Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda

[Rupert]

No, you want the Ranger. Rangers make you feel like a man.

Only the 4WD Rangers...

[Rupert]

But on the roads a sedan can go, the truck gets vastly worse gas mileage and doesn't drive as well. 

Like I said, trucks are great.  I don't particularly like pickups (although, that Nissan one is nice...the Navara.  I don't know what the US version is), but I like when people buy them and use them the way they're meant. 

Well, for the people who don't want more than one car, and who drive on rough roads a lot, a truck/SUV makes sense.

[Tave]

But on the roads a sedan can go, the truck gets vastly worse gas mileage and doesn't drive as well. 

Not really. Trucks have firmer suspensions, but recent models are a lot more comfortable.

Once upon a time, they made fuel-efficient trucks. You can still find one if you look very hard.

Of course, it might be worth it to sacrifice a little economy and comfort for something that goes wherever you want. I wish I had one.

[280Z Turbo]

My old Ranger made me feel like a child molestor or perhaps a redneck.

[Raza]

Well, for the people who don't want more than one car, and who drive on rough roads a lot, a truck/SUV makes sense.

If that were the case, then I'd have to agree.  But then again, I'd say the majority remember that one time they got stuck doing something stupid and then drive a truck in conditions that a car can handle with ease 99% of the time. 

Trucks have a purpose.  If you are going to utilize them for that purpose and quite often, I say go for it. 

(Although, I'd buy an SUV over a pickup every time.)

[Rupert]

That's a pretty car...

Hell yes it is. It was in good shape, owned by an Alfisti, under 100 kmiles. And that's a '74, pre-emissions, post-SPICA fuel injection. SPICA is a beautiful system, if it's set up right. I was actually going to buy it and sell the MG, but it was sold before then. Oh well. The MG is a great car, anyway.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Someday, I'm going to get a 2wd 4cyl 5spd Ranger beater truck, because I just like them.

[Rupert]

Psilos, I like your MG better.  I didn't like the proportions of the Alfa.

Everyone else -- great compromise:



Now shut up!

Bullshit. It's just an uglier Outback, which ain't no truck.

[Raza]

Hell yes it is. It was in good shape, owned by an Alfisti, under 100 kmiles. And that's a '74, pre-emissions, post-SPICA fuel injection. SPICA is a beautiful system, if it's set up right. I was actually going to buy it and sell the MG, but it was sold before then. Oh well. The MG is a great car, anyway.

How much work does one of those need?  Because I fucking want one now. 

Let's see...I'm good with a hammer and........shovel.....

Do you use either of those when working on cars?

[Rupert]

Someday, I'm going to get a 2wd 4cyl 5spd Ranger beater truck, because I just like them.

Let me know when you want to do that. I have a 2WD 4 cyl 5 spd Ranger, that's not yet entirely a beater, that I don't especially like.

[280Z Turbo]

Someday, I'm going to get a 2wd 4cyl 5spd Ranger beater truck, because I just like them.

You don't want that...at least not a first gen.

The handling was terrible. Turning the steering wheel would simply induce body roll.

[Eye of the Tiger]

You don't want that...at least not a first gen.

The handling was terrible. Turning the steering wheel would simply induce body roll.

1993+
And you don't have to tell me about Rangers. I used to have one.

[The Pirate]

Not really. Trucks have firmer suspensions, but recent models are a lot more comfortable.

Once upon a time, they made fuel-efficient trucks. You can still find one if you look very hard.

Of course, it might be worth it to sacrifice a little economy and comfort for something that goes wherever you want. I wish I had one.

Four pot 4x4 regular cab Tacoma will get 25 mpg or so on the highway.  That isn't significantly worse than my car...

[280Z Turbo]

The 1998+ models are a lot better because they ditched the twin I beam setup.

[Rupert]

How much work does one of those need?  Because I fucking want one now. 

Let's see...I'm good with a hammer and........shovel.....

Do you use either of those when working on cars?

Ha!

Old Alfas aren't too bad. I mean, they're old, but they're no worse than any other old car. There are a few things, but the main one on the cars with the SPICA FI (which is mechanical, not electronic) is that the FI is in good shape. It can get expensive and fast to get that fixed, but there's a guy in WA (30 min from where I used to live) who does a really good job of that. If you get a '75-'81 (?), you'll have the SPICA and emissions, which is bad, but if you get before '74, there are no emissions, and after '81 (?), the FI is Bosch electronic. The earliest cars (uh, pre-'71?) had carbs, which I don't like.

And they have those pretty DOHC engines... 

[Eye of the Tiger]

The 1998+ models are a lot better because they ditched the twin I beam setup.

I like twin I beams.

[S204STi]

I looked long and hard at the VW GTI.  If I didn't want AWD I would have gone with that instead.  Much nicer car.

[Rupert]

I like twin I beams.

Pre-runner!

[CALL_911]

I looked long and hard at the VW GTI.  If I didn't want AWD I would have gone with that instead.  Much nicer car.

Legacy 2.5 GT? Used A4 2.0T quattro?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Pre-runner!

[Rupert]

Four pot 4x4 regular cab Tacoma will get 25 mpg or so on the highway.  That isn't significantly worse than my car...

But the new ones are so... big.

I hate that all the new trucks are monsters. The Ranger is the only one left, and you can't get both 4WD and the 4 cylinder engine. Lame.

[Rupert]

Hell yeah.

Too bad that kinda truck is useless to me. It would be fun, though.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Hell yeah.

Too bad that kinda truck is useless to me. It would be fun, though.

DO IT ANYWAY

[Rupert]

Too much money. I have another gas tank to feed, ya know.

If I had decided against a sports car, I would have bought an SUV of some kind, fixed it up, and sold the truck. Like, I dunno, a Trooper. 

[the Teuton]

I looked long and hard at the VW GTI.  If I didn't want AWD I would have gone with that instead.  Much nicer car.

[Eye of the Tiger]

holy cats...

[Rupert]

UN-holy cats, you mean.

[The Pirate]

But the new ones are so... big.

I hate that all the new trucks are monsters. The Ranger is the only one left, and you can't get both 4WD and the 4 cylinder engine. Lame.

Oh, I'm talking about the last generation, which is definitely Ranger sized.  New ones are a bit less fuel efficient.



And yes, I would definitely buy a Duratec 4-banger 4x4 Ranger.  Like you, I don't want a huge truck, and I want reasonable fuel consumption, so 2WD Ranger or 4WD Tacoma it is.

[MrH]

But the new ones are so... big.

I hate that all the new trucks are monsters. The Ranger is the only one left, and you can't get both 4WD and the 4 cylinder engine. Lame.

You can still get the Tacoma with 4WD and the 4 cylinder .  It's big, but it's not even close to half-ton big.

[Rupert]

Oh, I'm talking about the last generation, which is definitely Ranger sized.  New ones are a bit less fuel efficient.

[pic]

And yes, I would definitely buy a Duratec 4-banger 4x4 Ranger.  Like you, I don't want a huge truck, and I want reasonable fuel consumption, so 2WD Ranger or 4WD Tacoma it is.

Right. My boss gets 25 mpg highway with his new 4x4 4 cylinder Taco. That's what I get in my Ranger.

Also, I would never buy a 2WD truck again. I got stuck in the snow in a level, but uneven, gravel parking lot this winter. I had to chain up. Lame!