"Patrick Nichols" (pnichols)
09/01/2015 at 12:14 • Filed to: Beerlopnik, Oppopinions
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"Patrick Nichols" (pnichols)
09/01/2015 at 12:14 • Filed to: Beerlopnik, Oppopinions | 0
| 13 |
No not this. I am still trying to find a good, relatively cheap, and small truck to use for light work and general transportation... generally something that’s fairly difficult to find here in New Hampshire. Here’s where I might catch a break though, an old hockey coach of mine owns the largest beer distributor in the state and they got all new transits... to replace their ‘08 & ‘09 Rangers.
A few teammates have worked for him and confirmed to me that almost all of them are v6 4x4 regular cab fairly basic models (pretty much just what I’m looking for). They got retired with 80-90k miles and are all automatic (not too much of a bummer for me). They had both his company advertising on them as well as different beer brands and were washed regularly because of that. Service history is all there and they only ever had very light loads in the bed as they were support trucks that the reps would take to grocery stores and bars. I could probably get him to include a cap too.
Here is what I don’t know:
If they are the 3.0 or 4.0 L v6?
What specific issues should I be looking for?
What should I pay? Keep in mind, he’s a fairly good friend of mine now and is always very generous to the team, but I don’t want to make him an offer that seems like charity.
Would it be okay to tow a small trailer (not too heavy either) with fairly often?
If I have a choice in the brand it used to be, what should I go with? Assuming they are all in similar good condition and he sells Miller-Coors and other products but no AB. I’m leaning High Life...
Am I crazy?
Trike-tor-Trailor bringing you ALL the beer for your time.
TheHondaBro
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:15 |
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This looks like a very, very bad idea.
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Patrick Nichols
> TheHondaBro
09/01/2015 at 12:18 |
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Cherry beer or trike-tor-trailers? Both?
I give the first a pass because I have faith in the Germans beer brewing abilities and could be intrigued. The latter gets a pass for weirdness.
Edit: it’s actually Belgian beer but still...
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:22 |
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While they’re hardy trucks, the thing that bothers me about this is that while they’re all lowish mileage, it’s all local, and there are probably so many idle hours that you may as well double the figure. As for towing, it depends on what you mean by light. You talking about something like a small open 4x6 utility trailer, or is racecar light because it weighs less than a travel trailer? If the former and towing a few hundred pounds, I wouldn’t worry about it at all.
Sam
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:23 |
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I’d say offer $2,000. Or alternatively, see what he’d let one go for. It never hurts to ask.
Berang
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:23 |
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Marketing has convinced people that you need the BIGGEST truck to tow
anything.
Marketing bullshit of course. The ranger will tow several thousand pounds easy.
Justin Hughes
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:24 |
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I thought the 3.0 only went in the Mazda B3000. I distinctly remember that being the reason why a friend bought a B3000 instead of a Ranger - she wanted the 3.0 and couldn’t get it in a Ranger.
Small trailer shouldn’t be a problem.
Lettering should be vinyl decals, which you can probably remove if you want. I bought a ‘91 Mazda B2200 from the courier company I worked for at the time and used a razor blade and Goo-Gone to remove all the company markings.
You’re not crazy. You know the truck’s history, and a 4x4 Ranger is a good truck for NH.
Just make sure you fit in the cabin OK. Some of the courier company’s Rangers/B2300s had solid bench seats, and at 6’ tall I was pretty cramped in those. My last truck was a Ranger with a split bench, and I could tilt the seatback enough to get fairly comfortable. My personal B2200 was an extended cab with bucket seats so that wasn’t an issue.
CalzoneGolem
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:24 |
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The rangers were offered with both the 3.0 and 4.0.
Nothing that I am aware of
Not sure
Absolutely
High Life
Insufficient data to tell
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Patrick Nichols
> Justin Hughes
09/01/2015 at 12:29 |
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Thanks for the reassurance. The 3.0 shows up on kbb as an option on some models and years around 2008, but who knows.
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Patrick Nichols
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
09/01/2015 at 12:30 |
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They’re mostly driven around town, but after talking with people they don’t idle that long since they end up in the store or bar for a while and just shut it off.
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Patrick Nichols
> Berang
09/01/2015 at 12:32 |
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I figured, but if I’m doing it fairly regularly I thought I might want the 4.0 and definitely don’t want the 2.3 I4
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Justin Hughes
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:32 |
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You’re probably right, then. I mean Ford/Mazda had the engine, it fit, and people like my friend were buying Mazda instead of Ford to get it, so why not put it in the Ranger? I’d check the VIN to see which V6 a particular truck has, or pop the hood and see if it’s printed somewhere.
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Patrick Nichols
> Sam
09/01/2015 at 12:34 |
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Fair enough. I imagine he will end up sending them to auction soon so I’m going to get in touch with him soon to see if he could let me pick one out and hold off for at least a month. Prices of similar mileage and equipped rangers around here seem to be between $6-11k.
Wacko
> Patrick Nichols
09/01/2015 at 12:46 |
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http://www.ranger-forums.com/general-techni…