Faults:

Rear brakes at 161k miles.

Plugs and wires at 163k miles.

Rear end at 169k miles.

IAC at 166k miles.

Rust at cab corners and front bed seam.

Broken springs in driver's side seat.

Broken hinge on center console.

Throw-out bearing starting to go.

Cleaned MAF sensor at 168k miles.

Exhaust fell off the day I got it registered.

General Comments:

Pretty good little truck.

Good on gas (24 city, 29 highway, not even joking).

The 2.3 is a little underpowered when it comes to hills, but it'll usually hold 55 in 4th gear up a steep incline.

Mazda M5OD-R1 transmission shifts very smoothly.

Very little cab noise.

It's got a Thrush Welded muffler (Flowmaster knock-off) and sounds pretty decent for a 4 cyl.

It takes a little gas to take off, but you get used to it.

I put a K&N stock replacement lifetime filter in it, and it REALLY woke that little 4 banger up!

LOVES to go 70 mph! Really gotta watch the speedometer!

Can't haul much in the short bed, but who cares! I was getting 29 mpg before the snow fell and I parked it for the winter (and that's with a bad rear differential).

Not the quickest truck in town, but my friends tell me the passenger's seat is pretty comfortable!

I towed a car with it, and the truck said "Is there something behind me? Oh, it's a STRATUS being TOWED by ME! MUAHAHAHA!"

A little on the light side to be towing a Dodge Stratus with... you can feel an empty tow dolly behind 'em.

SCARY to drive on gravel (being it a standard cab, short bed truck).

EVEN SCARIER to drive in the snow.

Faults:

Had to replace the battery and shocks at 110,000 miles; the shocks were in really bad shape.

General Comments:

This little truck is seriously dependable, and has not let me down. I have had more problems with my other cars, and they are newer models.

Lots of room in the cab for the driver and the passenger.

With a 4.0 engine, I can tow heavy loads and still have good acceleration power.

The only thing I don't like is the annoying door bell, and I waited too long to buy a Ranger.

Faults:

I have only had simple/quick cheap fix problems.

EGR valve replaced at 160000 miles.

Catalytic converter replaced at 169000 miles.

Idle pulley replaced also at 169000 miles.

General Comments:

With regular maintenance on this truck, it now has almost 200000 miles on the original motor. It ticks a little bit, but that can be expected with the high mileage.

Manual locking hubs for the 4x4, and I have climbed banks and been down 4 wheeler paths, and haven't been in a place I cannot get out of yet. This truck goes like a tank in the ice and snow as well.

I get about 25 mpg on average, and I haul wood and have hauled logs on a trailer behind it. Best vehicle I've had.

Faults:

Wheel bearing on its way out when I bought it. Still haven't replaced.

Alternator bit it at 144,000.

Clutch replaced at 142k.

Rear drum brake self adjusters are starting to stick badly.

Rough idle sporadically.

Wipers will turn on sporadically.

Bearing in cooling fan bad.

General Comments:

Wow, coming from a 1993 Ford Ranger (which I loved and regret selling), this Ranger is a nightmare. I commute 100 miles a day, and let me tell you this is not a happy little truck when given that task.

It has left me stuck and stranded more than once in the Minnesota winter, which Ford obviously didn't consider when designing a heating system for this truck. The 2.3 has a hard timing getting to operating temperature in the summer, much less when it's 20 below. With the radiator blocked with cardboard, and the cooling fan removed, I can expect ADEQUATE heat about 40 minutes into my commute.

I love the looks, interior styling and design as well as the overall feel of how it goes down the road (which it does very well). I was getting about 26 mpg in the summer, which wasn't bad in my opinion, now in February it's never more than 20, which is pretty pathetic considering the 100hp engine makes freeway merging an adrenaline pumping experience.

Plagued by nickel and dime issues, I have to say the this Ranger has really turned me off the model that I once swore by.

Maybe it's just first year OBDII issues, but nonetheless, I'm very disappointed with this one.