A few years ago, the last of the affordable, compact pickups exited the American marketplace with the demise of the Ranger. This was truly a shame, as nothing has emerged to take its place and most pickups are both out of the reach financially of Joe Q. Consumer and, frankly, not all that practical unless you live in the wide open country. This time-capsule 1999 Ford Ranger here on craigslist has a tick over 18,000 miles and may be your best chance to own a near-new swan song example.
This one checks all the boxes, too, with the Sport package, side steps, aluminum wheels, manual transmission, and dead-reliable V6. The body is mint and it’s the extended cab, too. The white paint and “Sport” graphics places this truck firmly in the 90s, and that’s not a bad thing at all. The OEM mudflaps are a nice touch, too.
Suffice to say, someone loaded this Ranger up when they bought it. It also comes with bedliner, and as the seller notes, they don’t make them like this anymore. And frankly, other than the almighty dollar once again dictating things, it’s a damn shame they don’t. I would use one of these trucks all day long, both for commuting during the week and hauling on the weekends. However, a $50K plus king-Harley-Ranch-edition-dual-cab is nothing I want parked in my driveway.
For $8,950, this is a bargain. This is a purchase I can’t see regretting because the value proposition is so high with the near-showroom mileage. You’ll get ten+ years out of this, easily, if not driven in the salt-infested northeast, and won’t break the bank maintaining it, either. Small, cheap, tires, great MPGs and nothing big that can break: the way a light-duty truck should be.
Gone… I am sure in faster than 60 seconds..,. Still love my 89 Ranger beater truck with 261k on it though…$250.00 purchase 13 years ago.
Have a 1998 Ranger, regular cab, 3.6L, 5 speed, over 201K miles… got it for nothing. My beater truck.
That was a great price on a sharp looking truck. I had a ’94 extended cab and an ’01 regular cab, both of which were problem free trucks. The ’01 was a regular cab with the 4.0, my favourite of the two, and there are still days when I miss it.
Neighbor had 2 Ranger 4×4’s one for him and one for his wife, both were dark green stepsides. He’s divorced and sold his and she took hers, he misses those trucks just not her. I just talked to the owner of our local Ford dealer at a car show Saturday and he has 25 Rangers ordered for January 2019 and 16 are sold already. High end ones will be stickered at 40K. I would rather find a nice older one with less BS on it for less money.
My beater…
Even beaters need some lover periodically. I too have a beater and while it doesn’t get washed as often as my non beaters, it still gets one periodically. So, give it some love!!!!!!!
I will never understand how people can stand to travel in vehicles that obviously haven’t seen a bath in quite some time.
STRICTLY MY OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(let the beatdown proceed)
Could’ve used this to haul my karaoke
equipment from show to show. The only
thing I would’ve had to do was to teach
my neice how to drive a 4-speed truck.
At that price, I knew someone would
snarf it up in a hurry. Guess I’ll keep
looking ’til I find something suitable to
my needs. Would prefer a large wagon,
but will settle for a minivan in good
condition. Show me what you have at:
captaingizmo54@gmail.com. I will
answer all emails in a prompt and timely
manner.
Interesting. I picked up a 1992 Chevy S-10 Tahoe extended cab with 13,500 documented miles last week at an estate sale and have been scratching my head trying to determine a fair market value for this unicorn-mobile. I guess I have something to latch onto for guidance. I don’t know if a Ranger is generally loved more or less than a S-10 Tahoe, but they seem to be similarly optioned, so we’ll see…we’ll see.
I’d love a 2wd, standard trany, compact truck. Haven’t found one in the last 6 months in this part of the country.
A twenty year old Ford Ranger is just an old truck…not worthy of being called a barn find in my eyes.
Right? I like Rangers, but I don’t come here to look at commuter cars.
$8950.00 is a bargain for a used truck? I hardly think so.
Also I would be extremely wary of a truck like this with so few miles.
It must have had serious problems to not have been on the road or used.
Check the Carfax, I am sure there are some secrets the truck is hiding.
On and on with the nay Sayers.
Had a 5 cylinder Chevy Colorado for 235,000 miles. Replaced it with a GMC Canyon that was a Lemon (5 trips to the dealer because the key would not come out of the ignition), too tall (the radio antenna that was the only one GM had form this hit the botto of the Garage door) and the mirrors were so wide it didn’t easily fit in the garage. It is “out of my life”, and this Ford looked marvelous.
I have a ’99 B4000 v6 with 130k on it, great truck. Found a ’98 Ranger with 31k original miles, poor thing had been sitting and the frame rusted out.
Running a lifted B300 with a 5-speed, just put new tires and front brakes on it. 190K miles, running very well. But one has to realize, that the 3.0 has very little power, and also gets poor fuel economy. Still, I like it.
Recently sold one for 5K in similar condition with 65K miles. Ran perfectly but “great gas mileage” was not in the description. For the limited power, it never returned better than 16, which is the same as my 318 powered 4×4 full size Dodge. Too little truck for such poor MPG. Otherwise I would have kept it. I must say that I may have underpriced it as the phone lit up and the first looker bought it with a huge smile.
Crap! I missed out on this one. It was gone by 8 AM this morning. The CL ad is gone and this site doesn’t say whether the V6 was the 3.0 or the 4.0. I would have preferred the everlasting 3.0. Also doesn’t say whether it was 4×2 or 4×4; either would have worked for me.
I currently have a 99 Ranger with the 2.5 I4 and an automatic. Standard cab, stepside bed in a bright metallic green. We call it the June Bug. Love it. Wish Ford still made it (and Chevy made the S-10). They were great, simple, longlasting trucks. First generation Colorado wasn’t bad. My dad bought a new 05 and had it until last year, but the new Colorado doesn’t do it for me. Seems to be somewhere between a midsize and a full size pickup. No thanks.
This white extended cab was a real buy at the asking IMO.
Regardless of what the nay sayers say,this was a bargain and a dependable truck because I have one( ’01 Ranger Edge extended cab 3.0 engine).I wouldn’t have nothing else.It didn’t take long for this one to go because somebody else saw a deal.
I have a 2011 2wd extended cab with 73K miles on it. Its the two door, sport model in silver. For a small truck it has a surprisingly good payload. I;ve had to replace the O2 sensor and have had an odd power window issue which I’ll chalk up to Florida salt air.
For those looking to buy a Ranger, just know you are buying into a Tribe! You will find other Rangers mysteriously parking next to yours in the parking lots and every now and then, others will wave at you. Be prepared.
This cool little truck is barley 20 years old. Come on BF. Let’s keep it it classic!!
How about a hupmobile? Or a hudson?? Or a REO???
These do not come up for sale often where I live in Texas, everyone that has one hangs on to it with good reason. Great trucks!
Auto Tempest results for 1999 Rangers.
Ebay – 3 Trucks
Cars.Com – 52 Trucks
Craigslist in Texas – 15, give or take a few.
Craigslist Bakersfield CA – 79 Trucks
I am sure there are many more all over the country.
These are not rare trucks by any means.
Passed on a ’99 V6/Manual with around 60k earlier this year for $1500. Even with it’s older driver bumps & bruises it was a good buy as it was regularly driven (although not very far) & maintained but it just didn’t fit my needs. It got a good home though. Now if I could somehow find the stripper ’85 I had in the same condition as this one I’d have to jump all over it.