Trying to decide to sell - Input appreciated

[Rtball]

I'll stick to the finance part because that's my specialty.

If you owe $13k, and the truck is worth $16k, you basically have a theoretical $3k down payment on a $50k+ truck. Let's say you have $7k cash so your down payment is $10k, your monthly payment on that newer truck at 6% interest will be:
60 mos=$775
36 mos=$1,325

You can extrapolate all kinds of scenarios with that math. How much will that newer truck be worth after 5 years. How much will your theoretical $7k cash be worth with 4.5% interest after 5 years ($8.7k). How many miles will your Ranger have after 5 years...etc.,

If you want a win-win scenario, which I would define as get rid of your current ranger with a transmission that sounds like it's acting up, while minimizing your expenses, get a used Ranger between late 2022-2023 with lower miles. Hopefully one under $30k if possible. Do NOT get a truck that is $50k+ it will financially bleed you for the next 5+ years not only in the monthly payments but the insurance and registration.

Dang, you sure are a wet blanket! And a realist.
Does that mean that the '22 I bought with 134K miles was a mistake? No history expect the front end crash. :-(

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[Alaska Wolf]

Either go Option C and put away money for a new tranny, you may never need it so you'll just have more for a down payment.

Or trade it in for a new used 2024/2025 with the 10R60 transmission. I traded in my 2023 Lariat, which I despised, for a 2025 Lariat and couldn't be happier. My 2023 was actually built the week the plant closed for Christmas 2022, and it was pretty obvious that no one wanted to be there... But I am much happier with the 2025, the 10R60 and the 2.7L are a blast to drive. As far as the 2026 Rangers go, there's been to much de-contenting on the 2026s; to me a 2026 Lariat and XLT are pretty much the same vehicle anymore.

 

[FM AZ]

FWIW the official Ford Maintenance Manual says skipping 2nd gear is a normal operation. If it doesn’t think it needs 2nd, it will skip it. So don’t worry about that. I can only get mine to use 2nd by slowly crawling up a hill.

I’d go opt C. The 5-speed transmission in my 1988 Ranger only lasted 30 years and 220,000 miles. I replaced it with a rebuilt one, and drove it another 6 years. Not having a truck payment for 32 years was the best.

 

[got3fords]

Or trade it in for a new used 2024/2025 with the 10R60 transmission. I traded in my 2023 Lariat, which I despised, for a 2025 Lariat and couldn't be happier. My 2023 was actually built the week the plant closed for Christmas 2022, and it was pretty obvious that no one wanted to be there... But I am much happier with the 2025, the 10R60 and the 2.7L are a blast to drive. As far as the 2026 Rangers go, there's been to much de-contenting on the 2026s; to me a 2026 Lariat and XLT are pretty much the same vehicle anymore.

Yeah, the all mods he plans would really add up. Which could go a long way on a 6G where alot of them might not be needed.

 

[GhostStrykre]

OP, i too have the 4th gear boogie. 2019 xlt fx4, nearly 98k miles. we're driving a similar amount per year based on your current mileage after your purchase.

i'll tell you, some days the boogie is non existent. other days it's annoyingly frequent. it typically calms down after coming up to operating temp, but not always. the weather seems to also play a part in it. it almost never happens between 60 and 80 degrees. it's like this truck wants to live in the pacific northwest, but is trapped in ohio with me.

so it isn't getting worse, but it isn't getting better. it's just a pendulum. it's done it since i got the truck used 6 years ago when it had 22k miles.

the amount you owe plus the amount you've spent on mods in the last 18 months would suggest that at its current trade value you'd be at a loss even with the positive equity. that would bug me a lot. in my opinion that's not enough time to enjoy the mods, but you may feel it's just another sunk cost. your call there.

haven't seen it mentioned, but i think there are a lot of cases where i think the slip joint on the driveshaft thunks and i misinterpret it as a transmission issue. it's why i plan to add a tom woods one piece driveshaft at some point.

i've recently shopped around for new full size trucks, but none of them made me want to take on the loan. it also seems like a lot of changes on the immediate horizon. it was my opinion that 2026 was a better year to wait and see how things play out in '27 and on.

i had like $20k in equity+cash and even with that a $60k truck was ~$700/mo. ouchies.

as others have pointed out, if you love the truck then it would seem wise to stick with it. the odds are in your favor that the transmission will be fine, but save up just in case. at worst, you replace it for substantially less than the cost of a new truck. Option C, or at least B.

 

[TJC]

i think the slip joint on the driveshaft thunks and i misinterpret it as a transmission issue. it's why i plan to add a tom woods one piece driveshaft at some point.

