1996 Ford Ranger XL review from North America

The alternator went bad at around 60,000 miles, but it gave me plenty of warning and I was able to have it replaced before the vehicle ever became disabled.

The 2.3L engine is a good one, but many times, especially on the interstate, I find myself wishing for additional horsepower.

The 2.3L engine is very reliable and has never given me any trouble. It now has over 127,000 miles on it and doesn't use a drop of oil. I just follow the manual and get the oil changed every 5,000 miles.

The book value for this truck may only be $1,600 now, but I seriously wouldn't trade it for anything, except maybe a newer model with a larger engine.

I can't complain too much about the engine though, it is excellent on fuel and great for long trips.

The "check engine" light has been on basiclly since I bought the truck used back in 1999 while I was in high school. I have never had the light checked out to see why it is on and since nothing has happened yet, I don't believe I will ever have it checked.

Overall, the truck has been reliable, dependable, cheap to maintain, and has given me almost no problems. This could be attributed to the fact that it is a base model truck without all the fancy amenities. I've got the plastic floor, manual transmission, no power locks, windows, etc..., so there isn't a lot that could go wrong.