Should I buy this?

[archb]

OK, brand new on this Forum and I'm sure that ya'll can help me make this decision. I recently sold my Jeep Wrangler and am looking to buy a Ranger. I found a truck yesterday and these are the specs that I know about it:

2003 Ford Ranger; Red
V6 3.0L , 5-Speed
~103,000 miles
New Battery

Asking $3,500

Just looking for some opinions and what do I need to take note of when I go to test drive the truck.

Look forward to hearing from you all.

 

[Milker]

make sure the clutch is good, they r a pain to fix (if its hydrolic). see if it was used to pull a trailer or was just an "interstate truck" i like my 3.0

 

[Jspafford]

Clutches are no more difficult than any other vehicle.

 

[Boggin]

i think it sounds like a good deal

 

[wizkid00104]

For good measure, check the radiator core supports, cab brackets, and leaf spring hangers for rust, holes, and dry rotted bushings. I am not sure if these are a problem on newer Rangers, but I know that they are a big problem on older ones and can be a royal expensive pain to fix if you do not do it yourself.

 

[exbass94]

When you're test driving it, don't be afraid to let the engine rev up. It makes all of it's power in the higher RPMs, and also gets it's best gas mileage at higher RPMs.

 

[Psychopete]

Ask if the CPS synchronizer has been replaced recently. They usually need replaced around 100K miles. I am not going to go into what happens when the gear does fail, but usually a chirping like a bad belt from the back of the engine is a good indication that it's going south.

Also double check to make sure that the oil pan gasket isn't working itself out in the front of the engine, you'll see it sticking out.

Pete

 

[c_note]

what r u looking for in the truck? gas milage? towing? dependability?

my experience with the 3.0 is it sucks for towing but good on gas.

if you wanna turn it into an offroader, buy a 4.0 with a manual tranny instead. auto trannys have a short life.

 

[archb]

I am just looking for a little truck to get me to and from work. Won't be doing a lot (if any towing). Gas mileage isn't all tha omportant and I will be keeping it on the road (Hints the 4x2)

 

[MrE_Powers]

check the history of the truck. while the other stuff mentioned in this thread is important it may not effect value.

if the truck has small dents every where and the paint is torn up that will effect value but the history is another thing. if it was wrecked or is a flood victim it could be that cheap.

 

[snake]

Is it a regular cab? Xtra cabs have lots more room and the four doors have that room more accessible. Check all fluids and make sure there isn't oil or gunk in the coolant recovery tank. Oil indicates blown head gasket and gunk could be acid forming because the coolant hasn't been flushed. Take the oil cap off and make sure there isn't a milky white substance under the cap- milky means moisture inside the engine and another indicator of bad head gasket or cracked head. Look close at the oil dipstick- if it is clean all the way up the oil has been changed regularly, but brown up the stick a ways says no maintenance. Check the sides of the manual tranny and make sure it isn't leaking out of those rubber plugs if so equipped. Check the rear end for leaks. Check all areas where a door or hood or gas tank flap can be opened and look for overspray. Have someone else crank the engine when you get there and watch for smoke on start up. Have a friend watch you drive off to check for smoke, and check the inside of the tailpipe- it should be spotless, not black. make DAMN SURE the engine light comes on when you first turn the key on and then goes off when the engine is started. Same for airbag light and other lights too. Run a carfax or autocheck as the poster above mentioned. Look underneath for damage/rust. Look at the tire wear to see if the front end may need work. Try out EVERTHING including A/C and heat, and cycle the vents to make sure they move off of defrost. The test drive it with the windows down listening for odd noises, etc. I'm sure theres more but all I can think of right now.