Fight the rising gas prices!
Written: Aug 28 '04
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Pros: Awesome gas mileage, COLD A/C System, Plenty of power
Cons: Noisy engine, light rear end
The Bottom Line: Economical and Reliable, this truck is a good value.
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| mbfty's Full Review: 2004 Ford Ranger Regular Cab |
I recently purchased the 2.3L 2WD, Standard transmission, Single Cab, short bed model. I chose the all-the-way cheap model, lacking a CD player, automatic transmission, and even carpet. Plastic floors.
I chose this truck based on price and fuel economy, as I am 18 years old and I have to drive an 80 Mile highway round trip to work and back every day. With a little extra running around, this truck costs me an average of $35 a week in gas here where gas is about $1.95 a gallon. VERY reasonable in my opinion, and the advertised 29MPG highway is obviously not an overstatement.
The interior isn't the most spacious, but any person in the market for a vehicle like this should already know what to expect. However, it will accomodate a large or tall person, as long as they arent looking to be completely comfortable. The seatbacks go all the way to the roof, and when leaned slightly back are extremely comfortable. They are very firm, which I like because it offers a lot of support for your back and such on long trips. The vinyl upholstery looks and almost feels like leather, and looks to be well sewn and sturdy. The rubber flooring I chose is excellent and easy to keep clean. I spilled an entire pepsi on it a week ago, and all I had to do was sop it up and wipe it down with a wet rag.
The windshield seems to be angled funny. When driving into the sun and using the sun visor, it seems like I can barely see the road ahead of me. This may be due to the truck being so close to the ground. There is only a minimal rear view, as the 2 seat backs block the rear window. While you can see most of the road, some of it is blocked by the seats. I feel this is a good trade for the comfort of full length seats. You just use the very good side mirrors a little more. So far, I have not found a blind spot with this truck.
The engine is a little noisy. I attribute this to the amount of plastic parts used on it. The valve cover and the intake manifold are both made of plastic. Although I cant seem to confirm it, I suspect the 2.3L engine is a Japanese made Mazda engine. On the dash, the tachometer does not show a red line for it. While I have never taken the engine over 4000 RPM, I think this engine does not red line at the 8000 RPM marked on the tach. Unloaded, it does pull HARD in 2nd and 3rd gears up to 4000 RPM. Under the hood, there is a mounting bracket with nothing on it near the top of the engine. I think this bracket is for a turbocharger. I expect to see a large aftermarket for this engine coming up.
The air conditioning in this truck will give you pnumonia! Most of the time if it rains or at night, I cant run it because it fogs up the rear window its so cold. Even here in South Florida, I can turn the A/C on low with the fan on low, and it keeps the truck nice and cool. 90% of the time I dont even have to turn the A/C to maximum. Definitely lives up to Ford's reputation to having the best Auto A/Cs in the business.
Hauling capacity is good. The bed is large enough to hold a full sized ATV without a problem. I recently hauled a Honda Foreman 450S 4X4 ATV in the bed with it. The engine seemed to only show a few signs of being loaded down, getting up to 75MPH on the interstate with only a little extra throttle. The suspension did fairly well. The weight of the ATV did lower the rear end quite a bit, but the shocks weren't even close to bottomed out. I went over 3 speed bumps with no problem. I'd estimate the ATV to weigh about 500lb or so. The brakes stopped everything without a problem.
The truck handles very well. The only complaint I have about the handling is when you hit a pothole or bump. The rear end has a tendency to hop up and move left or right a little bit, making the bump feel bigger than it really is. This is due to the trucks very light weight.
The exterior looks sharp this year. Ford changed the front end of the Ranger to resemble that of its big brothers, The F250 and F350. The ranger definitely looks much beefier than in the past. The front euro-styled head lights and turn signals look sharp.
I am very pleased with my new Ranger. This truck is an excellent choice for somebody looking for an economical vehicle with some utility abilities. It's excellent gas mileage and low price make it a good choice for those on a budget. The comfortable seats and ice cold A/C make riding in it a pleasure. I definitely recommend this vehicle.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 13000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: XL "Fleet" type
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Epinions.com ID:
mbfty
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Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 0 members
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