my son wants to buy a ranger. he has 5k or so and i will help him out since its his first vehicle and it will cut down mileage on my f250. he works heavy equipment and needs a truck vs car and doesn't want a full sized. he wants a 4x4 stick with extended cab. from what i see the mid-2000's run in the 7-8k range for a decent one. any opinions on what to look out for?
You want the 4 liter before 2001, it is not the same. The 3 liter is a great one too. Mass air flow sensors go like crazy but they're cheap. Otherwise pretty bulletproof
the main reason i was thinking newer than 90's was that this is in PA and its tough to find an older one that ain't rotted to hell and back.
I would get the 3 liter, or else you will get big truck mileage
If i recall correctly, some of them had aluminum engines, that had a rather ahort lifespan. I happen to like the trucks myself.
If i did not currently have an F-150, it would be on my short list.
But the engines raise a red flag with me, so check it carefully, or better yet, have a good mechanic check it out first.
Buddy has one thats ready to be shipped to his mining claim here in AK but shipping under 350 miles around 10K !!! So far has not shipped, only way is by air.
I had an '87 2.9 5 speed that was in my family since new, was a pretty good truck it's whole life until this past year when things starting going wrong and some electrical gremlins finally got the best of me and it went down the road.
Picked up a '00 4.0 ohv that was running a bit rough, priced it so that if worst case (heads or head gasket) was out I would still be in it for a decent price.
Sure as chit, turned out I had a cracked valve. I've had it torn down in my garage for the past few weeks and FINALLY got the last gasket I needed to finish putting it back together.
Tear down wasn't terrible, I'll have about 600 in parts into it as I'm replacing a few things that I thought I might as well re-place while I've got it down that far. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll have a good hunting/fishing truck at the end of it.
Long story longer, the 3.0 & 4.0 ohv (pre-2001 I believe) aren't terrible to tear down with just basic tools and there's usually a few around with either a blown head gasket or a cracked head reasonably priced.
I'll be keeping my eye out for a another one to putz on and hopefully make money once it warms up.
stay away from the 4.0 overhead cam the push rod 4.0 are good Motors. check the timing cover gasket for leakage it's a big job when the gasket leaks
check inside the radiator cap
to see if the coolant is rusty.
pass on it if it is. rangers and
s-10's are both bad about electrolysis.
my ranger was taken well care of,
and the factory radiator still
developed pinholes. many an s-10
we had in the shop had the same thing.
thankfully replacements are reasonable.
The cargo beds aren't that big, about 6'x 4.5' on the extended cab Rangers. If he doesn't need much cargo bed space, the pre-2007 Explorer Sport Tracs are a crew cab set up with an even shorter, 4.25'x4.5', cargo bed. I have an old Explorer Sport Trac and it is comfortable, rugged, and the parts are common.
Have had 5-6 Rangers over the years starting in the '80s and up to the present,now driving a 2010.They've been very good,no kind of major problem but then I don't keep them past 100k miles.
I also don't overload them or try to pull a trailer with four horses up the side of a mountain in the mud.The V6's have been fine but they are not a fuel mileage champ,best ever was about 24mpg.
Had a Mazda B3000 with the 3.0 liter motor for my son. Good truck, not a lot of power with the 3.0 but enough to get around OK
I have had three different Rangers over the years. The last one was a 2001 4.0 Supercab...easily the best pickup I have ever had. Loved that little thing,and should never have sold it.
If I had 5k in hand I would absolutely trust many here to put out a feeler for something south of the rust belt. Its so worth it for a rust free starter. Parts are easy, crusted pile of #$@^ 5k later is not..
W
I've had a couple of them for mail route vehicles. Put 175,000 on the first one, a 1991 2 wheel drive. The other is a 2000 4-WD, 4.0 motor, auto tranny. I used it on the mail route until I got a right hand drive Jeep. I still have it, use it for a hunting truck whenever I don't want to drive the F-150. It has 192,000 miles, and all I've done was replace the transmission 50,000 miles ago. I'd recommend them.
I had a 2000 with the pushrod 4.0. They are prone to cracked heads. I replaced mine with heads from Alabama Cylinder Head. They are a heavier casting. I also had to rocker assembly rebuilt to beefier standards. Great little truck. Not a mileage champ though. My son had to have it so I sold it to him. 2000 was the last year for the Kraut pushrod engines.
Had a 2000 4X4,best truck I ever owned.Still regret selling it.
A lot of damn fine appliances have been made from Ford Rangers.
Plan on replacing brakes every year. Other than that a great truck.
They're great trucks. The 2.9l is much better than the 2.8l if you're looking at older ones.
I've had 2. one was a 2.9l 4x4 and one was a 2.3l 4-banger.
The 4.0's are great motors and have plenty of power. Just don't expect to have good gas mileage. 15'ish would be my guess on what you'll see.
I had two two wheel drives and one four wheel drive when I was in my late teens and early twenties. The two wheel drives were great, but the four wheel drive was a lemon. I don't think it was meant for hard off roading, so I had to replace most of the drive train. I'd like to have another two wheel drive if they start making them again.