Thinking of getting a ranger again, need some info

[mike123]

well gas prices are killing me in my 10 MPG F150, i love it but its getting rough paying for gas & trying to save for school too, i'm not getting rid of my 150 but i can barely afford to drive it, soo i figured i'd look back into my one of my top 2 favorite trucks out there.. the RANGER
but.. i want to know..

what kind of mileage are you guys getting out of them?

i'm really interested in getting a 4x4, just not sure on which motor i could benifit the most from.
what i would like to do with it once i get one
-get it nice and clean & DD suitable
-do cheap simple mods while i save cash
-SAS it and run 33's (i know that probably sound rediculous but i like the lifted solid axel look & it will be ran on the street more than any thing)
-maybe one day years down the road do a 302/351 swap

really im just looking for opinions and suggestions on what you guys would do..

i know my GF's dad has a 94 or 95 with a blown motor that he wants to sell i may be able to pick up for cheap but its 2wd, although since its going to be a DD i could deal with 2wd until i was ready to do the sas, im really lost and just looking for ideas and suggestions, thanks guys!

 

[mattpresley]

You should get a 3.0. They aren't very fast but you'd get good gas mileage, 4x4 an option and enough power to live with. The 4.0 is awesome performance wise but my god it gets v8 gas mileage. I don't know how gas priced are where you live but I'm paying around $4.30 a gallon here yuck

 

[mike123]

You should get a 3.0. They aren't very fast but you'd get good gas mileage, 4x4 an option and enough power to live with. The 4.0 is awesome performance wise but my god it gets v8 gas mileage. I don't know how gas priced are where you live but I'm paying around $4.30 a gallon here yuck

i'm paying right around 3.70 but i get .5 cent off when i fill up with our flash card at flash foods lol when i'm dropping right at 85-120 a week depending on how much i have to drive that week in gas i feel like its time for a new DD.. what do you think of the 2wd idea? i dont HAVE to have 4x4 here, we dont get any snow & my f150 is 4x4 on 35's so when a friend needs a yank or i want to play i have it.
i was thinking with the 2wd i could get it drive it, get the MPG's i'm after & when i do the sas i could do the tranny and t case, i do have a NP205 that would suit nicely for any future ideas i may dream up haha

 

[mattpresley]

I've done things that all the 4x4 guys would say is impossible with 2wd. Personally if you get a good deal on it I'd snag the 2wd. I been wanting a 4x4 for a long time but always get the best deal on 2wd's lol

 

[chrmar]

mike123 are you on F150online as 2000-5.4? Your story sounds familiar...

 

[Brandon Nootenboom]

I've got a 97 4x4 with the pushrod 4.0 extended cab, driving conservatively with 50/50 city and highway I've rang 23 mpg out of mine and I have 31's. I LOVE my Ranger, I've gone through things and over things I shouldn't have been able to. I've never had a 3.0 but just about everyone on here say only good things about them as long as you aren't hauling too much. If you do 33's you'll probably wanna re-gear either way you go. What generation are you looking for?

 

[DRanger024]

I've gotten a solid 22 mpg (closer to 23 but we'll round down) out of my '02 4.0 with 33's on a 225 mile trip up north. I usually average 20 on that trip with passing and rest stops. The one time I got 22-23 I drove straight through in the middle of the night at 65mph the whole way and pissed in a gatorade bottle haha. I get 14 in the city.

 

[press 1 for english]

well gas prices are killing me in my 10 MPG F150, i love it but its getting rough paying for gas & trying to save for school too, i'm not getting rid of my 150 but i can barely afford to drive it, soo i figured i'd look back into my one of my top 2 favorite trucks out there.. the RANGER
but.. i want to know..

what kind of mileage are you guys getting out of them?

i'm really interested in getting a 4x4, just not sure on which motor i could benifit the most from.
what i would like to do with it once i get one
-get it nice and clean & DD suitable
-do cheap simple mods while i save cash
-SAS it and run 33's (i know that probably sound rediculous but i like the lifted solid axel look & it will be ran on the street more than any thing)
-maybe one day years down the road do a 302/351 swap

really im just looking for opinions and suggestions on what you guys would do..

i know my GF's dad has a 94 or 95 with a blown motor that he wants to sell i may be able to pick up for cheap but its 2wd, although since its going to be a DD i could deal with 2wd until i was ready to do the sas, im really lost and just looking for ideas and suggestions, thanks guys!

