1995 Compact Truck Comparison

[85_Ranger4x4]

@97RangerXLT

Tested: 1995 Compact Pickups vs. Mexico's Baja Peninsula

From the Archive: We strafe Mexico's outback in five sport trucks and somehow don't get arrested.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[97RangerXLT]

Beat by a Chevy s10?! No way.

AJ

 

[Uncle Gump]

I nearly swayed one time in life and bought a brand new zr2. I almost did it again with a Dakota V8... I did end up buying a V8 Durango. Drove it for about a year... it was a cool ride. But I flipped it for a profit.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I wanted a Dakota just because was a V8, but my buddy had a y2k ish year and it was a real POS.

 

[Roert42]

I had a buddy that has a V8 Dakota. Runs pretty good, but lots of body rust.

Sound awesome if nothing less.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I had a buddy that has a V8 Dakota. Runs pretty good, but lots of body rust.

Sound awesome if nothing less.

They do sound awesome. Another buddy had a 90s S10. Also a POS. The 4.3 v6 was a badass motor though. I had a 93 ranger 4.0 I regretted selling, just like the one I have now.

 

[Roert42]

They do sound awesome. Another buddy had a 90s S10. Also a POS. The 4.3 v6 was a badass motor though. I had a 93 ranger 4.0 I regretted selling, just like the one I have now.

I've never driven the 4.3, but I know it's a pretty robust engine. The 300 of the GM world.

My brother just bought a 1500 with a 4.3 and a 5 spd recently.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I've never driven the 4.3, but I know it's a pretty robust engine. The 300 of the GM world.

My brother just bought a 1500 with a 4.3 and a 5 spd recently.

I wouldn't get one in a full size truck. They were good for the s10's and blazers of those days

 

[Roert42]

I wouldn't get one in a full size truck. They were good for the s10's and blazers of those days

It's just a single cab short bed 1500.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

It's just a single cab short bed 1500.

I guess that would be alright

 

[Twizzler09]

I had a buddy that has a V8 Dakota. Runs pretty good, but lots of body rust.

Sound awesome if nothing less.

Years back when I still worked as a lube tech in a tire shop....remember seeing a Dakota with a V8 that was nearly 6.0L in displacement. I can't remember mopar engine sizes...but I do remember that that truck sounded mean and drove meaner!

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Yea they were badass, and sucked gas

 

[racsan]

Dad had several S-blazers with the 4.3 ,excellent engine, not a bad choice for that chassis. His best one (a ‘97) got 23 mpg quite regularly. (3.42 gears) A shortbed S10 with a 4.3 & 3.73’s would be quite the burnout vehicle. Its just a 350 less 2 cylinders. I think it was developed for the astro van, in tbi form it made 175 hp, was around 200 hp once gm went to multi-port efi. I did have a astro once, 87 tbi with 3.73’s Was a great little road trip van but absolute bitch to work on.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I wouldn't get one in a full size truck. They were good for the s10's and blazers of those days

I believe that they put out about 190 hp, so even in an extended cab truck, they would do ok. but a basic full size I think they would be more than adequate. If you can tolerate the excessive rust and GM mediocre body and electronics....

AJ

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Years back when I still worked as a lube tech in a tire shop....remember seeing a Dakota with a V8 that was nearly 6.0L in displacement. I can't remember mopar engine sizes...but I do remember that that truck sounded mean and drove meaner!

R/T's had a 5.9 (360)