Bring back the Ranger.

[David84]

Topic says it all. Bring the Ranger back. Give it a EB. That seems simple enough.

[akirby]

Topic says it all. Bring the Ranger back. Give it a EB. That seems simple enough.

 

Simple for you. Not so simple for Ford.

[fordmantpw]

Simple for you. Not so simple for Ford.

 

But it was a simple post to get closer to his 10 so he can track his new SD!

[akirby]

But it was a simple post to get closer to his 10 so he can track his new SD!

 

Dang - I usually spot those right away. I'm slipping in my old age......

[David84]

But it was a simple post to get closer to his 10 so he can track his new SD!

 

True. But I have been waiting quietly for four weeks and I just wanted to check on it progress. I am 27 years old can you blame me for being ready to get such a nice truck.

Besides I really do hate to see the Ranger go. I have owned two and think that they are great trucks. My 2003 Ranger XLT 4x4 I plan on keeping until the wheels fall off.

And it turns out I already know that the SD is still at the factory, I found that out this morning after getting the vin # from the dealer. But I will put my 10 posts to good use late this week or the next. :D

[David84]

Simple for you. Not so simple for Ford.

 

 

In all honesty why do you say that? Ranger use to be a big seller for Ford. When I got my 03 Ranger, it had been the top selling compact pickup for 17 years in a row.

[akirby]

In all honesty why do you say that? Ranger use to be a big seller for Ford. When I got my 03 Ranger, it had been the top selling compact pickup for 17 years in a row.

 

We've been through this debate over and over here over the last year, but I'll summarize it for you.

 

Small pickup sales and the overall market are way down compared to just a few years ago. People who used to buy them as commuter vehicles because they were handy and cheap switched to crossovers and small cars and hybrids that got way better mileage. People who still needed a full sized pickup are still buying full sized pickups.

 

Ford North America opted out of the T6 world ranger early on because they still had both the F150 and the old Ranger. Later they were faced with a shrinking market and a big investment that would be required to update the ranger for new crash regulations, not to mention it was being produced in an old plant on a platform that was not shared with other current ford vehicles.

 

So the best decision for Ford was to cancel the current Ranger.

 

Why not bring the T6 world Ranger here? That's still a possibility but Ford is also working on a new, lighter more fuel efficient F150 and if it's as dramatic an improvement as has been rumored then it will be more important to Ford's bottom line than a T6 Ranger which will steal existing F150 sales and which won't be dramatically more fuel efficient.

 

Ford has to look at market trends, manufacturing facilities and the effect of T6 Ranger sales on other vehicles plus figure out where the resources would be diverted from to work on it. Bringing it here would be relatively easy from a task standpoint. Doing it and making money while not dropping the ball on other just as important or more important projects is WAY more difficult.

 

Capiche?

[LSchicago]

We've been through this debate over and over here over the last year, but I'll summarize it for you.

 

Small pickup sales and the overall market are way down compared to just a few years ago. People who used to buy them as commuter vehicles because they were handy and cheap switched to crossovers and small cars and hybrids that got way better mileage. People who still needed a full sized pickup are still buying full sized pickups.

 

Ford North America opted out of the T6 world ranger early on because they still had both the F150 and the old Ranger. Later they were faced with a shrinking market and a big investment that would be required to update the ranger for new crash regulations, not to mention it was being produced in an old plant on a platform that was not shared with other current ford vehicles.

 

So the best decision for Ford was to cancel the current Ranger.

 

Why not bring the T6 world Ranger here? That's still a possibility but Ford is also working on a new, lighter more fuel efficient F150 and if it's as dramatic an improvement as has been rumored then it will be more important to Ford's bottom line than a T6 Ranger which will steal existing F150 sales and which won't be dramatically more fuel efficient.

 

Ford has to look at market trends, manufacturing facilities and the effect of T6 Ranger sales on other vehicles plus figure out where the resources would be diverted from to work on it. Bringing it here would be relatively easy from a task standpoint. Doing it and making money while not dropping the ball on other just as important or more important projects is WAY more difficult.

 

Capiche?

