Most reliable Ranger configuration?

[4.0blue98]

I remember GMs... They're dead to me.

 

[19Walt93]

The most reliable used vehicle is the one that was maintained the best, at least 50% of what you're buying is the previous owner's maintenance habits. Hopefully the mechanical stuff was taken care of as well as the body and appearance. Otherwise, when it breaks down if you look really sad and downtrodden maybe some kind hearted Ford driver will stop and pick you up.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I remember GMs... They're dead to me.

GMs arnt horrible. My colorado was a decent truck. It wouldnt "work" like my 1st gen rangers but it was more comfy.

Id kill for a squarebody 3+3 dually.

 

[4.0blue98]

GMs arnt horrible. My colorado was a decent truck. It wouldnt "work" like my 1st gen rangers but it was more comfy.

I've had a half dozen or so. Currently have one but it's pre 70 so it doesn't count. I had some good luck then things spiraled out of control back in the late 90s.

I don't mind the looks of them but can't bring myself to try again.

 

[Ultraspontane]

I never was a brand loyal kind of guy. Ford made some pieces of shit in their day, same with GM. Their full size pickups don't fall into that category thankfully. The many used gmt800s I saw for sale with 300,000 miles still in good condition influenced my decision for sure. 5.3 has a good reputation and is a good performer.

She's rather purdy, can tow 10,000 lbs and get to 60 in 8 seconds. Not bad for a $5k truck.

 

[4.0blue98]

Looks good to me. I really like the surrounding scenery! Hope you have good luck with it.

Brand loyalty is tough for me too. I have two Toyotas (08,18), a Subaru (14), The Ranger (98), Dodge Avenger (11) and a Pontiac (67). Just got rid of a Jeep (05) and an 01 Subbie.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

If taken care of, you'll get over 200,000 miles easy.
A plumber has 300,000 on his.

Just don't be surprised if the dash gages act up. That's the most common complaint I hear.

Oh. And make sure the chain in the transfer case is tight. The housing is aluminum and a loose chain will chew right through it

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I consider myself loyal to fords. But have deviated a few times here and there.

My favorite deviation is a toss up between the 79 K20 (454/4sp) i had or the 95 Ram i had (V10/5sp/4wd). As far as trucks go anyways.

That old K20 was beat pretty hard all its life and it showed it, made my ranger look pretty. The 454 was tired but ill tell ya what, there wasnt a damn thing that ol bitch wouldnt claw over or through. That was back when i was helpin a farmer out here or there, the tractor shit out and he needed a ride. The field was planted so i had to run the outer edges, i drove that thing over stumps, small trees, and rocks, and ended up hub deep in mud and that ol bitch slogged right thru.

I rate the old 73-87 chevies right next to the 73-79 fords for pure grit.

The ram was just...fun. That V10 woulda yanked the crankshaft outta my 460.

 

[97RangerXLT]

How I have it pictured:

It has potential but its obscurity is kind of a turn off. I have yet to actually see a diesel Ranger, finding parts for one or anyone that knows anything about them would be a job in itself.

The base engine was probably used in other things and has some potential for cross shopping there... but wait this is different and that is different, not fun for a dd.

I LOVE the 354 Perkins Massey and Oliver used. Sounds/runs awesome and very economical.

My Grandpa bought an 83 Diesel Ranger brand new back in 83. He lived in Northern Wisconsin, so rust was the basic enemy of this truck. when he sold it in the mid 1990s, it needed a new fuel tank because the seams were rusted out and you could not fill it over half way with out leaking, and the brakes and lines were shot. he sold it for 300 bucks. He used that on the farm for well over a decade, took it on several trips to Yellowstone and California, and basically drove the crap out of it. it had over 200k on it, and he had upgraded to a 1994 or 95 F150 with the inline 300 6 cylinder (and air conditioning!) so that he could pull a bigger camper.

I gotta say that 83 Ranger served him well tho. a bonus memory, I was helping him work on the grain chute assembly coming out of the silo's into the barn and got to see a cow jump over the hood of that ranger... didn't know that they could do that lol

AJ

 

[1990RangerinSK]

That's a funny looking ford.

It's the UGLIEST looking Ranger I've ever seen!

 

[sgtsandman]

Government Motor Corporation.... To each their own. We used to be a GM family until they let us down too many times at the worst possible times. Then came the bail out. If it does the job you want it to, good for you.

 

[Ultraspontane]

If we're just talking about 90's to mid 00's trucks, I'd say GM made better engines during that era, by far.

Only owned two GM made vehicles before this truck. A '99 Chevy Astro with 300,000 miles, and '93 c1500 with 150k that I still own. Both with the 4.3 v6. The 4.3 and 350 speak for themselves, legendary engines no doubt. The LS series that replaced them also have a great reputation.

During the late 90s early 00's Ford engines seemed to have a lot of catastrophic design flaws compared to GM. The old 5.0s and 5.8s were great, but you're dealing with a very old truck at that point...

As far as post bailout GM, I don't know much about em. Haven't heard great things.

 

[sgtsandman]

Oh there was a big hoopla about it when it happened. First time for GM. The second for Chrysler. Daimler-Benz bought a controlling stake of Chrysler not long after. Ford did take advantage of some sort of financial assistance deal before that all happened but didn't get bailed out. So Ford isn't completely clean either but managed to not screw themselves as bad as the other two did.

 

[G8orFord]

What does any of this have to do with the most reliable Ranger configuration?

BUT, since we're talking about it, Ford took a low interest loan from the Gov't and used that money to build and update manufacturing facilities and they paid it back. I don't blame them for that, it was just good business. The biggest reason Ford never had to take a bailout is because when times were good they bought up (or at least held a controlling interest) in little companies like Mazda, Land Rover, Jaguar and Volvo and sold off parts or all of them in lean times to keep them above water.

 

[91stranger]

Wait a minute.... I thought cows couldn't jump? That's why you can keep them fenced in with a 2-3' tall electric fence. And a cow jumping OVER the hood? Sounds a little exaggerated.