is it dumb?

[ranger to be]

So still looking for my first truck, I know a ranger is were I should be but I like the f150 and RAMS. I saw some f250 for sale by be and I was wondering Would it be dumb for me to get a f250 when I just need a ranger sized truck (light hauling one a month)? I think the 250's look meaner and tough but that me.

 

[racsan]

well, you'll be using more fuel, parts such as brakes will be more costly. parking in tight spots will be tighter with a full-size. granted (in most places) the licence/insurance fee will be the same, but keep in mind that you have to feed it on a daily basis, if you can afford it and like the full-size better, than fine. but if all you really need is a ranger (sized) truck, its certianally silly to be laden with the costs involved with a full-size if you dont need to be. i had a '88 ranger for about 7 years, moved up to a 3/4 ton with thoughts of pulling a 24' travel trailer occasionally. only did once. after about 5 years with the 3/4 i went back to a ranger chassis. no, it cant pull a 24' travel trailer, but most everything else i do can be done with the smaller truck. the bottom line is its your call, just keep in mind that most of the time the ranger can get-r-done. and at a lower operating cost.

 

[RangerBoy94]

If your gonna get a full size get a ford. Rams aren't the best pickup ever made especially the gassers. If you got a cummins then mabey but for the most part if your gonna get a full size get a diesel ford.

 

[rockin86ranger]

the rams are good trucks, if you get the 318 its really nice motor and can take a beating, the only problem is the transmission arent the best. But the one we have has 199000miles on it and has never needed the trans rebuild and it wasnt babied at all, just taken care of.

I do agree though, if your going for a full size might as well get a diesel

 

[ranger to be]

My grandfather has had a dodge ram for 20yr and has never had a engine/trans problem which is great since over half of the miles the ram 150 pull an 8,000lb fifth wheel.
good point a ranger will do the job I need (going to school and pulling a landscape trailer) maybe I will just get an f150 with a v6.

 

[RangerBoy94]

If your gonna get a 150 just get the ranger, a ranger can really compete with a 150 and still get way better gas mileage.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If your gonna get a 150 just get the ranger, a ranger can really compete with a 150 and still get way better gas mileage.

Hardly, mine tows my 5000lb tractor comfortably and gets close to 20mpg unloaded. A V6 Ranger with nowhere close to the power struggles to hit 20 and no way in heck will tow that much for any kind of distance at speed. In the city a Ranger will come out on top, but for what I do I might as well have a car if I can't haul my other toys anyway.

I actually have room in the cab too, just an extended cab but I can seat 6. Legroom makes a fool out of a Ranger.

I would not get one with a V6, they almost don't have enough power to do the job. A bigger engine gets the same or better milage because it isn't fighting for its life... if you keep your foot out of it.

No way in you know where I would get a diesel. More money up front, more money for maintenance, more money for repairs and more money for fuel. Unless you tow ALOT to offset those costs with fuel milage there is no advantage to them. Especially with the new ones where they get the same milage as a gas so they don't even have that going for them.

Sure diesels last longer in theory, but barring a freak incident (which happens to diesels too) a modern gasser with any kind of maintenance will usually last longer than the rest of the truck anyway.

I promoted my Ranger to "toy" 6 years ago last month and got a 2002 F-150 with a 5.4, absolutly no regrets whatsoever.

 

[rockin86ranger]

Get a 90s f150 with an i6, mine got better mileage than my 2.9l and my 2.0l did, in fact the dodge gets better mileage than my ranger does righ now.

17 mostly highway ranger vs 21 mostly highway i6 f150

and the dodge averages 17

 

[stegomon]

i like the new ram 1500 express...them are cool....i would want that or a rapture!!!!

 

[adsm08]

I drive 6.0's pretty regularly that show 19.5 average on the counter.

One was a lifted, super clean 06 4 door long bed. I wanted that thing so bad. And this was back when my Ranger would start when it wanted to. If I hadn't had a payment on the Escape at that point, I would so have bought that thing.

 

[CHKNFKR]

My daily driver is a '95 f250, its a 7.3psd with a 5 speed, 2wd. I pull off 20mpg in town, aboit 22mpg on the highway. So far i've yet to find a load i can't pull and even when pulling a load the fuel economy isn't effected. Oh and nothing beats towing with a fifth wheel. She's got 356xxx miles on her with nothing more than routine maintenance. As for drivability, its a supercab longbed and i can parallel park it in spots my fiancee won't try to park her cavalier.

 

[Mr 85Ranger]

I agree with the others if you get a full size truck such as a f150 get the inline 6 not the v6 or if you get the v8 I recommend the 5.4 in the f150.and if you get a f250 go with a diesel. My dd is a 1997 F-250 OBS(Old Body Style), Reg Cab, 7.3 Powerstroke, 5spd, and also 2wd. I also agree with CHKNFKR about these trucks, I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING THEY CAN'T PULL OR TOW. I'm only 20 and I've had this truck for about 1yr and wouldn't trade it for the world.