96firephoenix
Master
Located in Indianapolis, IN.
Well, the new Kid made me buy an Explorer, so it's time to get rid of my Ranger. I'm asking $2800 for this on Craigslist, and $[STRIKE]2300[/STRIKE]2000 on the forum. Trades are welcome, but I can't go more than 20% the total, E.g. $400 trade value and $1600 cash.
1997 Ranger 2.3/5sp/2WD Cherry Red, Step-side Bed, 213,000 miles.
I've really grown to love this truck. It has been easy to work on, has been extremely reliable, especially considering the poor condition I bought it in. All of the work was done as restorative work with the intention of keeping the truck for several years. I've got a lot more than my asking price in this truck (I know that is the standard line, but I've got about $6800 in it with parts and labor), and I just need to get rid of it.
I would definitely recommend this as a first car for a teenager: There's no backseat to fill up with distracting friends that will cause a wreck; it doesn't look like much, so your kid's ego won't balloon; it's easy on gas (my new explorer gets 18 highway to the 28 I got with this Ranger); it's fun to drive; learning stick builds character; It has already had a lot of the maintenance issues addressed (see below for exclusions), and even with the high mileage, it will last well into college age, assuming it isn't wrecked.
Speaking of wrecked: I go to the junkyard for parts, and I see these trucks all the time that have been flipped, rolled, etc..., and the cabins hold up really well. Oddly enough, better than the Explorers of the same year.
I've gotten spectacular mileage out of this, even without cruise control (which isn't hard to add on these trucks). I've gotten 28mpg as my best, and that was 3 tanks in a row in the summer, mostly highway. My worst consistent mileage was 22 mpg in the winter, all city. EPA rating is 21/24, and that would be poor mileage for me on that truck, at least in the summer.
I've done a lot of work to this truck, and had a lot of work done to it. In the 14 months that I've owned it, I've done the following:
As a high-mileage vehicle, it will need some things almost right away:
This old truck also has some minor quirks about it:
Hail damage on roof:
Removed the bed and replaced the bracket? pics or it didn't happen:
Well, the new Kid made me buy an Explorer, so it's time to get rid of my Ranger. I'm asking $2800 for this on Craigslist, and $[STRIKE]2300[/STRIKE]2000 on the forum. Trades are welcome, but I can't go more than 20% the total, E.g. $400 trade value and $1600 cash.
1997 Ranger 2.3/5sp/2WD Cherry Red, Step-side Bed, 213,000 miles.
I've really grown to love this truck. It has been easy to work on, has been extremely reliable, especially considering the poor condition I bought it in. All of the work was done as restorative work with the intention of keeping the truck for several years. I've got a lot more than my asking price in this truck (I know that is the standard line, but I've got about $6800 in it with parts and labor), and I just need to get rid of it.
I would definitely recommend this as a first car for a teenager: There's no backseat to fill up with distracting friends that will cause a wreck; it doesn't look like much, so your kid's ego won't balloon; it's easy on gas (my new explorer gets 18 highway to the 28 I got with this Ranger); it's fun to drive; learning stick builds character; It has already had a lot of the maintenance issues addressed (see below for exclusions), and even with the high mileage, it will last well into college age, assuming it isn't wrecked.
Speaking of wrecked: I go to the junkyard for parts, and I see these trucks all the time that have been flipped, rolled, etc..., and the cabins hold up really well. Oddly enough, better than the Explorers of the same year.
I've gotten spectacular mileage out of this, even without cruise control (which isn't hard to add on these trucks). I've gotten 28mpg as my best, and that was 3 tanks in a row in the summer, mostly highway. My worst consistent mileage was 22 mpg in the winter, all city. EPA rating is 21/24, and that would be poor mileage for me on that truck, at least in the summer.
I've done a lot of work to this truck, and had a lot of work done to it. In the 14 months that I've owned it, I've done the following:
- Replaced the front rotors (pads have about 40% life as of today)
- Rear brakes professionally serviced and parking brake functionality restored
- Removed the bed and ground off all the old rotten suspension mounts and replaced with bolt-on brackets
- Treated the aft 1/2 of the frame as it was accessible with the bed off for rust (wire wheel and rust-activated primer with undercoat)
- Replaced front wheel bearings
- Replaced all steering components except Pitman arm
- Replaced leaking Power steering pressure hose and sensor
- Replaced Ball Joints Upper+Lower, Left+Right
- Replaced spark plugs and wires, air filter, and regular oil changes
- Replaced shocks all 4 corners/front coil springs
- Added a rear sway bar - this was a huge upgrade in performance, both cornering and straight line.
