A hard decision to make..

[koda6966]

After putting so much money, time, and effort into my Ranger I might have to find a different vehicle in the next few months. Since I will be commuting during the week to Delhi for college starting this August (about 40 miles) I will need to find something that would be good, in all weather conditions. I will be driving over steep hills, that don't get too much plow attention during the winter. There's no other way to get there and I can't live on campus.

I may need to sell my Ranger.. to buy a Subaru.

Since buying it for $900 I've put on new shocks, brakes, springs, and tires. Soon it will also be sporting an alignment and a shiny new oil pan. I've fixed the speakers and the head unit. I've fixed the transmission, power steering, and radiator leaks.

I hate to feel like I'm just throwing all of that money away, but I would feel safer in an AWD vehicle. Since I don't have a job and can't get one, I can't have one and keep the other.

Thing is, I have no clue if my Ranger would be adequate with four studded snows, and weight in the back. I've drove like that this winter, but not on the type of roads I'll be on and the type of weather I'll be in. Even in the light snow I've drove in, I've slid off the road, went into the ditch, and slid down hills. It's pretty damn scary. Since putting the rear studs on and extra weight I haven't lost the back end, but the front still slips. Plus, studs don't do much in deep snow.

What do you think I should do?

This Ranger's my baby.. I'll be sad to see it go. A job right now would be a godsend. Because with that, I may be able to get a loan on a nice Subaru that will last me through 40,000+ miles of college commute over the next two years. But will I ever get back into the Ranger after having the Suby for so long? I should just sell it, the parts might go bad on it from sitting. It would be nice however, to just keep it for a backup plan.

If I don't manage to acquire a job, something 1 in 20 teens in my area are able to get an INTERVIEW for, and 1 in 40 actually get, I'll be SOL and will have to sell the Ranger for a beater Suby.

Oh god I don't know what to do.. I don't even want to go to college after all of this confusion and distress, but if I don't, I will only amount to that of what I am from.. a lower class family..

 

[Fast Fords]

don't sell the ranger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

some of the subys are nice but you can't deny the love of the truck hehe..
I am in a similar situation you are right now...i am having some difficulty with the heat (rather the cooling) functionality of my ranger and i am spinning quicker and quicker into debt. I have just recently been laid off from my Ford dealer that i worked for for 5 1/2 years; that night my heater core went..not too expensive, got er all fixed up. Then the dang thing wants to keep heating up all the time. I found another job working for a transport repair place but i got let go due to lack of training. I am unemployed and heading to the city of london in 5 months with my girlfriend for school..and its gonna cost a buttload just to LIVE there..not to mention another buttload in schooling. I have been toying with the idea of selling my ranger as well, but i love the thing too much i think. Even if i got a newer one that is a little more reliable, it wouldn't be the same. These economic times blow. Big time.

make a pros and cons list of everything about your truck. Is there any other way to add traction? Is a 4WD ranger out of the question? It wouldn't be the same as your truck you have now obviously but it'd still be a ranger. All i can say is i hope the best for ya man, just like anyone else going through this. Sucks coming from a small rural area because you know things are bad when jobs are scarce where you live. I just think you would regret getting rid of it, but i guess you gotta do what you have to.

 

[holyford86]

the way I see it an all wheel drive vehicle is a bandaid for driving experience. I've ran my truck down the road for 2 years with a locker in the rear axle and no extra weight at all, I used 4 wheel drive twice during that time, once to get me up a hill that was glare ice and another because I got stuck in a slush pit at the end of a secondary road after a snowstorm. learning to drive for conditions and how to correct yourself once your rear tires slide out from under you will save you more than awd/4wd.

 

[Destroyer000]

the way I see it an all wheel drive vehicle is a bandaid for driving experience. I've ran my truck down the road for 2 years with a locker in the rear axle and no extra weight at all, I used 4 wheel drive twice during that time, once to get me up a hill that was glare ice and another because I got stuck in a slush pit at the end of a secondary road after a snowstorm. learning to drive for conditions and how to correct yourself once your rear tires slide out from under you will save you more than awd/4wd.

EXACTLY! the first 2 big storms we had here i was with out 4x4.. i just got down swapping in a new rear axle an didnt have the front one set up yet.. so i ran in 2wd.. its very do able but like holyford86 said you have to learn to drive.. now i only use 4x4 when its extremely crappy out when i feel the urge to just go drive around in the storm an when i get off the beaten path..

id say keep the ranger an put some weight in the back. 4 good studded snow tires will definitely help.

