First post, question on new 4X4 purchase?
- Thread starter joefoto
- Start date
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
I'm a Toyota guy but I will say for the record that IMO Toyotas are overvalued on the used market (of course, as a Toyota owner, I'm cool with that. 
) And I think the Ranger is one of the best bargains out there for someone on a budget.
I can't speak to the 4wd version by direct experience but I will testify to the solidity of the Ranger platform as well as the reliability of the 3.0 motor.
I bought a '99 Ranger brand new (only the 2nd new vehicle I've ever owned in my life) and drove it for nearly 4 years. In that time I put 93,000 miles on it and that included 2 years in Laramie, WY where temps can range from 100+ in the summer to -30 in the Winter.
Here's a nice photo of my Ranger enjoying that great Laramie weather (1 November, 2000):
Mine was a 2wd and I put an Auburn LSD in the rear. It also had a Raven fiberglass shell and a carpet kit. It was by far the best and most comfortable "road trip" vehicle I've ever owned (it was much better on the highway than my current Tacoma.)
Mine was an X-cab, XLT (needed the AC!) with the split bench seat and a 5 speed manual trans.
The bed on the Ranger is taller and slightly longer than the one on the 1st generation Tacoma. I have sometimes felt like the bed in my Taco is just a little too small to be an effective camper.
Overall, as a mild off roader/exploration vehicle (as opposed to a rock-crawler) I think the Ranger is a great platform.
I have heard the 4.0 motor gives abysmal MPG. My 3.0 was pretty thrifty - even with the camper shell and the carpet kit I could regularly get 21 - 23 MPG on the highway and 18-19 in town.
I briefly considered a 4x4 Ranger when I was truck shopping two years ago but nixed it because of the electric T-case. It's too bad there's not a manual conversion kit for the Ranger like there is for other 4x4s. I did know a couple of people in Laramie who had 4x4 Rangers and had occasional difficulty getting the T-case to work in extreme cold. To me, that's a deal breaker but for others, maybe not (of course, the Tacoma and Frontier have gone over to the Dark Side in terms of electric T-cases, so if you're buying new you really don't have a choice.)
There's not a lot of performance stuff for Rangers but if you are looking for things like a used camper shell, in my experience the Tacoma and the Ranger are the two most popular small trucks so finding things like that is easier than if you had a Nissan or a Chevy.
Overall, I'd have to rate my experience with the Ranger as very positive. It was a solid, well built little truck that was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. I deliberately chose a vehicle that was as simple as possible (2wd, manual doors, manual windows, manual transmission) so that there was as little to go wrong as possible.
If I lived in a place that was sunny and warm all year and did not need 4wd to get around, I wouldn't hesitate to get another Ranger. They're good little trucks, probably the last true "compact" truck made.
Now, if we could get this bad boy in America, I'd sell my Taco and have one in a heartbeat:
The Ranger Double Cab from Ford Argentina:
Instead, we get the ugly "Sport Trak" with its plastic bed.
) And I think the Ranger is one of the best bargains out there for someone on a budget. I can't speak to the 4wd version by direct experience but I will testify to the solidity of the Ranger platform as well as the reliability of the 3.0 motor.
I bought a '99 Ranger brand new (only the 2nd new vehicle I've ever owned in my life) and drove it for nearly 4 years. In that time I put 93,000 miles on it and that included 2 years in Laramie, WY where temps can range from 100+ in the summer to -30 in the Winter.
Here's a nice photo of my Ranger enjoying that great Laramie weather (1 November, 2000):
Mine was a 2wd and I put an Auburn LSD in the rear. It also had a Raven fiberglass shell and a carpet kit. It was by far the best and most comfortable "road trip" vehicle I've ever owned (it was much better on the highway than my current Tacoma.)
Mine was an X-cab, XLT (needed the AC!) with the split bench seat and a 5 speed manual trans.
The bed on the Ranger is taller and slightly longer than the one on the 1st generation Tacoma. I have sometimes felt like the bed in my Taco is just a little too small to be an effective camper.
Overall, as a mild off roader/exploration vehicle (as opposed to a rock-crawler) I think the Ranger is a great platform.
I have heard the 4.0 motor gives abysmal MPG. My 3.0 was pretty thrifty - even with the camper shell and the carpet kit I could regularly get 21 - 23 MPG on the highway and 18-19 in town.
