What do you prefer... ford ranger, gmc sonoma or chev s10

[timex69]

hey
I am selling my car and trike and have a little money saved up for a new to me quarter ton. I have between 3 and 4 thousand dollars. I am noticing the rangers are slightly cheaper then the s10's and the sonoma's. But to be honest I think I like the look of the Sonomas the best. I will likely be buying a 4X4 but will consider a 2X4 if the deal is right. What are your personal opinions about these trucks and if any of you own one of them please chip in and let me know what you like and dislike about your truck.

[evand]

im not a ford man but i like ranger over s-10's im a bigger guy and the ranger feels bigger inside to me, get one with a 6 and a 5 spd and they boot to, and i know first hand that they can take a beating:beer

[timex69]

the ford im looking at is the cheapest. I think its a 3 litre 5 speed buts its only a regular cab. i m still looking for one with a king cab but I bet they are expensive

[KASEY]

i have a 03 gmc 1/2 ton fullsize.. it gets better gas milage than any of your choices,, i pull a 16 ft enclosed trailer with 6 bikes and all the gear without any problems at all,,,, you might think about that too,,, gas will be over $4 soon,,,

[Brockey]

I like the Rangers with the 6 banger and 5 speed but I am a chevy guy and would buy a s10. They are cheap on parts and take some pounding on the trails stock. But if you are a bigger guy, tall etc a Ranger seems to be more confortable.

[200x newby]

Go with the Ford Ranger. I have a 1995 Ranger king cab 4x4 with a 4.0 v6 and a
5spd with 150,000 miles on it and it still runs and drives like new and looks new with no problems. The only thing I had to replace was the roof because the the guy I baught it from rolled it. Also I hauled an 11,000 pound camper about 5 miles, It was scary and I couldnt go more than 20 mph and I wouldnt do it again any longer than 5 miles but it got the job done and didn't chug much at all. They are nice trucks and and last for ever if you take car of them. Plenty of power for doing anything the average person needs plus more.

[timex69]

thanks for all your input guys. I think its coming down to either the sonoma or the ranger depending on what I can get a better deal on.

Kasey
I have a 92 gmc sierra with the 305 in it. It gets about 25 mpg and can pull anything I ever need to pull. I just want a small truck as a daily driver. The fullsize 1/2s are way out of my price range. The only 1/2 tons I could buy in my budget are ancient or extremely high milage. Thanks for the input tho...if a seirra ever came along for 4 grand i would snatch it in a heartbeat

[timex69]

I dont think my size is much of a factor..im average size. 5"11 at 175 lbs

[J.D.]

If you decide on the Ranger, make sure to skip the 3.0 as an option. Has 5 more horsepower than the 4 cyl and worse fuel mileage. The preferable setup would be the 4.0 OHV(not fond of the SOHC's) and a 5 speed, you'd be set then.

[timex69]

im not a big fan of the 3 liters either. Swapped 2 out in 1 year in my buddys mercury sable.

[Erics350x]

i'd go with the 4.3 Vortec S10
The 2.3 and 3.0 Rangers are turds

[84honda200s]

my bud had a badass sonoma . it was a great truck for its size. we did allot of off roading with it and it hardly got buried to the point we couldnt back out of it. for the times we couldnt back out we had a good sized warn winch. anyway im going with the sonoma or s-10 ........ as said before...rangers are turds.

[OldSchoolin86]

Any of those trucks are good but stick to the 4.0, either OHV or SOHC (preferably the SOHC) for Ford and the 4.3 for GM.

[timex69]

I have a line on 3 trucks I will be going to see when I sell my big red and my car.

1998 ranger 3 liter std 4X4 with 60, 000 miles and there asking $3500
1994 s10 V6 4.3 with 96 000 miles on it , 4x4 for $1800
1998 sonoma 4wd with the tow package for $2600 (never saw a pic..still waiting) with 109 XXX miles on it.

Im stuck in a rut. I like the low miles on the ranger, the tow package on the sonoma and the price on the s10. What would you guys do

[OldSchoolin86]

Toss the ranger out, the 3.0 is just a turd with no benefits.

[timex69]

nope there doesnt seem to be but ill go look just the same. Im going to phone the guy with the sonoma and get him to put a hold on it untill I can get the cash and fill out the import papers.

[tbirdscott]

If you dont haul a load at least once a week a 2.3L ranger with the 5spd would be fine and gets great mileage, and if you feel the need for more power parts from a turbocoupe or merkur can be used to turbo charge the 2.3 easily.

