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- Joined
- Oct 1, 2021
- Messages
- 4,614
- State - Country
- TX - USA
- Other
- 2004 ford ranger
- Vehicle Year
- 2024
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Drive
- 2WD
- Engine
- 2.3 EcoBoost
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Total Lift
- 0
- Total Drop
- 0
- Tire Size
- Stock
- My credo
- drives a stick shift ranger
man, they are very nice. its getting closer to new truck time, feel so i want to be prepared and have some time in the seats of hte trucks competing to sit in the driveway. i was originally only considering a maverick but i might have to tow more than 2k so i have added the mid sized trucks to the competition.
i just drove an xl 2024 ranger with the stx package (because i am not interested in the other stuff so i don't even look at the higher trims). it was very nice and the seats were soft. way softer then the seats in my 04, thats for sure. the only negative things i could find is they don't come with a hitch assembly unless you order the tow package and the hvac and radio are all on a huge screen now, no real buttons. it rode very nice and got decent mileage at 70mph, 20-21mpg. tow rating without tow package: 5510, with tow package, 7500.
i have driven a gladiator since my wife wanted us to look at one. it was just like driving her wrangler four door. i was impressed that it didn't feel as large as it looks when you are actually driving it. it is actually cut from the list though because of hte 3.6 being the only engine available on the sport model and the 3.6 rocker arm issue. i don't want to deal with that junk. if you could get the gladiator with the 2.0t like the wrangler comes with, it would probably be running number 1 choice since you can get it as a stick, but no-go with that 3.6 litre v6. tow rating with tow package: 4500, with tow package, 7700.
surprise truck in the mix: toyota tacoma
the tacoma was a huge surprise as i have not been a tacoma fan because of hte driver seat layout and their dog v6 but i saw you can get a tacoma with a standard transmission and the truck only comes with a 4 cylinder turbo, similar to the jeep 2.0 and ford 2.3 turbo 4s so i went a test drove one. what a surprise this truck was. and, toyota listened to the people and fixed the crappy seating set up they used to have where you sat on the floor with your feet out front, like a sports car. now you sit up and your legs bend at the knees like other truck seating positions so no sore legs on long trips.
they all come with the tow hitch assembly so no having to order one with a stupid tow package, they all are rated at 6500. i hate having to add another 1k in cost just to be able to tow what a truck should be able to tow normally so the tacoma coming set up like a truck should be was a positive surprise. the 2.4 turbo felt just as powerful as the 2.3 turbo in the ranger and got the same 20-21mpg doing 70 around where i live on the same tes route as the ranger. the seats were very nice, and felt very much like the seats in the wife's wrangler, which i like on long trips.
prices: to get comparative packages on the different trucks, you have to do a bunch of adding. and all i really want is towing and cruise control but to make the trucks equal, you have to add a bunch to the gladiator and few to the ranger
the gladiator is stupid crazy priced for what you get. the gladiator comes in at 50,675 to be basically equal to the tacoma and ranger.
the ranger is 39,215
the tacoma is 36,795
the negative on the tacoma is the engine is detuned if you pick an sr model. to get the engine that has similar hp/tq as the ranger, you have to order an sr5, which adds a bit to the price (38,795).
the pluses that toyota gives you on the tacoma though, are pretty decent. the sr5 gets coild spring suspension all the way around and their direct injection engine doesn't have the valve coking issue that most direct injection motors have as they have direct/port injection n their engines so the port side washes the junk of the valves like the old engines fuel injection and carbs did.
so if i hadn't have driven the tacoma and learned about it, the ranger would be the stand out winner in my truck choices. right now, it looks like the tacoma will be my new truck and my 04 ranger will be my daily still.
i just drove an xl 2024 ranger with the stx package (because i am not interested in the other stuff so i don't even look at the higher trims). it was very nice and the seats were soft. way softer then the seats in my 04, thats for sure. the only negative things i could find is they don't come with a hitch assembly unless you order the tow package and the hvac and radio are all on a huge screen now, no real buttons. it rode very nice and got decent mileage at 70mph, 20-21mpg. tow rating without tow package: 5510, with tow package, 7500.
i have driven a gladiator since my wife wanted us to look at one. it was just like driving her wrangler four door. i was impressed that it didn't feel as large as it looks when you are actually driving it. it is actually cut from the list though because of hte 3.6 being the only engine available on the sport model and the 3.6 rocker arm issue. i don't want to deal with that junk. if you could get the gladiator with the 2.0t like the wrangler comes with, it would probably be running number 1 choice since you can get it as a stick, but no-go with that 3.6 litre v6. tow rating with tow package: 4500, with tow package, 7700.
surprise truck in the mix: toyota tacoma
the tacoma was a huge surprise as i have not been a tacoma fan because of hte driver seat layout and their dog v6 but i saw you can get a tacoma with a standard transmission and the truck only comes with a 4 cylinder turbo, similar to the jeep 2.0 and ford 2.3 turbo 4s so i went a test drove one. what a surprise this truck was. and, toyota listened to the people and fixed the crappy seating set up they used to have where you sat on the floor with your feet out front, like a sports car. now you sit up and your legs bend at the knees like other truck seating positions so no sore legs on long trips.
they all come with the tow hitch assembly so no having to order one with a stupid tow package, they all are rated at 6500. i hate having to add another 1k in cost just to be able to tow what a truck should be able to tow normally so the tacoma coming set up like a truck should be was a positive surprise. the 2.4 turbo felt just as powerful as the 2.3 turbo in the ranger and got the same 20-21mpg doing 70 around where i live on the same tes route as the ranger. the seats were very nice, and felt very much like the seats in the wife's wrangler, which i like on long trips.
prices: to get comparative packages on the different trucks, you have to do a bunch of adding. and all i really want is towing and cruise control but to make the trucks equal, you have to add a bunch to the gladiator and few to the ranger
the gladiator is stupid crazy priced for what you get. the gladiator comes in at 50,675 to be basically equal to the tacoma and ranger.
the ranger is 39,215
the tacoma is 36,795
the negative on the tacoma is the engine is detuned if you pick an sr model. to get the engine that has similar hp/tq as the ranger, you have to order an sr5, which adds a bit to the price (38,795).
the pluses that toyota gives you on the tacoma though, are pretty decent. the sr5 gets coild spring suspension all the way around and their direct injection engine doesn't have the valve coking issue that most direct injection motors have as they have direct/port injection n their engines so the port side washes the junk of the valves like the old engines fuel injection and carbs did.
so if i hadn't have driven the tacoma and learned about it, the ranger would be the stand out winner in my truck choices. right now, it looks like the tacoma will be my new truck and my 04 ranger will be my daily still.
