Hey there, my name is Lauren, and I'm looking into getting a different car before I leave for college in september, I drive and escort now but I need something bigger. I was thinking of buying either a '93 Bronco or a mid '90's Ranger. I would rather have a Bronco but I can only afford one with at least 70,000 or 80,000 miles on it. Can I expect a Bronco with that many miles on it already to last me another 30,000 or 40,000 miles without too much trouble, or should I go for a Ranger with lower miles? I'd love to hear from people who have owned Broncos and know how many miles you can get out of the engine. Thanks for your time!
Lauren

 

Lauren, First off, Welcome!

IMO, Go with the bronco if you can afford the gas for a V8. i have had both a ranger and am on my second bronco. i liked my ranger but like the bronco's better. the engine's on both should last quite a while if they were cared for, but that is that way with any used vehicle. if your going to college i would suggest the bronco. you can haul more freinds comfortably than the ranger, and THE TOP COMES OFF! great for the summer. both have their limitations, the ranger it's engine size and passenger capacity, the bronco it's cargo capacity inside the vehicle.

it all depends on what you want to be able to do and what you can afford to put gas into.

Good luck.

 

My bronco is 10k miles away from having 200k miles if that tells ya anything. All original as well, lol. As a matter of fact, i traded my ranger in on this bronco. Got tired of not having any room, and not being able to haul anyone besides one passenger. And my ranger was ext cab, lol. If you can afford the gas, go for the bronco all the way.

 

Also keep in mind that Bronco's have their usual things that go bad. If the one you purchase has never been well maintained, plan on periodically replacing parts here and there. This can get pricey, as many here can tell you that they have put hundreds if not thousands into their Bronco's. Then there are the lucky ones that get off with not putting much in it except for gas (mine drinks about $50 a week). Just something to keep in mind if your on a limited budget.
But on the other hand, nothing beats having a Bronco. I don't see anything new out in the market that I would much rather drive. That is why I'll be putting in around $12000 into mine, by the end of the year.

 

I would think the engine should last must longer than 30k or 40k. Mine lasted to about 145k and the guy before me didn't take care of it at all. If you take care of yours, then it should last a long time.

 

I'll add to the list. If you can afford the gas, and you can find a bronco that was fairly well-maintained. You're in for a smooth ride and an engine that will last another 30-40 easy. I bought my bronco from a guy who took good care of it (he loves broncos even more than I do!) at 103k. So far I haven't had a serious problem. And I have yet to have an expensive repair (most costly is going to be putting r-12 back in the system... so far *knock-on-wood*)

 

The Bronco will last for you, but if this is your daily driver I'd look into the Ranger. Broncos are best enjoyed when you don't have to depend on them all the time, and if you can't afford the gas you just don't drive it.

 

As someone who has had both types of vehicles, I really think you will be happier with a Ranger pick-up. Consider the difference in gas mileage alone, but also drivabilty in traffic, parking on campus, etc. I think the Bronco will last longer, up to 200,000 miles or more and the 4 or 6-cylinder motor in the Ranger maybe 100K. It will really depend on what kind of deal you get on one or the other, but for $3000 you can get either vehicle in good condition. The 90's Bronco will make about 13-14 mpg, while a 4-cyl Ranger will make about 24-26 mpg. While the Ranger came out after I graduated, I drove the Ford Courier all thru my college days. Gas was under $1.00/gallon then!!! I did have an 86-1/2 4wd Ranger that was more than capable in the mud or offroad. I prefer the larger size and cargo area of the Bronco, and the safety in case of a wreck.

 

I think Justshootme summed it up rather well!

 

I got around 18 MPG with my '94 4x4 supercab Ranger with the 4.0L on 31s and it could outsprint a lot of other vehicles. It was also very low-maintenance. I get about 12 MPG on my Bronco on 32s now and I've had to do a lot of work to it lately. Both are/were great trucks.

 

I had an '86 Cherokee in collge and loved it. I currently own a Bronco with 135K on it and plan on it going to 300K+. Now back to your question. Like stated before, it will depend on the purpose. Are you planning on driving a distance (say ... Back home) a long distance a lot? I drove the 4.5 hour trip back and forth between "Home" and school (VA Tech) a lot the first year and having a closed cargo area was great. ANd on campus living made it so that I never HAD to drive anyway. In that scenario, I would go ahead and get the Bronco. If I had a scenario like my wife did and went to a university that was more local and had a "commuter college" feel (George Mason University in the DC Metro area), then I would get the Ranger due to the many miles of commuter driving. So more info might be needed to answer your questions. Also, do you WANT to be the designated driver? If so, get the Bronco. If you would rather not have to be the one to drive your annoying friends around all of the time, get the ranger. My roommate had a firebird. guess who drove everywhere?

That is my two cents. The third cent is ... The mountains of VA had some good snow falls. My 4X4 came in very handy. If that environment plays into your situation, then consider it. Even a 4X4 Ranger may not grip that well without a load of sand or bricks.

Dain

 

A Bronco will last way more than that...I had over 300K on the original motor in my '83 before it went.

 

My 82 bronco's 302 has alot of miles on it and everything knocks, the odometer has rolled over a few time atleast. Probly from me hotrodding and jumping hills and running through mud pits and creaks at my uncles place.
My 92 ranger w/ 2.3L has 216k on the odometer and runs like a champ.

 

Just don't get a Ranger with the 2.0 4 cylinder. I had an 88 with the 2.0 and that motor is bad. Slow, and mine cracked a ring at 75K. I didn't even know that there were two motors until mine had problems. Fortunately, I think that the 2.0 is less common than the 2.3.

I hated the Ranger anyway, too small. I bought it for the gas mileage, but it was just too small.

 

I love my bronco, I commute to college everyday and only parking problems is finding a spot. I do sometimes cringe when I cut it close because I can't see what the far right corner is doing as I pull in. Scrape. Anywho, as far as gas mileage goes...most Bronco owners agree that you don't get it for gas mileage. -BBB