Here is the deal, I need to drive 70 miles to work and back, 98% freeway. My first choice is picking up a used Ranger. I keep going around in circles that the 4.0 uses too much gas and the 4cyl is too slow. Looked at a 92 F-150 with a 300 six and a 5 speed, but am leary of the Mazda tranny.

I need some new input, my brain is getting overloaded.

 

The Mazda tranny would be fine. Why not look for a 3.0 Ranger?

 

Since this is a truck site, I would recommend either the 4 cyl or 4.0 and skip the 3.0. Many things are tough to change on the 3.0, the worse one being the oil filter.

Since it is almost all highway with very little stop and go and you do NOT need 4x4, I would go with a 4 cyl and manual on the Ranger. My service manager had a 3.0 and AT and I got better gas mileage then he did, with my lead foot, with a 4.0 and MT.

Taurus makes a nice commuting car, especially if you get all the options, though the truck will always have a good resale value even when its a piece of junk.

 

do you *need* a truck for a daily driver?

I suggest : early 90's gm B-body like Caprice . 20 mpg or more if well tuned up.

or better yet, something more fun even. A subaru maybe? I know they are not in the same category, but you will like 30+ mpg.

I am in the same situation as you. Finding out there aren't any nice 4 cylinders made, not domestic and don't really want to mess with foreign ones.

 

If you don't have to have a truck, I really like Chevy Cavaliers. We just bought my wife her 3rd in a row and they have been extrememly reliable cars and get great gas mileage (over 30 mpg highway). The Ford Taurus with a 3.0 would be another good choice if you want to stay with a blue oval. I bought my 3rd straight 3.0 Ranger in March 2002 and I really like them, obviously. The 3.0 is the most proven reliable engine in the current Ranger lineup and I get 21 mpg combined in a 4x4.

 

The mazda tranny is fine, the only time you have trouble with it is with a big hp engine.

 

The Mazda 5 speed on my 95 300 six ran fine. But the 300 still ony yielded about 14-15 MPG.

The newer Mazda trucks are advertising mid to high 20's MPG. I'm sure there is a comparable Ranger.

 

how about an old crown vic, or grand marquis, my 92 marquis get's 24-26mpg highway, with plenty of power, great ride. and lots of comefort..... plus ya gotta love having a v8

 

I can't stand GM cars but I like Buicks find one with a supercharged 3.8

 

I test drove a 97 Ranger with a 4cyl and 5 speed today. Power seemed ok. It was a standard cab and I would have liked a little more room. Hit my head on the dome light when I was getting in one time.

Keep the idea's coming. I just don't want to have to show up here in a rice box.

 

Get yourself a nice acura integra roflmao.

No. Dont do that.


Honestly if your looking at a ranger then gas milage isn't THE MOST IMPORTANT THING for you. Got to consider other things. ie; in a rice burner your going to pay an arm and a leg for replacement parts.


Dont know how old you are but if insurance isn't a biggie what about a newer v6 stang? They are CHEAP and still RWD :-) Be a nice daily for me if I didn't have "young person who has speeding ticket" insurance ;/ (as it is my 79 f-150 custom 2wd has great insurance rates on it


Chado

 

I had a 3 liter manual ranger and I loved it.
As for the mazda transmission... they are ok
Friend has on in a 93 F-150 w/ 300 6 in it...
It was ok but not all that strong behind that motor in that heavy truck.
Id recommend the 4 liter ranger, they drive good and dont get that bad of gas mileage.

 

If it's all freeway why don't you just look for a good mileage car. I don't know of very many pickups out there that get better mileage than most cars, however I had an 81 Ford Courier that wasn't too bad. Heck, my Grandpa still drives his. He loves those things and he has had 3. In fact he had one that he had pushed out to pasture because it was so beat up and the engine needed rebuilt. It had almost 300,000 miles on it too. Well, I came along and told him I'd take it, his response was, "you don't want that". Well needless to say I rebuilt and restored the whole thing when I was a freshman in high school. It was my first truck. Virtually trouble free with the 2.3 and 5 speed. I still have it today, but I don't drive it, the steering box has too much slop in it as it has been adjusted as far as it will adjust, and the engine is in need of a rebuild.

Anyway, if I were you I'd get a decent gas car. I drive a '99 Mazda Protege' back and forth to school, 70 miles round trip everyday, and that car has plenty of power (no joke) and really good mileage and have never had 1 thing go wrong with it. It's now over 100,000 miles. I average anywhere from 36-40 mpg, and that's no lie. Plenty of room too, as I am 6' 5" tall. And for you guys who hate ricers, I don't know what to tell ya. Mine is all stock if that counts for anything.

 

99 Mazda Protege....hmmm, will have to check that out. I wouldn't know one if it bit me. I am in a kind of a rush with maybe 3 weeks to come up with something. Thanks for the info.

 

I should tell you that mine is a 5 speed. I drove a loner Protege' from the dealership when my '99 was getting an anual servicing, and it was an automatic and I was lucky to get 30mpg with it. My dad was and still is a Ford guy, he bought my sister a Mazda GLC for college, like a mid 80's model, that thing went over 300,000 miles and the only major thing replaced on it was the alternator and belts. It pretty much averaged 40mpg. She sold it when she got married for $300. Decent buy, but the last I had heard the clutch had gone out and the owner didn't want to replace it, so he sold it for $300 himself (made his money back) and the new owner apparently is rebuilding everything on it, but again, by this time it must have well over 350,000 miles. Anyway after all the high mileage with no trouble on the GLC, my dad decided to get another Mazda for just running around with (a gas car), hence the Protege' which is what I drive to school now.