My current ranger was bought two years old by my brother and I got it off him a couple years ago (I was looking for a 6cyl aswell but the price was right) its a 1997 with the 2.3L and 5spd.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/turbosprunt/Ranger/P2050019.jpg?t=1210555793

Its not super powerfull but its torquey enough to pull two 400 foremans and a heavy trailer up B.C. hills and hold the speed limit. The extended cab gives tons of room inside for the two front passengers. I got stuck with a stepside box which looks nice but you cant haul much around. The 2.3 gets me 25-30mpg 75% highway, and at almost 400,000km on the original engine and drivetrain I wouldnt hesitate to drive it across Canada, its never missed a beat and uses no oil between changes (something to be said about regular maintenance and synthetic oil)

The s-10 with the 4.3L would be fun though. Around here the s-10's would need to be mint to get those prices, the ranger would be up about $1000 in price.


Scott

[Bryan Raffa]

4.3 vortec's are IMO bullet proof..mine has 230,000 and still runs strong!

one of these days I'll pull the motor and build it with a nice cam,roller rockers.ect for a better towing package..you would be suprised what a built 4.3 would put out for HP.. A guy I work with has a super charger for it and he wants $2,200 for it.. now that would be sweet!

[300rman]

i got a 3.0 in my ranger. stupid thing runs strong, and even though its got minimal more HP than the 4 banger, its way torquier. and i get around 20MPG collectively with mine.

[Cody]

Ford Ranger is your best bet dude.

[300rman]

Ford Ranger is your best bet dude.


nuff said......parts are cheap, availible anywhere, and theyre rock solid. only thing that goes on them is the bodies, so if its not all rotted out, get one!

[Russell 350X]

I'm a chevy guy, but go with the Ranger. I got a 94 S-10, its a ok truck, gets 21mpg, 4wd, 5spd, but the ball joints and idler arm are shot, very common on the S-10/Sonomas. It has the 4.3, personally I think its a dog, not a whole lotta power. IMO you should go with a 4.0 Ranger or the 2.3.

[timex69]

great imput guys...i too am I chev man. I think im going to have to test drive them all and see what I like best

[Name Brand]

I have a '98 Ranger 4x4 with the 3.0 and an automatic. 105,000 miles. The thing runs like a top. Nothing has gone wrong by itself on this truck by itself. I've replaced the power steering pump, alternator and one front wheel/hub assembly. Those can be attributed to a summer tearing around at Knik where the water crossings are terribly silty.

I sucked water into my engine around 75,000 miles. When I tore it town, everything inside looked very good. (Clean cylinders and pistons, all intake and exhuast valves were tight, no crud in the oil pan or oil pump, no cracks) Turned out the #6 connecting rod had bent which allowed the bottom of that piston to contact the crankshaft producing a very loud knock! I replaced that piston/connecting rod and the engine gaskets I had to remove. The engine has had no problems at all since. It's a very easy engine to work on also!

If you're worried about towing look at the gears. I have 4.10s in mine with a limited slip in the rear diff. I have no problem pulling small trailers and toys with it. If you're looking at hualing a car, Bobcat or a fifth wheel; then you just need a bigger truck. I have 31" BFG at's on mine, the engine has no trouble spinning them on pavement.

Ranger parts are often cheap and plentiful. The power steering pump on my '98 is a match for the one on my '84 Bronco II, my '92 Explorer and my freinds '08 Ranger.

Not sure if you want to lift it; if you do get a '97 or older for the TTB suspension. '98 and newer are IFS. They ride very smooth and nice but the lift kits don't perform as well as the TTB kits do or are much more expensive.

I don't know hardly anything about the S10 (Colorado?). But the Ranger has way more ground clearance; look at the rear leaf springs on each.

[trikeman00123]

I'd go with the ranger even though its a 3.slow great trucks can't beat them. If you do end up getting it. Be sure to check out www.therangerstation.com The best web site/ forums for tech info and any thing you could ever want to do it, or know about it.

