1987 Ford Ranger XLT review from North America
"The best of both worlds on and off-road"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The alignment was off 3/4" toe-in and 1/3" caster/camber when I got it (measurements for the worst side) because of an accident it had been in.
This cost about $215 to fix.
The alignment problem shredded new BF-Goodrich tires nearly to the cord in approximately 4000 Miles. : (
The timing was off when I got it over 30 degrees, (stock is set 10 degrees before top dead center) it was about 20 degrees after top dead center) STILL RAN! Not very well though.
I rolled the truck at high speed on a mountain road totaling the body out. I found another 1987 Ford Ranger with a torn down motor for $200. I used the body from this pick-up and put it on my pick-up.
This was an involved process, but rangers are easy to work on.
The pick-up began squealing when put in 4x4. Found that the U-Joints in the front axle were going out. Rebuilt the front end.
The transmission went out -- the transmissions used in most of the rangers are weak. Upon inspection the transmission failed because it was low on oil. Replaced with a $350 transmission from a junk-yard.
Replaced the clutch & pressure plate as well.
General comments?
This is a well designed pick-up that surprisingly tough.
I am very rough on this pick-up off road and nothing in suspension, steering, and drive-train has broken as I would expect it to.
It has good fuel efficiency even with over-sized tires it gets 20 MPG consistently, city, off-road, and highway.
The 2.9L electronic fuel injection engine is a strong motor for it's displacement.
The motor will last a long time, often even if it's poorly cared for.
I rolled it, repaired it, and it's still going strong!
Perfectly suited to someone who drives a lot on all terrains, this pick-up does it all.
These pick-ups are easy to roll as the rear-end is typically a lot lighter than the front and tends to swing to outside on corners. Trust me, I know!
Ford parts are cheap! :)
Recommended reviews
| This Ford was an absolute piece of rolling garbage |
|
| I still like the truck and will keep it until the wheels fall off (then I will replace the wheels)! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.9L EFI Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 106000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 130000 miles |
| Previous car | Dodge D50 |
| Date of Entry | 19th March, 2003 |