Thinking of Leasing a Ranger - Many Qs

[syrranger]

I'm thinking of getting a Ranger SuperCrew to replace my old F350. I will be towing a Jeep on a trailer, around 6000 pounds give or take depending on the trailer.

The only reason I am considering leasing is if we start seeing problems with the 2.3EB in the Ranger. If it starts blowing the head gasket or has oil consumption or something, I want to be able to walk away from it easily and stress free. If I like it and there's no problems, I'll just buy it off lease.

I have a very specific truck I want, may not be able to find it so there is also that.

Can anyone who has leased a lower end trim (XL, XLT) provide the residual numbers for end of lease buyout? I'm trying to get a feel for just how bad it is vs just buying and then trying to trade it out should there be problems. I'd like to gather the figures beforehand rather than being pressured into it at the dealer.

Also -- can I tow with a leased truck? I would order factory tow package to get the trailer wiring connectors. My trailer has surge brakes so I don't need the brake controller, but adding one in later would be nice.

These seem to be holding their value too well right now to buy a used one.

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[Gizmokid2005]

I'm thinking of getting a Ranger SuperCrew to replace my old F350. I will be towing a Jeep on a trailer, around 6000 pounds give or take depending on the trailer.

The only reason I am considering leasing is if we start seeing problems with the 2.3EB in the Ranger. If it starts blowing the head gasket or has oil consumption or something, I want to be able to walk away from it easily and stress free. If I like it and there's no problems, I'll just buy it off lease.

I have a very specific truck I want, may not be able to find it so there is also that.

Can anyone who has leased a lower end trim (XL, XLT) provide the residual numbers for end of lease buyout? I'm trying to get a feel for just how bad it is vs just buying and then trying to trade it out should there be problems. I'd like to gather the figures beforehand rather than being pressured into it at the dealer.

Also -- can I tow with a leased truck? I would order factory tow package to get the trailer wiring connectors. My trailer has surge brakes so I don't need the brake controller, but adding one in later would be nice.

These seem to be holding their value too well right now to buy a used one.

I haven't leased a Ranger, but I did lease my 2015 Mustang that I bought out afterwards, so I can talk a bit about that. If you drive *a lot* - in that you'd be over your mileage at the end of the lease, be careful. I was way over my mileage (~14k) but I expected it, the residual (went from ~$35k initially to $19.5k with my mileage and length (39mo/12k/yr)) was high enough over my value that I got into a 10% loan to cover it despite having a solid credit record and score. Not many are going to be able to talk about the trade-ins at the end, the value the Ranger will hold is still too unknown really.

As for towing, yes you can tow with your leased vehicle. You can do nearly anything, but the dealer will expect it back in near-stock condition (or near stock, the rubber on the wheels doesn't matter much, nor will swaps from incandescent to LEDS, etc) when you turn it back in. But you'd be absolutely safe with towing.

 

[syrranger]

That's good to hear! Unfortunately, I think I would be looking at a special order. I would prefer XL with steel wheels (this is a must) , electronic rear locker (nice to have) and a block heater (nice to have). I drive about 12000 miles a year on the dot, so a 15k lease should be safe.

I'm not too big on modifications to a DD other than functional modifications. Airbags would be a possibility down the road for the rear. Depending on how bad the stock tires are, I would possibly upgrade to an all terrain but no lift or massively oversized tires. Stock really works best for something that's worked regularly.

But apart from mechanical issues popping up on these engines or rust issues --- it's a Ford, it's going to rust --- I plan on owning this for a while. That's also the concern of buying a used one, Ford products just rust so terribly. If I have it new , I can prevent that.

 

[Mokume]

That's good to hear! Unfortunately, I think I would be looking at a special order. I would prefer XL with steel wheels (this is a must) , electronic rear locker (nice to have) and a block heater (nice to have). I drive about 12000 miles a year on the dot, so a 15k lease should be safe.

I'm not too big on modifications to a DD other than functional modifications. Airbags would be a possibility down the road for the rear. Depending on how bad the stock tires are, I would possibly upgrade to an all terrain but no lift or massively oversized tires. Stock really works best for something that's worked regularly.

But apart from mechanical issues popping up on these engines or rust issues --- it's a Ford, it's going to rust --- I plan on owning this for a while. That's also the concern of buying a used one, Ford products just rust so terribly. If I have it new , I can prevent that.

