Ain't that the truth. My buddy has a '96 Ranger that he bought in spring '98 and that little truck just keeps going. He's put over 200K on it. Over the last 10 years he's replaced the clutch twice, the manual shift linkage for the transfer case once, alternator and starter once, and a new battery. 5 years ago he did a 2" suspension lift and put on 30 or 32" BFG's (can't remember which, whatever fits with that lift). He fully intends to drive it for another 100K. I can only hope my F150 hold up that well.

 

Actually I think it was midyear 2000 when they gave up on vacuum hubs altogether and went to a live front axle. If you get a truck with vacuum hubs you can get a aftermarket kit to convert it to manual lockouts.

100% completely different truck any way you cut it, different engine lineup, different tranny's, different axles/suspension, different frame, different body, different interior. The 1988 is the last year of the first generation (1983-1988) and is identical to my 1985 aside from fuel injection being more common ( I would have a EFI 2.9 rather than a carbed 2.8). However the last major update for the Ranger was in 1998 with the SLA front suspension (rather than the Twin Traction Beam) and a longer extended cab. Otherwise for all practically they haven't much changed since, but they have extended the production 2 years longer than they have anticipated due to demand for them. Kind of interesting the only thing in their class that is really beating them in sales is the Tacoma, they still outsell the Colorado on occasion and the Frontier.

They are a good little truck, I wouldn't mind getting a older 2wd, 2.3, 5-speed just for milage. I haven't been around a newer one very much, but my '85 with 150k on it never ceases to amaze me, by all rights it should have blown up a long time ago after what I have put it through.

 

Even the V6's can get decent mileage. My nephew has a 99 Explorer Sport 4x2 (pretty much the same vehicle) with a pushrod 4.0 and a 5 speed with 3.27 gears. He averages about 19 to 20 mpg in mixed driving on goatpiss California gas and he has a heavy foot.

 

i dont think there will be any aftermarket parts on this vehicle... shes a bright girl just not when it comes to vehicles. i lent her my jeep when i was away for training for a week when i got back it had been snowing a bit... she had been driving around in 4wd low... thank god it was only city driving she got a lesson in 4x4 systems after that

 

Just throwing it out there, you can also do a conversion so they are live like the newer ones.

Personally I find the manual lockouts pretty handy to have (back in the day they came stock)