Decisions...'18 XC, Ranger, or older used?

[JD Anderson]

Why do you wish you had gone XL with locker instead of XLT FX4?

I just don’t see the FX4 package as useful that money could have gone other places (bumpers better shocks and such) Also I’m not a fa n of some of the XLT features for example the climate controls on the touch screen on its not terribly convenient having to switch back and forth between nav or audio and it’s another thing to go wrong ( I sound like my dad there but I’m finding more often he was right) also I’ve never needed parking sensors before why start now. I will admit that adaptive cruise control is awesome and Hooking up a trailer with that huge screen is pretty damn great.
If I had to do it all over again I’d have gone XL 4x4 with the locker (which I still don’t use much but I like having it just in case. With vinyl seats and carpet delete. I ended up with all of the fancy stuff because the wife was in love with the heated seats and she is almost never in the truck.
I don’t want to sound like I’m down on the truck at all it drives awesome tows great I really am very happy with it. It just has a ton of stuff I could have lived without and been just as happy

 

[Todd780]

I just don’t see the FX4 package as useful that money could have gone other places (bumpers better shocks and such) Also I’m not a fa n of some of the XLT features for example the climate controls on the touch screen on its not terribly convenient having to switch back and forth between nav or audio and it’s another thing to go wrong ( I sound like my dad there but I’m finding more often he was right) also I’ve never needed parking sensors before why start now. I will admit that adaptive cruise control is awesome and Hooking up a trailer with that huge screen is pretty damn great.
If I had to do it all over again I’d have gone XL 4x4 with the locker (which I still don’t use much but I like having it just in case. With vinyl seats and carpet delete. I ended up with all of the fancy stuff because the wife was in love with the heated seats and she is almost never in the truck.
I don’t want to sound like I’m down on the truck at all it drives awesome tows great I really am very happy with it. It just has a ton of stuff I could have lived without and been just as happy

Touch screen climate controls, Nav, parking sensors, heated seats, adaptive cruise, huge screen.... All things my 301A XLT does not have, haha.

I like the XLT because it has the power seat and I can option the center console.

It did come with a tow package, factory trailer brake, 3:73 gears and a tailgate step. All features I was happy to have.

Next time, I think I'd skip the Sport package. The painted bumpers looked good when new. But not they're all full of rock chips.

 

[nickw]

Nothing new to add per-se, but will be interested to see if there is the option to upgrade Rangers to the new iron case Dana M210 locking front diff from the Bronco!

As far as seat heaters....I've been spoiled, gotta have them on all my new cars....after mtbing when I'm wet and cold, nothing better

 

[CoreyHendo]

....It did come with a tow package, factory trailer brake, 3:73 gears and a tailgate step. All features I was happy to have...

What trailer brake controller did yours come with? To my knowledge Ford offers an accessory option (Red Arc), but no from the factory setup. Factory trailer brake controller was one thing I really wish I did have in my Ranger and other than the front locker, was the ONLY positive for the ZR2 over the Ranger.

...I’m not a fa n of some of the XLT features for example the climate controls on the touch screen on its not terribly convenient having to switch back and forth between nav or audio and it’s another thing to go wrong ( I sound like my dad there but I’m finding more often he was right) also I’ve never needed parking sensors before why start now. I will admit that adaptive cruise control is awesome and Hooking up a trailer with that huge screen is pretty damn great...

Why can't you use the climate controls below the 8" screen? I use them all the time on mine instead of the on-screen controls. I find it handy for bumping the temperature up or down and to change the fan speed.

My 2020 Ranger Lariat (FX4, Sport, Tow, 501a) is the most loaded vehicle I've ever purchased and I can't see going without some of those features on the next vehicle we purchase. My truck spends a lot of time off the pavement, but the majority of the miles are on road and the safety/tech features make it a more well rounded vehicle, in my opinion.

 

[Todd780]

What trailer brake controller did yours come with? To my knowledge Ford offers an accessory option (Red Arc), but no from the factory setup. Factory trailer brake controller was one thing I really wish I did have in my Ranger and other than the front locker, was the ONLY positive for the ZR2 over the Ranger.

I have an F150, not a Ranger. No clue what kind of trailer brake controller it is. (Not sure if it's Ford manufactured or aftermarket.) But, it was def a factory option. It's listed on my window sticker.

 

[CoreyHendo]

I have an F150, not a Ranger...

That explains it. Thanks.

 

[JD Anderson]

Why can't you use the climate controls below the 8" screen? I use them all the time on mine instead of the on-screen controls. I find it handy for bumping the temperature up or down and to change the fan speed.

