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In todays world auto manufacturing processes, all of the top manufactures use similar processes in design and production..
I've been looking for more information on your tire slashing story, is it a case of bad quality control or just vandalism?
And now to top it off, it's being discovered that the new Explorers have a roll-over problem in the event of a blown tire. Hmmm, let me think, rollover problems, slashed tires...not good. Ford has already discreetly settled numerous multi-million dollar lawsuits involving people getting killed in these vehicles. To my knowledge, there is almost 300 more lawsuits pending against Ford as a result of these accidents.
However, I also did more searching on your claim that 2002 Explorers have a rollover problem but have not found anything yet..
But, this is not Tacoma vs Explorer, its Tacoma vs Ranger.. Facts remain that both the Ranger and the Tacoma are good high quality trucks..
http://members.aol.com/navchief1/hancock5.jpg
Heading down the mountain. . .lead truck, me in the white shirt.
http://members.aol.com/navchief1/hancock6.jpg
8^)
spoog, pictures?
Even though Firestone is owned by Bridgestone a Japanese owned company the Ford tire specs on their tires were/are not the same as those spec'd by Japanese auto companies. The jury is still out on the tire issue but you have to ask yourself why so many rollovers/tire failures on the Explorer? (I think it was a combo of poor tire design and quality control by Firestone) U.S. auto makers still cut corners on parts. It's not so much a problem with poor engineering by U.S. auto makers it has to do more with keeping costs down.
Having said all that, my brother owns a 1986 Ford Ranger Ext. Cab with 150,000 miles on it. It's beat to heck but it still runs. My 91 Nissan p/u had 129,000 miles when I sold it. Still has the orginal clutch and as I mentioned the brakes front and rear made it 100k. I know several people with Ford/Dodge/Chevy vehicles that were replacing brakes after only 40k.
Unfortunately the Ford Sport Trac was too Explorer like for my taste and it will be 2004 before the Ranger is in a 4 door crew config. similar to Nissan/Dodge/Chevy/Toyota.
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=8623
1. deckplate mod.
2. Amsoil air filter.
The above two are by far the cheapest ways to get more performance out of the stock Taco.
As for the Ranger vs. Taco..in my personal opinion, Ranger blows chunks
. Sure, bigger engine, but to me the truck looks like an oversized hotdog with all its curved body structure 
Wait until cpounser checks in, he's a Colorado resident I believe.
Also saw a Crew Cab Taco with a cap on the short bed, and it was an eyesore... Even a tonnau (sic) cover would of been wierd looking.
And I think that trucks should not have a cap (want a cap, buy an SUV), but Taco owners are not the only one guilty of capping their trucks. I've seen Rangers like that.
Limited slip would help but with the light rear end you will be fighting with it a lot. I would rather have a front wheel drive car with good tires on snow packed roads than a 2-wheel drive truck. Tires make a huge difference though.
The downside with 4x4 is it can lull you into a false sense of security. I've found myself on more than one occasion going too fast for conditions. Around Denver you usually see some type of 4x4 in some type of accident every snow storm. Just my .02.
The grille - You're not supposed to like it. You're a Ranger owner. ;-)
I always thought the crew cab cap on the DC Taco brought it closer to looking like a 4 Runner and improved it's overall appearance. Pretty nice if you ask me.
I'll take my "cross eyed", silly grilled, Atari shiftin Taco over a gear grindin, fluid leakin, paint chippin rattlin Ranger any day.
Doh!
John
\
4X4 is not REQUIRED, here or in the mountains, but it is nice to have when the heavy storms hit. It is NOT a good idea to use it on very icy roads while going fast, a spinout could happen.
I DO sometimes engage my 4X4 high on the roads when snowpacked. It does add a bit of stability but I do keep it around 45mph or lower.
I did get caught in a snow strom coming back from Sante Fe earlier this year. Snow parallel to the ground, 8-10 inches on the road. I cut through it like butter in 4X4 high at a steady 45 mph. But it took 10 hr to make the normally 6-7 hr trip.
Chains: Well no real restriction, use em if you need em, but sometimes the chain law is in effect in the pass areas. That means they check your snow tires, if the State Patrol does not think the tires are good enough you do not go on without chains. I have used chains 3-4 times in 27 years here.
