Northern truck prices vs southern truck prices.

[rusty ol ranger]

I have a more compact version of regional variations , that I figured out 20 plus yrs ago .

There is a long rural-ish valley 100-250 mi from the Major Metropolitan Area . For trucks, 4x4, farm equipment , horses,hay, etc is way cheaper, and better selections . As much as half of "city' prices . For almost 30yrs , has been my default strategy .

Ironically , the '94 Ranger mentioned here , came from close to home , word of mouth from our mutual mechanic . But it was an actual Farm Truck, FWIW .

I pulled my ranger more less out of a scrap pile.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I pulled my ranger more less out of a scrap pile.

Mine should have been scrapped. My last jeep was, and I pulled it out of a scrapper's pile of dead vehicles destined for the crusher.

All of my favorite ones start their life with me like that.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I pulled my ranger more less out of a scrap pile.

Same here.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Tomorrow I may be picking up a new to me daily driver... If you exclude the gas mileage and the crappy tires the sploder is a GREAT daily driver... but then there's the near bald cupped tires that sound horrible and the 16mpg, along with a worn to heck 5.0L with 250k on it...

Anywho, '97 extended cab Ranger 4 cylinder manual with a white drivers door on a red body and a bent I beam (drivers beam is bent down, haven't asked yet but I imagine from being pulled out of a ditch) but for $400 not a big deal...

I guess there are deals out there to be had, but they're fewer and further between than they were a few years ago, everyone wants money for their junk anymore...

Now to figure out what to do with the Geo Tracker... I think the Ranger drivetrain is more up to the task of 20k miles a year...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Mine should have been scrapped. My last jeep was, and I pulled it out of a scrapper's pile of dead vehicles destined for the crusher.

All of my favorite ones start their life with me like that.

Mine was on craigslist, with une picture of the passenger side taken from the rear with the following description....

"85 Ford Ranger V6/5speed doesnt run 450 bucks obo".

It was only 45 miles away so i drove over there and quickly realized the guy had no clue what he was talking about, the warning light cluster told me right off it was atleast an 86, and 86 meant if it was a V6 it was a 2.9, (its a 87)and being sooo close in looks/options to rusty #1 i had to have it.

He said "Ive had the thing a month, it aint worth screwin with.." yada yada "scrap guys gonna give me 350 for it".

I gave him 375 and had it out as soon as the ground was good.

An key switch and a fuel pump damn thing fired right up.

He bought it off tbe original owner (never switched the title, i had the original title issued december of 86). The old guy who owned it originally recently passed (my mechanic knew him) and said he was a prototype engineer for ford from 79-95, so he may of actually had a hand in ranger development, i dont know, but still cool to know.