Ford Ranger?

[QuailKiller]

I am looking for a 4x4 pickup that will get me fairly good milage.  I have mainly been looking at rangers.  Are these any good?  My preference would be a 4.0 V6 with extended cab.  Does this have very much power?  I wouldn't be towing anything heavy, maybe a small fishing boat.  I have also been thinking about a Nissan Frontier with the ext. cab.   Either way, I will have to buy an older model, because I can't afford a new one.

Thanks

[Keith L]

My Ranger is a 1999 4.0, automatic, 4X4.  It is an extended cab but with only two doors.  It averages around 20mpg, has plenty of power for me, and is fun to drive.  I have 203,000 miles on it and it is going strong.  I hope to get two more years and at least 100,000 more out if it.

Good luck.

[greenjeans]

I just sold a 1996 Mazda (Ford Ranger) extended cab with the 4.0 liter and 4 wheel drive. Owned it for three years and it was a great truck. Dependable and plenty of power. Pulled a small boat with it occasionally and plenty good for that. Sold it to a friend for his grandson when I bought a 4-door. Never had a problem.

[Cheesehead]

My company truck is a 2002 4.0 4x4 ext cab ranger and is dependable and has plenty of power great off road traction in deep snow,,but,, the gas mileage is no better than my full size f150 4x4 5.4L

Cheese

[mjbgalt]

just in case anyone didn't know...those are not the same 4.0 engines...they changed it somewhere around 2001.

i had a 1997 with the older 4.0 with automatic and 4x4 and got over 17 mpg in all-around driving...

i was very happy with it.

-Matt

[Keith L]

I have two vehicles with the old 4.0, and did have one prior.  I had one in an aerostar that pinged on all octane levels of gas and Ford was unable to fix it.  It also started using oil at 60,ooo miles and was traded off on a 96 Explorer that i still have.  It runs fine.  My 99 Ranger also needs mid grade gas to not ping and has since I got it with 22,000 miles on it.  Again all I get from Ford is "Some of the 4.0s do that..."

[str8shooter48]

Don't rule out a Chevy S-10 or a GMC Sonoma. I just traded in a '99 Sonoma 4x4 Ext cab 4.3 V-6. That was a great little truck. Gas mileage on mine was real good 16mpg city and around 23 Highway. I traded it for a 2006 GMC Canyon Ext Cab 4x4 3.5L I-5. I like it a lot too. but I don't think its going to give me the gas mileage of the old Sonoma. But then again its a little bigger truck.

[R.W.Dale]

 MY 2000 Nissan crew cab 4x2 with a 3.0 and a five speed would avg 18mpg in mixed driving and every once in awhile 20 on the hwy.  The exact same as my 94 chevy extended cab with a 350 auto.

 Untill some manufacturer sees fit to bring back a REAL mini pickup there's no free MPG lunch as far as trucks go. It really cheeses me off that trucks today get the same gas mileage they did 15 years ago only they have twice the power. I cannot for the life of me figure out what a 345Hp half ton truck does better than one with a 225 HP engine. How about a new 225 HP truck that gets 26 mpg now that would be usefull.