Whats the Smallest truck Best MPG recent years to buy?

You can go to the government site and check all the mileages for yourself, not that you would achieve those numbers necessarily. I just want to point out two things. From an overall cost per mile standpoint, you would be best to avoid things like an old Subaru or Rancharo because of the parts cost, let alone availability. Your best bet is something mainstream where the volume base is large, such as the Ranger. Secondly, the biggest mileage gain in a small 4 cly. is going to be if you have the manual transmission rather than automatic. Knowing that, the decision is up to you whether you can or cannot drive a stick for physical or spiritual reasons.

I know this a a Ford thread but you might look at a Toyota tacoma as they can get great MPG in 2wd models and they are VERY sturdy too and well built and have excellant engines for smoothness, drivablity, power and long life. The Toyota base motor has 16 more HP and 26 more ft lbs a of torque which is a asset for a work truck and if you get a V6 in a ranger MPG will suffer. WHile the Toyota is EPA MPG rated less than Ford, you will likely get it and more with it and less with Ford because Ford like GM and Dodge uses specail hand built and tuned vehicles for EPA tests (a loop hole is test law lets them) while Toyota uses regular production models in tests.

----------------- The SnoMan

If the carrying capacity of a subaru brat is sufficent for your needs, I'd suggest you consider a car for your hauling needs. A Ford Crown Victoria will carry much more than a Brat, is many times more comfortable (comfortably seating five or six people) and will easily out perform the underpowered Subaru. The Crown Vic is known for its remarkabable reliability and longevity...Cab companies report getting 400,000 trouble free miles from these vehicles. The 4.6L V8 gets excellent mileage, better than any 4 cylinder pickup.

what would be a spiritual reason for not driving stick?

There are two brats on Ebay right now, one automatic and both on the East Coast, plenty of El Caminos and Rancheros too. The Rancheros seem to old though.

any ranchero is going to be 30 years old minimum because '77 was the last year.

Whitelightning

"Preferring" to drive a slush box over a stick, like preferring brunette women over blondes or preferring Levies over Lees, It is a spiritual thing...

Yes i saw the two Brats on Ebay and one of them is almost in driving distance but i think the owner said it needs a head or headgasket and exhaust which means i cant realy drive it home

Also I saw on the EPA site that the Ranger / other small 2wd auto 4cyls actualy get better milage then the brat

I think its because the Brat is a 1.8 - 4cyl and 4wd

Unfortunately buying a crownvic is not an option I need to be able to carry 2x4 lumber, cabinets and other items

That does make me wonder though what the weight ratio is that a large car like a crown vic would get better milage then a ranger.

Crown Vic Base Weight 3817 LBS Ranger Base Weight 4800 lbs

I wouldnt think a ranger should weigh a thousand pounds more then a crown vic

Rangers have small cabs and front ends and have the truck bed that is about

Guess it must be the weight of the springs

The mileage difference is probably related to how much tin has to push against air to move the vehicle. (You can run faster with a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood pointed edge against the wind than if you hold the thing so that you have the side against the wind... less energy required.)

H.

" Knowing that, the decision is up to you whether you can or cannot drive a stick for physical or spiritual reasons." He can't hold his rosary or make the sign of the cross with his hand on the gear shift all the time. Actually, I intended "spiritual" to include any mental attitude, mind set, orientation or aberration that locked him into the automatic. For example, the poster may be dead set against the manual shift because he feels it's too masculine and macho for his nature. He needs something soft and smooth, like an automatic, something that gets the job done without him having to put his hands on it.

Yea

the standard 80s monte carlo vs the SS with the aerodynamic nose ss gets 5mpg better then the standard

Also EPA test results are on a dyno and not real world

or it could be that I find it hard to steer and WACK IT at the same time

Safety First

Tonka

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 07:26:11 -0400, moo rearranged some electrons to form:

That can't be right. I think you are quoting the GVWR.

Come on, get to the real reason some people choose auto...It's hard to start out from a light or drive in rush hour traffic trying to shift and hold your coffee in the morning!! :)

Scott

You boys need to get off this stupid el ranchero subject. This is a thread about finding a late model truck that gets decent gas mileage. You should be able to appreciate that it's worth discussing - It's back over $3 a gallon!

I agree. Empty Rangers don't weigh anywhere near that.

maybe he likes the fact that in the 1/4 mile an auto is faster than a stick?

Whitelightning