When I was car shopping a while back I couldn't find a Chevy S-10 crew cab. New or used. I found plenty of Dodge Dakota crew cabs but no Chevies. Come to think of it I can't remember the last time I saw one on the road. Do you think the S-10 Crew Cab is Chevy's Blackwood? From what I've seen it's a nifty looking truck with the ZR5 off road package. My only guess is that most Americans don't want to spend $28,000 on a V-6 compact truck. I almost want to special order one with all the options and save it to show 30 years from now. Kinda the same reasons I want a Blackwood. Remember the Dodge Little Red Wagon? They're a hot item now.

 

I think that most people who want to buy the S-10 are holding out for the new Colorado that is replacing it. It will have a inline 5 replacing 4.3 V-6 and it will be a little bigger, probally like the Dakota. Ford is really slipping with the Ranger, it is really outdated.

 

I think Ford made a bad move with the Ranger. Ford has a good reputation for building sharp trucks. The F-150 has been the second best selling truck in America for years. The main problem with the Ranger it that it's a Mazda B-Series truck. If I remember correctly Mazda wanted a SUV and sole the Explorer as a Navajo and Ford wanted a compact truck ans started selling the B-Series as Rangers. The smatest move ever made by a compact truck manufacturer was when Dodge put a V-8 in their Dakota. Finally somebody put full size power in a easy to park package. Having driven one I can tell you the Dakota R/T in regular cab shortbed with the 5.9 is potent in stock form. I call it a Lightning for poor folks although it really doesn't have Lightning performance. Still the R/T is a fun little truck. If I had 27 grand that would be sitting in my driveway. Bright yellow with a colormatched hard tonneau. I think the Ranger would benefit from the 4.2 V-6. I noticed it will not be offered in the 04 F-150. Could the 4.2 be trickling it's way down???

 

From what I'v read, the 4.2 actually makes less power than the 4.0, and the reason the S10 4-door doesn't sell is, it's ugly and the F-series has been the #1 selling vehicle in America for 20 years, best selling full size for 25. Lastly, Ford builds both the B-series and the Navajo and badges them with Mazda.

Ford hasn't been slacking, they still sell more Rangers than Chevy does S10's, and they are going to have a new one out for 2006 I believe.

Get a sport trac if you want a Ford with 4 doors.

 

I have a 99 F-150 and except for the recent tranny failure I love it! Those suicide doors on the Supercab look really trick and I think it's much better than Chevy 3 door pick ups. I think Chevy does have a 4 door extended cab now though. The best is that I can fold the rear bench flat and I get a nice non skid load floor. That's how I usually keep it. Forgive me but I was under impression that the Chevy/GMC twins were the best selling half ton trucks in the U.S.? Could you please clarify. Also I thought the base 2.3 engine in the Ranger was a Mazda design and so is the 5 speed stick? I'll have to dig it out but I believe Road&Track did a report a ways back about the whole Ranger/Navajo badge engineering thing. If I remember correctly Ford needed a compact truck and Mazda needed a SUV and the rest is history. Now I'm curious and I'm off to the "Bob Cave" for research.

 

Incorrect. The Explorer is based on the Ranger (except the 2002+ Explorer). The Navaho is based on the Ranger. The B-Series is based on the Ranger. The Bronco II is based on the Ranger. They ALL came from the Ranger. The B-series and the Ranger are made in a Ford plant on the same assembly line. None of the vehicles are based on Mazda's, includes the Mazdas! Remember, this is not the same B-series that existed a long time ago that was not the same truck line.

 

Thanks for setting the story straight!