Looking sharp and formal in what Ford referred to as “Black” paint (every other color got a fancy name but Black), this 2000 Ford Ranger SuperCab Flareside is a RWD model, and it appears to be in nice condition according to the 41 photos (!) the seller provided. They have it listed here on eBay in Levittown, Pennsylvania. There is no reserve, and the current bid is $5,500 with under a day to go.
Growing up in snow country in the 1970s, we only had rear-wheel-drive vehicles and somehow lived through that era. I know that AWD or 4WD is better in snow, but a lot of vehicles now are only AWD (I’m looking at you, ubiquitous silver or black SUVs), and even people living in the desert Southwest or tropical Florida drive vehicles with 4WD/AWD. I know, it helps with traction in the rain, and there are probably other reasons. Here’s a 2000 Ford Ranger brochure to check out.
One of my favorite vehicles was a BMW 528iT wagon with rear-wheel-drive, and I never had an issue in Minnesota winters with proper tires and traction control. My brother had two Ford Rangers with RWD, and he just put on snow tires as the rest of us did in the 70s and 80s before most vehicles came with AWD. Enough of that. I just wanted to say that I wouldn’t be afraid of driving this Ranger in the winter, other than the thought of packing salty slush and snow up underneath all of its “rust-free” metal. Here’s what it looks like under that nice bed cover.
This is a third and last generation of the original run of the Ford Ranger, which ran from 1998 through 2011 for the U.S. and Canada, and it looks really nice. I’m wondering about the interior, though. The seller has uploaded an incredible 40 photos and a video, but they don’t show one overall photo of the interior. It’s just close-up detail photos. I combined a couple of them here, and there is some wear visible, as is to be expected in a vehicle with 88,000+ miles and being 26 years old, but it sure looks nice to me. This one has an automatic transmission, which is either bad news or good news, depending on the person. The SuperCab feature gives a nice amount of space behind the front seats for a couple of jump seats and for hauling a lot of stuff inside, out of the weather, if you don’t want to put it in the back.
The engine is Ford’s 3.0-liter OHV V6 with 150 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque, passing through the 4R44E four-speed automatic to the rear wheels. The seller says this truck is “rust-free,” has a solid frame, has cold AC, and runs and drives like new. I know that many of you have driven a rear-wheel-drive vehicle in the winter: what was your strategy for getting good traction in the snow? Snow tires and a few sandbags in the back of this Ranger would work fairly well.
Looks like a nice Ranger. When I think of them today, I usually visualize a basic low-option example, always white, perhaps formerly used by the city utility department, now beat to within an inch of its life. But still soldiering on. So it is good to see one which is in solid shape.
I like the SuperCab/ Flareside body style. I had forgotten about the passenger air bag on-off switch. I too drove RWD-only vehicles for years.
Good job SG.
I’m right with Bob on this one. It looks like a solid, well kept Ranger with a lot of life in it. As for the snow and 2WD, my Dad usually drove 1 ton Chevie’s and GMC’s . In the late fall he’d mount either one or two 55 gallon drums and my brother or myself would freeze our hands filling them both with water before rolling up the hose and shutting off the outside hose spigot for the winter. He never had a problem getting around in the snow with the extra weight and “only” 2WD. Does 4WD help? Absolutely, I live in the mountains and definitely appreciate my Subie in the wintertime!!! But it can and has been done for decades without it. Nice write up and perspective Scotty. Thank you!!!
I grew up in the snow belt driving a rwd 88 S-10. Snow tires are for the weak! All you need is a shovel. Fill up that bed with snow and you’re good to go! Then when it melts off the roads it removes itself from the bed. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! This thing needs a 3″ lift, bigger tires and Baja that som… never mind. Its too nice for that.
Beautiful find.
These are some very good and well built trucks. If I could get me another one I would (already own a’01 Ranger Edge) to replace this troublesome Escalade I’m thinking about getting rid of. This is a sharp looking truck and still see a lot of them on the road.
Sold for $6200. Very fair, I think.
We had the Mazda-branded version with a stick shift and 4WD.
That 3.0 will probably run for another 20 years. Not really powerful, and relatively poor fuel economy, but reliable as a stone, from my experience!
The Sellers E-Bay ads are very detailed, lots of photos.
If that Ranger was as clean as it looked then someone got a really good deal… …and regarding RWD and snow, all the trucks I’ve owned were RWD only and I drove them all thru New England winters… with 30 mile commutes to work in all weather. I did prefer a manual for that, but I did it with both. A couple of my trucks I did put Blizzaks on in the winter… my S10 and Silverado.. helped considerably. But I did have an older auto Ranger with just all season tires, and it did fine. As a kid I remember an older gentleman telling me “4wd… if you know how to drive, you don’t need it… it will just get you stuck in a more inaccessible place”…
Lovely looking truck. I would’ve gladly bought one had I been in the market to buy one. The only mechanical upgrade I’d have done to it would be a Duramax 2.8 litre Turbo Diesel engine. 🙂
Wow! This is nice. Clean machine! Would totally consider if I wasnt knee deep with my 08 SportTrac.
You are correct ” Day Dreamer ” . I have a 1997 with the same engine trans combo and the gas mileage is poor. About the same as a full size truck with out the power.
Anyone want to guess how many cans of black spray paint was used to cover all the rust & scale under the hood and undercarriage? Someone blind as a bat definitely got hosed. That driver’s front fender looks suspect as well.
I grew up in the Flint Hills of Kansas in the late 60’s/early 70’s without 4wd trucks. One of my dad’s favorite sayings was that the only thing that a 4wd offers that a 2wd pickup doesn’t is the ability to get much deeper into trouble before your vehicle gives up on you. Of course, as 4wd became more common, I noticed that he was not shy about adopting them. One of my cherished memories from that time of my life was the time that Kenny D (one of our neighbor’s kids, a couple of years older than me and known to be somewhat rash) took me on his morning chores to feed cattle. As we were contemplating the churned up mess that was the feeding ground, Kenny looked at me and said “that doesn’t look too bad, let’s go for it”. Famous last words. Three hours later and with the assistance of a county road grader, we were back out of the muck. That truck never did drive well after that, and was traded off as quickly as was feasible. The memory can still give me the giggles.
I bought a 2003 version of this rig from co-part. Mines Red with the cute step side bed, 3 liter five speed stick and AC. It needed a new engine and I figured it would wind up at pick-n-pull if I didn’t save it. I put a new J and S engine in it and it’s my daily. Simple old pre touch screen heater controls are very handy, you don’t have to take your eye’s off the road to adjust the heat or AC and it’s very peppy with the stick. Number one thing I like is how easy it is to park in a tight space.
“Here’s what it looks like under the nice bed cover “. The picture shows a picture of plastic bed liner ! What ta !!!! I want to SEE the sheet metal in bed , NOT a piece of plastic.
Auction update: this Ranger sold for $6,200!