About to be a Ranger owner, but...

[ThermionicEmissions]

HI all, I just put down a deposit on this beauty today (https://warrenauto.ca/listings/2008-ford-ranger-sport-extended-cab-no-accidents-low-kms/ ).
But I'm debating completing the purchase... and if I do, it certainly will be for a reduced cost. You'll note the ad says it's a 4.0 4x4.
It's clearly not a 4x4, and the dealer said straight-up it's 2wd. Sounded like an honest mistake. Took the truck for a test drive and she was great. Excellent condition all round. Only problem is, when I checked the engine code in the VIN is U, which is the 3.0 vulcan. I was very clear with the dealer I understood this to be a 4.0L, and he said nothing to correct me (In my excitement I failed to pop the hood....I know! I know!) Now, for arguments sake, let's say that was somehow another honest mistake on his part. I'd really like some thoughts on the 3.0 vs the 4.0. Honestly I don't need the extra HP of the 4.0 in any practical sense. The 4.0 just seems like the way to go considering the fuel economy is almost the same. Had I known this was a 3.0 going in I would still have considered it based on the condition. However... I think this truck was very much priced as a 4.0, and I'm hoping some of you can give me an idea of how much less a comparable 3.0 would go for.
Thanks all! (oh, and I'm in Canada btw, so the price of that truck is in Canadian $$$)

 

[Dirtman]

The 3.0 does have less power but its a more reliable engine than the 4.0. Converting that to US dollars is around 7,300 which is a pretty fair price for a truck in that shape regardless of which engine it has.

 

[Crosscut_Drifter]

What year did they drop the 3.0 V6? It came down to that if you wanted economy you got the 2.3, you want to tow, get the 4.0. The 3.0 was the mushy middle. It was deemed as powerful as the 2.3 but with fuel economy of the 4.0.

I myself just bought the 2.3 and for around town its plenty fine for my needs.

 

[Dirtman]

2008 was the last year for the 3.0

 

[Curious Hound]

That sounds like an awful lot of “honest mistakes” for a dealer. I could see some 75 year old widow not knowing what she has. But not a dealer. Proceed with extreme caution. And if you still want the truck, i would renegotiate the deal more in your favor.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I agree with @ericbphoto .

Do these guys have a good reputation?

I see there is a sale pending now...

 

[racsan]

I see so many wrong ads its not funny, claims of a manual transmission when in the pictures for the ad you can plainly see its a automatic. One ad from a dealer claiming a vintage 87 had a 4.0, when I pointed out it was wrong unless someone did a engine swap since the 4.0 wasn’t offered until 1990 I was blocked. How hard is it to verify what youre selling? Id renegotiate price because its not what you thought you were buying. And if they wont budge, Id walk and tell them its due to their false advertising. Its bad enough when a private party doesnt know what their selling, but a dealer? no excuse when its your business.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I see so many wrong ads its not funny, claims of a manual transmission when in the pictures for the ad you can plainly see its a automatic. One ad from a dealer claiming a vintage 87 had a 4.0, when I pointed out it was wrong unless someone did a engine swap since the 4.0 wasn’t offered until 1990 I was blocked. How hard is it to verify what youre selling? Id renegotiate price because its not what you thought you were buying. And if they wont budge, Id walk and tell them its due to their false advertising. Its bad enough when a private party doesnt know what their selling, but a dealer? no excuse when its your business.

i was browsing ads for 80-86 F150s the other day....found one that claimed to be all original (at a dealer), had it priced crazy high...down south somewhere...anyways...

I noticed the steering wheel was from an 87-91 truck, as was the bed (you can tell by the wheelarches), also the truck was claiming to be an 82 but it had an 83-86 grill (had a blue oval on it and wider slots) and if original 82 woulda still had "FORD" in letttrs on the hood.

Anyways, just to be a ass i emailed and pointed all this out...the dealer literally wrote back and said "most people wont know the difference"....

I coujdnt believe it.

 

[Curious Hound]

i was browsing ads for 80-86 F150s the other day....found one that claimed to be all original (at a dealer), had it priced crazy high...down south somewhere...anyways...

I noticed the steering wheel was from an 87-91 truck, as was the bed (you can tell by the wheelarches), also the truck was claiming to be an 82 but it had an 83-86 grill (had a blue oval on it and wider slots) and if original 82 woulda still had "FORD" in letttrs on the hood.

Anyways, just to be a ass i emailed and pointed all this out...the dealer literally wrote back and said "most people wont know the difference"....

I coujdnt believe it.

Apparently, honesty is too much work these days.

 

[1986RangerXL]

The salesman that sold me my car thought the whine from the supercharger was power steering noise. It doesn't surprise me they listed the truck wrong, seems like a lot of dealers and their employees don't know anything about cars

 

[91stranger]

I'm gonna say it has the 3.0 based on the air intake tube looks like a 3" tube instead of a 4". I thought all 4.0's said "4.0 liter" on the plastic cover on top of the engine as well.

You definitely should have popped the hood and checked the oil.. For all you know there could be no oil on the dipstick lol. I think the dealer suckered you into all the nice looking stuff instead of the pertinent information like engine size and 2wd or 4wd...… Please don't get played by a dealer, they love suckers and once you sign that paper they have the upper hand.

In other words, it's your money, be careful who you give it to.

 

[19Walt93]

The O.P. says dealer, I think he means used car dealer. There's a knowledge gap between the two.
I would check the price on nada.com , it will ask questions about condition, miles, options,etc. and is the industry standard for pricing- at least in the U.S.
I wonder why anyone would put a set of fairly aggressive all terrain tires on a 2wd and the truck sits high for a 2wd.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The O.P. says dealer, I think he means used car dealer. There's a knowledge gap between the two.
I would check the price on nada.com , it will ask questions about condition, miles, options,etc. and is the industry standard for pricing- at least in the U.S.
I wonder why anyone would put a set of fairly aggressive all terrain tires on a 2wd and the truck sits high for a 2wd.

I run agressive tires on all 4 corners of my 2wds, mainly so they can actually do stuff on anything besides dry pavement. Its not nesscaerly a sign of abuse.

 

[Blmpkn]

I wonder why anyone would put a set of fairly aggressive all terrain tires on a 2wd and the truck sits high for a 2wd.

I run agressive tires on all 4 corners of my 2wds, mainly so they can actually do stuff on anything besides dry pavement. Its not nesscaerly a sign of abuse.

I'm with rusty. I have mud terrains on my 2wd, and it's so I DONT have to beat on it. Between the lsd and the muddies I can crawl through stuff I had to bounce through before.

The limited slip diff helps too. Ba-dum-tss.

 

[racsan]

I run winter tires on all 4 during the winter, need to turn/stop as well as get driving traction. a/t’s on all 4 for summer