Wife gets Edge, I get my choice V8 Explorer or Ranger?X

[adsm08]

Agreed, although I bet the Edge beats both in terms of gas mileage. For a people/children mover (if you have or plan to have kids) it's the way to go given how crap minivans have gotten (the Toyota Siennas and Honda Odysseys are decent though). I'm married (as of 5/30/2015) and while my wife loves my truck, she doesn't love driving it (and that's after swapping seats and modding the throttle cable to match her petite legs). Sometimes you gotta swallow you pride (and manhood) and get what she wants, for her to drive. And this is why I'm stuck working on a 2003 Taurus all the time... back on topic!

I got lucky there. My wife (when she is not entering her 3rd trimester) isn't too picky. Right now she is 6 months pregnant and can't get in and out of the Ranger or BII very easy. Normally she will drive whatever I give her the keys to without complaining about it.

 

[ratdude747]

Hell, if they're paid for and you have a use for all of them, keep them all. I personally have a 06 F150 Harley edition 5.4, 03 Mustang GT Conv.4.6 , 97 Jeep GC Laredo 5.2, and of course the Bronco II, 2.8 lol. And they all have there uses. So if you want them all and have the space and can afford them, keep them. Just my opinion.

Well yeah, if his wife would let him. Not to mention that vehicles aren't cheap to keep. Insurance, plates/registration, maintenance... If you can afford it, do so... but if you can't, don't, for the sake of the vehicle (as neglect becomes expensive to fix).

 

[ratdude747]

I got lucky there. My wife (when she is not entering her 3rd trimester) isn't too picky. Right now she is 6 months pregnant and can't get in and out of the Ranger or BII very easy. Normally she will drive whatever I give her the keys to without complaining about it.

Yeah, my wife can and will drive my Ranger but it isn't her favorite. To be fair I have a preference for my Ranger, so it works out. The funny part is that the Taurus is faster but the Ranger has a better sound system (Bluetooth, 6" touch screen), more storage (yay high topper), radar detector, and a CB. The taurus on the other hand is beat up and stock. Kinda obvious whose vehicle is whose.

Edit- another thing to factor in some cases: Transmissions. Both of the above are automatics so it's a wash in my case, however, I could see an objection to a stick coming in to play with some couples. Oddly enough with my parents, my dad is the one who can't drive stick (but mom hasn't either for years and was crap at it).

 

[adsm08]

My truck and my BII are both stick ( I won't mess around with an A4LD). The Explorer is auto. I am actually the one who objects to my wife driving stick. She can, and she was good at it, but she has spent the last 6 years with her primary being auto and now I cringe when I hear her pulling out of the driveway with one of my vehicles.

 

[ratdude747]

My truck and my BII are both stick ( I won't mess around with an A4LD). The Explorer is auto. I am actually the one who objects to my wife driving stick. She can, and she was good at it, but she has spent the last 6 years with her primary being auto and now I cringe when I hear her pulling out of the driveway with one of my vehicles.

If I knew what I know now, I wouldn't have traded the Dodge Durango that I traded for my ranger (with the 4r44e) and learnt to drive stick... and then traded for a Ranger with said stick. However, since my 4r44e was rebuilt 15 months ago, I can't be bothered to change.

I hope by "hearing her pull out of the driveway" the sound of engine stalling or screeching tires isn't part of it... now that would be cringe worthy! That sounds like the situation with my mom (only she hasn't driven stick since the early 90's, Geo metro rental car or so I'm told). If she even dared to drive a stick, I think an advance order on a clutch kit would be warranted.

 

[adsm08]

No, nothing like that. She just takes too long letting the clutch out, and I can hear the slip and burn as she pulls out.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

I know the feeling even people who say they can drive stick make me all weirded out when I let them drive my truck. they ride my clutch and shift way late just annoys me

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I was weirded out when I first started shooting video of it with my GoPro. In 15 years I don't think I have ever seen it move. It is there, I get in it and go somewhere and get out. Repeat. Never thought about it until then.

AKA, nobody drives it but me.

 

[Blown]

AFter considering this, I am going to keep the Ranger. If I jsut get a camper shell, it will do everything I want it to do. I also have a 10' ceiling in the garage so should be able to rig a pulley system to take it on and off and to store it up out of the way.

Now what might I snitch off the Explorer for the Ranger? Gonna start a thread for that.

 

[JoshT]

If you want to get top dollar for the explorer, don't snatch anything off of it. Every change you make will hurt the resale value. Sell it as is, and hit the junkyards later for parts to mod your Ranger.

 

[ratdude747]

If you want to get top dollar for the explorer, don't snatch anything off of it. Every change you make will hurt the resale value. Sell it as is, and hit the junkyards later for parts to mod your Ranger.

Seconded. Leave the Explorer as virgin as you can, mods/swaps kill resale value.

----

As for camper shells, I love my Swiss Wedge camper shell. It's a high top aluminum. Unless you're always hauling tall loads, IMHO you probably won't be removing the topper ever. I've left mine on since I bought it last July. So handy to have all of the virtually rain/snow proof storage space (I'd say theftproof but these type shells are easy for a smash and grab). Your fuel mileage will suffer a bit, the higher the shell the worse it will be. I lost 2MPG or so although my numbers lately have been like 4MPG down (could be the winter?).

 

[Blown]

I appreciate the responses.

Here is where It's at, the engine needs heads and lifters. I don't want to put anymore into it to sell it. I am going to take what I want and part it out and scrap it. I was hoping for a screwed-up rocker, pushrod, lifters maybe but not lifters and heads. The lifter are worn I am pretty sure a loose valve guide was causing a screech, Screw it. I might have sold it for 1,000 or 1,500 with the noise so I had to tear into it and see what was up. I think can get that much parting it out.

The benefit of taking what I want for the Ranger is that I know those parts are good. I have had to take advantage of the pick n pulls warranty and once installed three transmissions, that sucked!

I could keep a bunch of parts, thinking rotors, pads, rear axle, front diff, wheels, the top rack would go great on a shell, outside temp. sensor and overhead consul with reading lights, stereo head unit and woofer, front axle shafts/cv's and likely more items as I get into it. If I can part the rest for even $700 I will be ahead in my book and I got $350 in tires. I plan on keeping the Ranger long term so parts is good.

If you have any other ideas on what to keep, please post-up here: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165649