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2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control

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MushyHeirloom
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
The grille's incongruous, sure, but they won't quit sellin' 'em 'cause they just won't die. The old nag's got a while before Ford'll really be beating a dead horse.
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danio3834
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Wow, its hard to believe they're still cranking out 2.3L I4s, the Ford HEMI.

Its hard to believe because I think the last time they installed them in any other vehicle, it was in a Tempo.

Stout workhorse, however. They also take boost well.
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Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
02/06/09

@danio3834: Actually, the Tempo (Lima) 2.3, the old Ranger (OHC) 2.3 and the current (Duratec) 2.3 Mazda-based ranger engine are three distinctly different units with little in common other than number of cylinders and overall displacement.

[en.wikipedia.org]

[en.wikipedia.org]

[en.wikipedia.org]
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Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
There's a lot to be said for leaving it alone, since Ford pretty much got it right to begin with. On the other hand, there's also something to be said for keeping the model fresh and desirable. I don't understand why Ford wasn't advertising this all over the place when gas was spiking. They could have run an angle like: you know you want a pickup, but gas is crazy; we have the answer for you!' Seems they'd rather have an infinite supply of F150s on hand.
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Boosted Lego Wagon
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Call me when they make a Chuck Norris Edition.
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Elhigh
02/06/09

@boosted-lego-wagon: Next time you see an early 80s Ranger in the parking lot, bed full of lumber and cab full of job tickets, that's the Chuck Norris edition.
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Torquer72
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
I predict the Ranger will die very soon and a new truck will take it's place. I hope so at least. Newer will be lighter, more efficient/powerful, and dynamically better in every way. I could be wrong...but I doubt it.
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Elhigh
02/06/09

@Torquer72: Lighter? You're basing that assumption on what, exactly? I have never seen a model replaced with something that was lighter.

Model bloat is the name of the game. If you want lighter, shop in the 80s. The Ranger, completely optioned to the hilt as a 4x4, barely cracked into the 3000lb range in the 80s, Now the unloaded base model starts at around 2800lbs and you can blow up to 3500 very fast. That's shameful in a compact anything, and a truck in particular. It cuts too deeply into your safe payload capacity, and isn't payload really what trucks are all about?
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Jo Schmo
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Try as I might I cannot make this song fit any better, so here they are in their unmolested form:

There you stood, everybody watched you play
I just turned and walked away
I had nothing left to say

'Cause you're still the same
You're still the same
Moving game to game
Some things never change
You're still the same
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LTDScott
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Once again, tons of people here saying "wait, they still sell those?" yet Rangers are still popular as hell here in SoCal and I see new ones on the road all the time. It's weird.
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Old_Car_Guy
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
I agree with several of the Jalops above. I am not so sure this is dying on the vine. I am glad Ford didn't bloat this up like the Colorado or what Toyota did to the Tacoma. I would rather see it continue to have this style than some stupid retooling just to make it bigger. The improvement money should go to quality and safety. Leave it the f*ck alone.
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Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
02/06/09

@Old_Car_Guy: Ford seems determined to let the Ranger die, and to replace it with a decontented F-Series called the F-100. [jalopnik.com] I sincerely hope they decide to update the current truck instead. If I had to buy a brand new vehicle, the Ranger would be an attractive choice for me. The F-series isn't even on the list.
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Elhigh
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Ford's 2.3 Four is a prime candidate for EcoBoost. It did wonders for the Mustang SVO (Straight Veggie Oil?)

I'll miss the Ranger. It's going to be the end of an era, the no-foolishness compact pickup.

There won't be any compact pickups left, unless Mahindra brings the Appalachian like they're hoping. I don't want that. The Ranger, with 13 years of steady production, is pretty good with all the last little kinks ironed out. I think it'd be better/smarter to reimagine it, update it, and keep going.

