Faults:

Everything went wrong at the same time.

Had it fixed; I don't even remember what the first item was. In the end, we spent months and thousands on a truck that was not worth it.

Replaced clutch, spark plugs, fuel lines, fuel tank, multiple sensors, gaskets, transmission rebuilt, engine partially rebuilt, computer system, alternator, starter, and I know I am forgetting more. One day it just started misfiring. Next thing I know I got a call saying it's now this and this. Towed it to another mechanic, and he said the same thing, so I had him fix things. It is still not running because now it's this and this. Towed it to another mechanic he said the same thing, but now it's also this and this. All together 3 mechanics in small repair shops and 6 mechanics in a large one and it took forever. Because of the nature and the order things failed, I had to keep buying some things over and over, like the clutch, spark plugs, alternator, and starter.

General Comments:

Nice cheap truck when we bought it.

First few years all minor repairs.

Still doesn't drive right.

Faults:

The Cam sensor was a very poor design and almost all that I saw were broken.

General Comments:

Was great truck other than sensor,this was my second I6 ranger first was a 1987 I6 also and I got 489755 miles out of it before it died.

Faults:

Brakes sticking, brake lights randomly lighting, AC knob broke off, headlight knob broke behind the dash, constantly overheating, fuel gauge sender broken twice in 6 months (fuel gauge not working), starter went bad, clutch replaced, stick shift knob fell off.

All of this WELL BEFORE the 50K miles mark.

General Comments:

Gas mileage is terrible for a 4 cylinder. My 1971 VW bus gets better mileage.

Faults:

Nothing serious, just average wear and tear.

At 200,000 miles, I had to change the MAF sensor. (90 dlls repair).

At 218,000 miles, I had to change the U joints. (80 dlls repair)

That's it.

General Comments:

This truck has been fantastic since the day I got it. It still has lots of power, I got it because I needed a small reliable truck for my work.

Today I just got back from a long delivery trip, from El paso TX to Denton Ohio, and then went back to San Antonio TX, and this truck took me everywhere, no problems, just pump gas and that's it. Sometimes I almost got 100 mph on long straight roads and the truck still feels solid.

The gas consumption is great for an old and high mileage V6.

This Ford Truck is a rock, this one is a keeper.

Faults:

Alternator replaced at 80k miles; full break job at 80k miles; driver-side door handle return spring broke at 70k miles (but door still functions OK).

General Comments:

This is the 2wd Ranger with the 4 cyl engine --the no frills model. It's got manual transmission, crank windows, no air-con, manual locks, manual steering... a factory AM/FM cassette player is the only luxury installed. My truck is that really loud electric blue that Ford does. Since I bought it used I didn't get to pick the color.

This truck is a bit under-powered. I've wished for more go when I'm on the freeway. The cab is small. If you're over 6 feet tall then it can be a tough fit. Although a lap-belt is provided for a center passenger, this truck is really a 2-seater, especially with the manual transmission in the middle. Everything in the cab is very basic. No fancy instruments.

With the bad out of the way, let me say that this truck has been very good to me. I maintain it regularly. I feel like the amount of repair work I've had to pay for has been very, very minimal. Gas mileage for this truck is right good. I'm sure I get 25-27 mpg on the highway. Total cost of operating and ownership has been great! Probably cheaper to operate then a fine bicycle.

I've driven this truck across country twice and braved Northern New England Winters with it. I also used it as a city truck in San Francisco. It's a very versatile truck. It has carried furniture, canoes, logs, sand, and more. Sandbags over the rear axel are a must for snow driving --this truck is extremely light in the rear.

Handling is not very tight. This truck should never be used as a get-away car. It does, however, hold alignment very well. Even after bouncing over fire roads for many months I've never had a problem. It drives straight as an arrow. I've owned other vehicles that couldn't hold a line for more than a week under similar conditions.

The current Blue Book on this truck is so low that I will likely never get rid of it. It is simply *worth* more than what I could possibly get for it or what you can buy it for. I believe that my truck is one of the good ones --every make/model has good ones and bad ones! If you can find a good 96 Ranger sans the frills, it can serve you very well.

One final note: good, high-$ all weather tires can make all of the difference in the world in how this truck handles when it is not equipped with power steering. The light rear-end (where the drive wheels are) demands good traction for wet or frozen conditions. That's another reason to spend good money on tires for this truck.

Ultimately, this truck looks better with a little body rust. Put a cap on it, fill the back with sandbags and empty beercans, and you're ready to take on the world. I have turned this truck over to valet attendants at some of the finest restaurants in the U.S. You never have to worry that they'll take it for a joy ride. I like to give 'em a crisp five dollar bill along with instructions to "put it up front" or "don't scratch it." The sheer ugliness of my well-worn, no-frills truck commands respect everywhere I go.