Ok, the plan changed as far as car buying/selling goes. We decided to keep the Honda since she’s running just fine no thanks to RH Auto. After reseating the plug wires, etc, she’s been just dandy. Good thing I don’t believe everything I’m told by fucking money grubbing mechanics, eh?
Anyway, we decided to get a small truck since we’re homeowners now and we’re always having to haul something large from Home Despot or Lowe’s. [Yes, I meant to spell it d-e-s-p-o-t!] We also decided to hang onto the Honda and get rid of the Contour. I wanted to trade it if at all possible, just so we don’t have to look at it for 6 months while trying to sell the damn thing.
I began the search week before last, starting with Ford Rangers and then Nissans, even a couple of Toyotas. I found out that trucks have many more miles on them than cars (the average 2000 truck will have 100k, whereas the average car will have 60k) and that most trucks are manual transmission, which is great for me, not so great for Nick. He said he wanted a 4 cylinder rather than a 6, which was also harder to find and we were not looking for a 4×4.
So, I narrow down the field to a couple of 4 cyl. Rangers owned by individuals and one 4 cyl Nissan at a lot way the hell out in bumfuck egypt Carrollton. The deal on the Nissan was really good, so I inform Nick that we’re going to Carrollton (about an hour away) as our field trip last night. He goes along grudgingly.
The Nissan was indeed a good deal, but it is a stick and it’s got lots of little problems. We drive it and he’s not impressed. There is a BIG difference between a 4 cyl truck and a 6. The sixes seem to have better all ’round interiors and they simply run better.
So, we park the Nissan and go to drool over a nice little black step side 2003 Ranger that we can’t afford. Next to it, was a blue 4×4 Ranger with a posh interior and it’s an automatic. I go in to talk to Stan (AAA Auto Sales in Carrollton – I HIGHLY recommend him! [now defunct, sadly. June 2015]) about the Nissan and ask what that cute blue 4×4 is going for, thinking it’ll be $9k since it’s so nice and has $10k on the window. He replies, “That one is $7000”. I almost fell out!! I go right back out and grab Nick. We take it out for a test drive and he loves it.
We go back to Stan and I ask him what he’ll give us for the Contour. He offered $1000, which is more than fair, IMO. We go back out to the truck to see if we can get the tonneau hard bed cover to open up so we can see the bed and Stan points out that this truck is actually a FOUR door as well as the big cab. OMFG!! It has suicide doors!! That was it. I knew this was our truck! So, then I ask him if he’ll consider $5500 plus the Contour for that 4×4 Ranger. He says, no, but he can take $5800 plus the Contour. I said, “SOLD!”
FIFTY EIGHT HUNDRED FOR A 1999 4×4 6 CYL RANGER XLT Xtra CAB FOUR DOOR, LOADED.
This truck lists in Kelley and Edmunds for $7000-9000! I am so delirious about this deal I just can’t tell you! It appears that my father’s genetic disposition to find used car deals has indeed been passed on to me! :-)
We would have driven that truck home last night had we not forgotten our checkbook (D’OH!). As it is, we’re waiting for the HELOC money to materialize anyway, so we’re off to Carrollton on Saturday to pick up our new Ranger!
How cool is that?
Pix soon!
Postscript [June 2015]: This Ranger served us well until late 2013, when its manifold cracked. Sad day. The good news is that I found a replacement the SAME DAY and for $8900 we got an 05 Ranger XLT Xtra Cab 2wd. The 2wd has been a big improvement on gas mileage! It’s really too bad that Ford stupidly stopped making the Ranger in 2011. It’s the perfect truck for city living.
Here is the idiotic quote from a Ford muckity-muck about how people shopping for a Ranger are really wanting a Fiesta. ?? I kid you not, look:
““Ford has conducted research that shows that the majority of Ranger buyers don’t purchase the vehicle because it’s a pickup,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Vice President of Global Product Development, in an interview with Autoblog. “Instead, they come into the showroom looking for the least expensive, most economical Ford available.” Kuzak also mentioned that the automaker hopes those looking for cheap transportation will opt for the Ford Fiesta, while shoppers who want big utility in a small package will consider the Transit Connect [which is a VAN, not a truck. -A].”
That guy is a moron. Sigh.