Your Age-Your First Ford-What You Learned To Drive On-Your Rangers Year!

[Caladan]

1) age 62
2) learned to drive in mom's seventies-era AMC Hornet station wagon, which was a surprisingly reliable vehicle
3) first vehicle I purchased was a '68 Ford Fairlane 500, which was a piece of crap and put me off of Fords for the next 45 years
4) current daily driver is a '21 Ranger Lariat

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[Figarou]

Going to be 55 soon.

1st vehicle I learned to drive is a 1973 Oldsmobile Omega.

1st vehicle I owned is a used 1976 Ford Granada.

1st manual vehicle I drove is a military Jeep. My MOS was 64C. Had to learn stickshift during basic training.

1st brand new vehicle is a 1991 Ford Ranger.

Currently have a 2019 Ford Ranger Lariat. FX4

 

[CAB]

My dad was a 36 year Ford employee for the Parts Depot, Carrollton TX.

*I’m 54
*First car/first Ford - Baby Blue 1977 Pinto
*Have also owned 1983 Ranger and 1990 Ranger and many Ford Expeditions.
*2022 Tremor currently “In Production”

 

[P. A. Schilke]

My dad was a 36 year Ford employee for the Parts Depot, Carrollton TX.

*I’m 54
*First car/first Ford - Baby Blue 1977 Pinto
*Have also owned 1983 Ranger and 1990 Ranger and many Ford Expeditions.
*2022 Tremor currently “In Production”

Hi Charles,

My Pinto was a 1971, but with some modifications......

They said it was going to be a pig.....So I made it an awfully fast pig....

Best,
Phil

 

[halligan1201]

I'm 47. Learned to drive in a 74 Town Car, an 85 Nova (a Toyota in disguise), and a 1980 F350 tow truck. First Ford was a 1980 F150.

 

[LT Dangle]

Im 35

1st vehicle I drove was a 1989 Mercury Sable.

1st vehicle I bought was a used 1998 Taurus SHO (after a couple years with a hand-me-down 1996 Mercury Sable and then a 1992 Jeep Cherokee)

1st manual was a 2004 40th anniversary Mustang GT. Brand spanking new. I worked at a dealer at the time and my boss told me to fuel it up. I told her I never driven a stick (in knew the principals but had never actually done it) she said "No better time than now"

1st brand new vehicle was a 2015 GMC Sierra All Terrain.

Lastly, is my 2021 Lariat FX4 that I bought in January.

 

[NTXTremor]

Hi Mark,

I am aware of a head gasket problem with the 2.8L V6...is this your engine? Or the base model 2.3L Lima engine? 2.8 Cologne motor was designed in the UK and built in Germany...the 2.9L version fixed a lot of the problems and did not need the valve adjustment as the valve lifters were hydraulic on the 2.9L Auto trans were in my opinion, always problematic in that day except the C6. AAMCO loved us... We finally fixed the Auto Trans, but it was a loooooong haul....

Best,
Phil

Thanks for the reply, Phil!

Ours was the base 2.3L Lima engine. We chalked it up to the fact that all 30K miles were in town, short trips. When we took the head off, there was a lot of carbon build up in the unaffected cylinders, more than we expected for the age and miles.

 

[landiscarrier]

i'm 52 (almost 53).

My first car was a 1978 Chevy Camaro straight 6 with a 3-speed. Purchased when I was 16. Was incredibly slow!

First Ford was a brand new 1988 Mustang 5.0 LX Notchback, I was 18 and my mom co-signed for me. I think the interest rate on the loan was 12.5% and my payment was $254.98 for 4 years. (yup that I remember) Kept it for 5 years. Wish I would have hung on to that car!

Current is a 2019 Ranger Lariat purchased in 2020 as a dealer demo with 2300 miles on it. Currently have 39k on it.

 

[Fitzmotor]

I'm 60, learned to drive in a Ford Granada, first Ford (sort of) was a 67 Mercury Cyclone with a 410ci it was a tire burning monster, paid 75$ for it, sure wish I hadn't sold that one!

 

[Fawnbuster]

57
First Ford was my 1982 Mustang GT, learned to drive the Craftsman riding mower, then steering the vehicle on our 1/4 mile long gravel driveway. Drivers Ed in HS. Went on to become an advanced EVO (emerg veh oper) instructor for hundreds of students. That was alot of fun.

