04 Ranger 4 Cyl Gas mileage query

Buy it.

I have a 2003, 2.3 litre short-box Ranger. 5-speed, no options - pretty boring truck actually.

However.......

I thought there would be a great difference in power between this and the

1999, 3.0 litre Ranger I had, but there's very little, except on steep hills. The 3.0 litre engines are gas hogs.

In CDN gallons and U.S. miles, if you have a light foot, you'll get 36 miles per CDN gallon (summer) and 25-30 winter.

Plus, think of all the money you'll save, which you can put towards a vacation.

I gallon CDN - 4.55 litres. You can do the conversion.

p.s. U.S. miles are the same as Australian, Japanese and Azerbaijan miles

"JohnR66"

We bought the =exact= truck 2 weeks ago as a leftover for 12K with the rebate. Even traded [nearly] our Dodge 2500 which was killing us at the pump. It's perfectly zippy around town. Beats the crap out of my 5-speed Hyundai for pick-up. Since we're not hauling horses or tractors anymore, this little truck will be fine for getting hay in the winter. Easily hauls 15 bales plus a couple hundred pounds of feed. The first tank was at 22 mpg but that was with the bed loaded with wheel weights for traction (snow storm driving). Dry weather and unloaded we're at 29mpg. Beats the 12 mpg we were getting with the Dodge. We're going to fit it with a cap or at least get an air gate.

Like the truck you drove, AC was the only option in this "base truck." I got the dealer to throw in a fancy stereo as part of the deal. They seem to do a hard sell on undercoating and rustproofing. I passed on both. Will probably do a spray in bed liner tho. Can only get Rhino around here. :-\

The only complaints about the truck are very minor - cup holder location and would like slightly bigger mirrors. That's it.

We looked into similar efforts from Nissan, Toyota, Chevy & Dodge. This deal blew all the others away by far. Nissan was next best in terms of offering base fluff. Aside from the AC and stereo, our little truck is distinctly fluff-less. :-)

Ruth CM upstate NY

My 01' 2wd 4cyl. 2.5L 5 speed gets about 25 mpg highway. It has hardly any passing power, though it does have some torque. I have hauled 800-900 lbs on a few occasions.

any passing power, though it does have some torque. I have

My 96 Ranger 2.3 5speed gets about 25 highway with a cap, 3.73 ratio and I've hauled 7 to 800 lbs, no problem .... just don't get in any hurry off the line ...... loaded cement trucks usually beat me !!! Gasoline today in Northwest Indiana is 2.08 for unleaded regular Tony

Hey, I ended up getting a 2004 2.3 5sp 3.73. Accel seems reasonable, but it has

143hp vs 112 as in the '96. Sounds like you are getting the expected mpg. Interestingly, the new ones with the 143 hp 2.3L get 24city/29hwy while the older 112 hp 2.3L gets only 19/25. (comparing 5spds) John

The original 2.3 liter (the old pinto motor) was changed to 2.5L, thats what's in my 2001. 8 spark plugs, no distributor. I know they offered a 2.3 L in 2001, but i think that was a 16 valve motor, maybe a newer design? They dropped the older motor?