looking to buy it. 95000 miles. no rust. runs good. nothing has been done to it. he wants 3000. Just using it to beat around town. underneath is very clean also. 4cyl auto. Should i be concerned about the engine at those miles for a 4 cyl? I dont have the money if a timing belt goes. The cab for me is a little small also. Do the 99 and up have more leg room ?

 

IMO $3000 is too much for a 96 4 cylinder single cab 2WD. I could get a 99-00 with maybe a little more miles for the same around here.

The 98+ have a little bit more cab space, only an inch or two though. If you want real cab space you will have to get extended cab.

 

Im in chicago suburbs..Hard as hell to find one here. I offered him 2500.I really want a ext cab with maybe a 3.0 .Whats a better engine? I have a buddy who owns a shop but I dont wan tto sink tons of money into it. Most of the trucks i have seen have had nothing done to them besides a battery and brakes at 120000. Just wondering about the balljoints,tie rods.

 

Umm as far as engines you have 2 choices IMO. If you want economy and don't care about power then get a 4 cylinder. If you want power and don't care about economy than get a 4.0 V6. The 3.0 V6 gets the same gas mileage as the 4.0 with half the power.

Fords are pretty hard on the front ends and the factory ball joints on 98+s at least suck so they usually need replaced before 100k.

Other issues depend on the year, engine, and mileage.

From what you've said it doesn't sound like that 96 is the best bet for you. If you want to find a Ranger that you will really like and fits your needs it might take a month or two of hard searching to find it. If you jump the gun you will make a purchase and end up with a truck that you will regret later.

 

Im telling you I have been looking for over a month.Made alot of long trips for nothing looking at some of them too. The B.s. these people gave me on the phone just to get me there.If the 96 was an ext I would buy it.Im telling you the body is mint. Rear fender walls and bed are solid. The underneath leaves were new.He said the dealer did them 2 years ago.front end was tight when I drove it.
But like you said the truck lacks power bigtime. I can run backwards faster than it goes forward.
Trouble is the trucks I do find are too far from my buddies shop to drive and put it up on the rack
and check it out.

 

Were besides craigs and the newspaper can I look? I have been on truck trader,e bay and nothing but dealer crap..

 

if it feels good do it man. you've been looking w/ no luck. if you look at the big picture, 95,000 spread over 15 years is only 6000+ a year. it sounds like he took care of it.

 

searchtempest.com searches all of the craigslists around you. Keep looking, you'll find it eventually