Ford to introduce another pickup, smaller than the new Ranger.

[RalphVa]

Thoughts on the Honda ridge line ?

Apparently a nice pickup if you like driving around in something that's 1000 # heavier than a Tacoma extracab. Even the current extracabs are 500 # heavier than the 1997 ExtendCab we had. So, the Ridgeline is a good 1500 # more than it needs to be.

Ralph

 

[Citydude]

Thoughts on the Honda ridge line ?

I test drove one and really liked it. Didn’t like the price so much.

 

[Renze]

A pickup smaller than the new Ranger... wouldnt that just be the Nissan Navara under Ford disguise we get in Europe ? Do Ford and Nissan still cooperate on smaller pickups ?

We have one at work, 160hp 2.5 turbodiesel, 6 speed. Does the job for our warehouse picking up stuff at local suppliers, but when our guys need to do a field repair, they hate having the MIG welder in an open bed.

Nissan Navara - Wikipedia

 

[Renze]

Ah, it was Mazda which Ford cooperated with :

Ford Ranger - Wikipedia

Mazda never sold any trucks here. Even their minivans are rare, havent seen one in decades. Or did they sell that product line to Asia Motors ?

 

[shovelmike]

Ford's alliance for the old Ranger was with Mazda. They did work with Nissan on the Mercury Villager- Nissan Quest production, so time will tell I suppose. There seems to be more of these cooperative arrangements all the time these days..

 

[newbury]

I've had my long bed '79 for 40 years. Grandson is checking tires on it. He actually went around and looked at every wheel. I don't know what he was looking for.

He probably remembered putting his toy on top of the tire before you drove away before

 

[RalphVa]

I'd love to have a Mazda *** Ford to join my 2 other Mazdas: a 2013 Mx5 and a 2016 Mz3, both GTs and 6Ms. Might even switch to a Kubota tractor. Then all 4 could speak Japanese to our daughter.

Ralph

 

[shovelmike]

Those tiny trucks are fun. Back in 73 my wife and I wanted an economical truck, since I was employed by Ford I started my search at my local dealer, seeking a Courier. He had none in stock, commenting that obtaining parts was problematic for him. I found a 71 Toyota Hilux, and bought it. I put concrete blocks in the bed during Winter, and got around well. Lots of fun winding it up through the gears (as was needed to get any power), Not a powerful engine, but seemed practically indestructible.
Build quality of the body wasn't great, single wall bed got lumpy looking, cold wind blew in around the sloppily fitted doors.
We moved out in the country, traded for a Bronco, thinking fuel economy would be better than a full size 4x4 truck, wrong...I immediately regretted being without a truck.
I bought an old farm truck a couple of years later, never been without a truck since.

 

[crazyal]

Those tiny trucks are fun. Back in 73 my wife and I wanted an economical truck, since I was employed by Ford I started my search at my local dealer, seeking a Courier. He had none in stock, commenting that obtaining parts was problematic for him. I found a 71 Toyota Hilux, and bought it. I put concrete blocks in the bed during Winter, and got around well. Lots of fun winding it up through the gears (as was needed to get any power), Not a powerful engine, but seemed practically indestructible.
Build quality of the body wasn't great, single wall bed got lumpy looking, cold wind blew in around the sloppily fitted doors.
We moved out in the country, traded for a Bronco, thinking fuel economy would be better than a full size 4x4 truck, wrong...I immediately regretted being without a truck.
I bought an old farm truck a couple of years later, never been without a truck since.

When I was a 20 something it seamed Toyota's pickups exploded in popularity. People were buying them as fast as they showed up on the lot. They were wrecking them almost as fast. I most have bought 20 or more of the mid/ late 80s style trucks damaged and repaired them. They were so simple that anyone with mechanical skills could do it. I would drive it for 6 months or so and then sell it. People didn't care that it had been damaged as long as the price was cheap. You could buy them so cheap that you always came out with cash in your pocket after selling. I actually talked a high school into to offering a class where the students would each buy a damaged car from one of the local salvage yards (after the teacher verified it was something that could be rebuilt without too many skills) and spent the year repairing it. The kids got a good vehicle that they never would have otherwise at that young of an age and they got to learn how to repair vehicles. Sadly cars are too expensive now (back then you could find ones for under $1k and put less than another $1k into them) and too complicated (back then simple tools could do most of the work).

 

[NoTrespassing]

Had a 91 ranger. I believe the engine was made by Mazda? It had 2 spark plugs per cylinder. I could manage 25 mpg highway but had to downshift from overdrive in a headwind.