1997 Ford Ranger XLT from North America - Comments

Replaced the clutch at 132k.

Replaced the starter at 145k.

Replaced the radiator at 170k.

Replaced the rear drum brakes at 178k.

Other than routine maintenance, the four things I have listed above are the ONLY things I have ever done to repair this "invincible" Ford Ranger. I bought it new in 1997, and traded in my 1989 Ranger, still running strong, with 304k miles, which I also bought new. My 97 Ranger doesn't burn or leak oil, gets the same fuel mileage as when it was brand new, and has never, and I mean never, left me stranded. Always starts on the first crank, never has spit, sputtered, or showed any signs of quitting. This is the 4x4 model with the off-road package, and all the transfer case components still work like a charm.

The engine itself is a powerhouse. I have pulled many extremely heavy things that a compact pickup should never pull, yet it has done it without any hesitation. And getting 24 mpg highway/19 city, what more could a guy ask for?

The 89 Ranger was my first vehicle I purchased myself after high school, and drove it 2 states away to college, where I racked up 180k of the 304k I put on it. This 97 I will keep driving til she blows, and I expect another 200-300k miles. I will always stick with Ford because I haven't a reason in the world not to.

Here are some other interesting mileage facts about Fords:

My grandma owns a 2000 Taurus, 270k

My dad, 1995 F-150, 340k

My mom, 1998 Escort, 240k

My friend: 1998 F-150, 250k

My college professor: 1999 Taurus, 355k.

Yes, it's so good to see a review from a satisfied vehicle owner.

Sometimes it seems that the only people who write these reviews are people who need to vent about the problems their vehicle has had.

Often, when you see a positive review, the reviewer is accused of working for the manufacturer, of being a sales person etc.

(The people leveling those accusations are probably those venting about their problem cars)

But anyway, I am truly pleased to see satisfied owners, and brand loyal owners. It seems when I was young most every family on the street was loyal to one brand or another.

Dodge, Ford, Chevy, Pontiac etc. In fact my VW Bug was probably the only import on the street. Times have certainly changed.

Wow, that's great! I don't doubt you either, Fords are fantastic. I just get bored and tend to trade way earlier than I should :)

I absolutely LOVE your review!! Having owned 4 Rangers myself and never having had a second's trouble with any of them, I heartily agree with your assessment. Our companies use Rangers and 300,000 miles out of the little 2.3 litre XL without any problems is typical.

My family's mileage champ is a 1975 Ford Granada with the I-6 and automatic. It was traded (running great) at 325,000 miles. In the 17 years we owned it it cost us less than $500 in repairs. Each of our three imports cost us that much in the first 50,000 miles. Now when I see the "You'll be sorry you bought a Ford" rants from uninformed import fans I just laugh... all the way to the bank to deposit all the money I save driving Fords!!

You might want to check out an October 2007 article on high-mileage vehicles in Consumer Reports. The vehicle with the highest mileage was a Ford Ranger XLT (a 1993 I believe) with over 488,000 miles on it. Of course true to its general Japanese bias, the cover of that magazine shows a Honda Civic, reinforcing the false impression that Japanese cars are more reliable. In reading the article you'll find that the Honda had the LOWEST mileage of any of the vehicles featured... and people argue that the automotive media isn't biased. Yeah, SURE!!

My 2004 Ranger has a leak in the roof. It runs down the drivers seat and soaks the entire seat. It is a standard cab and has 12,000 miles on it. Has anyone had this problem??

If you have a sliding rear window (and I'm betting you do) check the seal on it. It's an easy and cheap fix. Lots of luck.