$10k to spend

[Broosedamoose]

So after selling the house, I have $10k to spend on a truck. My two options are, 1- Keep my 2007 and rebuild the engine for performance or plant a 302 in it. Problems with building the 4.0 are the timing chains and finding performance parts. Problems with the 302 are pretty well known. Since my truck is over 15 years old, I could just go with a carbed engine and replace the PCM with an aftermarket one. 2- Simply replace the engine with my other engine that only has 89k miles and sell the truck. Put the money towards a down payment on a 2019 Ranger XLT FX4 and use the $10 to upgrade the turbo, downpipe, exhaust and tuning. The Ford Performance package is just under $1,000 but I would rather have a good shop do the upgrades and dyno tuning. The advantage of keeping the truck and rebuilding it is no truck payment. The disadvantage is I would probably only be able to get up to the stock Hp of the stock 2019 (270 Hp). The advantage of buying the 2019 is a lot more Hp and better MPG. The disadvantage is a truck payment and increased insurance cost. I'm leaning more towards the 2019 because I like the look of the truck and I can get a lot more power.

 

[snoranger]

I just installed the Ford tune on my ‘23 Ranger… there are better options out there. The only reason I used the Ford one is because my truck has 75 miles on it and I didn’t want to void my warranty in the first week.

 

[RonD]

Well you will have less general upkeep on a 4 year old vehicle than a 15 year old vehicle
But...............the 2019 does have a "boat load" of add electronics which can be a PITA when things don't work
But nice features to have, i.e. option rich even with basic packages

2007 is a simpler vehicle even with the options, but it will always need bits and bobs as it gets even older

2019 Ranger will always have more power and higher tow rating than the 2007 Ranger, even with a V8 added

Personally I would bank the money/invest it
Do the low mile engine swap and drive the 2007 for a few more years
Inflation is here for at least a few more years and truck prices went higher even before that because of supply chain issues
So you will get less bang for your buck right now

If you gotta do it then maybe look for a good deal in a 2021 Ranger with warranty, a payment is a payment, a few dollars more a month with full warranty might be the better deal, gotta crunch the numbers I guess

 

[19Walt93]

Rebuilding or swapping in a low(er) mile used engine would probably be better than a 302 swap. I'm pretty sure your state does OBD II emissions testing and a 302 would never fly. I prefer to rebuild everything myself but you'll need a place to do it, time to do it, the necessary tools, and something else to drive while it's apart.
Do you still like the truck and want to keep it? A 2019 is 4 years old, I've seen many 4 year old vehicles that look like new and many that were spent. A well maintained and taken care of 4 year old truck should be fine, one that's been rode hard and put away wet, not so much.

 

[Josh B]

There was stories on the news barely half an hour of how the car lots are filling up and the monthly payments are much higher now, average was 700 to 900 a month.
Keep the money bud, fix the truck, sit this one out a while man

 

[superj]

Yup, dont sign up for any new payments right now. Its screw the buyer time

 

[bobbywalter]

interesting situation....

if i had 10 grand and chose remain payment free...I would swap in a 2014 or so 5.3 and an ar5 if a manual was on the list.. or a 2007 5.3 and 4l80 if a guy was to want an auto.


the former will net you 380 to 400 whp with minimal work....and all in i could easily do that for 6-7 grand.

and probably be par or get better fuel economy then you got before. so thats hard to beat.


if payments are not an issue to worry about...

....i.....definitely overall love the new rangers.

i hate the beds.

.they are too tall. and hard to use conventionally...especially if your going to set it up for trail use.

...so i would cut the rear chassis in half and extend the chassis and build a usable custom flatbed like i have on my old slug of a ranger.

the cab space is nice....the size is...ok...but overall they are a bit bigger then i prefer. but with 4 doors....its a go.

i would not spend the 10 g that is on hand on anything....just keep building the pile of money in some savings and run the oem powertrain till it dies ....maybe a tuner...maybe.......once it was well worn and dying...

considerations of a swap would be whatever the markets was best at....likely swap in a godzilla or 3.x cyclone or nano v6 of some flavor that was originally an n/a engine after that...and add my own boost.. hard to say....that 2.3 might go 350k....



to think that my old pos truck which needs everything....but gets nothing..... costs anything towards a 30000 dollar used 2019 ranger....is crazy. a neighbor lady paid 32k for her 2019 a few months ago...and had some brake issues and there is a shift issue...with some sort of tsb.....she likes it and all...but making payments on something you cant drive sux when they dont spot you a loaner....




save for oil changes and brake maintenance and tires...which is essentially the same for both....

then my insurance triples....

my plates triple....

and any new problems are actually problems will have a factor with learning curves.... i just hate to think about.



making payments on a actual used buy from ford, with no free loaners in a reasonable payment...for the enevitable...


i ... uhhhh...


i will just keep driving my junk.

and if i was to buy a 2019 ranger.....it will be from co-part. and i would likely have about 10 to 15 grand into it total or i wouldnt do it.

