RetiredbutWorking wrote: I have owned a sample of each generation of the Ranger truck. They always did what I wanted, that is provide a decent little truck for light hauling and back and forth to work. I always thought they were the best example of the mini truck on the road. This year I test drove a Tacoma and realized Ford had no business being in the mini truck market. I switched to the Taco and have learned it is superior in ride and handling. It has more cabin space and better fuel economy. Like GM and Chrysler, Ford has forgotten or ignored this segment of the auto market and will now have to scramble to catch up.
GM hasn't forgotten. My son has a 2008 Chevy Colorado extended cab, Z71 package. He has 20,000 + miles on it first year, no problems. Good power ..3.7 liter 5 cylinder, 4 valves per cylinder, DOHC 242 hp/242 ft. lbs. of torque. Very current design.
More a mid sized truck than a compact.
Good room in extended cab.
In the last compact truck shoot out I read it got thumped by the Tacoma and Frontier in just about all areas. The current Ranger is outselling it by around 20,000 units YTD. It is a solid truck don't get me wrong, just no big improvement over the S10.
It has lot's of features over the S10...a whole new series of engines that are part of the Inline six, 5, 4 cylinders...al DOHC all good mileage, all good power, in addition having an optional 300 hp V8.
But your right, I don't know why it doesn't seem to do well in public perception...I put it down to the erroneous domestic bad, import good.
My son looked at the Ranger...but as a young guy, he felt it was too small, too 'old' in design. It does sell, but Ford has been selling the same truck for the most part for decades and the price is incredibly cheap...much less then the Colorado. I think the Ranger is a fine vehicle, but Ford needs to bring a new vehicle out.
As far as Toyota goes, we have one (Vibe-essentially all Matrix) and it's a good little car.
The Tacoma...doesn't really have anything on the Colorado...except that it has that import 'perception'.
On top of that the Taco has a rusty frame ...that have been getting news... there is a recall.
But at least Toyota is standing behind the problem, which is good for the consumer...I suppose it depends on how much someone would get in the buy back.
Quote: One thing many forget is that many people do not have the need or the room for a fullsized truck. Even a mid sized is small enough for many garages and city streets and easy parking lot maneuvers. Think user friendly. My wife loves to drive my truck so long as it isn't to work, the grocery store or the mall or any other place she has to park it.
Part of the appeal of all Asian sourced Pickups are they easy to drive for women. That is why the Hilux (like the Tacoma based on the Prado chassis, but unlike the Tacoma has a 3000lb payload) was the best selling "car" in Australia for two months earlier this year.
This is a review from a South African online Womens Magazine of the Thai Ranger Pickup or "Bakkie" in South African. South African Womens Magazines review of a Thai Ranger.
Keith99RS wrote: So add importation to the cost of selling it here. Geographically that is alot different than building one in Mexico or Canada.
IMNSHO, it has little to do with geography and much to do with the 25% tariff on pickups sold in the US that are not built in North America. Not surprisingly the "big three" have been supportive of this policy to date...
Les - Your son's observations on the Ranger are exactly like mine and why I would and cannot own one. Far too small for anyone with more than 2 people and a dog in their family. I owned 2 1985 Rangers and loved them but both had bed cargo boxes to carry stuff like groceries and tool kits. Ford got caught with thir pants down when the move from compact for mid sized happened. They can get better mpg in a little bigger package I am sure!
lesmore49 wrote: The Tacoma...doesn't really have anything on the Colorado...except that it has that import 'perception'.
and 4 doors + 6' bed option, 6500lb with some stuff in the truck towing capacity vs 5500lb with only 150lb driver this year (up from 4000lb last year) for the Colorado, an extra gear in the transmission ...
I think the 4000lb towing capacity hurt the Colorado until this year.
The Colorado has that domestic 'perception' (largely designed by Isuzu and has a Japanese transmission among other parts) and a 6 passenger seating option.
As a '3/8 ton' fan I like them both, but each does have a few advantages over the other.
lesmore49 wrote: The Tacoma...doesn't really have anything on the Colorado...except that it has that import 'perception'.
and 4 doors + 6' bed option, 6500lb with some stuff in the truck towing capacity vs 5500lb with only 150lb driver this year (up from 4000lb last year) for the Colorado, an extra gear in the transmission ...
I think the 4000lb towing capacity hurt the Colorado until this year.That was the orig. tow rating and I agree it hurt the Colorado. In fact i couldn't beleive that when it came out the tow rating was less than the S10 that it replaced.
My son's 2008 Colorado with 3.73 gears, AT and the 242 hp 3.7 is rated at 5500 lbs towing...that was 2 model years ago. The V8 in his LS Z71 would be rated at 6000 lbs.
The Colorado has that domestic 'perception' (largely designed by Isuzu and has a Japanese transmission among other parts) and a 6 passenger seating option.
As a '3/8 ton' fan I like them both, but each does have a few advantages over the other.
I agree again...modern pick ups in my view are very competitive...all pretty good.
The Ranger while reliable, etc...needs to be redone...I still think a small turbo diesel , bit bigger Ranger, more room in the cab and a good sized box would sell like hotcakes.
