Tacoma or Ranger (Ranger is $11,000 cheaper!!)

You posted this on a Tacoma forum. I think you're going to get a biased answer as what to buy.

From my own personal experience, spend the money and go with the Tacoma. I've had 2 Rangers in the family and both have been garbage. Problems started on both of them right around 56K miles and they weren't the cheap stuff like belts and hoses. One needed a new electrical system because it started to corrode and they coulnd't stop it. The other needed the transmission replaced (and it was NEVER driven hard). Remember, you get what you pay for.

 

the ford 4.0 is a great engine 2 of the mexicans that work for us have them ones a 01 and an 02, the abuse the shit out of those trucks havent died yet just keep up with maintenance and youll be glad you made the right financial choice

 

I've had both, and liked both.

If you are planning on keeping it till it falls apart, Tacoma, if not Ranger.
Check out RangerPowerSports.com

 

I've had two Fords and five Toyotas (soon to be six). Both Fords were OK to about 5 years, then began repeated failures (tranny, A/C, electrics, alternators, etc). Nothing close with the Toyotas. If you get a 4x4 Ford, make sure they got around to putting lube points on the u-joints for the rear driveshaft. Otherwise, wait until it squeaks, then put out $400 for a replacement.

 

A lot of people buy rangers because that's all they can "afFORD" Bought my first Toyota in May of 1990 and still own it and it's still going strong. stick with Toyota!

 

I understand what you and the others mean. I was willing to pay the extra $5000 difference for the Tacoma before the new incentive. But now the difference is $11,000 so it's a tougher decision. Could buy a lg of u-joints for $11,000.

I really like the Tacoma so I think I will wait until the beginning of June to see if Toyota offers anything. The Ford deal is on till the end of June.

 

You probably would have bought the Tacoma if you did not know about the ranger...right?

 

x2!

i do believe Toyota has some kind of special promo going on... "perfect timing" event??

 

I really really really wanted a Ranger when I bought my truck. My last half dozed vehicles or so have been Ford and I was actually a certified Ford mechanic at one time, so Ford was all I knew and cared about. Buuuuut after I test drove the 09 Ranger and compared it to the 09 Tacoma, I lost my faith in Ford's ability to build a small truck that was half way worth a damn. I mean a small truck with a v-6 that gets just as bad if not worse gas millage than it's full sized v-8 counterpart and a body style that hasn't really changed much if at all since the early 90's? That right there told me that Ford really wasn't trying at all when it came to their small truck line. I'm paying probably over $100 a month more than what I would have been paying had I bough the Ranger I wanted, but it is truely money well spent in my opinion.