 

[bobbywalter]

and consider this.........that is coming from a guy that spends 10 k a year......just throws it away...... to keep his wife in a cushy vehicle....brand new vehicle....that....invariably.... sits in the shop at least a month a year.....while she drives free loaners. which is the whole point.... i am not local in employment and i need for her to be mobile no matter what.


buying a new truck is retarded.....especially fords...they are garbage in terms of reliability. but since i am retarded, and just lease away for convenience its just fine for now. that may seem harsh....but knowing the odds are....in reliability for 30 months....ford is straight trash i feel it is accurate.

there was a time they were the best...but not anymore. our fleet at work and all of the other operators i work with have been just a morbid let down since 2017 or so....

now....this is partly due to the technology curve/curse....and then...that pathetic shutdown of the economy for no reason...

with all electric the pretend goal on the horizon...and the supply chain issues ongoing...I see things as getting worse before they get better.


but I do think it will get better.





if your aware of this....and have reasonable expectations... then swapping in a fresh engine really makes sense.

you can get lucky and never have an issue.....

anybody that talks about value or resale ect....is foolish. my 2 year old 75 k truck was valued by one dealer at 33 k and another at 45.....14 months ago it was worth 10 k over sticker.... to replace it today is 90k....

90k....

60 k hit in 2 years.?.?.?

if your truck is paid off. its worth a million dollars to me. like a gun...it is a tool that only costs you when you use it.

it cost me 450 dollars to freshen up my bronco with a good trans and engine. if i take care of it....(bobby is going to thrash it) it would likely last 150k miles.

for less then 500 bux. think about that.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

maybe a tuner...maybe.......once it was well worn and dying...

Had tuner on 2011 SOHC.

Do not recommend.

Took it off. Returned to stock tune.

 

[bobbywalter]

Had tuner on 2011 SOHC.

Do not recommend.

Took it off. Returned to stock tune.

that is a great point for a stock engine replacement....


tuning a cammer cologne engine that is not having air rammed into it is tricky, as they are essentially maxed...they are pretty much all you can get out of a 4.0 with 87 octane.

which...is not stellar to begin with.. they definitely suck for mpg for the power on tap...... but at the end of the day... they get it done. i find them quite workable with a truck that is close to stock myself.

watching what the mustang crowd did with that 4.0 platform initially was impressive.... an exercise in futility when compared to the 3.7 cyclone.... but 10 g can boost a 4.0 and build a 4r trans and have a decent rig. though....just touching stock 2.3 ecoboost territory.



the mazda L 2.3 ecoboost is a totally different critter.....and has more in common with the 3.7 cyclone then the 4.0 cologne.

boost...direct injection....cam variation...just playing with ignition and valve events strokes out some serious power...if you are willing to disregard the life of the transmission, axleshafts, and driveshafts..


unlike the 4.0.....it can make enough power to kill everything in the driveline including itself....and that is something i appreciate.

and why i would likely just leave it stock.....because its just fine like it is and better then any 302 windsor offering in any half ton truck ever...or mustang...or crown vic....



which brings me to why i would not boost a cammer 4.0 in a 2007 ranger.

i would swap in a 2019 ranger powertrain or one from a mustang for that money. dialed in...300 whp and 20 mpg should be attainable in a 2007. that would be secondary to the 5.3 swaps mentioned initially above...


10 g is not alot put towards working with power gains for a new truck......but considerable for an older truck.

 

[James Morse]

F150 with Coyote engine, don't know what model that is, but if it's regular Coyote it should be like 450hp. If you're looking for HP which seems to be the case. OK, so it's not a Ranger.

Window shopping is always cheaper than buying.

You can probably replace/upgrade really nice for the 10k one way or another, maybe less. You'll thank yourself every time you -don't- have the monthly payment.
If 2019 Ranger/Mustang drivetrain works, that sounds like a winner, just find a totalled one with the stuff you need good.

To me 4.0L ('97) is perfectly sufficient.

 

[bobbywalter]

hmmm... great point for sure james...sell the ranger and add that to the 10 and moving into a 5.0 150 is easy to do.... no payments....but hell on the wallet to build....

around here...a 5.0 f150 with 200k miles on it.......2012-13 ish....11-12 k happens regular....actually cheaper then some rangers.. so that is viable.

but they are no where near 450 hp...crank is 360 ish.

and the way they are in those years, in regards to tuning, oem or aftermarket, they do not tow well compared to the 3.5 eco.......would go 3.5 over those.

the current coyote...now that thing is awesome. but not 10 g.

this is quite an excercise.

 

[Roert42]

Put the JY engine in your ranger (Or don’t ). Spend the 10k ok beer and cigarettes.

EzPz

 

[Lefty]

Fix up your old ranger and never make car payments again. You will save tens of thousands from here on out.

 

[Broosedamoose]

Had tuner on 2011 SOHC.

Do not recommend.

Took it off. Returned to stock tune.

I don't know what you had for a tuner or who wrote your tunes but I have an SCT X4 with tunes from 5-Star Tuning and there is a night and day difference in my truck! I have a 93 Race tune that surprises everyone I take for a ride!