Yea, idk if I want a boat/jet skis or another rig.. If I get another rig it means more money into the Chevy for towing, a trailer, a welder, bender etc...

 

hah thanks man.

but if you really wanna go with this....id start pricing things out. get rough estimates of what you'd pay base price for the jeep...and price out ALL the things you'd want to throw on it. That way you know what your in for.

like if i had known i was gunna toss this much money into my ranger...i woulda gotten an older one

my mazda, i had priced out already. so i already knew i was gunna pay the price of the truck + another 2-3grand in the end.

 

Just
Eats
Every
Penny

I had written a book on how much you put into a jeep over the first year but quickly got depressed when I realize I could have paid off a mortgage between the 2 I've built... So I deleted it.... lets just say they both had to be ordered ( because the dealerships order the stupidest options in the world Soft top + no AC ? this is FL its required here!!!! or Black Leather seats in a soft top, hmmmm no thanks) and the first lift kit was only $2700, the second was over $5000 (Nth degree longarm kit was well worth it)

 

Yeah I have a BIG soft spot for gen3's they are my Achilles heal when it comes to rangers. I also found the perfect gen3 on CL I might go look at.

Luckily once I get a vehicle to a certain point I dont feel the need to go on. Like right now i'm content with the 04 4x4. I was content with my 04 2wd too. I like to keep it clean yet functional.

Hey Randy this is the ranger I found. Its a 94 4.0/5spd/4x4. Rebuilt tranny and everything that goes with it. Not sure on miles I asked in an email so I should know in the morning. Asking 3800. From the pictures it looks to be in good shape. New wheels for sure though. I'd slap a bit of a lift on it and some 33's and call it a day. One thing I love about gen3's is the TTB suspension. Best of both worlds IMO.

 

that guy looks good right there. as long as the miles arent outstanding...that'd really be a platform id love to have. Thats what i would have ideally wanted in a trail rig ranger.

and ttb..i wouldnt say best of both worlds BUT. Easy to lift and easy to swap out! hah

looks good. lemme know how that one works out. that'd make for a nice fun sized rig for ya.

and it seems to fit the budget a tad better too.

 

Well here's the thing. I also know of another one out new hozlvl2's house. It looks the same, but is a 93. Not sure of running condition, but they are asking 1400. I'm going to get him to find some info out on it for me. I could buy either right now then sell the 04. The one for 1400 isn't in the greatest shape, but if it runs it wouldn't take but maybe 1000 to get it looking decent. However I'd need to look at it during the day, but it looked a bit rusty on the frame. Not sure which motor it has. More then likely the 3.0.

 

eh. but a trail rig doesnt need to start as a project. it should be a project after you decide to make it one.

imo, i hate hate HATE picking up after someone has left off on a project.

 

I'm the same way. I'd probably feel more comfortable getting the 94 as it has no body damage that I can see. the other one looks like it landed on a tree or something and smash the lower body panel under the door and bent it up under the truck.

 

I have a group of friends that are Chevy truck fanatics. They love their old Chevy. Anything carbed. They all have lifted and fast Chevy truck and Suburbans a as DDs. But they also all have 60s CJs for trailing. They DO NOT ever take out the Chevy for mudding or off roading. That's what the CJs are for. But they go every month. Don't put money into something you won't use.

 

Mo Money Mo Problems...

lol.

Honestly I dunno what to tell ya... I like having just one truck :-)

 

lol, me too

 

Best advice right there. Are you REALLY going to wheel that often? Are you REALLY going to need a Jeep just to wheel? Do you HAVE to be another Jeep guy on the trail and just blend in with them all?

 

Like you said the nearest offroad spot is 1-4 hours away. Are you really going to make that trip often enough to make buying a jeep worth it? You don't get that much snow I don't think, and like said above 1 truck is plenty so IMO just sell the Ranger and have the F-150 and Mustang be your 2 rides. One for DD and the other for the weekends.

If your really into offroading and you know you'll go once or twice a month then keep the Ranger or sell it and replace it with a Jeep. Either or will do great on the trails.

 

keep the truck Mike, you waited this ling to get it, just keep it! if anything, get rid of the other one.

 

I agree with Scott. Sell the 2wd, keep the 4wd and the Stang and of course the 150. Keep the 150 in the garage or covered up. It has sentimental value to you. Keep it in the best of shape for as long as possible. DD the Ranger, drive the Stand on weekends, and drive the 150 on special occasions.

 

If I actually had something dedicated to offroading I would make that trip at least once a month. Plus i'd keep it street legal so I could have a convertible once in a while. I also like to go do photography in places I wouldn't want to take a 2wd. So having a 4wd is handy for me.

Dont worry i'm not going to get the "jeep is holier then thou" mentality. I know a well build ranger could do just as well if not better. The advantage to a jeep is it comes from the factory ready for most offroading. Which just a little tweaking you have something that can do almost anything. Takes a bit more for a truck, but I am considering a gen3 ranger which has ttb that can easily be swapped to a SFA. 2wd is being sold regardless. I'm never selling the f150 its the one thing I got from my dad when he passed. I'd rather be rangerless then get rid of it, but I still want/need a 4wd. I was stuck with 2wd for so long and I dont wana go back lol.

 

Here's my final opinion. Sell the 2wd, use that money to pay off any debts you may have, buy a body lift and 33's for the Ranger. Use the rest of the money and buy an older Ranger and do a D30 swap up front and slap some 33's on it and wheel it. Problem solved.

 

Not really lol. 2wd is getting sold and being used to pay for school. I have no debt. and keeping this ranger then buying another wouldn't work either. I'm trying to narrow down the amount of vehicles in the drive way to at least 4. I have the f150 i can drive so whatever replaces the ranger is a toy that I can bang up on the trails and not cry about lol.

 

forget what these tools are saying lol. theyre just recaping whats already been known.

we know you dont have debts
we know ur keeping the f150
we know ur 2wd is getting sold
we know that if you sell the 4wd, thats the money thatll be put forth into your toy....whatever that may be.

that being said...you already stated ttb is fine for you. so id say wait on the response from that craigslist ranger or w.e. and go from there. maybe you were meant to get a jeep..but who knows.

 

lol indeed sir. Life is like a roller coaster..sometimes you just gotta strap in for the ride!

There are +'s and -'s to both. The plus I see for each is. The jeep you have a convertible which would be real nice on summer nights and during the fall/spring and its SFA. With a gen3 I'd still have a bed to use to carry stuff. Spares and what not. It has ttb which is decent for an offroad rig and as you said before is easily swapped out for a SFA. Then of course with the gen3 a v8 swap is not difficult at all. So it's 2-1 right now with the ranger winning by a bit lol.

 

see, now were talkin. a toy is gunna be a toy and its gunna get hacked up either way! lol, sad truth but im liking where your head is goin with it though.

 

Mike just get a jeep, thats what you really want anyway from what it sounds like. No need to try and justify it to everyone else (especially a board of biased ranger owners lol), get what will make you happy in the long run.

 

Get a cheap jeep to beat on and keep the ranger. That's what I'm planning to do.

 

I'm gonna end up selling it if I get something else. I've got the f150 to drive. So the ranger wont get used much then. I'd rather someone else be able to enjoy it then it just sitting. btw you coming to knoxville? Need to know if I need to bring that tail gate with me.

 

until something breaks or you get bitten to make it better.

i vote no. you can wheel your truck, just be carefull about it. it makes you apreciate your ranger that much more. i also agree with what i skimmed through on page 3 about getting a ranger you wanted and are you gonna wheel it enough to justifty buying a jeep.

either way, jeep or ranger. you wanna play, you gotta pay. we all know that.