Studded snow tires:
Well, I do not own any, but some like em. I think they wreck the roads.
You will use a 4X4 more to visit the beautiful mountain 4X4 passes and trails more than you will in snowy weather here. If you come here to live, buy a 4X4 to explore, not survive a winter. If you have no desire to explore, I would advise against a 4X4 as you will rarely use it.
1. I4 gets a hell of a lot better gas milage.
2. If you buy an I4, I'd suggest getting a reg cab. It's smaller and lighter.
3. V6 has 40 horses more. AND, if you decide that you want more horses, you can get a 50hp charger on top of that for $2K. I've not heard of a charger for the 4banger, or at least it wouldnt be as cheap.
Overall, it depends what you are buying the truck for. I'm getting a V6, this way I don't have a cap on the horses, that way if I want to race a 16yo in souped-up Honda Civic, I know I can beat him.
If you want more info, go to www.tacomaterritory.com
1) If you plan to do any towing, get the V6.
2) If you want to see the difference, test drive the 4banger. Then test drive the V6. While in 2nd gear, floor it till you hit 55. It won't take long.
John
So I have found a truck for me, and just to let you guys know what i decided, I thought I would post again.
Tim
Overall it works pretty smoothly and if it wasn't for the green light on the dash and the small tug, you wouldn't know anything changed while going 45 mph. I think the max speed for engaging it is 62 mph.
John
How long has it been, guys? 3 years or so and still nobody's given in or left yet? Man, you guys are something.
I've got an A4 now, so I don't need to argue here anymore. Didn't use the 4Runner offroad as much as I though I would, so I got rid of it. Loving the Audi...
But CP, come on, I took my 4Runner on some hairy trails (Imogene, Ophir, etc). The Tacoma will go anywhere the Ranger will and probably vice-versa. All this "spoog will get in over his head" BS (unless you were talking about his driving skills, in which case you would probably be right).
They are both great trucks. Buy whichever one you want more.
Get your facts straight. The TRD package doesn't come with the tires you mentioned; rather, it is equipped with with 31.5" 10 R15 Wrangler GSAs. It also has the Bilstein shocks, oversized fenderflares, heavy duty suspension, thicker sway bar and most importantly (which you don't have, I believe), a rear locker. So no, it's not all looks, the important features on the TRD are the ones you don't even see. I like BF tires too, I just bought a set of their all terrain TA KO tires after 50K miles on my Wranglers.
Big deal you have 210 horses versus Tacoma's 190. The HP war is always raging, and the Tacoma is slated for a more powerful V6 in the near future as well. I still wouldn't trade my engine for yours, though. Sophisticated 4wd system? The staple has always been a lever-actuated system (don't tell me you have the push-button!), and the Toyota's transfer case has been the best one on the market for some time.
As is stands now, the consensus among the magazines and the compact 4x4 p/u community is the Tacoma TRD is the one to beat, and it has been for several years running now.
BTW, my drive-out price on my truck was $22,500, hardly 4 grand over a similarly equipped Ranger. And I would like to see your Ranger, or any non-locker equipped vehicle for that matter, do better on the trails in the woods better than one WITH a locker.
My truck is almost 4 years old now. Funny that only now Ford is making something that might give it a run for its money! But I'm not holding my breath...
While us Toyota guys pay more initally for our truck, we are rewarded in the long run with what I believe is a longer lasting, more reliable vehicle with MUCH better resale value. Toyotas do have some of the highest resale values around. The newspaper classifieds show my truck is now being sold for around $19K, and that's without the TRD package. Not bad at all, almost 4 years of use and I've lost $3,500. Compare that to the domestics, there's a big difference. Every Toyota I've had has easily gone 200K miles and was sold within one week of advertisement, for a good price. My experience with Ford products, unfortunately, has been much different. In my mind, that more than justifies the price difference when buying a Toyota.
-This might be the bonehead quote of the year. 265/70/16 IS a 31" tire.
"my ranger DOES have a rear locker on it, and it works all the time, not just when you push a button."
-I spoke too soon. Unless you put something on aftermarket, you have a limited slip diff. THIS IS NOT A LOCKER.
"also, my transfer case does not let the front hubs and c/v joints spin all the time like your ancient toy does (if its even a 4x4). the wheels are free to spin by themselves until the tc is actuated. its called pulse-vacuum hub locking..."
