I think I know Oppo's opinion, but I'll ask anyways

"The Ghost of Oppo" (gohstoklasa) 10/15/2018 at 09:29 • Filed to: Truck Yeah

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2002 Tacoma 2.7L I4 2WD vs. 2002 Ford Ranger 4.0L V6 4WD

I am considering these two trucks and was wondering what Oppo’s opinion is.

The Tacoma is a Prerunner SR5 and has 95k miles, the frame seems solid but I didn’t check every square inch, and the interior is near mint. The paint isn’t as nice as the pictures makes it seem. I am a little hesitant because the owner claims he just bought it a few months ago, but doesn’t like the ride height and feel of the Prerunner suspension, and has already found himself another regular gen 1 SR5 that he likes. My suspicion grew as the engine was clearly warmed up before I got there, but from what I understand the 3RZ-FE is nearly bulletproof, so I don’t know. There was also moisture in the front corner lights and the driver side rotor was rubbing. Also the seller is a psychiatrist, so who knows what kind of mind games he could be playing.

The Ranger is listed about $1500 cheaper, has only 70k miles, and has had $1,600 worth of work done recent. But the truck was most recently driven by a teenage girl, and based on the fact that some of the recent work was replacing only one tie rod, control arm and ball joint, the truck probably had an abrupt meeting with a curb or some such. I haven’t seen the Ranger yet but it does have a little rust on the one wheel well, so I’m betting the frame isn’t rust free either.

I like that the Tacoma is smaller, only 8 inches longer than my Mazda 3 as opposed to the Ranger which is 27 inches longer than my 3. Also the better fuel economy (that’s where you laugh) of the 4 cylinder 2wd over the V6 4wd.

wafflesnfalafel > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 10:38

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hmmm... is none of the above an option?  (slightly leaning to the Ford since you likely know the cause of the tie rod, etc replacement and it’s cheaper...)

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 10:54

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Hmm. If all things were equal I’d say the Ranger, but those visual mods...concern me. They don’t scream tasteful, which makes me worried what else is hiding beneath. 

nermal > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 10:57

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Neither - Go buy a new Power Wagon with a 96 month loan to keep the payments low.

The Ghost of Oppo > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 10/15/2018 at 11:03

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Does this picture of the Ranger add to your worry?

No , you are not seeing double, t here are two Monster logos

The Ghost of Oppo > nermal 10/15/2018 at 11:08

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I wonder if they would let me finance one through a mortgage 

HammerheadFistpunch > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 11:19

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I guess it depends on if you want 4 wheel drive or not.  If I didn’t I’d get the tacoma based purely on the mods done to the ranger give me questions about the owner.

The Ghost of Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch 10/15/2018 at 11:27

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That’s my concern with the Ranger , plus it has been on CL for almost a month, and the price is reasonable considering the relatively low miles and recent work so there has to be something not great about it.

I’m mad at myself for not taking pictures or fully checking the frame of the Taco, I don’t know where my head was.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 11:38

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Two of my favorite trucks!

- If that’s a photo of the actual Taco in question, that is one clean specimen. The Ranger has some hmmmm cosmetic bits that make me squint and wonder but who knows could be fine

- 4.0 is good but will never ever be more reliable than the 2.7 in the Taco. But it’s still good!

- extended cab is something I wish I had, however I do agree the shorter trucks are easier to maneuver. Tough call there.

and based on the fact that some of the recent work was replacing only one tie rod, control arm and ball joint, the truck probably had an abrupt meeting with a curb or some such

Yes, but that also is consistent with things that will fail on those era of Ferd especially the ball joints... expect to replace to replace the other half soon.

- 4WD vs 2 WD... depends on your, hum, “lifestyle.” 4WD is convenient but I’ve managed to do just fine with RWD for the past decade. If you’re not going to use it, it may not be worth having.

The Ghost of Oppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 10/15/2018 at 11:57

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I was hoping you’d find my post, thanks for the info!

The RWD does worry me a bit, as I live in Pittsburgh which is known for steep streets and bad winters, but my father in law said he still has some sandbags from his RWD truck days that I could have.

My main concern about the Tacoma is rust. The frame only had surface rust where I could easily see and feel, but I was in a bit of a rush and the guys driveway was muddy, so I didn’t get under and check every square inch, which I know was stupid. And as I mentioned above,  Pittsburgh Winters = tons of road salt.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 12:19

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I would definitely check that over exhaustively. If the owner puts up a fit, you know it’s time to run.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 12:30

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Ranger. Cause 4x4 and when you have beat it up after many years they are super easy to swap a bigger motor in and make into a long travel pre-runner

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 12:34

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I owned my 2001 4.0L Ranger for over 150,000 miles and 10 years , never had a problem with the engine. It desperately needed suspension work by the time I unloaded it, though. Actually, it needed it at about 100,000 miles, but I ignored the reality. All in all, I found it to be a very good truck, only repair was the A/C compressor needing to be replaced.

I see too many warning signs on this example for my taste, but I’d prefer an  extended cab (appreciated mine) and the 4x4 in Pittsburgh (I was ready to sell my 2wd even with the limited slip diff but then moved south . . . still, it got me everywhere I needed to go with sandbags in the bed even with unplowed Pittsburgh roads and parking lots on hills, just didn’t enjoy no 4wd/AWD in the end ).

The Ghost of Oppo > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 10/15/2018 at 12:38

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Too many warning signs on the Tacoma? 

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > The Ghost of Oppo 10/15/2018 at 13:17

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No, no, the Ranger, too many warning signs on the Ranger you gave as an example . . . at least for my preferences, through the internet.

If these were my only two options, and with no other information, even with my good experience with a Ranger, I’d get the Tacoma.

But I’d probably keep looking, or look at the Ranger with a very suspicious eye and negotiate over every possible flaw. As I say, after driving my 2WD Ranger through 4 Pittsburgh winters, I was ready to get rid of RWD, so the 2WD Tacoma is unattractive if I lived there again.