New Car. [Now With Pics!]

Well, not yet, I need help deciding.

The new offer comes from some close friends of my mother. They got a truck for their daughter for her last two years of college, and now that she has joined the AirForce they got it back and they are selling it.

It is:

2000 Ford Ranger, extended bed.

Red. Standard Shift 5 Speed. 90,000 Miles. Manual windows. CD player. Super clean inside and out. Took it on a test drive today and it runs great. It was taken care of very very well.

 

Now, my current car, a 1994 Jeep Cherokee, still runs, and only has 78,000 miles.

It runs ok, but little things about it are starting to get to me. In the past year I have had the starter quit, the bendix motor burnt up, the ceiling upholstery came undone, wiring problems with the blinkers and dash, brake problems [one side would overheat and lock up], and most recently, the drivers side door hinge snapped off.

All of this stuff I have repaired, and none of it was really costly, but the sheer fact that I am trying to take really nice care of it and it still is falling apart is dishartening.

Anywho, I have aranged my pros and cons.

Pros:

Better gas milage.

More Reliable. [I am moving to Orlando next year for college, and I find that If I need to go anywhere out of the county now I take my mother's Honda. I just dont trust the Jeep on long hauls]

Truck bed will be nice for moving things.

Insurance will go down alot because I will be leaving the "SUV" catagory, plus it has airbags

 

Cons:

Seating. I wouldnt be able to pile in friends anymore, with the Rangers standerd cab I would be limited to two people.

Shifting. I can drive a stick fine [Not to mention the shifting in the Ranger is very clean] but I am also very lazy, and do not like shifting. Sorry to dissapoint all you forum-wannabe-racers, I dont like manual trans.

Cost. Right now, before college, I am not sure if buying a new[er] car is worth it, becuase I keep thinking that mine, despite its downfalls, still runs.

 

 

I should have pics up soon. I am axnious to hear the automotive side of the forums opinions on this.

 

 

Edited by Tae Kwon Do - 09 April 2006 at 7:26pm

I'd just stick with the Jeep. 90k seems a bit high mileage-wise. If your Jeep is getting the job done right now, I don't see the point in getting something new. It's your call though. You know your situation better than anyone else.

BearClaw to the resque?
IMO i'd rather have a ranger over a jeep, but thats based on the vehicle not the condition or mileage.

Rangers are awesome trucks.
Thats the one thing ford does right, is the Ranger series.
You can pack 3 people in the cab, trust me.
Look the truck over very well.

i would go with the truck

A family friend of mine has a Ranger. I believe its a 2001 model. Its a nice truck. Hes never had any problems with it. It has over 100,000 miles on it already and it still drives nicely.

Any car not named Yugo will last well over 150,000 miles if you take care of it.

It's a coin toss. If I were you I'd get the Ranger just because of the stronger resale/trade in value you'll get when you eventually move on to something better.

Trucks are more handy than SUV's in many ways, cost less to insure, and are easier to maintain, and, as I mentioned above, trucks have stronger resale value than any passenger car or SUV (except for Jeep Wranglers).

90,000 miles isn't alot for a Ranger truck, provided it was regularly maintained. Start in up when it's cold and make sure there are no knocks or rattles, make sure the oil is clean, that the anti-freeze is clear, and that the hoses and belts are in good shape.

If it has the 2.3 four cylinder engine, it would be wise to get the timing belt replaced if it hasn't already been done. If you know how to do it, check the brake pads and shoes, you'll have to pull the brake drums off the back to see the shoes, but you can check the brake pads by just removing the front wheels.

If you want someone else to check it out for you, some garages like Midas, Goodyear, or Firestone will do a "safety" check for a small fee, or for no charge.

don't do anything you'll lose money on (unless a Ranger is desirable for you )

I'm sure you'll regret forking out cash for that car once you're in market for something nice (at least that's what I would think) good luck, and look ahead to see what you'll be able to afford

Keep in mind that if you keep the Jeep, the "inexpensive" fixes may seem more expensive if you're not working in college, and/or if you're paying for more of your own stuff.

Definatly get the truck. I love mine and the nice thing is ppl always ask to use it and pay me for it. PLus u can move stuff so much easier