Motor Trends Truck of the Year

[honda03842]

"By my maint schedule, 40 oil changes comes to only about 120,000 miles. At that point I start to consider a car to be nearly broken in and almost ready to be used for some more serious duties, like trailer towing!" by BCDave

BCDave I wasn't attempting to be rigorous about the number of oil changes our Honda has had though I believe the order of magnitude is correct.

We have about 160,000 miles on our 2004 Honda CRV. We bought it new. I change the oil about every 5,000 miles. That would amount to 32 oil changes. Assuming a 1-2 hours at the dealer I should have said 32-64 hours.

We have had the car for 8 years and plan to keep it for about 5 more years and get a new one when we reach about 250,000 miles.

Our Honda uses 5-20 oil, and knock on wood, it hasn't had a repair nor does it burn oil.

At most places I go for an oil change, they fill the crankcase and than insert the dipstick and confirm the level, showing me the dip stick. This shows that there is a filter and that the correct amount of oil has been added.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by honda03842

"By my maint schedule, 40 oil changes comes to only about 120,000 miles. At that point I start to consider a car to be nearly broken in and almost ready to be used for some more serious duties, like trailer towing!" by BCDave

BCDave I wasn't attempting to be rigorous about the number of oil changes our Honda has had though I believe the order of magnitude is correct.

We have about 160,000 miles on our 2004 Honda CRV. We bought it new. I change the oil about every 5,000 miles. That would amount to 32 oil changes. Assuming a 1-2 hours at the dealer I should have said 32-64 hours.

We have had the car for 8 years and plan to keep it for about 5 more years and get a new one when we reach about 250,000 miles.

Our Honda uses 5-20 oil, and knock on wood, it hasn't had a repair nor does it burn oil.

At most places I go for an oil change, they fill the crankcase and than insert the dipstick and confirm the level, showing me the dip stick. This shows that there is a filter and that the correct amount of oil has been added.

I change oil & filter every 5,000 km (3,000 miles) - usually do it myself, but sometimes at a 'qwikee-loob" place. Ii ALWAYS get out & stick around and watch them do it. If they start making any "mouth noises" along the lines of "you MUST wait in the car", I leave and go elsewhere.

I always use full synthetic oil and I use a WIX filter. I'll bring one along and ensure they use that one, as most places do not carry that brand (also known as NAPA Gold filters)

Every 25,000 km or once a year I flush & fill all differentials, transmissions (and transfer cases in the case of 4X4 vehicles) , also with synthetic.

Likely one of the reasons my vehicles generally last well over 400,000 miles (about 600,000 km) sans any major repairs. I'm too much of a cheapskate to keep replacing cars & trucks!

[BCDave]

Global Market 2012 Ford Ranger - First Drive - Motor Trend

[cpaharley2008]

That is a real nice diesel Ranger, now if we can just get the steering wheel location fixed.
I like the spec's.

[honda03842]

Virtually all the manufacturers sell great small diesels in the rest of the world. Maybe the new mileage requirements will get some of those engines to North America.

It would be great for us.

[2yax2go]

According to the article, it "has been built to comply with the toughest safety and government standards -- including those in North America. There is no reason it couldn't be sold in North America, other than Ford's unwillingness to do so" and one of the "top engineers" wants to bring his here as a "private import".

Could this be the beginning of a campaign to change Ford's mind????

Yanno us Yanks like nuttin' better than to get something we're not supposed to have.

[BCDave]

Trouble is... When you read the whole article, it is SO close to the F150 in so many ways, that it would not make a lotta sense to try to market both.

OTOH, I have long since lost any interest in trying to figure out the market strategies of any of the so-called "big 3"

So many of their cars are so close together in sizes etc that I cannot see much difference

Maybe if they offered that 5 cyl diseasel in the F150......

[BCDave]

AND there are many other trucks beside the Ranger that have had people standing in line for the privilege of NOT buying them. As a result the ones on this list will be going away.....

Ford Ranger & Mazda B series (Which are the same truck- just "badge engineered)
BMW ActiveHybrid X6
Chevrolet HHR
Honda Element
Mazda Tribute
Mitsubihi Endeavour
Ram Dakota

[GeorgeR]

Sizes of Ranger and F-150 are perhaps close but MPG isn’t. Combined MPG for Ranger is 28 AUS MPG which is 23.4 US MPG. F 150 delivers between 15 to 19 MPG so let’s say average 17 MPG. So Ranger has 38% better mileage and being diesel it will have better towing MPG as well.

My wife and I test drove Freightliner Sprinter a few days ago and I must say I fell in love with the Mercedes 3l diesel. My wife’s first comment was its too bad that it does not come with diesel, that how quiet it was.

But manufacturers know very that diesels are smelly, are loud, they shake living daylights out of drivers, they failed miserably in seventies GM cars and even my 30 years old daughter remember that well, diesel fuel is 10% more expensive which nulls 40% mpg advantage, and there are many more reason why US customers would never buy a diesel, right?

George.

[Doc Sarvis]

George, you are comparing apples with oranges. According to fueleconomy.gov the 2011 Ford Ranger with 4.0L v6 and auto tranny gets 15 mpg city and 20 mpg hwy. My F150 Ecoboost gets 16/22. The F150 is much larger, more comfortable, safer, quieter, has more towing capacity and better resale value.

This is a no-brainer. The diesel Ranger is not available in the U.S. Even if it were, the comfort and safety of the F150 would have kept me from buying a Ranger. I have owned a Ranger and a Mazda B3000. The F150 is a much better truck. I already suffer from tinnitus. I do not want another noisy, bouncy, uncomfortable mini truck.

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... I have been reading on some other forums, if you can believe all you read, but pic's. don't lie. Ford is experiencing a significant number of bent frames on several Raptor pickups. Granted some of them are used "Off road" but that's what they're advertised as being able to do!!!
The frame bends so the gap between the cab and box below the rear window becomes wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. I'm sorry I don't have the c'puter skills to transfer a picture!!!
I wonder what this condition may hold for those towing with new F150s of any model???
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[mary in tx]

i have an 2011 f150 4X4 v8 single cab fleet truck. doe's anyone know how big a drop i would need to tow a 13ft scamp? not sure how to figure this.

[mcbrew]

Originally Posted by mary in tx

i have an 2011 f150 4X4 v8 single cab fleet truck. doe's anyone know how big a drop i would need to tow a 13ft scamp? not sure how to figure this.

Check this out: http://www.etrailer.com/faq-ballmount.aspx

[mary in tx]

thank you so much jesse, this is what i didn't know. very new at towing.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by mary in tx

i have an 2011 f150 4X4 v8 single cab fleet truck. doe's anyone know how big a drop i would need to tow a 13ft scamp? not sure how to figure this.

the standard for modern 13 Scamp is 16" to the top of the ball.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by floyd

the standard for modern 13 Scamp is 16" to the top of the ball.

Floyd, it's 18" to the top of the ball: Scamp Travel Trailers: 13 Foot Specifications of course it says approximately... so I guess 16" is also approximately

Hitch height: approx. 18"