New Ranger

[Bent Screw]

CR biggest problem with the Ranger is not a "new" design therefore inferior. It is a 10 year old design and therefore a inferior design. In my mind, a 10 year old chassis design is not such a bad thing looking at whats out there, ie 04 and newer F-150, Explorer , Chev Colorado, etc. For the relatively small amount of dollars you spend on a new Ranger compared to a Nissan, Toyota or anything else, the Ranger is a good deal. I just bought a new Orange FX4 myself. $25,000 for a loaded Ranger with 290 watt stereo and leather seats or $35,000 + for anything else comparable.
CR can kiss my a$$.

 

[FastJake]

I'm not trying to start a war here, but I feel I need to stick up for the 3.0 a little since no one else has (Wicked Sludge where are you?) The gas mileage difference between the 3.0 and 4.0 is not "negligible". My 3.0 can get 21 mpg strictly in the city and 27 easily on the highway. I'd like to see a 4.0 do that.

Now, as for comparing it to the new Duratec, the 2.3 probably wins. I have never driven one, but people say the power is just as good as the 3.0 with better mileage.

Anyway, congrats on your new truck Bill it looks very nice. It still surprises me how much those dealers jerked you around under the condition that you wanted to buy one of their trucks!

 

[Bill]

The 3.0 I was driving got 22mpg on the freeway with the wind blowing behind it, 90º weather. It was a B3000 Standard Cab, 5spd. Conditions were as perfect as it gets for fuel economy. The same trip under the same conditions gets me just under 21mpg with a 1995 4.0 Standard Cab/Automatic.

The old EPA rating for a 3.0L is 22-23MPG. The highway EPA ratings for Ford/Mazda trucks has been very accurate in the past. The EPA ratings for the 4.0L are slightly less than the 3.0L.

The problems with the dealerships is they don't like to do a little extra work to have a happy customer. They would rather make $1000 off of one sale than make $1300 off of two. They think more about the kudos they are going to get from Ford (the upcoming Shelby allotment for selling F150's) than the customer.

 

[krugford]

I think you're going to like that truck a lot. A couple of the things you wished were better can be found as options on that truck. Chrome wheels ($190 option for XLT), better radio, center console with cupholders (FX4 only?), etc. But that would have meant either looking even harder for a truck, or ordering a 2008 with the options you really want and you probably would have spent more money.

I kind of agree about the radio. The backlit black numbers seem to be a step back appearance wise. I love the green on black.

Nice truck!

 

[Bill]

Center console is not available for a 4-cyl 5spd. The V6 has an optional console for the 5spd though. The XLT V6 has chrome wheels.

There are a handful of things that you don't get simply because you are buying a 4 cylinder.

What is even more annoying is you pay the same price for the option packages regardless of engine, but they screw you if buy a 4 cylinder. Well, it just isn't the engine. They get you with the cab size too. If you want a sliding rear, which only comes tinted, you have to pay for the privacy glass feature, which adds tinted side windows to the supercab.

I'll install the things I want, but still, it would have been nice to actually be able to find the options you want rather than buying a "project" truck simply because you aren't interested in a V6.

 

[Seabiscuit]

What kind of warranty do you have on the new ranger? My buddy just purchased a sebring and has an unlimited warranty plan. The car cost him like 18k with many upgrades.

Do you think the ranger line will be cut someday? I read an article a while back that says Ford might not sell or manufacture the vehicle in the USA any longer.

 

[Seabiscuit]

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/07/30/daily27.html

 

[Bill]

3 year/36K mile bumper to bumper warranty.
5 year/60K powertrain warranty.

I did not buy an additional warranty. I just can't see where I will come out ahead at the prices they want for warranties.


First really good fuel economy check, 28.7mpg. This is about 80% highway driving.