Full size or another ranger? Desire or logic?

[seh6183]

my .02, I had an 06' ranger 4cyl with 4.10's, ex cab, manual and it got 30mpg (60% highway in mountains of NC) Even when I tossed my atv in the back(honda trx450r) buddy in the front seat and gear in the back seat (you can put someone back there but they usually sit on the floor those jump seats are for midgets) it would still get right at 30mpg but if I went over 70mph mileage would start dropping noticibly. It would pull a small trailer with a second atv on it just fine but would drop to low 20's for mileage.

That's excellent! How reliable was that little motor? I need to make sure Im not buying a problematic engine.

 

[Musick17]

I drive an 02 2.3l single cab 2wd ranger. I hammer down and slam gears regularly. I get anywhere from 18-20 in town and 20-24 on the highway cruisin 75-80. No mods. All depends how you drive it.

Why not keep your 4x4 and buy a cheap motorcycle? You can get an 80's honda CB for 1000 bucks or less in good working order. AND its a honda so you can get parts. AND there is a big community for them. AND you could get out and ride a motorcycle. All plus sides for me.

Im about to pick up a 2002 Suzuki DRZ250 dual sport this week and gear it for the street. Roughly 60 mpg and I can hop off on a trail at any time I want.

 

[Musick17]

Or if you have the money the new chevy diesels shut down 4 cylinders when your cruisin highway speeds and get around 30 mpg while still have a 3/4 ton truck.

 

[gjm4l]

On the other hand, I saw you mentioning 5.3L chevies... My Fiance's truck is an 09' GMC crewcab 2wd with the 5.3 in it. It has that fancy cyl. deactivation technology(gonna suck to work on when stuff starts breaking) in it so granny driving it I can get 19mpg combined city/highway and all highway that darn thing will get 23!! My current ranger(Siggy) gets 22 combined and 26 all highway..... That GMC is HUGE inside. The back half of the cab has more room than the entire cab of my truck, plus ac, and power everything plus an auto trans. The 5.3 is rated at like 320hp(give or take idk exactly) so the best part is when you step on the skinny pedal it will get up and GO with associated massive drop in mpg. But it's got plenty of power for towing. I've only towed a 2k trailer with it but you barely knew it was back there. Oh and I can't afford one of them for myself but it's a nice option if you can lol

 

[gjm4l]

I bought that 06' ranger with 42miles on it(new) drove it for 38k with nary a hiccup but it was new, I'd look around in the 2.3 (newer than 2000) forum and look for threads with problems and etc. and you can learn alot. Fords been putting versions of 2.3L duratecs in EVERYTHING since doing away with the indestructible LIMA 2.3's, so ford must like 'em lol. I'd have another one with no qualms.

Oh as a disclaimer to my first post on this thread. If I had my atv plus gear loaded up I was usually headed out to the flats I.E. GA, SC, or eastern NC for some race or another so that may have played a part on mileage while loaded,. My local tracks were seldom over 20min away so with the huge gas tank on mine, it didn't affect overall mpg per tank by much lol

 

[seh6183]

I drive an 02 2.3l single cab 2wd ranger. I hammer down and slam gears regularly. I get anywhere from 18-20 in town and 20-24 on the highway cruisin 75-80. No mods. All depends how you drive it.

Why not keep your 4x4 and buy a cheap motorcycle? You can get an 80's honda CB for 1000 bucks or less in good working order. AND its a honda so you can get parts. AND there is a big community for them. AND you could get out and ride a motorcycle. All plus sides for me.

Im about to pick up a 2002 Suzuki DRZ250 dual sport this week and gear it for the street. Roughly 60 mpg and I can hop off on a trail at any time I want.

I used to ride street and I really got tired of not having ac, the bugs, and smelling like a muffler all day after riding to work lol They are definitely fun and get great gas mileage, but im looking to relax more while driving long distances.

 

[seh6183]

Or if you have the money the new chevy diesels shut down 4 cylinders when your cruisin highway speeds and get around 30 mpg while still have a 3/4 ton truck.

Wish I had the funds

 

[seh6183]

On the other hand, I saw you mentioning 5.3L chevies... My Fiance's truck is an 09' GMC crewcab 2wd with the 5.3 in it. It has that fancy cyl. deactivation technology(gonna suck to work on when stuff starts breaking) in it so granny driving it I can get 19mpg combined city/highway and all highway that darn thing will get 23!! My current ranger(Siggy) gets 22 combined and 26 all highway..... That GMC is HUGE inside. The back half of the cab has more room than the entire cab of my truck, plus ac, and power everything plus an auto trans. The 5.3 is rated at like 320hp(give or take idk exactly) so the best part is when you step on the skinny pedal it will get up and GO with associated massive drop in mpg. But it's got plenty of power for towing. I've only towed a 2k trailer with it but you barely knew it was back there. Oh and I can't afford one of them for myself but it's a nice option if you can lol

Yea my good friend has one of those and the cylinder deactivation works great, you don't even notice it. I would LOVE to have one. Can't afford it

 

[Hagan]

You don't happen to have a 6.0 powerstroke do you? I've read up on those and they get 14 in the city.

No I've actually got a '99 Dodge Cummins. Its just an 2wd dually with an automatic.

 

[seh6183]

No I've actually got a '99 Dodge Cummins. Its just an 2wd dually with an automatic.

Nice! Im still looking to conserve as much cash a possible by going with the 4 Banger.

And I know they the moment I got the cummins I would be pricing edge programmers and crap and before you know it I would be putting by foot to the floor and getting 8 MPG LOL

 

[seh6183]

Back to the drawing board.

They don't make an ext cab 4 Banger ranger.

Looks like its either a n ext cab 00-03 Tacoma ext cab 2.4 liter that gets 21/24 or back to the sierra idea which gets 16/21 if im lucky.

 

[Musick17]

Wish I had the funds

Think reallllyyy hard about this one, what do you have sitting around that you dont need? Thats what I did and Im buying this DRZ250 without spending a penny from my new job.

A new truck is a little more moolah than a dual sport, but its still a way to clean up and make some money.

 

[seh6183]

Think reallllyyy hard about this one, what do you have sitting around that you dont need? Thats what I did and Im buying this DRZ250 without spending a penny from my new job.

A new truck is a little more moolah than a dual sport, but its still a way to clean up and make some money.

I might be able to scrape together 10k but were talking about a $60,000 truck here lol

Why the hell can't I find an 03-07 extended cab 2.3 ranger!?

 

[Heavyfire14]

Why the hell can't I find an 03-07 extended cab 2.3 ranger!?

i do if they make them... just get a cab plus (ext cab) mazda b2300 (2.3l) thats what i have and she is GREAT and RELIABLE.

i got mine stock for $4,000 cash off craigslist

 

[Musick17]

Why the hell can't I find an 03-07 extended cab 2.3 ranger!?

Make One!