hi not sure if im posting in the right area but im 17 and looking to buy a truck. i am think of the for ranger ext cab i have a few questions to go with this
1. Is it hard to drive with the extended cab i know it is longer then a car but is the extra 25 inches a big deal
2. what engine should i get i know there is one that gets like 30 mpg or something but does that restrict the power (not to concerned about power)
3. should i look at 2006-2011 model years or are pre-2006 fine too
4. how common are the sidestep beds i love those
5. how much should i lift it if i were (this would also be my daily)
6. how many miles are to many miles on one of these
7. how common is frame rot
8. are they easy to work on

not to worried about the ride i had a 71 mustang and an 89 wrangler so i am use to rough rides my only concern is the length of the truck i do go downtown a lot so parallel parking is gonna be a nightmare but is it that much different then a car thanks for any and all advice

 

No, you shouldn't buy a Ranger, the more people out there looking to buy Rangers the higher the price for me when I want to buy a Ranger.

1. In my opinion regular cab step side looks good, extra cab step side is not as nice looking, no not really a problem to park extended cab

2. pickup trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick with a parachute attached, so MPG is not great, 4cylinder will be best, 2.3l engine, will give as good as it gets, which won't be 30mpg, maybe 24 highway with automatic, 26 with manual trans.
4 cyl 2.3l won't be found in an Extended cab after 1997, only regular cab and only 2 wheel drive.
4 wheel drive were V6 only but regular or extended cab, expect under 20MPG with a V6

3. yes 2006 and up will have less problems, 10 years and older are when any vehicle needs more care, although 2002 and up 2.3l Rangers were fairly reliable long term

4. step side was a trim not an option so many were made

5. higher the lift the lower the MPG, laws of aerodynamics, so up to you

6. 12,000 miles per year is average, higher means longer trips which is better than shorter trips, I tend to like a higher miler than lower, lower could mean it sat alot or, was in the shop being repaired, lol, all the time.
Ranger chassis are good for 400,000, engines and transmissions can't be predicted since maintenance is a BIG factor, a car with "records" usually means it was well maintained but you never really know.
Ford Dealer will do a used car inspection for $125-$175, money well spent.
If seller won't allow inspection then walk away and consider yourself lucky.

7. all pick up trucks get rusty in the rear leaf springs, where they salt the road in winter or near the ocean this can happen fairly quickly, you just need to look.
But Rangers have no more common rust issues than other trucks or cars for the area they are driven in.

8. the simpler the vehicle the less problems and easier they will be to work on
No AC, no power windows, no power door lock, no cruise, manual trans, would be best.
The more "things" anything has means the more "things" that can break, that applies to all things in life