'98 Ranger ???
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From: Prince George, B.C.
'98 Ranger ???
Hey all, I was just having a look see at a '98 Ranger Scab, stepside 2wd, 84,000 Km, 3.0 V-6 auto. It runs awesome, looks good except for a bunce of scratches on the tailgate and such. My question is what can or will go wrong with it in the near future? Can I get any more specific LOL.
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My 98 2wd loves to eat up lower balljoints, brake rotors, and bearings. The rotors warp and rust, due to the salt we use around here....this screws up the bearings, or so I was told before. From my experience, my ranger has veen one of the easiest vehicles to work on. My ranger has the 2.5, but we had a taurus with the 3.0. The only problem was that it went through 3 alternators in 10 years. Plan on fixing scratches on tailgate....they can lead to a bad rust problem.
The Simple Serf
The Simple Serf
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From: Prince George, B.C.
Ok, thatks for the advice, how are the 2wds in the snow and ice? (Not that we really get winters in B.C any more but still nice to know) I have also been told to watch the front and rear main seals, and the valve guides, any comments there? Probly going to test dirve it tomorrow and see how it runs and drives. Actually, what am I looking for as far as gas milage?
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I live south of Buffalo NY...I have good snow tires and always have at least 500 lbs in the back during bad weather. I have driven though snow that was higher than the bumper. During our last snowstorm last year, the plows had been taken off the trucks. I had to pick my G/F up from work....Drove though 7" of slush. I filled the back with snow. Round trip was 25 miles. I had NO problems. I have heard 20 mpg is about right for that engine/tranny. I get 26, but I have a 5 spd and the 4 banger
The Simple Serf
The Simple Serf
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From: spokane, wa
I've got a 98 Ranger, V-6 3.0 XLT 4X4. I've had it for a little over 3 years and the only thing that's really gone bad is the heater blend door. That's what got me on this forum!! I saved over $700.
I posted a few days ago about an intermittant miss and got some good advice. In fact, I'm changing the fuel filter this afternoon and was checking back here to make sure I remember how to bleed off the pressure in the fuel line.
I have to say that the next truck I get will be a Ranger. I've had such good success with mine. I'd snap up the one you're looking at in a heartbeat. As I mentioned, mine is 4x4. Excellent in the snow.
BTW, I change the oil every 3,000 miles. Plus I forgot to mention that it had 42,000 on it when I got it, now it's over 108,000.
I posted a few days ago about an intermittant miss and got some good advice. In fact, I'm changing the fuel filter this afternoon and was checking back here to make sure I remember how to bleed off the pressure in the fuel line.
I have to say that the next truck I get will be a Ranger. I've had such good success with mine. I'd snap up the one you're looking at in a heartbeat. As I mentioned, mine is 4x4. Excellent in the snow.
BTW, I change the oil every 3,000 miles. Plus I forgot to mention that it had 42,000 on it when I got it, now it's over 108,000.
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From: Prince George, B.C.
Well, your more than welcome to it LOL, drove it, it has a miss, the front rotors are warped and have been metal on metal (inside only) it has a vibration the more you drive it the worse it gets, and a few other problems, it only looks good, the rest isn't worth it, at least not to me, I'm looking to get away from repairs. I also looked at a '97 dakota that had a V-6 but it had bad rotors and looked like the transfer case is leaking so I just left it too.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Eastern WA
If you really do some digging and reading in here, you will note that the 3.0 offers noticeably less power than the 4.0 and not much of a gas mileage improvement over a 4.0. IMO, the 3.0 is a good and proven engine but what I just noted is something to consider/investigate/think about before buying. If good mileage in a 2WD compact pickup is your primary objective, think four banger.
BTW, if you do like that Ranger that you drove (other than the problems you discovered), tell the seller about the problems and ask to take the truck in for quotes on repairs at a shop of your choosing (yeah, I saw that you don't want to fix it yourself, that's ok). Then, after determining the FMV on a comparable truck without the problems, deduct the repair cost plus a few bucks for your time associated with the hassle of dropping it off at the shop. Reality is, if the problems you noticed are that obvious the next potential buyer will see them too. Proudly inform the seller of this. Make me proud, buy this or any other truck on your terms and not theirs
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BTW, if you do like that Ranger that you drove (other than the problems you discovered), tell the seller about the problems and ask to take the truck in for quotes on repairs at a shop of your choosing (yeah, I saw that you don't want to fix it yourself, that's ok). Then, after determining the FMV on a comparable truck without the problems, deduct the repair cost plus a few bucks for your time associated with the hassle of dropping it off at the shop. Reality is, if the problems you noticed are that obvious the next potential buyer will see them too. Proudly inform the seller of this. Make me proud, buy this or any other truck on your terms and not theirs
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From: Ventura ,ca. (near L.A.)
The 3.0 gets kinda crappy gas milege if it's an auto. It's about the same as the 4.0 with an auto, 15 around town and 20 on the highway. Also if you get the 3.0 with an auto there is a lack of power because it has the tranny bogging it down. The 3.0 with a stick does pretty good as far as power and milege goes. It's quick enough to get on the freeway quick and it gets around 18-19 mpg around town and 22-26 on the highway depending on hows fast your going. Speed makes a huge difference in milege on these trucks.
Cross-Country
Joined: May 2004
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From: spokane, wa
Cowboy is right in that the 3.0 is a little short on power. I've never driven a 4.0 but from what I've read here and heard from others, the mileage is a wash. I did look at an 05 Ranger the last time I was in Moses Lake, 4.0. Had 247 miles on it. When I get my next one I'll definately do the 4.0.
BTW, how much was the seller asking for the 98, and how did it go from "runs awesome" to "it has a miss"? Just curious.
BTW, how much was the seller asking for the 98, and how did it go from "runs awesome" to "it has a miss"? Just curious.
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From: Prince George, B.C.
This is what I can't figure out, I looked at it the day before, it fired up, ran smooth, no miss, tried it yesterday, it was shaking like a ......, you get where I'm going. The price was $11,995, dropped to the advertised price of $10,990. He told me I could get it for $8,995. I listed off all the problems, told him to take it back and tell the shop to actually fix it not just try and hide the problems and I might be back to try it again. Problem is, with all the little things we found, its only about a $5,000 truck. And from what i hear, I can get a 5.2L Dakota and get the same milage.
Cross-Country
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From: spokane, wa
Yeah, I guess if we could figure out why the truck ran great one day and not the next we'd be able to figure out the world's problems. Know what I mean? Go figure.
This Ranger is the first truck I've ever owned so my experience is really limited. That being said, I just don't think anything else really has the ***** and endurance of a Ford. I'm getting at the Dakota. Don't know anything about them but I guess I'm just not one to screw around with what works.
This Ranger is the first truck I've ever owned so my experience is really limited. That being said, I just don't think anything else really has the ***** and endurance of a Ford. I'm getting at the Dakota. Don't know anything about them but I guess I'm just not one to screw around with what works.
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From: Prince George, B.C.
Well, you could be right, I was just going with what I heared about the dakota. But as far as driving the Ranger they seem fairly unrefined. Kind of like driving my Lada LOL. Then again, this one wasn't loaded either so that could change things.
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From: Prince George, B.C.
For those how want to see the Ranger heres the link.
http://www.pgmotors.ca/pages/present...A10233&photo=Y
http://www.pgmotors.ca/pages/present...A10233&photo=Y