Tired of new vehicles. Should I sell me Ranger?

[Jim Oaks]

I'm tired of new vehicles and all of the expense and complexity that comes with them. I've been thinking for a while now about buying an older truck that would be easier and cheaper to work on.

My 2021 Ford Ranger FX4 has 94,000 miles on it and I'm still going to be paying a $570 a month payment for another 34 months. That's nuts.

The worst part is that if anything major went wrong with it, I wouldn't have the money to fix it. One of our 2019+ Ranger owners took their Ranger into a shop for transmission issues, and the repairs are going to be $6,000. I could buy a whole running vehicle for $6,000.

I hate that my truck communicates with Ford and gets downloads.

I was recently driving and wanted to turn on some air and had to cycle through my screen to get to the setting to put it on vent and set a temperature. I liked when I could just slide a lever or turn a knob. I don't need to know the temp. I'm not baking a cake. If I'm not warm enough, I'll turn the knob work towards the red. If I'm not cool enough, I'll turn it more towards the blue.

I pay for a Sirius subscription as well as for Wi-Fi which I know, I don't have to have.

I do believe though that manufactures make it harder and harder for you to be able to work on them and they've been pushing the government to pass laws that would prevent anyone but the dealer from working on them.

Then there's the whole can of worms about if and how your vehicles are collecting information on you.

I look at my 1996 Ranger 4x4 sitting outside and think about all the things I could either do to it or just do in general if I wasn't making that $570 payment. And I know there are people making payments way higher than that.

I really liked my Expeditions, nut they're probably to new.

A 1980s-90s fullsize Ford Bronco would be nice and way easier to maintain and work on. Same for an F-150.

Actually, a few of you have already heard me say before that I was thinking about replacing my 2021 Ranger with an early Explorer.

So, I don't know. This has been on the back of my mind for quite a while now. I'm not having any issues with the truck right now, but I feel like it's a financial disaster waiting to happen.

Anyone else thought about ditching your newer vehicle for an older one, or already have an older vehicle because you don't want a newer money pit?

I look at my 1996

 

[franklin2]

If you are in a serious accident, the first thing the troopers do is take the black box out in a newer vehicle. Or it's the first thing that comes out at the impound yard. Tells them the speed before impact, if you where pressing on the brake or not, etc.

 

[pjtoledo]

I feel your pain, and see my rust.

I'm trying, my 2005 2wd "low option special" now has 383,700 miles on it.
yep, it's the same one that backed up that hill in Dearborn.

 

[4x4junkie]

I hate that my truck communicates with Ford and gets downloads.

You can physically disable that.
I don't know the specifics on newer Fords, but I would bet that if you searched on DDG or Google "Disable Ford Ranger Telematics", you'd get something useful.

It could be as simple as pulling a fuse... Others you may need to remove the SIM chip from the vehicle's telematics module (SMD chip, fun stuff to work with... Not!). No warning lights should occur if done correct. You will lose remote start from any apps, and won't be able to remotely "find" your truck in the event it's stolen, etc.

(no different than any vehicle w/o telemetry).

Edit:
Apparently it is just a fuse:

Cut my third leg off today

On fuse #9 :giggle: I finally decided to get big brother out of my truck today:) and took the power from the telematics module. Just curious how many here have done this?

www.ranger5g.com

I do believe though that manufactures make it harder and harder for you to be able to work on them and they've been pushing the government to pass laws that would prevent anyone but the dealer from working on them.

I'm not going to say that's completely untrue, but I do believe there is a lot of fear-mongering that goes on about this...

The few late-model vehicles I've worked on have literally been no different mechanically than anything else I've worked on ('20 Toyota Camry, '19 Tacoma, '18 Subaru Forester). Suspensions, fuel pumps, axles & axle bearing components, etc, etc.... No different.

There are differences in that you occasionally have to access the vehicle's computer systems, but modern scan tools (not simple "code readers"!) that are roughly $200-500 appear to be able to access these systems for the average shadetree person without any issues (bleeding active brake systems, checking sensors & actuators, resetting (zero-pointing) VSC systems etc.). There are also "free" copies of OEM software out there if you know where to look too, but honestly a good scan tool will get you most if not all you need to work on the electronic systems of a vehicle.

I know of brands such as Innova, Launch, and Autel for scan tools, but have not made a purchase of one yet (so far I've not needed to get into any of these vehicle's electronics, but I know some day that will come).

It's definitely not as bad as the fear-mongerers out there make it out to be.

 

[JoshT]

I don't disagree with you on a lot of those points.

The F-150 is nice, but if I hadn't inherited I probably wouldn't own anything newer than 2010. If it had the electronic temperature control I'd hate it, fortunately dad wasn't the type to want it either.

I agree with you on the connected vehicles stuff, don't care for it or the info collecting, and I'd rather them not be able to push out updates over the air. Ocassionally there is an update that you really don't want, or that hasn't been properly vetted before being pushed out. I also really hate that you have to redo all of the settings after a big update. I actually like having the cameras and the big screen (the smaller version) in the dash. Aside from cameras, I mostly use it for navigation and streaming SiriusXM through android auto, and for disabling as much of the connected vehicle stuff as possible/practical. Everything else I use the infotainment center for (hands free calling, FM radio, ETC) was doable with a no screen radio 20 years ago.