 

[wetidlerjr]

Learned to drive in a '56 Plymouth 6 cyl, 3 on the tree when I was 16 (74 now) and my first Ford was a '69 Mustang Mach 1, 428CJ automatic. I bought it new after I came back from Vietnam in March 1969.
This is a pic of one identical to mine.

 

[subquark]

60, learned to drive a '72 Toyota FJ40 (which I still own)

Have had a handful of cars since, but ...

I'm looking forward to my 2022 Ford Ranger XL more than anything!

 

[JimInVA]

I am 71.

First driving was a small farm tractor and old raggedy Chevy pickup when I was about 9 or so in 1959. I didn't drive the tractor much as it was neighbors and I was helping him once in a while. The pickup was usually holding animal feed, lumber, a jon boat, or some other thing and I was moving things around the property.

By 12 or 13 I was driving an unknown brand milk truck with my step father. We would both bail out on opposite sides of truck with deliveries to houses and if I got back first, I'd pull the truck up to next stop and he would be there. Old swing door milk truck.

By 15, 1965, I was driving a 1957 Belair, Chev, Tropical Turquoise, which is the only car a real man would ever fall in love with, dream of driving again. . .

By 19-24, 1969-1974, all manner of military jeeps and trucks up to M35 deuce and half in USAF. Yeah, we had them pulling TACC vans, water trailers and other stuff for deployment playing like WWIII.

By 1970, I had a very small 1952 2-door English car, believe it was a Morris Minor. Smallest darn car. Front seats folded down so person could get in back. Modern (lol) turn indicator that flipped up from the door post mechanically and I can't recall how to flip it in and out. Good little car I had for year in England.

A new 1971 VW Station Wagon for several years. Bought new in England and left in Germany in 1974. Real POS rust bucket with wonky fuel injection.

At 25 a new 1975 AMC Sportabout. Was another POS and I wondered at the time if someone at AMC was intending to destroy the company with this kind of rubbish. Certainly makers could not get worse I believed.

At 28-30 in Okinawa a series of Toyota and other Japanese used rustbuckets held together with Bondo. We had to pass the Japanese inspections which seemed to measure pounds of bondo vs rust ratio. Cars were not bad to drive and all had names like Carol or other American female names.

At 30, 1980 From Okinawa, I had ordered a 1980 Ford Fairmount station wagon that I learned was evidence that American auto production could and did sink lower than that old AMC Sportabout had suggested. I had that Ford for about 6 years. Drove it at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Northern VA and sold it while in Montgomery AL. Terrible body was worst aspect. Paint was meant to fade and rust.

At 36, 1986, a 1986 Honda Accord which finally refreshed my love of cars the old 57 Chev had started. That Honda was not the full flush of good production HOnda would achieve. But, they were on the way. That car only left the family because daughter who still does things her way wrecked it with four other kids with her.

At 40 I bought my first truck. 1988 Chev S10. It was cheap because the prior owner burned up a three packs cigs a day in that thing and only I would prefer bargain to the smell. I thought I could air it out. LMAO. It was a sweet ride and I was hooked on trucks. Another great feature was wife and kids could not stand the smell and I did not have to share it.

At 41, 1991, another Honda Accord to replace the one daughter wrecked. Honda has always been in my drive since replacing one after another: 1998 Accord, 2005 Accord, 2014 Pilot

At 46, 1996 even I needed some fresh air driving and the S10 was replaced. By then I knew Chev pickups likely stunk, and my first Ranger. I drove that truck all over Eastern US on business collecting 120k miles.

At 52 good fortune came my way when a woman hit the back of my 1996 Ranger and insurance, USAA, totaled the thing offering me 11k, for truck with 120k miles. The insurance guy claims I injured his arm grabbing that money so fast.

No decision replacing that Ranger with another Ranger. 2002 Ranger driving until at 71, 2021 Ranger replaced it.

A lot of lessons reviewing this. I wasted a lot of money buying junk until I arrived at Honda for cars and Ford Ranger for trucks. I have driven probably 200+ or more cars and trucks as rentals and such and for a truck, the Ranger is the sweet spot that meets my wants and needs. I will probably need to replace it in about 20 years approaching 91.

