what to buy

[97mercurymount]

Yes i am thinking of getting a ranger as my second car and i was wondering what year and what engine i defintly want the v6 but dont know if i want the 4.0 or 3.0 because i want to save as much gas as much possible because my mounty is the 5.0 and also i havent decide if i want 4wd or 2wd cuz i am a young guy 17 and dont know if i could aford the insurance.

 

[NusenseSD]

might get a better insurance rate with a 3litre.. The gas mileage isn't that much different between them though.. More performance options for a 4 litre however there is a new supercharger kit available for the 3 litres..

 

[bmxking5]

Like ^^^ he said, the insurance might be better for the 3.0, but I doubt it will be too much of a difference. If you are trying to get a ranger for the cheapest possible amount, then you'd want the 3.0. The majority of the V6 rangers out on the road are 3.0L, so they are obviously cheaper than the 4.0L(since it is harder to find). I don't think there would be much of a difference in gas mileage between the two either. Actually a lot of the guys with 5.0 explorers/mountys get around the same mileage as the 4.0 OHV. I think that all of the ranger's body styles look pretty good, so I can't really give you an opinion on what year to get. Good luck

 

[Ranger Al]

Ranger XLT 4.0 with 5 speed manual

 

[jimbo74]

my dad has a 98 supercab 4x2 ranger 3.0l with an automatic and 3.73 open diff in the rear... it isnt too expensive know and you can find a nice one all over the place

or get a standard cab 3.0 4x2 with a stick..... they are tough little work trucks... alst a long time even if you beat the crap out of them if you keep up religiously on the maintenance items

 

[CDW6212R]

Unless you are looking at newer Rangers, say 2001+, then purchase price should not be much different for any and all options. Unless you are in a hurry, and won't shop around, shop around.
Ask your insurance agent for quotes for the different options that you want to consider. Then take the time to shop for the that you like the most, with the most options.
Personally, I like the Splash, and I have seen a "gold" one with 17" Cobra R wheels, lowered. They can look wonderful, and I think the V8 can be put into any of them. Ask someone who knows about the years that Ford made important changes to the Rangers. Good luck,
DonW

 

[JohnnyO]

My first Ranger was a 4x4, 3.0, stick, very good on gas. I've rented them when traveling also, all were 3.0's with automatics and mpg was awful. As it is in my soon-to-be-departed 4.0/auto. So I'd say if you got a stick it should be pretty good, if you get an auto then there won't be as much difference between a 3.0 and a 4.0. A 4x2 would be better on gas than a 4x4. Also 4.0 4x2's are pretty rare, most years they only put them in SuperCabs.

 

[CDW6212R]

Was a Splash a 2WD only? Was it a unique chassis in any way?
DW

 

[Ranger Al]

I've seen style side bed or Splash on 4x4 and 2wd. As I understand on the earlier Splash suppose to have sportier suspension and rear anti-sway bar. As for chassis, I am pretty sure they are the same, somebody correct me if I am wrong...

 

[JohnnyO]

As I understand on the earlier Splash suppose to have sportier suspension and rear anti-sway bar. As for chassis, I am pretty sure they are the same, somebody correct me if I am wrong...

The 2wd Splash came with a sportier suspension, 15x7 chrome rims, and 235/60-15 tires. The 4x4 wasn't any different from a regular 4x4 other than 235/75 A/T's, the stripes, monochrome paint job, and other Splash features. Essentially the Sport Package in '98 replaced the Splash and the Edge replaced the Sport in (I think) '01.
Old guy at my church has a white 2wd one, pimped out in true old man Cowboy Cadillac style, it hurts my eyes to look at it.

 

[Sport4x4]

yeah my ranger was a 3.0 5-spd 4x4 and even with 4" of lift and 32s it got 17mpg in the city. my 99 4.0 Sport barely gets that, but it hauls.....the ranger was kinda slow