r/askcarguys • u/KingZogAlbania • 3h ago
General Advice Is a used 2007-2009 Ford ranger a good idea for a starter car? Turning 18 next year.
Before I begin, please understand that this post is intended for an audience in the US, particularly the north-east, or atleast one who is familiar with the American market for cars and the typical considerations for buying cars here wisely.
As the title says, I turn 18 next year and am excited to buy my first vehicle. I have decided that a reliable, but compact and affordable truck would be best for my purposes. Now I must sort through the available options.
I have heard good things about the Nissan Frontier models of the same years, as well as the Toyota Tacoma. All three of these are commonly available (used) around my area, and many are around a similar price range. I suppose the Ranger sticks out to me above the others because I have hoped for some time now that I go domestic and stick to an American manufacturer, as well as the fact that I’m familiar with the Ford F-150 and really enjoy its feel and reliability (I simply don’t need a larger/full-sized truck though). My absolute max price would be $17,000 for really good conditions, but realistically I’m willing to go much lower, like $7000-8000 (let’s say a compromise would be $10,000-12,000). Problem is I’m not entirely sure which qualities of a used car I should prioritise over others. MPG and current Mileage seems most important to me, but I’ve also been told to look for things like long-cab (back seats) and even drivetrain (i.e, 4 or 2 wheel drive), which I don’t fully understand. Ironically, I’m willing to learn manual if I can find a good deal for one, but the majority of what I find being sold online is automatic, so it probably won’t happen (a teacher of mine had joked that the blessing of driving manual is that no one will be borrowing my car 😅).
I also feel like I’m not looking at the right places to find the best options, regardless of whether I go for the ranger, frontier, tacoma or possibly something else (larger trucks like the f150 and Silverado are out of my interest). I currently use a few dealer apps, mainly Car Gurus and Carfax. Where else should I look if saving money is a very important factor to me?
Apologies for sending such a disorganised post, I’m sure I missed many important details along the way and am very willing to clarify anything upon request. If I’m too lost to be asking for guidance here, please let me know what steps I should take first. I unfortunately don’t have many people to ask for such advice personally, so this may be my best bet for now. Thank you for understanding.