-what?? you have good 'ol part-time 4wd just like everyone else.
"duh. think before you post inaccurate info."
-I hope the irony is not lost on you...
The most challenging trails involved some short uphills with large loose rocks.. There were a few trucks doing the trails as well.. I saw no Tacomas nor any Rangers. Most of the trucks were Jeeps of various types. Most of the trucks doing this were also modifed with slight lifts, larger tires and I'm sure other stuff that isn't as obvious.. The most 'stock' looking vehicle was a Ford Explorer of all things.
So, it looks like that folks who want to do serious off-roading have vehicle specifically built for this purpose. I don't deny that a new Ranger or Tacoma could do these trails, but it doesn't look like folks want their daily driver vehicle to be put through this punishment..
I would ignore tbunder as he really doesn't seem to accurately represent Rangers or Tacomas..
We all know that both trucks can be easily modifed for the more extreme off-road circumstances. We also know that both vehicle are similar in quality.. Now with Ford offering a similar factory package(fx4) to Toyota's TRD, everyone can have fun..
It is nice that the Ranger has 4 doors, making it easy to get your dry gear in and out..
For those folks who just want a good truck to haul stuff around, and drive it to and from work everyday, it would appear the Ranger has the advantage..
bess, the Ranger is a good value if you use it as you stated. But if you want something that is more capable on the trails in stock form, and want better resale value, the Tacoma TRD is the only choice. It's still the only truck to come stock with a true locking rear differential, which makes all the difference in the world. It just depends on your needs...
Per Edmunds:
1993 Toyota Half Ton 2 Dr STD Standard Cab SB
Trade In $2,518
1993 Ford Ranger 2 Dr XLT Standard Cab SB
Trade In $2,493
Of course the Tacoma Nameplate didn't exist back in 93, but in my case, I would be saving 25 bucks if I went with the Toy. Woopie. Of course you would be a fool to think that a value written down in a book or on a website is set in stone. However use these figures for a generalization of what the actual amount may be. Offset that by the higher "add-on" costs for toyota to offer the same standard equipment found on Ranger, in additional to the added financing, it only makes financial sense to go with Ford Ranger.
Also the Locker isn't God's gift to compact trucks. It sure can get you up a slippery incline, but if highway and on-road manners is what you want (and will be driving over 95% of the time) you might want to test drive a Ranger with a LSD. At least the manual says you can drive faster than 15mph with it. Also a detroit locker can be had for under 500 bucks. Well under the price difference on Ranger vs. TRD.
Disagree about trucks? Fine, no problem. But don't let that lead to the name-calling and insult throwing.
Back to the trucks!
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Funny story. Years ago, I had an 84 VW Scirocco that was totaled in an accident (not my fault). Being that I had no collision insurance, I had to fight the other driver's insurance company for a settlement. They offered me $800 because that's what NADA and KBB said it was worth; they also said if I wanted more, I would have to provide proof that the car was being sold for more than $800 in the real world. As it turned out, a friend of mine worked in the classified ads department of a large newspaper and printed every ad for 84 Sciroccos advertised for sale the last two years. Average price was $4300, and that's exactly what the insurance company wound up paying. The point is NADA and KBB can be WAY off the mark.
Stang, your comments on the locker's upsetting a truck's highway manners are COMPLETELY erroneous, at least when we talk about the Tacoma. The Tacoma's rear locker can be be engaged at will by the driver only when needed, then turned off. The rest of the time it's good old LSD, so you get the best of both worlds. I assure you, there's no hopping and tire chirping going around corners in my truck; the locker is turned off. I understand and can appreciate your point, however, on trucks with full-time lockers.
Tblunder, you've proven to be TOO UNKNOWLEDGEABLE to have an intelligent conversation with. You can't even tell what tire sizes you have, the difference between lockers and LSDs, what swaybars do, ETC.
Everybody needs to take the time to appreciate all trucks, whether it's a Tacoma, Frontier, Ranger, full sized pickups, etc... Take it from someone who has been exposed to nothing but tiny micro-hatchbacks and the occasional wierd looking, oddly proportioned,dough-nut tired cube van and has not seen one real American style pickup in quite some time.