 

I think the ranger sales would've increased quite a bit had Ford redesigned it in the last couple years and added Ecoboost 1.6 & 2.0 options. There was no advantage in fuel savings for a Ranger over the F150 unless you wanted the standard 4. Ecoboost would've made a difference. I believe the only reason Ford killed it is because the little ranger didn't fit into the "one Ford" strategy. New style & Ecoboost would've made me consider one for running around. Too bad so sad, we lost the one we could've had.

[LSchicago]

We've been through this debate over and over here over the last year, but I'll summarize it for you.

 

Small pickup sales and the overall market are way down compared to just a few years ago. People who used to buy them as commuter vehicles because they were handy and cheap switched to crossovers and small cars and hybrids that got way better mileage. People who still needed a full sized pickup are still buying full sized pickups.

 

Ford North America opted out of the T6 world ranger early on because they still had both the F150 and the old Ranger. Later they were faced with a shrinking market and a big investment that would be required to update the ranger for new crash regulations, not to mention it was being produced in an old plant on a platform that was not shared with other current ford vehicles.

 

So the best decision for Ford was to cancel the current Ranger.

 

Why not bring the T6 world Ranger here? That's still a possibility but Ford is also working on a new, lighter more fuel efficient F150 and if it's as dramatic an improvement as has been rumored then it will be more important to Ford's bottom line than a T6 Ranger which will steal existing F150 sales and which won't be dramatically more fuel efficient.

 

Ford has to look at market trends, manufacturing facilities and the effect of T6 Ranger sales on other vehicles plus figure out where the resources would be diverted from to work on it. Bringing it here would be relatively easy from a task standpoint. Doing it and making money while not dropping the ball on other just as important or more important projects is WAY more difficult.

 

Capiche?

 

I believeT6 is too close to the F150 to sell here, and not really what Ranger buyers wanted anyway. .

Edited March 7, 2012 by LSchicago

[Mackintire]

"and which won't be dramatically more fuel efficient"

 

 

I'll argue this statement until the cows come home.

 

2.0 liter Eco-boost T6 4x4 should have near 27 MPG or almost a 100 additional miles on 19.5 gallons of fuel than a EB 3.5 liter F150.

 

Not dramatic you say?

 

 

"I believeT6 is too close to the F150 to sell here, and not really what Ranger buyers wanted anyway. . "

 

Too close in price, YES

Too close in capability, probably

Too close in size, what are you smoking?

 

Here's my reasoning:

The 2010 American Ford Ranger was 88% the size of the 2010 F150.

 

The 2013 T6 is 90% of the size of the 2013 F150.

 

I'm guessing that the 2% size increase is too overwhelming for you? :wacko:

 

 

Everything else akirby said, is for the most part true.

 

The T6 is a very capable truck, unfortunately its also an relatively expensive truck.

 

I'm very bitter on the "no T6 topic" and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Mackintire

[David84]

I think the ranger sales would've increased quite a bit had Ford redesigned it in the last couple years and added Ecoboost 1.6 & 2.0 options. There was no advantage in fuel savings for a Ranger over the F150 unless you wanted the standard 4. Ecoboost would've made a difference. I believe the only reason Ford killed it is because the little ranger didn't fit into the "one Ford" strategy. New style & Ecoboost would've made me consider one for running around. Too bad so sad, we lost the one we could've had.

 

 

Thank you. I feel the same way. The only reason the Ranger's sales declined was because it went nearly two decades without a significant upgrade. The competition took advantage of that. And the Ranger is perfect for running around in, trust me I know. I use mine for that very use on my farm.

[David84]

I believeT6 is too close to the F150 to sell here, and not really what Ranger buyers wanted anyway. .

 

 

Very true, Ranger owners want a compact pickup. Not a midsize.

[akirby]

The only reason the Ranger's sales declined was because it went nearly two decades without a significant upgrade. The competition took advantage of that.

