I friend of mine went and purchased a 2008 Ranger two weeks ago, and was told by several dealers, that Ford is only producing a limited amount of Rangers this year. With no reason as to why. Is the Ranger on it's way out? Or is it going through a revamp like the S-10 did with the Colorado?

 

No one knows yet. there are a few threads thoughout the forums about this.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=42881
^^ I havent read threw all the thread but I think it has some good info

 

It may have something to do with Ford's scaling back; they finally posted a profit this qtr...yeah.

 

yep be gone soon.. so sad...

 

not that sad. 20 some years is a good run!

 

I thought they were coming out with something all-new in 2010?

 

its not been said that it will be called the ranger though. and no one knows if its still a compact truck or a midsized

 

im sure it will be midsized

 

Hmph.

 

I was thinking they would keep it a compact. The market for compacts is getting smaller and smaller. And really they already have a midsized in the explorer sport. I do however think it will be totally revamped kinda like chevy did with the colorado

Not that I know anything this is just my opinion.

 

At the Dealer I work at (Brighton Ford-Mercury) we have no new Rangers on the lot and only 2 used, one of which I bought and love.

 

When I went and bought mine last month the dealer told me that the 08 is the last ranger year Ford is going to produce. something about dropping sales....

 

Yah the great meteorite is coming, but dont worry, because evolution is sweet.

 

yeah... blue oval news has sales numbers for all ford cars/trucks... kinda sad

 

Here is the funny thing about Ranger sales...it is still outselling most of the competition. Only the Tacoma has a solid lead on it. It flip flops between 2nd and 3rd with the Colorado. All of the competition has been redesigned in the last 2-3 years. My guess is that Ford just does not have the money to redesign the Ranger, and they are probably fast approaching the minimum number of trucks they need to build to keep the Twin Cities plant going. The Ranger is probably one of the only vehicles that still could make money for Ford (development costs were paid for a long time ago), but they have spent so much time shooting themselves in the foot playing with model names (Taurus/Five Hundred mess), building cars like the Freestyle (Taurus X) that simply don't sell, and simply making bad decisions that they cannot afford to build Rangers anymore. It really is sad, because there is such huge sales potential in the Ranger. It still has the highest owner loyalty in its class, at at one time (around 1998) they sold 350,000 of them a year easily. That is a huge number of trucks.

Ford has been slipping with their trucks lately. The 2008 Super Duty looks awful, spy shots of the 2009 F-150 are not very promising (probably ugly), and the Ranger is about to be gone. It kills me to say it, but after 2008, I may never buy a new Ford truck unless they make big changes. My Ranger has been beyond great, but I am years away from being able to afford a brand new truck, and I can't buy a new Ranger if it no longer exists. I also refuse to buy a hideously ugly truck, so if they screw up the F-150, that is it for me and new Fords.

 

^^ true.. but the only reason that it is in that position is work trucks.. not walk-in customers walkin in and grabbin an fx4. all the trucks they are selling are 4cyl work trucks to companies that need a fairly cheap reliable truck for their employees to drive around town. ford doesnt make any money on those trucks. plus for a few thousand more you can walk into a ford dealership and grab a bigger f-150. which most people would want to do, including me.

 

I love all of the Rangers I've had, but Ford does stuff like building the 2 door extended cab in almost all of their trucks and only a handful of 4 door cabs.....WHY? It really can't cost alot more adding the 2 rear doors, and makes the truck alot more user friendly....Making more repeat and future sales.....Yeah Ford isn't doing so well in the financial dept. right now, so that may be the cause of some of this too.

 

hmm...

 

all I can say is that if there is no small-midsize pickup available in three years from Ford then they lost another customer to Toyota. I'll give the F150 a try, but i've aready driven one and for what I would need it for its too much truck (too big).

 

oh the ranger is gonna be around in 2010, but after that who knows... I'm noticing them advertising it more and more know, along with the F-150... so hey maybe it will go up some in sales...

 

I bought the Ranger because I didn't want a full size gas guzzler.

Besides, it's much easier to park in tight spots.

 

the local dealer here only has one.

the 08 SD will look better in a year or so, they all look ugly the first model year.

the 09 F150 will have good sales if it boasts both new engines they are developing. Same with the 09 SD.

Ford will come around just watch. The ranger on the other hand has had a death wish since 04. Last good ranger Sales was in 03.

 

I don't know about the new SD. I suppose after a while I will get used to it, but I feel like I should not have to get used to it. I liked the 99 SD the first time I set eyes on one. My immediate reaction was "that is a good looking truck." My immediate reaction with the 08 was "what were they thinking." I do not think it should have to be like that.

My cousin was/is planning on buying a new King Ranch, until the new ones came out. Right now he is waiting on Ford to either change it or for the look to grow on him. That is $50,000 hanging in the air that I am sure Ford would like to have sooner rather than later or never. My cousin is hesitant to buy a GM or Dodge HD because he has had very good experiences with SDs in his line of work (contractor), but at the same time this will be his personal truck and he wants something that is nice to look at.

 

the loaded 08 SDs look awesome IMO, its all on the trim and model you buy.

i have heard that ford is already looking to drop the 6.4 because they dont like it.

expect another diesel in 2 years for the 2010 Emmisions

 

New SD =

Ford took my favorite truck and made it unbuyable. I'd have to have an 03 front end put on it just to allow it in the garage. That is the only thing goo about the 35w bridge collapse, It killed an 08 super duty.