War of the Compacts:Frontier, Ranger, Tacoma, S10, Dakota, B-Series, & Hombre - II

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  • tacoma_trdtacoma_trd Member Posts: 135
    Personally I love the new look of the 2001 ranger. I think its the best looking compact pickup for 2001. (4x4 that is) Ive seen a picture of the XLT 2wd and I dont care for it that much. Since when did Ford dealers start getting the 2001's on the lot. I've been wanting to go see one for the longest time. I'm gonna consider getting one, but I want the 4.0 SOHC with the manual tranny, so I might have to wait a while. Does anyone know a date that they are scheduled to start selling?
  • cncmancncman Member Posts: 487
    CT;
    Well, the 01 frontiers look "industrial" as following a design school. The ranger looks industrial as in you would expect to see it parked in the back of a construction lot. And the frontier doesn't really look like anything else.
    I think maybe my problem is when I think of the idiots that drive those huge ford trucks here in texas, they drive those things as daily commuters because it makes them look like some kind of a super cowboy. It never sees a day of work anywhere near what it is meant for.

    Airbags,
    the fact is that airbags have vastly saved more lives than they have taken. The only problem comes when you either sit too close or have your arms between you and the airbag. Also, kids under 12 should never be where the airbag is. I have sold alot of Nissans to paramedics that see severe accidents everyday, they all believe strongly in airbags.
  • cygnusx1cygnusx1 Member Posts: 290
    Saw a new Explorer parked outside and it has that modern "industrial" look to it too. Not as radical as the Frontier, but still, you cam tell that this look is going to be prevalent to some degree among a lot of cars and trucks in the coming years.
  • cthompson21cthompson21 Member Posts: 1,102
    No "Super Cowboys" running around here up in Chicago. My disdain falls on the dingbats driving around in Expeditions, Escalades, Yukons, Tahoes, Excursions, and the rest of the jumbo sport 'utes talking on their cell phones while their land yacht will never so much as see a spec of gravel.

    I feel that you're more likely to be seriously injured by an airbag than saved from serious injury. It's just a gamble, as are all accidents.

    I do feel that curtain style airbags, which don't fire directly at the occupant, are a worthwhile safety device. They're just expensive, so we haven't seen them trickle down to our vehicles.
  • spoogspoog Member Posts: 1,224
    There are plenty of f-250 "super cowboys" around here.

    They usually have the sticker of the character peeing on another brand of truck.
  • cthompson21cthompson21 Member Posts: 1,102
    You don't know the difference between a common midwest redneck and a Texas cowboy?
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    In the NW SUV's, and 4x4's seem to rule the road. Honestly though, I doubt even 70% even see a gravel road. I believe folks use them more to pull boats and campers.
    I like the styling of the 01 Ranger. I'm not overly excited about it but its an improvement. I am however very excited about the new SOHC 4.0. I'm telling you this truck moves. It makes my older 4.0 feel old and out dated. Now I just wish Ford would drop Firestone and go to either Goodyears, Michellen or BFG for their tires.
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    I know off topic but, why, why, why are people still driving their Explorers w/Firestones on them? No offense to anyone but, all the Explorers I've seen with them are driven by women. I wonder if they know? But how couldn't they with all the media coverage and dateline doing a special on them. I told a lady yesterday that her tires were recalled...she didn't know!

    Here in FL SUV's dominate too Vince, these don't even tow things. They have just taken the place of minivans for moms. I can't remember the last time I have even seen a 4x4 SUV. I've seen more Mustangs towing things like U-Haul trailers and Waverunners than I have SUV's. Take my girlfriend's '94 Passport, she just drives it back and forth from law school. It doesn't have a hitch, of course it's V-6 and 5-speed tranny can only tow about 3K.

