1998 Ford Ranger -
The Ford Ranger is an excellent truck in the smaller truck category that competes with the Tacoma and Mazda B Series (although they are often the same exact build given a relationship Ford and Mazda had in the 90s that has now ended). The XLT version of the truck is a great option for extra comfort given the ability to adjust the seats and carry that extra bit of gear behind them. The truck itself has a great long-lasting engine, and the design has clean lines in the interior. It really is a basic truck designed for light work around an urban environment due to its ease of parking in the city. I'd recommend this truck to anyone who has such work or is looking for a weekend getaway vehicle as that is what I use it for primarily. I have upgraded the vehicle to have off-road tires and a t...
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The Ford Ranger is an excellent truck in the smaller truck category that competes with the Tacoma and Mazda B Series (although they are often the same exact build given a relationship Ford and Mazda had in the 90s that has now ended). The XLT version of the truck is a great option for extra comfort given the ability to adjust the seats and carry that extra bit of gear behind them. The truck itself has a great long-lasting engine, and the design has clean lines in the interior. It really is a basic truck designed for light work around an urban environment due to its ease of parking in the city. I'd recommend this truck to anyone who has such work or is looking for a weekend getaway vehicle as that is what I use it for primarily. I have upgraded the vehicle to have off-road tires and a three-inch lift so that I can take it out to the dessert. 2WD is what you want for this sort of thing, and the Ranger is a great option for all kinds of adventuring in California where I live. I think the truck is pretty well built for a 1998, and it has lasted 20 years thus far and will last probably 15 more if kept up with and maintained. Which I should mention is easy to do given most mechanics knowledge of Ford parts and servicing. Great truck.
I went to the beach and slept in the truck bed while watching the sunset in Malibu.
I went to the beach and slept in the truck bed while watching the sunset in Malibu.
Positive things about this vehicle are its interior design and good bed size. It is small enough to park in the city as I mentioned. My favorite feature is probably the bench seating in the front because I like the option of added passengers. Also, there are two extra seats in the small cab behind the front seats for those emergency situations. Other pros include a well-built engine and easy design. There are not many bells and whistles, and the buttons are all very simple and locking mechanisms as well, which I like. In a truck this is what I want: simplicity. It is a great beat-around ve...
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Positive things about this vehicle are its interior design and good bed size. It is small enough to park in the city as I mentioned. My favorite feature is probably the bench seating in the front because I like the option of added passengers. Also, there are two extra seats in the small cab behind the front seats for those emergency situations. Other pros include a well-built engine and easy design. There are not many bells and whistles, and the buttons are all very simple and locking mechanisms as well, which I like. In a truck this is what I want: simplicity. It is a great beat-around vehicle designed for getting stuff done, and that is why I own the truck. Other pros are its modification capabilities for off-roading and its success in that area. The truck also has a cloth interior, which is way more comfortable. I would recommend over leather. Good sight lines and no blind spots. Not much to complain about with this truck, and everything is minor. I use it as a daily driver, and it works great to get around a big city like Los Angeles.
The negatives about this vehicle are its very small engine size, which doesn't allow for heavy lifting, but that is a non issue for me. Other negatives are that it is very slow. The acceleration is horrible, and on the highway, I find myself crawling at times because it does not get very high up there on the speed department. Other negatives are its tape player, which can be improved by getting an after-market stereo. It does not come with a trailer hitch, but I got one and would recommend that too. The truck is also kind of small, and you can feel it when you are inside, which isn't exact...
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The negatives about this vehicle are its very small engine size, which doesn't allow for heavy lifting, but that is a non issue for me. Other negatives are that it is very slow. The acceleration is horrible, and on the highway, I find myself crawling at times because it does not get very high up there on the speed department. Other negatives are its tape player, which can be improved by getting an after-market stereo. It does not come with a trailer hitch, but I got one and would recommend that too. The truck is also kind of small, and you can feel it when you are inside, which isn't exactly what you want when you think of getting a truck. It almost feels like a Ford Explorer, which is the SUV just with less room. This can be a turn off, but then you have to consider the bed and its applications. Other cons are the trucks small cab, which doesn't allow for many other people than two to sit comfortably. But that is what you get when you get a truck like this. The antenna is kind of big and hits when you go into garages, and the windows are roll down, which is a drag in the day of power windows, etc. Also the white paint gets dirty easily, and I'd recommend black or forest green if I could go back and choose all over again.