Add another vehicle to compare side-by-side
Ford’s "toy" truck
4 Comments | 100% of 2 people found this useful
4 Comments | Be the first to vote on this review
K Olsen on January 6, 2009 | Has worked on a 2009 Ford Ranger
It used to be known as the F 100 years ago, but somewhere along the line Ford decided to give this little truck that could its own name, the Ford Ranger. It’s designed for those who like trucks, but have no need for a large, or even a mid-sized pick-up. Compact yet hardy, this is perfect for suburbanites and urbanites who may want, but don’t necessarily need a truck. I’ve owned, worked on and towed many Ford Rangers, and although not what I personally need at the moment, they are good little trucks.
It may look like a truck, but it’s not really built for any heavy hauling; it can carry some weight in the bed but it will strain under anything more then 800 lbs. or so. Otherwise, it drives like a truck and has the classic truck bounce (but not overly so), but it lacks the torque of a truck. For those in colder climates, you should be aware that the RWD isn’t great in the snow, and that weight needs to be added. The fuel usage is generally good and runs between 20-25 MPG, though it declines greatly as you add load.
I’ve driven in more comfortable vehicles then the Ranger, where the seats aren’t bad but will win no prizes. The cab is small but sufficient and the dash has been laid out in a basic and familiar way, making it easy to become accustomed to. The body is also basic and hasn’t had any major changes in well over a decade. When buying a used Ford Ranger there are some issues that you should look out for. The Power train, brakes and fuel systems have a lot of issues. Some are well known, some are recalled, many are caused by small problems that were ignored. For example, the power train lines have leaks that aren’t overly bad at first, but if left unfixed will cause serious and expensive issues later on. Many of the Ranger’s downfalls are easily avoided with proper care, which isn’t too expensive and can easily be don in the driveway. Parts for general maintenance run between $25-$35. Dealers will charge well over $100 more for the same service; they like to tack on “inspection” charges for silly things like checking your windshield wiper fluid.
2009 Ford Ranger
- Overall
- Value
- Comfort
- Performance
- Styling
- Reliability
Flag
Did you find this review useful?
Comments for this review
Displaying 1-4 of 4 comments
-
Flag
gregd01 on May 4, 2009
Currently (May 09) this little truck is greatly over priced. Last month was "Truck Month" here in Texas and BASE Rangers were "Red Tag" priced in the 14-15K range for the most part. That is a ridiculous price for this truck. Just a couple of years ago, dealerships would run specials selling this truck for $9995 with air conditioner and it even dipped to $8995 at one point. That's about what its worth when you consider how small the overall truck is and especially the cab dimensions. The base truck has roll up windows and manual locks. The floors are rubber and seats are vinyl (good things to be sure but not elaborate). Tilt steering and cruise control are packaged together for an extra $225. A sliding glass window is not standard, which would go a long way to relieve the claustrophobia the cab can induce. Out back, the bed is standard metal. You can buy a bedliner and extender as options but you have to go aftermarket for a spray in liner. All in all, anybody that would pay $14K for that truck is crazy. And don't even get me started on the MSRP...now that truly is nuts. If you don't believe me, go on Ford's website and build your own. You will fall over laughing.
-
-
Flag
Don on June 23, 2009
I'm sorry, but I just don't understand the previous comments. I just paid $16,000 (Canadian) for an '09 sport model with automatic transmission and I can't get the grin off my face. This is one of the lowest priced vehicles on the market and significantly cheaper than anything else in its class.
-
Flag
chipper13101 on September 11, 2009
Don, I agree completely! A few weeks ago I picked up a 2009 Ford Ranger XL 4X4, 4.0litre 6 cyl., auto with air, satellite radio CD, full trailer package and bed liner for $19,000 Canadian. That is a screaming hot buy. It handles my 3000 lb boat no problem. Full marks to Ford and you gotta love that Ford employee pricing!