Rangers

[Central Island Lawn]

Hi folks.
I am considering buying a new truck in the next year or so. I have an old '88 F250 diesel. It runs well but it's old and things are starting to fall apart. I'm wondering how many guys are using small chassis pickups right now? And if they are, what are they using?
Being that in the next little while I'm scaling back, will be focusing on maintenance, and will not be able to work full time, I'm wondering if I can get away with a 4 cylinder ranger with tow hitch and payload package. I could go with the V6, but my old diesel gets the same milage as the 4L ranger.

Thanks

[Keith]

If you are going to be towing, get the V6. Don't get me wrong, the 2.3 in the Ranger makes a nice little mpg ride, but it sucks at towing. I own a 2008 with the 2.3. The manual transmission is rated to tow about 1500lbs and the automatic about 2100. The automatic will not get the mileage the manual does. Therefore the difference between a similarly equipped V6 and 4 cylinder will be minimal.

A better choice would be the F150 with the 3.7 V6. I think the mileage rating is actually a little higher than the V6 Ranger.

[360ci]

I agree with Keith. I'm looking at the new F150 with the 3.7L ... 23mpg for 2wd. You can also get it with the 3.73 LSD up from the 3.55 open diff.

[Keith]

Strange coincidence. I needed to drive up to Virginia to pick up some furniture last week. I was originally going to take my truck, but decided to rent one instead. What I ended up with was a 2011 F150, XLT SuperCrew with the 3.7 V6 with 3.73 gears.

The truck is pretty quick. I did not tow a trailer with it, but it was pretty impressive. For the entire trip, it averaged 20.23 mpg. Of course it didn't do as well at 75-81mph on I-95. Driving locally in rural Virginia, it got 21.5 mpg.

I'm not sure that I could buy the 3.7 over the 5.0 or the EcoBoost, but I would take it any day over the V6 Ranger. Very nice truck.

[AI Inc]

I towed 2 snowmobiles once with an 08 2.3 ranger just to see. Milage wasnt much better then the f20.During blowout season I will tow a 150 air compressor and average 16

[PROPERTYLAWNSERVICELLC]

MY dad has a a ranger its a 06+ I dont like it rides terrible put 50 pounds in the bed the truck sags the azs end down .
If you want a small mpg truck get a Dakota with 3.7 I have one avarage 20 mpg and can get at 55- mph 26+mpg average.
I also have had 2800 pounds of gravel in the bed no problems the truck sat down about 1 ft that was it.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

[Tennesseepowerstroke]

Load your trailer with with the heaviest load you will ever tow and go have it weighed. Follow the manufacturers towing weight recommendations and you will be fine. My Ranger is rated to tow 3900 pounds. My trailer with every piece of equipment I own weighs 3485 pounds (3500 pound axle). They key is balancing the trailer weight. I have brakes on my single axle trailer. I hardly ever load my walk behind and zero turn on the same day as this helps with gas mileage also.