Posted on 02/02/2011 7:46:41 AM PST by OKSooner
Great thread. Looking at an F150 here, too.
Yeah, the Ranger filter is a pain. I did find a solution, though - the local Ford dealer will do an oil change on any vehicle bought from them for $12.95. I bought mine used, but it has their tag on the tailgate, and they don’t seem to care. :)
Given the cost of oil and filters these days, that deal is too good to pass up, and I’m much more likely to get the oil changed on schedule.
Mine goes great in the snow, especially with some weight added to the bed. It doesn’t have a locking rear differential, but I’d love to get that added. I’d want to talk to someone more knowledgeable than me, though, to see if its worth it and what the downside is.
I’ve had two Rangers, and my brothers have also had several over the years. No complaints from any of us. I’d guess that a gently used Ranger would be about as low-risk as possible with used cars. But, there’s always a risk. Before you buy, take whatever car you’re looking at to a good mechanic and have it checked out thoroughly. It’s cheap risk mitigation.
Ford hasn’t changed anything major on the Ranger in 15 years or more, so Rangers are clearly behind the times, but on the other hand, Ford has had a long time to work out the bugs. lol
Don’t take my advice but being a mechanic most of my life I have always seen the same results, a small super wound up stressed out engine will wear out or explosively fall apart more often than a heavier lower RPM normally aspirated (non turbocharger) engine.
Sure my 2002 Silverado 3500 dually with the 8.1L (496cid) is a gas hog, but its a peaceful non stressed out gas hog.
The green leaf either designates that the vehicle has an EcoBoost engine (in which case it normally says Ecoboost on the tail) or that it is a flex-fuel vehicle. Most likely you’re seeing a lot of flex-fuel vehicles - you CAN use E85 in those, but you don’t have to. Straight normal everyday gas will work fine.
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