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Toyota Tacoma vs. Ford Ranger, Part XII
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Comments
Here's the pics for my truck:
link
It's a colorkey SR5 package, with everything silver, except mirrors (color-keyed mirrors were discontinued). No chrome whatsoever.
BFG Trails may be cheap and crappy, but were they were tires that 4x4 mag used in the tests? Lets put it this way....they do the job well.
TRD is not the ultimate offroad package. It's more or less as far as Toyota might be willing to go to provide some basis for comfortable offroading without putting the onroad performance at risk. If you want more functionality, do the mods yourself. The market for it is huge.
scorp- sweet truck.
FX4 is only ranger to get rear two hook stock. its just a place on the frame though, so one can be bolted up anytime.
I just wish Ford would wake up and put some better tires on their Rangers. At least they got rid of those damn Firejunkers.. :-)
one more thing- what's "jumping" got to do with using towhooks? still wondering on that one.
scape2- with all due respect (don't get pissed, i just like to get to the bottom of things), im wondering how you got ford to build you an off-road equipped truck with only 3.73's. the standard is 4.10's with no option otherwise. are you sure on this? cuz if so, it'd make for one very rare ranger model. i'd check your build tag on the driver door. also, what do you think of the awesome 4.0 SOHC going in the ranger now?
maybe?
I think the 4.0 SOHC was a very good response to the Toyota 3.4 along with the Chevy 4.3 in terms of HP/Torque. I know the Toyota crowd hates this but.. the HP/Torque curve on the Ranger is better for truck use.. You don't have to rev the heck out of the engine to get the torque you need and it comes faster also. Of course I wish I could have this engine in my 98 Ranger.. The 160HP and push-rod technology is getting old.. A new Ranger may be in order in about 3 years.
you may want to check your msrp window sticker, it will tell you what gear ratio you have. also, on your build tag it will say.
it really isn't a big deal. i just thought that if you did have a factory 3.73 off-roader, that'd be pretty cool. of course, no one else on earth would really give two hoots, but people like us truck fanatics do care.
im looking at a new jeep liberty sport right now with the new 3.7 liter, it has 4.10's in it too. it is faster than the SOHC'D ranger i had. it runs hard. later
also, the tacoma did not exist in '94 "ALLKNOWING".
I was at the Den in San Antonio today again, offroading with 2 other tacos. We were sitting around making fun of other trucks (dodges) overlooking the mud pit when an old SAS'ed 198x Toy pickup came around and got stuck in the mud (it was a basher, no 4x4, nearly bold mudder tires). So the 4-banger regcab 4x4 we had with us went down to pull him out. One tug, and it's all it took. Didn't need a big beefy tow hook for it. Didn't need 2 of them. 1 is all that was needed.
as far as mags go: well......do you know of any other UNBIASED RELIABLE source of information regarding Tacoma vs. Ranger? The 4x4 truck of the year contest was not good enough. You don't have to quote the "It's a bestseller truck" line, we've heard it many times and people agree that it means squat.
exactly scorpio- just like your magazine articles. if in fact the "MAGAZINES" meant "squat", dont you think that their opinions would coincide with the buying public's buying preferences?
but isn't the real world a little more convincing than what a magazine SAYS? i mean, i can SAY that the dodge omni was the most reliable and greatest car of the '80's. but just because that was said doesn't mean the buying public went out and bought one. it's one person's opinion. case in point with the tacoma. i can see the 1994 tacoma being the most reliable truck though, beins that it never existed.
scorpio- one question. how would you tow your truck out from the rear if it was buried in mud? no hitch. nah, i wouldn't want a nice towhook back there. man, even ford explorers have rear towhooks on them. dont knock them just cuz you don't have them. every real 4x4 vehicle should have them. not a dinky ONE hidden under the bumper, so you can bend your bumper all up when using it. ask any real off-roader, they wouldn't go anywhere without towhooks if they could have them.
Real offroaders don't go anywhere without winches, not towhooks.
The towhooks are bolted to the frame directly. All you have to do is run a chain over the frame. It's no rocket science, tbunder. As far as bending the bumper goes: well, the 4-banger did not bend its bumper up. Neither did I, when I was pulling a 4x4 Ranger out of mud 5 month ago on my first trip to San Ant.
I think I've found a method of this debate. If the other truck has it or is supported by it, it doesn't mean squat, because you choose a different truck...
Same old stories.. Toyota pulling a Ranger out.
I wonder why the Ranger has been the best seller for over 15 years straight.. Don't you think that after 15 years the tide would have turned if the Tacoma was so superior? and so much more reliable? Check msn.carpoint and look under the used vehicle reliability data. The Toyota crowd hates this site, even called it bogus and not true at one point if I remember. You will be surprised at what you find. Ranger proves to be pretty darn reliable....
Mazda B-series is a Ranger with duct tape over the Ford logo, or at least has been until couple years ago. The sales for B-series, however, have been in a hole for years....it sells less than Tacoma.