Temp up and down sure, but I can’t switch from defrost to floor for example. It’s just a personal preference thing I’d rather have knobs and buttons than the touch screen and I absolutely hate the auto brakes but I like adaptive cruse so I live with it lane keeping is always off. I thought all of it was pretty cool at first now after a year the novelty has worn off of the do-dads and I wonder how long after my warranty is up am I going to have toreplace the screen because it no longer registers when I touch it. Those things are fine if you get a new truck every handful of years but I keep them probably way longer than I should. I still have the Ram 1500 that I bought new in 08 and my wife is still driving her 200,000+ mile 4Runner.I really don’t want to make it sound like I just hate technology I really don’t. It’s just my preferences run to the simpler things. When it comes down to it it’s whatever makes the guy writing the checks happy.The only point I was trying to make is now that I have all of those things I would be just as happy without them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I just don’t see the FX4 package as useful that money could have gone other places (bumpers better shocks and such) Also I’m not a fa n of some of the XLT features for example the climate controls on the touch screen on its not terribly convenient having to switch back and forth between nav or audio and it’s another thing to go wrong ( I sound like my dad there but I’m finding more often he was right) also I’ve never needed parking sensors before why start now. I will admit that adaptive cruise control is awesome and Hooking up a trailer with that huge screen is pretty damn great.
If I had to do it all over again I’d have gone XL 4x4 with the locker (which I still don’t use much but I like having it just in case. With vinyl seats and carpet delete. I ended up with all of the fancy stuff because the wife was in love with the heated seats and she is almost never in the truck.
I don’t want to sound like I’m down on the truck at all it drives awesome tows great I really am very happy with it. It just has a ton of stuff I could have lived without and been just as happy

If you got the STX you could still get the FX4. It bumps the XL up a little for critter comforts but you still keep knobs on the dash and I think you get a rubber floor too.

If I was to get a newer Ranger it would be an XL/STX FX4.

 

[phsycle]

...It’s just my preferences run to the simpler things. When it comes down to it it’s whatever makes the guy writing the checks happy.The only point I was trying to make is now that I have all of those things I would be just as happy without them.

When the kids are out of the house, I told my wife I’m getting a single-cab XL (F150). V8 (maybe 2.7), 3.73 locked rear, tow pkg. That’s it. Give me roll down windows, steel wheels, and non-painted bumpers.

Next best thing to building up my favorite Ford—an old OBS, except with no headache issues and much better safety rating.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

If you got the STX you could still get the FX4. It bumps the XL up a little for critter comforts but you still keep knobs on the dash and I think you get a rubber floor too.

If I was to get a newer Ranger it would be an XL/STX FX4.

STX package would be my choice. I have it in my F150 and love it.

 

[nickw]

When the kids are out of the house, I told my wife I’m getting a single-cab XL (F150). V8 (maybe 2.7), 3.73 locked rear, tow pkg. That’s it. Give me roll down windows, steel wheels, and non-painted bumpers.

Next best thing to building up my favorite Ford—an old OBS, except with no headache issues and much better safety rating.

View attachment 628697

There is a guy on youtube that did just that and got the front Torsen diff out of a Raptor...cool rig.

*edit - found it

 

[phsycle]

There is a guy on youtube that did just that and got the front Torsen diff out of a Raptor...cool rig.

*edit - found it

Yes! Maybe with a sticker job and a roll bar

 

[nickw]

Yes! Maybe with a sticker job and a roll bar

View attachment 629763

Love it! You have no idea how bad I want a double roll bar with some KC lights on my 19' Ranger....

 

[Espo78]

I feel like I could have written this thread myself. I went through all of the research over the last 6 months, ended up purchasing a month ago a 2020 Supercab XL FX4, but it does have options like carpeting (which I could do without but the rubber floor mats are pretty nice) and Copilot 360. It doesn't have the large screen stereo but I've found the smaller one still does things like run some apps like Pandora but it is pretty basic overall. I do like having manual buttons for all of the climate control functions.

I found that the dealers offering those super low 8-10k off sticker prices are all shady liars.

Trail Control actually works great; much better than Toyota's system and I used it on the beach to crawl at the 10mph speed limit and it was flawless.

The plan is to build out a camping setup, but I keep going back and forth with what I want. I was mostly settled on a topper w/ EZlift system but now I'm second guessing that as apparently its very difficult to seal out the elements with the design of the Ranger bed. I wanted a GFC but delays and some build quality issues steered me away along with my location (Florida) makes it not very cost effective. But the new V2 they just released solves a lot of issues and now I kind want to go that route again. Choices arrrgh!!

 

[JD Anderson]

So I did play with the electronic 4x4 options out in west Texas this week. They do work pretty well that hill is way steeper than it looks and was covered in pea sized gravel over a hard base.