I am a soon to be first time vehicle owner and am looking for a reliable smallish truck that is not too overwhelming, but can still hall some stones/dirt/camping stuff. I have heard/seen some good things about the Rangers on this site but am further in need of info.

But if i'm asking you guys for help i may as well tell you a little bit about myself as well:
My name is Ed i am 18.5 years old (for the record i'm not one of though's new generation crazy yolo kids) I enjoy listening to classic rock and vinyl records but still try and keep up with new music. I am studying in the field of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, & Air/Conditioning)

Getting back on the topic at hand my father me both agreed that a small truck is what i should get and the Ford Ranger looks to be the truck for me.

So if i could get a hand with some general information about buying them used such as: Things to look out for/ what sized engine i should try and get,what i should stay away from/ how many miles do you think is to many for this truck, and any other information you think i should know (Feel free to direct me to links i may have missed) and also your first time buying stories i would love to!

And if you think the Reg. cab Vs the Extended cab is better along with 2WD Vs 4WD

Thanks in advanced,
Ed

 

depends on you budget. how much are you looking to spend

 

I'm not sure how much it snows in your region but if it does snow significantly, 4x4 is worth every penny

 

Hey man welcome to the forums. This is actually my first post on this forum in over 3 years. Anyway, I would say whole heartedly that rangers are a GREAT first vehicle and will do exactly what you want them to do. I had (May her soul RIP) a 1995 XLT with the I4 and 2wd 5spd. She got me everywhere. Of course I didn't do any serious off roading so the 2wd worked fine and I only ever got stuck once in the snow. The extended cab is great but don't expect to actually use it for passengers. I kept my sub woofer box back there. But you could use it for hauling gear you don't want to expose to the elements and still have a passenger.

 

I think a Ranger is a great first truck. What is your budget?

 

I figured this question might come up, but forgot to mention that i'm working with 6,500 dollars... I know that's not a whole lot but that's why i'm not buying a brand new 2011 one haha.

 

You can find a Ranger in that range.

I'm assuming you need 4x4?

 

I don't need 4WD but it's always nice haha

I live in the Buffalo, NY region

 

It seems like once you buy your first Ranger, you always end up with a few more! I know I wouldn't sell mine unless I had another one already bought.

 

They're pretty good trucks and easy to work on. I haven't had any major problems with any of the 3 that i've owned so far!

you should be able to get a 4x4 for that price range with around 100k on it.

 

If you buy one in your local area, keep an eye out for rust.

They are great first trucks. I never plan on selling mine, and I DO plan on owning more.