Need dad advice: Ranger Regrets?

[ranger4x]

I had a Ram 1500 Quad Cab for 100k miles as my work truck. My kids (12 and 17) hated that back seat on the rare occasions they had to ride in there. They have yet to complain about my Ranger backseat (on all of 3 weeks I've had it lol). I had full size trucks for towing our travel trailer when thy were younger. After getting rid of the trailer there was no use for a full size and the Ranger fits our lifestyle perfectly now. I did, very very very briefly, consider the V6 Warlock but the reliability of my 2016 over 100k miles was abysmal and that took it out of contention. Our weekends are soccer or scouts and the Ranger fits everything we need. My kids are 5'4" and 5'8" and have plenty of room in the back seat. Probably helps that mom and dad are short.

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[CoachJonny86]

I have a 2019 stx with a 8yr old and a 4yr old. 8yr old is in a booster seat, 4yr old is in a forward facing car seat. I am 6'2" my wife is 5'10". We drive the ranger daily and have no space problems. Plenty of room for both kids to have a full backpack by their feet and a bunch of stuff in between them.

 

[KNI]

I'd go with a largest minivan like chrysler pacifica. It's great for hauling kids, their friends and all the stuff they can have. It works for IKEA trips and stow the seats and it turns out good enough van. And with the plug-in hybrid out it sorts out the problem with gas guzzling.

Had banged up chysler grand voyager back when we needed one and the only issue with it was that it drank the gas station dry on each stop (or about 13mpg).

 

[JeeperCreeper]

You said 15 years... they say it’s tested to 150k miles with no major repairs…

Where can I read up on this test? I never owned a turbo so I would love some reaffirmation of tested reliability!

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Also, the truck has a 3.21 axle ratio. If you were looking at the Warlock (which is basically a 4th Gen Classic), can you tell if this truck had a 3.55 or a 3.92 axle ratio? I would opt for that.

The two local Warlocks have the crappy axle ratio... Can't remember, so it must be the 3.21. Towing capacity would be ~4500#. Which stinks, but it's still within what I would need.

I did drive it, it did fine. Not gonna win any races, but more guts than my old jeeps and more power delivery than my dad's '97 V8 f150. So it would be "fine" as in mehhh.

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

Where can I read up on this test? I never owned a turbo so I would love some reaffirmation of tested reliability!

Ford 150k durability test. You might be able to find more information from Phil’s posts. It would
be in a sea of threads he replies to but can give you a good idea of inside Ford.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

OP here,

I appreciate all the responses l, especially those who have gone through this, and especially especially those who have the Ranger in the same situation I'm in.

You have all helped.

Couple things, I am not against minivans, but I need something with a bed that can tow. In the future, the wife may get one or upgrade to a 3 row SUV.

I treat my beater Liberty KJ and Grand Cherokee WJ like trucks, the interiors are absolutely destroyed. Alaska is messy.

Also, when it comes to size, I'm 6'0" with wide shoulders. My wife, is 5'0" and tiny. She can fit in a glove box. Planning for the future, we are looking at only 2 kids. At least that's the plan. Maybe a 3rd "accident" later on haha.

Also, ironically, big trucks in Alaska are brutal to park. I live near Anchorage and commute. Alaska doesn't know how to build parking lots, even with 75% of the cars being big 4x4s.

I think I'm going to wait until my Tremor gets here, and then decide.

I'll like 55% for the Ranger, 45% for the Ram.

 

[Kemo Sabe]

I have my first kid on the way. I've mentioned before, I have a Tremor on order. Hopefully here in October.

I love the Ranger, wanted one for years.

But, my wife has a small Jeep Renegade. It's staying. I'm worried a Ranger might be too small for a growing family in Alaska where gear and toys and adventures are abundant.

I grew up with a single cab Ford with 4 family members. Daily drove a YJ wrangler for 9 years. So I can handle small. But doesn't mean I want to.

I read through the Ranger as a family car threads, and I know car seats can fit.

