Why so few Rangers for sale?

[marc11]

Back in September I started a search for a new to me (used) pick up as a second vehicle. I pretty much new what I wanted, somethime 2003 or newer, les than 70k miles, 6 banger, extended cab, 4wd and if I could a 5 speed, all for under $10k.

This basically ruled out any clean Toyota or Nissan (although I looked anyway) and left me with the S-10/Colorado or the Ranger.

What I noticed was that in the local paper and at dealers, there were far more Chevy, Toyota and Nissan's for sale than Rangers. I looked at 10 GM based trucks to just 2 Rangers and 2 trucks from Japan.

Eventually I found the Ranger I have right in town with everything I wanted, but even to this day I rarely see late model Rangers for sale.

Anyone else expierence this? Anyone wonder why? Do people really keep on to these trucks for so long? I mean you see them all over the road...

 

[Plop]

right after I bought my 98 explorer, I saw 5 newer rangers in my price ranger and after that I never saw rangers for sale on the lots. so you are not the only one.

 

[grey ghost]

i asked my auto insurance provider which "small truck" was the cheepest to insure and when they told me it was the ranger i know why there hard to find used now..

***this was my experance here in pa***

 

[Psychopete]

Do people really keep on to these trucks for so long? I mean you see them all over the road...

People tend to keep things that work well. My Tempo is a POS, but I won't get rid of it because it just works for it's purpose. No reason to get rid of it.

I've owned my '88 Ranger since 2000, and my dad was the previous owner for 3 years. Body was clean for how rusty crap gets here, only 53K when he bought it, 72K when I obtained it, 124K now. I have no intentions of ever selling it.

Hell, even people into Chevys around here will even tell you Rangers are good little trucks. I see WAY more Gen-Is and BIIs than S10s from that era.

Pete

 

[phatcap]

i've noticed that too in my area. any ford dealer you drive by never has any rangers in the lot, yet i see them on the road all the time. like psychopete said, you see all gens too. i hardly ever see s-10s from the 90's anymore.

 

[JohnnyO]

Existing owners tend to keep them. Dealers tend not to stock many new ones, at least until gas went way up this year, because they make more money on F150's...and frankly an F150 doesn't use much more gas than a V6 Ranger.

 

[bmxryder]

yeah it took me like 4 months to find a ranger that was:
-2wd
-between 93-97
-xtra cab
-4.0 liter
-white, black, red, or gray

wouldnt settle for anything less

now i wish i would have searched alittle longer to find one with auto mirrors, locks, and windows. but.... im happy with what i got

 

[pwd72s]

Our '99 XLT just turned 50K miles, is still running well. We've already lost the resale value, so why sell? I'm not going to switch until the serious problems set in...

 

[4th ranger]

I just bought my ranger a few weeks ago and I had the same problem.I was told by the dealer that because they hold up so well no one wants to trade em in!I did however find my 2002 short bed xlt with 52000 miles on it for 7000 and bought it on the spot.Its my first ranger with a 2.3 but so far I love it!

 

[Shran]

There are a few at some dealerships around here, but NOTHING older than 2003 for some reason. People do keep them forever. I'm not getting rid of either of mine any time soon, mostly because I can't afford a car payment.

Funny thing is, there are a TON of clean ones in the junkyards around here. I just can't figure out why.

 

[OldJunk]

You would not believe the no. of gen 1 rangers still running around on the west coast! people seem to keep their rangers, while trading off several other vehicles in the same time frame. Very few of any gen. on used lots, dealer has maybe 8 new on lot , mostly 4cyl shortbeds. IMO I see more Rangers on the roads here than toy/ nissan combined.