but I can state from my own experience that the truck feels kind of slow. It's only a feeling, but I had it even when I test drived. I thought it was all trucks. Going by the review and specs it obviously isn't.
And then there is the price :
(www.xe.com for Canadian to US funds)
Ford Ranger: $22,899 ($20,069 US)
Nissan Frontier: $26,598 ($23,314 US)
Toyota Tacoma: $22,535 ($19,749 US)
Dodge Dakota: $24,925 ($21,843 US)
Chevy Colorado: $21,440 ($18,790 US)
and my research leaves me feeling really, quite, unhappy.
The Ranger is weaker than the competition, even weaker than the Tacoma and Colorado which are using 4 cylinder engines.
The Ranger's fuel economy is almost identical to Dodge and Chevy and comparable to Nissan (which is far more powerful) and much worse than the Tacoma (which is still more powerful).
The Ranger has the comparable cargo space to the other trucks too with the Chevy, Dodge and Nissan being even a bit bigger.
Finally, there's price.
The Ranger is more expensive than the Chevy (which is still stronger), more expensive than the Tacoma (only a bit stronger, but much more fuel efficient and it's a V4!), a little cheaper than Dodge (but far less powerful and barely more fuel efficient), and a good bit cheaper than Nissan (but much, much less powerful and still only a bit more fuel efficient).
It feels good to get this off my chest, but I have to say:
"I think I've been pwned."
The truck was originally used as a delivery vehicle in a networking business, then privately owned, and since the vehicle was maintenanced at the same garage, I've got a complete maintenance history, including the transmission replacement in late 2004. It's got a bed liner and a tonneau cover too, both in mint condition.
The truck was smoked in, so I got rid of the odor... now to just find seat covers that actually fit a 60-40 split bench seat snugly.
The 2.3l engine runs good, with some minor vibration and slight rocking at a stop, so I'll look into that.
Overall I love having a truck again! (Former owner of a 1997 Mazda B4000 4x4)
Used, however, Ford is the clear choice due to uber depreciation and dependibility of the old technology.
If it'll make ya feel any better... Toyota is having lots of quality/reliability issues the past 2 years, and I've heard horror stories about the seating position/fit and finish in the Colorados.
So, you basically traded engine power for dependability and cheaper repair costs due to older design/technology. There, did I find the silver lining within a pile of dog poop? lol!
Also, I posted a question on the performance vs mileage of the 2.3L and 3.0L on the "engine" forum - if you have any ideas, please let me know!
For a great research tool while looking at Ford Truck, hit http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/
and click on "search dealer inventory" to see what the local dealer has. You can even see the window sticker with MSRP (from Ford) and options for that truck. Hope this helps.
BTW, on the 2.3L vs. 3.0L question; I've had both and the economy on the 2.3L is great (23-25mpg typical). The 3.0L isn't worth the waste in gas for performance. It lacks any real power, :lemon: (acts much like the 4 banger) and only averaged 18mpg for either city or hwy. I have the 4.0L now and see the same mileage with way better performance for 17mpg so far. :shades:
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