    This brings me to another point. I've noticed in the last few years that the towing capacity has risen quite a bit for the trucks as a whole. Take for example: My sales manager's '95 Z-71 has a towing capacity of 5500lbs.(some of today's compact trucks exceed this) and my Frontier CC has a capacity of 5000lbs. Now granted there is a difference in how each truck actually 'tows' the load, but honestly it's not a huge difference. Today's Silverado can tow around 9000lbs. Quite a difference from a few years ago.
  • steve234steve234 Member Posts: 460
    While there is no reason that women(and some men)cannot be good drivers, most do not care about working at their driving skills. Working for a university, I have seen these little princesses running around in their little sport cars without paying any attention to anything but their cell phone or girl friend(s) with them. After college they move up to SUVs for the 'look'. It is no wonder that they haven't a clue what to do when a tire blows or how to check the basic maintenance items like tire pressure. Firestone put out a bad product, but we are rapidly approaching the point where people pay more attention to a toaster than to the vehicle they drive. How many of the lives lost would have survived if the driver knew how to react to a blowout?
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    I think many of the people with Firestone's are waiting for replacements. They can't get enough tires right now.
  • cygnusx1cygnusx1 Member Posts: 290
    Here on the East Coast, I swear I never see any full size trucks or SUVs towing anything. They're all usually totally shined up and look like they've never seen a day of off road activity in their life. But I do tons of compact trucks and beat up old pickups towing boats (at least at the marinas I frequent). It seems us compact owners s are the ones who actually use their trucks for towing and off roading. My neighbor just bought a huge top of the line extra cab Dodge Ram and had it lifted. The thing is massive. The most off road activity this thing will see is the gravel overflow lot at the country club. But it's huge and it does look cool so I guess that's whay he bought it.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I know this is off topic.. But, I feel in the next 2-3 years your going to see SUV sales either start to level off or even take a slight decline. They are getting such a bad rap now with gas prices high, accident ratings, rollover ratings, and with the outragous amount of pollution they create. I personally feel they are overkill and just status items nothing more. I guess we'll see.
    Motor Trend has a good article about the 01 Ranger, all quite favorable. And for those of us who use their trucks as race cars, the 0-60 on the new 4.0 SOHC automatic Ranger is 8.3 seconds per Motor Trend. I have seen numbers as low as 8.1 and as high as 8.4, Go figure???
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    If much more of this happens, we won't have to argue who's truck is better offroad because there will be nowhere to take them.

    http://www.insidedenver.com/news/0928mud3.shtml
  • volfyvolfy Member Posts: 274
    This SUV craze is just another fad that will eventually be replaced with something else when every soccer mom has one parked on their driveway.

    In the 70s, the choice "family truckster" was the the station wagon. Then in the 80's all the moms switched to then fashionable minivans, and no self-respecting head-of-household will touch a station wagon with a 10ft pole.

    The in the 90's, the success of the minivan started to work against itself. Escaping the stigma of driving the ubiquitous minivan, soccer moms again were on the hunt for something else more fashionable to be seen in. They found it in the SUV.

    So, sooner or later, that stigma that plagued the station wagon and later the minivan will infect the SUV as well. Who knows what they will latch on next?

    BTW, my use of the term "soccer mom" is by no means sexist. "Kid-taxing and grocery-hauling mom or dad" is just a little too long to type everytime. :-)
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    You guys are probably right! My guess it will be something like the Sport-trac. I think the Frontier, Tacoma, S-10, and if they make a foor door Ranger they are too "truckish" for those kind of buyers. But the new hybrid vehicles will be something new and lower to the ground probably have a 'plusher' ride blah, blah, blah. Just a thought.
  • steve234steve234 Member Posts: 460
    If you could predict the next big trend in the auto world, you would make a fortune. Provided that you were in a position to get it built.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I feel the mini-SUV will play a huge role over the next 10 years. Most are fuel effecient, ride nice, can carry 4 adults comfortably, yet give you a sporty kind of feeling. Thoughts?
  • eagle63eagle63 Member Posts: 599
    sorry for also straying from the topic. as an suv owner I get frustrated with being lumped into the same category as the "soccer moms." I bought my suv because I'm a truck fan and always have been. I like pickups and suv's equally. although I'm very disgusted with the direction that suv's are going. they've all become luxury, soft, and ugly. with very few exceptions, they're basically all luxury sedans with 4wd and a couple extra inches of ground clearance. they have lost whatever ties they once had to the truck world. the sad thing is, this is what the market wants. the auto makers are only making what the public wants. (except me!) In fact, I can't think of one suv that I would buy if I was looking to get a new one. -maybe one of the new tahoes, but that's about it.
    it's looking like my next vehicle will be a pickup. the question now is: compact or full size...
  • spoogspoog Member Posts: 1,224
    all the redneck yahoo's will never except mini-suv's because the won't feel "manly" driving in one.
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    But spoog what self-respecting, manly redneck would be caught driving an SUV to begin with.:) All the rednecks in FL usually drive S-10's or Rangers(because they're American-made) some Toyotas(for the less fanatical, I guess) all 2wd with stock tires and rims up front with 33" mudders on the white spoked rims in the rear. But then again, these may not be just rednecks they might just be white trash living in small southern towns.

