Sup up my ranger, get a new one, or an f250

[mdmarble]

Heres my dilema right now...

I've got an 02 Ranger 3.0 2WD AT, nice truck, I love it, yet I hate it. I want to be able to go do what some of my friends do, but I know if I do something will break, or I'll get stuck and get s*** from my friends. I found it one day for sell for 8500 with only 32K miles on it. Thought it was a great deal and snagged it up while I could. Now I wish I would have been more patient. At the time I had a 97 Izusu Rodeo with 149K miles, piece of crap. You can see why I was so eager to get my truck.

Okay, well heres my ongoing mind boggeling problem. Its a money issue too so ofcrouse that makes it ten times worse.

Option 1.) Keep my ranger, lift it about 3 inches and get bigger tires. Probably about 2000 bucks done right, looks good, but a major problem for me. Still only 2WD and a small engine. I'm dont quite want a pre-runner either.

Option 2.) Sell my truck and get like an 05 Ranger 4.0 Edge 4WD. Still a nice small truck, I like the way they look, half decent gas mileage, and capable of offroading and I'm not scared to ruin my daily driver.

Option 3.) What I ultimately want!! Wait a couple of years, dont do anything at all to my truck, save up and get some where around 2000-2004 F250 6.0 or 7.3L, crew cab short bed, FX4 edition. I love diesels and big trucks. I could tow our boat with out having to borrow my dad's 250 when I want to take it out. I'll also have that ego thing of having a big truck. What really bothers me, is that my dad has a bigger, better, faster, stronger, more durrable, more of anything you can think of and better of anything than my truck, and gets better fuel mileage. I average about 15. He's getting 17 with a much much bigger truck.

You can probably see what I ultimately want, yes, the f250. But thats a long ways out. I want to do more off roading now, but I dont want to waste my money.

Any one have any thoughts.
Thanks

 

[mdmarble]

PS, does any one know of any good forums, like this one, for F250's and such.

 

[Sunk]

You could try Ford Truck Enthusiasts. I don't know the specific url, just google it.

 

[LittleBigFoot]

where ya from, man?

A lot of local boards have vehical related threads. Im on Rocky Mtn. Ford Truck Club and while there's a lot of RBVs they have some good info on full sizes.

I'd go for an older 4wd Ranger. If you want to get into serious off-roading expect some body damage. I hate wheeling a truck as new as mine even.

Keep your 2wd for the street, and get an old easily modable TTB Ranger 4x4 for the snow/mud/rocks/trails.


Just my $.02

 

[chico4554]

yea i would get an older one for wheelin too. When i had just my 31s with a 3" body lift i ran pretty much every trail around here. It did awsome in the mud. Then you can beat the crap out of that one and keep the DD clean and sell it a decent price when you find a F-250.

i got my 93 for 2600. You can find them for cheaper than that with 4x4.

 

[05level2]

option 2

 

[Jspafford]

I had the same idea's you did. I bought my dream truck back in 2005. You know where it spends most of it's time? Parked. Can't afford to drive it. I was stupid and bought a 5.4L F-250. (See Signature) I traded in my 2001 Ranger when I bought it. The ranger would throw me back in the seat.. The SD will pull a house, but isin't much for speed.

Don't be like me, wait until you find the perfect truck, don't settle for one you don't like just to be able to say you have it. It will bite you in the long run. I am making a $360 a month payment to watch it sit.