Richard, Although your question was addressed to Gary, I'll offer an extra 2� worth on the subject.
I had similar concerns about Ford Rangers, having most recently owned import pickups and Chevys before then. I bought my Ranger primarily based on the experiences of other owners. A location photographer I know used a '96 Ranger XLT 4x4 as his regular work vehicle. His assignments took him throughout the Puget Sound area from Olympia to Marysville, sometimes driving as many as 5,000 miles a month. His Ranger now has 175,000+ miles on the clock and has had NO mechanical issues whatsoever, receiving only regular maintenance and oil changes. He recently 'retired' his Ranger from day-to-day use, having replaced it with a PT Cruiser which turns in much better around-town gas mileage and offers more useable interior space. I know several other Ranger owners, all with the 4.0 liter V-6. All describe the engine as bulletproof. My father-in-law recently retired as a fleet manager for a large Boise construction company. He found the Rangers to be the best value in a small truck. They regularly logged 80 - 100k HARD miles on 'em before they developed any mechanical issues. But even though it's a 6 cyl motor, my Ranger 4x4's gas mileage is nothing to write home about. I get about 13-15 mpg around town (depending on how many trips I make across the bridge to Seattle) and about 20 mpg on the road. Here in Bellevue, the Arco station at 148th and Bel-Red now has regular unleaded for just $1.19. I filled up my Ranger for under $20 ($16.40) for the first time since I've owned it! Kent Lufkin >Gary, how many miles do you have on the Ranger? I usually keep my vehicles >for 100k+ miles and, for some reason, I've had concerns the Rangers may not >be those types of vehicles. > >Cheers! > >Richard > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Gary Meyers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 4:50 PM >Subject: Re: Fishing vehicles? > > >> Good discussion topic, Kent. >> >> I've got a Ford Ranger Pick-up almost identical to yours, but a year older >> (1997). Same plusses and minuses. I too, really wish it had those small >rear >> doors. It's a pain in the butt sometimes to access the back seat. And yes, >> it's tough to get a long rod caddy in the back. I tow a utility trailer >and >> inflated raft with it and no problem--plenty of power. It's perfect for >one >> or two people. I think it's the most comfortable vehicle I've ever driven. >> I'm tall and it fits me well. I can drive 12-14 hours (such as to Montana) >> without getting fatigued. I think it's great truck and fishing rig >overall. >> Good ground clearance. Maneuverable. Tight. Good 4WD (I take it skiing >too). >> No mechanical problems. Plus it had Firestones. So I got 4 free new tires >> from Ford. >> >> I also have a '98 Suburban and if I'm hauling a crowd or going somewhere >> where I'm camping and I want my gear secure, I'll take it. Surprisingly, >it >> gets decent highway mileage. Sometimes 20+ mpg. But, I find it >> uncomfortable. The front seats are cramped for such a big vehicle. And of >> course it's a pig to park and drive around town. Whenever possible, I'll >> drive the Ranger. >> >> Gary Meyers >> Kirkland >> >> >> >> > Over the years, we've discussed just about every kind of fishing gear >> > or strategy imaginable. But it struck me the other day that there's >> > still one indispensable piece of gear that every one of us uses: the >> > vehicle that gets us where we fish. >> > >> > I assume that for most of us, our fishing vehicle is also our daily >> > driver that spends most of its time making trips to the store or >> > commuting. For some of us in a multi-car household, a second vehicle >> > may be much more appropriate for fishing. A very few of us may >> > actually have a rig dedicated just for fishing, refined over years of >> > use. >> > >> > To get the ball rolling, here's my own 2� on the subject: >> > >> > I've always owned a pickup. In fact I can only remember a couple > > > years when I didn't have one. My current ride is a 1998 Ford Ranger >> > XLT extra cab 4x4 with a 4.0 liter V-6 and an automatic. Wish I'd got >> > it with the small, half-sized doors to get behind the front seats. >> > However, a retractable cover keeps things out of sight back there. >> > >> > The bed will hold a couple float tubes fully inflated or my 9 foot >> > pontoon boat (I haven't tried stacking two pontoon boats back there >> > yet.) There's plenty of room left over for gear bags, coolers, oars >> > or rod tubes. Plus, the bed doubles as a place to sit and wader up >> > without rocks that can tear up my neoprene wader feet. >> > >> > But having a pickup does pose some limitations. Leaving stuff in the >> > back is an open invitation to theft if you leave it there even >> > briefly. And relatively light weight stuff needs to be tied down to >> > keep it from becoming airborne at highway speeds. >> > >> > My truck's bed isn't long enough that I can stretch out in it to >> > sleep, and I'd need some sort of canopy to stay dry in the rain. The >> > space behind the seats doesn't hold very much gear (long rod tubes >> > are an especially tight fit) and it's a real pain to get to. Finally, >> > if I owned a boat and trailer, my rig is probably much too puny for >> > serious towing. >> > >> > But for the most part, it works well for the kind of fishing I do. >> > The 4wd and high ground clearance are a real plus on marginal roads. >> > >> > I'd sure like to hear how other subscribers have adapted their >> > vehicles for their own fishing style. >> > >> > Kent Lufkin >> > >> > >> >> >