 

[Sunk]

My mom was given an 87 Subaru that needed an alternator in December, and it was great when it started dumping snow a week later. It went everywhere I wanted it to go and I was passing people in their SUVs stuck in the ditch. It gets awesome mileage and was somewhat fun to drive.

If you do have to sell your truck, it would be unfortunate, but (at least for me anyway) it's hard to have more than one vehicle to throw money at and still try to go to school or work or both. Just think, if you get rid of it now, somewhere down the road you could find one that doesn't need as much work and may be closer to what you want (providing your truck isn't 100%).

I know what you're saying about jobs man. I have a decent set of skills and a fair bit of experience to back them up, and I haven't gotten a single call or e-mail back. Even from randoms ads I replied to on Craigslist. I'm willing to do almost anything at this point, but there aren't too many options, especially for part-time work.

 

[dru]

i dont know anything about driving is snow but, what about winter/snow tires? the non studded version and a little extra weight in the back maybe a L/S. ive heard good things about the snow tires.

 

[koda6966]

My mom was given an 87 Subaru that needed an alternator in December, and it was great when it started dumping snow a week later. It went everywhere I wanted it to go and I was passing people in their SUVs stuck in the ditch. It gets awesome mileage and was somewhat fun to drive.
If you do have to sell your truck, it would be unfortunate, but (at least for me anyway) it's hard to have more than one vehicle to throw money at and still try to go to school or work or both. Just think, if you get rid of it now, somewhere down the road you could find one that doesn't need as much work and may be closer to what you want (providing your truck isn't 100%).

Yeah, my brother swears by his old Subaru's, and I know a few people that have them and would never drive anything else. Thing is, the truck doesn't need anything anymore, except the oil pan. Everything's back to perfect on it. I'd hate to put so much money into it just to ditch it.

i dont know anything about driving is snow but, what about winter/snow tires? the non studded version and a little extra weight in the back maybe a L/S. ive heard good things about the snow tires.

I had regular snow tires, they sucked. I couldn't even get out of my driveway. Studs are the way to go.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Since I don't have a job and can't get one, I can't have one and keep the other.

Not to harp on you, but that kind of attitude is exactly what will keep you in a lower class for the rest of your life. That may be true in any other country, but this is America. Anyone can rise to whatever height they want.

I agree going to college is a huge step in the right direction for you. But don't limit yourself based on where you're coming from. You can do anything you want with enough motivation and hard work. I'm not saying getting a job and working and going to school at the same time will be easy, but it is doable. Myself and several others have done just that. You are not born into anything. Life is simply what you make of it. Just set your goals high and work hard.

[/Sermon]

And as for the truck, do whatever you need to do to allow yourself to meet your goals.

 

[Mark_88]

I'd sell you my Suzuki...you could just take off the zuki and add buru to it and you'd hardly notice the difference...

But, seriously, you have a decision to make based on your needs...my advice would be to keep the Ranger and get a bit more familiar with it...do you really want to take out a loan on a new car when you've got a perfectly capable vehicle now? If the economy doesn't shape up and you can't find a job after school you'd be saddled with more debt than any young person should want to endure...

I wouldn't...but, then again, if I could I would have a newer vehicle that was better on gas and gave me the prestige I deserve...

 

[feellnfroggy]

For the record aftewr you get out of college you can afford to buy another ranger and build it back up like this one. Vehicles are a lost enterprise unless your a dealer, losing money on vehicles is a given. Selling the ranger is a small price to pay to complete your education and move up in the world. Who knows maybe after you get outta college you can do a cummins swap into your ranger. (after you buy it back because youll be able to afford to)

 

[Shran]

No offense Koda, but isn't this like the 8th time you've posted that you're thinking about selling that thing

 

[Psychopete]

No offense Koda, but isn't this like the 8th time you've posted that you're thinking about selling that thing

Very true...

It's almost spring, no snow to deal with soon. If it were me, I'd just tough it out and wait. Though, there's usually a large snow fall in March it seems, but it has been unusually warm here.

This is the first year that I had a dependable winter beater, Tempos are awesome in snow and ice. Why not fix up your Escort Wagon and drive that in the winter? Free car, if it only takes a couple hundred to get it going, you're golden. If not, scrap it and get your money back. And job is important, but I could see that being an issue out in the sticks. Cars just cost money to maintain, especially used ones.