But, for the price of my Tremor, I can get a Ram 1500 Warlock quad cab V6. Drives great, I like both trucks. The quad cab gives me a foot extra in the bed, 6 inches wider, few inches of legroom

Does anyone with a Ranger and kids regret not getting a full size truck? Hoping my truck will be my daily driver and family vehicle for at least 15 years.

Would love some guidance from you Ranger lovers on mid-sized vs full-sized trucks in this market.

We had twins. No way XLT Ranger would have worked, not even for a single child.
Good luck on raising your child. You will have a good buddy friend. Mine are 51 now.
Wish life would not move so quickly, but we love our 9 grandchildren!!
K S

 

[Dr. Zaius]

OP here,..

I treat my beater Liberty KJ and Grand Cherokee WJ like trucks, the interiors are absolutely destroyed. Alaska is messy.
...

A Grand Cherokee WJ?

My Brotha from anotha motha!

I love the WJs.

Here's my minty '04 Overland that just turned over 110k.

 

[briwill70]

I have no issue hauling kids around in my Ranger. There are definitely some annoying things about the Ranger but I've managed to fix most of them (tires, shocks brakes) I would never again buy a Dodge product. Been burned before. Reliability and resale is not great to say the least.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

A Grand Cherokee WJ?

My Brotha from anotha motha!

I love the WJs.

Here's my minty '04 Overland that just turned over 110k.

If my WJ wasn't about to start nickel and diming me, I probably wouldn't be looking at a new truck.

I do love my Jeeps, I've had many in my 16 yrs of driving: 89 YJ, 01 XJ, 04 WJ, 05 KJ. Also drove my brothers ZJ, x2 TJ, and XJ a bit.

Great vehicles of you like quirks, rust, and superior inline-6 engines.

But those days are fading was Jeeps can be pretty inconvenient at times haha.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Usually true...

I drive my WJ as much or more than my Ranger.

A good friend told me just the other day, "I just can't figure you out. You have a new Ford truck but every time I see you you're driving an old Jeep"

Back to Ranger...

If you feel the Ranger is responsive stock, you're in for a treat if you tune it.

Official Ford tune, Livernois, Unleashed, and 5 Star all have lots of members on here with lots of experience and feedback.

I can confirm that a Livernois tuned Ranger will walk a V8 Tundra or a 1500 Hemi Ram. My buddy with the tuned 3.5 EB F150 is a different story...

 

[jcru1017]

First off, congrats on the first one. I just had my first 9months ago. There’s nothing else better in the world like being a father.

I had a 2019 Dodge Challenger when my wife was pregnant. She had a 2015 Ford Firsta, which we did not want to sell because we own the car and didn’t want to have two car payments. I decided to trade in my challenger for a truck. There is plenty of space for someone who is like 5’5 and shorter. (Wife sits in the back with the baby) That being said, once your child is 5-10 years old and if you have more kids, eventually you might need more space.

Nonetheless, make the decision that considers or benefits the family. When I had my baby, I knew it was no longer about me.

Congrats again! Welcome to fatherhood!

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Usually true...

I drive my WJ as much or more than my Ranger.

A good friend told me just the other day, "I just can't figure you out. You have a new Ford truck but every time I see you you're driving an old Jeep"

Back to Ranger...

If you feel the Ranger is responsive stock, you're in for a treat if you tune it.

Official Ford tune, Livernois, Unleashed, and 5 Star all have lots of members on here with lots of experience and feedback.

I can confirm that a Livernois tuned Ranger will walk a V8 Tundra or a 1500 Hemi Ram. My buddy with the tuned 3.5 EB F150 is a different story...

I have the same joke. It's how I rationalized a new truck purchase with my wife even though I have 2 old Jeeps.

Jeeps are like preacher's kids... Once a Jeep hits adulthood (18 y/o), it thinks it's hot stuff and wants to do it's own thing and becomes a degenerate.

 

[LoneRNGR]

Does anyone with a Ranger and kids regret not getting a full size truck?

I like my Ranger. My family does not. They sit in the back seat. I don’t.

I also drive rental cars several times a month. One week I was in a F150. My daughter liked it better, as the evidence below proves.

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