- Joined
- Jan 29, 2010
- Messages
- 2,287
- Reaction score
- 650
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Central Indiana
- Vehicle Year
- 2000
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 3.0
- Transmission
- Manual
3.0's last forever but you'll be lucky to get more than 20mpg long term. I think my vote goes to the 01+Duratec/5spd combo. They should be pretty bulletproof and will get about 30mpg on the hwy. They'll also be some of the newest trucks, so you're less likely to have age related issues with things like vacuum lines, brake lines, etc. The newest 3rd gen Ranger on the road is now 22 years old, and that's a long time for things to break down/corrode/ turn brittle/get hacked by previous owners, etc.
No matter what year, or configuration you end up with, definitely hold out for a manual transmission. They're generally more fun, get better fuel economy, and have far better long term reliability.
No matter what year, or configuration you end up with, definitely hold out for a manual transmission. They're generally more fun, get better fuel economy, and have far better long term reliability.