Potential Newby

[NumberCruncher]

Greetings all,

I am at my witt's end with my second current generation Nissan Frontier. I won't go into all the details but I expect to be dumping the Frontier in favor of a 2009 Ranger 4x4 as early as this weekend.

I'll either get an XLT or FX4 depending on price and availability. As much as I enjoy a stick I'll probably get the auto as this is a daily driver. What kind of real world highway mileage can I expect cruising at 60-65 with the 4.0?

Nissans are rated pretty high by consumer reports but after one lemon law suit won and a second truck that is not much of an improvement, I don't put much stock in their ratings. Is the 4.0 V6 with auto trans a pretty reliable combination?

Thanks.

NC

 

[AllanD]

The 2003-up rangers with the 4.0SOHC and 5sp auto are pretty reliable.
Mileage? I have no idea but a 3800lb truck with a 200hp engine
isn't going to get the mileage of a TDI Jetta.

but the Ranger will go places HAULING a Jetta that the Jetta can't go...

Nissans are actually fairly decent vehicles (this may sound like Heresy
comming from me, but wait for it...) HOWEVER Nissan dealers vary greatly.

Particularly in the competence of their technicians.

And therein lies the problem with a nissan.

Now where the ranger shines compared with any of the imports is in ruggedness
Yes, even the pansified '98-up with "independent" suspension
(ignoring the fact that ALL rangers have independent suspensions)
Or the marketing people talking up the "superiority" of "Fully boxed frames"
(which ignores the reality that the "boxed" frame allows them to use MUCH
thinner steel)

That being said my Nissan literally rusted in HALF, the frame broke.

My Toyota's had the common decency to only have the floors rot out...

AD

 

[kcm1582]

First off welcome to TRS.

I have an 05 xlt 4x4 with a manual so I cant really speak about the auto trans but other than that the truck has been very reliable. For gas mileage, I'm getting an average of 17-18 all around. I have yet to do a full highway trip but my guess is that you should get about that on the highway with an auto.

 

[Mac]

Welcome I hope! '05' Ext Cab 4x4, 4.0L with manual, 4.10 gears and 265-70 16 tires. Interstate running at 72 mph I can get real close to 22 mpg. It's my Winter DD and don't mind the stick at all.
Dave

 

[exbass94]

I have a 4.0 with auto, 4x4, 4.10 gears. The best mileage I ever got was 18 mpg. That was all highway with the cruise set between 60-65 mph. I usually get about 17-17.5 mpg, mostly highway driving.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

I hate nissans always have. From a "proffesionals" opinion the operating stratagies and procedures in a nissans computer system are something I rather hate. Lol, what started my hatred with nissans is my arm is to big to get the oil filter out of a hard body without pulling the r/f tire off!

 

[Jay FX4]

Welcome NumberCruncher!

I think it's a smart move to ditch the Nissan for a Ranger. I have the 4.0L/auto trans and I'm very happy with it. Some people here don't care for the auto but I like it just fine. Remember, it's a 5-speed too. The only minor nitpick I have with it is that the OD doesn't kick in until about 43mph. Dumb if you want to cruise at an even 40, because you're rolling at a few hundred rpm more than what you should be. Sometimes you can speed up until it kicks in, then back off to 40, but it's almost impossible to maintain that speed without it coming back out.
My '04 is stock (for the time being) and I'm able to pretty consistently pull 18mpg - all city. I have done very little highway driving with it yet, so I don't have exact numbers, but maintaining the speed limit, I know I could get 20mpg out of it. The '09 trucks have a lower stance, so there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to get 1-2mpg higher than what I get. The Ranger has a reputation for sub-par gas mileage, and it's well deserved. At the same time, you have total control over the type of mileage you get depending on how you drive it.
And the Ranger really is a tank. I don't know if there is any arguing that it's the toughest little truck you can buy.

 

[joldtown]

I've been able to get pretty close to a consistent 20 mpg with mine. I TRY to keep my foot out of the gas, keep the filters changed, and generally baby the truck. I would buy my truck again in a heartbeat.