I have a 1997 Ranger, and I love it. That is, I love everything about it except for the fact that I've been replacing motors at intervals shorter than oil changes. First motor went bad at 128k, just about 900 miles after I bought it. I think I got hosed, the previous owner must not have maintained it. Put a junkyard motor in, with 94k on it. around a thousand miles later again it started knocking and got worse fast. I have been babying them, using good oil and filters, and changed the oil as soon as I got it, then with the new motor, then about 800 miles after motor swap. Hoping third time is the charm, but I digress... All this frustration got me thinking about financing a newer Ranger, 2006 or newer maybe. Carmax shows 10 4 cyl 5 speed trucks in their whole inventory of the country, and there were maybe 12 between the 15 dealers near me. All around $15k too! Just got me wondering what all your thoughts would be on this (other than people keeping them because they stopped making them) and also if anybody had an idea where else to look... Craigslist turns up nothing either!! Just ranting and putting this out there to see what you say...

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The Baby: 1997 Red Ford Ranger Regular Cab, 2.3 liter 4 cylinders of justice! M5OD 5 stick shift, rear wheel drive. 3.73 gears. 130,XXX as of May 2014.

The Big One: 1984 Red Ford F250 Regular Cab, 6.9 liter IDI V8 diesel. Borg-Warner T-19 4-speed manual, 4x4 manual hubs and manual transfer case. 3.55 gears. 281,XXX as of May 2014.

youre not looking hard enough..and fuck carmax...they are scum...look at cars.com

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2021 F150 5.0 Screw

Past:18 F150 2.7, 16 F150 5.0, 14 F150 5.0, 07 F150 5.4, 03 Ranger 4.0

Master Certified Ford Parts / Warranty Admin

Get a reman crate motor and call it a day.

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2000 Ford Ranger XLT
Extended Cab
3.0 Flex
4x4
Manual Transmission
Offroad Package

to be honest all I see for sale are 93-00 rangers. everyone is hanging on to newer ones.

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2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Sport Fx4 Crew Cab

2014 Ford F150 STX Sport 4x4 TRADED
2006 Ford Ranger Ext cab 4x4 TRADED
1999 Ford Ranger Reg cab 2wd SOLD

Id rather have a 93-97 ranger any day.. My 97 ranger is one big mean jacked up machine.. I bought it for a cheap price of 3000 bucks and ive put another 4500 bucks in it, but it was well worth it.. My 97 ranger looks just as nice as a newer ranger, and the best part is it's paid for!! NO TRUCK PAYMENT

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ALL JACKED UP..... 4.0 V6 manual 5 speed, K&N cold air filter system, Helix high tower throttle body spacer, 33/12.50r15 BF Goodwrench A/T, 456 gears, 4" suspension lift, 3" body lift, james duff arms, fox racing shocks, superlift springs, dual exhaust, flowmaster super 10, Pioneer DEH-X9600BHS, Polk Audio MM series speakers and 10" subs, Polk Audio Amps, Rockford fosgate wiring and capacitor, Streetglow lights.. http://www.jamesduff.com/
http://streetglow.com
http://facebook.com/clinton64xl

I know of atleast 4 late models for sale! all in clean condition

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2020 KW T800
Quad Axle Dump Truck
MX13 PACAR I6
The Lone Ranger

You nailed it. As someone else said, get a remanufactured engine. If everything else is good, then repair.

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1994 B4000 5 speed 4x4
31x10.50 Bridgestone Dualer A/T
Throttle cable mod, tinted windows, tool box

There's a lot of newer ones around my place... Heck I looked at two 2010s and got one of them and I went to look at a 09 and they had new 2012 on the lot but they were asking way too much for them (still around early 2013)

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2010 Torch Red Ford Ranger Sport 4x4. 4.0 SOHC, Automatic Transmission, 3:73 gears, RCI Skid Plate, Toolbox, headache rack, tbar crank, 24" led light bar, k&n drop-in air filter, 3 inch body lift, Prekeys, Belltech 6400 shackles, and 33x12.50r15 Procomp Extreme Mud Terrains on 15x10 Mickey Thompson Classic Baja locks

Rust eats your gen alive where I live. But it does to any vehicle that age too

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2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Sport Fx4 Crew Cab

2014 Ford F150 STX Sport 4x4 TRADED
2006 Ford Ranger Ext cab 4x4 TRADED
1999 Ford Ranger Reg cab 2wd SOLD

Cars.com turned up a few more results in my area, thanks for the tip! With its third engine, everything seems to be working okay, but I've only had it on the road for 4 days, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I have to say I do love the simplicity of these 2.3 limas. It was just an idea I have been playing around with to finance a new one, less rust, fewer miles, etc... but a friend with a 2011 F250 @35k is having brake and suspension problems already, so I guess I still have a chance of plenty of trouble... and when it hits, its a lot more complicated.

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The Baby: 1997 Red Ford Ranger Regular Cab, 2.3 liter 4 cylinders of justice! M5OD 5 stick shift, rear wheel drive. 3.73 gears. 130,XXX as of May 2014.

The Big One: 1984 Red Ford F250 Regular Cab, 6.9 liter IDI V8 diesel. Borg-Warner T-19 4-speed manual, 4x4 manual hubs and manual transfer case. 3.55 gears. 281,XXX as of May 2014.

They will pry my 1994 out of my cold dead hands....

no desire to get a "newer" one. When my motor quits (and soon judging by the knocking)
a re manufactured will be installed. Even if i put it on a credit card 0% interest for 12 months at $2000, that is only $166 a month... less then a truck payment

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This is the company i am concerting dealing with
http://www.autoiweb.com/warranty.html
for my 1994 4.0 they want $1980
core charge $100
3 year unlimited mileage warranty...(even if i put in)
Free ship 3-5 days (lift gate service to my house)
No tax
Free return shipping on core(lift gate to my house)

they seem to have a good customer rating that i can see.

If your ranger is in other wise good shape that is what i would do


just my $0.02

They were asking a lot for the 2012 because it's a unicorn.

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2000 Ford Ranger XLT
Extended Cab
3.0 Flex
4x4
Manual Transmission
Offroad Package

With a bow around the horn?

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2010 Torch Red Ford Ranger Sport 4x4. 4.0 SOHC, Automatic Transmission, 3:73 gears, RCI Skid Plate, Toolbox, headache rack, tbar crank, 24" led light bar, k&n drop-in air filter, 3 inch body lift, Prekeys, Belltech 6400 shackles, and 33x12.50r15 Procomp Extreme Mud Terrains on 15x10 Mickey Thompson Classic Baja locks

You saw 2012 Rangers on a lot?? ??

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1999 Ranger 3.0FFV-ExtCab-4x4-My 99 Build
1998 Ranger 3.0-ExtCab-4x4-PROJECT TRUCK-My 98 Build

Its now got a junkyard 98k mile motor in it... If I can get the truck to 200K (another 70k) without huge problems ill be pretty happy... you guys just talked me out of the truck payment idea, I hate debt. Also love the mechanical simplicity of these things, I'd have a lot more trouble working on a 2010 than my old lima...

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The Baby: 1997 Red Ford Ranger Regular Cab, 2.3 liter 4 cylinders of justice! M5OD 5 stick shift, rear wheel drive. 3.73 gears. 130,XXX as of May 2014.

The Big One: 1984 Red Ford F250 Regular Cab, 6.9 liter IDI V8 diesel. Borg-Warner T-19 4-speed manual, 4x4 manual hubs and manual transfer case. 3.55 gears. 281,XXX as of May 2014.