    Disclaimer: This is in no way a crack on or meant to be my views of Ranger, S-10 or Toyota 2wd or 4wd truck owners. Rather the above discussion is meant to offend anyone, poor white trash or anyone else, who takes a perfectly nice truck and performs the duty in the aforementioned paragraph.
  • goobagooba Member Posts: 391
    oK I am going to ask the question.What is a redneck?What you guys have described we call concrete cowboys.
  • steve234steve234 Member Posts: 460
    That is another name for white trash. It use to denote a dirt farmer or small rancher, but now indicates an ignorant bigot who lives in the western states.
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    They live in the South, too.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Al Bundy or Archie Bunker?
  • mmcbride1mmcbride1 Member Posts: 861
    Think of this:

    A foul-mouthed individual with a big chaw in his lip, telling racist jokes to all his friends.

    OK, maybe like Archie Bunker.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    in real life....
  • spoogspoog Member Posts: 1,224
    "That is another name for white trash. It use to
    denote a dirt farmer or small rancher, but now
    indicates an ignorant bigot who lives in the
    western states."


    lol! They also support Helen Chenoweth and Larry Craig, representatives of IDaho.
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    The white folks that are on Jerry Springer...are good exapmles of rednecks. Some characterists: Live in a single-wide, two cars out front on blocks, Confederate flag flying in their yard, hunting by 'shining', their wives and sisters are the same person(or first cousin and wife are the same), didn't graduate high school, no job..because the "woman" works so there's no need to. There's always at least two cases of good 'ol Blue Ribbon in the "ice box".
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    between Southerners, Cowboys(or Ranchers), Mountain Folk(Hillbillies), and RedNecks. Rednecks are just white trash...scum. They don't do anything with their lives except cheat on their spouses, have lots of children, live off welfare, just basically skate by.
  • volfyvolfy Member Posts: 274
    Look up Jeff Foxworthy's books on "...You might be a redneck."

    Here are a few of my favorites:

    "If you own 6 cars, and 5 of them are on concrete blocks..."

    "If the directions to you house includes: [i]...you turn off into this dirt road...[/i]"

    "If you family tree don't branch..."

    You might be a redneck.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    -"Mom has a spit cup on the ironing board"
    -"You think that family reunions are a good place to meet women"
    -"Your car is on blocks and your house is on wheels"
    -"When someone asks your name, you show them your belt buckle"

    Someone delete this...LOL!!
  • vmanvman Member Posts: 103
    "You just got a new set of tires.......for your house."

    Hey, wasn't this about trucks?
  • croy2croy2 Member Posts: 45
    How do you circumsize a redneck?

    Kick his sister in the chin.
  • goobagooba Member Posts: 391
    Now that we have established what a redneck is,now,how do we know their vehicle going down the road?
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    Well, here in FL(especially North FL) They usually drive 2wd domestics with stock tires and rims with at least 33" mud tires on "white Spoke" rims on the rear. Those that do have 4x4's are the ones that have full size domestics raised at least 10"(mostly by blocks and body lift...and some use blocks in the front)then pull their 44" Swampers off and stick the stock assemblies back on to drive around town. Oh and there is at least one Confederate flag sticker somewhere on the rear window if not, then the headliner is a confederate flag. If that isn't present, then there will be a demeaning reference to their spouse. Now this is the true symbol of the modern redneck...the calvin character peeing on the competing an auto manufactuer's name!