The only other car/truck I would want and would trade a left one for is 1957 Belair, Tropical Turquoise only maintained and no improvements. Can't improve perfection.

 

[Phil_R]

I am 71.

First driving was a small farm tractor and old raggedy Chevy pickup when I was about 9 or so in 1959. I didn't drive the tractor much as it was neighbors and I was helping him once in a while. The pickup was usually holding animal feed, lumber, a jon boat, or some other thing and I was moving things around the property.

By 12 or 13 I was driving an unknown brand milk truck with my step father. We would both bail out on opposite sides of truck with deliveries to houses and if I got back first, I'd pull the truck up to next stop and he would be there. Old swing door milk truck.

By 15, 1965, I was driving a 1957 Belair, Chev, Tropical Turquoise, which is the only car a real man would ever fall in love with, dream of driving again. . .

By 19-24, 1969-1974, all manner of military jeeps and trucks up to M35 deuce and half in USAF. Yeah, we had them pulling TACC vans, water trailers and other stuff for deployment playing like WWIII.

By 1970, I had a very small 1952 2-door English car, believe it was a Morris Minor. Smallest darn car. Front seats folded down so person could get in back. Modern (lol) turn indicator that flipped up from the door post mechanically and I can't recall how to flip it in and out. Good little car I had for year in England.

A new 1971 VW Station Wagon for several years. Bought new in England and left in Germany in 1974. Real POS rust bucket with wonky fuel injection.

At 25 a new 1975 AMC Sportabout. Was another POS and I wondered at the time if someone at AMC was intending to destroy the company with this kind of rubbish. Certainly makers could not get worse I believed.

At 28-30 in Okinawa a series of Toyota and other Japanese used rustbuckets held together with Bondo. We had to pass the Japanese inspections which seemed to measure pounds of bondo vs rust ratio. Cars were not bad to drive and all had names like Carol or other American female names.

At 30, 1980 From Okinawa, I had ordered a 1980 Ford Fairmount station wagon that I learned was evidence that American auto production could and did sink lower than that old AMC Sportabout had suggested. I had that Ford for about 6 years. Drove it at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Northern VA and sold it while in Montgomery AL. Terrible body was worst aspect. Paint was meant to fade and rust.

At 36, 1986, a 1986 Honda Accord which finally refreshed my love of cars the old 57 Chev had started. That Honda was not the full flush of good production HOnda would achieve. But, they were on the way. That car only left the family because daughter who still does things her way wrecked it with four other kids with her.

At 40 I bought my first truck. 1988 Chev S10. It was cheap because the prior owner burned up a three packs cigs a day in that thing and only I would prefer bargain to the smell. I thought I could air it out. LMAO. It was a sweet ride and I was hooked on trucks. Another great feature was wife and kids could not stand the smell and I did not have to share it.

At 41, 1991, another Honda Accord to replace the one daughter wrecked. Honda has always been in my drive since replacing one after another: 1998 Accord, 2005 Accord, 2014 Pilot

At 46, 1996 even I needed some fresh air driving and the S10 was replaced. By then I knew Chev pickups likely stunk, and my first Ranger. I drove that truck all over Eastern US on business collecting 120k miles.

At 52 good fortune came my way when a woman hit the back of my 1996 Ranger and insurance, USAA, totaled the thing offering me 11k, for truck with 120k miles. The insurance guy claims I injured his arm grabbing that money so fast.

No decision replacing that Ranger with another Ranger. 2002 Ranger driving until at 71, 2021 Ranger replaced it.

A lot of lessons reviewing this. I wasted a lot of money buying junk until I arrived at Honda for cars and Ford Ranger for trucks. I have driven probably 200+ or more cars and trucks as rentals and such and for a truck, the Ranger is the sweet spot that meets my wants and needs. I will probably need to replace it in about 20 years approaching 91.

The only other car/truck I would want and would trade a left one for is 1957 Belair, Tropical Turquoise only maintained and no improvements. Can't improve perfection.

Awesome Review Jim!!! Thanks !

 

[Ranger X]

57, but I still feel and drive like I’m 27 ? …. 1981 F150. I have had several since then. 3 F150s and 3 Ford Rangers, loved each one of them.

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