Ford Ranger - long term reliability

[Dr. Zaius]

Now that you own a Ranger, would you buy it again given what you know, or would you cross shop or choose another truck?

Yep. Ranger again. No doubt.

With the chip shortage affecting manufacturers, used truck prices are very high.

Multiple times now I've been offered above what I told myself I'd accept if they went that high.

I still have my Ranger.

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[RangerTime]

What was the deciding factor for you to get rid of the Tacoma? Knowing what you do today, would you buy the Ranger again, or would you cross shop something else?

The Tacoma was OK and just 'OK'. The Ranger (to me) was a much better truck so that's why I changed.

I would buy the Ranger again (actually did, updated to a 2021) and I am thinking I will be interested in the 6G Ranger maybe in a few years.

I test drove the new Frontier just out of curiosity and was not impressed. It felt a little smaller inside and not as comfortable, worse gas milage, no lane keep assist, poor visibility and the steering wheel was not telescoping, so I didn't really have a comfortable position that worked for me. The passenger grab handle on the A pillar looked like it was an after-thought and kinda cheap. And the ORANGE accents in the Pro 4X I drove were not to my taste. Nissan let the previous Frontier linger for 17 years - that has really turned me off to Nissan.
The nav screen in the Frontier was really nice.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[Gsxrdoug]

Now I have had both Tacoma and Ranger, I would take the Ranger any day. Tacoma is the number one brand out here and THEY are everywhere and the people love them, I wanted a something different and the Ranger gave that to me. Plus it rides, drives and sits more comfortably.

 

[AzScorpion]

This confirms my experience driving the Tacoma. I wanted to like the Toyota because of their reputation, but after spending time with both, the Ranger felt easier to live with, and even though it’s not cheap, it’s still about 3k cheaper than a similar equipped Tacoma where I live.

When I bought my 2016 Tacoma the Ranger wasn't out yet and there were limited choices. I went with the Tacoma based on their reputation and longevity. Being a new redesign (never buy a first year run) it was a big mistake and I was so glad when the Ranger came back to the US in 2019. If you take care of it and change the oil and do regular maintenance you should be very happy with a Ranger.

 

[bbuoni8]

Now I have had both Tacoma and Ranger, I would take the Ranger any day. Tacoma is the number one brand out here and THEY are everywhere and the people love them, I wanted a something different and the Ranger gave that to me. Plus it rides, drives and sits more comfortably.

Very helpful! Thank you.

 

[Jrel209]

Now that you own a Ranger, would you buy it again given what you know, or would you cross shop or choose another truck?

I still would over a tacoma, ridgeline, and colorodo. But i bought well before the new frontier and so i cant fully compare it to that. It just drives better imo, especially now after swapping out the fx4 for fox stage1 suspension. But to add why I would, its because im potentially/expecting to pay it off and trade it in for a ranger raptor, if it has a v6 turbo and of course looks good lol…..

In addition, im also fortunate to have an extra car, so i dont put many miles on the ranger which will help prolong the life of it if i do end up keeping it up to 10 years.

 

[Floyd]

This confirms my experience driving the Tacoma. I wanted to like the Toyota because of their reputation, but after spending time with both, the Ranger felt easier to live with, and even though it’s not cheap, it’s still about 3k cheaper than a similar equipped Tacoma where I live.

As for reputation, Ford trucks have had the best reputation of any truck made all the way back to the F1.
But that aside.... Ford has always had service and parts more readily available and for a much lower cost than Toyota.
In my experience, you need to be a three-handed ambidextrous contortionist to work on just about any Toyota. I once even bought a used Camry with a retail value of $4000 for $500 from a dealer who didn't want to change a bad water pump...( barely worth the effort, but the kid had a limited budget)
Remember the "venerable" 22R series? Great engine except for the head gaskets and timing chains.
Oh! and the Frame recalls.... not to mention "sudden unintended acceleration"
Still, some folks get pretty mad if you say they have an ugly dog.

What it comes down to is ... buy the one you love so much that your willing to take care of it!

 

[landiscarrier]

I have a 19’ Ranger with 26k on it and have not had one issue. Been VERY SATISFIED.

My son has a 17’ Colorado with 60k and no issues also. Still has the original tires on it!

I have 3 friends with Tacomas and they have had a few minor issues…nothing major. My complaint about the Tacoma is the transmission (especially when towing) holly cow….shift already!! The frame is not boxed and the engine is a bit dated. But they sell the crap out of them!

 

[CB750F]

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.
I'm good with 10k miles service but the day I start pulling or using it more as a
truck is the day I will do maintenance at 5k.
As of now, my wife uses it to commute, about 5/8 miles one way, so not hard use.
I know your saying 90 miles but maybe, if you can wait for the PHEV version?
A 30 mile autonomous battery use would be close to 90% of our driving.
Our truck started out at 18mpg & slowly crept up to 23 mpg, no idea
how people are getting 26mpg?
Can I go 200k miles with minimum issues, absolutely.
Can I go 50k miles & have huge issues, absolutely.
For some weird perceived reason, I just prefer an American truck.
Depending on PHEV setup I might just trade for one.
We love the truck.

 

[JohnnyO]

Additional note: the FX4 suspension is harsh IMO. I'm planning to upgrade to the Fox 2.0 suspension. I am assuming the non-FX4 trims are plusher and not as bad.