Now why would that be? They are even offering longer warranty. If Ranger is such a great truck then B-series should have rocked, and it would be #2 selling compact, following Ranger closely.
I don't know why that is. In part it might be that Mazda does not offer as many configs as Ford. Mainly I think it's because Mazda is not a US company.
As far as used vehicle reliability: If toyota trucks are so unreliable, there would be plenty of them sitting around the used car lots with nobody wanting to buy one. I don't see that happening. I got few used car lots around where I live, and every time I drive by I see Explorers, Rangers, Silverados on the lot. Haven't seen a Toy truck there yet.
I'll admit that Tacoma has some problems. Like squeaking dash, that's fixed with $5 worth of purchases at your nearest Home Depot.
As for comments on the msn site...I like this one in particular:
"foren piece of crappe" by "all american boy from the U.S.A"
Pros: nothing
Cons: its not American.
Review: This truck sucks just like all the other none american vehicals. By a ford its a real truck
Is this what you mean by used vehicle reliability data? Everything about that comment spells "I'm a hillbilly, my name is Billy Bob, I have 10 dogs living under my trailer, I hate Nips".
Majority of people on the carpoint seem to be praising the truck, and few comments like one from Billy Bob...they all say one thing: dash rattles. Well, it's not rattling in my truck. Nor have I got any leaks (yeah, it rains once a month in Austin, but when it does, it pours). I like to think I drive my truck harder than most people. I spent 1.5 hours washing mud off it yesterday. If those reviews are right, hte dash should have fallen off by now, doors would not stop any water, and engine would knock itself from my truck. It's still running fine, though. Just to be fair...have you looked at used Ranger reviews? Tacoma and Ranger run about the same in ratio of "good/bad" in 2002 and 2001 that I saw. Just Ranger severity of problems is higher.
Toyota pulling a Ranger out: yep. It got stuck. I have pictures if you think I'm making it up. However, the point was that I was still able to pull him out without bending the bumper up, like tbunder claimed it would happen.
On several occasions, I pulled unfortunates out of mud bogs and snow drifts. Never did I "bend the bumper" in any way.
Even though I now own a new Ranger, I just wanted to set the record straight that Toyota's rear bumpers are stout enough to endure periodic towing WITHOUT damage. BTW- I always used a nylon strap.
http://www.jeepjamboreeusa.com/cmf.htm
looks like the "king of off-roaders" wouldn't even be able to participate in this event.
anyways, in my racing days, i use to ride my 125 up a ramp and slam into the front of the bed extremely hard to stop me. it was a full-sized F150, late 80's models and early 90 models as my dad traded each year. NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER did it dent or even once intrude into the cab. i bet if i would have done the same on my ranger, it would not dent either. like i said earlier, the toyotas are nice, but very weak structurally. a truck has to be more than just suspension and locking axles. all one has to do is compare the hidden stuff between ranger and tacoma-ie the axles, frame width, driveshafts, etc, the ranger is BUILT on a higher scale than tacoma and tundra.
I agree that they need to be strong, but I hardly believe that any compact is built as stout as any of the 80s full size trucks. I hate it as much as you. Yotas aren't liking much. Besides, find me some info about Yota axles being weaker (not smaller). They don't fail. Never heard of a failed driveshaft, and I talk to some people who beat the hell out of their trucks. Why can't a company get some credit when smaller components are just as good? It sux. Ill go look for that pic of the F250 with the frame flex all to hell and back. You can compare it to Yotas' and see whether wider means better.
I have to put my waders on just to read your usual BS.
"One time I landed 747 in the back of my Ranger, you know the one with the 207hp 4.0 that is smooth as silk and is the best thing since sliced bread. It didn't hurt anything, didn't even scratch the paint. Good thing I had 2 tow hooks to help strap it down."
Better yet the plane may have been welded to the bed!!!!
Thanks for the usual chuckles.
do you realize how stupid you come across? hey, its not my fault your pos toyota can't even handle a snowmobile or 4-wheeler. can you say junk? how about weak? dont even believe it when an actual owner touts it do you? you really are naive aren't you? and im sorry you're so jealous of the more powerful SOHC 4.0. id be too though if i still drove a timing belt equipped under-powered 4x4 truck.
thank you for the reminder that you're the biggest moron on here.
I shall digress back to my moronic state and live in denial of my worthless truck.
they do look nice though. and wheel pretty good too. but any work is out of the question.
That tree obviously must have been pretty small and rotten to be pulled down so easily by a truck that is, according to you, underpowered and crappy. "PART of a branch" -- and your surprised it didn't dent the truck. Give me a f'in break. Let me ram my Foreman into the back of your truck and lets se what happens.
As far as the Mazda not being number 2 in sales?? I would have to say its because there 10 Ford dealerships for every Mazda dealership, and Mazda doesn't offer the B series in as many configurations as Ford does the RAnger. I would also say there are at least 5 Toyota dealerships for every Mazda dealership also.