[ScottZJ]

Well I would say get you a nice Tacoma and never have to worry about another truck! I just sold my Ford Diesel and bought me a nice yota and boy do I love it.

http://www.fototime.com/{163E4189-2338-4451-BE0D-49101C8070CE}/picture.JPG

http://www.fototime.com/{4B383354-7D2E-4325-8CB7-FF378342A2F8}/picture.JPG

[timex69]

scottzj
Man id love a toyota tacoma but im on a limited budget. 4 grand wont pick up a new tacoma. There great trucks tho my boss just had one shipped up from Florida

[Cody]

Well I would say get you a nice Tacoma and never have to worry about another truck! I just sold my Ford Diesel and bought me a nice yota and boy do I love it.

http://www.fototime.com/{163E4189-2338-4451-BE0D-49101C8070CE}/picture.JPG

http://www.fototime.com/{4B383354-7D2E-4325-8CB7-FF378342A2F8}/picture.JPG


I wouldnt never buy anything new, I prefer old-school over new-school anyday. Plus you get a new truck and you cant use it like a truck, because it's new, you dont want scratches or dents.

[tbirdscott]

and you cant use it like a truck, because it's new, you dont want scratches or dents.

You wouldnt believe the number of people I have to deal with that would cry if the inside of their truck box got scratched, its sad. TRUCKS ARE MEANT TO HAUL! theyre gonna get scratched and dented, its called character!

Had a guy this spring came to the shop to pick up has big bear with his buddies new ranger. The buddy was getting all worried that the rims scratched the inside of the wheel wells (like I had told him before they started loading... but they didnt listen :rolleyes: ) and got all pissed at his friend when it did.

Well then the guy gets it in there and his friend closes the tailgate, for some reason the guy on the quad felt it was necessary to rev out his freshly rebuilt engine. That wasnt as bad an idea as forgetting it was stil in gear... I thought the guy was gonna cry when the winch and bumper went in to the back of the cab and through the window.

Luckily I was able to hold my laughter till I got back inside the shop.

The first scratch is always hurts the most, and I bet that one hurt like a mofo!

So Timex did you ever get to check out those trucks? new toy at home yet?

Scott

[ScottZJ]

Well I have to admit, that the new tacoma is sitting in the garage while its raining outsite. I am using the Frontier during inclimate weather! haha. I just didnt want to get spots on the tacoma just yet.:crazy: But I know all too well soon she will be out in the thick of things doing what she is meant for. I just like to give it a few weeks to bask in the newness of it.

[timex69]

making some phone calls now actually. Just having a hard time finding a standard v6 in anything but the ranger. i deicded I want the 6 banger standard instead of a 4 banger std. Im sure the little extra go wil lbe needed at some point

[4cylinders]

hey, 86 dodge d50(mitsubishi), with 305 chevy& turbo 350.

[mark38090]

I have a 94 ranger with the 4 and I hate it. No power, no guts but the gas milage is good, only good thing about it.

[timex69]

Well folks...just thought id add a bit of an update.

I bought a ford ranger king cab 2X4 with a 3.0 in it. Its a bit gutless but over all its perfect. Great on fuel. Can haul my trike around and best of all its a 99. I paid $3200 for it. A few surface rust spots but other then that its great. It also came with 3 sets of tires. 2 all seasons and an aggressive winter set. I couldnt find anything chev in my price range. ive always been a chev guy but i thought id give ford a shot. Im ordering a k&n intake and looking for an exhaust system. Does anyone have a performance exhaust on there truck?

[tbirdscott]

Congrats on the purchase, good price for that year, whats the mileage?

Check out the ranger station and ranger power sports, Best ranger sites around.


Scott

[timex69]

its got 212 000 KM's NOT MILES. Ill check those sites out tbirdscott...ive already got a k &n air intake system and a throttle body spacer ordered. Next im gonna geta set of headers and an exhaust system and go from there.

[200x Basket]

its got 212 000 KM's NOT MILES. Ill check those sites out tbirdscott...ive already got a k &n air intake system and a throttle body spacer ordered. Next im gonna geta set of headers and an exhaust system and go from there.

WHY? no matter what it will still be a turd and you will have wasted all that $$$ on nothing. I also have a 3.0 96 ranger and can tell you that it is a great low budget truck. However without a V8 swap you are wasting $$$ on performance mods.

[DixiePlowboy]

I'm a Jeep and International Harvester guy first, but a Ford-over-GM guy after that .I like the 4.0 V-6(fuel mileage not so great though), but can personally vouch for the 3.0's durabitlity.

I sold a Ford vehicle with a 3.0 in it a year and a half ago with 230,000+ miles on it(original build), and it's still going today....every day. The only issue I had with it was replacing the timing belt at about 205,000 miles.

I know of one still going with over 300,000 on it......to me that's a pretty good endorsement.