04 Ranger, any input before i buy it??

EDIT- IF YOU HAVE NEVER OWNED A RANGER, THEN YOUR OPINION IS USELESS, SO DON'T COMMENT IF YOU ARE A TACOMA FANBOY

this forum seems to be turning into a cult page
where are the rest of the mechanics at?


Truck is in FL panhandle
i haven't looked at it yet
$5900 asking price
3.0 ex cab manual tranny 2wd
200k mi
carfax checks out
clean, one owner
no damage

i need a smaller lighter truck than my 4x4 dbl cb taco (i have plans to build it up eventually, but not daily drive it anymore)
another taco is out of the question with today's prices...


any input from ranger owners? thanks

 

It’s a Ford (I likeFords but still it’s a Ford), it’s 18 years old with 200,000 miles. I don’t know exactly what input you’re looking for but I’d have very low expectations. In that truck my main concern would be dependability/reliability. Don’t know what you plan exactly to use it for but I don’t think it would be a great commute vehicle or daily driver. Doesn’t make sense why you want this. Your Taco is 17 years old, why buy another old truck. Just run the Taco until you can afford to buy another newer truck.
Two trucks means a lot more $$$ in vehicle cost. Additional insurance, vehicle registration, maintenance and so on.

 

Gas mileage is the same, maintenance is the same. The size? I mean yeah they're smaller but I don't see how they would be significantly different in size.

While those rangers are known for being pretty stout, it's still everything stated above by @Sprig.

 

Don’t. Just don’t. Edit: It’s the $5,800 that scares me. $580, maybe. People love Rangers and I love them, too

 

i have plans for the taco. and it's only going to make the taco get worse gas mileage. i will need a tiny truck to drive while I'm working on the Toyota.

I'm not going to spend the money on another Tacoma. the prices are way to high.

a 2wd little ranger definitely gets much better gas mileage than a 4x4

$151 4door QAA is Compatible with 2016-2020 Toyota Tacoma 6 Piece Stainless Body Molding Insert Trim Kit, 1.5" Width MI16172

4door lifted Tacoma with a gas hog 4.0L

i still see old rangers driving around all over, just like i see old tacomas every day.

appears to me that they are still reliable.

 

i know this is a Toyota fan boy page nowadays, but I'm looking for actual experience opinions from people

i see just as many old rangers and s10s driving around as i do tacomas.

 

Not for $5900. If the price was $1,000. I'd take a chance with it, but I'm not a fix it up kind of guy. I wouldn't pay 6K for any vehicle in the condition you described.

 

ok, looks like nobody that has actually had a ranger is going to chime in.

just forget i asked

 

it appears to be in excellent condition.
what are you talking about?

 

I have a 1993 ford ranger with extended cab 2wd with x28,000 miles. 4.0L pushrod engine 5spd manual transmission. I bought it and it was in pretty rough shape but it had potential for me. I have replaced the windshield and the exhaust. I monitor the water pump leak and check the oil. The trucks didn’t change much from 1993-2011. There are a few differences through the years. I think almost $6K for a ranger is a little high. That is my opinion though. If it was $4500 I would probably rush to check it out.

 

I've had two Rangers.
Dependable? NO.
Comfortable? NO.
Good on gas? NO.
One was a 4wd TTB, and the other was a 2wd i beam.

My neighbors was a coil spring truck like the one your looking at and it was even worse than mine. Rode like shit. Needed heads every other year.

Its too much money man for that truck, move on...




Im a professional technician btw.

 

I bought a ranger in 2001 had it for 10 years. Good little work truck and like a friend's same year ranger the frame rusted out under the bed. It only had 130,000 miles. Since then I have owned 3 Tacoma's and 2 were wrecked by people running red lights. I wouldn't spend any money on anything but a Tacoma. I've seen 1st gen with same mileage as what you are seeing in that ranger and I would consider going that route. Better return if you decide to sell it. Good luck.

 

Never owned a Ranger.

Somone I know had a regular cab long bed Ranger 2wd manual, I guess it was a 5spd. IDK what year, or how many miles it had. I think it was from the early 90's or late 80's. The truck was the original body style with the sealed beam headlights. I can't recall what engine the truck had. He sold it to his neighboor for $500.

I would have gladly bought that Ranger for 500. I don't think the guy that sold it paid more than 2K it.

Best I got.

 

I had a ford ranger... never again. Your looking at a ford with 200,000 miles? Are you serious or is this a joke?

 

I had a late 90s Ranger. Fun truck but had constant electrical problems. 5900 does seem really high even if it is in good condition. My neighbor has one around the same age that he is constantly working on. Good luck.

 

A 2wd Ranger makes a great little run around truck, I have a 4 cylinder 99 with 200,000 miles on it, original clutch still.
Fuel mileage (4cyl) in town is pretty good, steady highway driving was lower, just like my Tacoma.

The 3.0 wasn't noted for hitting the 4 cylinder economy numbers but seemed to be reliable overall.

You didn't say if this was from a dealer or direct from the original owner, if you can talk to the owner that is always best. Anyone who keeps a truck 200k miles can probably tell you a lot about it.

The biggest problem Rangers are noted for is frame rust (just like a Tacoma). Get under there with a good flashlight and give the frame a very complete examination, don't forget about the body and suspension mounting points and the brake and fuel lines too.

Providing the frame and body are solid everything else is just regular old truck problems.
Ford made millions of Rangers so parts are readily available and generally not terribly expensive, there is nothing very complex about a Ranger either making it easy to fix or have fixed.

If you intend to drive this (or any older vehicle) for 5 years resign yourself to the fact that you will replace parts -- brake, suspension, steering, cooling, electric. No mater who manufactured the vehicle all this stuff wears out eventually, if some of that has been replaced already that is great. Being proactive on maintenance will make any older vehicle more reliable.

If you can do the work yourself the cost isn't terrible, if you are paying someone to do the work you might want to look at a low mileage cheap commuter car instead.

Good luck

 

Had two for company trucks. The 98 3.0 5 speed had weak synchros on 3rd at around the mileage you’re looking at. I remember something about a radiator…..last I heard it was up to 300K.

The 2004 3.0 auto needed a (cam synchronizer?). No distributor, but the lower half is still there and has cam sensor and oil pump drive on it. Sounded like a squealing belt. If you ignore it too long engine burns up cuz no oil pressure.

I would consider one for $5-6K. One of my better work trucks. Had base 5 lug Tacomas also that were better mechanically but not as comfy.

 

I've had 2 rangers and they were okay trucks,better than my dodges I've owned. They are more maintenance than a Tacoma,seems like I was always replacing ujoints,ball joints and such. Not a bad truck would own another one( not the new ones) .

 

I used to drive one for work. It seemed sturdy and reliable but it did get poor mileage. I don't know what early 4.0 tacomas got mileage wise though

 

I have a 98 Ranger 4x4 3.0 5sp which was my 1st new vehicle. Couldn't afford a Tacoma at the time. Runs great. Gas mileage not the best even before the lift. It's the basic model but have since added lots of mods. Mine has always been reliable. Price on yours seems a little high but all used cars are high right now.