[airspirit]

I don't mean to harp on the subject, but I'd like to clarify further: as someone who lives in a relatively nasty climate, I bought a Ranger a couple of years ago secondhand that was used as a farm support rig. It has 130K/miles on it and hasn't had one mechanical breakdown its entire life (which I can confirm since it was LOF'd and maintained exclusively at the dealer I'm affiliated with). Now, this '94 is finally due for a clutch swap (which is in progress now) and here is what was found: the pilot bearing ($5 part) is wearing, though would last another 20K/mi, the clutch is at 30%, and the slave cylinder (internally mounted) has developed a slight leak that for the last 4 months has required addition of an entire 6cc of DOT 3. While no repairs are necessary for the next year, I'm swapping out the clutch, slave cyl (just to be prudent), and bearing for a grand total of $500.

Note that this vehicle has also been in a wreck (3 weeks after I bought it, dammit), where I was rear-ended by a 2001 Chevy Blazer at around 25 MPH. While I cracked out a taillight and my bumper was impacted, all I needed was some tape and a sledgehammer (for some 64 bit repairs) and the truck functions as good as ever (though the bumper isn't in the best shape ... there is still an impact scar in the rear starboard corner). The Blazer, however, suffered frame damage; the port fender, hood, bumper, and front fascia were destroyed; the engine was impacted and destroyed; and even one of the rims was smashed OOR. The vehicle was totalled, and the b!tch that hit me didn't have insurance to repair my rig, so while I got mine up and running for $10 in colored tape, hers was a complete loss. If I was running an S-10, I wouldn't have been able to drive away from that wreck. No frame damage or mechanical damage was taken by my rig in that accident, and that is a testimony to what Ford actually puts their development money into: mechanical soundness, rather than looks.

Food for thought. If I had the money handy, I'd help you out since I hate to see one of the guys in a bind like this (I know what its like to have your car blow up on you ... I owned a Chevy car once), but since I'm tapped for the season, I can't. So: good luck.