The Mahindra will be sold in the USA in Feb., 2010 and while it's not going to set the world on fire, even it has some things on the Ranger....like Turbo Diesel, 6 speed AT, etc.
I am a firm supporter of North American domestic product, but they have to be...a bit more than competitive in today's market.
I like going into a domestic dealers...for the most part they are one of the few stores that sell product that...for the most part... is made on this continent.
My Buick body was made in Canada, the Buick engine in Michigan, the Colorado was made in Louisiana and our Vibe was made in California, although I suspect the engine, trannie and other components came from Japan.
RetiredbutWorking wrote: I have owned a sample of each generation of the Ranger truck. They always did what I wanted, that is provide a decent little truck for light hauling and back and forth to work. I always thought they were the best example of the mini truck on the road. This year I test drove a Tacoma and realized Ford had no business being in the mini truck market. I switched to the Taco and have learned it is superior in ride and handling. It has more cabin space and better fuel economy. Like GM and Chrysler, Ford has forgotten or ignored this segment of the auto market and will now have to scramble to catch up.
My uncle's Ranger 1999 gets 28MPG and has been absolutely trouble free...original clutch, WP, PS pump, A/C, and even front rotors with ~115K. The Ranger is simply OLD: the basic design dates to about 1983 (even 2009 longbeds still have the bed notched for dual gas tanks, which were dropped in the late 80's), the last major rework was, iIRC, 1997. Does Toyota even offer a regular-cab Taco anymore? I know Nissan dropped the RC Frontier.
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body
A bunch of other vehicles
3 nutty cats (Maya, Vierna, Briza)
One lazy dog (Marmaduke)
One wife (Liz)
"A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age"
-Jim Steinman
RetiredbutWorking wrote: I have owned a sample of each generation of the Ranger truck. They always did what I wanted, that is provide a decent little truck for light hauling and back and forth to work. I always thought they were the best example of the mini truck on the road. This year I test drove a Tacoma and realized Ford had no business being in the mini truck market. I switched to the Taco and have learned it is superior in ride and handling. It has more cabin space and better fuel economy. Like GM and Chrysler, Ford has forgotten or ignored this segment of the auto market and will now have to scramble to catch up.
GM hasn't forgotten. My son has a 2008 Chevy Colorado extended cab, Z71 package. He has 20,000 + miles on it first year, no problems. Good power ..3.7 liter 5 cylinder, 4 valves per cylinder, DOHC 242 hp/242 ft. lbs. of torque. Very current design.
More a mid sized truck than a compact.
Good room in extended cab.
In the last compact truck shoot out I read it got thumped by the Tacoma and Frontier in just about all areas. The current Ranger is outselling it by around 20,000 units YTD. It is a solid truck don't get me wrong, just no big improvement over the S10.
The Colorado was outdated the day it was introduced...busy ride, noisy, anemic, and agricultural 5-cylinder, 4-speed slushpump, GM's typical Playskool interior. Most Colorados I see are fleet trucks.
As Jarlaxle put it, the Colorado is a fleet piece of junk. Everything he says is what I saw when I looked at one. The only thing I could add is the Colorado is also ugly as sin. The Ford Ranger has just seen it's better day. It's time to dump the design and catch up with what others are trying to do.
* This post was
edited 11/12/09 08:48pm by an administrator/moderator *
RetiredbutWorking wrote: I have owned a sample of each generation of the Ranger truck. They always did what I wanted, that is provide a decent little truck for light hauling and back and forth to work. I always thought they were the best example of the mini truck on the road. This year I test drove a Tacoma and realized Ford had no business being in the mini truck market. I switched to the Taco and have learned it is superior in ride and handling. It has more cabin space and better fuel economy. Like GM and Chrysler, Ford has forgotten or ignored this segment of the auto market and will now have to scramble to catch up.
GM hasn't forgotten. My son has a 2008 Chevy Colorado extended cab, Z71 package. He has 20,000 + miles on it first year, no problems. Good power ..3.7 liter 5 cylinder, 4 valves per cylinder, DOHC 242 hp/242 ft. lbs. of torque. Very current design.
More a mid sized truck than a compact.
Good room in extended cab.
In the last compact truck shoot out I read it got thumped by the Tacoma and Frontier in just about all areas. The current Ranger is outselling it by around 20,000 units YTD. It is a solid truck don't get me wrong, just no big improvement over the S10.
The Colorado was outdated the day it was introduced...busy ride, noisy, anemic, and agricultural 5-cylinder, 4-speed slushpump, GM's typical Playskool interior. Most Colorados I see are fleet trucks.
Outdated ???...Coming with a modular series engines...DOHC...4 valves per cylinder...4, 5 and in the TrailBlazer 6 cylinder...won design award for the engine when it came out...he has 20-22,000 miles on it first year...no problems...in a climate that goes from 40 below to 100 above F. He parks it outside...no plug...no trouble starting....I could go on...we get real, tough winters up here that grind vehicles down.
What's your experience with the Colorado...do you have one...drive it, day in day out...or is just an...opinion...?
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