    BTW, there are some rednecks that do drive Toyotas but those guys get made fun of at the campfire! I haven't seen any Dodge rednecks, I'm sure they're out there, but most are Ford and Chevy owners.
  • guitardudeguitardude Member Posts: 44
    "If u own a home that is mobile and 14 cars that aren't"

    "If your wife has ever said, "come move this transmission so i can take a bath""

    "If your dog and your wallet are both on a chain"

    "If you have ever mowed your lawn and found a car"

    "If people stop by your house each week mistakingly thinking that u are having a yard sale"

    You might be a redneck
  • guitardudeguitardude Member Posts: 44
    Ok, off the subject that is already off the subject...

    Adding on to the discussion that we were having earlier about IFS. The only good IFS systems are the military one and the race truck style IFS. The ford TTB IFS is extremely similar to the IFS used on race trucks. It has no torsion bar and, properly modified, it can give over 26" of wheel travel.
  • guitardudeguitardude Member Posts: 44
    Ok, again off topic. Actually, trying to start a new topic...

    I dont know if anyone else agrees with me, but i think ford really lost it's work truck ability with all the restyling in '97. The f-250/350 still kicks butt, but it's not close to being the same as the pre-super duty's. Older fords were trucks that u would abuse the crap out of without thinking twice. The newer ones kinda lost it. What makes pre-'97 fords such great vehicles are 4 things: 1.they are cheap 2.they are easily upgradeable 3.they are tough 4.they have engines con ganas. Fords have never been great with electronics. Or air-conditioners. I have a '84 ranger 4x4 that has run fine it's whole life with minimal problems. The only thing mestup about it is this little $5 computer chip that goes bad every 2 months.
    It's true that most people in texas with f-350's dont use them for half the ammount of work they can do. They just enjoy hitting 95 on the highway pulling a 5000lb boat. I have a friend with a diesel 250 and he pegs the spedometer pulling a 6000lb uhaul over hills. That's power.
  • spoogspoog Member Posts: 1,224
    \\The f-250/350 still
    kicks butt, but it's not close to being the same as
    the pre-super duty's. Older fords were trucks
    that u would abuse the crap out of without thinking
    twice. \\



    The Ford's were always good work trucks, but they tend to fall apart. Loose window seals, bad axels, ect ect.
  • guitardudeguitardude Member Posts: 44
    Down here, old fords are all u see on farms and such. I'm not sure about the loose window seals, the airconditioners all broke within a few years so there's never a reason to roll the windows up. No rain, no cold.
    They definetely do not have bad axles. The ford 9" is arguably the most popular axle ever. And f250/350's have always had dana 60's which are generally really tough axles. The old ranger 7.5" axle wasn't great but it didn't cause problems with the stock engines.
    I defninetely know what u mean about falling apart though. They didn't exactly have cadillac quality interiors. But there's rarely anything serious that goes bad.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Isn't that hilarious? When spoog touts that Toy is switching to Dana it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. But Ford who has ALWAYS used Danas on the 3/4 ton and up trucks and on all the 4x front ends has weak "axels" Not to mention what you said about the 9" being one of the strongest diffs ever.

    I will disagree with you on the A/C . My experience with Ford A/C. has been perfect. My old '85 that I reluctantly sold to my brother in law was blowing ice until '99 when the in law sold it at auction. He promised to keep it in the family. My last '96 was perfect, including A/C, and my S/D after 6 months is fine.
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    I'm not sure where you live but, in FL you use the A/C even in the winter months. But, I had friends that have had the following over the years: '86 EXP, '85 EXP Turbo(I actually knew someone that had one..LOL), '93 Ranger, '97 Ranger, '94 F-150 and a '97 F-150. All of these vehicles have been to the Ford dealers to have the A/C's replaced or fixed. All of them had a problem with the lines that went through the Firerwall. My understanding through the interpetation of the multiple owners is there was a problem with the gasket(o-ring) that allowed the lines to rub against the firewall and leak the freon(or whatever they used).
  • xena1axena1a Member Posts: 286
    Mahimahi -
    Were my eyes deceiving me, or did I catch a glimpse of a 2001 4WD Toyota Catfish...err, I mean Tacoma? Just caught a passing look while at a stop light. Did a real double take. The body looked like a Tacoma, but the grill sort of looked like it was grafted from a Lincoln Navigator. Hmmm, didn't know there were catfish in AZ...
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    That's cool. I live in Vegas so the A/C is used plenty. I would imagine an o-ring failure would happen as much from a lack of use then from over use.

