So, long story short, I'm looking for a cheap, fuel-efficient beater that I can haul stuff in. When I say cheap, I mean $2500 or less. I can't stand S10s and Japanese trucks are thoroughly trashed in that price range, so it seems like a Ranger is gonna be my best bet. I'm somewhat familiar with 90's OBS Fords and Panther platforms, but not Rangers. I've whittled down my choices to 2.3/2.5l 5-speed trucks, but I'm still looking at listings with close to or over 200k on them. What should I expect to be worn out or busted on a 93-01 Ranger with the specs I mentioned?
Planning on buying a cheap, high-mileage 1993-2001 Ranger 2.3/2.5 5sp. What should I expect?
- Thread starter moblene
- Start date
Go here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/2-3l-2-5l-i4-tech-31/
A glance at the topics/problems might be very helpful
A glance at the topics/problems might be very helpful
Isn't that a mazda at that point? I drove a 3.0 first gen and it was a dog
They're essentially the same truck, but people seem to think the mazda badge makes it worth more. I have no interest in either V6. Ones a dog and the other is a basket case.
Unfortunately, I am in the rust belt so it's a big concern. I can live with body rust, but frame rust that's beyond patching is a no-go, obviously. I need it to be drivable for a couple years. Maybe a year, at least lol.
Good luck.
What you will find in that price range, IF you can find one, will be 3/4’s dead and just above scrap condition.
The bed and frame near where the fuel filler is vanishes in the rust belt. Once everything is rusted and seized up it will be impossible to align, it will eat tires.
The motors are the good part, they will run forever.
What you will find in that price range, IF you can find one, will be 3/4’s dead and just above scrap condition.
The bed and frame near where the fuel filler is vanishes in the rust belt. Once everything is rusted and seized up it will be impossible to align, it will eat tires.
The motors are the good part, they will run forever.
Well, at least I know what to expect haha. I have no illusions about finding some diamond in the rough for $3.50. I know I'm either gonna have to pay for something half-decent or go cheap and get a used up pile. I just need it to last a year or two, like I said.
Every car I have ever owned has had less than 200hp. My expectations are subterranean.
That's cool. I have owned my share of slugs over the years.
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2024
- Messages
- 100
I can't answer all your questions OP, but I've driven a couple of these trucks from that era borrowed now and again to move stuff. What I noticed is they drive pretty terrible but seem to last forever with very little maintenance. So from a reliability POV I think you'll do well if the one you buy is in decent shape OP, but don't expect much in the way of an enjoyable driving experience, haha.
Not sure what happened to the formatting here lol.
I drove a Nissan D21 through high school and my granddad had a '98 Ranger 2.5 auto growing up, so tinny little underpowered trucks are not foreign to me. I'm fairly familiar with TIB suspension and it's bump-steering, wandery vagueness, so that won't scare me off either. As long as the wheels stay attached and I don't have to spend more on repairs than I pay for it, it's all good.
It's fun when you can wring something out without breaking the speed limit, but it wears thin when you have to do that on every. single. on-ramp lol.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2021
- Messages
- 154
Can you travel to a southern state to get one? Of course driving a classic vehicle that far without completely being able to trust it might not be recommended.
These trucks are generally reliable and well built for what they are, and most things are easy to fix. Here's a little tip that many people might not know about these. The step-side versions have boxes that are skinned in fiberglass. That means no rust around the rear fenders on those, which is a pretty nice feature if you're in the rust belt.
I own a 2003 automatic version with a V6, and it has been very reliable for the few years that I've owned it. I did have the brake line rust out on it though, so rust can definitely be an issue. My 17 year old was driving it when the brakes gave way. Luckily he was in a parking lot going super slow when it happened. I had to drive about 45 minutes away to go rescue him. That was an adventure.
We used our 2018 CRV to help get it home with a tow strap. I had my kid in the Ranger with no brakes, while I was in the Honda CRV behind him. We used the CRV as the brakes for both vehicles, with both of our cell phones on speaker for communication.
The brakes in the poor little CRV were smoking and stinking when we got home, but we did make it. I then replaced the rear brake lines with flexible copper-nickel tubing, which I highly recommend. The roll of copper-nickel tubing and the needed fittings are cheaper and better than the pre-bent stock brake lines that are also available.
So anyways, yes, I do recommend Ford Rangers, just try to get one that isn't completey rotted out yet.
These trucks are generally reliable and well built for what they are, and most things are easy to fix. Here's a little tip that many people might not know about these. The step-side versions have boxes that are skinned in fiberglass. That means no rust around the rear fenders on those, which is a pretty nice feature if you're in the rust belt.
I own a 2003 automatic version with a V6, and it has been very reliable for the few years that I've owned it. I did have the brake line rust out on it though, so rust can definitely be an issue. My 17 year old was driving it when the brakes gave way. Luckily he was in a parking lot going super slow when it happened. I had to drive about 45 minutes away to go rescue him. That was an adventure.
We used our 2018 CRV to help get it home with a tow strap. I had my kid in the Ranger with no brakes, while I was in the Honda CRV behind him. We used the CRV as the brakes for both vehicles, with both of our cell phones on speaker for communication.
The brakes in the poor little CRV were smoking and stinking when we got home, but we did make it. I then replaced the rear brake lines with flexible copper-nickel tubing, which I highly recommend. The roll of copper-nickel tubing and the needed fittings are cheaper and better than the pre-bent stock brake lines that are also available.
So anyways, yes, I do recommend Ford Rangers, just try to get one that isn't completey rotted out yet.
I live in western OH, so driving to some southern states is an option. My biggest fear is taking an entire day to drive out to BFE only to be greeted by a steaming pile of Ford, or attempting to drive a 30 year old truck and having it break in 30 year old truck ways, like you said. I'm not opposed to the idea, but the closer the better. Anyways, thanks for the advice!
Even the slowest 2.3 has almost double the HP as either or those, right? That makes me feel a little better lol. I would love to have an old diesel Merc, though.
An old diesel Merc is really nice to drive in a way that no modern Ford, Honda or whatever owner could grasp.
The VW was a ton van that drove like a Porsche among vans, as C+D described it back in the day.
Low powered for sure, but either a diesel Mercedes or an Vanagon is a treat to own, as reflected in their cult car values today.
The VW was a ton van that drove like a Porsche among vans, as C+D described it back in the day.
Low powered for sure, but either a diesel Mercedes or an Vanagon is a treat to own, as reflected in their cult car values today.
I have a couple dieselgate, one year only EA288 2015 VW's I bought new after the feds let VW sell them again in 2017. They are rated at 150HP and are definitely capable of freeway merging. Top speed is above 120mph somewhere. They will deliver 50mpg in the heat of summer. Closer to 40mpg in winter. They like the heat. I should have bought a couple more as they were extremely low cost, $18K for the Golf hatchback and $20K for the Sportwagen. They came with that huge added 12 year 162000 mile warranty which covers just about everything engine/fuel/exhaust. I guess there is actually an active market for these one off cars nowadays. Who could have predicted that?
