Looking at a 2003 XLT, Concerns?
#1
03-06-2020
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Souderton
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looking at a 2003 XLT, Concerns?
Hi Everyone,
I am new to the forum and have been enjoying reading the endless amount of content, but I'm sure you know it can be a bit overwhelming at first. I have never owned a Ranger before but am currently considering a 2003 XLT Super Cab 4x4 with the 4.0 with only 90k miles. I have been looking for an affordable pickup truck, and I can have this one for $5,000. My concern, I don't have too much spare time to tinker with constant maintenance issues.
What are your thoughts on this year? What are the major gremlins that I need to be concerned about. The truck will only see a few thousand miles a year, do you think I could drive it without much concern of persistent issues, or are these trucks something that require a little constant TLC (I drove a 92 Taurus SHO that I loved to death, but fixed more than I drove).
Thank you!
Dillon
I am new to the forum and have been enjoying reading the endless amount of content, but I'm sure you know it can be a bit overwhelming at first. I have never owned a Ranger before but am currently considering a 2003 XLT Super Cab 4x4 with the 4.0 with only 90k miles. I have been looking for an affordable pickup truck, and I can have this one for $5,000. My concern, I don't have too much spare time to tinker with constant maintenance issues.
What are your thoughts on this year? What are the major gremlins that I need to be concerned about. The truck will only see a few thousand miles a year, do you think I could drive it without much concern of persistent issues, or are these trucks something that require a little constant TLC (I drove a 92 Taurus SHO that I loved to death, but fixed more than I drove).
Thank you!
Dillon
#2
03-06-2020
Welcome to the forum
A used car/truck is a roll of the dice, but new cars/trucks are as well, lol, they just have warranties, but either can need repairs
Ford will do an inspection, usually $150, and give you a list of whats OK and what may need fixing
Ask seller if he will allow a Ford inspection, if YOU pay for it(even if you won't do inspection), if he say NO then walk away, you dodged a bullet
Nothing stands out as a red flag on a 2003 Ranger
Its 17 years old, so not a "spring chicken", should have just gotten its 3rd battery, or may need one, all vehicles need new battery every 5/6 years
The 90k miles is a bit of a yellow flag, that's only 5,200 miles a year, so either it was broke down alot or parked alot, which is OK for interior condition but bad for the drive train, seals tend to dry out when drive train is not used weekly
The 4.0l SOHC engine is a good one and by 2003 it should have the new timing chain tensioners
On cold start listen for an engine rattle, and at mid-RPMs when warm, if heard pass on this vehicle, engine would need to be pulled out to fix the timing chains, the one in the rear
If engine is quiet, and for piece of mind, you can change the 2 long change tensioners, not a hard job, once rattle can be heard damage is done, so new tensioner won't help
If manual trans it has the M5OD-R1HD, which was very reliable
If automatic then its the 5R55E model which is a good transmission as automatics go, but should be serviced if/when you get it just to be sure
Carfax can be a good thing to get on any used vehicle, the low miles could be from an accident and it just sat waiting to be rebuilt
Go here: http://www.motorologist.com/wp-conte...r-brochure.pdf
Get the 2003 brochure and then look at the XLT package to see what it has, and any options that were available
A used car/truck is a roll of the dice, but new cars/trucks are as well, lol, they just have warranties, but either can need repairs
Ford will do an inspection, usually $150, and give you a list of whats OK and what may need fixing
Ask seller if he will allow a Ford inspection, if YOU pay for it(even if you won't do inspection), if he say NO then walk away, you dodged a bullet
Nothing stands out as a red flag on a 2003 Ranger
Its 17 years old, so not a "spring chicken", should have just gotten its 3rd battery, or may need one, all vehicles need new battery every 5/6 years
The 90k miles is a bit of a yellow flag, that's only 5,200 miles a year, so either it was broke down alot or parked alot, which is OK for interior condition but bad for the drive train, seals tend to dry out when drive train is not used weekly
The 4.0l SOHC engine is a good one and by 2003 it should have the new timing chain tensioners
On cold start listen for an engine rattle, and at mid-RPMs when warm, if heard pass on this vehicle, engine would need to be pulled out to fix the timing chains, the one in the rear
If engine is quiet, and for piece of mind, you can change the 2 long change tensioners, not a hard job, once rattle can be heard damage is done, so new tensioner won't help
If manual trans it has the M5OD-R1HD, which was very reliable
If automatic then its the 5R55E model which is a good transmission as automatics go, but should be serviced if/when you get it just to be sure
Carfax can be a good thing to get on any used vehicle, the low miles could be from an accident and it just sat waiting to be rebuilt
Go here: http://www.motorologist.com/wp-conte...r-brochure.pdf
Get the 2003 brochure and then look at the XLT package to see what it has, and any options that were available
Last edited by RonD; 03-06-2020 at 10:31 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