I have an STX 4x4 and I think the ride and handling is perfectly fine. Almost everyone with an FX4 complains about the struts and shocks. Realistically if you're not going to go off-road then don't bother with the FX4 or Tremor. Was never a consideration for me as one of the Rangers I owned previously was a 2002 Off-Road Package and while it WAS a beast off-road it beat the snot out of me driving on a daily basis, rode like a cement mixer.

Maintenance, just keep it clean and change ALL the fluids twice as often as the owner's manual says. I'm still on the fence about adding a catch can but it might help with long-term reliability.

 

[GhostStrykre]

I should've noted that I have 35,000 miles on my '19 Ranger. First owner put 22,000 miles on it in the first year driving back and forth between Ohio and Nashville, TN towing his ATVs. I relieved him of his ownership and have applied 13,000 more miles in the 14 or so months I've owned it.

My wife got herself a 2018 Toyota 4Runner (basically a Tacoma with a permanent bed cap) a year earlier and the plan was for that to be our main workhorse. We both really enjoy the 4Runner, but the driving experience was so much better on the Ranger. I personally enjoy lane keep assist for long highway journeys, and the 4Runner has some NASTY nose dive on hard braking. A driver ahead of me hadn't properly secured stuff in his truck bed and the contents spilled out on the highway. I had to make rapid evasive maneuvers at 70mph and the Ranger did it confidently. No squealed tires or loss of control or fishtail, nothing. I think that's the moment my wife began really trusting the Ranger over her 4Runner.

In the end, we made a significant journey from Ohio to Fort Myers, Florida and back. We'd planned to take the 4Runner, but switched to the Ranger because we enjoyed it better for such a long distance haul. Just a myriad of reasons why.

I still love my wife's 4Runner. I really enjoy swapping back and forth from the Ranger to the 4Runner and back. I do, however, have a favorite child: the Ranger. It is simply my preference that the truck earned from me.

 

[bbuoni8]

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.
I'm good with 10k miles service but the day I start pulling or using it more as a
truck is the day I will do maintenance at 5k.
As of now, my wife uses it to commute, about 5/8 miles one way, so not hard use.
I know your saying 90 miles but maybe, if you can wait for the PHEV version?
A 30 mile autonomous battery use would be close to 90% of our driving.
Our truck started out at 18mpg & slowly crept up to 23 mpg, no idea
how people are getting 26mpg?
Can I go 200k miles with minimum issues, absolutely.
Can I go 50k miles & have huge issues, absolutely.
For some weird perceived reason, I just prefer an American truck.
Depending on PHEV setup I might just trade for one.
We love the truck.

Thank you for this post. The more I am reading, the more I am thinking about which truck is going to be more comfortable and get better gas mileage - the Ranger. Maintenance is key, and issues can happen whether you have a Blue Oval or a TO on the badge.

 

[bbuoni8]

I have an STX 4x4 and I think the ride and handling is perfectly fine. Almost everyone with an FX4 complains about the struts and shocks. Realistically if you're not going to go off-road then don't bother with the FX4 or Tremor. Was never a consideration for me as one of the Rangers I owned previously was a 2002 Off-Road Package and while it WAS a beast off-road it beat the snot out of me driving on a daily basis, rode like a cement mixer.

Maintenance, just keep it clean and change ALL the fluids twice as often as the owner's manual says. I'm still on the fence about adding a catch can but it might help with long-term reliability.

Seems like the use of a catch can is something that anyone that has a Direct Injection engine wonders about??

 

[bbuoni8]

I have a 19’ Ranger with 26k on it and have not had one issue. Been VERY SATISFIED.

My son has a 17’ Colorado with 60k and no issues also. Still has the original tires on it!

I have 3 friends with Tacomas and they have had a few minor issues…nothing major. My complaint about the Tacoma is the transmission (especially when towing) holly cow….shift already!! The frame is not boxed and the engine is a bit dated. But they sell the crap out of them!

I've seen a post on the frame construction, and how some people have said that the boxed frame is superior to the C channel frame from a durability standpoint. I've also seen some diehard Toyota people say the C frame is better for articulation. Quite honestly, I am thinking that I would rather have the stronger frame as my daily driver.

Also saw a post that made me think that some of the reason Toyota sells so many Tacoma's is "perceived" reliability, and what exists today is much different than what they were producing a few decades ago,

 

[bbuoni8]

For sure the Ranger - a better truck IMO in so many ways.

Looking at JD Power ("The J.D. Power 100-Point Score is based on hundreds of thousands of independent and unbiased opinions of verified car owners") the Ranger beats the Tacoma for quality and reliability. Google 'JD Power and Ford Ranger' for more detail

Also, US News ranks the Ranger higher. Google 'US News and Ford Ranger'.

Glad I got rid of the Tacoma and got the Ranger. I could not imagine driving that many miles a day in the Tacoma. It has a harsh ride, seat was too low, and it felt like looking out a tunnel. The visibility in the Ranger is so much nicer. Tacoma felt sluggish all the time and Ranger has a nice get up and go to it.

Also, I like the Lane Keep Assist. Especially on longer trips and that is not an option on the Tacoma.

Other advantages of the Ranger IMO:
Payload and towing are much better
Gas mileage is better
Steel bed vs plastic
Steel bumpers
Fully boxed frame
Made in USA, buy an American company, with the most American parts of any vehicle - if that matters to you
All 4 disc breaks
Remote power tailgate lock - great for curbside pickups without getting out of the truck

Those are just some of the items that come to mind.

For the Tacoma, I do like the back seat folding flat and the storage below and behind the seats. Also, the power sliding rear winder is nice.

Can you compare maintenance ownerships costs between the Tacoma / Ranger? Are they pretty equal at this point?

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