1998 Ford Ranger xl review from North America

Upper ball joints twice.

Tailgate cables broke.

Vehicle speed sensor and odometer.

EGR junction box rusted off mounts and cracked.

Front brake rotors are a wear item with (OEM recommended) ceramic pads.

My Step side Ranger is a real "do everything" vehicle. In it's prime it got moderate gas mileage (@25MPG), hauled a modest amount of cargo, and towed about 2000lbs. albeit not happily. In short if you think you might need to tow a small trailer, may want to get some construction supplies, and want better fuel economy than a full-size vehicle, the Ranger will be just fine. If you want to do any or all of these things regularly, buy a full size truck. Full sheets of drywall or plywood will not fit between the fenderwells at 44".

The ride is pretty rough, in my opinion due to the short wheelbase. Power is lacking in the four cylinder, even with a 5-speed, but that was never the strong suit of a 4-cylinder.

I would recommend a Ranger as an excellent first vehicle. A small cab prevents a bunch of teenagers hopping in and getting crazy ideas, it's good enough on gas, the low power prevents excess speeding and the relatively simple drive train makes for a good vehicle to learn diy repairs.