I'm looking for a slightly used 4x4 Ranger. Everything I've heard and read says that the 4.0 is the way to go. Which package (Off Road, Edge, etc.) and/or transmission gets the best gas mileage?

 

I did that same thing a few weeks back. I bought a slightly used Ranger. I went with the 4.0 and the off-road package with the 5-speed automatic.

For gas mileage, DO NOT get the combination I got (see my signiture below).

The off-road package gives you 4.10 gears, and 16" wheels...which help to drink gas to the point where you could drive a full size truck for the same fuel cost. I am getting 15.8 miles per gallon to and from work....and 18 miles per gallon strictly interstate is the best I've ever seen. That is horrible.

If I were you, I'd go with a regular 4x4, 3.0 V6, and a 5-speed manual tranny. That way, you'll have the option of using E85 alternate fuel if you want or need to in the future, you'll get 3.73 gears which will help fuel economy, and the manual tranny helps too.

:-X12

 

That is exactly the kind of input I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

I believe the sticker for a newish 4x4 with the 3.0 is only 17-20 mpg
I would just get the 4.0 4x4 its a blast to drive.
I have one with 4.10s and it gets 14-18 now (winter warmups and gas)
last summer fall i was getting about 18-20 (21 once on a long trip)

Or heck the new 4banger is almost as fast as the 3.0 in the quarter mile. Though not nearly as torquey


Another alternative would be an older 4.0 or getting a 4x2 and putting some sort of locker in the rear. The large tires and 4x4 kill mileage more than the 4.10 gears. The 4x4 lift makes it even more of a brick to push through the air too.

Rand

 

My average is about 16 mpg. With 3.73s and a smaller V6, not to mention a manual transmission, surely this guy could pick up at least 2 mpg over me. 2 miles per gallon multiplied over 20 gallons of fuel is a big difference!

Each mile per gallon counts! Especially if we end up going to war with Iraq!

:-X12

 

I have a 02 ranger and I typically see 18 mpg and that is even when I drive it poorly. (ie always flooring to get up to the speed limit)

The worst I've ever gotten with it was 15 mpg and that was when I spent a weekend off roading.

but I am going on another long cross country drive in a couple weeks and I'll let you know the average mpg i get

 

oh yeah I almost forgot I have the 4.0L 4.10 4x4 Ranger XLT Off Road package

 

14-20mpg is NOT good for a compact truck. If I was willing to get that kind of mileage I'd look at the full size market. Maybe a Ranger isn't the way to go. Thanks for all the input. Now if people didn't want an arm and a leg for Toyotas.:-(

 

I can't resist this one..

I'm not so sure there's such a big gas mileage delta between full- and mid-size pickups. To begin with, gas mileage is highly dependant upon HOW YOU DRIVE -- that's number one. Over the course of a year, I average 23 mpg on a '94 Ranger, 3.0V6, 2WD with a 5 sp. manual with lots of highway action. Put a leadfoot behind the same wheel in a city environ and it'll easily drop to 19 or less.

Two, trucks are simply not aerodynamic, which is pretty huge when it comes to fuel economy. They're rolling bricks; accept that. No cap on the back, tailgate net or otherwise will change this fact, since good aerodynamics result from small frontal areas and as-close-as-you-can-get to a teardrop in the back.

Three, add in a bigger engine, big tires, 4WD and aggressive gearing. Guess what? Even worse.

Whether Japanese or American built doesn't change this formula very much. If you must have truck and need great economy, wait a couple years for the hybrids to come out. Or, get the 4-banger.

 

Yeah, my mom has a Toyota with the 3.4 liter V6 and it's not much better at all. 16-17 mpg average I think. Sad part is, my dad bought a 3500 series Dodge dually 4x4, and it is loaded in the rear all the time, and HE is getting 16 miles per gallon. Why? Because it's turbo diesel powered, and it's got a 6-speed manual transmission, and it's also got 3.55 gears in the back.

Gearing, tranny, and engine....those three things (which I've been mentioning throughout this post) make a HUGE difference in your fuel economy.

If I had a manual, and a 3.0 V6, and if I could get rid of these God-forsaken 4.10 gears, I'd be around 20 miles per gallon...and that wouldn't be bad at all for a 4x4.

Maybe you can talk the dealer into letting you drive the truck home for a day or two before you buy. That way you can see exactly how much fuel it's going to consume before you lay down the money.

:-X12

 

Wow. A toyota? Now that's a REAL truck

If you're looking for 25 - 30+ MPG, then a truck, any truck, is not the right choice.

I echo the above post about the stinking dodge diesel. By stinking, I mean the exhaust really smells bad. My Dad had a '96 3/4 ton extended cab 4X4 auto. He would consistently get 20-21 MPG on the road, and 15 or so crawling around the woods during hunting season. This while I was getting 15 - 16 in my '88 Ranger on a good day, or 8 - 9 in my '85 Bronco. Now, I get 10 - 11 in my '95 F150. Stupid dodges.

 

I have a 98 Ranger 4x4 4.0L auto Offoad with 265 75 16's on it I get about 17 mpg around town and 22 to 24 highway with the cruse set at 78mph and the tail gate down (Here we go Again)I was only geting 20 mpg before I had the trans replaced for the second time.

If it was me doing it again I would get the 5 speed manual trans.

 

My current ride is an '86 Toyota 4x4 with the 2.4 and 201k. With a 5 speed and 30x9.50's I get 22mpg. I don't need to pull any stumps.

 

The 4-banger would give you good mileage, if you could get it. Ford hasn't built a 4-cylinder 4x4 Ranger since 1994. The 3.0 V6 is standard, and in my opinion it's a dog in a 4x4. It's got to work so hard that you'll get about the same mileage as the 4.0. The 4.0 is a lot smoother and quieter, too. If it's mileage you're after, I guess you'll have to stick with those Japanese models. Of course, don't even look at the Dakota- talk about a gas hog!