Hmm should I buy a 01 Ranger?

[TheEngineGal]

with 31,000 miles? he wants $8k for it, and it is in great condition. 4.0 V6, 4x4 single cab (no back seat) and regular bed.

Anyone got anything on Ford Rangers than what I read on the net? Not looking for so much hauling oil fields (At the momnet!) but small traliers, and smaller engines. Im really going for more on the lines of gas milage and reliabilty.

Thanks!

[Douglas]

A 6 year old car with only 31,000 miles on it?
I'd ask what its been used for all those years and find out if it had regular service and oil changes.

If it sat parked a lot was it in a garage or out in where it could have been exposed to a lot of moister like sitting on a lawn.

Was it oil sprayed if its from an area where road salt is used?

Find the history of the truck make sure it wasn't ever in an accident or flood and has been reworked for some reason.

[JKWidener]

I work on these trucks at work all the time "tune ups and ect", and with all the abuse they put up with at work "they are state highway foremans trucks" I would sugest a ranger to everyone. They hold up really well. And i havent encountered any common problems with them. But if this ranger 4x4 is a stick shift, then have fun putting a clutch in it when it needs one. I just installed a clutch in one "a friends ranger" about 2 weeks ago and probably wont do another one. I even have a lift and it was still a pain because of how well the truck is built.

[Allen]

I had an '84 Ranger with a 4 banger and 4 speed. It was the biggest POS I've ever owned. ... maybe they got better?

[TheEngineGal]

Douglas,
the guy said his father used it to putt around regualry until '05 when he got some medical condtion. I will find out if it was garage kept, but the guy said that he has been driving it once in a while to keep it fresh.

JK,
I have heard they are reliable! Its an automatic though, so no clutch problems!

Allen,
Hmm, dont know. A lot of folks have said they are good. I just need to drive something than my (Dad's technicaly) Ramcharger because its sucking up tons of gas and rusting to bits. Dont worry though, we're keeping it and one day i will make it super!

[JKWidener]

Dont worry though, we're keeping it and one day i will make it super!

As in a Ram Super Bee??? lol

[Motormowers]

Find yourself a Toyota Tundra or T100 and you will live happily ever after.

[TheEngineGal]

Originally Posted by JKWidener

As in a Ram Super Bee??? lol

Is that possible? lol! It could be a Super Ram and change the little Bee with the helmet to a Ram with a little helmet and wheels. i know they put 'Rumble Bee' on those Rams now. And I fear for the future of Chrystler....

and Motormowers,
For some reason, i just dont like Toyotas. I like my American cars. I like to know the history of the companies.

oh oh! I had to write a Hiku once... sooo i did this:

The Mighty Mopar
What's hiding under the hood?
Four Barrel? You fly!

[Nick]

I wouldn't worry too much about the low mileage vs age so long as it was kept someplace dry. I would however look to see if any little critters made a snack of the wiring while the truck was idle.

A question to ask yourself would be is a Ranger going to be big enough for your needs. Had a 96 F-150 and hauling around old iron I found out just how quickly the payload capacity could be maxed out - and surpassed - even with extra leafs in the spring packs.

[TheEngineGal]

Nick,

I know that the Ranger is a light truck. My dad has a 250 Econoline so we just use that to haul the bigger stuff. And the Ramcharger isnt going anywhere!!

The only cars i would drive would have to have been made after the date of '73. With an excepton of the 2000-current Cadillac DeVilles.

This is just to get me around but be able to pick up something i might see on the side of the road, to take my bicycles and stuff places.

Its either get this truck, or really fix up the Ramcharger right now, (What it really needs is an off frame to do it right) with just getting the body patched up. I just cant seem to find the rubber pieces for the rear windows and they are bad and leak everywhere. That truck holds more water than its tank holds gas! And my mom is concerned about saftey. I do want to be around long enough to get some steam engines in my collection!

[Bob Shannon]

Please check out Kelly Blue Book online at KKB.COM and see what kind of money one is worth. Dont forget to input all the info you know about it. Like A/C and such. Thier prices are kinda high against what it would actually bring on the open market. I know of one person who has a '99 Ranger with over 180,000 and has never really had any trouble with it. Good luck!

[Douglas]

I don't know if you can get them in the US but if you don't mind plain compared to the Upscale trucks toyota sells the Land cruiser trucks are very well built and easy to work on. Trouble is parts are expensive.

Now and then you see one around my area for sale but owners don't part with the used ones.

At work I drive a 92 no odometer but its reads 8000 hours with regular service. Thats a lot of idle time followed by steep climbs always in 4wd ( never out of 3rd gear low range on the ramps ).

Not a big fan of most 4wd because they're like owning 2 vehicles when you consider all the parts to wear out. Toyota beats everything else hands down ( well Unimogs were good but to expensive ) Hummers carried a lot more but had a lot of mechanical trouble compared to the Toyota ( I think its because they didn't turn as well in the rough sections and got bashed up more ).

Todays 4wd are all too upscale more attension paid to looks and ride than long term reliability/cost of operation.

[Tom G]

My 2002 Ranger has just over 70,000 miles on it. Never has given any problems other than a flat tire. It did have a factory recall, because of problems with the cruise control on Ford vehicles. If you buy this truck, you need to see if the recall problem was taken care of. They unplug the wiring harness from the master cylinder, and insert of fusible link between the master cylinder, and the wiring harness. There is the possibility of a wiring harness fire, without the fusible link being inserted.

[Mark Mohney]

Get what you want. BUT just keep this in mind
Fix Found
Or On
Repair Road
Daily Dead

Im a Boe Tie guy

[Nick]

Umm Mark it's First On Race Day

[Casemaker]

Originally Posted by Motormowers

Find yourself a Toyota Tundra or T100 and you will live happily ever after.

I just read in automotive weekly that Toyota just surpassed all yearly records with the number of re-calls...in fact if you buy a new one -any model...there is more than a 100% chance that you will get multiple re-calls on it.... the new tundra trucks with the v8 engine have a major recall on all of them.... the last time that the Camry won a quality award was in 1990.....

I liked Toyota until I read then information...

[JKWidener]

So, what year is the ram charger? I have a place that sells seals for them...

[Motormowers]

Originally Posted by Casemaker

I just read in automotive weekly that Toyota just surpassed all yearly records with the number of re-calls...in fact if you buy a new one -any model...there is more than a 100% chance that you will get multiple re-calls on it.... the new tundra trucks with the v8 engine have a major recall on all of them.... the last time that the Camry won a quality award was in 1990.....

I liked Toyota until I read then information...

Read up on where those recalled vehicles were made and it will answer all your questions about Toyota quality and why they should have stuck to importing instead of building here.

[Motormowers]

If you like Mopars why not an old diesel Dodge? The Cummins engine is five times better than the diesel slop the other two ever offered. Just dont get an auto as it wont hold up with the torque. Plus it will get the same mileage or better than the Ranger. I did 24mpg with a 94 2500 diesel 4X4 with stick I had years ago.

[TheEngineGal]

Originally Posted by JKWidener

So, what year is the ram charger? I have a place that sells seals for them...

Its a 78. I need the rear window seals. I have found replacements for the door windows. That would be great if you could find some!!