Looking into new truck, OPINIONS PLEASE!!

[94STXRanger]

OK so a few months ago something went wrong with my tranny, makes a rattle sound when its coasting. Anyway i have been tossing around a few options. I can fix the tranny, keep the truck(94 4.0 4x4 ext. stx) put my 5.5" lift on and get tires. the pros of this are i keep my truck, I still have ext cab, I get my manual hubs, and i still have a lift for it and get better flex than new trucks.
Option two is a newer truck. Went to a dealer and the have an 06 single cab, 4.0 4x4. Its like 18,000. 30,000 miles. Nice truck, looks like a four inch lift kit on it with wheels and 33 bfg ats. The pros are kinda obvious. The cons: cant have manual hubs(?). No ext cab. paying off a lot of money.

Basically im just lookin for some opions and ideas, preferably before this truck sells.
Thanks guys!

 

[ZMan]

if it were me I'd stick with option one, and get the tranny fixed. Last thing you wanna do is go in debt for something thats gonna be worth less than what you owe the second you pull off the lot.

I like the new standard cabs, they have alot of room, not as much as an extended cab, but they're at least comfortable for a taller guy.

 

[jonsranger]

option 1, the older the better, plus its a shit load cheaper than a new less capable truck

 

[c_note]

i didnt see the 94 ranger get rated as on of the best offroad vehicle ever unlike the 02 and 03 ranger. people are always wrong about newer rangers on here but end up stealing parts from them.

as you can tell, id go for option 2. i bought my 02 ranger in june of 06 for $13,000 with only 35,000 miles. its an FX4 with an 8.8 rear 31 spline limited slip rear , manual tcase and tranny, live axles(no hubs) and a 4.0 sohc with is stronger than the 4.0 ohv. also came with 31s with 4.10 gears and it was all factory which you'd spend thousands to have on a 94. as far as the ifs, it does pretty well but u can always do a sas(even guys with a ttb prefer to do so). you'd definitly spend more time on the trails and less in the garage unlike on the 94.

 

[86ford]

if you do actually take your truck out wheeling dont buy a new vehicle and make payments. nothing could suck more than making payments on a truck thats broken half the time and then not having the cash to fix it because your making such huge payments.

86

 

[94STXRanger]

Those are all good points. I like the ttb for the flex which i see basically none of on 98+ trucks. And the manual hubs. Plus i have already put money into the lift and all. That new single cab was so nice though. Felt to small since it was ext, but very nice.

I might try and find something up to 97 also, thoughts on that?
thanks agian!

 

[milje]

Well, don't really have to worry about hubs on the 06, since they are live axles up front. 98-2000 were the ones with shitty hubs.


My choice would be whatever is practical. I sold my 94 B3000 and got me a 2005 Ranger (2wd though, the Mazda was a 4x4). I could have fixed the problems with my B3000, but then I still would have had a 10+ year old truck, and have to worry about fixing and replacing old parts. For a daily driver, I'd get a newer one.


No doubt though, if I were building a truck for wheeling, I'd stick with the 94.

Decide what you really need in a truck, and go with the more practical choice.

 

[Sunk]

i didnt see the 94 ranger get rated as on of the best offroad vehicle ever unlike the 02 and 03 ranger. people are always wrong about newer rangers on here but end up stealing parts from them.

Actually 4 Wheeler magazine put the Gen 3 X-cabs in 2nd place behind Yotas for compact 4x4 truck.

 

[c_note]

this is for all trucks, not just compact trucks