    As we speak my buddies 180,000 mile Bronco's compressor is squeaking when engaged. Could be the clutch or compressor but it still blows as cool as can be.

    I will repeat that I or my family have never had an A/C failure as a Ford owner.

    Don't laugh too hard, I also had an EXP!!! Threw a timing belt that was covered under the extended warranty at around 50,000 miles. Went over 100,000 miles before I traded it for an '83 Ranger 2.8L V6, 5 speed. Mahi, I was 21, in the AF, raced MotoX and beat the $h!t outta that Ranger. I'm talking jumps and everything. It never broke ANYTHING.

    Different truck but why I'm loyal. Right out of tech school I bought an '80 F-150 4X. As an 18 year old I also ran that truck like I was running Baja. My brother(RIP)rolled it and smashed it up pretty good. I still drove it for a few days before taking it to the body shop!!! Unfortunately they didn't total it and welded a cab back on from about the hood up line and then it was junk.
  • mahimahimahimahi Member Posts: 497
    xena,
    You guys might have some of those "walking" catfish that live in Africa when the drought comes.hehehe!!!!! I gota say Those trucks are uglier than the current Isuzu hybrid.

    mod,
    I just wanted you to know(I'm not saying you are saying that I am)that by no means am I knocking Ford rather I'm stating the experience that people I know have had with those particular vehicles. I failed to mention that both of my parents have owned several Ford ranging from Econolines to T-Birds and they have had zero problems. Enjoy your truck, all the brands have problems, if you can beat the hell out of one and it still works for you by all means stay with that brand. Why change right? If a brand has proved worthy no need to change.
  • guitardudeguitardude Member Posts: 44
    Well, it's great that u haven't had any problems with your a/c. I have a ranger and a dodge caravan. Both a/c's are broken. Where i live, it rarely ever drops below 80. We have aproximately 2 1/2 weeks of semi-cold weather a year. Yes, i'm talking about texas. My ranger hasn't had a/c for about 10 years. The van has been broken for about 3. Point is, we dont have money to fix it. Most people down here dont have money to fix and a/c. So, therefore, u see lots and lots of fords with windows rolled down and 115 degree hot air blowing in.
    I agree, '80s fords could definetely take a beating. My ranger has a 2.8 v6 and it towed a boat around 3 times it's size and weight. The boat had an onboard chevy 383. It was a big boat. In fact, the truck could not stop the boat once it was moving. I have also loaded over a ton of roofing shingle into the bed of the truck.
    There was one time that my truck was used to pull a horse trailer loaded to the top with wet bales of hay through a need-deep muddy field. It did all this, in stock condition. That's pretty tough.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    working going on 10 years. Use it day and night in this hell hole and besides charging with freon twice, required no other service. You caught that one mod? LOL!! True story. For sure. Believe it or not....
  • cpousnrcpousnr Member Posts: 1,611
    Is it not interesting that people disparage others, incorrectly I might add, meerling because of where or how they are raised.
    Even lump all rednecks in as bigots and from the west.

    Hmmm, perhaps those who do that, and you know who you are, should actually take the time to look up the word in the dictionary.

    And, stop being a bigot yourself. . .
  • cpousnrcpousnr Member Posts: 1,611
    "...merely..."
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    OH BOY! Saw a new 2001 Tacoma today. Looked like the person was just test driving it. What hte hell did Toyota do to that front grill???!!!!!
    Style is no longer the Tacoma's strong point. Yuck! I almost like the Nissan styling better..
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