Beat The Crowd: 1997 Ford Ranger
The late model used car market goes something like this. We (car nerds) get abscessed with some particular car because it is cool or reliable or interesting– let’s pick the Toyota Hilux and pretend it is 2010. You could get them for next to nothing and they were cheap and easy to maintain and we (car nerds…again) told all of our non-car friends about it. Some of those people turned into car nerds and others started to treat their used cars like some kinda physical version of a crypto-currency and they started hoarding them and then prices started going up and the next thing you know you are paying $60k for a barely running Ford Bronco, or VW Bus, or original Mustang, or…Toyota HiLux…you see where I’m going with this? Okay. Next object of our mass stupidity is…spin that wheel…beep-beep-beep-boop ooohhh, Ford Ranger. Find this 1997 Ford Ranger offered for $2500 in Phoenix, AZ via craigslist.
From the seller:
1997 ford ranger
fuel: gas
odometer: 200000
title status: clean
transmission: manual
I am selling my 1997 Ford Ranger. The truck is in amazing running condition with no mechanical issues at all. This truck is great for any use you may need it for. It’s a great work truck or even a daily driver or anything like you may need it for.The struck is a stick shift that has a perfect working clutch and transmission. The truck has brand new tires that was put on about 5 months ago. It has a clean title that’s signed off and ready to go. I am asking $2550 O.B.O please call me no emails
See a better way to start your Ranger collection before the rush? tips@dailyturismo.com
Seems to be the 4-cylinder. While there is an audience for small trucks that were actually small, you can still find some deals. For my daughter, I recently found a 1993 STX extended cab 2WD with only 87k miles and the 4L 6 cylinder for $5000. Seems like a pretty good ride for the $$
I am hoping your use of the word abscessed was intentional. My obsessive car looking does feel a lot like an abscess sometimes.
We bought an ’03 Mazda B2300, the Ranger with a Zoom-Zoom sticker in 2014. It seemed in good nick at 100K miles. Since then over the next pampered 50k miles it’s had an:
* entirely new coolant system & hoses
* front suspension entirely rebuilt
* new steering rack
* coil packs replaced
* new clutch, throw out bearing and slave cylinder
* alternator
* intake disassembled to replace a 25 cent grommet at huge labor expense
* new AC compressor
I’m sure I’m missing stuff. I’ve been kicking myself for not getting a Tacoma or Frontier ever since.
My dad had one back in the day. I was always amazed how people moved left on me when I was in that vs when I was driving my VW golf.
Dang…moved right.
You mean ‘swiped right’… because Ford Rangers are real panty-droppers.
Seller has mad license plate covering skills, leaving only the important numbers visible 🙂
Account name checks out.
Had a ‘11 v6 manual tranny. Everything metal below the body rusted like crazy here in Canada. Sold it after 8 years, less than 120000 kms, after 2 sets of rotors & pads and a caliper change. Every metal surface not the body rusted very quickly. Ran great, but. And in snow country, u need 4wd to move on slippery slopes