Posted on 06/30/2009 1:16:57 PM PDT by pissant
I have a 99 Ranger 4x4 with 156000 miles on it. I drive it every day to work. It’s a 60 mile round trip. I take it off road alot and have never got it stuck. I love that little truck. Gas mileage isn’t bad either, I average 22 mpg.
I wouldn’t trade it for Toyota Tacoma if you paid me!
3 things help
I only use it in the summer (Prime mover for Belly Acres II)
5 speed manual with a wicked 5th gear (65 mph @ 2200rpm)
The hottest thermostat made - it runs at 180+ while on the road. I let it run for at lest 10 min after stopping to avoid boilover. Plus run 5W30 synth.
It is a monster - long bed, 6 pax, with a spare on a front bumper mount. And with the grandkids on board, I would drive a Panzerkampfwagen if I thought it were safer.
Oh, and it has a nice sound system for its age.
The card check would suck for everyone, but I think they will still have a hard time getting those cards signed in RTW states.
The Ranger is a great truck. It’s just not marketed to compete with Tacoma. Tacoma competes with Dakota and Colorado.
The Tacoma didn’t even catch Ranger in sales until 2004, 9 years after it was introduced! Yes, Toyota sells more Tacomas than Ford does Rangers now, and that’s due to marketing, Ford’s plans and to replace the Ranger with a smaller truck, and introduce a midsize (F-100) truck, and the fact that Ford effortlessly sells every Ranger they can produce in the St. Paul facility.
I’m on my 3rd Ranger, I love ‘em. VERY reliable and durable. My 07’ is 80 lbs heavier than a Tacoma, has a lower center of gravity, more torque, gets better mileage, and sold for 6k less than the comparable Tacoma. (before any rebate).
Lastly, Tacoma has, since 2005, had 7 recalls, Ranger had one.
A lil’ Bro, yes, a week Sister, shame on you! LOL
LOL. I just drive my little plow, push a little snow, and swing by the house occasionally and throw wads of cash to the wife.
;)
LOL
And what wife could be unhappy with that setup?
The truck in the foreground is a Toyota Land Cruiser 75 Series pickup, which has a bed smaller than a Ford Ranger pickup and is very common in developing countries of Asia and Africa. Generally, they have higher towing capacity than Toyota Hilux, which is similar to the Tacoma. The Land Cruiser pickups can be fitted with a snorkel exhaust more easily as well.
On African safaris, the Land Cruiser has supplanted most versions of the Land Rover. Even the high end Abercrombie & Kent photo safaris now use minivans rather than Land Rover Defenders, which they used to use. Guides informed me parts and service became prohibitive.
Nice to know all of that trivia. Has nothing to do with the reason of my post!
What do you have against cars made in Kentucky?
08 F150s were selling for half price in my neighborhood this year (same price as a Ranger). Of course there were selling more, but I bet, like you wrote, Toyota made more profit.
We don’t have mandatory vehicle inspections in South Dakota.
Ford currently has this classic dilemma with the F-150, though not quite so bad:
“We make a loss on every one we sell - but we’ll make it up in volume!”
Nope, the Explorer went on its own chassis with the 02 model year.
LOL - she looks out the window and sees snow, she will kick my nekkid butt out the house and throw my clothes out after me. “Go get warm in the PLOW!”
I kidd, but it provides some income. Helpfull at times.
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