Hey, I know this is an apple to oranges but I am in the position to either be buying one of these two. I found a 1999 Crown Vic for about 2900 bucks. It has around 95k miles on the odometer and is in good shape. The ranger has 135k miles and is for sale of 3800 dollars. The guy said he was willing to negotiate so I have a feeling the truck will be around 3200-3500, VIC is firm at 2900.
I know these serve two different purposes but I am here to figure out which one will be more reliable. I would be using mostly on the highway to drive around. Live in a small town so everything is like an hour away from me. Also, to go visit the grandparents a couple of states away (12-hour trip one way).
I know the VIC's weak point is the automatic transmission. I don't know as much about rangers. I know the manual is good but should I watch out for anything on the V6?
I am from Iowa so both have decent rust under the frame.
Thank you
Clarification: How many years and additional mileage do you need it to last you?
I'm a very frugal guy, so long the better I would like to get at least 5 years out of them. I'm 22 now if it will last me till I'm 70 that would be even better lol.
Which V6? 3.0 or 4.0? The 3.0 will last, it's underpowered in a truck, but it will do the job for light use. The rear half of Ranger frames that age rust more severely than the front half. Check the frame rails' integrity with a heavy hammer near the shock mounts, spring shackles and check crossmembers underneath. Good frame won't move and sound like solid metal. Rotted frame will crunch. Run away from both if that's the case. The Crown Vic might last a bit as well. Check the transmission fluid. If it looks normal, it may still go a good while with fluid changes every 30k miles. These vehicles were made when Ford actually cared somewhat about longevity.
It's the 3.0, and okay, I will make sure to double-check to see how the rust is in those areas. Thank you!
My Ranger has the same engine and is approaching 275k miles, if that gives you an idea on how long the truck can go, providing the rust isn't bad. Is it a 4×4 or 2WD? The 2WD trucks aren't as hindered by the smaller engine. Mine is a 4×4 and is pretty slow. I had my auto tranny rebuilt at 250k. I noticed frame rust after I bought it and have repaired or am working on repairing it. Good luck!
My Dad had a 4cyl ranger that lasted 336,000 miles and he beat the crap out of it lol. I also have a Lincoln Town car with the same engine as the crown Vic you’re looking at. My car is pretty low mileage but I do fully trust that car. And from my research panther platform cars can last 600,000 miles if maintained very well. Honestly, if the frames are okay you would do well with either vehicle.
Hey thank you, I also found another ranger that has the 4.0L engine in it. Now is that better with the 3.0 i am currently looking at? The 4.0L has 112k miles and is a long bed. Also has a manual transmission.
I would had screenshots but it says my files are to big
If i can figure it out i will add them to this chat
Crown Vics are notoriously hard to kill.
If it has a clean title, I'd go that route any day, all day.
Probably why Ford killed it off, they weren't selling enough from low demand and they were too reliable to sell you a new one, lol, unlike pretty much everything they make nowadays.
Yeah only the older crowd tended to buy them. But if you notice, police departments are still using some of them even after all these years and the extremely hard miles.
Dayton Police still drive some, I see one or two driving to work every day. They're rusty now, but those things run forever. I liked those Crown Victorias. I must be a lost as a millennial, I hate crossovers and love big sedans. Haha. There wasn't much you couldn't get in those, and they had their own style. That's partly why I like my old land yacht Catalina.
For your stated needs I would go.the crown vic.
