1991 Ford Ranger xlt from North America - Comments

Rear end pinon bearing at 34000mi. (under warranty)

Starter @ around 200000mi.

Slight seep of water in heavy rain around windshield at around 250000mi.

Power door locks. Driver side would not work on for the passenger side.

Throttle position-er at around 220000mi.

Front end work at about 280000mi. Tie rod, steering box and drag link.

Note: The tires were changed from 205 to 215s at around 150000mi. So it probably actually had more than 338000mi.

Best vehicle I've ever had! Was going to buy a Toyota brand new with a 3.0. Dealer would not negotiate what I felt was a fair price.

Purchased the Ranger used with 9000mi. and have never looked back. At work everybody can't believe it when I tell them how many miles I had on it. I told everybody that I worked with I was going to drive it to 500000mi.

Comfortable even on long rides.

All the power you needed.

Even at 338000mi it cruised at 75mph all day long. Never had to kick down in gear, even on the grades.

Would still be driving it if another vehicle wouldn't of pulled out in front of me. Truck was totaled. Never made it to 500000, but I have no doubt that it would have.

I've owned 4 Rangers (3 with the 4 and one with the 6) and all have been absolutely BULLET-PROOF. These are, hands down, the BEST small truck ever built (regardless of the rants from the Tacoma robots who fall for the ad hype). Not one of my Rangers has EVER had a single problem of ANY kind...EVER. Congrats on the best truck made!!

How many sets if head gaskets did it need?

I have had 3 4.0 v-6's, - all were good engines for sure- but all needed head gaskets every 100,000 miles or so...

I opted for the 3.0 engine in my latest Ranger on the advice of a friend who was a former owner of a European car repair shop. He said the German built 4.0 Ford uses is more complicated and very expensive to fix. The 3.0 (made by Ford in America) has a cast iron block and heads, no timing belt to replace and virtually nothing to go wrong with it. I haven't had a seconds trouble with the 3.0. I'd like the extra power of the 4.0, but not if it is less reliable. One of my best friends just had the timing belt (or chain, I'm not sure which the 4.0 uses) break on his 4.0 and he was told it would cost $2500 to replace. Since he already had 200,000 miles on the truck he opted to just get a new one.

I'm sorry. I'm the one that originally wrote this review. I noticed the comment on the head gaskets. I guess that I forgot to mention that in the 338000 miles, the head gaskets were never replaced. In fact the valve covers or oil pan have never been off of the engine! Didn't leak oil, but burned around 1qt every 3000 miles. And it even had the original alternator. Sure it might of seeped a little oil, but it never left oil stains on the driveway. The only time I had a problem with oil dripping for the vehicle was from the power steering pump. I forgot to mention, this was replaced at around 270000 miles or so. Used it to drive to work and back almost every day, about 120 miles. per day.

I believe that the German built over head cam 4.0 L engine didn't come out until 2000. The early 4.0 engines were cast iron, like the 3.0.

I think comment 23:42 is correct. The older 4.0's were the cast iron engines similar to the 3.0 and were much more ruggedly built and reliable than the later German 4.0's.

Regarding the 4.0 engine... it is cast iron in this model year anyway and from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Cologne_V6_engine#4.0