I suggest you look into Ford's X-Plan pricing program, I bought my special ordered '20 Lariat using it, but the program can also apply to leases.
Another viable alternative similar to Ford's is Costco's car buying program.
The Ranger you are interested in will most likely need to be special ordered, not many dealers (at least here in HNL) tend to stock base XL models.
That would give you a perfect opportunity to spec the locker and heater in your order, assuming of course, that you are willing to wait.

Question though, if you've had negative experiences with Ford's rusting, why are you interested in leasing one? You also state that you plan on owning it for awhile, is it your intention to buy it when the lease expires?
Why not look into another brand of truck which may not rust as badly as a Ford?
Given the fact that the current gen Ranger is relatively new to the market, I am sure that you can apply rust prevention measures to a used 2019 as well.

 

[syrranger]

Reliability wise, I've never had mechanical problems with any of the Ford products I've had over the years. But used as a DD from brand new, I have never been able to get more than 70K out of a Ford DD before there's giant rot holes in the body. If I can buy new or a year old, I can get the the thing oil sprayed (ziebart is evil) to keep it around as long as possible. On my 2011 Focus I had prior, at 75K miles the floors and rocker panels were rotted out! But three years in, at the end of the lease, I'd be able to gauge whether or not the body has more life left on it. When my focus was three years old, it was having the signs that it was starting to rust badly. If I lived in a not-salt belt part of the country , I'd probably still be driving my 2001 Taurus.

No costco membership here, so not sure I'd be able to go through with that.

The important thing to me is the delta between lease > buy and just buy now. I do want the assurance that I can walk away from this a few years down the road should I not like it. Or maybe I'll change hobbies and will no longer need a truck.

The Ranger really is the truck that suits my needs the most. Also for towing, the turbo 4 ecoboost is going to be so much better than any of the NA v6s. Having put a lot of miles on a 2.0 EB and 1.5 EB, they're just great engines. The close ratio 10 speed paired with the flat torque curve would be the most pleasant to use for towing. I'm sure the mini duramax in the Canyonado would work, but I do not trust modern diesels. I don't need the thing going into limp mode when I'm in the middle of nowhere because the urea crystallized.

• Frontier - Low towing capacity, Nissans aren't exactly known to be reliable. 5 speed automatic with a low power v6 just seems unpleasant.
• Gladiator - Most expensive, FCA products are terrible for reliability. Paying for removable top and doors.
• Tacoma - On par with Ranger for pretty much everything, but the 3.5 V6 does not tow well at all even though it has over 7000 towing capacity. Also rear drums, great for DDs not great for towing.
• Canyonado - The "high feature" 3.6 engine is garbage. I'm sure the first few sets of camchains will be under warranty, but I don't want to have to pay out of pocket for it. The minimax engine is probably reliable, but I don't want anything to do with a modern electronic emissions diesel. Just too expensive when something goes wrong.

 

[Mokume]

Reliability wise, I've never had mechanical problems with any of the Ford products I've had over the years. But used as a DD from brand new, I have never been able to get more than 70K out of a Ford DD before there's giant rot holes in the body. If I can buy new or a year old, I can get the the thing oil sprayed (ziebart is evil) to keep it around as long as possible. On my 2011 Focus I had prior, at 75K miles the floors and rocker panels were rotted out! But three years in, at the end of the lease, I'd be able to gauge whether or not the body has more life left on it. When my focus was three years old, it was having the signs that it was starting to rust badly. If I lived in a not-salt belt part of the country , I'd probably still be driving my 2001 Taurus.

No costco membership here, so not sure I'd be able to go through with that.

The important thing to me is the delta between lease > buy and just buy now. I do want the assurance that I can walk away from this a few years down the road should I not like it. Or maybe I'll change hobbies and will no longer need a truck.

The Ranger really is the truck that suits my needs the most. Also for towing, the turbo 4 ecoboost is going to be so much better than any of the NA v6s. Having put a lot of miles on a 2.0 EB and 1.5 EB, they're just great engines. The close ratio 10 speed paired with the flat torque curve would be the most pleasant to use for towing. I'm sure the mini duramax in the Canyonado would work, but I do not trust modern diesels. I don't need the thing going into limp mode when I'm in the middle of nowhere because the urea crystallized.