- Removed previous owner's poorly-wired stereo. I think I've removed all the components, but there might be something still left.
- Removed previous owner's poorly-installed Tint on side windows. Still there on back glass, but side windows were replaced with parts stripped from my first ranger before it goes to the junkyard. Pictures still show old...
- New headlight housings. the old ones were faded badly and passed about 20% of their intended wattage. Pictures still show old...
- Replaced bulbs in instrument panel - all work at startup.
- Restored usability to spare tire mount - was badly rusted, but is functional now. Spare tire is an almost-full-sized tire - it is not the same size as the other 4, but it is not a donut spare either. Has roughly 90 Miles on it from when I got a flat once.
- Added a Class III Reese hitch and 6-round wiring connector (currently no accy or brake wiring at connector) Plug+Play wiring harness from NAPA for trailer lights.
- Added roll-up vinyl Tonneau cover - +3 mpg after doing this
- New rear tires approx. 2,000 miles ago
- Walmart shift handle - it's not pretty, and it needs the bore reamed out from .500 in. to 13 mm to fit right, but it won't come off in your hand like the factory one.
As a high-mileage vehicle, it will need some things almost right away:
- The clutch is the factory one. It still engages and drives, but don't park on a hill and expect the clutch to save you. Definitely would be good to teach a 16-year-old on: if (s)he can learn on this worn out clutch, driving a stick will be no problem. This repair was quoted at $450-750 depending on the shop. RockAuto has the clutch kit for $100-ish.
- It is soon due for a timing belt change. This interval hits every 80K miles according to my owner's manual. I have no way of knowing if this was done at 80K or 160K, But I would assume the 160K interval wasn't hit, just to be safe. I was going to do it this summer, but we had a kid, and the pickup has to go. The wife will not let me spend any more in repairs except to correct something that may pose a danger to an inexperienced driver.
- Due to failing ball joints, the front tires experienced excessive wear. They do not require immediate replacement, but will need to be replaced before they are used on snow.
- I would recommend ordering a new key from a Ford Dealer. they can make you a key that will match the original key. I've got a copy that was badly worn when I got it, and a copy that was made from that badly worn copy. The badly worn copy is so bad you can remove it from the ignition after starting the car. The copy of the copy actually retains in the ignition, oddly enough. Both keys will unlock the driver's door, but will not lock either door or unlock the passenger door.
- Fuel Filter is probably due. I might have one that will fit in the garage. If so, I will install it and delete this line.
- Standard tail-gate rot that seems to effect all step-sides. I've not seen a single one at the junkyard without this same exact rust pattern on the tailgate.
This old truck also has some minor quirks about it:
- AC does not hold coolant. It blows cold air for so long as you stand there dumping R134 into the supply port, but as soon as you stop feeding it, it escapes. I suspect the drier can is to blame. There is a lot of corrosion on this element, and a die test showed no leaks elsewhere, so I assume the die was absorbed by the thermal blanker
- The truck was in a hail storm at some point in its life. there is no structural damage, but the hood and roof look like someone hit it with a hammer.
- Pass fender has an odd dent. It looks like a branch may have fallen on it at some point, and the dent poorly pulled. I suspect it is damage from same aforementioned hail storm.
- Lotsa scratches in the paint, particularly from where the driver's foot has scraped the door jam getting in and out over the years.
- The whole time I've owned it, the dome lights did not work and the door alarm was slightly odd. I've got it narrowed down to the wiring that leads to the door switch. There is a fault to ground that only exists when the switch is plugged in and the door is closed. I've unplugged the switch, so electrically speaking the Driver's door is always closed. This results in the dome lights working when the Pass. door is open, or when the dimmer switch commands it. The downside to this is that the key-in and headlights-on chimes do not function.
- Stereo is just a plain AM/FM stereo. No tape deck, no CD player.
Hail damage on roof:
Removed the bed and replaced the bracket? pics or it didn't happen:
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