Faults:

Stock alternator failed at 80,000 miles.

Ball joints bad by 83,000.

Serpentine belt squeals at startup even after replacement.

Clutch pedal sticks occasionally, especially in winter months.

Stock radio has poor reception.

General Comments:

If buying a ranger with a 3.0, make sure it has a manual transmission and decent gears out back, especially if you're going to be towing anything or hauling heavy payloads. The 4.0 is a better overall choice for any 4x4 ranger.

Front and rear brakes have had to be replaced front and back, but I consider that normal wear and tear.

Exhaust is original and is in great shape.

Body and paint are in excellent condition.

Ford neglected to install grease fittings on front ball joints, so mine wore out fairly early. I recommend usign a grease gun needle to inject grease if your ball joints are still good.

Overall, maintenance on this truck is simple.

Faults:

Automatic transmission went bad and had to be replaced at 55,000 miles.

Valve cover gaskets keep leaking even after being replaced.

Interior dome light would stay on sometimes. I think it was caused by a leak when it rained. I would pull the bulb out for a while and then it would kinda fix itself... When it dried out?

17mpg.

It was a good truck, but I felt like when the tranny went out that Ford should have done something for me. Instead they said " Just bring it it and we will see exactly what the problem is. And only then can we make the determination if we will cover it under warranty". Of course they covered nothing. "after all sir, your past the 50,000 mile warranty"

General Comments:

The motor ran very well.

Faults:

No problems except routine things (oil, brakes, tires)

General Comments:

This is the 2nd ranger that I have owned. My first was a 1994. There is a good reason that these have been the best selling trucks for the past several years. If you maintain them, they will run for a long time.

The 1998 version is a big improvement over the 1994. The 2.5 is very reliable. Gas mileage is about 23 on the road and 20 around town with the auto.

I use my Ranger for general use. It has been a very good truck.

Faults:

Ball-joints around 100,000 miles, but I consider that normal maintenance.

Door ajar light stays on, just keep a can of WD40 or white lithium grease around and it keeps it working for a few months.

Driver seat is wore out, but what do you expect for a truck with 216,000 miles on it.

Power Steering Pump replaced.

General Comments:

This truck has been used extremely hard and just keeps asking for more. For a little truck I use this thing hard. It is just a 2 wheel drive, 4 cylinder, 5 speed truck, but, I have hauled countless severely over sized loads with this truck. I have actually had about 1 1/2 ton in the back and the leaf springs held up. It has hauled me across the country several times, and I have had nothing, but exceptional reliability out of this truck. It is good on gas and surprisingly roomy inside for a small truck. It has been in the desert in the heat of summer and in mountains in the dead of winter and it always started and got be where I needed to go. It still even has the original clutch after 216,000 miles. I have no plans to get rid of this truck, I am going to drive it till the wheels fall off. And when it finally does decide to give up, rest assured that Ford will have my business once again.