If you read back, way way back you will find a name "Vince8". I pulled a few Toyotas out of tough spots, even helped a guy whose Tacoma left him stranded up in the middle of nowhere, about 15 miles to the nearest halfway traveled road. Also have a friend with a TRD. He has had his problems, even tried to hide them from me. He wanted so bad to "bury" my Ranger and "leave me in the dust" He couldn't.
Tacomas aren't perfect, there are plenty of other chat rooms around the net with some ticked off owners that have learned this also. I left this room because I was tired of the same old stuff. I have a Ranger that has proven to be every bit as reliable and offroad capable as any Tacoma, TRD or non TRD. Maybe its my experience with offroading that makes the Ranger perform? I don't know, all I know it get me where I want to go and has never let me down. I know I paid at least 2-3K less for a like optioned Tacoma in 1998.
See you in the Cascades.... Drive smart.
After owning six Toyota pickups, including two Tacomas, I will likely never buy another. There are MANY things I don't like about the Tacoma, most of them very subjective. My intense dislike of the Tacoma (and most things Toyota) does not give me the right to make personal attacks on others, such as calling them morons. That's just acting badly, IMHO.
Please back off a bit, and stick to facts, or your own personal opinions.
The fact that my bed bent back into my cab as I slammed into it with an 800 lb. snow machine (at about 10 mph) doesn't mean that I now believe my Tacoma is junk. The bed strength is a flaw that (in my opinion) should probably be corrected by the Toyota engineers. However, I still love the truck and I still believe that a Toyota engine is one of the most reliable in the industry. And, I still think that Rangers are kind of crappy and wouldn't buy one if it was the last compact on the face of the planet. And, no compact is as strong as a full sized pick up. So for TBunder to compare an 80's full sized Ford to a Tacoma is kind of a compliment.
Furthermore, I was simply trying to prove to the pro-Ranger fans (Tbunder in particular) that a subjective owner of any vehicle is not afraid to point out the flaws of that vehicle. I mean, come on Tbunder, how can any of us really read your posts without laughing out loud when you tell us repeatedly that your Ranger is so perfect and has never given you even the slightest problem. Either you are the luckiest vehicle owner on the face of this planet or your Ford Ranger has never left your garage.
Take care and I'll see you in the woods doing some fishing..............Steelman.
-I guess I can't imagine any truck not getting a good dent from having this happen.
As for my truck, you have gone and done it. How stupid are you? I outdo 4x4 nissans all the time with my locker, wherever he wants to go. Ive got more ground clearance than Rangers, now. How is that like a camry. They build prerunners for people who cant afford and don't use 4x4 that much. Any other reason is just bogus (ie. your reason). I will take my truck just about anywhere around here that 4x4s can go. You won't believe that til you ride with me, but its true.
I don't know what the hell has gotten into you but this is not like you at all. What happened to respecting each other? I understand your extreme hatred for these trucks but fail to see any backing. Oh by the way, the first paragraph is not necessarily my thoughts, just an example of how things can go either way, neither way being any more true or false than the other. I don't know what Yotas you see, and you don't know what Fords I see.
As far as "working" a truck.. I feel pretty confident my Ranger has worked, pulled, hauled, towed, trailed as much if not more than your Tacoma over the last 4 years of service..
I did not say the Ranger is cheap. If you are going from the last post - I simply subsituted Yota for Ford in Tbunders post. Just to show that I can make the same statement and it is just as true. I don't DISLIKE the Ranger, never have I said that. I am truly sorry if I am being just like Tbunder cuz that is the last thing I wanna do. I will try to be different in the future. I sincerely believe, that my attitude for the last few weeks has been nothing more than trying to defend the common notion that Yotas are weak. I have never disputed that Rangers have thicker metal - big deal. Just please don't say that Tacos CAN'T work. I have seen them in action and they hold their own. Buddy, I could care less about bashing the Rangers. That ain't my style, man. Have a good one.
Honestly, have I been bashing the Ranger as much as Tbunder has been bashing the Taco? I wanna know. Count how many times I have used "pos" in reference to Rangers and compare it to Tbunder's use of the same phrase. Just one easy way to go about it.
tbunder says on Edmunds his Ranger is so tough because he "jumps" it and "works" it, yet on E-bay claims his truck was "pampered, perfect and never abused."
This from the same guy who said Rangers have lockers and beds welded to their frames! Oh, and that Rangers outweigh Tacomas by 400lbs and have 2" bigger rear diffs.
Uhm, OK. Sure. Whatever.
And, if you can prove to me (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that your Ranger has never had even one minor problem, I will trade in my Tacoma immediately and pick up a brand new Ford Ranger.
Take care and I'll see you in the mud (it is mud season you know).......... Steelman.
-actually, the Tacoma does have good crash test results. In fact, it was named "best in class" by NHTSA. The Ranger does have better side impact ratings, however.