I briefly considered a 4x4 Ranger when I was truck shopping two years ago but nixed it because of the electric T-case. It's too bad there's not a manual conversion kit for the Ranger like there is for other 4x4s. I did know a couple of people in Laramie who had 4x4 Rangers and had occasional difficulty getting the T-case to work in extreme cold. To me, that's a deal breaker but for others, maybe not (of course, the Tacoma and Frontier have gone over to the Dark Side in terms of electric T-cases, so if you're buying new you really don't have a choice.)
There's not a lot of performance stuff for Rangers but if you are looking for things like a used camper shell, in my experience the Tacoma and the Ranger are the two most popular small trucks so finding things like that is easier than if you had a Nissan or a Chevy.
Overall, I'd have to rate my experience with the Ranger as very positive. It was a solid, well built little truck that was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. I deliberately chose a vehicle that was as simple as possible (2wd, manual doors, manual windows, manual transmission) so that there was as little to go wrong as possible.
If I lived in a place that was sunny and warm all year and did not need 4wd to get around, I wouldn't hesitate to get another Ranger. They're good little trucks, probably the last true "compact" truck made.
Now, if we could get this bad boy in America, I'd sell my Taco and have one in a heartbeat:
The Ranger Double Cab from Ford Argentina:
Instead, we get the ugly "Sport Trak" with its plastic bed.
RocKrawler
Supporting Sponsor
I'm a Ford & Toyota guy, just because out of all the Fords and Toyotas, they have by far given me the least grief (and I've owned over 170 vehicles). Both the Taco and Ranger platforms are reliable and popular, so they have lots of aftermarket support. You can call nearly any offroad shop and order a lift kit or nearly any accessory for either one, try doing that with the Nissan, Isuzu, Mitsubishi rigs many people generally regard as Overlanding vehicles here - those rigs, while popular elsewhere, are "shunned" by US aftermarket and its difficult to get anything more than OME parts for them in the states. Thats not to say they arent good vehicles, but go on a trip to more remote areas and you'll be glad you bought something popular with great parts availability. Now if you're talking about taking it to another country, the Ford may not have the same popularity & parts availability, but Toyota always will - its universally popular - but for US wheeling I'd say the Ranger is a safe bet and better buy. I'd trade my 06 Taco Prerunner for a Ranger 4x4 today, but then again I'm never likely to drive it to South America or have it shipped to another continent to explore until I retire, if I can even afford to do it then. If that time came, I'd then make sure it was a Toyota - but for here, either will serve you well.
EDIT: you can always buy my 06 Tacoma Prerunner & bolt on the 4x4 running gear if you like!
EDIT: you can always buy my 06 Tacoma Prerunner & bolt on the 4x4 running gear if you like!
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valkyrie
Adventurer
It's hard to beat the early model Tacomas.
Are they as cheap as a domestic? No. However, their capability and their reliability will prove their worth, and down the road they will still be worth more than their domestic counterparts.
BTW, I am 6'3" and have no issues, having spent over a week in it covering 2,600 miles of highway & off-road driving.
I can tell you that it "feels' like the 01-04 has slightly better legroom/driver positioning than the 95.5-00, but if you score the 60/40 bench in an early model it is a win (except for the absence of a console).
Good luck & Happy wheeling!
Are they as cheap as a domestic? No. However, their capability and their reliability will prove their worth, and down the road they will still be worth more than their domestic counterparts.
BTW, I am 6'3" and have no issues, having spent over a week in it covering 2,600 miles of highway & off-road driving.
I can tell you that it "feels' like the 01-04 has slightly better legroom/driver positioning than the 95.5-00, but if you score the 60/40 bench in an early model it is a win (except for the absence of a console).
Good luck & Happy wheeling!
4Rescue
Expedition Leader
Has Ford changed manual Tranny's on the newer rangers??? Cause that alone would make me never want to buy one if they haven't.. Worst clutch take up I've ever felt, it's like and On/Off switch, and then there's the gear box... Other than that they seem to be fairly economical. My best firends dad has used them for his painting buisness for the last 20 years and he's had only a frew troubles with sensors as someone else said.
Cheers
Dave
Cheers
Dave