Pete

 

[koda6966]

Not to harp on you, but that kind of attitude is exactly what will keep you in a lower class for the rest of your life. That may be true in any other country, but this is America. Anyone can rise to whatever height they want.
[/Sermon]

I've been trying since September. I consider that me not being able to get a job.

For the record aftewr you get out of college you can afford to buy another ranger and build it back up like this one. Vehicles are a lost enterprise unless your a dealer, losing money on vehicles is a given. Selling the ranger is a small price to pay to complete your education and move up in the world. Who knows maybe after you get outta college you can do a cummins swap into your ranger. (after you buy it back because youll be able to afford to)

I wouldn't go cummins. I wouldn't even build it up, this truck was born and raised as a daily driver.

No offense Koda, but isn't this like the 8th time you've posted that you're thinking about selling that thing

Third or fourth. This one is serious though. The others were just because my truck was a POS and I thought I got a bad deal. Now it's a fixed POS.

I also posted a thread wayyy back wanting to trade someone for a 4x4. No one bit.

It's almost spring, no snow to deal with soon. If it were me, I'd just tough it out and wait. Though, there's usually a large snow fall in March it seems, but it has been unusually warm here.
This is the first year that I had a dependable winter beater, Tempos are awesome in snow and ice. Why not fix up your Escort Wagon and drive that in the winter? Free car, if it only takes a couple hundred to get it going, you're golden. If not, scrap it and get your money back. And job is important, but I could see that being an issue out in the sticks. Cars just cost money to maintain, especially used ones.
Pete

I'd love to fix the escort, but since it's been sitting since.. 01 it would need a crap load of new parts. I can't even get the damn thing to turn over. Bad gas in the lines I presume. Inertia switch keeps going off as well, no clue what's up with that. It had all new struts and whatnot put on it, around 2000 dollars worth of parts, about a month or so before it was totaled. It's sunk into the ground now, I bet the whole frames gone to hell.

That car averaged 50mpg highway, and did wonderful in snow. I might try to get it running again this summer.. I have every summer, but this time I have a little bit more knowledge about what I'm doing. I'll drain the tank and clean the lines, then possibly add a gallon or so to see if I can get her to fire up. I consider that car to be a lost cause, though.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have to agree with Holyford86.... I too my Ranger with me when I went to college up in Edinboro.... ridiculous the snow an ice they get there every year... I have a picture of the truck sitting on the street (which was covered in a couple inches of ice an hardpack snow) with the mound next to the street up to the window level.... and they only plowed the roads once a day and never used deicers.

As far as the escort goes... the frame shouldn't be bad and the gas shouldn't be that big of an issue if it's only sat a year or so. I'd dump some drygas an fuel injector cleaner in the tank an go (thats what I did when I ran my 88 for the first time after I bought it and was told that it sat for a year or so prior, worked just fine but it took a few tankfuls an a couple bottles of fuel injector cleaner to get back to top fuel economy).

I loved having a 4x4 for the winters in Edinboro. But it was only my last year or so that I had such a creature at my disposal. The rest of the time I ran my Ranger. I discovered in my time interned at what I affectionately call "hell's icebox" that tire selection, weight, and driver skill play a big part. I found that with mud tires in the rear and an open diff, traction was great in fresh snow from 2-6" with minimal weight in the rear. Below that I found that an aggressive AT tire with factory siping and about 200# or so in the rear did admirable. Actually, the aggressive AT worked in conditions up to about 3" of powder. Other than that, chaining up worked like a dream. With V-Bar chains and mud tires the 2wd with an open diff was unstoppable. I lost count of the times where that got me through conditions that stopped 4wds and AWDs cold.... just don't leave a college party sober with chains on the tires.... I got pulled over from leaving a college party sober once and when the local cops found I was sober they gave me a ticket for using tire chains when it wasn't declared an emergency....lol...I told them that I couldn't remove the chains without the tensioning device I left at my residence so they let me go... didn't remove the chains for a month or so afterwords an never got stopped again.

 

[Jason]

I had a WRX before I bought the Ranger to pull the bike trailer. Now, I have no need to pull the trailer with my own truck and am also selling my Ranger, for an STi. I say do it. The Subaru will be just as good in the snowy roads as the Ranger but will be better on gas and likely run longer.