 

Perhaps you should go look up how many small trucks were sold in the U.S. in total 10 years ago and compare it to how many were sold last year. The market for small pickups is a fraction of what it used to be. When gas prices took off in 2008 truck buyers didn't flock to small trucks - they flocked to crossovers and small cars and hybrids. People used to buy Rangers because they were cheap and useful. I know - I bought 2 of them for just that reason. And back then small cars were not very desirable and crossovers didn't exist yet.

 

The market has changed and it's simply not worth the investment for Ford to go after that market right now. And if they did then they would need 4 door crew cab pickups - that's what buyers want now. The old ranger without an actual back seat is virtually useless today. I know - I used to own one when my kids were young.

 

Markets change. Buyers change. You can always go get a new Colorado soon. But you better hurry because it probably won't be in production long.

[GTwannabe]

I believeT6 is too close to the F150 to sell here, and not really what Ranger buyers wanted anyway. .

 

Negative. T6 is a mere 5.5" longer than my Nissan Frontier. Width is identical.

 

 

Frankly, that would be the perfect size, as my Frontier is a bit tight on rear legroom for 6' adults. 2.0/2.3 EB would make the same power numbers and give better MPG's.

[07Buell]

For whatever it's worth (and to whatever Ford product planners might read) to me the perfect vehicle to replace the current Ranger would be: about the same size or a even a bit smaller, extended cab, 2 wheel drive, and a bed that has a battery pack up front for hybrid operation. I used my Rangers (more than I can count over the years) to do weekend chores, carry one dirt bike for a weekend ride, move small furniture, carry more than one guy's hockey equipment...in other words, just more versatile than my current 2012 Focus, which I bought purely for the great gas mileage. I like the Focus, but I miss the flexibility the Ranger gave me. Could I buy a small SUV / Escape? Maybe, but I'd still need a trailer sometimes. I don't need 2,000 pounds payload. But I do want 30+ MPG. I don't need a 6 foot bed, but a 5 five foot, plus tailgate down for long cargo, plus a battery pack at the front of the bed would suit me fine. Small hatchbacks and wagons are fine, but still not flexible enough. I hate driving with the hatch of the Focus open when I want to carry 1 or 2 bicycles, or a ladder. I can't believe I'm unique in my needs, but maybe there's too few to make a market...I dunno.

[Zeke06]

Ford really needs something smaller than the F-150. The local dealer loaned me a 3.5 SuperCrew over the weekend to help convince me to buy it. 14 MPG on the freeway? Really? I'll admit it's a 4WD with 3.73s, but that's pitiful, and it's sure not close to the 19 MPG on the sticker. This thing's massive. I don't need a limo. All I want is an extended cab that can haul sheetrock or plywood. The Gen 1 Tundra size is just fine.

[Mackintire]

Yep I'm still in the same boat. Next year I need to buy something. I park in the city. Luckily an F150 will fit in my parking garage, but my wife does not want a full size truck. At the moment I 'm considering either buying a low mileage Explorer Sport Trac or leasing a honda accord for $110 a month and placing my 11 year old ranger on life support for another 3-5 years and hope that it doesn't fall completely apart. A T6 ranger would be idea, but I have little faith in Ford doing anything of the sort until fuel prices start heading towards $4.50 a gal.

 

Unfortunately I need a truck that fits child safety seats in the back. So I'm stuck looking at Quad or crew cabs. Even if Ford sold an F150 with a $7000 rebate and I used my X-plan pricing I 'm not sure I can afford a crew cab F150.

[theoldwizard]

Sales and profit margins are "too good" for Ford to bring out any vehicle that could take away from either of those.

 

Insiders have told me, that according to Ford market research, a US T6 would result in very few "conquest" sales and would seriously errode F150 sale.

 

The only thing pushing Ford in the direction of a US T6 is fuel economy. Sales of Fiesta and Focus are strong so this is not much of an issue.

[FordBuyer]

Sales and profit margins are "too good" for Ford to bring out any vehicle that could take away from either of those.

 

Insiders have told me, that according to Ford market research, a US T6 would result in very few "conquest" sales and would seriously errode F150 sale.

 

The only thing pushing Ford in the direction of a US T6 is fuel economy. Sales of Fiesta and Focus are strong so this is not much of an issue.