If I didn't get this, I definitely wouldn't have bought anything this new. I'd have been happy keeping the '00 F-250. I'd also have been happy with a 9th gen extended cab F-150 or full size Bronco. Newest I considered before getting the F-250 was an 11th gen F-150, still in before all of the nanny stuff was mandated and by the end they had worked out most of the issues with the modular engines. I would have hated actually working on it, but that's mostly because of how tightly everything was packed in.

Don't hate my 2010 Kia Forte, but it's that transition point where they had just mandated handsfree and traction control. The implementation of both leave a lot to be desired, but when new I bought it new that radio was still good stuff. Still dislike the traction control, because it can't be disable like a newer vehicle. It's still relatively easy to diagnose and repair if you have a code scanner. It's a little over 200k now and still reliable, annoyingly so, though looking a little rough around the edges.

When the Kia finally dies, I'm going older for a daily. The 85 in my sig is intended to replace it when the time comes, but might be a while before it is ready. If it isn't, I might spring for another pre 2010 car. A Crown Vic (post '04, maybe PI), Marauder, or Mustang (4th or 5th gen) are top contenders.

I almost wish I an older 1st gen TTB Ranger instead of the 99. Actually when I wanted when I bought the 99. Simpler on electronics and more room to work on stuff, or it was once you remove a lot of the unnecessary bits. That said, I think that that was a pretty good period for vehicles. If I can get it right, the engine swap corrects a large part of the issue I had with it. While I wanted an older Ranger, I don't think I would replace it with one now. I also don't think I'd replace it with a much newer one. Maybe a couple of year newer to get the SOHC, but that's about it. I think that generation of Ranger is probably still grouped with those "older" vehicles you were talking about.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I feel you on this Jim. you can disable automatic updates and wifi as mentioned. My 2020 Edge has all the nanny stuff, most of which is disabled. I do have WiFi just so i can remote start it with the Ford app, which is handy when I go into the office. No auto updates though. most of the stuff on the Edge has an actual button or switch instead of screen diving. I think the only thing that I need to turn on/ off manually that has no button is the heated steering wheel, which comes on if I remote start it with the key fob.

If you have two keys, they have to be separate keys, not a clone of each other, you can do a crapload of stuff in your newer Ford without hooking a scan tool or using Forscan. you can put the brake system into service mode, you can reset the transmission software to factory default (only need one key for this) you can read the keyless entry code for the door pillar buttons (you do need two keys for that). But most of the mechanical stuff like brakes and plugs should be fairly easy to do without any special knowledge or tools. If you do have a laptop, get Forscan and a OBD2 usb cable, you can do a lot more with that, including querying all the 4 billion modules that they put in cars today. My edge has a separate module for each door including the rear hatch.,. wth.. why does it need separate modules for that? If nothing else, you will be able to see what is wrong and go into a repair shop or dealer with that knowledge and let them deal with the headache of fixing it. Oh, and since your Ranger is at the age and mileage that this can happen to, replace the key fob battery. if it goes dead, you will get a "no key found" message when you try to start it. there is a way around that too, but it will involve you emptying your center console to access the key pocket to start it. ask me how I found that out lol. speaking of keys, also make sure you have a cut and working physical key, if the battery goes dead in the truck while it is locked, it is the only way you will be able to get in to open the hood without crawling under it to find a starter cable and ground to jump it to unlock the doors. Saw that on youtube.

570 bucks a month is a damn big chunk of change. even after owning older, easier to work on and cheaper to repair cars, i would not want a car payment and a car repair bill at the same time. The divorce I went through left me with enough equity from selling the house we bought in 2011 to put a nice down payment on my current house and buy the Edge outright. And since it is a modern car with a turbo, I religiously change the oil every 5 to 6k miles with full synthetic, and have had a transmission, coolant, and brake flush done. it has 79,500 miles on it now, and if I can get 200k + on it I will be happy. If I do need to replace it, I will probably go a 2017 or older that has mechanical shift linkage (i hate the effing shift knob on the Edge) and much less nanny crap on it. I have even thought to get a low mileage Buick Park Ave or Lesabre from the early 2000s, no telemetrics, no connectivity, but some really nice features in an extremely comfortable car...

but if you want to go older, might I suggest a clean B2? fun, 4wd, and you can do some fairly easy upgrades/ mods. keep a reliable newer (2010ish) car for gas mileage and every day knocking about.

some random thoughts anyways.

AJ

 

[JohnnyO]

The main reason why I got an STX was that it has less electronic crap.
Because of my job I need a newer and reliable vehicle (GM 6.2's don't count) and I don't have the time or garage space to own fun shit that needs worked on. Upside for Jim is that he lives in Texas where stuff doesn't rust out, I'm in the Salt Belt and although the Ranger was Ziebarted before the first winter and gets touched up every year, nothing lasts forever here.
The Ranger has 123k on it and has been very trouble-free. I just don't want to get where I was with my old Sport Trac with expensive stuff breaking or wearing out and throwing good money after bad.
My truck is paid off, sort of. We suddenly needed a new roof on the house two years ago and had to get a home equity loan because I didn't have a spare $10,000 laying around. My truck loan was with the same bank as our mortgage and it was more than halfway paid off so they suggested lumping it all together.
I've thought before though that a 1970 Jeep CJ-5, essentially a road-legal farm implement, would be appealing when I retire and don't have to drive 20,000 miles a year. The problem with older vehicles is that parts are getting hard to find.
Henry Ford looks more like a genius and the Model T looks more like the perfect vehicle every day.