• Frontier - Low towing capacity, Nissans aren't exactly known to be reliable. 5 speed automatic with a low power v6 just seems unpleasant.
• Gladiator - Most expensive, FCA products are terrible for reliability. Paying for removable top and doors.
• Tacoma - On par with Ranger for pretty much everything, but the 3.5 V6 does not tow well at all even though it has over 7000 towing capacity. Also rear drums, great for DDs not great for towing.
• Canyonado - The "high feature" 3.6 engine is garbage. I'm sure the first few sets of camchains will be under warranty, but I don't want to have to pay out of pocket for it. The minimax engine is probably reliable, but I don't want anything to do with a modern electronic emissions diesel. Just too expensive when something goes wrong.

Well, you've certainly done your research with respect to other vehicles and I agree with all your observations, especially the Taco's anemic 3.5 V6. I test drove a '19 Taco 4x4 last year with the 6 and honestly thought it had a 4, I cannot fathom how it would perform towing anything.

You could not GIVE me a FCA product, in the unlikely event I did accept it, I'd promptly dump it on C/List or FB Marketplace.

I subscribe to a youtube channel, South Main Auto repair in which the shop is located in upstate NY, it's incredible and appalling what the de-icing chemicals do to cars there. Here in Hawaii we don't need to deal with snow and ice, but no matter where you go on any of the islands all vehicles here are subject to airborne salt spray to some degree. One really needs to be fastidious with regards to washing and waxing the car's exterior.

My 2020 Lariat is my 5th Ford pickup I've owned and none of them gave me any major mechanical problems I could not handle, I was also a Lincoln-Mercury/Honda line mechanic for almost 14 years.

I did own a used 2015 Silverado 1500 4x2 briefly, it was a lemon in every sense of the word and my only deviation brand wise in owning a pickup.

Good luck on your quest for a Ranger bud...

 

[syrranger]

The salt brine spray they have been using is ultra corrosive. I don't think that should be legal. Salt eats metal but the brine spray eats rubber too. Radiator hoses, suspension bushings ... It just oxidizes EVERYTHING under and inside the vehicle!

I'd drive my 20 year old 215000 mile Jeep that's been rolled twice and sunk once across country before I'd drive a new FCA product to the corner gas station. Just terrible vehicles. Electrical and mechanical.

As for waiting, I'm okay with that. I do NOT want anything with an electronic parking brake. Again, rust and corrosion makes those a disaster. As soon as they decide that's going to happen on a ranger, I'll be immediately headed to the dealer. Or if I end up with one that has a parking brake it will be turned in for sure at the end of the lease.

Ideally a full size would tow better but I need 4 full doors and driveway space is extremely limited. I can fit two full size crew cab long bed trucks in my garage, just not in my driveway.

 

[Mokume]

You'l be glad to know that the current gen Ranger has good, old fashion mechanically operated parking brakes, although it is integrated into the service disc brake and not a separate drum brake which Ford has used in the past.
Note that the attachment depicts rear drum brakes as the service brake and is dated August 2015, so it applies to the global market Rangers.
Trust me though, the rear brakes on my 2020 are disc and the parking brake is mechanically actuated.

 

[syrranger]

Not a huge fan of the threaded / retractable pistons but I guess that's better than electronic parking brake or rear drums.

One thing that is concerning me with the lease, is it would be about $350 a month for 36 months plus 3600 down. So about $16200 I'd be walking away from / losing. If the residual is around 20 or 25K that wouldn't be a good deal, if it's closer to 15K it would be.

I may go see a dealer this weekend.

I have a 1000 mile round trip over the summer towing my Jeep. I doubt I'll be in a Ranger by then but i'll hope that my old 350 can do it.

Is there any sort of plug and play trailer brake controller for it? My trailer has surge brakes, but no doubt I'd be borrowing a trailer now and then that has electric brakes.

 

[Chris D Hall]

.You have the powertrain warranty. You could sell it at yr 4 if it looked like the 2.3 was going to be an issue or had been an issue.. You'd like get a good price on a 4 yr old truck with around 50k miles and a year of powertrain warranty.

 

[RangerDangerStranger]

I for one would be fascinated to hear how the 2.3L holds up towing 6000lbs for 3 years.
That would be one lease return to avoid!!!

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