And always keep the cheapskate, sturdy straight-4 base engine, man-5 tranny available.
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Paul Y. can't get in the club; gotta parking lot pimp
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Yes, you can still buy a Ranger, but you can pretty much only get a 4-banger/five speed if you are ordering a hundred of them for a fleet, so you're better off getting the more-efficient (really) 5.4L F150.
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RegalRegalia
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
wait jalopnik! we all constantly complain when safety equipment is added to cars b/c it makes them fat. now a simple, small, rwd or awd, and in all other ways very jalop truck gets fattened up with "safety equipment" other than a good driver and a nice set of brakes, and we applaud?
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Deartháir II
02/06/09

@RegalRegalia is the AntiChrysler: I'm never going to complain about switching to a better AWD system. And if I recall, (and anyone can correct me on this, because I'm going off memory), but the AdvanceTrac system was more of an AWD system than the old 4x4 system, and while not quite as sturdy -- I've heard the Ranger's 4x4 system described as "massive overkill" for a truck its size and weight -- I seem to recall that one of the benefits when they installed it on the Ranger-based Explorers was that it was actually a bit lighter than the outgoing system.
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If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Once upon a time, this was actually one of my favorite vehicles. I can't believe they still haven't redesigned or killed it. I sat in one at an auto show this past year and couldn't believe how small and dated it felt inside. It was the same feeling I got from a new XJ Cherokee shortly before it finally got the axe. Vehicles that were class leaders years (decades?) ago show how far we've come in a very short time.

That said, I'd totally drive (a used) one. It's still a good truck in terms of getting the job done. But I wouldn't touch a new one with a...39 and 1/2 foot pole.
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sos10
02/06/09

@FromaBuick6: felt small? I don't think the Ranger shrunk.
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Deartháir II
02/06/09

@FromaBuick6: First off, if the prices I see on dealership lots are any indication, you can damn near buy a new one for the price of a used one. I've seen used ones for $19k CDN, and new for $21k.

And forgive me for pointing out the blatantly obvious, but, uh, it's a compact truck, and the only one left on the market. So yes, everything else is going to seem bigger. They are bigger. That's a bit like climbing into a Smart ForTwo and complaining that it feels smaller than your Malibu.
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Mad_Science
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Also: I love how we all bitch about feature bloat and go on how much we love older trucks, or miss the compact trucks...

...then turn around and mock the Ranger for being everything we clamor for.

There's nothing wrong with cheap, simple pickup.

Of course, if they threw an EcoBoost V6 in, I wouldn't complain.
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Ben Wojdyla
02/06/09

@Mad_Science: I totally agree, the reason I like the Ranger is it's simplicity, and despite its age, it's still one of the best compacts on the road. At the same time though, for it's size the Ranger gets pretty poor mileage, has a felxi-flyer frame, and a playmobil interior. I wouldn't want Ford to make it bigger or turn it into a luxury car, just make it smarter and better.

Material science and CAD have come a long way in the 26 years since the chassis underpinning the Ranger was designed, it would be nice if Ford updated the guts of the truck to reflect the nearly three decades of progress that have taken place.
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DoctorNine
02/06/09

@Mad_Science:

I think they missed the boat on the grille, otherwise I agree with everything you say. I still think that the 1990 model grille is the best they have put out:

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DoctorNine
02/06/09

@DoctorNine Zombies Out Of Ten Prefer High Test:

And if they made the 1990 model again, I would buy one this year. I had that little truck with a 5 speed manual and the 2.3 just kept going and going...
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Deartháir II
02/06/09

@Mad_Science: Absofuckinglutely. The Ranger is perpetually my example of why vehicles don't need to be 4,000 lbs and laden with every goddamn feature out there to still be a good vehicle. Rangers remain among my favourite vehicles on the market.

@Accordforall: Beauty is all in the eye of the beer-holder.
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Mad_Science
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
"...the 2010 Ranger will finally get the same stability program, which makes rollovers nearly impossible."

Is that a challenge?!?
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Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
02/06/09

@Mad_Science: That's how I read it.
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Deartháir II
02/06/09

@Mad_Science: Gimme a case of beer and a dirt track, I'll flip that fucker for ya.
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If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
02/06/09

In reply to 2010 Ford Ranger: Now With AdvanceTrac And Roll Stability Control
Ford's selling safety, but Chevrolet is selling cars. Oh, wait...
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