Best mpg/cheapest pickup truck?
 

Hey all, I'm thinking of letting go of my 94 Ford Ranger 3.0L Auto pickup.

What would be a cheap, more fuel efficient replacement? I was thinking something '90's. Toyota? Mazda? Maybe even another Ranger, but in 4cyl, manual trim? I love the Ranger. It's never let me down... I'll only use the truck for close by and Home Depot like runs.

Thanks.

, Bill

This thread explored that question pretty thoroughly:
https://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=8291

Hi,
If you only need a truck for occasional load carrying, I would suggest you consider getting a utility trailer. I left the pickup truck world behind in 1990 when I bought my 5'x8' 1 ton utility trailer kit four use with landscaping business and vacation home-building project. You do need an adwquate tow vahicle which for me is my wife's midsize SUV ( Lexus RX350) or my '86 Jag
XJ6. The tow vehicle's mileage takes a hit but it sure beats paying for registration, insurance, maintenance, etc. for another automobile. Or you could just borrow a friend's truck.
Good luck, Vic

Hello,

i have owned 2 (91 & 95) Ford Rangers, both with the 4cyl and 5speed. They were both darn good trucks, with gas mileage in the mid 20's with normal driving.

Hi,
If you only need a truck for occasional load carrying, I would suggest you consider getting a utility trailer. I left the pickup truck world behind in 1990 when I bought my 5'x8' 1 ton utility trailer kit for use with my landscaping business and vacation home-building project. You do need an adquate tow vehicle which for me is my wife's midsize SUV ( Lexus RX350) or my '86 Jag
XJ6. The tow vehicle's mileage takes a hit but it sure beats paying for registration, insurance, maintenance, etc. for another automobile. Or you could just borrow a friend's truck.
Good luck, Vic

I thought the Mazda trucks were rebadged Rangers. It may be a way to get a Ranger cheaper?

-Jay

Vic,

Very good point! Getting a trailer may be a possibilty. I never even thought of it! I just picked up a 92 Civic VX, which is great but the double insurance is not cool. Does anyone tow a trailer with a Civic? I would only use it for short distances and light loads...

Thanks for the advice!

, Bill

I tow a lightweight 4x6 trailer with my 87 Civic hatch 5 speed (HF trans). It handles OK with loads less than 500 lbs (like a riding lawnmower)- when you get up to 1000 lbs, handling is pretty poor.

When its empty, I can hardly tell the trailer is behind me.

i dunno i have a 95 s-10 (newer ones get better mileage) 4 cyl 5 speed and it got 32 on the way down to college, generally gets 27-29 mixed.

i do have some mods done to it but thier very basic, efan (biggest improvement)pullies (slightly smaller and aluminum crank pulley) ebay intake and blocked off the EGR valve (thing was broke/plugged and not spending $80 for a new useless part).

ive loaded the bed with 1000 lbs of gravel before and up to the top with topsoil, still drove ok and got the job done.

that and s-10's are everywhere and are reliable. parts are plentaful and cheap, comes in many different combinations (reg cab. ext cab. quad cab. shortbed longbed, feetside, flareside, 2wd, 4wd, non locking differential, locking differential. either a 2.2L 4 banger or a 4.3 V6)

the 98+ get better mileage because that year they had a head/intake change that improved mpg. 2000 and up can run E85 if thats any intrest.

jay,

you're right about the rangers and mazda B series trucks. I think most of that is due to branding.

my dad would never NEVER have a ford. he thought they were the biggest pieces of crap in the world. he did however have a mazda B-2300 which was just like my brother-in-law's ranger. only his ranger had the 3 liter V6 instead.

they actually had similar recalls on them too for interior lighting issues.

the matrix and the vibe are the same way. I guess so people could buy american made (even thogh there are toyota manufacturers in the US).

branding of cars can play a big part in the vehicles people buy. like I said, my dad would never have a ford and my brother-in-law would never be without one. he still has the ranger and an F-250 diesel (he works construction)

That's true VetteOwner, I almost bought a brand new S-10 when I bought my current truck, but it just didn't have the legroom I wanted. I had also looked at the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon but felt that they pretty much got the same mileage as the full size trucks, so why not buy a full size.

-Jay

I would look at the older toyota pickup's, ford rangers, chevy s-10's. get the manual version, you can average a good 25 mpg with those

yea even when i was in highschool and drove it hard still got 24 before all the mods.

im 6'1" and fit in a regular cab s-10 just fine (sure seats all the way back but ehh) personally id rather have the extended cab, seat goes back further and can accualy have another person in with you and have room for crap.

yea the colorados are nice but thier mpg isnt great for its size.

manual trucks see a huge mpg improvement over the auto.

the GMC sonoma, chevy s-10, iszusu hombre are all the same truck.

also theres a pretty good aftermarket market for them if thats any interest (anything from engine mods to body kits)

can find them as bare bones as no radio, bench seat, non tilt steering wheel manual everything no ac if you desire. or decked out with everything imaginable (power mirrors, locks, windows, seats, heated bucket seats, etc)

I have a 09 Ranger 2.3l 5sp manual trans. My worst tank was 29.1MPG & my best (so far) is 36.5MPG.
A tonneau cover & 40lbs of air in the tires are the only mods besides driving it gentle.

I ordered a scan gauge II & hope to get over 40MPG.

Pretty good for something that is rated at 21city - 26 hwy.

If you mean you only put 1000 miles a year on the Ranger in Home Depot runs, @ 20mpg, then you're gonna have to get something that does 40mpg for practically free to be worth the DOT transfer/licensing fees even.

Unless you mean you need a 2nd daily driver and a truck and want to combine functions, coz you need to do more miles and the truck is too thirsty. To get decent city mileage though you'll be looking for something old and/or rare like a Dodge D50 diesel, 3.3BT swapped Comanche, Dodge Rampage, Subaru Brat etc...

Then on the other hand, over two months this spring, I carted more stuff around in/on Wile-E than some "Must have a truck" guys do in years.

I had a 96 ranger 4 cyl, 5 speed, now I have an 87 S10 (2.5l) 4 cyl, 5 speed. I'll take the S10 any day of the week.

I've put 1300+lbs in the S10 and it'll do 70+ still. the ranger had the same acceleration with half the weight. S10 gets slightly better mileage than the ranger did (without power steering... or overdrive), and does it while taking far more abuse (at least before I put on the 4wd axle that makes the wheels stick out) the S10 can spin the wheels in 2nd, the ranger stalled before spinning the wheels in 1st. the S10 doesn't have the retarded twin-I-beam front suspension. with a 2" drop (springs/blocks) and the addition of some sway bars that were free it's quite nimble for a truck.

Why replace what you have?