Bought a New Ford Ranger....

[Larry Edgerton]

I thought about the V6 normally asperated F150, but at a best of 23MPG, it did not double the mileage that I am getting now, and that was my goal. Probably about 95% of my driving is basically empty, so I will keep the heavy rig back for those days when I need the capasity.

Larry

[Mac McQuinn]

Larry,
IMO,You might want to consider a place called Henderson Bros. in Midland, MI for rustproofing. They have been around forever and are one of those small town legends with a product that flat works. Anyone and everyone in Central, Mi knows about these guys. They're that good. Enjoy your new truck.
Mac

I am taking it in to get it Zebarted before I start using it for work.

Larry

[Myk Rian]

Is that the 4.2 L 6cyl?

No. It's a 4.0 liter. The largest they put in the Ranger.

The Ranger is going bye bye. I think this is the last year according to Car and Driver.

Production was stopped the end of 2011.

[Randal Stevenson]

My father asked me the other day about this as his transmission may be going out on his 93. Personally, I would replace the transmission on a truck that is paid for and drives ok. Ford, is supposedly going to be releasing the Ranger's replacement the F100 (bringing back another old name), that is 3/4 the size of the full size truck with the Ecoboost engines (same mileage as the Rangers). Personally I would start looking at the Mazda if they keep producing it (sister to the Ranger, don't think it will change right away), if he goes new. Parking the smaller trucks is a LOT easier and they still haul 90% of everything I need for the house. My other truck is larger and needed just because of work. (94 Ranger stick, dad can't drive a stick or he would be, and a 2001 Sierra XLT)

[Joe Pelonio]

Randal, the Mazda Pickup went away after 2009.

[Randal Stevenson]

Randal, the Mazda Pickup went away after 2009.

Shows how much I value a new vehicle, that I am behind the times.

[Brian Elfert]

The reason the Ford Ranger went away was simply lack of sales. Some say the lack of sales was Ford's fault due to not redesigning the Ranger for a number of years. Ford originally planned to close the Ranger plant in 2009, but the closing was pushed back by two years as there was a surge in sales of the Ranger. Ford's labor costs also went way down as a lot of more expensive workers took buyouts and new workers got lower wages.

Ford isn't the only manufacturer to discontinue a small truck due to lack of sales. Dodge discontinued the Dakota. Truck buyers are still buying full size pickups even with gas prices as high as they are.

[Curt Harms]

I think if Ford produced a small pickup with size and weight similar to the original but with a diesel engine and modern design that got 35 or so M.P.G. they might be surprised at how much demand there is. Of course that might cut into their F150 sales so they'll wait for Toyota or Kia or whoever to eat their lunch -- again.

[Brian Elfert]

The EPA has kinda killed the diesel for less expensive vehicles. The pollution controls required really jack up the price of a diesel engine. The 2007 diesels really killed the fuel mileage advantage, but the 2010 diesels seem to be doing better. I would buy a diesel minivan if one was sold at a reasonable price. An extra $1000 or two to add pollution controls on a $50,000 F-350 isn't a big deal, but at the $20,000 mark that is a big deal.

Some of the mainstream manufacturers keep saying they will be bringing out sedans and/or hatchbacks with diesels in the future, but apparently the future isn't here yet. (A lot of the dates were 2011/2012 a few years back.)

[Mac McQuinn]

A reasonably priced small diesel powered truck seems viable to me. If VW can sell a 42 MPG, 2012 Jetta TDI w/ 6 speed manual at MSRP $22,775, you should be able to do a small basic (Ranger size) truck for the same or less. Lots of good truck type torque and you can't tell it's a diesel by standing behind it while it's running. Market research on the demand for this type of vehicle would be interesting.
Mac

[David Weaver]

I think if anything has killed ford with the ranger, it's been their unwillingness to put new powertrains in them.

I had an '87 supercab xlt 4x4 v6 back in the 90s as my second vehicle ever, and it set the bar so high that I haven't had a vehicle yet that's been as reliable. In 13 1/2 years, we had an alignment done on it and had the valvecover gasket replaced (my dad bought it new, and i "took it" from him, so between us, we had it for 13 years), and the muffler replaced. Other than that, oil, batteries and a headlamp bulb or 2.

Back then, they had a 2.9 in them, I got good mileage - about 21 or 22 no matter how I drove it, which isn't bad for an extended cab 4x4 truck.

The engine that came out of the explorer that presumably is the one that's in the vehicle now is how old...25 years old? You can't convince someone to buy a small truck that gets the mileage of a big truck when the big truck is the same price.

If they had a decent modernized v6, and a 4 cylinder that'd be a little more appropriately sized (it's OK for the 2wds but in the 4wds, it needs more poop), people would still buy them.

I've been through 6 cars now and I would not be surprised if that ranger was still out there running somewhere. I never once even had the notion that it could possibly let me sit anywhere, and it never did.

[Kevin W Johnson]

The EPA has kinda killed the diesel for less expensive vehicles. The pollution controls required really jack up the price of a diesel engine. The 2007 diesels really killed the fuel mileage advantage, but the 2010 diesels seem to be doing better. I would buy a diesel minivan if one was sold at a reasonable price. An extra $1000 or two to add pollution controls on a $50,000 F-350 isn't a big deal, but at the $20,000 mark that is a big deal.

Some of the mainstream manufacturers keep saying they will be bringing out sedans and/or hatchbacks with diesels in the future, but apparently the future isn't here yet. (A lot of the dates were 2011/2012 a few years back.)

Can't have everyone driving diesels, for what would the ethanol producers do then?

If 42mpg is the top of diesels in small cars, may as well just keep a gas engine unless you just love diesels. And yeah, a few are making their own cheap bio-diesel, but that will be short lived. I'm bettin' that a lot of the "free" used cooking oil will disappear as companies and businesses realize there is a market for it, and they can sell it instead.

[Joe Pelonio]

And yeah, a few are making their own cheap bio-diesel, but that will be short lived. I'm bettin' that a lot of the "free" used cooking oil will disappear as companies and businesses realize there is a market for it, and they can sell it instead.

That has already happened. Recently a local restaurant filed a complaint that someone had stolen their used cooking oil they left out for the guy that buys it from them.

[Jim Underwood]

I would think the thing that killed the sales of the Ranger is their poor gas mileage. I've loved both of mine, but the mileage of the 3.0 liter sucks. I've thought many a time that I should have just bought a full size truck- it gets nearly the same dang mileage... I see no reason they couldn't have gotten better mileage with their v-6...

[Larry Edgerton]

One thing you do have to factor in to diesel engines is the cost of repairs. I drove full size diesels until this recession, and in the end they are not cheaper to run/maintain. 12 quart oil changes, expensive filters, and upsized parts [brakes etc.]on the rest of the truck. One major breakdown and your savings are gone. My Cummins/Dodge needed a fuel injection pump @ $2800.00 at 140K, and all my savings went right out the window.

The EPA regs have forced manufacturers to boost fuel pressure at the injector so far that I would be afraid to buy one of the new trucks. Like anything else that is pushed to the limit, failures are more likely. And repair costs will be higher.

That being said, I would love to have small/midsized van/truck that got mileage in the mid thirtys. Like I said before, I think our EPA is out of control. They are now dictating where the market goes, not necessarily the consumer.

Oh well, I am almost ready to hang it up so will be wearing out a lot less trucks. I hope this one will be around for about ten years.

Larry