The Tom Woods driveshaft is much easier to lube the splines as well. just break out the grease gun! No clunks and smooth driving since installed it. Worth every penny.

 

[Grumpaw]

OP, i too have the 4th gear boogie. 2019 xlt fx4, nearly 98k miles. we're driving a similar amount per year based on your current mileage after your purchase.

i'll tell you, some days the boogie is non existent. other days it's annoyingly frequent. it typically calms down after coming up to operating temp, but not always. the weather seems to also play a part in it. it almost never happens between 60 and 80 degrees. it's like this truck wants to live in the pacific northwest, but is trapped in ohio with me.

so it isn't getting worse, but it isn't getting better. it's just a pendulum. it's done it since i got the truck used 6 years ago when it had 22k miles.

the amount you owe plus the amount you've spent on mods in the last 18 months would suggest that at its current trade value you'd be at a loss even with the positive equity. that would bug me a lot. in my opinion that's not enough time to enjoy the mods, but you may feel it's just another sunk cost. your call there.

haven't seen it mentioned, but i think there are a lot of cases where i think the slip joint on the driveshaft thunks and i misinterpret it as a transmission issue. it's why i plan to add a tom woods one piece driveshaft at some point.

i've recently shopped around for new full size trucks, but none of them made me want to take on the loan. it also seems like a lot of changes on the immediate horizon. it was my opinion that 2026 was a better year to wait and see how things play out in '27 and on.

i had like $20k in equity+cash and even with that a $60k truck was ~$700/mo. ouchies.

as others have pointed out, if you love the truck then it would seem wise to stick with it. the odds are in your favor that the transmission will be fine, but save up just in case. at worst, you replace it for substantially less than the cost of a new truck. Option C, or at least B.

You all realize that the 10R80 is made to "skip" gears when in regular drive mode. It can skip from first to third, frome third to fifth, forth to sixth.....
If it is in regular drive mode and it is skipping gears, it is not anything wrong....it is designed into it.
It is designed that way to "save fuel".
It is dependant on the rpm's as you accellerate that determines what gear it is in or what gear it "skips"
If you want to run thru every gear you need to operate it in either tow or sport mode.....that way it will hit every gear.........

 

[GhostStrykre]

You all realize that the 10R80 is made to "skip" gears when in regular drive mode. It can skip from first to third, frome third to fifth, forth to sixth.....
If it is in regular drive mode and it is skipping gears, it is not anything wrong....it is designed into it.
It is designed that way to "save fuel".
It is dependant on the rpm's as you accellerate that determines what gear it is in or what gear it "skips"
If you want to run thru every gear you need to operate it in either tow or sport mode.....that way it will hit every gear.........

I can only speak for myself and not others, but since I was quoted I’ll answer “yes, I am aware.” I believe the OPs concern lies more in the shake the truck gets when opting to go into 4th gear. Not that it skips gears. The shake occurs during the shift process and the RPMs jump because whatever the clutch is doing doesn’t fully engage at first, then it engages harshly as the engine speed has to come down quickly. As a driver/passenger you feel a weightlessness for a moment because there’s no power in the driveline and then suddenly there is and you get a harsh kick feeling. That’s the 4th gear boogie to which I referred.

personally this happens a lot on slight inclines, which adds to the shake feeling.

 

[Grumpaw]

I can only speak for myself and not others, but since I was quoted I’ll answer “yes, I am aware.” I believe the OPs concern lies more in the shake the truck gets when opting to go into 4th gear. Not that it skips gears. The shake occurs during the shift process and the RPMs jump because whatever the clutch is doing doesn’t fully engage at first, then it engages harshly as the engine speed has to come down quickly. As a driver/passenger you feel a weightlessness for a moment because there’s no power in the driveline and then suddenly there is and you get a harsh kick feeling. That’s the 4th gear boogie to which I referred.

personally this happens a lot on slight inclines, which adds to the shake feeling.

I understand what you are referring to, but I ask if the rough shifts are occurring if you are in drive mode ? The gears are so close togather that when it shifts it is dependant on the rpm's and in certain ranges may be hanging on the verge of shifting from one gear to another or trying to "skip" a gear, all based on the engine rpm's.
If you operate in tow mode, it will shift thru each gear without "skipping". In 4 years of Ranger ownership and now a year in my 2019 Expedition, all I have ever used is the tow mode, occassionally sport mode.....and the trans in both has never skipped a gear.
I would suggest, if your not, use the tow mode for everyday driving.
In regular drive mode it dosen't matter if truck is new or older....the programing is set to skip gears....especially 2nd and 4th,
If in tow or sport mode the rough shifts and skipping is still there than yes, there may be a problem, but in regular drive mode it is just programmed that way.....

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