You should be around 16-18 mpg overall with a 3.0 or 4.0 4x4. Somehow I don't see you saving enough on gas to make it cost effective. Anyone who tells you that a 4x4 4.0 is getting 20 mpg or more doesn't have good math skills.

 

[rhekman]

You should be around 16-18 mpg overall with a 3.0 or 4.0 4x4. Somehow I don't see you saving enough on gas to make it cost effective. Anyone who tells you that a 4x4 4.0 is getting 20 mpg or more doesn't have good math skills.

I agree if you flog on the 4.0 you could just as well drive a V8 as far as gas mileage goes, but I've got stacks of gas receipts in the center console of my '95 4.0 4x4 that repeatedly show 20.5 mpg from highway driving. My max was 21.5 on a long road trip over 2 lane that kept me under 65 mph. With more in-town driving during my daily 40 mile total commute, the average is more like 19. If you do a lot of city, then I could see as low as 16. Anything less and I'd say there's something wrong with your truck (or your right foot).

Now keep in mind my numbers are on stock 29" tires. I have no illusions that when I move to 33s my mileage will get worse.

If your goal is mileage however, 2wd and the 2.3 or 3.0 is going to be where it's at.

 

[mike123]

I've got a 97 4x4 with the pushrod 4.0 extended cab, driving conservatively with 50/50 city and highway I've rang 23 mpg out of mine and I have 31's. I LOVE my Ranger, I've gone through things and over things I shouldn't have been able to. I've never had a 3.0 but just about everyone on here say only good things about them as long as you aren't hauling too much. If you do 33's you'll probably wanna re-gear either way you go. What generation are you looking for?

i like all rangers but to be a DD i'm looking for a gen 3 & up, but it has to be a stick, i miss my stick shifts i had

I've gotten a solid 22 mpg (closer to 23 but we'll round down) out of my '02 4.0 with 33's on a 225 mile trip up north. I usually average 20 on that trip with passing and rest stops. The one time I got 22-23 I drove straight through in the middle of the night at 65mph the whole way and pissed in a gatorade bottle haha. I get 14 in the city.

sweet, 14 city is still way better than my F150..

mike123 are you on F150online as 2000-5.4? Your story sounds familiar...

Sure am! lol actually your thread is what got me thinking about another ranger

You should be around 16-18 mpg overall with a 3.0 or 4.0 4x4. Somehow I don't see you saving enough on gas to make it cost effective. Anyone who tells you that a 4x4 4.0 is getting 20 mpg or more doesn't have good math skills.

even if it isn't way way better mileage, 16-18 is still better than 10.. & i have plans for my 150 that would require a few years of down time on it, plus its got 272,*** miles on it.

 

[2K4ranger]

On my drives down from eau clarie wi to Il about 6 hr I average 24 , but I have a k&n intake a bed cover and my 2k4 3.0 is 2 wheel drive

 

[mike123]

On my drives down from eau clarie wi to Il about 6 hr I average 24 , but I have a k&n intake a bed cover and my 2k4 3.0 is 2 wheel drive

if i get into another one i will be doing lots of mods to it myself, i just cant leave it stock, who would do such a thing?? i also want a bed cover for my 150 & i know i'll want one for the ranger.

but i've been thinking, if i dont give up my 150, i probably will just get a 2wd and lift it enough to put some 31's on since it will be a street truck..

 

[03ranger30]

Level II

 

[mike123]

Level II

huh? i'm not sure what you mean

 

[03ranger30]

My bad haha its a FX4 Level II Ranger that Ford made between 2003 and 2007 I believe. Look it up, they are sick