RANCHERO! With Bonus - 2022 WRX

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Jul 8, 2012
Messages
5,176
Location
Dickson, TN.
I’m in Memphis helping watch my nephews while my sister has an abdominal operation, and, while here, during a couple of hours of free time, thought I’d take the Tacoma over to Discount Tire because I’d noticed a rear tire out of balance.

While they were working on it, I thought I’d walk next door to Jim Keras Subaru to see if they had a 22 WRX on the lot.

Well…they did…despite the salesman who intercepted me telling me they didn’t.

It was in the back and was marked as sold. It was a fully loaded CVT model in red (MSRP: $44,000+)

This was the first 22 WRX I’ve seen in person.

Despite the controversial styling elements (cladding on wheel wells and lower rear bumper), it’s still an impressive ride, with some great-looking exterior elements (nose, side profile, coke bottle-like hips, “lava” taillights).

And it’s one heck of a drivers car, from everything I’ve read, and, despite the published on-paper specs, it’s going to be a weapon on a road course or mountain road in the right hands, and the new 2.4-liter turbo boxer engine has massive headroom for aftermarket power and torque improvement. It’s also unique from almost everything else on the market, and a tremendous bargain in base model trim ($30,000) among its peers and near-peers.

And the base model 6-speed would be my choice. In gray.

But, possibly more interesting was the Ranchero that belonged to a salesman that was also parked back here! What is this, about A 1976?

Ive always thought Rancheros were really cool - even more so maybe than El Caminos.

Anyone know much about them? What engine/trans combo does this likely have? 351? 390?

Was there a “GT”? Or is this just aftermarket paint embellishment by the owner?

What’s with the Spanish-sounding names “Ranchero” and “El Camino”?

Were “car pickups” like this particularly popular among folks of Latin heritage, or in Latin America, hence the names? Which came first? I assume one came before the other, then the other was introduced to compete?

Not real familiar with these, since, having been born in 1979, the peak for these was before my time. A neighbor did have a mid-80s El Camino when I was growing up, which he used as his household work vehicle/pickup. Which, the last ones that were made were not nearly as good looking or substantial (deliberate planned depreciation by GM in the mid-80s) as the earlier 60s and 70s models.

This car was in extremely good shape, with very fresh paint, restored interior, etc.

So neat!


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I'd never buy a WRX again.

El Camino and Ranchero are named to appeal to western love. The Road and Rancher. California and Latino names. Funny thing I was thinking about getting one as a retirement project car. El Camino fan myself. That later model Ranchero.........man what a whale but still cool.
 
In my humble opinion both vehicles provided a 'front seat' like a pick-up but likely shorted the consumer in payload but I do not know.
A "lighter duty pick-up" for many tasks is an OK idea. Built on a car frame/body, they could have cost less(?) and burnt less fuel...yes, some people actually considered fuel costs even decades ago (ha-ha). Maybe, in the earliest years, the El Camino/Ranchero vehicles had AC where the majority of pick-ups didn't?

The battering ram front ends of the latter days were too heavy looking.

Anyone recall Odd Job driving home from the junkyard with a cubed Lincoln -featuring Mr. Solo squashed inside- in the back of a Ford Falcon Ranchero. Was that the first generation design?
 
Yes, and that early model Ranchero showed no signs of an overload riding level with a 5000lb chunk in the bed! I preferred the shorter El Caminos and with cargo coils and the air shocks , it did fine on boneyard trips with heavy Buick nailheads, THM400s and whatever in the bed.
 
Yes order from Japan. Almost the very last hatch made.
Hmm. I had the next generation (2016) for 3 years, and it was a very good car.

No mods on mine, though. But the guy who bought it from me did mod it, and it was very reliable for him.
 
Hmm. I had the next generation (2016) for 3 years, and it was a very good car.

No mods on mine, though. But the guy who bought it from me did mod it, and it was very reliable for him.
I think the newer engine turbo combo is much better.

I did sound deaden mine. So I was never a fiend in it. I also did suspension mods and boy was it great on slick stuff.

The tranny going out was hmmm tolerable but the wiring rotting so early in life taking the alternator out......

The Toyota dealer didn't care. Huge trade in value on the Tacoma.
 
I think the newer engine turbo combo is much better.

I did sound deaden mine. So I was never a fiend in it. I also did suspension mods and boy was it great on slick stuff.

The tranny going out was hmmm tolerable but the wiring rotting so early in life taking the alternator out......

The Toyota dealer didn't care. Huge trade in value on the Tacoma.
I do know a guy at work, who had piston ring land failure on his 2014 model, and got a new engine under warranty.

They hold their value so well. I sold mine in 2019, but, used car values have gone up so much, that I probably could have gotten the same amount this year for mine, had I kept it. I sold mine for $17,000 in 2019 (Paid $25,500 new off an MSRP of $28,000)
 
That Ranchero is a 77-79 which was the last year's they made the car. The GT was a factory option, but it was just an appearance and interior package, not a performance package. This car would have come powered by a 302, 351W, 351M or a 400. There was no 400 in 1979. All of these engines were low powered by today's standards, but most can easily be modified to make more power. Transmissions were C4, FMX or C6 and they used a 9" Ford rear axle. They share the same chassis as the 1977-79 Thunderbird, Cougar and LTD II.

These later year Rancheros can be picked up for less money than say those from the more desirable years in the late 1960s and early 1970s. That said, they are easy to repair and modify. I know of a person with a 79 Ranchero which has a 500 hp stroker big block, upgraded suspension and brakes. It's one mean street machine.
 
Holy smokes, that Subaru looks soooo terrible with all the plastic crap above the wheels and rear bumper.
 
It also gets worse gas mileage than the ascent 8 passenger with same engine.
wrx cvt 19/25
f150 is 18/24
ascent is 21/27,
outback with 2.4 is 23/30.
Legacy with same engine is 24/32

I could understand if it was tuned up firebreather but it makes same power as last gen 2.0T and aprox the same power as all the other 2.4T vehicles.

Not sure what they could do to it that would make it suck gas at 70mph on the highway like an f150.. but apparently.... 🤬

I say all this as a subaru fan. Have owned 3 personally.

Also check out outback wilderness a look only a mother could love?

The cladding is hideous with any color other than black(or maybe white).
dont look at all the promo photos.. actual dealer photo.
Ugliest thing since the Aztek?
Nice car but the 4+mpg penalty of the wilderness package is pretty steep too.. vs the regular outback XT.
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