 

Time will tell as this is the first year without Rangers sales included. My feeling is that Ford sales are flat and will stay flat until Ford enters new segments like the C Max coming out and maybe a possible B Max. However, the C Max will be produced in very low numbers. A new MKEscape will help and hopefully Ford will intro something new at this year's auto season this fall. With only one high volume division left, Ford could use a more rounded out lineup if it wants to maintain market share let alone increase it. Concerning small pickups, I still think the best bet is an F-100 that would just be part of F-Series family robbing sales of no one other than competitors.

[Bob Rosadini]

We've been through this debate over and over here over the last year, but I'll summarize it for you.

 

Small pickup sales and the overall market are way down compared to just a few years ago. People who used to buy them as commuter vehicles because they were handy and cheap switched to crossovers and small cars and hybrids that got way better mileage. People who still needed a full sized pickup are still buying full sized pickups.

 

Ford North America opted out of the T6 world ranger early on because they still had both the F150 and the old Ranger. Later they were faced with a shrinking market and a big investment that would be required to update the ranger for new crash regulations, not to mention it was being produced in an old plant on a platform that was not shared with other current ford vehicles.

 

So the best decision for Ford was to cancel the current Ranger.

 

Why not bring the T6 world Ranger here? That's still a possibility but Ford is also working on a new, lighter more fuel efficient F150 and if it's as dramatic an improvement as has been rumored then it will be more important to Ford's bottom line than a T6 Ranger which will steal existing F150 sales and which won't be dramatically more fuel efficient.

 

Ford has to look at market trends, manufacturing facilities and the effect of T6 Ranger sales on other vehicles plus figure out where the resources would be diverted from to work on it. Bringing it here would be relatively easy from a task standpoint. Doing it and making money while not dropping the ball on other just as important or more important projects is WAY more difficult.

 

Capiche?

Very good-your explanations get better every time this subject comes up.

 

From my foxhole, the thing that makes the most sense is to eliminate TWO large pick up platforms, go back to the old days when 150-350 were the same basic vehicle, thereby making room for a legitimate small truck that would stand alone and not derode sales of the 150.

 

And to those who say there is no longer a significant market for small trucks as inicated by current sales stats, I say perhaps that is a related tothe fact that the offerings are not that attractive. Perhaps when Obama Motors comes out with its new offerings we will see a renewed interest.

 

From my perspective, it is more than just MPG. I don't want a big truck-in addition to my REAL big truck!

[cheri/ck]

It's a shame - in my mind - that Ford can find the money to build every version of a cross-over vehicle and then limit their very loyal truck buyers to so few choices. In our case, this is not just Ranger but F-150 too.

 

Will not buy another F-150 as long as it is too big and too heavy. And we have owned a good number of them. I too have test driven the latest Ford trucks and find them way over the edge on the wrong side for a truck. Somehow, the American population has truly decided that the big trucks are the replacements for their big rear-drive cars. I don't like the trend and won't buy an over-priced "limo" F-150.

 

As far as finding something reasonable on the used truck market - good luck folks. They are hard to find and over-priced in the Ford world. Forget about 4X4 Rangers and SportTracs. Wish I could find a 2008 F-150 4X4 and 5.4 with low mileage and a decent record. Can't so far unless I want the Supercrew. Which I don't want - there again, don't need to move people, just some cargo most of the time with some room behind the seats.

 

Like some of the previous posts, sure hope our Rangers can stay on life support and hang in there. They probably will because they are both low mileage and incredibly reliable, fuel efficient machines. Nothing out there either to really replace them without spending a small fortune. Now give me the option of combining an old Ranger and an old F-150 with the T-6 and a really nice engine - I would likely be a buyer.

 

Tough situation developing out there for those of us that want to buy Ford again. Looking at other brands constantly since Ford offers nothing for us now and we may really have to replace one of these four trucks - two F-150's and two Rangers - sooner than later.

 

Like I say - it's a shame for Ford to leave good, loyal truck customers without proper options. There will be more that migrate to other brands and don't come back.