Faults:

Very few. It has lasted me for 7 years so far with only regular maintenance. The timing belt and spark plugs were replaced, as well as the tires and brake pads. But that is expected. The shocks are worn down too, but it still rides fairly smoothly.

General Comments:

This truck is very reliable, and I am very happy with my decision. When I bought it in 2001 I bought it in part based on the surveys on carsurvey.org from other Ranger owners. And the truck is a really good vehicle. I feel safe driving it hundreds of miles without fear of it breaking down, even though it is 9 years old.

I hope to get another 5-10 years on it and to break 200k miles. I would love to still be driving my Ranger that cost me $6000 back in 2001 in the year 2015 when I have put 200,000 miles on it. I can afford a better car, but I want to keep this one. Reading some of the Ranger reviews makes me think I can get another 5-10 years out of it.

Faults:

I have had to replace a couple of fuses, the turn-signal stalk and an assortment of parts in the front suspension. Nothing too serious or un-expected.

General Comments:

I love my little truck. It's not the 500hp big-block rocket I got rid of, but it has yet to fail me. Even on the coldest mornings (-20f) it starts without a fuss. Best of all it gets amazing gas millage. Find me another truck that is this capable and still gets just shy of 30mpg; I'm all ears.

I have towed trailers weighing 7000 pounds (exceeding Ford's recommendations by half a ton) with no problem. I have driven through the worst weather northern Michigan can throw at me lacking 4-wheel drive or a locking rear-end with no problem.

For a totally stock truck, it has a really nice sound system.

If I didn't think it was 100% dependable I wouldn't let my girlfriend use it. If I didn't think it was 120% safe I wouldn't let my little sister ride shotgun.

Faults:

Upper ball joints twice.

Tailgate cables broke.

Vehicle speed sensor and odometer.

EGR junction box rusted off mounts and cracked.

Front brake rotors are a wear item with (OEM recommended) ceramic pads.

General Comments:

My Step side Ranger is a real "do everything" vehicle. In it's prime it got moderate gas mileage (@25MPG), hauled a modest amount of cargo, and towed about 2000lbs. albeit not happily. In short if you think you might need to tow a small trailer, may want to get some construction supplies, and want better fuel economy than a full-size vehicle, the Ranger will be just fine. If you want to do any or all of these things regularly, buy a full size truck. Full sheets of drywall or plywood will not fit between the fenderwells at 44".

The ride is pretty rough, in my opinion due to the short wheelbase. Power is lacking in the four cylinder, even with a 5-speed, but that was never the strong suit of a 4-cylinder.

I would recommend a Ranger as an excellent first vehicle. A small cab prevents a bunch of teenagers hopping in and getting crazy ideas, it's good enough on gas, the low power prevents excess speeding and the relatively simple drive train makes for a good vehicle to learn diy repairs.

Faults:

Not a thing has gone wrong with this truck yet. When I bought it, it had a new engine along with a lot of other new parts. Other than the wipers having a mind of there own, all of the things that are suppose to work, work!

General Comments:

The extended cab is a must for that extra leg room, or any gear you need to throw in the back. The 4x4 system works flawlessly and gets through even the roughest terrains. I can see myself in four years driving this same truck, and I will beifit even more so than today by using E85 ethanol though the 3.0L, which will be considerably less after it is more widely used. I'm shooting for the 250,000 mile mark and plan to go past it!